Splash!

Kushina gracefully leaped off the diving board, performing two mid-air somersaults before entering the water with a perfect splash. By the poolside, a large screen displayed a diving competition.

Feeling like she had outperformed the competitors, she grinned as she climbed out of the water, using a towel to dry her dripping red hair.

"Seriously? She's still not done playing?"

Hikari sat on a lounge chair, wearing an ultra-conservative navy blue one-piece swimsuit with a skirt. She sipped freshly squeezed mixed fruit juice while lazily swinging her small feet, droplets of water glistening on them.

"It's over now," Kei replied with a yawn, crossing his legs as he casually sipped an expensive drink.

On the first night of their arrival, Tsunade, suffered a crushing defeat at the biggest casino in Las Vegas.

This casino, one of the oldest and most established, had a well-developed operating system. Once the dealers noticed her skill, any chance of a major win was basically out of the question.

Small wins were possible, but dreaming of hitting it big? Forget it.

The real issue, however, was that Tsunade had a bizarre obsession with gambling. She refused to cheat using her own abilities, relying solely on her skills.

She certainly had fun, but that small chest full of gold… Oh well, it wasn't a total loss. Blowing off some steam for a day was way better than her previous [Cursed Gambler], which brought only bad luck.

Kei chuckled, completely unfazed by the lost gold bars.

With his current strength, even without backing from the shinobi world, he could easily locate a gold vein and extract gold using Gold Dust anytime.

Gold held no value to him.

While Tsunade indulged in the dazzling games at the casino, Kei, Kushina, and Hikari had spent the past few days exploring the entire city.

For ordinary people, 2011 was a year of explosive growth in electronic information technology. Various convenient digital services revolutionized daily life. Moreover, this city's currency exchange industry was incredibly developed. Whether it was different national currencies, gold, jewelry, antiques, or luxury goods—everything could be quickly converted into cash.

With no shortage of money, Kei and his group were living in absolute comfort.

Phones, clothes, bags, shoes, home appliances… They had bought so much that their storage space in the Primordial Realm was now stacked with a small mountain of goods.

This year was also crucial in the Marvel Universe timeline.

Thor, after having his coronation ceremony interrupted by Frost Giants, invaded Jotunheim in retaliation. His reckless actions nearly sparked a war, leading Odin to banish him to Earth.

Odin then fell into the Odinsleep, allowing Loki to seize Asgard's throne and attempt to kill Thor.

Thor, after understanding the value of life, regained Odin's approval, reclaimed Mjölnir, defeated Loki, and destroyed the Bifröst Bridge.

The Tesseract was now in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s possession.

A Russian oil exploration team discovered Captain America frozen in the Arctic ice.

Kei rubbed his chin, recalling Odin's presence in Jotunheim at that time. His expression twitched slightly.

People say the older, the wiser... Could Odin have deliberately lured Laufey into his trap? Otherwise, why would he allow Loki to act so freely right under his nose? As the All-Father, there's no way he was that blind, right?

BAM!

"I'm back!"

While Kei was lost in thought, a refreshed Tsunade opened the swimming hall's doors. Still wearing the hoodie she'd had on all day, she jumped straight into the freshly cleaned pool, creating a huge splash.

Although she had lost all her money again, she was still quite satisfied with the fun she had.

Spending a whole chest of gold for a full day of gambling? In the past, she wouldn't have even dared to dream about such luxury!

"...No wonder you're a VIP," Kei sighed, his forehead twitching.

Technically speaking, the amount Tsunade lost wasn't nearly enough to qualify her as a VIP at the city's biggest casino. But the casino manager wasn't stupid.

A woman who could lose millions without batting an eye, and only get more excited as she gambled?

She was far from ordinary. So, they promoted Tsunade to a VIP on the spot! Not only was food and lodging completely free, but she also gained exclusive access to high-roller areas.

"Tsunade-nee, are you going home? You've been gone for days now." Kushina stood by the pool, handing Tsunade a towel as she emerged from the water.

"Can I ask you a favor?"

Tsunade casually peeled off her soaked hoodie and tossed it aside.

Taking the towel from Kushina, she began drying her hair, looking at her with a serious expression.

"...Nope." Kushina instinctively stepped back, shaking her head faster than a rattle drum.

She could already guess what was coming. Now that Tsunade had regained her rationality, she was definitely going to ask for help in dealing with all those complicated administrative tasks!

But she had already retired! If she had to go back and work, wouldn't that make her retirement pointless?

