This chapter's a whole lot better than the previous two, in my opinion. Plus, stuff actually happens, so that's always fun. Plus, I've got a fourth chapter already made after this one.
My routine continued for… maybe two years after that. I came to love my new parents dearly, in that time, and also in that time, my prowess grew wildly.
I got the following levels for my skills:
[Meditation] up to level 42,
[Chakra Manipulation] up to level 25, its current cap,
[Chakra Reinforcement] up to level 15, its current cap,
[Observe], which I neglected a ton, up to level 7,
[Japanese Fluency] up to level 44,
[Walking] up to level 50, which was its max,
and [Balance] up to level 50, which was its max.
Not only that, but my [Infant] 'perk' was swapped out for [Toddler], which completely eliminated my functionality reduction and reduced the CP debuff to 50%.
Here're my stats now:
Name: Chūmon Roiyaru
Gender: Male
Age: 2
Level: 1
XP: 1/100 (1%)
Title: N/A
Conditions: N/A
Maximum HP: 11
Maximum CP: 83.125 (Reduced by 50%)
CP Regen per second: 0.5425 (Reduced by 50%)
STR: 1.075
DEX: 1.25
VIT: 1.075
INT: 13.125 (12.5 + (12.5 x 0.05))
WIS: 7
LUK: 5
Once again, the stats are super specific, but DEX looks better now that I've maxed [Balance]. Oddly enough, my Max HP went up, so I guess there's some rounding going on there.
A Quest Has Been Created!
Name: A Trip to Konoha
Objectives: Survive the Bandit Attack
Bonus Objectives:
Entire Caravan Survives
Kill 1 Bandit
Reward: 50 XP
Bonus Reward:
200 XP, 250 Ryo
500 XP, 500 Ryo, ?
Failure: Death
...Um. Shit.
Okay, okay, so I should focus on the why. My parents are skilled in their place of work. In the past two years, they've been holding off on taking trips to Konoha to sell goods because of the ongoing war. They'd mentioned going on a trip to Konoha- and bringing me with- a week or so ago. I'm not sure which of the Shinobi Wars this is, but I do know that I don't want to be caught on the battlefield before I'm prepared for it.
Of course, that's not optional anymore.
My mother comes into my small room. "Roi-chan, it's time to go~!" she sing-songs, sweeping me off the ground in one quick movement. I'm too busy being shell-shocked at what I'm seeing to actually, properly respond. "...Roi-chan?" her cheerful tone takes a more serious downturn, looking at me concernedly.
I sober up. "Eh, kaa-chan, I was thinking about how cool Konoha must be, uh-huh!" I childishly state, giving my mother a toothy grin. "I wanna meet one of those shi-no-bi, like in the storybooks!"
For the record, I've recently acquired to [Reading] skill, a month ago, and've gotten it to level thirteen. Nothing special about the skill, as it's got no effect other than acting as a measure, like [Walking] does.
Mother giggles. "Well, Roi-chan, you need to be nice to a shinobi when you meet one, okay?" she boops me on the nose.
"Okay~!" I respond.
She sets me down, gives me my packed bag, pats me on the head, and walks out of the room while humming.
My face darkens once she leaves. I need to prepare.
I sling the bag- backpack, I realize- across my back, and swiftly follow after her. I take a turn into the kitchen, and I look up at the counter. I know that the knives are stored on the counter.
I hadn't ever tried wall walking before, but there's a first time for everything. I push chakra to my feet and as I place my right on the area under the counter. It sticks.
By successfully sticking yourself to a wall, a skill has been created!
Wall Walking (Passive/Active) Level 1, 0% XP
Active: Allows the user to scale vertical and near-vertical surfaces.
Passive: +0.1 DEX
I slowly, carefully, walk up the side of the counter until I reach the top.
I eye the knives, casting [Observe] on each.
I find my choice.
[Kitchen Knife]
Quality: Uncommon
Level: 2
Durability: 24/25
Melee Damage: 7-14
Ranged Damage: 2-4
Description: A knife forged by Chūmon Niko, Chūmon Roiyaru's mother.
It'll have to do. I swing the knife experimentally.
By using a knife as a weapon, you have created a skill!
Melee Knife Mastery (Passive) Level 0, 0% XP
+0% Damage while wielding knives
+0% Accuracy while wielding knives
I brush off that it's level zero, and I put the knife in my inventory and put it into my right hand's weapon slot. The weapon doesn't immediately appear, but it does when I will it to, and it returns when I do the same thing.
I suck in a breath and breath back out. I hop off the counter, landing on the wooden floor without too much sound. I run after my mother.
