Disclaimer: Familiar characters and references you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
Chapter 12: Chūnin Exam Finals and Graduation
January 12: Wednesday
It's the day of the Chūnin Exam finals and I'm excited to watch the proceedings. Though I'm sure I'll face some sort of repercussions due to this decision.
I've been a bad boy today, since I decided to skip my school classes to attend this special event that comes around once every few years. Even when there's an important event like this happening, classes are still in session.
I'm only skipping one day of classes just so I can potentially learn some useful Jutsu for my shinobi career. To make sure I'm not sent back to the Academy by some meddling adults who might recognize me, I bought some expensive clothes and items.
Here's what I'm currently wearing and the bonus effects with the complete set.
Young Noble's Lucky Headdress - Rank: Superior
-A fancy cream colored hat which protects the sides, top, and back of the wearer's head and neck from the elements. The area around the forehead is golden yellow which makes the wearer feel a little lucky.
+Durability: 100
+2 DEF and +5 LUK.
Young Noble's Lucky Shemagh - Rank: Superior
-A square piece of creamy silk meant to protect the wearer's face from sunburn, dust, and sand. Its edges are golden yellow colored as well.
+Durability: 100
+2 DEF and +2 LUK.
Young Noble's Lucky Necklace - Rank: Superior
-A golden cable chained necklace with a shiny Sapphire gemstone as the fancy centerpiece. It shows the world you're wise due to Sapphire's properties, rich, and not afraid to flaunt it.
+Durability: 500
+5 WIS and +5 LUK.
Young Noble's Lucky Robe - Rank: Superior
-A delicate loose-fitting robe made of comfortable silk fabric. It's mainly a creamy color with golden yellow highlights around the collar, trim, and hem. It has extra-large sleeves and extends downwards to the wearer's ankles.
+Durability: 100
+2 DEF and +3 LUK.
Young Noble's Lucky Geta - Rank: Superior
-Thick wooden platform sandals with two teeth on the bottom and sized for a young noble's feet. They're casual and practical shoes for keeping the hem of your robes high and dry off the ground.
+Durability: 100
+5 AGI and +5 LUK
-100% LUK for one day if the strap on the Geta breaks.
Ding!
*Due to wearing the complete set of the Young Noble's Lucky Series, some bonus effects are applied to the wearer. These are only applied when wearing ALL of them pieces of the set.*
Passive Aura Effect: Young Noble - Merchants will treat you with utmost courtesy and respect in order to gain your patronage. Those within the upper echelons of society will be respectful, since your attire basically screams "WEALTHY" to them.
+50% chance enemies will believe you're easy pickings or underestimate your power level.
+25% LUK.
I found these in a sales stall manned by a trader hailing from the Land of Silk. I never heard of the place, but it's one of many small countries doing business here to make money.
The geta took some time to getting used to because of the clanking noise. I could've used [Silent Steps] or [Muffled Movement], but my cover will be blown.
Due to these items, my LUK increased to 166.25. But it's only temporary though because I'm not going to wear them like my normal everyday clothes.
After that, I used the [Transformation Jutsu] to change my face into a snooty young noble. Technically, I just copied and pasted the smug face of Aizen from Bleach. Though I had to modify it repeatedly so it'll match a 13 year old's facial features.
To finally complete my disguise, I also imitated the behavior of a rich noble brat who boasts about himself and walks around without fear because of his hidden bodyguards. This helps me level up [Deception] for future infiltration missions.
Thanks to [Environmental Resistance], I can keep my cool, calm, and collected look while wearing these clothes underneath the burning sun. Although when I look at myself, I look like a Japanese knockoff of Prince Ali from Aladdin without the purple, pants, and swirly shoes.
Hmm, what else did I buy?
Well a ton of things for sure. If I regaled over everything after fighting Zomboss Gatō, then I'd be talking all day long. So I'll just list the notable items I purchased worth mentioning.
The first off the top of my mind is several Icha Icha Paradise Books in brand new condition personally signed by the Perverted Sage, Jiraiya, himself. Also including the newest releases, the illustrated versions of Volume 1 with pictures. Oh yeah!
Thank you merchant from the Land of Fire for bringing this wonderful treasure to Suna. A bandit group attacked the merchant caravan carrying part two of this work of art, so I never got the chance to buy it.
Although the stubborn man tried to dissuade me from buying them, I eventually succeeded due to bribing him with 25,000 additional Ryo. Despite the book saying it's only for people who are at least 18 years old, he allowed the sale to happen because CHA-CHING!
The entire stock of water balloons and rubber balls numbering in the thousands for future Rasengan and or Shape Manipulation training? Check!
Superior ranked blood red body armor from the Clan War Era? I can't actually wear it right now because the prerequisites are 300 STR, 500 VIT, and be at least 13 years old.
But the bonuses from this is why I bought it. +50 DEF and +25% damage reduction? You're damn right it's worth the money, even though it comes with a -20% AGI penalty.
Next are the specialty items of superior and unique quality from the blacksmith salesman originating from the Village of Artisans. A place that is proud of making quality tools for its clientele.
I checked them out and they do have quality workmanship. So I bought 50 pieces of superior ranked kunai, shuriken, and senbon each.
I also bought three pairs of tetsu geta, also known as iron sandals. The weight varies between 3 kg, 4 kg, and 5 kg. They're like ankle weights in a way and are usually worn during regular martial arts training.
Three gunbai uchiwa fan made entirely of solid Chakra conductive metal with a little opening at the bottom of the handle. The large one requires 300 STR to wield it effectively in battle, while the two smaller ones requires 100 STR.
The final item bought from this merchant was a Chakra conductive metallic whip sword. It's basically an adjustable sword with daggers connected by Chakra metal wire going through the center.
The wire in the center controls the blade's movements as it can expand and be shot at the enemy. It's like [Chakra Threads] in puppetry, but with an actual weapon.
Due to the large amount of money spent buying all these products, the blacksmith gave me his address and contact information. It's basically his business card just in case I want him to make any more weapons in the future.
I could understand why he did that, since his village is facing hard times like Suna. Why should a Hidden Village travel cross country to buy and receive weapons, when they can hire local blacksmiths to make it for them? It's a case of quality versus quantity.
From Wood Country, I purchased multiple stacks of logs, lumber, paper, and ink. All of this will be useful for training [Calligraphy] and [Fūinjutsu]. Also a supply resource for future puppet designs I'll experiment with to see what works and what doesn't.
Several different plants, soil, and fertilizer from the Land of Tea. Why go to the land of Tea, when I can grow my own tea leaves if my desert farm idea actually works out.