"Aren't we best friends? Listen, we recently took in several Uzumaki clan members who had been wandering outside after leaving Kusa. Don't you want to go back and help settle them in?"

"Huh? Well... I..."

"Come on, come on, it won't take long. The portal is right in our home! You can come back anytime you want."

"That... that's true, I guess?"

"Hahaha! Then it's settled!" Tsunade firmly grabbed Kushina's wrist, as if afraid she would run away, then turned to look at Hikari.

"Don't look at me. As Mizukage, none of this concerns me." Hikari sipped her juice, a smug smile on her face.

"As the strongest fighter among us, what if the Ōtsutsuki clan suddenly attacks? How about we all go back, check on things, and if there's nothing urgent, we can come back?"

"..."

Hikari puffed up her cheeks and glanced at Kei, who was watching with a knowing grin. That bastard was definitely doing this on purpose!

"Let's move out!" Kei patted his pants and went to settle the bill at the hotel front desk.

After days of playing around, he figured it was about time to get back to business.

He had received the Eye of Agamotto from the Ancient One and was now carrying the title of Sorcerer Supreme.

It would be ridiculous if he didn't even know where Kamar-Taj was.

Using the anonymous card provided by the casino to settle the hotel bill, Kei led the group back into Eden.

Tsunade, Kushina, and Hikari changed into the latest fashion they had bought from this world and then stepped through the portal back into the shinobi world.

Clare came running up to Kei, notebook in hand. She reported everything that had happened in the past few days in detail.

Although her expression remained somewhat blank, her eyes were noticeably livelier compared to their first meeting.

"Three days ago, Lord Jiraiya came here looking for you... A day and a half ago, Miss Kanae brought her younger sister, Shinobu, to discuss the construction of a shrine... And yesterday, a man named Nara Shikaku—"

Kei listened patiently without interrupting. Even though, as the Lord of the Primordial Realm, he already knew all of this. But for Clare, who was still very young, and for Teresa, who was still recovering from her injuries, this was the only thing they could do to feel useful.

For two people who had been abandoned by their own world, having fresh vegetables, meat, fruit, children's picture books, clothes, and basic kindness made them uneasy.

Only by doing something "valuable" could they truly relax.

He reclined in a courtyard chair, nodding occasionally to show his approval as Clare continued to report. At the same time, his mind shifted back to the system interface.

He silently instructed the system to use up all of his reward draws. From the rewards he had accumulated, he had saved up four trait extractions.

Lately, he had been slacking off on improving his strength, too focused on enjoying life. Thinking about it now, it really felt like a crime!

---

[Obtained:

- Virginity Mark Expert (Green)

- Cupid's Reverse Arrow (Purple)

- Moral Giant (White)

- Hannibal's Successor (Black)]

[Virginity Mark Expert (Green):

The ultimate love detector, a master of purity. You have spent years studying and perfecting the art of the Virginity Mark. You can apply it in just ten seconds, and any attempt at forceful violation will trigger a backlash proportional to the strength of the enforcer.]

[Cupid's Reverse Arrow (Purple):

True love? Passionate desire? Nope! Today, this mischievous Cupid is shooting arrows of discord! Consuming energy allows you to fire "Emotion Disruptor Arrows." If the target is in a relationship, arguments, breakups, fights, and drama will inevitably occur. The effect lasts for ten minutes.]

[Moral Giant (White):

A towering pillar of righteousness, your moral compass is unwavering. Slightly increases your sense of justice, order, and duty. If you commit an immoral act, you will experience extreme guilt, regret, and shame.]

[Hannibal's Successor (Black):

You have long admired Hannibal Lecter and have now fully embraced your nature. Your morality and humanity take a severe hit, while your craving for human flesh skyrockets. Your skills in cooking meat, handling internal organs, and ingredient preparation increase significantly. Additionally, your charm, elegance, and persuasion skills receive a minor boost.]

---

"..."

Kei scratched his head in silence.

[Virginity Mark Expert], thank goodness it wasn't applied directly to him. Otherwise, if he wanted to study it, he'd have to sit in the bathroom, spread his legs, and examine it carefully!

And that [Cupid's Reverse Arrow]... Couldn't it just be a normal love arrow? Why did it have to sow chaos instead?

As for [Moral Giant] and [Hannibal's Successor]...

The first one seemed like the perfect trait for a hero. If given to someone with even a little bit of conscience, they'd become a righteous warrior in no time. If forced onto a villain, they'd probably die of guilt!

But the last one... well... As long as the person wasn't weak, they could probably dominate Gotham City with that alone.

Today's system rewards... Still as ridiculous as ever.