I can't fuck this up. I can't.
The caravan is painfully slow. The journey is scheduled to take three damn weeks. Though, there's one thing that I'm grateful for.
The caravan leader had the forethought to hire a genin team as guards, thank fuck.
A week stretches by. I'm pretty sure I'm acting off the whole time, and I really hope nobody realized it wasn't anything more than nervousness.
Then, deep into the night of the ninth day- tenth morning?- I jerk awake at the sound of combat nearby. Instantly, I will the kitchen knife into my hand. I creep away from where me and my parents are- were- sleeping, careful not to make a sound.
By attempting to move silently, a skill has been created!
Stealth (Active) Level 1, 0% XP
User moves at 25% of their movement speed, but they make 25% less sound.
As I read the description of the skill, I'm reminded to activate [Chakra Reinforcement] once I get into a fight. The extra strength will come in handy, I hope.
I slowly slip around one of the wagons, towards the fighting. I see a genin fighting four or five bandits at once. Shit.
I inhale, then exhale, activating [Chakra Reinforcement] as I do so. I stalk towards to battle.
Stealth Broken!
Wh- shit!
One of the bandits fighting the genin breaks off, seeing me. He runs towards me.
I shakily raise the kitchen knife. I wasn't ready for this, but I can do this. I use [Observe] on the bandit.
Name: Kosu
Age: ?
Gender: Male
Class: Bandit
Title: N/A
Level: ?
Conditions: ?
Maximum HP: 150?
Current HP: 100?
Maximum CP: ?
CP Regen: ?
STR: 20?
DEX: 10?
VIT: 10?
INT: 5?
WIS: 5?
LUK: 0?
I can do this. I can do this. He got some sort of shitty club as a weapon. I can do this. He's getting close. I can do this.
He reaches out to grab me, and I dodge, nearly too slowly, and strike out with my knife.
I slash his arm.
Dealt 16 damage!
By dodging an enemy's attack, a skill has been created!
Dodge (Passive) Level 1, 3% XP
+0.5 DEX
I ignore the pop-up, instead backpedaling away from the bandit, who is growling in rage.
"You little SHIT! I'll kill you!" He raises his makeshift club and swings down at me.
Telegraphed as hell.
I sidestep it- ha, I'm badass- and I stab at his weapon arm, at the crook of his elbow.
CRITICAL HIT! Dealt 33 damage!
The bandit stumbles back, yelling profanities. I don't let up my advantage, jumping onto his front and stabbing away.
Dealt 17 damage!
Dealt 10 damage!
Dealt 17 damage!
Gained 276 XP! Gained 27 Ryo! Gained item [Makeshift Club]
Level up! Five stat points gained! HP and CP fully restored!
I breathe harshly, looking down at the corpse. I stare at it. I look up. The fighting has stopped- no, finished. The genin killed the other bandits. I cut my [Chakra Reinforcement].
"Kid, did you..?" The genin- Furutani Kado, his name is- states at me, disturbed.
I stand up from the bandit's body. The corpse. The man I- that I- I can't…
I puke. Furutani rushes over to me. "Hey, kid, it's okay, it's…" he stops talking. His gaze darkens. "Who am I kidding," he mutters, "you just killed a man. It's not okay. But this is no time to stop and cry, yeah?" He gives me a friendly smile- despite the blood splattering his moonlit, pale face, it seems somehow comforting.
I force myself to calm down. Furutani is right. "I… I guess it isn't…" I stagger to me feet, but Furutani sweeps me into a princess hold.
"Kiddo, let's get you to your parents. You know where they are?" He asks gently.
"I- they're-" I stop, and point in the general direction of where my family had been sleeping.
"Alright. Come on, kiddo, the moon is shining, the wolves are howling, and you're gonna be fine, right?" He moves quickly- faster than he probably should while holding a two-and-a-half-year-old- to where I directed him.
He stops, cursing. "Sorry, kiddo, but I gotta try and fight." He sets me down next to a wagon- my family's wagon- and grabs a kunai from his pouch. He glances at me, and reaches back in and grabs a second, holding it out to me.
"Here. Use this if any bandits try to attack you."
I look at the kunai with reverence; an actual weapon! A real one, not some stupid kitchen knife repurposed as a blade. I gingerly take the shinobi tool. "Th-thanks, Furutani-san." I use [Observe] on it.
[Kado's Kunai]
Quality: Special, Uncommon
Level: 24
Durability: 300/300
Melee Damage: 35-70
Ranged Damage: 45-60
Description: A gift from Furutani Kado to Chūmon Roiyaru. Chūmon Roiyaru's first real weapon.