Finally on my list of notable items purchased is something that came out of Lightning Country, specifically Kumogakure. Its Killer B's VHS rap video tapes and memorabilia signed by the rapper himself!
Yeah, I bought them simply for the laughs. Not to mention it stupefied the merchant because nobody else showed any interest in them.
Thanks to my unlimited inventory, I can be a hoarding kleptomaniac. No need to be worried if I find something valuable and couldn't store it because no room like in some RPGs.
Not to mention it's the perfect place to hide my growing Icha Icha collection and my mother would never find it. Inventory OP, please never nerf!
All in all, I spent around 3,250,000 Ryo on all these items and more.
However, I have a long walk ahead of me to get to the event's venue. On the opposite edge of Sunagakure's main entrance between two cliff faces, there's a vast sea of sand constantly moving and flowing like real water.
This particular area is called the Shifting Sand Sea. It's also used as the next level of training for graduated students to refine their [Sand-Walking] skills on actual moving sand.
The Chūnin Exam finals are held in a stadium at the very top of a towering rock pillar at the midpoint of an eight mile long dam holding back the Shifting Sand Sea like a reservoir.
From what I've heard about the stadium from eavesdropping, it's a 1,000 meter tall skyscraper made of solid rock. The completely enclosed circular stadium at the very top is 150 meters high and can seat 75,000 people as well.
There are hundreds of buildings sitting on gigantic shelves of stone jutting out of the pillar along with staircases added to connect the different levels. These additional features are in the shape of a haphazard helix going upwards.
To get to my destination, I have three ways to travel there. The first method is to walk on top of the dam itself to the pillar. This is the poor man's option.
The second is to pay a boatman and ride in a specialized sailboat that floats on and sails across the sand. Those with at least 500 Ryo to spend can go for this option.
Lastly, there's rich man's option via the Gondola lift. Suna actually has a gondola system to ferry passengers high in the sky to the pillar.
The problem is none of these three options takes you to the very top where the stadium is. They all drop you off at 150 meter mark meaning one has to ascend a 700 meter staircase to get to stadium's entrance.
Where's an elevator when you need one? Does the Elemental Nations even have one?
It's a good thing I left early at 8:00 AM because all three of these options will take time. For me however, I chose the rich man's option and paid 10,000 Ryo for a two way ticket pass aboard a gondola carriage.
The slow journey in the sky took approximately 30 minutes to move from the edge of the village to the pillar. Most of my time was spent staring through the window in curiosity of this unique dam.
Instead of water rushing from the floodgates, it's actually sand. A quick [Observe] on the dam itself told me the dam uses falling sand to turn the specialized turbines connected to metal shafts, which generates electricity.
The electricity generated is used to power all of the electrical facilities on the rock skyscraper and the entire village of Sunagakure. The dam has large parapet walls to prevent any idiots from falling off into the drastic drop off on the opposite side of the reservoir.
When I stepped off the gondola, there were several large TV's hanging everywhere which displayed the finalists and their matchups. People and shinobi of multiple nationalities mingled and discussing who is going to win, food stalls selling delicacies like Sand Dumplings, and vendors hawking their rare wares.
I asked some adults around me where I can gamble money on the event. All of them directed me to a nearby building only 30 meters away.
Once inside, I saw several tellers and heard unfamiliar lingo being tossed around. There was a large sign above each teller stating: Please have your money ready in hand.
Up on the walls are enormous TV's displaying the numbers assigned to each participant.
1: Iruka Umino of Konoha
2: Ittan of Iwa
3: Shibuki of Taki
4: Tsubusa of Suna
5: Mizuki of Konoha
6: Iwashi Tatami of Konoha
7: Suname of Sunagakure
8: Hikaru of Kumo
9: Sajin of Suna
10: Morio of Iwa
It then transitioned to display the tournament bracket, pictures of each contestant, and their odds of winning. So far from what I'm seeing, Tsubusa is the favorite to win followed by Mizuki.
While trying to figure out what's going on, I heard nearby employees yelling about free booklets about gambling.
"If you're unfamiliar with gambling, please pick up a booklet to understand the gambling process! It's free, doesn't cost any Ryo, and will make your gambling experience more enjoyable!"
A free book which could be a skill book too? Better go get one then.
Once I approached a worker, the man's attitude suddenly shifted. The man bowed to me, plastered what looked like a fake smile, and said in a polite tone of voice, "Hello young master. Here's a booklet about gambling, which also includes detailed information of the participants too. May you have a wonderful day!"
In accordance with my false appearance, I replied with a dismissive "Hn!"
As I turn away, I noticed the worker's face shifted into a slight scowl, but he retained his fake smile. Sheesh! It sounds like the dude rehearsed that kind of speech in front of mirror to avoid offending someone.
Are most of the nobles here really that haughty along with a stick up their ass? Maybe.
Opening the book, the first page is titled [Gambling for Beginners Explained] and I read it over to understand what's going on. Basically, there are two types of bets.
First is the straight wager. Simply pick one shinobi who you believe will come in first, second, or third. It explained about WIN, PLACE, SHOW, and ACROSS THE BOARD bets.
The second is the exotic wager. This kind of wager allows you to gamble on multiple shinobi in a single bet, enabling you to increase your profit potential. They're harder to win than straight bets and require much more skill and are expensive if you're not careful.
The guidebook continued explaining what an EXACTA, QUINELLA, and TRIFECTA are. After that, the next pages were dedicated to give the reader detailed information about each finalist.
It shows their picture, mission record, and power rankings. The power rankings display the following: Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Intelligence, Stamina, and Speed.
Then I got a bright idea. I proceeded to head into the nearest bathroom, entered a bathroom stall, and locked the door to ensure what I'm about to do with some privacy.
Pause. Abyss Auction. Skill books/Manuals.
On the auction site, I searched for a book which will teach me the gambling skill. I found a book called [The Art of Gambling] for 10,000 Ryo.
Your purchase has been delivered and deposited straight into your inventory.
Thank you for your business!
Resume. Withdrawing my newly purchased book, an alert notified me.
Would you like to learn the skill [Gambling]?
[Yes] or [No]?
Yes.
Ding!
Gambling (Passive) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-You know when to hold 'em, fold 'em, walk away, and run. The gambler in you allows you to make better decisions in games of chance or skill, investing, or situations with high stakes like your life to win.
+1% WIS and +1% LUK
+1% better at gambling.
+.95% chance of winning any game.
+.80% chance of winning a blind or random bet.
Finally! A skill which increases my LUK has appeared. It even has a passive WIS bonus boost as well.
Who do I think is going to place in first, second, and third? After rereading the participant's details again, I believe in first place will be Iruka, then Mizuki for second, and Tsubusa for third.
