For several seconds, the village remained completely silent. Then the Villager Chat exploded.
[Villager, Toma]: "HE GAVE IT TO ALL OF US!"
[Villager, Lira]: "WE CAN ENTER THE DUNGEON TOO?"
[Villager, Berto]: "DOES THAT MEAN I CAN BECOME A NINJA?"
[Villager, Sena]: "I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MY ENTIRE LIFE!"
The messages appeared so quickly that the Sky Screen almost looked like it was struggling to keep up. People who had spent their entire lives watching Ninjas from a distance suddenly found themselves staring at a path toward the same power. An old farmer typed with trembling hands.
[Villager, Harun]: "I am sixty two years old. I thought I would die without ever having chakra. If this is real, I want to enter that dungeon."
Another message appeared immediately.
[Villager, Mina]: "My husband cannot fight anymore. If he can gain chakra there, perhaps he can protect himself."
[Villager, Daren]: "My son is only twelve. If the dungeon really allows ordinary people to become Ninjas, he might finally have a future."
[Villager, Nori]: "I don’t care about becoming strong. I just want enough power to protect my family."
The celebration grew louder and louder. People were no longer talking about treasures. They were talking about possibilities. A blacksmith who had spent twenty years repairing weapons wondered if he could finally hold one himself.
A woman who had watched her brothers leave the village as Genin wondered if she could someday walk beside them. Young men and women who had been told that they had no talent suddenly began discussing which Ninja arts they wanted to learn.
Even children were shouting.
"I’M GOING TO BECOME A NINJA!"
"You said that yesterday!"
"THIS TIME I’M SERIOUS!"
"You’re still eight!"
"I’LL BE NINE SOON!"
Laughter spread through the village. Then the gratitude began.
[Villager, Harun]: "WHOEVER YOU ARE, THANK YOU!"
[Villager, Mina]: "YOU COULD HAVE KEPT THE DUNGEON FOR YOURSELF, BUT YOU GAVE IT TO EVERYONE."
[Villager, Daren]: "THANK YOU!"
[Villager, Lira]: "THANK YOU, HONORARY MEMBER!"
[Villager, Toma]: "WHOEVER YOU ARE, I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU JUST HELPED!"
The Inuzuza Clan watched all of this in silence. Some members looked embarrassed. Some looked proud. Others simply did not know what to think.
One Inuzuza Chunnin finally typed.
[Chunnin, Inuzuza Maki]: "Whoever completed the dungeon, I admit I did not expect this."
Another answered.
[Jonin, Inuzuza Garen]: "Neither did I."
[Chunnin, Inuzuza Haren]: "The dungeon could have belonged entirely to our Clan and make us stronger ourselves surpassing others."
[Genin, Inuzuza Seki]: "Instead, everyone received it."
Then a new section appeared on the Sky Screen.
OVERLORD CHAT.
The four Clan Leaders had been watching.
Kuma Rai was the first to speak.
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "Inuzuza Koga."
The entire village became quiet. The name appeared alone.
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "Was it you?"
Another message followed.
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "Were you the one who completed the Dungeon?"
Koga, who had been quietly watching, stiffened.
"Oh, come on." He stared at the screen.
"Why are they asking me?"
Before he could think of a response, another message appeared.
[Overlord, Yukiju Ken]: "Your name was listed at the top of the ranking and anyone could complete this dungeon this fast without knowledge could only be you."
[Overlord, Karasu Moira]: "Even though you were not identified as an honorary member of the Inuzuza Clan, I’m sure you have a way."
[Overlord, Inuzuza Kiza]: "And the reward was given to all villagers."
There was a brief pause. Then Moira continued.
[Overlord, Karasu Moira]: "Were you responsible?"
The villagers began whispering.
"Wait."
"Are they saying Koga did it?"
"The number one?"
"Could it really be him?"
The Ninja Chat became chaotic.
[Genin, Inuzuza Raku]: "INUZUZA KOGA?"
[Chunnin, Inuzuza Maki]: "THE NUMBER ONE?"
[Jonin, Inuzuza Garen]: "So the person who completed the dungeon was the one ranked above every Clan Leader?"
The realization spread through the village like fire through dry grass. The same person who had been declared the strongest. The same person whose existence had confused the entire Inuzuza Clan. The same person whose identity they could barely uncover. That person had entered the dungeon and completed it? And instead of keeping the reward, he had given it to everyone.
But there was one question.
Why?
Koga covered his face.
"This is getting worse."
He had only wanted one thing: peace. He needed enough chakra to avoid looking like an ordinary villager. He wanted a safe place to train. He wanted to keep his beasts hidden. He wanted to survive. Now the entire village was staring at his name.
This was a huge problem. If he denied it, he knew some ordinary members might believe him. But these bastards were old foxes, full of scheming all their lives, and they would absolutely be suspicious. And if they decided to investigate, they could find him easily. So he was left not knowing what to do.
Koga stared at the Overlord Chat. He understood why they were asking.
