Chapter 212: Chapter 212
As the familiar chat group space reappeared around them, Hashirama, Tobirama, and Madara let out a collective sigh of relief.
"We're back!" Hashirama grinned, stretching his arms. "That was fast! Way shorter than the last two worlds."
"Agreed," Tobirama said, crossing his arms as he analyzed the surroundings. "This felt more like a short vacation than a mission."
Madara smirked, nodding approvingly. "A swift and efficient mission—one of our most productive."
Hashirama chuckled, his enthusiasm as bright as ever. "And after Saitama, those other strange monsters felt easy. Didn't need much effort to take them down."
Tobirama, though as analytical as always, seemed pleased. "Yes, only three days, unlike pirate world where we were stuck in the sea for weeks. It's about time things wrapped up quicker."
Madara glanced back at the chat space with a gleam of interest. "It's likely because everyone's powers have advanced. Now let's see what kind of rewards this mission brought."
Their trip to the One Punch Man world had gone surprisingly smoothly. Ryan had handled the most troublesome enemies, and with those threats out of the way, they'd been able to enjoy a peaceful three days in a high-tech world. Life there was comfortable, but nothing beat the sense of homecoming the chat group space provided.
As they reassembled, each Hokage returned to their usual seats, settling in. Most looked relaxed and at ease—except for Tobirama, who was noticeably tense and appeared more worn out than the others. True to form, while the others took the chance to rest, Tobirama had spent countless hours collecting advanced technology. This One Punch Man world had left him more exhilarated than the previous two, given its cutting-edge tech—something he had eagerly anticipated. But with only a short three-day window, his mission had been heavy. While the other Hokages seemed effortlessly at ease, Tobirama's dedication had pushed him to the limit.
Hashirama chuckled and placed a hand on Tobirama's shoulder. "Tobirama, you've got to learn to relax a little," he said, his tone both amused and understanding. "Not everything has to be about collecting intel or pushing limits. Sometimes, it's okay to enjoy yourself."
Tobirama gave him a skeptical look. "And how would you suggest I do that, big brother?"
"Oh, I found plenty of ways," Hashirama replied with a grin. "I even hit up a few casinos with Tsunade. She knows her way around a card table!" He leaned in closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You'd be surprised how refreshing it is to let loose. All this technology will still be here; it doesn't have to be all or nothing."
Tobirama raised an eyebrow but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at his lips. "I suppose I could consider it. But don't expect me to start gambling away our resources."
"Just once, give it a shot!" Hashirama nudged him. "You'd be surprised how relaxing it is to forget all the work for a moment. Besides, the stronger and more well-rested you are, the more effective you'll be for the village."
Everyone laughed, and Tobirama, though still hesitant, nodded thoughtfully.
Just then, Ryan spoke up, his tone cheerful. "Alright, everyone, settle down. Now for the part we've all been looking forward to: the wrap-up and rewards!"
At his words, the group straightened in anticipation, eyes bright with excitement, eagerly awaiting the next prompt.
A familiar notification chime from the chat group broke the silence:
[Congratulations to everyone! This multiverse mission was a complete success!]
[The breakdown of your completion status follows below!]
The Hokages couldn't hide their excitement as their eyes shone, awaiting the next details from the chat.
This task seemed different from the previous ones, and everyone was eager to see how the rewards and rankings would play out. Could there be some unexpected twist in store?
Just then, the chat group continued with the mission updates:
[Mission 1: Defeat Saitama — Complete!]
[Reward: 100,000 points per person!]
"What?! 100,000 points each?! That's unbelievable!" Hashirama's eyes gleamed with excitement as he added, "Just think about what we could buy with those points! I could finally get my own Fortune Charm for gambling. I've been eyeing!"
Tobirama nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. "And maybe some advanced laboratory equipment! I've heard the system shop has tech that could give us a real edge back home."
Madara's lips curled into a smirk. "With this many points, I could acquire Elemental Fusion Scrolls that teach me the secrets of merging elemental chakra that would elevate our power to unprecedented levels. The others won't stand a chance."
As they murmured in amazement, Ryan remained calm and said, "Everyone, take it easy. It makes sense for the score to be this high. Saitama was the toughest part of this mission, after all."
Hearing this, the Hokages fell silent, then realization dawned on them. He was right! Unlike the previous two worlds, where the tasks had gradually increased in difficulty, this mission was flipped—the hardest challenge came first.
The group exchanged nods, understanding now that their rewards reflected the intense difficulty of the first mission. Despite the surprises, they remained focused, ready to tackle what came next.
The first task was the toughest. After all, the target they had to face was the peak of power in that world—Saitama himself. Tasks two and three, while requiring teamwork and careful coordination, weren't nearly as challenging as the first one.
Seeing Saitama's strength up close, both Madara and Hashirama nodded in agreement.
"Exactly," Hashirama said. "Compared to an opponent like Saitama, no monster or even the entire Heroes' Association can come close. The reward for this mission makes sense—it's on a whole different level!"
The others agreed, nodding one after another. Some of the group, especially those unable to fly, felt a pang of regret. Saitama was the strongest they'd encountered, but they hadn't had the chance to witness his power firsthand, and that was disappointing.
On the other hand, those who had seen him in action still felt a bit shaken—a mix of awe and relief. They were all acutely aware that, without Ryan's help, completing this mission might have been impossible.
In unison, a silent thought passed among them: thank you, Ryan.
At that moment, Ryan spoke up.
"Alright, let's see what the next reward is," he said, clearly curious about the point totals for tasks two and three. "It shouldn't be too low, I'd think."
Everyone quieted down, waiting as the chat group processed the remaining rewards. Soon enough, the familiar notification chimed:
[Task 2: Defeat all the monsters! Mission completed perfectly!]
[Reward: 50,000 points per person!]
Fifty thousand points! Although a sizable reward, none of the Hokages looked particularly thrilled. After all, the reward for task one had been a massive 100,000 points—quite the difference.
"Of course," Hashirama muttered, "Saitama's power is on another level."
"Taking down every monster we could find still didn't even come close to his single task," added Tobirama.
"So Saitama's mission alone was worth twice as much," Minato noted, shaking his head slightly. "That's quite a gap!"
The Hokages murmured their agreement.
With the reward of this mission, they all gained a fresh perspective on its true difficulty. Facing Saitama was no easy feat! Thankfully, Ryan's intervention turned the tides more times than they could count.
While everyone had been busy handling the strange creatures, it hadn't taken too much effort on their part. But they all knew those monsters weren't exactly weak—in fact, they were formidable foes by any standard. It was only because everyone's power had significantly increased that these opponents seemed almost underwhelming.
"That's already 150,000 points," Tobirama remarked, a note of awe in his voice. "The reward for this mission… it's beyond what I expected."
With those 150,000 points, each of them had gained an impressive boost.
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