Why would I pick Iruka over Mizuki even if the latter is stronger? Because Mizuki is easily angered and seems to be jealous of Iruka for some reason. This event could be one of these reasons.
My pick for third place is Tsubusa due to the fact all the other contestants aren't very impressive. He has a decent track record, above average Ninjutsu, and good Taijutsu parameters.
The other two participants from Suna, Suname and Sajin are loser picks. People usually say don't judge a book by its cover, but my gut is telling me these two are nothing but cocky generics with average skill-sets.
Besides, Tsubusa looks like he's dressed for success. Especially with his Happuri facial armor similar to Tobirama and Kakashi's face mask.
Remembering the booklet's explanation, I'm going with an exotic wager and place a trifecta bet with who I mentioned earlier. The main question is how much to gamble?
To hell with it! Go big or go home.
When it's finally my turn to talk to the human teller after waiting in line, I placed my Ryo on the counter and said, "100,000 Ryo Trifecta on 1 and 5 and 4."
"Thank you, here's your ticket. Please remember you need your ticket to claim any prize money if you win. Have a nice day!"
Double checking the paper to make sure it's correct, I began the arduous journey to the stadium at the top. After two hours of walking, I arrived at the stadium's base by 10:30 AM. I also gained +1 VIT for my efforts.
The stadium is circular shaped, brown colored stone, and has one main entrance. The entrance is also guarded by four Jonin shinobi over level 160.
Showing the guard my ticket to enter, I climbed another 50 meters to get to my seating. The terraced seats went upwards to about 90 meters and the remaining 20 meters is for VIP seating.
Ten meters below my front row seat is the area where the finalists are supposed to wait for their matches. Their teammates and Jonin instructors can also be there for advice and support.
As for the combat arena itself, it's a circular-shape made of solid stone square tiles around 3 meters tall. While waiting for the action to start, I pulled out my telescope to see the finer details such as the arena's specs.
I also played I-Spy on the people in the VIP seating. The people around me found my actions a bit weird, but they chalked it up to the whims of an eccentric rich kid.
At 12:00 PM, I found some very important people. The first is the Kazekage Rasa in his formal robes with shinobi guarding nearby him. The others are the various Daimyo including the Wind Daimyo of Wind Country along with Samurai for protection detail.
They were easy to distinguish due to their formal robes and fan shaped hats. Let's check out the Kazekage and his current stats first. Observe.
Name: Rasa
Level: 192 / Age: 34
Class: Yondaime Kazekage
HP: 12,900 / CP: 23,600
Titles:
[The Kazekage] (+1000 Fame, Ruler of Sunagakure, able to access anything restricted including Kinjutsu, and able to command any shinobi of Suna no matter their rank. Also can participate on any ranked mission.)
[Experienced Veteran] (+10% INT when fighting in war and +20% skill effects related to leadership skills.)
Status: Normal, (Desert Fighter: +10% to all stats except LUK when the user is in a desert region or mountainous terrain), and +100 DEF.
Rasa is a highly intelligent and talented man with a ruthless utilitarian mindset. He has a habit of placing a 'value' on people and things. He deeply cares about the well-being of his village and family and will do anything to prevent Sunagakure's extinction.
He has the Magnet Release bloodline in which his version can manipulate Gold Dust. Rasa is strong enough to subdue the rampaging One Tailed Shukaku multiple times in the past using either his Gold Dust or Water Release Jutsu.
He's been put into many difficult situations due to his predecessor's disappearance and the corrupt Wind Daimyo that reduced Suna's budget. Despite some mistakes as the Kazekage, he's a strong shinobi and is always developing new techniques for the betterment of his village.
If Orochimaru can kill this Kage who's at level 192, then I can safely conclude with absolute certainty on one thing. I need to be stronger than level 192 before Akatsuki shows up at Suna.
Now what about the stats of our oh so glorious leader of Wind Country? Observe.
Name: Sawara
Level: 10 / Age: 44
Class: Wind Daimyō / Affiliation: Wind Country
HP: 1,650 / CP: 1,200
Titles:
[Wind Daimyō] (+2000 Fame, Ruler of Wind Country, Authority and dominion over the Kazekage of Suna.)
Status: Normal, (Lazy Bones: -15% DEX and -30% AGI), (Ignorance is Bliss: -25% INT & WIS), and +20 DEF.
A corrupt irresponsible man who doesn't know the suffering he's causing to his country's own military forces. Sawara believes that by signing the alliance treaty with the Fire Daimyō, he doesn't need to rely on Sunagakure as much since Konoha's shinobi are superior in quality and perform missions for less pay.
With the monetary savings, he can spend money for other activities like hosting more extravagant parties, late night rendezvous with ladies, and etcetera. Just recently, Sawara is considering hiring an organization with a 100% mission success rate and does missions even cheaper than Konoha.
Sawara is indeed a dumbfuck. Who would've thought otherwise? I checked out the other Daimyō as well and they aren't as stupid as him.
From the description about an organization, it's probably Akatsuki. Some of the other Daimyō are already employing them, assuming the organization is them.
Before the clock hit 12:20 PM, all the finalists appeared in a line at the arena's center along with a generic proctor. Their levels were between 50 and 61.
Then sounds of fireworks exploding in the sky indicated the start of today's special event. Rasa stood up from his chair and spoke into a microphone to begin the introduction ceremony.
"Welcome everyone! Thank you all for coming to the today's Chūnin Exam hosted here in the Village Hidden in the Sand. We'll commence the final round matches for the ten finalists who made it through the preliminaries. Please watch them all to the end."
The audience started cheering and the proctor with his own microphone said, "Iruka Umino and Ittan please remain where you are, while we wait for the others to leave."
The judge motioned the two contestants to stand an equal distance between each other. Then the man chopped his right hand downwards and said, "Begin!"
Quarterfinal Match 1: Iruka Umino versus Ittan
The proctor jumped off the platform and match went underway. With my telescope I saw the match in great detail.
The Iwa-nin quickly performed some hand signs too fast for me to memorize and his fists were encased with solid rock similar to punching gloves. Ittan then rushed at Iruka, who was adopting a wait and see approach.
Iruka calmly withdrew some kunai from his holster and threw them at the unarmored areas of Ittan's body. Ittan briefly stopped to deflect the kunai with his stony fists.
With his initial attack failed, Iruka pulled another kunai and used it to defend himself. The Iwa-nin unleashed a barrage of blows using his fists, while his opponent calmly evaded them.
Ittan then used the same strategy again, but this time Iruka attacked as well. When Ittan missed his left straight punch, Iruka wisely slashed his kunai towards the upper arm unprotected with rock.