If he really was as powerful as the Sky Screen claimed, why would someone like him bother giving away a dungeon? Why would the strongest person in Koyagakure care about ordinary villagers? Why would he deliberately make thousands of people stronger?
The questions were reasonable.
Unfortunately, the answer was embarrassingly simple.
Koga wanted everyone else to have chakra so that nobody would look too closely at him. If every ordinary villager suddenly possessed chakra, then having chakra would no longer be strange. If thousands of people became Genin, then one more young man with weak chakra would not attract attention.
He needed camouflage. A lot of camouflage. And now the Sky Screen had made him look like some mysterious ruler who had sacrificed his greatest treasure for the people. And him doing all these obviously looks like he wanted to hide his identity. It was overperforming.
Koga groaned.
"That’s not what I meant."
He looked at Fenfyr.
Fenfyr stared back.
"Don’t look at me."
Fenfyr blinked.
Koga sighed.
The Overlord Chat continued.
[Overlord, Yukiju Ken]: "Why did you give it away?"
[Overlord, Karasu Moira]: "You could have kept it."
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "You are already ranked above everyone here. You don’t need the support of ordinary villagers."
Koga’s eyes narrowed. Then another message appeared.
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "Are you hiding something? Or are you scared that we would try to look for you so you want to hide yourself from us?"
Koga froze.
His finger hovered over the chat interface. He almost closed it. Then he stopped. If he remained silent, they would become more suspicious. If he answered carefully, perhaps he could turn the situation around. They would think he was trying to hide himself.
Koga took a slow breath.
"Fine."
He began typing. The reaction was immediate. The entire village went silent. Then the messages exploded.
"HE SPOKE!"
"INUZUZA KOGA!"
"THE NUMBER ONE IS TALKING!"
"He actually answered!"
Koga ignored the noise and sent his message.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "This is just for me but also not just for me."
The chat slowed.
Koga continued.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "It is for everyone’s future."
The Clan Leaders read the message carefully.
Koga continued.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "Think about what would happen if other villages learned that Koyagakure possessed a dungeon capable of helping ordinary people become Ninjas while allowing them to train safely."
The villagers stopped laughing. The Ninja Chat became quiet.
Koga continued.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "Would they ignore us?"
Nobody answered.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "Of course not."
He paused before sending the next message.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "They would come here."
The words appeared across the Sky Screen. The village slowly understood.
Koga continued.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "Maybe they would send spies first. Maybe they would ask questions. Maybe they would try to steal the dungeon. Maybe they would simply wait until Koyagakure became stronger and then decide that taking it was worth the risk and more reasons to consider. But whatever that was, it’s going to be bad"
Kuma Rai’s expression became serious. Karasu Moira stopped smiling. Yukiju Ken’s eyes narrowed. Even Inuzuza Kiza stared at the message for a long moment.
Koga continued.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "I do not want that."
The next message appeared.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "I want to live peacefully."
The villagers stared.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "If everyone here can become stronger, then Koyagakure becomes harder to attack."
He continued.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "I would rather have thousands of people who can protect themselves than watch everyone depend on a handful of Clan Leaders."
A villager whispered.
"He’s thinking about us."
Another answered quietly.
"He’s thinking about the entire village."
Koga’s final message appeared.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Koga]: "If everyone becomes a Ninja, I can live quietly without worrying about someone attacking me or the village."
The chat went silent. Not because they were confused. Because they understood. The strongest person in the ranking was not asking for worship. He was asking for peace.
Kuma Rai looked toward the other Clan Leaders.
"He’s right."
Karasu Moira nodded slowly.
"He is."
Yukiju Ken folded his arms.
"If another village learned about this dungeon, we would become a target."
Inuzuza Kiza remained silent for several seconds. Then she finally typed.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Kiza]: "Your reasoning is sound. No wonder you have become strongest, you think broader than all of us."
The villagers erupted again. The Ninja Chat followed.
[Jonin, Inuzuza Garen]: "We should use this opportunity wisely and not disappoint him."
[Chunnin, Inuzuza Maki]: "If every villager can gain chakra, our village will become much harder to threaten."
[Genin, Inuzuza Raku]: "Then we should all work together!"
Koga leaned back.
"That went better than expected."
Then a message from Kuma Rai appeared.
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "Inuzuza Koga."
Koga looked at it.
[Overlord, Kuma Rai]: "Thank you."
Another message appeared.
[Overlord, Yukiju Ken]: "Thank you for thinking beyond yourself."
Karasu Moira followed.
[Overlord, Karasu Moira]: "You have given Koyagakure something that could change the future of the entire village."
Then Inuzuza Kiza sent the final message.
[Overlord, Inuzuza Kiza]: "Thank you, Inuzuza Koga. I’m glad that you are a member of our clan."
Koga stared at the four messages. He slowly scratched his cheek.
"Uh..."
He looked toward Fenfyr.
Fenfyr tilted its head.
Koga sighed.
"I only wanted to hide my identity."
He looked back at the Sky Screen.
"And somehow I became a hero."
He dropped his head into his hands.
"This is getting ridiculous."