The Never Ending Market.

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[W3, Courage]

 [Kansas, the middle of nowhere. 10:00 PM]

As the evening settled quietly over the vast, desolate plains of Kansas. At the small farmhouse, Muriel stood beside Eustace, who grumbled under his breath, likely still unwilling to express any positive energy, while Courage stood glancing at kazuhiro's figure.

"Thank you for the help, doctor, as always," Muriel said warmly,

Dr. Vindaloo, perched atop his elephant, gave a small nod. "Oh, no worries. And thank you, tall boy, for the most insightful surgery. I must report a new type of genetic mutation. How odd that you don't have any blood circulation, very odd." 

Kazuhiro, unsure of how to respond to the doctor's remarks, simply bowed in silent appreciation, relieved to have his arm fully healed once more.

Dr. Vindaloo gave a final wave as he departed. The soft strains of a sitar floated in the air, fading into the distance as his elephant lumbered away, though Kazuhiro remained puzzled. 'Where does that music even come from?' he thought, glancing at Muriel and Eustace, who didn't seem to notice the sound.

Turning back to them, Kazuhiro dipped his head in gratitude. "I appreciate the help. Should you ever need supplies, do stop by. You'll be more than welcome."

"Oh, you don't have to be so formal about it," Muriel giggled, her voice cheerful. "We're just happy to help anyone in need."

"If you're that grateful, make it so we get things for free, eh?" Eustace muttered, arms folded, eyeing Kazuhiro with his usual grumble. His scowl was met with an exasperated sigh from Muriel, who shushed him with a gentle nudge.

Eustace furrowed his brows at her actions. "What? It's only fair we get something in return—"

Muriel swatted him lightly.

He watched their interaction, and a soft tug on his pants made him glance down to see Courage, holding a small box between his paws with a note attached. The little dog looked up at him, eyes wide with sincerity.

Kazuhiro bent down, gently accepting the box and reading the note: To the two that helped. He looked back at Courage, who gave him a wag of his tail and an eager nod. Kazuhiro gave a slight nod and then a respectful bow to Muriel and Eustace.

With that, he backed away, observing their small figures in the distance as he prepared to depart. Checking his surroundings, he pulled out his device, and, with a low hum, the familiar door materialized before him, its golden emblem glinting under the moonlight.

Without the need of lingering any longer in this world, Kazuhiro stepped through.

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The endless blackness of the void enveloped him, a familiar silence descending as his sight dulled to emptiness. He reached into his pocket and retrieved his device, tapping it to reveal the faint glow of the Fragment tab.

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Xxxx

2.3: Reach a 100 INT (Intelligence): [75/100]

OR

Unlock either CHA (Charisma) or AWR (Awareness)

Xxxx

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His existence was bound to follow the rules, to work within the confines of the market. Yet that sparked another thing. The thing that showed who he used to be. 'The fragments, it may be the key to my answers.' Perhaps there was a reason, something hidden in the fabric of his purpose.

He recalled how he'd questioned the others, only to find none of them had access to the Fragments. They simply worked, following the market's tasks without deeper purpose. But why him? Why only him? These fragments, pieces of something left unfinished, beckoned to him, hinting at an answer he was never allowed to reach. He slid the device back into his pocket, letting the darkness close in again.

Then, a soft glow bloomed before him, illuminating the gateway to the market. He stared, unmoving, at the portal's faint light as it hovered a few meters away. 'The more I think about it, the more I know that I wasn't brought here by accident.' He took his steps, approaching the light. ' But to be forced to work.' 

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[The market.]

"Hold on! So you're saying you've been to a place like this before?!" The boy's eyes shone with curiosity as he looked up at his grandpa.

The older man, wearing his Hawaiian shirt, sighed, crossing his arms. "I have, but now's not the time to get into details, Ben. If this place functions as it did from what I recall, it could have its own set of rules. We don't know how much time has passed back in our world, could be days, weeks even, and we have to meet up with your Aunt Vera."

Ben's shoulders slumped as he glanced around the market, filled with strange objects and even stranger people. "I mean... it can't be that long, right?" He cast a hopeful look toward Toru, who sat behind the counter, unbothered, watching their exchange with a calm, unreadable expression.

When Toru didn't respond, Ben felt a twinge of deflation. Reluctantly, he nodded, not wanting to test his grandpa's patience. "Alright, fine, I get it."

"Glad you're listening," his grandpa replied, his tone light but firm. He turned to Gwen, who had been exploring the market kiosk with the refugees' guidance. "Come on, Gwen. We don't want to keep your aunt waiting."

Gwen looked away from the screen, reluctantly tearing her gaze from the marketplace information she'd been engrossed in. "Right, coming."

