I didn't wait for the nurses to check my vitals. I didn't wait for breakfast to start the day. I just rolled out of bed, hit the floor, and started my grind.
I was even able to sneak out to the hospital courtyard to complete my 10km run, before going back to my room for the leaf concentration exercise.
[DAILY QUEST COMPLETE.]
[REWARDS GRANTED]:
-
1000 Ryo
-
Full Recovery
-
+3 Stat Points
-
Random Loot Box
I sat on the edge of my hospital bed. "Ight, let's see what ya got for me today."
I tapped the box in my inventory. It shattered into light.
[ITEM OBTAINED]:
-
Standard Shinobi Guidebook (Academy Edition): The official curriculum for the Konoha Ninja Academy. Contains basic history, laws, and graduation requirements.
"A book?" I muttered, flipping through the pages. "Well, knowledge is power, I guess."
I started reading. I absorbed the information quickly. It was mostly propaganda about the Will of Fire and basic hand sign charts, but then I turned to the back page. A calendar was tucked into the appendix.
Graduation Exam Date: July 15th.
I checked the date on the clock on the wall. "June... 24th?"
I started to do a little math. "I have three weeks before the exams."
I lowered the book, staring at the wall.
Hiruzen’s sudden urgency made more sense now. The push for immediate training. The "Trial Period." I knew he was being a little too cooperative for a seasoned vet; he was trying to rush me back into the system before the cutoff.
Hold up.
In the original timeline, Naruto failed this exam twice. And then, conveniently, Mizuki was there to manipulate him into stealing the Scroll of Seals—an event that ultimately led him into learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu and passing via a field promotion.
I narrowed my eyes.
Did the Old Man set that up? Did he anticipate Naruto failing again, and use Mizuki’s suspicious activities as a backup plan to ensure that Naruto—the Jinchūriki, got promoted anyway?
"Maybe… or maybe I’m just overthinking things," I said, tossing the book into my inventory. "Anyways, it's time to get active."
Moments Later…
Training Ground 14
"You are late," a nasally voice droned.
I walked onto the field. Standing there, adjusting his dark sunglasses, was Ebisu. He looked exactly like he did in the anime—stiff, proper, and emanating an aura of unearned superiority.
"Relaaaax, I'm on time," I corrected, checking the position of the sun. "You're just early."
Ebisu frowned. "Punctuality is the first virtue of a shinobi. However, given your... history, I suppose mere attendance is an improvement."
He adjusted his glasses. "The Hokage has instructed me to remediate your deficiencies in Chakra Theory. We will begin with the basics. Sit."
Damn, he just said a mouthful, I thought as I sat on the grass.
Ebisu launched into a lecture. I visualized the physical (Yin) and mental (Yang) energies he described. I mentally mapped the pathway from the stomach (physical energy) and the mind (mental energy) mixing to form chakra.
"Chakra is not just fuel," Ebisu lectured, pacing back and forth. "It is the bridge between will and reality. To mold it, you must balance the physical strain of your body with the mental focus of your mind. Too much Yang, and the jutsu fails. Too much Yin, and your energy wastes."
Hmm, that’s actually very interesting.
I nodded slowly, putting the pieces together. "So it's like mixing cement. Too much water, and it ends up too liquidy. Too much powder, and it turns too hard. You need the perfect ratio for it to harden into something useful."
Ebisu stopped pacing. He looked at me, genuinely surprised. "A rather... crude analogy. But accurate. Perhaps you are not as hopeless as your report card suggests."
This fuckin’ guy.
[INT +1]: Successful comprehension of Chakra Composition Theory.
Ebisu reached into his pouch and pulled out a leaf.
"Since you grasped the theory, let us test the application with the Leaf Concentration Practice,” he said handing me a leaf. “Place this on your forehead and direct your chakra to the point of contact. Then, hold it there."
The leaf concentration again? I groaned mentally.
[SYSTEM ALERT!]
[SUB-QUEST: FOCUS]: Make progress in the Leaf Concentration Exercise.
-
Reward: WIS +1.
Shit, say less.
I took the leaf and placed it on my forehead. Then, I closed my eyes to focus.
As I began doing so, a loud crash suddenly echoed from the treeline.
"PREPARE YOURSELF!"
A small blur of blue and yellow shot out of the bushes, tripping over itself and face-planting into the dirt a few feet away from us.
