Chapter 7:
The world seemed to slow as Jayden watched the massive knife tear through the air, heading straight for his skull.
His body moved on instinct as his sharingan spin alarmingly. He tilted his head at the last second, the cold edge of the blade slicing through his hair, grazing his cheek. A sharp sting followed, but he had no time to care.
The weapon embedded itself in the ground behind him with a loud THUNK, the force shaking the street.
Jayden turned to face his attacker.
A towering brute clad in black armor stood a few feet away, muscles bulging beneath his thick plating. His arms—thick like tree trunks—tensed as his flesh warped and twisted, producing another identical knife from within his body.
Jayden's deadpan expression remained, but inside, his thoughts raced.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Then again…
"Nothing in this world makes sense."
The burly man cracked his neck, stepping forward. His voice was deep and grating, like stone grinding against metal.
"Hand over the girl."
Jayden's gaze flickered to the small figure trembling behind him. A young girl—no older than five—her clothes tattered, fresh bruises covering her arms.
His mind quickly ran through the pros and cons of helping her.
Pros:
He wouldn't have to live with the guilt of abandoning a child.
He'd feel at least 1% less like garbage.
Cons:
He might die.
He'd definitely die.
His chakra reserves were running on fumes. If he were at full strength, he could fight or at least outrun these guys. But now? Not a chance.
He was this close to nodding and saying, "Take her. I don't even know this child," when she suddenly stepped forward, her voice shaky but firm.
"He doesn't know anything about it!"
Jayden blinked. "Excuse me?"
The girl hurriedly explained.
She had stolen a precious healing pill from a powerful faction—one worth ten gold coins—to save her sick mother. They wanted it back.
Jayden sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Great. Just my luck."
He didn't want to get involved. He didn't owe this girl anything.
But…
He glanced at her again. Her hands trembled, fresh cuts and dirt covering her face. She had clearly been running for her life before finding him.
Something in his chest tightened.
He hated it.
Jayden coughed, straightening up as he stepped between her and the armored men.
"I think we can negotiate."
The leader raised an eyebrow. "Negotiate?"
Jayden nodded, trying to sound cool.
"How much is the pill?"
The black-armored man exchanged a glance with his men before answering.
"10 gold coins."
Jayden acted as if he was considering it.
Then he asked, "Can that rent a room at an inn?"
Dead silence.
The men stared at him like he had just asked if bread was made of rocks.
"...Are you serious?" one of them finally muttered.
Another scoffed. "10 gold coins could buy half of this city."
Jayden's heart thumped.
"…Excuse me?"
He turned to the girl. Maybe he could walk away. Maybe she'd understand.
But when he saw her wounded legs, her exhausted expression, his thoughts halted.
For the first time since coming to this world—
He felt anger.
Jayden clenched his fists.
"I don't have that kind of money."
The leader sneered. "Then we'll take her."
Jayden exhaled slowly.
His crimson eyes spun.
"Genjutsu: Phantom Illusion."
The moment the men made eye contact—
Their reality shattered.
They were plunged into an endless abyss, their minds consumed by illusions of their worst nightmares. Some screamed, others collapsed, eyes rolling back.
Jayden didn't waste time. He grabbed the girl and ran.
—
A minute later—
BOOM.
An explosion of energy erupted behind him.
Jayden turned his head mid-sprint—
The men were still chasing him.
"HEY, YOU BRAT! YOU'RE DEAD!"
Jayden's eye twitched.
"Shouldn't the genjutsu have lasted longer?!"
What followed was the most ridiculous chase of his life.
He barreled through a crowded market, shoving past merchants.
"STOP HIM!" someone yelled.
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM!" Jayden shouted back.
He slid under a wooden cart, hopped over a sleeping beggar, nearly got clotheslined by a baker swinging a loaf of bread—
His lungs burned. His legs screamed.
But the men were gaining.
One inn.
Two inns.
Three inns.
He barged into each, gasping for help—only to be ignored or laughed at.
By the sixth inn, his legs nearly collapsed.
And that's when he saw her.
A stunning black-haired woman sat at a corner table, a green whip coiled at her side.
Beside her, a massive man in glowing blue armor nursed a drink.
Jayden staggered toward them.
"Help me."
The burly man glanced at him.
Then went back to drinking.
Jayden internally screamed.
"This world is full of psychopaths!"
The door slammed open behind him.
The black-armored men stormed in, weapons drawn.
Jayden sighed. "Great. Now I'm really screwed."
The leader stepped forward.
"End of the road, kid."
Jayden slowly turned back to face them.
Deadpan as ever.
He muttered to the girl. "Stay behind me. If I die, run."
The leader signaled a man with a red mohawk.
The guy's arm morphed into a massive hammer.
Jayden's heart sank.
The leader of the attackers stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "End of the road, kid."
Jayden deadpanned. "Yeah, I figured."
A man with a red mohawk stepped out from the group, his arm shifting into a massive hammer.
Jayden's heart sank. So this is how I die. He could already picture the God of Chaos silhouette welcoming him to the afterlife.
Then—
CRACK.
The red-mohawk man flew out of the inn, crashing through the doors.
Silence.
Everyone turned in shock.
Jayden blinked. "Wait… who did that?"
His eyes landed on the black-haired woman.
She smiled. "I like your bravery. I'll help you out."
Jayden exhaled in relief—until she casually sat back down.
"…Wait, THAT'S IT?!" He scream internally.
She gestured to the burly man.
"Toph, handle it."
The massive warrior sighed . He stood, his towering frame casting a shadow over Jayden.
Jayden barely had time to blink before the first man charged.
A blur of black hair with his fist covered in flames.
Then —
BOOM!
A gust of wind exploded as the attacker was sent flying through the inn's entrance, shattering the wooden frame like it was made of paper.
Jayden's jaw dropped.
The man twitched outside, completely unconscious.
"What…?"
He barely finished that thought before two more lunged at Toph.
This time, he saw it.
Toph sidestepped, his movement so fast and fluid it looked like he teleported. His fist shot out, hammering one man in the gut—
CRACK!
The poor guy bent in half, his body lifted off the ground before crashing into the floor.
The last attacker tried to retreat, panic on his face—
Toph grabbed his head.
Jayden flinched. Oh no.
BOOM!
The man's body bounced off the ground like a ragdoll.
Jayden stood there, eyes wide.
"...Did I just witness All Might in real life?"
In seconds, the men were annihilated.
Jayden's mind struggled to process it.
It was inhuman. Pure speed and strength.
The attackers groaned on the ground, bones shattered.
Toph scoffed and turned toward Jayden.
Jayden sighed in relief. "Phew, that was—"
Toph raised his fist.
Jayden's stomach dropped.
"…Wait. Why do you look mad?"
Toph's glare sharpened. "Your turn."
Jayden didn't even have time to scream before—
BAM!
Darkness.