Middle Child Syndrome - Chapter 398: Ch : Break me

Catching arrows, running up walls, crushing boulders and bending metal, these are but petty parlour tricks in the eyes of martial artists. But where can a genuine martial artist stand in an era where martial artists are nothing more than a myth?

[A Naruto “OC-SI” Fan Fiction]Make the best of what you have, they said... But what I am supposed to do when the best I have are red-eyed freaks, a child who's supposed to be the jailor of the most dangerous being in the world, a snake creep with serious boundary issues, and a whole world of super soldiers with licences to murder.And you know the best part? None of them like me so much...Oh shut it, old man! Take that Will of Fire and shove it up your—Yeah, this second swing at life isn't panning out...---------------------------------------------------------------What to expect:- Gradual strength progression. Meaningful growth. The MC is a normal guy dumped into the Narutoverse, starts out weak and has to work and struggle for everything he gains.- “Slow” paced. My writing style is a zoomed-in look camera that follows the protagonist. It might seem slow, but I ensure something is always happening to progress the plot forward.- Gritty and often bloody fights and actions scenes with a focus on taijutsu—you'll see individual combat, team fights, and large-scale battle.- A different take on the Narutoverse. The world is full of superhuman mercenaries with liscenes-to-kill—that along with the protagonist's struggles paint the world in a much darker light.- Additions and expansion to the “chakra” power system. I consider myself a conservative when it comes to adapting the power system—and aim to retain the original feel while highlighting the best parts.- The Outsider's Resolve version of Narutoverse uses the [Naruto Manga] as the base—with additions from anime, books, and even Boruto (though very less likely).

On a normal evening, a voice appeared out of no where to give an announcement all over the world, this same evening was also when Dustin was run over by a car while running way from thugs.

Dustin however woke up unharmed, and learned that the world was about to go into ruins basically, and that some humans would be taken away in a few days as 'earth's warriors'.

As it would turn out, on the D-day, Dustin is one of those that were taken. But, this might turn out to be an opportunity rather than a curse, as some night before this day, something interesting happened.

[System activated]

[Starting assimilation... Complete]

[System online]

[Congratulations player for being the first to awaken. Rewards will be given]

From quiet grind to legacy brew.Jun had nothing—no café, no followers, not even a bed. Just a secondhand kettle and a broken dream.Then came the Barista System.No shortcuts. No instant success. Just slow, intentional tasks... and a promise:Brew. Grow. Endure.Every pour sharpens his skill. Every cup deepens his path.From street corners to pop-ups, from whispered praise to a space of his own—Jun’s grind is just beginning.This is a story of stillness, patience, and the quiet pursuit of mastery.Because greatness isn’t given.It’s brewed—one cup at a time.