Ebisu sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Honorable Grandson..."
Konohamaru Sarutobi scrambled up, dusting himself off. Then, he spotted me. "Hey! You! Move it! I'm here to defeat this guy!" he pointed at Ebisu.
“Why him?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at the sweating Jonin.
“Because he said he was one of Grandpa’s many guards. So if I can beat him, I can beat Grandpa,” he responded.
He pulled out a shuriken, holding it clumsily. "I bet you're one of his guards too! Prepare yourself!"
He charged. It was sloppy and slow. I stepped forward and casually caught his wrist mid-swing.
"Naruto!" Ebisu barked, stepping forward with genuine alarm. "Unhand the Honorable Grandson this instant! You are out of line!"
I didn't even look at him. I kept my eyes locked on the kid.
"Let go!" Konohamaru yelled, thrashing. "Do you know who I am?! I'm the Hokage's Grandson!"
"And?" I asked, ignoring Ebisu completely.
Konohamaru froze. "What?"
I looked him in the eye. I didn't look at him with annoyance, or amusement.
"You're swinging that weapon like a toy," I said, releasing his wrist. "And you're screaming titles like they're shields. 'Hokage's Grandson.' Is that your name? Or is that just the only thing that makes you special?"
Konohamaru stepped back, his face flushing red. "I... That’s what everyone calls me! Nobody sees me!"
“And you think acting like a brat will fix things?” I questioned. "Stop acting like a prop and start acting like a person.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“What’d you know?! You don’t know what I go through!” Konohamaru's speechlessness quickly turned to anger. “You don’t know how it feels to be under someone’s shadow just cause you’re related to them. That’s why I need to take down the old man, so that I can be Hokage and then they’ll....”
"They’ll what? Respect you?," I questioned. "You want respect? Earn it. You want to beat the Old Man? Get strong enough that people recognize your strength over his.”
Konohamaru stared at me, his mouth slightly open. He looked at Ebisu, then back at me. The bratty sneer faded, replaced by a look of confusion and awe.
“Causing chaos over simple things like these doesn’t make sense.” I said, re-adjusting myself. “Besides, who’d respect a Hokage like you anyways? That title’s too big for a guy like you.”
Konohamaru scowled at me. “What?! I—”
“You don’t get to be Hokage just because you want it. You get it for being the strongest the village has to offer,” I said, cutting him off. “It means being a tier above everyone else in the village.”
I had his attention now. “Which is why I don’t think you could possibly be Hokage.”
“Huh?! Why not?!” Konohamaru demanded, anger surging again.
“Because I exist here. If you want to be Hokage and be recognized by everyone, you gotta be stronger than me. And that’s a tall task, because I’m going to be the strongest this world has ever seen.”
He was speechless now. “But even someone of my caliber can recognize others every now and then. So tell me, who are you anyways?”
"I..." He gripped his scarf. "I'm Konohamaru."
"Konohamaru, huh? I see. Nice to meet you then, Konohamaru," I said, offering a hand to dap him up.
A look of surprise adorned his face.
"I'm Naruto. Now if you don’t mind I’d like to continue my lesson."
Later that Afternoon…
Ebisu had kept me for another hour. To his shock—and honestly, mine—I managed to keep the leaf stuck to my forehead for a solid ten minutes by the end of the session. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.
"Adequate," Ebisu sniffed, adjusting his glasses. "You have grasped the fundamental concept. Continue this practice until you can hold it while moving. Now, proceed to Training Ground 44. Your combat instructor is expecting you."
[SUB-QUEST: FOCUS]
[STATUS: COMPLETE]
[Reward]: WIS +1.
He paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. "Do try to stay alive. Special Jōnin Mitarashi has a... unique pedagogy."
She has a what?!
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, teach," I said, waving as I jogged off.
Training Ground 44 - The Forest of Death Outskirts
The atmosphere changed the moment I stepped across the boundary line. The air got heavier, smelling of damp earth and decay. A wire fence loomed ahead, marked with signs of ‘DANGER’ in bold red paint.
I stood at the locked gate. There was no one here. Just the wind rattling the chain-link fence and the ominous sound of giant insects buzzing in the distance.
Damn, this place is scary as hell.
[SYSTEM ALERT!]
[SUB-QUEST: HIDE AND SEEK]: Locate the hidden instructor.