This attack gave Ittan a severe cut causing him to rapidly lose HP. Before he could retreat, Iruka used a leg sweep to trip his opponent and lowered himself quickly along with a kunai pointed at Ittan's throat.
The proctor then declared Iruka the winner and both contestants left to make way for the next contestants. While waiting for Shibuki and Tsubusa, I reviewed Ittan's Jutsu.
Frankly, I couldn't figure out some of the seals Ittan used for his rock fists Jutsu. He used a total of six signs and the first one is snake, but that's all I know.
Although I know one thing for sure. I believe I made the right choice in picking Iruka as the tournament winner.
Quarterfinal Match 2: Shibuki versus Tsubusa
From the data provided by the booklet, both shinobi are close combat specialists. Before the two fought, they used their Elemental Jutsu to form weapons made of the elements they specialize in.
Tsubusa uses the Sandstone Fist, a technique which gathers nearby sand onto their fists and then transforms into stone-made weapons. The sand on his left hand formed a shield and the other formed a medium sized sword.
On the other hand, Shibuki used a Water Jutsu which coalesced into a water sword. Their two swords clashed resulting in their weapons being ruined.
The sand sword absorbed the water which reduced its hardness, but it also dissipated water sword too. Thus both used their techniques to reform their weapons again.
The two of them repeated their clash, except Tsubusa used a quick shield bash to damage Shibuki before he retreated to create another water sword.
Dazed by the hit, the shinobi from Taki shook it off and formed another water sword. But this time, Shibuki started using ranged Water Release techniques launched from his sword swings.
In response, Tsusbusa stopped his Jutsu and threw several kunai with explosive tags on them. Shibuki sidestepped the projectiles and continued his ranged water assault.
The ranged warfare continued, until they realized they're at another stalemate. So both shinobi re-engaged in close quarters battle again.
Eventually, Tsusbusa's sand sword landed on Shibuki's right arm at the elbow. The blunt damage caused the Taki-nin to yell in pain as he felt the bones in his arm break.
Shibuki surrendered to his opponent due to being unable to form the necessary hand signs to use his Water Jutsu. Medical personnel came out and Shibuki left with them.
From Tsubusa's performance, I'm worried Iruka will lose against this guy. Twenty seconds later, Mizuki and his no name opponent started their match.
Quarterfinal Match 3: Mizuki versus Iwashi
Mizuki unclipped his Fūma Shuriken off his back and held it in his right hand as he charged towards Iwashi. Iwashi in turn pulled out a ninjatō and both of them attacked and defended against each other.
But from the exchange I'm currently seeing, Mizuki is winning the fight as he has little to no cuts compared to his opponent. He's taking advantage of his Fūma Shuriken's large size and weight to overwhelm his opponent.
Eventually, Iwashi surrendered after receiving a severe cut on his wrist. Mizuki's large shuriken isn't just for show as he's pretty skilled with it.
Quarterfinal Match 4: Suname versus Hikaru
The matchup for 29 year old Genin, Suname, turned out to be very bad for him. His specialization is scouting and he only knows Earth Release techniques. While his opponent, Hikaru, knows Lightning Release techniques.
The match basically played out like hide and seek. Suname will use an Earth Jutsu to hide under the ground, confuse his opponent, and make him fall for a traps.
Unfortunately for Suname, Hikaru doesn't fall for any of his traps and easily avoids them. Seeing that his opponent loves to hide under the ground, Hikaru used a Jutsu I didn't expect him to know.
With a Chakra enhanced leap in the air, he said out loud, "Lightning Release: False Darkness." A spear of lightning came out from his mouth into the form of a laser beam and struck the arena.
The Jutsu easily pierced the rock tiles and an explosion occurred. Suname's hiding spot was revealed and he showed signs of being damaged by the attack.
Before Suname could hide under the ground again, Hikaru used a Lightning Release Jutsu covering the ground in a spider web pattern. His opponent then became incapacitated by the electrical shock and Suname screamed in pain.
Hikaru kept his palm on the ground and continued channeling the technique to damage Suname with constant lightning. After many seconds of constant exposure, Hikaru stopped the Jutsu and Suname collapsed onto the ground face first.
The proctor declared Hikaru the winner and checked if Suname is still alive. Luckily for the Suna-nin, he's still alive but barely hanging in there if he doesn't get any medical attention soon.
Now I'm starting to think Tsubusa might lose to Hikaru. Shit! My bet might come out wrong.
Quarterfinal Match 5: Sajin versus Morio
Nothing strategically important happened as both engaged in a Taijutsu match. Both shinobi exchanged a series of blows, but their fight was a bit sloppy.
Saijin's Suna Taijutsu is at the intermediate level and I guess his opponent is intermediate as well. After Sajin got a lucky punch by squatting down and lunging upwards with a powerful uppercut, the battle evolved into ranged warfare.
Both shinobi threw kunai and shuriken at each other until they ran out of weapons. Then the re-engaged in close combat again slugging it out.
Sajin eventually triumphed over his opponent and both shinobi appeared in rough condition. Although I swear I've seen the lucky punch from somewhere.
AH! I remember! It's Aoki's special move, the Frog Punch.
If I get ever [Fool's Act], then I could use it to temporarily confuse those who are familiar Frog Kumite, Frog Kata, or whatever it's called. Though my reason for not getting it yet is because the higher ups will question my sanity on why I'm acting out of character and may not teach me any Jutsu.
Semifinal Match 1: Iruka versus Tsubasa
Soon the semifinals started and the end result was Iruka winning the match against Tsubusa by holding him at knifepoint.
Iruka achieved this by using a seal less [Substitution Jutsu] to switch places with a kunai he threw at the beginning of the battle. Tsubusa deflected it, engaged in CQC with Iruka, and eventually forgot about it when Iruka used the Jutsu to get behind him.
Semifinal Match 2: Mizuki versus Hikaru
On the other hand, Mizuki threw several kunai with high powered explosive tags between his opponent and himself. This created a thick black cloud of smoke temporarily obscuring everyone's vision.
When the smoke cleared away, Mizuki was nowhere to be found. Hikaru assumed Mizuki is hiding like Suname did earlier and leaped into the air to use Lightning Release: False Darkness.
To Hikaru and my surprise, Mizuki popped out of the ground and threw more kunai with explosive tags at Kumo-nin before he could spit out his technique. Due to being in the air, Hikaru couldn't dodge the incoming projectiles.
Knowing he couldn't evade it, Hikaru tried his best to cover up his vital spots to minimize the damage and survive. The kunai exploded and Hikaru dropped downwards impacting the ground unmoving.
When I looked through my telescope, I saw him lying face up and it wasn't a pretty sight. There's metal shrapnel lodged on Hikaru's arms, stomach, and legs. He managed to avoid them hitting his face and heart somehow.
