Sometimes,
words can deliver a more powerful visual impact than images!
For instance,
right now.
Little Gui almost forgot she was live-streaming the storyline.
Looking at the line of text that appeared on the screen.
She felt a wave of discomfort!
It was as if ants were crawling on her neck!
Making her hair stand on end!
[The collar around your neck emits a powerful electric current, like a thousand needles piercing through your flesh, countless bombs exploding within your body. Your heart begins to beat at an abnormal rate, and countless sounds fill your ears, even the sound of protons annihilating.]
In the background, the sounds of electric currents and tinnitus could be heard.
For the players, this was just a momentary shock.
But for Rappa, this was a real, tangible pain she had experienced!
"Ossu! After enduring this ascetic practice for three thousand nights, I shall become like a Ninja Hero... possessing vast and profound powers."
Her voice even trembled with a hint of tears.
She was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face!
Yet she still comforted herself!
"Rappa's voice... it hurts to hear..."
Next,
There was the so-called third trial of cultivation.
Named... Subduing Ten Thousand Demons.
In reality,
It was a battle against the laboratory's combat apes, testing the body's strength.
After a fierce battle.
The combat ape rated: "Number Three, level experiment passed... rating increased..."
"As the Cosmic Ninjutsu Inscriptions say... the path of ninjutsu is long and arduous, suffering is but a skateboard..."
"Ossu! After enduring this ascetic practice for three thousand nights, I shall become like a Ninja Hero... unmatched."
[Ascetic practice complete! Second audience with Master Kucha!]
Seeing this quest prompt.
Little Gui couldn't take it anymore!
She slammed the table hard!
Causing the screen to tremble!
"Enough! My heart aches for her!"
...
At Paperfold University.
Some players with weaker mental fortitude were already in tears.
Feeling heartbroken for Rappa,
While cursing how despicable those from AtaviSearch Forest were!
A few ninja fangirls were also sobbing uncontrollably.
The atmosphere at the scene was quite somber.
Almost everyone deeply resonated with Rappa's plight in the storyline.
But as the person involved.
Rappa appeared surprisingly calm.
Even comforting the players present.
"Everyone, please do not grieve for my past."
"As the Cosmic Ninjutsu Inscriptions say... a sharp blade must be honed, a warm jade must be polished..."
"Without such trials, how could I have become the Dazzling Ninja I am today?"
"Hunting down the evil ninjas across the galaxy?"
Upon hearing this.
The fangirls cried even harder!
"Wahhhhh..."
"Rappa, you're too kind!!"
"I understand now, it's not ninjas I admire, but the resilient heart of someone like Miss Rappa!"
"So, so... how did you escape from this laboratory, no... from the Ninja Capital?"
Rappa looked at the big screen.
The figure of Master Kucha appeared.
"This, you will know soon."
"Master Kucha, he..."
"Is a true master."
Hearing this.
Everyone was stunned!
Wasn't it Master Kucha who had been deceiving Rappa all along?
Shouldn't Rappa despise this false master?
Could it be...
There's a twist!?
...
In the control room ahead.
Master Kucha was speaking with the Mist Pavilion Master.
The Mist Pavilion Master asked, "Using the Memetic Entity virus on Number Three... how does this help the experiment?"
"I can hear it clearly… Has my enhanced hearing reached the point where I can catch the whispers of ninjas? Truly remarkable," Rappa mused.
Master Kucha replied, "Talented One 22, we need to enhance Subject Three's mental resilience."
"Stop beating around the bush. You just can't bear to see her suffer, can you?"
Master Kucha fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "She might not endure the upcoming experiments. If we use a Memetic Entity virus for cognitive intervention, it could stabilize her mind and make the experiments proceed more smoothly."
"Fine, but don't let personal feelings get in the way. You've let Subject Three roam freely, and the research apes are already complaining."
"She cracked the code to the modification pod with just two systems. It's not like we can lock her up in a cage like a gorilla…"
Rappa shook her head and muttered to herself, "Master, there's no need to worry. Mere physical pain cannot break my ninja spirit."
...
"Silly Rappa, why are you still worrying about others' troubles at a time like this!"
"So this is when the Memetic Entity virus was implanted…"
"By the way, is Master Kucha really doing this for Rappa's mental stability?"
"Could it be that he's actually letting personal feelings influence him?"
"If it weren't for this ninja Memetic Entity virus, Rappa probably wouldn't have been able to endure what came later."
...
Soon.
The Memetic Entity virus implantation was complete.
The Misty Hall Master asked, "Speaking of which, why ninjas?"
"It's from the Cosmic Ninjutsu Inscriptions."
"What's that?"
"To protect the helpless and save the fallen Ninja Capital. The righteous Ninja Heroes hunt down the evil ninjas of the world!"
Master Kucha sighed,
"—It's a comic book. Ever since we sealed off the research facility to avoid the Galaxy Rangers, the comic books I collected have been her only source of entertainment."
...
"Here, it feels like Master Kucha really does have some affection for Rappa!"
"A research ape with a conscience, after all…"
"Finally, I'm seeing the real Ninja Capital for the first time, not just playing pretend."
"So, before this, all the ninja-related stuff was just a little girl's way of escaping reality amidst various experiments."
"Before the Memetic Entity virus, Rappa was just using the comic books she'd read to comfort herself with chuunibyou. In reality, she knew she was an experiment. After the virus, the world in her eyes truly became a ninja world. She knew it was the virus, but while resigning herself to it, she defiantly wrote her Revenge Ninjutsu Inscriptions."
"Wuwuwu…"
"The so-called ninja world was Rappa's only spiritual home…"
"I thought Rappa calling herself a ninja was just chuunibyou, but the Ninjutsu Inscriptions were the only color in her memories!"
...
The Misty Hall Master grew increasingly displeased. "No wonder Subject Three is always so erratic…"
"Be careful not to fill her head with useless knowledge. The coordinate system of Erudition has only one horizontal axis; everything else is an obstacle to progress."
"Especially vulgar notions of good and evil. Don't you think the Galaxy Rangers have caused enough trouble already?"
She crossed her arms.
Adding in a superior tone, "With such narrow-minded thinking, you'll never catch the Doctor's attention in this lifetime."
Master Kucha gave a bitter smile.
He looked at Rappa in the lab.
And whispered,
"Is that so? Would the Doctor… really care about us mere mortals?"
...
"Master Kucha is quite perceptive!"
"Now Rappa has become a Galaxy Ranger."
"Since walking the Path of Erudition couldn't earn the doctor's attention, I'll just follow The Hunt instead!"
"Master Kucha: I still prefer being a 'human,' hmm… in every sense of the word."
"Dr. Primitive probably just tossed some technology to the mortals willing to follow him, but he doesn't care about their achievements. After all, the gap between mortals and geniuses is truly insurmountable."
"Dr. Primitive can experiment on others, so naturally, he can experiment on you too!"
"Following anyone but Dr. Primitive would have been better. This life is pretty much set now."