-
Reward: WIS +1.
"A test," I muttered, looking around the empty clearing. "Of course it is."
I closed my eyes. I reached out with my mind, trying to tap into the [Chakra Sensitivity] mode that was added within my system.
At first, nothing. Just the background static of the forest—trees, bugs, birds. It was noisy in a spiritual sense.
Focus, I commanded myself. Now look for something that doesn't belong.
Then, I felt it. It wasn't a warm hum like the nurses at the hospital. It was cold and sharp. A spike of chakra that felt like a coil tightening around a branch. It was suppressed, hidden under layers of control, but to my senses, it stood out like a beacon.
Upwards. Fifty meters. In the tree to my left.
I opened my eyes and looked directly at a specific cluster of leaves high up in a massive oak.
[QUEST COMPLETE: WIS +1.]
Twenty minutes went by and she still hadn’t moved from her spot.
My stomach growled. I looked at the box of premium dango I had bought on the way here.
It was meant to be a peace offering—a bribe to keep her from killing me on the first day.
Fuck it, she’s technically late. I shrugged.
I opened the box and ate a stick.
Damn, these are good. No wonder she loves these.
Ten minutes later, a swirl of leaves materialized on the branch I was staring at. Anko Mitarashi appeared, grinning like a shark. She wore her signature trench coat and mesh armor, exuding an aura of chaotic danger.
"Not bad, kid! You spotted me ten minutes ago, didn't you? I was waiting for you to scream or panic." She jumped down, landing silently in front of me. "So, where's my offering? Ebisu said you'd bring snacks."
He did? Why the fuck would he say that?!
I swallowed the last stick of dango, tossed the empty stick into the box, and licked the syrup off my thumb.
"I brought them," I said, holding out the empty box. "But you were late. And I got hungry. You snooze, you lose."
Anko stared at the empty box. Her eye twitched.
The playful grin didn't leave her face, but the light in her eyes died instantly. A vein popped on her forehead, throbbing in rhythm with my racing heart.
"You ate... my dango?"
“Your dango?! Listen lady—”
[SYSTEM ALERT!]
[URGENT QUEST: SURVIVE THE SNAKE]: Survive the next 3 hours.
[FAILURE]: Hospitalization.
Hospitalization?! I gulped.
"Run," Anko whispered, cracking her knuckles.
I didn't need to be told twice. I bolted.
Oh shit, Oh shit, Oh shit, Oh shit.
Three Hours Later…
I was lying face down in the dirt. Every inch of my body screamed.
The last three hours hadn't been training. It had been attempted murder.
Anko hadn't taught me forms or techniques. She had thrown dull kunai at me while chasing me through a field of tripwires. She had forced me to sprint while she launched miniature fireballs at my heels.
Then we sparred.
If you could call it sparring. It was mostly me trying not to get my limbs broken while she laughed maniacally. I had managed to land one hit—a desperate elbow to her ribs that she baited me into—and she paid me back for it by throwing me into a tree.
"Get up, maggot!" Anko yelled, kicking dirt into my face. "You're still breathing! That means we aren't done!"
Oh sweet neptune.
I groaned, pushing myself up. My arms shook. I felt the exhaustion of the day hit my body like a freight train. But I stood up. I wiped the blood from my lip and got into a shaky stance.
Anko paused. She looked at me, seeing that despite the exhaustion, I wasn't quitting.
"Hah!" She grinned, tossing a canteen at my head. I caught it clumsily. "You've got guts, kid. Or you're just stupid. Either way, I like it."
[QUEST COMPLETE]
[REWARDS]:
-
+1 CON, +2 STR
I drank the water like it was a lifeline. "Same time tomorrow?" I wheezed.
"You bet," Anko winked, turning to leave. "And bring double the dango next time. If you eat mine again, I'll use real shuriken."
I limped back toward the hospital as the sun began to set. I was battered, bruised, and covered in soot. But I felt stronger. The soreness was a dull ache rather than a sharp pain, a sign that my Constitution stat was doing its job.
"I need gear," I muttered, wincing as I stepped on a sharp rock. "I can't go into a Dungeon with just my fists. Anko proved that much."
I checked my inventory. I had the Ryo from the Daily Quests, but I didn't want to blow it all on starter trash from a civilian shop. I needed something reliable.
