The Konoha Arena felt colder today.
Not physically—but spiritually.
As if something had arrived in the village that shouldn't exist.
Henri sensed it the moment he stepped into the stands to watch the next match. Even his System began to buzz with a low, staticky hum. Jeneya noticed it too, gripping her tanto tighter than usual.
"You feel that?" she whispered.
Henri nodded slowly. "Like chakra decay. Rotten chakra."
They weren't alone. Even the jonin in the high gallery seemed uneasy.
And then—
The announcer spoke.
---
📢 [MATCH 13 – ANNOUNCEMENT]
→ "Shinji of the Forgotten Vale versus Riku of the Sand."
→ Warning: Dual Mutation Signature Detected
→ Spectator Restrictions: ANBU Ready Units on Standby
→ Medical Unit: Grade-A Required
---
Henri froze.
"Shinji…"
The same boy from the riverbank. The silver-eyed, barefoot ghost who'd called Henri a "timeline error."
Now he was standing at the edge of the arena floor—tall, still barefoot, wearing a cracked white mask over the right side of his face. His black cloak was tattered, but chakra flickered around him like frictionless fire.
The crowd didn't cheer.
They just… watched.
Even the wind was quiet.
---
🧠 Observation Booth
Tsunade rose from her chair. "Is he... emitting two chakra flows?"
Kakashi nodded. "Confirmed. One's internal mutation. The other... foreign. It doesn't belong to this world."
Kurenai paled. "That's not just mutation. That's possession-level resonance."
Tsunade turned to her ANBU.
"If he goes out of control—you drop him."
---
🥊 Arena Floor – The Match Begins
Riku of the Sand bowed stiffly. "No hard feelings."
Shinji didn't respond.
Instead, he tilted his head, his silver eye watching Riku with… curiosity.
Then, he spoke—but it wasn't a voice.
It was a whisper that echoed inside every mind in the arena.
"You do not belong here."
Riku froze mid-step, clutching his head.
"What—what the hell was that?!"
---
🔴 [SYSTEM ALERT – Temporal Disruption Detected]
→ Host: Shinji
→ Active Skill: "Memory Echo – Tier I"
→ Effect: Induces temporal destabilization by injecting false pasts
→ Target: Riku (Genin)
→ Status: MENTAL BREAK IMMINENT
---
Suddenly, Riku screamed.
He fell to his knees, eyes wide, hands clawing at the dirt.
"No! Don't burn the scrolls! I wasn't there—I swear I wasn't there!"
He was hallucinating.
Screaming about events that never happened.
Henri stood, gripping the railing. "What is he doing to him?"
Jeneya's voice was tight. "It's not genjutsu. It's deeper. He's rewriting his memories."
---
🧠 System Log – Henri (Observer Sync Enabled)
→ Mutation Signature Match: Shinji = Voidborn Type
→ Tier: Unknown
→ Host Status: System Carrier Level 3
→ Anomaly Detected: Echo of Precursor System
→ Threat Rating: S
---
In the arena, Riku fell silent.
He collapsed sideways—foaming at the mouth, unconscious.
Shinji walked forward slowly.
He placed a single finger on Riku's temple.
The arena guards stepped forward—but paused at Tsunade's raised hand.
Everyone waited.
Shinji whispered again—this time aloud.
"Now you are forgotten."
A small pulse of gray chakra entered Riku's skull.
Then Shinji stepped away.
---
🟠 [ALERT – FORCED MEMORY REDACTION DETECTED]
→ Result: Riku will never remember the battle, his training, or why he came to the Exams
→ Medical Prognosis: Permanent amnesia – localized
→ Victim Status: Alive. Unstable.
---
"WINNER: SHINJI."
But no one clapped.
---
🧠 Jonin Gallery
Gai broke the silence. "That wasn't a fight."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "No. That was a demonstration."
Tsunade's face was grim. "He's not trying to win. He's sending a message."
She turned to her aide. "Get Henri's team under protection. If Shinji confronts him again, I want a contingency."
---
🏞️ Later That Evening – Rooftop
Henri sat with knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them.
He hadn't said a word since the match ended.
Jeneya sat beside him.
"I think he's like you," she said finally.
Henri shook his head. "No. I jump to move forward. He jumps between people's minds. Timelines. He doesn't just want to win—he wants to unmake."
Jeneya hesitated. "And if you have to fight him?"
Henri stared at the full moon.
"Then I have to become something else. Something stronger. Not to beat him… but to stay me."
---
🟢 [SYSTEM UPDATE – INCOMING ARC FLAG]
→ Title: "Mutation Requiem"
→ Trigger: Shinji's Third Duel
→ Outcome: Determines Mutation Dominance
→ Advice: Prepare Mutation Tree Unlock
→ Unlock Ready: "Skywalker – Second Root"
---
Henri stood.
"Tomorrow, we train again."
Jeneya smiled softly. "Training or flirting?"
Henri grinned. "Why not both?"
---
[To Be Continued…]