Amidst the excitement, an undercurrent of unease lingered. Only the top three participants would receive bonus rewards. With two spots already taken, the competition for third place had grown fiercer than ever.
"Third place…" Tobirama murmured, their voice heavy with anticipation.
"Will it be me? Or…"
Everyone held their breath, tension thick in the air as the system finally chimed in, cutting through the suspense.
[Reward for Second Place!]
[Reward: 500,000 points!]
"Five hundred thousand points?!"
Gasps rippled through the group as the sheer magnitude of the reward hit them.
Madara himself couldn't hide his delight. "Five hundred thousand!" he repeated, a wide grin stretching across his face.
For Ryan, it might not have been much, but for the rest of the participants, this was no small amount. These points were a treasure—resources that could change everything.
The announcement left everyone buzzing with nervous energy.
"Third place still hasn't been announced," Tobirama whispered anxiously.
"Who's it going to be?"
Eyes darted around the group, each participant silently hoping it would be their name that followed next. The tension was palpable, a quiet hum of anticipation settling over everyone as they awaited the final verdict.
And so, the atmosphere hung heavy, charged with the mix of hope, envy, and determination that only the thrill of competition could bring.
The group buzzed with conversation, the announcement of the second-place reward sparking heated discussions.
"I'll go! The reward for second place is pretty good," Hashirama remarked, folding their arms with a hint of envy.
"Yeah, when I fought, I only managed to snag 400,000 points," Kakashi chimed in.
"The reward this time is actually higher than the ranking points. Madara really lucked out!"
"Seriously, he took full advantage of this opportunity!"
Voices overlapped as everyone talked animatedly. The reward system this time was undoubtedly generous, but it also had people reminiscing about the rewards from the previous world.
"In the last world," Kakashi commented thoughtfully, "the rewards were based on a lottery. Unless you had truly awful luck, the prizes you could draw were often worth several times the effort."
"But this time," Tsunade added, "they're just giving out points directly. Sure, it's stable, but it lacks that… thrill."
It was true. In this round, there was no sense of surprise or excitement—just cold, hard numbers. Yet, the system allowed for flexibility.
"If you want the thrill, you could always spend the points in the mall's lottery system. You pick the prize pool yourself," Hashirama suggested.
"That's true," Madara agreed. "It's up to you how you use the points."
As these discussions unfolded, Uchiha Madara remained quiet, deep in thought.
How should I use these points?
The question lingered in his mind. He could save them, slowly amassing a fortune of points to exchange for something truly powerful in the future. Or he could take a chance and spend a portion on the lottery, hoping for an extraordinary prize.
Give it a shot, and a simple blade might turn into a tool capable of slicing through anything, he mused, his lips curling into a faint smirk.
Both approaches were valid. The former was safer, a steady investment in his future strength. The latter? Risky, but potentially game-changing.
I'll decide later, he thought, his crimson Sharingan glinting briefly as he made his resolution.
Meanwhile, the rewards for the top two ranks had been distributed, leaving only one question unanswered:
Who would claim third place?
The atmosphere grew tense as all eyes turned to the leaderboard. The final spot came with an extra reward, and everyone present knew what was at stake.
"Who will it be?" Ryan whispered, their voice barely audible over the rising anticipation.
Speculation rippled through the crowd, guesses and predictions exchanged in hurried whispers.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the chat group notification sound echoed through the room.
[Third place reward is being selected…!]
The moment everyone had been waiting for had arrived. Hearts pounded, and breaths caught as the final result loomed.
With the notification sound of the chat group, the long-awaited announcement was finally made.
[Third Place: Sixth Hokage Kakashi!]
[Opponents: Two curse spirits and one jujutsu soceror!]
[Total value: 300,000 points!]
The revelation drew everyone's attention. Kakashi himself reacted with surprise and delight.
"I didn't expect this at all," he said, his tone laced with excitement. "To think I'd make it to third place—it's an honor! Looks like there's a solid reward in store."
His enthusiasm was palpable, while the others watched him with mixed feelings of envy and resignation.