I was passing by a small public training ground when I heard the rhythmic thwacking of weapons hitting targets.
I looked over the fence. A girl with buns in her hair was moving through a form, throwing kunai with machine-like precision. She had a massive scroll open next to her, filled with an assortment of weapons that made my gamer brain drool.
Tenten, I realized. Bingo.
I walked over, leaning against the fence to take the weight off my bad leg. "Nice aim."
The girl jumped, spinning around with a kunai in hand. When she saw it was just me—a beat-up kid in a dirty orange jumpsuit—she didn't relax. She eyed me with suspicion.
"You're that loud kid from the Academy," she said, lowering the kunai slightly but keeping her grip tight. "The prankster. What do you want?"
Damn, my reputation speaks for itself.
"To do business," I said, gesturing to her scroll. "That’s a serious collection you got there."
Tenten puffed up her chest slightly, distracted by the compliment. "It's my arsenal. I aim to be strong like Lady Tsunade. But I doubt a guy who paints monuments would understand the value of good steel."
She ain’t need to say that last part. She just wanted to hurt my feelings.
"I have a proposition," I said, cutting to the chase.
Tenten raised an eyebrow. "A proposition? From the Dead-Last?"
God damn, my reputation is pure ass.
"I need weapons," I said. "Standard kunai, shuriken, maybe some wire. But I don't want to buy the poor quality ones from the civilian shops. I want the good stuff."
Tenten frowned, crossing her arms. "So? Go to the Academy supply room. My gear isn't for play."
"I need them now," I said. "Loan me a set. Just the basics. Used is fine."
"Why would I do that?" she scoffed. "Weapons aren't cheap. And no offense, but you look like you just rolled down a mountain. I'm not lending my babies to someone who's going to break them."
"Because," I said, leaning in conspiratorially. "I'm working on a special training regimen authorized by the Hokage. I'm going to be exploring some... unique locations."
I let that hang in the air for a second.
"If you help me out now," I continued, "when I find rare weapons—stuff you can't find in the village, ancient steel, chakra blades—I'll give you first dibs. Exclusive access. Before I sell them to the shops."
Tenten’s eyes widened. The hook was set. "Rare weapons? Like... from the War Era?"
"Older," I lied smoothly. "Unique stuff. Things you can't buy in a catalogue. Things that’ll help you reach the strength you’re looking for."
She bit her lip, looking at her scroll, then at me. The promise of unique weapons was the one thing she couldn't resist.
"Fine," she sighed, unsealing a small bundle from her scroll. "These are my spares. They've been sharpened a thousand times, so they're a bit light, but they fly straight. If you lose them, you owe me double the market price."
"Deal," I grinned, taking the bundle.
[ITEMS OBTAINED]
[Used Weapon Set]:
-
10 Kunai.
-
20 Shuriken.
-
Ninja Wire (10m).
"Don't break them!" she called out as I limped away.
"Oh, I won't!" I shouted back. "Pleasure doing business with ya!"
After that, I made a quick stop at the medical supply closet on my floor of the medical ward—stealing a few jars of healing ointment while the nurses were distracted by a shift change—and finally collapsed onto my bed.
"System," I whispered. "Status."
[PLAYER STATUS]:
Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Level: 1
Age: 12
Title: Jinchūriki, Contractor, Etc
HP: 150/200 (Recovering)
CP: 135/200 (Recovering)
[STATS]:
-
STR: 8 (Base 6 + 2)
-
CON: 9 (Base 8 + 1)
-
DEX: 5
-
INT: 5 (Base 4 + 1)
-
WIS: 8 (Base 6 + 2)
-
CHA: 7
Stat Points Available: 6
I looked at the numbers. My [STR] and [CON] had jumped up thanks to Anko's brutality. My [WIS] was up from the sub-quests. My [INT] had ticked up from Ebisu.
But my [DEX]...
"Five points," I muttered. "My speed and aim are still trash. That's going to be a slight problem."
I pulled the [E-Rank Gate Key] out of my inventory. It gleamed dully in the light with its dagger-like design.
I have 6 stat points available for distribution, but I’m gonna save them and allocate them before I go into the Gate.
I now had the gear, the basic skills, and the stats to not die immediately.
"Tomorrow," I said, clutching the key tight. "Tomorrow, I’ll see what I’m really capable of."