As the three began making their way toward the exit, a tall, shadowy figure appeared at the entrance. Kazuhiro's massive form blocked part of the doorway, his blank, featureless face casting an eerie presence over the area. Gwen yelped in surprise, stumbling backward as her eyes widened at the strange being.

Kazuhiro observed the newcomers silently before dipping his head in a polite greeting. "Welcome to the Market. How can we assist you today?" He bent slightly, his void-like face angled down at them, as if trying to get a closer look.

"Cool," Ben whispered, impressed by Kazuhiro's towering, otherworldly presence.

His grandpa, however, remained cautious. "We're fine as we are, thanks," he replied tersely, placing a guiding hand on Ben's shoulder and steering him around the figure. Kazuhiro's towering shadow didn't waver as they passed, his gaze following them with quiet observation.

As they moved past, Gwen couldn't resist glancing back over her shoulder, a curious light in her eyes.

As the trio of newcomers left, Kazuhiro's blank face lingered momentarily on their retreating forms before sweeping across the rest of the market. His internal thoughts churned as he took in his surroundings. 'The refugees still remain… those who arrived with Minato have mostly left, except for the masked one.' His featureless face tilted slightly toward the shadowed corner where the masked figure leaned against the wall, ever observant.

He knew their purpose. The Hokage's agent was silent, assigned to oversee the market's operations and, perhaps, its mysteries. Kazuhiro simply didn't mind, as long as they abide by the rules then there won't be any trouble.

His thoughts were interrupted by Toru, who approached with his usual detached tone. "I see your arm is fully functional now. No troubles in that world, I assume?" Toru's eyes briefly flickered to the now-healed limb, observing the subtle movements Kazuhiro made to confirm its state.

"Are you leaving to complete your second mission?" Kazuhiro asked, noting Toru's destination toward the information kiosk.

"Not yet," Toru replied, pausing to glance over his shoulder. "I want to gather more intel on the group that just came in. That old man seemed to know a lot about this place. By any chance, have you two met before? He appeared familiar with how things work here."

Kazuhiro's head turned slightly, his voice as steady as always. "No, we haven't met. However, he might be someone who visited a similar space, one that existed before the market."

Toru's expression remained neutral, but the subtle nod he gave showed that the answer confirmed a suspicion he'd been harboring. Without further comment, he turned back to the kiosk, the faint hum of the device filling the space as he accessed its information.

Kazuhiro observed him for a moment longer. The young worker's lack of follow-up questions suggested that he already had pieces of the puzzle and was putting them together on his own. Deciding it wasn't his concern, Kazuhiro turned back to his tasks, focusing on the mundane routine that defined his existence.

But his steps faltered as a sudden, jarring red light illuminated his device. A warning blared across the screen, its stark tone breaking the monotony of the market's usual hum. His blank gaze locked onto the flashing text as he read the urgent message.

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Xxxx

WANRING!

 POTENTIAL DANGER!

▪︎ A few workers may be in danger: this event was triggered after their device was separated for a longer distance. This event can be a false positive, the user may have left it in a faraway place or have forgotten it, or a true positive where it has been forcefully separated or stolen.

As their supervisor, it is your job to ensure that they don't get into any dangerous posibble disputes and ensure their safety.

Workers:

- Akemi

- Asahi

- Denji

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Kazuhiro's head tilted slightly, the only outward acknowledgment of the red alert flashing on his device. As an emotionless entity, he lacked the capacity for surprise or worry. Yet, he understood one thing: this warning was important. If the system itself mentioned his role, it meant his position could be at risk if he failed to address the situation.

Navigating to the Worker Application on his device, Kazuhiro selected one of the mentioned workers—Akemi. A live feed popped up as he clicked the Hidden Camera feature. The footage displayed an unsettling scene: Akemi, Asahi, and Denji were bound, their heads covered by rough fabric. The camera jostled and swayed, confirming Kazuhiro's suspicion. 'Judging by the motion, they're inside something thats in motion, must be a vehicle.' he deduced

Deeming the visuals sufficient, Kazuhiro exited the live feed and noticed a Navigation button beside the workers' names. It was a feature that would lead him directly to their location, bypassing the need to waste time searching.

Kazuhiro turned toward Toru, who was still absorbed in the kiosk, gathering information. "Toru," he called, his voice monotone yet commanding enough to draw attention. "I need you to come with me," Kazuhiro stated plainly. "Your abilities can be of use."

Toru furrowed his brows, sensing the weight of Kazuhiro's words despite the lack of emotion in his tone. "With what, exactly?" He needed clarification—his abilities were tailored to stealth and subterfuge, and he wanted to ensure his presence was necessary.

"The twins and the new recruit have gotten themselves into trouble."

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