At the entrance to the Shiranui Dojo, footsteps echoed as Qin Ming finally returned.
Seeing that he was safe and sound—unharmed and walking under his own power—Mary, who had been squatting by the door petting her dog, visibly exhaled in relief.
But as she moved toward him, her concern quickly gave way to frustration. With one swift motion, she gave him a kick.
"So you actually went there! Are you some kind of gang boss? You weren't worried about getting yourself killed?"
Qin Ming shrugged, unfazed, not bothering to reply. He crouched down to pet the Dalmatian's head... only for the dog to bite his sleeve and give it a forceful tug.
Tearing his sleeve from the dog's mouth, he glared at the mutt before standing up and heading further into the dojo, Mary close behind with her dog in tow.
After passing through the dojo's gate, the two found themselves face-to-face with Shiranui Mai.
The two women, who had been at odds with each other just days before, now acted like long-lost friends. As rare female fighters, their similarities had built a bridge; each struggled to keep their reckless male companions in line, and they quickly bonded over these shared experiences.
As Mai ignored his presence entirely, Qin Ming didn't spare her a second glance. He pushed open the inner chamber door and went directly to Shiranui Hanzou.
He threw down the blood-stained list he'd brought with him, offering only a slight raise of his brow.
Taking the list, Hanzou's face softened with satisfaction as he sensed the latent energy in the blood smears. He nodded approvingly.
"Well done. This is indeed Tsukimi blood—you've exceeded my expectations. So, did you encounter Tsukimi Soukaku?"
"Yeah, but we didn't fight. He couldn't be sure if I was with Shiranui or not."
"Understandable. You don't yet know any of our techniques; it would be difficult for anyone to identify you as one of us."
Setting the list aside, Hanzou's face broke into a pleased smile. He studied Qin Ming, nodding with obvious approval.
"Cunning, skill, strength, and intelligence—you've proven yourself capable. From this day forth, you are a Shiranui disciple. Your name will be 'Shiranui Ming' within the clan."
"I even have to change my name?"
"What, you don't like it? It's just a title, a formal name, like how some warriors use titles from their school or lineage. I'm not asking you to legally change your name."
Seated at the table with hands folded, Hanzou's tired eyes narrowed as he gazed at Qin Ming.
"Ming, remember—now that you're part of Shiranui, don't disappoint me."
"Got it, Master! I won't let you down!"
As Qin Ming finished his sentence, a chime rang in his mind, and he couldn't help but smile—a wild grin full of triumph.
Ding! Congratulations on completing the Hidden Mission: Apprenticeship in Shiranui!
Mission Completion Rating: Perfect
Final Reward: Title of Shiranui Personal Disciple
Adventurer 441985: You have officially joined the Shiranui faction! Access to faction shop unlocked! Faction Title Tasks Unlocked!
Rise of the Shiranui: Recruit 1,000 disciples for the clan.
Reward: White Title - Senior Disciple (Agility +10)
Power is Everything: Recruit one key plot character to join the clan.
Reward: White Title - Elite Manager (Constitution +10)
I am the Leader: Win Shiranui Mai's affection and reach a favorability rating of 650 or higher.
Reward: White Title - Shiranui Clan Leader (Charisma +2)
Greatest Clan Under Heaven: Defeat four key plot characters one-on-one, excluding Shiranui disciples.
Reward: Green Title - World's Best (All Stats +8)
After days of grueling tasks and obstacles, Qin Ming had finally unlocked the Shiranui Faction Title Tasks. Though the titles seemed appealing, none of them would be easy to achieve.
Recruiting a thousand disciples alone was practically impossible; not only would it take an enormous amount of time, but it was unlikely that Hanzou, as the current clan leader, would even listen to him. After all, he was still just a newly accepted disciple.
As for recruiting a key character, that might be doable. Mary was already here, and he had saved her life. While he couldn't gauge her exact favorability, he could probably count on her willingness to consider joining.
Winning over Shiranui Mai, however, was another matter entirely. Given that he'd previously managed to beat up Andy, Mai's current affection rating toward him was a solid -100. Winning her over? He might as well aim to charm Andy instead.
Surprisingly, Andy, now recovering from his injuries, seemed to regard Qin Ming favorably, holding a positive affection rating of 90. It seemed Andy respected Qin Ming's strength and bore no grudges over their earlier clash. When he healed, he might even seek out Qin Ming for a rematch.
As for his new master, Shiranui Hanzou, their bond was tenuous at best. Hanzou's favorability toward him was a lukewarm 150, nowhere near what you'd expect for a master and disciple. Even after formally joining the clan, Qin Ming was clearly still on probation. Hanzou was an old fox, wary and far from trusting him fully.
Beyond the daunting Title Tasks, what thrilled Qin Ming most was access to the clan's exclusive exchange shop. To his delight, the shop was packed with remarkable items.
There was the Special Ration Pill, a white-quality item akin to ancient compressed rations, available for 1,000 points or 100 favorability. The pill could restore 15% of one's stamina and shared a cooldown with other healing items.
The Shiranui War Fan, a green-quality item made of special materials, could serve as both a weapon and a throwing tool, exchangeable for 2,500 points or 250 favorability.
Then there was the Shiranui Ninja Uniform, available in both men's and women's designs at blue quality, for 5,000 points or 500 favorability.
And most exciting of all, the shop offered full access to the clan's techniques! Everything from D-rank basics to the formidable B-rank Ninpo Shiranui Bee was up for grabs.
The store also had skill manuals, ranging from basic Fighting Techniques Proficiency (E-rank) to Intermediate Fighting Techniques Proficiency (C-rank), each priced at escalating values: 5,000, 10,000, and 25,000 points, respectively. As long as one had the points, they could quickly advance to a competent level of combat mastery.
One particular option at the top of the list caught Qin Ming's eye: Shiranui-Style Ninjutsu!
Name: Shiranui-Style Ninjutsu (Fatal Fury World)
Effects: Includes C-rank Shiranui advanced combat techniques and all standard D and C-level Shiranui Ninjutsu skills.
Description: The first essential step to becoming a master ninja! Once you've mastered this, you'll be a true Shiranui ninja!
This single package contained practically the entire arsenal of Shiranui techniques, including every skill from D to C-level except for the "Super Finishers" in one purchase. The price? A staggering 100,000 points or 1,000 favorability.
But its worth was undeniable. The package didn't just offer a wealth of skills; it had another huge advantage—it took up only one skill slot. For the price of a single skill slot, one could access an entire suite of deadly techniques, a deal too good to be true.
Still, the 100,000-point price tag was chilling, enough to crush any greedy aspirations.
Staring at the enticing array of exchange options, Qin Ming found his vision swimming slightly as he took it all in.