I stare in awe at the weapon's damage. It's on a whole 'nother level from the kitchen knife!
Furutani crouches down and pats my head. "Stay safe." He ninjas away.
I stare at the kunai. I look up at where Furutani had been. My grip tightens, my knuckles turning white.
I'm not going to stand idly by just because I'm not a shinobi yet.
I stand, taking a step forward.
I'm not going to let Furutani risk his life for my family.
I activate [Chakra Reinforcement].
Not without me, right there, fighting alongside him.
I take off in a dead sprint. I can feel my chakra ticking down with every step I take and I don't give two shits. I'm going to help Furutani. I'm going to save my family.
I burst into the campsite where I had initially slept at, kunai at the ready. I see Furutani once again taking on multiple bandits and I see-
I see a bandit raising a rusty sword to attack my mother.
"NO!" I shout, sprinting as fast as I can. I shove chakra into my legs, blasting me off the ground.
By forcing yourself off the g
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
I fly through the air like a cannonball, slamming into the bandit kunai-first.
CRITICAL HIT! Dealt 249 damage!
By using a kunai as a melee weapon, a skill has been created!
Kunai Mastery (Passive) Level 2, 44% XP
+1% damage when making melee attacks with Kunai
+1% accuracy when making melee attacks with Kunai
I'm moving at such an intense speed that his ribs give way, the kunai piercing right through his internal organs. I'm covered with viscera.
Gain 194 XP! Gained 26 Ryo!
Level up! Five stat points gained! HP and CP fully restored!
But my mother is safe. My mother is okay.
I turn to Furutani. He's just taken out the last bandit. He looks at me disbelievingly. "Didn't I tell you to stay safe?" He walks over to me. "You've covered yourself with gore, and I've got no clue how you even went that fast without chakra." He pulls a small rag from his pocket and wipes my face off.
"Eh, sorry, Furutani-san, but I couldn't just sit and wait while you were-"
I freeze as my mother pulls me into a tight hug, sobbing.
Furutani looks slightly uncomfortable. "I'll make sure that the nearby civvies are alright then return here," he mutters to himself before ninjaing away.
I lean into my mother's hug. I shouldn't be doing this shit at two-and-a-half.
Then I notice something is off.
"Kaa-chan? Where's Tou-chan?" I quietly, slowly ask. I twist around to face her.
Mother dries her tears. "I'm not sure," she says, "but he did insist on trying to find you when you weren't here when we- where were you, Roi-chan?" She looks ready to cry again, but she's fending the tears off.
I look at the ground, ashamed. "K-kaa-chan, shouldn't we go find Tou-chan?"
She blinks. "I- yes, Roi-chan, we should." Mother rises to her feet, carrying me up with her.
She marches in some direction that leads towards where I think is the caravan's center- we were at the back- and after maybe a minute of slow, quiet walking, a window opens in front of me.
Quest Complete!
[A Trip to Konoha]
All Objectives Complete!
+750 XP, +750 Ryo, Attention of Konoha Shinobi Corps!
Level up! Five stat points gained! HP and CP fully restored!
I quietly suck in a breath. Thank fuck. Thank fucking fuck. I exhale just as quietly.
Then my mother gasps and begins to run. "Ryusei!" She yells. No. Nonononono the fucking game it lied to me it fucking lied to me nononono why why no why
My father is struggling to breathe his front is open from a slash there's blood everywhere he's smiling why is he smiling he's dying whywhywhywhy
My mother collapsed in front of him. "Ryusei… no…" she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Hey, hey, it's alright, Niko." He's dead calm oh god why did I word it like that nononono
"It's not alright!" Mother yells. "You're- you're dying, Ryusei!"
Father chuckles. "I am, aren't I?" He slowly moves his head towards me. "Roiyaru. C'mere." When had Mother set me down?
I stumble over to him. "T-tou-chan..?" my voice is insubstantial, quivering.
"Roiyaru. Gr-" he coughs violently before continuing, "Grow up big and strong for me, okay? Think y'can do that?"
I nod. "Of co- of course I can, Tou-chan, I'll grow up to be the bi- the bigg- the biggest and the strongest! For you!"
He shakily smiles and reaches into one of his pockets. "Good. And…" he pulls a small wooden figure from his pocket. "Here. For you. I was going to give to you when we got to Konoha, but like that plan's been cut short…" he coughs again, and I take the figure from him. It's an amazing carving of all three of us- him, Mother, and I- all together, like a family.
I weep as Father stops breathing.