The moment the countdown hit zero, the world spun once again… exactly the same feeling as a month ago.
When their vision cleared again, the players who had been scattered across various locations in the real world found themselves inside an old-fashioned classroom.
Airi, Yukino, Chizuru, and other 'veteran players' who had experienced one round remained relatively calm, but the newcomers participating for the first time were completely bewildered.
"Wh-What's going on?"
Exclamations of surprise rang out.
Yukino and Chizuru followed the sound and saw a silver-haired child, as delicate as a doll, looking around in confusion.
"...Totsuka-kun?" Ichinose Chizuru tentatively spoke.
Totsuka Saika, a student in Class 1-F of Shuchi'in Academy's high school division… in the same class as Airi and Ichinose Chizuru.
Although he had a face even more delicate than a girl's, he was unmistakably a boy.
Yes, Hachiman's love interest.
"Calm down, Totsuka." Hachiman immediately went over to comfort him.
Seeing that pitiful and charming expression on the other's face, Hachiman's Adam's apple moved slightly as he desperately tried to suppress the heat rising to his cheeks. Inside, however, he was screaming wildly: 'Eight-year-old Totsuka is so cute too—!'
"Makoto!"
Airi threw herself into Makoto's arms like a little cannonball, rubbing her face against his chest like a kitten.
She hadn't seen him in a month and had missed him terribly.
Makoto ruffled her little head as he looked around the classroom, a satisfied smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
He noticed something interesting: most of the background characters who didn't even deserve names before had now been almost completely replaced by familiar faces.
Mouri Ran, Suzuki Sonoko, Yuigahama Yui, Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, Hayama Hayato, Tobe Kakeru, Kato Megumi, Aki Tomoya, Kinoshita Kazuya...
He wondered which other players he hadn't seen had also transmigrated.
[Welcome everyone to this round of the Reincarnation Game.]
[Current dungeon world: Naruto]
[Each round of the game will issue a specified objective. Completing the mission will allow you to return to the real world. Please rest assured, during the game, time in the real world will be completely frozen...]
The system's notification sounded right on time, serving as a brief introduction for newcomers like Yuigahama Yui.
"This is... Transmigration?"
Aki Tomoya, an avid anime fan, muttered to himself, then couldn't help trembling with excitement.
After all, wasn't this the standard start for a light novel protagonist?
Which otaku hadn't fantasized about this?
"I advise you not to get too excited too soon."
Eriri poured cold water on him from the side. "Training Ninjutsu isn't as easy as you think. I don't think you can handle that kind of hardship."
Aki Tomoya looked at her in surprise.
'Strange, why didn't Eriri seem scared at all?'
On the other side, the eight-year-old loli version of Kato Megumi walked over to Makoto, surprisingly calm given the circumstances: "Nishikawa-kun, long time no see."
Airi immediately entered jealous mode, hissing at Megumi.
Makoto tapped her little head lightly, not too hard, and she settled down.
"So you did come, Kato."
Makoto greeted her with a smile, then shifted gears. "But the surname 'Kato' always makes me think of someone else. Is it okay if I just call you Megumi?"
Watching his self-designated heroine go off to talk to another man, Tomoya's eyes widened.
'Wh-What kind of NTR development was this?!'
Megumi paused for a second, then returned to her calm demeanor and nodded. "Nishikawa-kun doesn't seem surprised at all. Have you been here before?"
Makoto honestly nodded.
From watching the anime in his previous life, he could tell that Megumi wasn't stupid… after all, she had the nickname 'Zhuge Megumi'.
He glanced at Tomoya in the back row and asked with interest: "Has that guy already invited you to make gal games?"
"Aki-kun invited me many times, and it was really hard to refuse."
Megumi paused. "Also, I wanted to take this opportunity to change myself a little, so I agreed."
Makoto shrugged indifferently: "That's fine too. But if you want to survive, it's best not to fall in love with him."
To be honest, he had never understood Megumi's actions in the original work.
Knowing full well that both Utaha and Eriri had feelings for Aki Tomoya, she still got involved… if the man were incredibly wealthy or exceptionally talented, that would be one thing, but Tomoya... what outstanding qualities did he have?
"I just wanted to take this opportunity to change myself."
Megumi understood the implication, her tone still calm. "I don't have any feelings in that direction."
When she heard earlier that 'skills from this world can be brought back to the real world', she immediately thought of Makoto's extraordinary power, knowing he definitely hadn't come here for the first time.
That was why she had proactively started a conversation.
Clearly, she had guessed correctly.
Not far away, Tomoya felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart upon hearing Megumi's words.
"What's wrong? Unhappy?" Eriri said sarcastically.
"H-How could I be!" Tomoya almost jumped out of his chair. "I only like 2D girls!"
In the classroom, conversations among the native characters continued.
"Shikamaru, did you hear? All the members of the Uchiha Clan were killed." Akimichi Choji said, munching on potato chips.
Nara Shikamaru, rarely not looking like he was about to fall asleep, said seriously: "Not all of them, right? I heard Sasuke is still alive."
Hearing this, Haruno Sakura unconsciously tightened with worry. Sasuke-kun... is he okay?
While waiting for class to start, veteran players like Eriri and Hachiman began explaining the situation of this world to the newcomers.
Within just ten minutes, small groups had already formed.
Yuigahama Yui, Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, along with Hayama Hayato and Tobe Kakeru… this group often hung out together in class, a standard popular kid group.
Although Eriri and Tomoya's relationship had once broken down, it had recently begun to improve due to the 'gal game making' project.
Mouri Ran, as usual, stayed with Suzuki Sonoko.
The only newcomer left alone was Kinoshita Kazuya… after all, he didn't have many friends in his original class either.
He looked around, noticed Chizuru sitting alone as well, mustered his courage, and approached: "Um... Ichinose-san, about this world..."
"Sorry, I'm thinking about something. Could you not disturb me?"
Before he could finish, he was interrupted. Kazuya backed away awkwardly.
Work was work, life was life.
Chizuru didn't want too much interaction with a client. She glanced at Makoto, sandwiched between Megumi and Airi, and couldn't help but cross her legs—
Well, this one was an exception.
She also wanted to join Makoto's group, but just hadn't found an opportunity.
"Everyone, quiet down. Class is about to start."
Iruka pushed the door open and entered.
"You are all third-year students now, but some of you still haven't mastered Chakra condensation proficiently… if this continues, you'll have to repeat the year and might not even qualify for the graduation exam."
He opened the roll book.
"Yuigahama-san, Totsuka-san, Aki-san..."
A series of new players' names were called out.
"Make sure to work hard, okay?"
The group was momentarily stunned, then nodded repeatedly: "Got it, sensei!"
These people had started two years later than the veteran players and were clearly already falling behind.
Makoto suddenly noticed a detail—
Iruka didn't call Megumi's name.
'Good grief.'
'As expected of the woman who maxed out her [Stealth] stat in the original work.'
Even in a different world, her talent remained.