Mizuki was declared the winner and medics quickly carried Hikaru away for surgery to remove the shrapnel. Mizuki looked proud of his victory and reveled in the audience's cheers and praise.
Semifinal Match 3: Iruka versus Sajin
The next match ended with Iruka's dominating victory. With his high leveled [Advanced Konoha Taijutsu] style, he mopped the floor with Sajin's low leveled [Intermediate Suna Taijutsu].
Sajin eventually surrendered and explained why he did so. He listed several reasons like low on Chakra and this might actually give him the chance to be promoted in the eyes of the higher-ups.
Most of the audience hoped Sajin would miraculously defeat Iruka and beat Mizuki in the finals. But they were disappointed as the last hope of the country couldn't do it.
Final Match: Iruka versus Mizuki
Before the match started, Iruka and Mizuki stared at each other. Mizuki felt confident he could win against Iruka and finally get the recognition he rightfully deserves from the Hokage.
Iruka remained calm, collected, and confident with his chances of victory. He didn't expend as much stamina, Chakra, and effort compared to Mizuki. Namely because the only Jutsu he used is Substitution.
When the match began, both rushed forwards and attacked or parried with their weapons. Iruka with his trusty kunai and Mizuki with his Fūma shuriken. Neither of them giving their opponent an inch.
The battle then shifted from close-range to mid-range with each ninja throwing small shuriken at each other. Mizuki used a Genjutsu from what I assumed due to Iruka promptly saying, "Kai!"
Seeing his Genjutsu didn't work, Mizuki threw his Fūma shuriken at Iruka and along with some explosive tag kunai. Iruka replaced himself with a log to a nearby kunai avoiding the explosive projectiles.
This served as a distraction and Mizuki hid underneath the ground again. Noticing his opponent disappeared, Iruka remembered Mizuki's earlier tactics and applied some sort of paper tag on the ground.
Mizuki appeared from the ground in Iruka's blind spot tossing several explosive kunai at him. Iruka sensed the attack and evaded them easily.
Picking up his Fūma shuriken again, Mizuki recklessly charged at Iruka and it's another close combat fight. After three minutes of fighting, both ninja are covered in cuts and bleeding.
Upset because he hasn't defeated Iruka yet, Mizuki continued his onslaught with his oversized shuriken. But Iruka remained steady and defended himself with slight ease.
There were some chances where Iruka could've damaged Mizuki, but didn't for some reason. It's like he's trying to lead Mizuki into a trap.
My theory became true when Mizuki stepped near one of the Iruka's kunai on the ground which activated a trap. Black ink writing and symbols scrawled out of the paper before exploding and catching Mizuki off guard.
The surprise explosion damaged him, but not enough to knock him out. But the firepower didn't matter because Iruka rushed quickly and held Mizuki at knifepoint.
"Stop! The winner is Iruka Umino of Konoha. In second place is Mizuki of Konoha. And finally in third is Tsubusa of Suna!"
As the two leaf-nin shake hands, I can tell Mizuki is pissed he lost. He's just hiding it behind his fake smiling façade.
The match to determine third place didn't happen and Tsubusa automatically won the position. Namely because his opponent, Hikaru, is in no condition to fight any matches today.
When everyone stood up to cheer the tournament winner, I did as well clapping thanking Iruka, Mizuki, and Tsubusa for winning me a ton of money.
[Gambling]'s level has risen by 1!
You've gained +10 LUK for guessing a Trifecta correctly.
Would this have been possible without my lucky clothes? Maybe. Maybe not.
Though I'll keep the purple clothes for future infiltration mission or when I'm in a casino. But I'm disappointed I couldn't copy any Ninjutsu since the finalists weaved their hand seals too fast or had their back turned to me.
I've learned several lessons today. There's a difference between watching a fight in reality compared to watching behind a computer screen.
Another is your matches are being watched by the other finalists and will use your tactics against you. Case in point is when Mizuki copied Suname's hiding strategy, but attacked when he sensed Hikaru jump off the ground.
More fireworks erupted in the sky signifying today's event is over. I got up and quickly traveled down the skyscraper to claim my prize money at the gambling building.
When my turn at the teller came, I gave the employee my ticket. When she saw what type of wager and who I picked, she double checked the paper to make sure it's not a forgery.
After authenticating the ticket with other shinobi saying it's not a Genjutsu, she asked if I wanted my prize in cash or deposited straight into my bank account.
I replied with the cash option and she went to the back to get some assistance to bring me my money. Though thanks to her, I'll add that on my to-do list in the future. Opening a savings and checking account at the bank.
To my surprise, I severely underestimated how much money I actually won. She said I won a total of 1,375,000 Ryo and it would've been less if the feudal lords didn't place a ton of money on their bets against each other.
Thank you rich feudal lords who love gambling their taxpayer's money away like candy!
I wonder if the tax laws here are the same as back on Earth? I hope they don't ask for personal information because how the hell am I going to explain to the Kazekage where I got the 100,000 Ryo to gamble away?
She placed all the money in two grocery bags and gave them to me across the counter simply as that. What a relief. Was it because of how I'm dressed or is that the way it works here?
I grabbed each bag and deposited them into my inner robes hiding the fact I'm depositing the money inside my inventory space. While walking back home after exiting the stadium, I remembered all the foreign merchants will be packing up and leaving. So I better go shopping before they do so.
Browsing through the items in my inventory, I decided to sell the [Noble's Coin Purses] I've collected so far from the Zombie Bandits I've killed. When I found a merchant willing to buy them all 20 purses I had, he gave me 5,000 Ryo for each one making me a total 100,000 Ryo.
Right after selling the purses, I walked away and detected several people following me. They've been at it ever since I left the gambling center with my money.
Remembering cliché situations like this from other stories, I decided to go into the nearest public restroom. Whoever these idiots are, they aren't ninja for they have sloppy stalking skills and a Civilian's Chakra reserves.
On the way to the loo, I thought of something devious and decided to add a little touch of troll to my plan. Entering the restroom, I went inside a stall and locked the door.
Next I used the [Clone Jutsu] to make a clone sitting on the toilet with my current appearance of a young smug Aizen. Detecting the approaching stalkers, I used [ID Create: Empty ID] to disappear into another dimension.
Did I take the easy way out of this situation? Yes, yes I did.
Making it back in my room, I used [ID: Escape] and did some Chakra Control exercises for the rest of the day. When bedtime came around, I hope I don't get reprimanded too much by Maki for skipping school.
I'm pretty sure she'll be understanding.
January 13: Thursday
Nope! I earned a lovely date, umm I mean a bothersome detention with her.