Naruto chimed in with his usual enthusiasm. "Kakashi-sensei, you're awesome! Third place, huh? Not bad at all! Bet that jujutsu sorcerer didn't even see what hit them!" His grin was wide, radiating genuine excitement for his mentor.
A bright smile spread across Minato's face as he read the announcement. "Well done, Kakashi! I'm proud of you. It's not easy to secure third place."
"Too bad for the rest of us," another said with a sigh. "No extra rewards for anyone outside the top three."
Sasuke's comment was less exuberant but still sincere. "Not bad, Kakashi-sensei. You've come a long way from just reading those novels during downtime."
Kakashi scratched the back of his head, his trademark lazy demeanor intact. "Thanks, everyone. Honestly, but I guess reading those novels did pay off, huh, Sasuke?"
Naruto's grin was widened and said, "Ha! I knew it! Pervy Sage's influence is everywhere!"
While others continued discussing the outcome, Kakashi began mentally calculating his current points.
He considered his accumulated rewards, noting that although he hadn't consistently ranked in the top three during previous missions, his points had still added up over time. Additionally, he had already redeemed a Devil Fruit with a significant value.
Despite that major exchange, Kakashi now realized that his current points, combined with the latest reward, would push his total beyond one million. This milestone was substantial—enough to allow him to select a highly valuable prize from the mall.
As he processed this, his mind turned toward the possibilities. What could I exchange for that would enhance my strength the most?
He considered his options carefully. A powerful ability or item that could significantly boost his capabilities would be ideal. With anticipation building, Kakashi decided it was time to explore the mall's offerings.
Now, eager to see what rewards awaited, he prepared to make his selection.
"Kakashi defeated three enemies and earned 300,000 points—seems fair," someone remarked.
The breakdown was straightforward: two curse spirits worth 100,000 points each and one jujutsu soceror worth the same. It was evident to everyone now that, in terms of point value, curse spirits and Socerors were treated equally in this mission.
This realization sparked a conversation among the participants.
"So, in the world of Jujutsu Sorcery, aside from the strongest beings, the power levels of curse spirits and sorcerers are essentially balanced," Tobirama remarked, his tone analytical as usual. "It's a rare equilibrium, but it's clear from the rewards system that there's little distinction between them in terms of threat."
Nodding thoughtfully, Minato added, "That balance does make sense. If you think about it, it keeps their world from tilting too far in one direction. But it also makes these missions more… predictable."
"Predictable or not, it still means we're stuck with the same old problem," Obito said with a sigh. "If you're not in the top three, you're out of luck. No extra rewards, no recognition." He crossed his arms, frustration evident in his voice.
Kakashi, ever the calm voice, shrugged. "That's just how these things work. We can't all be at the top, Obito. Besides, the ranking doesn't always reflect the difficulty of the mission—it's just about the points."
"Perhaps," Tobirama said, his crimson eyes narrowing. "But efficiency matters. If we want better results next time, we need to strategize better. Relying on luck or waiting for the next opportunity isn't enough."
Smiling faintly, Minato replied, "Second Hokage, you're right, as always. But let's not forget—it's not just about strategy. Sometimes, luck simply isn't in our favor. The next mission might give us a chance to tip the scales."
"That's rich coming from you, Sensei," Obito said with a slight smirk. "You always seemed to make the impossible look easy. Maybe you should lead the charge next time."
"Or," Kakashi interjected, his tone laced with sarcasm, "we could let Obito do it. He's always full of ideas about how things should go."
"Careful, Kakashi," Obito shot back, though there was a hint of humor in his voice. "Don't forget who came in fourth last time. You weren't that far ahead."
Laughing softly, Minato stepped in to diffuse the brewing rivalry. "All right, you two. Let's focus on what's next. We all have room for improvement, and if we work together, there's no reason we can't take the top spots next time."
"Agreed," Tobirama said firmly. "Next time, we'll be better prepared. And if there's one thing I've learned, it's that preparation can overcome even the greatest limitations."
The group exchanged glances, their competitive spirits reigniting despite the earlier disappointment. For now, they'd settle with their current standings, but their resolve to improve burned brighter than ever.
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