Chiba dreamt an incredibly long, bone-chillingly realistic dream.
In the dream, there was no Ninjutsu, no Chakra, and no Ninjas leaping through the skies; there were only neon-lit skyscrapers, endless overtime, and a life that made breathing difficult.
Chiba was an incredibly ordinary college graduate who stumbled into society, becoming just one of millions of corporate slaves.
Thirty-plus years of life, dull and exhausting.
Day after day of repetitive work, endless nights spent awake, and unbearable pressure—finally, during an all-night overtime session, the heart suddenly stopped, and boundless darkness swallowed all consciousness.
Having thought everything had ended, the next second, gentle sunlight spilled through the window lattice, and a warm sensation pulled Chiba back from the dead silence.
Konoha Year 29.
“System detected host awakening past-life memories. System charging complete. Great Collector System activated. Welcome, host, to the Great Collector System.”
A cold, flat, emotionless mechanical voice suddenly exploded deep within the mind.
Having just broken free from the long dream, with consciousness still hazy, Chiba’s body instantly stiffened.
There was a hint of confusion between the brows; the mind was still filled with the exhaustion and despair from the sudden death in the previous life.
Those decades of ordinary life were vivid, as real as yesterday.
But this sudden system prompt made the chaotic thoughts instantly clear up for the most part.
“System?”
Chiba whispered, the childish voice carrying a hint of hoarseness and disbelief.
Slowly raising a hand, Chiba rubbed the swollen and heavy brow.
Two completely different sets of memories intertwined and fused in the mind, eventually becoming fully integrated.
Chiba had transmigrated.
Transmigrated to the Ninja World, five years had passed since then.
Today, Chiba was exactly five years old.
The past-life memories that had been dormant for five years had fully awakened, and simultaneously, the exclusive Great Collector System had been bound.
After sorting out all the causes and consequences, Chiba felt a complex mix of emotions, followed by a surge of intense relief.
“It really is the Ninja World… This era isn’t exactly fortunate.”
The cruelty of this world was all too clear.
Behind the seemingly prosperous and peaceful Konoha, endless conspiracies, slaughter, and sacrifices were hidden.
Brutal Ninja World Wars played out in turns; blood and fire were the eternal background of this world.
Ordinary people, and even ordinary Ninjas, were ultimately just cannon fodder in chaotic times.
But in an instant, a light lit up in Chiba’s eyes.
“Fortunately, there is a system. Fortunately, it is only Konoha Year 29.”
Everything was still in time.
The Second and Third Ninja World Wars had not yet begun, leaving enough time to grow, pave the way, and plan.
The only things needing vigilance were the two monumental wars that would follow one after another, and the undercurrents of power struggles within Konoha.
“The top priority is to stay low and strive to become stronger.”
Chiba suppressed the restlessness in the heart, quickly sorted out the current situation, and began to plan a path for the future.
In chaotic times, only strength was the true foundation.
Without power, all plans were just empty talk.
Meanwhile, the basic information of the system flooded into the mind; the rules were simple but had an extremely high ceiling.
The core of the Great Collector System was collection.
As long as something was judged by the system to have collection value, once collected, the corresponding reward could be unlocked.
The reward grade was random; the quality depended on personal exploration and verification.
“Just try it and find out.”
A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Chiba’s eyes, and Chiba immediately rolled out of bed.
The five-year-old body was still tender, but it could not stop the full enthusiasm.
First, Chiba tried to collect everything in sight one by one: the wooden table, stool, bedding, and ornaments in the room, and then the flowers, plants, soil, and branches outside.
However, no matter how much the system was mentally urged, it remained silent without a single prompt.
“As expected, ordinary mundane items have no value.”
Chiba scratched the head helplessly, but a guess had already formed in the heart.
Since ordinary miscellaneous items didn’t work, only things related to the supernatural remained.
Chiba turned and walked quickly back to the bedroom, squatted down to lift the secret compartment under the bed, and took out a dust-covered small wooden box.
The wooden box had simple, ancient patterns and faint traces of time; it was an object that this body had kept since childhood.
Opening the wooden box, six yellowed Ninjutsu scrolls lay quietly inside.
The ancient paper was printed with neat Ninja World characters, exuding an extraordinary aura.
Chiba’s eyes narrowed, and Chiba shouted inwardly: “System, collect all!”
The next second, a continuous stream of system prompts exploded in the mind, crisp and pleasant, striking straight at the heart.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the treasure collectible “Senju Chakra Refining Technique”. Reward: Top-tier Chakra Control Talent.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the exquisite collectible “Three Body Technique”. Reward: Talent • Rapid Mastery.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the rare collectible “Shadow Clone Technique”. Reward: True Shadow Clone Technique.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the rare collectible “Second Hokage’s Swordsmanship Notes”. Reward: Top-tier Swordsmanship Talent.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the exquisite collectible “Water Release • Water Dragon Bullet Technique (3-Seal Version)”. Reward: Top-tier Water Affinity.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the common collectible “Earth Release • Earth Flow Wall”. Reward: Top-tier Earth Affinity.]
Each reward message appeared clearly, and the complete talent effects were displayed one by one before Chiba.
[Talent • Rapid Mastery]: Max-level learning talent.
All knowledge, Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and skills can be grasped and mastered at maximum speed.
[True Shadow Clone Technique]: An improved top-tier Shadow Clone.
The clone form is extremely realistic and lacks the flaw of massive Chakra consumption.
Non-lethal, limit-breaking damage will not cause it to dissipate instantly; it can exist independently for a long time and possesses autonomous Chakra recovery capabilities.
Damage taken by the clone is not fed back to the main body; only combat experience and memory information can be synchronized back.
Chiba’s pupils brightened, a surge of extreme ecstasy welled up in the heart, and the corners of the mouth could not help but curl upward.
“As expected! Only things related to the supernatural system and cultivation possess the collection value recognized by the system!”
This conclusion completely opened up the subsequent development path.
With this direction, the future growth route was already clear.
“System, accept all rewards!”
Chiba suppressed the pounding heart and silently recited in the mind.
In an instant, six warm currents gushed out from between the brows, flowing through the meridians and throughout the limbs and bones, scouring the body and soul.
The warm sensation enveloped the whole body, dispelling all the fatigue, and even the stagnation deep in the soul was smoothed out completely.
This ultimate comfort came and went quickly, dissipating completely in just a few seconds.
Once the state stabilized, Chiba clearly sensed the changes.
The body had become lighter and stronger, and the speed of thinking and mental focus far exceeded the past.
The brain was exceptionally clear, as if it had broken free from layers of shackles.
At the same time, the complete cultivation mysteries and operational mechanisms of the True Shadow Clone Technique were deeply engraved in the mind, transparent and easy to understand.
Even though not a single trace of Chakra had been refined yet, it could be clearly perceived that as long as Chakra was ready, this improved divine technique could be perfectly executed within two attempts.