Her reasoning? To discourage me from starting a bad habit which other students may or may not copy. If only I knew the [Shadow Clone Jutsu] to have a clone attend in my stead.
During class, I've heard via gossip and eavesdropping that there was a public disturbance yesterday at the rock pillar. All thanks to one of my older classmate's parents working as security there.
The criminals claimed they were targeting an unattended rich young noble wearing cream colored clothes who won at least a million Ryo. They followed the boy, threatened him, assaulted him which turned out to be a clone, the clone disappeared, and they assumed he used [Transformation Jutsu].
Thus they attacked the only other person in the bathroom, which just happened to be a Jonin doing his number two business. Authorities quickly arrested them and discovered they were bandits who were targeting easy prey who won tons of money. Though security couldn't find the young master draped in purple after searching everywhere.
Hopefully, the authorities don't connect me skipping class and my young master disguise together. Greed makes some people act on some stupid decisions.
Assaulting a Jonin and targeting a noble who could've had hidden guards? Morons of the year everybody. Of course, I got to make sure my own greed doesn't get me killed.
For some reason, Maki paired me with Kankuro again. Probably a request or a demand from Kankuro because he improved his Taijutsu significantly than last time. Unfortunately for him, he's no Shira and I beat his ass.
Though I have to give Kankuro some credit. He did put up more of a fight compared to our previous spars. Right when our match ended, an alert notified me.
You defeated Kankuro in a practice spar!
+50 EXP!
A random skill scroll has been deposited in your inventory.
Looking in said inventory, I found it was a [Substition Jutsu] scroll. I wasn't expecting much like a secret Jutsu, since Kankuro hasn't even graduated yet.
With this newfound tidbit, I planned on abusing this passive by challenging any Genin and Chūnin to practice spars in the future. But the real value I can see from it is when I defeat higher leveled opponents like missing-nin and Akatsuki and possibly have the chance to learn their trademark Jutsu.
January 30: Sunday
On this day in history of Suna, the Kazekage Rasa ordered Yoshimaru to kill Gaara. I didn't know when exactly it happened on the timeline, but I learned it was today.
Feeling Shukaku's radiating bloodlust and intense desire to kill everyone leveled up [Sense Danger] a lot even though I wasn't anywhere near the beast.
[Sense Danger]'s level has risen by 3!
Knowing I'll be in danger if I remained here in my bedroom, I ran downstairs. On the way down, I passed by Katsuo's assistants who told me to evacuate to the nearest emergency shelters.
Instead of heeding the assistant's advice, I went toward the event's origin. Usually, one's common sense would tell you to move away from the danger but I did the opposite.
On my way to see a glimpse of the one tailed beast, the skill EXP for [Sense Danger] kept rising and kept leveling up. I'm basically power leveling a skill by taking advantage of an impending crisis.
Soon I got close enough to see Shukaku itself towering over the buildings and let out a loud roar. Before I could even attempt to use [Observe], a random Chūnin picked me up taking me to the nearest shelter because he thought I was paralyzed by fear.
Then the Chūnin left me at the bunker's entrance and ushered me to go inside along with the other civilians. Following the trail of moving people, I found myself inside a large room containing hundreds of people.
Civilians of all ages and Genin trying to calm them down saying everything's going to be all right. But what surprised me was actually seeing my mother in the same shelter as me by chance.
You've gained +1 LUK for this random encounter.
To make sure I don't fail the quest of [A Reunion with Mother Miya], I hid behind several people for cover. Looking at her, I examined her current appearance.
She's in her late 30's, wearing decent clothes, and seems to be worried about something. Observe.
Name: Miya Kaguya
Level: 25 / Age: 38
Class: Civilian / Affiliation: Suna
HP: 4,000 / CP: 4,550
Titles:
[Experienced Chef] (+25% tastier dishes and easily teach or train others the [Cooking] skill.)
Status: Normal, (Desert Fighter: +10% to all stats except LUK when the user is in a desert region or mountainous terrain), (Aquatic Fighter: +10% in all stats except LUK when in an aquatic region or misty environment), (Spartan Trained: +25% bonus to CQC skills).
Miya is a Kaguya clan member who left in self-imposed exile for not subscribing to her clan's beliefs. Another reason is the clan's Spartan-like culture and traveled into Wind Country before they decided to imprison her for her bloodline.
She loves her son, Genji, and worries about his wellbeing while working at her job. She feels regret being forced to leave him at the orphanage and desires to reconnect with her son.
In addition, she hopes he inherited her calm state of mind instead of her clan's thirst for battle and insanity. Recently, she managed to gain employment as the hostess bar's chef after impressing her new boss with her culinary skills.
Eventually in a few years, Miya will save enough money to readopt her son and take care of his needs.
A hostess bar!? Isn't that the kind of place Jiraiya frequents or am I confusing it with a brothel?
But I'm glad she still cares and worries about me. I thought she'd be one of those kinds of parents who dumps a child at the orphanage and forgets about their existence.
Eventually after 15 minutes, a Jonin came around telling us it's safe to go back to our homes. People started praising the Kazekage and shinobi for managing to subdue the beast's rampage.
Due to today's event, [Sense Danger] leveled up a total of five times. I wonder how many levels the skill would've increased if it was the Kyuubi instead?
January 31: Monday
Despite the rampage of the one tailed beast yesterday, I still had to go to school. There was a publicized list of people who died yesterday on the newspaper and the citizens of Suna mourned for them.
On the list was Yashamaru, a Jonin of Suna and uncle of the Sand siblings. Another Jonin dead because of the Kazekage's gambit.
The Kazekage claiming we're short on ninjas? Of course the village will be short if you keep sending numerous Jonin on suicide missions to kill Gaara.
I don't get it, the man is strong enough to kill Gaara so why doesn't he do the assassination deed himself? Is he emotionally compromised or something? Probably.
But I'm glad my milk supplier is still here. I thought with the Jinchurikki debacle, the foreign merchants would stay away from Suna but it didn't happen.
During lunch, I bought some milk at Sato's stall and asked why he didn't leave. His response?
"Why would I leave and abandon Emerald Valley's most profitable venture? Sure, the danger of the monster yesterday scared the hell out of me, but it's a bit lacking compared to the Kyuubi."
"But danger is a common factor in the merchant business. I have to cross the desert full of large monsters, bandits, and ninja to get here in this village. Merchants are driven by profit and there's profit to be made here.
In the [Way of the Fan] class, Temari was feeling down. I assumed it's because of her brother and dead uncle. So I left her alone not bothering to ask her for assistance on my fan katas.
February 1: Tuesday
Today marked the first of many days where Gaara willingly killed people trying to control his sand powers. I only knew about it due to reading a newspaper of yesterday's late night event.
The victims? A civilian family of three consisting of an obese man, his wife, and their bratty child.
It started with the father whispering to his son about the nearby Gaara and called him a freak. Then their son jumped on the insult Gaara bandwagon, despite the mother stating it wasn't a good idea to provoke the Jinchurikki.
The end result was Gaara turning them into some bloody smears on the ground and walls.
Authorities checked their records for any living relatives which they had none. They also investigated their house only to discover several documents of fraud, bribery, and corruption on the father. Fortunately, no abused little boys were found sleeping in the cupboard.
With this newfound evidence, Suna seized their assets to slightly lessen the burden of the cash strapped village.
March 27: Sunday
Today's my final training session with Goro cause in four days, the graduation exam will take place. I've gained a total of +11 STR, +21 VIT, +9 WIS, 18 INT, +16 DEX, and +19 AGI, and +13 LUK ever since January 3rd. This included the stats gained on the day of the Chūnin Exam finals and Gaara's rampage.
From hunting mostly Zombie Students and some Genin, I've accumulated +109,755 EXP and 1,569,375 Ryo. Thus I leveled up from 19 to 21.
In January, Goro made me run 100 laps around the training grounds. Then 150 laps in February. And finally, he made me run 200 laps each session in March.
Despite being pressured by the increased workload, I endured Goro's rough training until today. So I was rewarded with stats listed above and milestone skills when surpassing certain limits.
Here are the exact notifications I received for each of them.
Ding!
Your Strength stat has risen above 100 and some new skills have been created for this occasion!
Sturdy Skeleton (Passive) Level: MAX
-An ability given to Kaguya clan members with the [Dead Bone Pulse].
+25% decreased chance of status effects related to broken or fractured bones.
+20% durability of bone items produced and extracted from the body.
Power Rush (Passive) Level: MAX
-Whenever the user's HP drops below 5%, their attack power is increased by 25%.
Ding!
Your Wisdom stat has risen above 100 and some new skills have been created for this occasion!
Iron Metal Detector (Passive) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-An ability given to those who have the [Magnet Release] bloodline, which enables the user to detect any substances or metallic objects with iron in them within a certain radius of their person.
+Current Range: 5 Meters
Perception (Active) Level: MAX
-Allows the user's brain to efficiently process fast paced movement and also boosts their sensory awareness. The user can choose which particular senses to boost depending on the situation.
+20% increase to one, some, or all senses of the human body.
Ding!
Your Intelligence stat has risen above 200 and some new skills have been created for this occasion!
Medium Chakra Capacity (Passive) Level: MAX
-An ability given to those who have more than 6,000 CP.
+Chakra based attacks are 10% stronger.
+5% CP reserves
Psychokinesis (Active) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-An ability to move or levitate things, objects, or people with your mind alone.
+Flat Activation Cost: 100 CP
+Maintenance Cost: 200 CP per minute.
+Current Range: 5 Meters
+Current Weight Limit: 10 pounds
Ding!
Your Dexterity stat has risen above 200 and a new skill have been created for this occasion!
Lock On (Active) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-A skill allowing the user to prepare themselves mentally and physically so the next thrown projectile against a target will not miss and hit dead center.
+Flat Activation Cost: 50 CP
+Requires 15 seconds of preparation time.
+100% accuracy boost and always results in a critical.
Ding!
Your Agility stat has risen above 200 and a new skill has been created for this occasion!
Shadow Stalker (Passive) Level: MAX
-Sometimes, a shinobi must be able to stalk their target silently and efficiently by hiding themselves within the shadows.
+5% stealth when following someone within 25 meters.
+10% stealth when the user's body is entirely under a shadow.
When my WIS surpassed 100, I suffered from a temporary headache before it disappeared. Then I felt a little wiser like a fog was lifted off my mind.
Due to my newfound wisdom, I started questioning my past decisions. What use is Taijutsu and Genjutsu against someone who can summon two fucking meteorites?
No amount of STR I'll get will be able to lift those objects from space. Genjutsu is mostly useless against the Uchiha and some of the end-game bosses.
Well technically, I could use a Genjutsu against an Uchiha if I affect a sense other than their eyes like smell, hearing, and such. But to survive in this world, it's all about Ninjutsu and Fūinjutsu.
So the answer to surviving the 4th Shinobi World War is maxing out both of my bloodline limits, with my [Magnet Release] a priority above the [Dead Bone Pulse]. However, I know that Taijutsu and Genjutsu are nice supplementary skills for those who are skillful against Ninjutsu.
Hopefully, the [Sturdy Skeleton] skill will evolve into a stronger version at higher STR levels. [Power Rush] will be very helpful for future boss battles.
[Iron Metal Detector] sounds useful so I wouldn't fall for any booby traps using metallic trip wire. [Perception] helped make using the [Body Flicker Technique] easier to the point of Goro allowing me to use it within the village.
While he did say I couldn't use it earlier in fear of colliding against someone, I skirted around that restriction easily. All by using the skill in the empty replica of Suna inside my [ID Create: Empty ID].
Due to noticing how my stats are increasing rapidly, a small part of me began to worry about accidentally becoming the Kazekage instead of Gaara. They usually install the strongest ninja as the Kage, but I don't want to purposely limit my growth. That'd just be the epitome of stupidity.
Another thing I forgot to mention was the creation of the [Bladed Weapons Mastery] after [Sword Mastery], [Kunai Mastery], and [Dagger Mastery] all rose above level 10 and combined together. It took some time, but I managed to raise it to level 15. Here's the new skill's current description.
Bladed Weapons Mastery (Passive) Level: 15 EXP: 30.33%
-A combination skill enabling the user to wield a weapon with a bladed edge and perform various combat techniques, katas, and movements effectively and efficiently. These bonus effects only apply when wielding a weapon with a bladed edge.
+10% DEX
+150% attack power and +75% attack speed.
+15% decreased damage when blocking enemy attacks.
Anyways, I met Goro at Training Field 50 for the final time and he promptly made me do 196 reps of exercises and a 200 lap perimeter run. For some reason he had a desert hare in a cage, but I didn't know what purpose it'll serve.
Then we did a quick final review of all the topics I've learned for the past year before testing me with the exact same tasks during the quest [Show your moves].
Pointing at the weapons range with his cane, Goro said, "Today, you're going to show me how much you've improved compared to last time and see if you're prepared to graduate. Let's get started on weapons accuracy with thrown projectiles."
After throwing five kunai, shuriken, and senbon at the target on the log, he made me repeat the exercise again while running. Once done, Goro tallied up my results.
But I'm proud to say none of my weapons completely missed the log. 11 in the bulls-eye, 15 near the center, and the remaining four on outside edges of the target.
"Great! You're weapons accuracy is 90%. Do you have a D-ranked Genjutsu you'd like to demonstrate that'll momentarily distract your enemies?"
"Yes Goro-sensei."
I obeyed and used [Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique].
His stoic expression turned into one of deep sorrow and regret. He broke out of the Genjutsu five seconds after I activated the technique.
[Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique]'s level has risen by 1!
Show [Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique] skill.
Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique (Active) Level: 2 EXP: 0.00%
-A single targeting Genjutsu created from the deepest fears residing in a person's heart, shows them to the target, and they're ensnared by the illusion. Results will vary depending on how traumatizing their fears are.
+Flat Activation Cost: 300 CP
+1% chance of knocking the target unconscious.
Hand Seals: Snake → Rat
"Well, that's certainly a D-ranked Genjutsu. Now perform the Transformation Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Clone Jutsu. And if possible, then do them without creating any smoke."
After successfully using each one smokeless, Goro told me to go through all the katas of the Suna Academy Taijutsu style.
"Your Advanced Suna Taijutsu isn't quite perfect yet, but it's good enough to pass the Academy. Now follow me to the rest building to take your written practice exams."
A few hours later, I finished answering the test questions and I ate my lunch while he graded the papers.
"Your average score on the exams is 94%. I recommend brushing up your memories on local plant life before the exam day. Now it's time to see you destroy my sand clone in a practice spar outside."
The clone and I fought, but thanks to my weekend spars with Shira, the opponent was no problem at all. Goro's sand clone was easy to destroy due to it imitating an Academy graduate's level.
Using a combination of [Chakra Reinforcement] and [Power Strike] whenever the fake Goro showed an opening, each hit resulted in the clone's body losing clumps of sand and using Chakra to patch itself together.
Eventually, the clone collapsed into a clump of sand after its HP dropped to 0. Though this result also confirmed the limitation of [Jutsu Lottery].
Defeating a clone of a shinobi doesn't reward me with a random skill scroll. It seems I have to defeat the actual person in battle myself.
Goro cleared his throat to get my attention and I stood up straight.
"Congratulations kid, you successfully completed nearly all the objectives I've tasked you to accomplish. Continue practicing the Basic Academy Jutsu and your Advanced Suna Taijutsu."
"I know what you're thinking. How can one improve the Basic Academy Jutsu beyond doing those smokeless?"
"Well, how about using them without any hand seals? Only then will you be considered a true master of those particular Jutsu."
"In addition, I challenge you to be creative with your future techniques. I want you to think outside the box and apply yourself to use Jutsu in ways nobody has thought of so far. Because if you're predictable, then you're more easy to beat."
"But I have one final lesson to teach before I dismiss you. It's a given fact shinobi will encounter death in some shape or form on the field. Whether it's you killing your enemies or your comrades dying to fulfill the mission, you'll see it eventually."
"Now listen up! I'm going to teach you about projecting your killing intent. Sometimes you'll encounter numerous weak enemies trying to assault you on future missions such as escorting a merchant caravan."
"So you unleash your killing intent and project your intentions to the attackers to comply with your demands of backing off or die a most painful death. This is done by releasing Chakra from your body, using negative emotions like wrath to reinforce the intent, think of ways to brutalize your enemy, and your intense desire to watch the life fade from their eyes."
"Since I've explained how it's done, it's your job to figure it out by. Use your killing intent to intimidate this desert hare I have in a cage right here."
-100 CP!
I glared at the rabbit and imagined throwing a kunai at it, but Goro shook his head implying it's not good enough.
"More Chakra and desire to kill!"
-200 CP!
"Again! Make the rabbit feel your wrath and how you'll cause its death!"
Obeying his instructions, I released more Chakra while imagining the bunny's death via slicing its throat with a kunai and it bled to death.
-250 CP!
Ding!
A new skill has been created for intimidating your enemies with the promise of pain or death to come.
Intimidate (Active) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-Your deathly gaze and dangerous presence induces caution and fear into those who look upon or are around you. Depending on the level difference between you and your target(s), the result will apply different negative status effects.
-The user can adjust the level of their glare so they won't severely scare their friends and allies. Consecutive uses on the same target lessens the chances of them being affected.
+Flat Activation Cost: 200 CP per person targeted or 1,000 CP to emit a 5 meter wide Area Of Effect that'll linger for 1 second.
+Those who are 1 to 24 levels below yours receive the status effect (Cautious: -5% STR, +5% WIS, -5% DEX, and -5% AGI for .5 second).
"As expected of someone of your caliber", stated Goro looking at me with pride.
"Boy. No... I mean Genji. I'm proud to say that you have been one of the best students that have trained under me. You'll be my crowning achievement and my final legacy."
"Now go out there and graduate in first place of this year's generation. There'll be consequences should you fail because your results reflect my teaching skills."
Your relations with Goro has increased by 100!
Your relations with Goro has advanced from [Neutral] to [Friendly]!
"Oh! Here's a recommendation letter just in case the pansy Academy teachers prevent you from taking the graduation exam. Also here's my address if you want to visit and ask some questions."
You received the items [Goro's Recommendation Slip] and [Goro's Home Address]!
"Goodbye Genji, don't forget to study and practice!"
Goro concluded his speech and he flickered away from here for the last time.
Quest Complete!
Objectives:
1: Achieve an 80% accuracy rate on throwing ninja tools. Achieved!
2: Achieve an 85% average score on written practice exams. Achieved!
3: Defeat Goro's Sand Clone in a Taijutsu spar as it imitates an Academy graduate's power level. Achieved!
Bonus Objectives:
1: Learn and use a D-ranked Genjutsu. Achieved!
2: Be able to use the three Basic Academy Jutsu without creating smoke. Achieved!
3: Reach Level: MAX in [Advanced Suna Taijutsu]. Failed!
4: Reach Level: 30 in [Throwing Mastery]. Achieved!
You've gained 4,500 EXP!
You've lost the title of [Goro's Pupil]!
Using my own [Body Flicker Technique], I went to the Academy to spar with Shira before going home for the day. Then I started brainstorming potential ways to utilize my current Jutsu before going to bed.
March 28: Monday
During today's history class, Maki lectured us on the famous achievements of the Kage of the other major hidden villages in the past. She talked about Minato Namikaze and how he decimated 1,000 Iwa shinobi during the 3rd Shinobi War.
Maki eventually talked about Konoha, Iwa, Kiri, and finally Kumo. But what caught my attention is the achievements of the 3rd Raikage A.
A fought 10,000 shinobi single-handedly for three consecutive days and nights. Even though he died at the end of the battle, he's renowned for his extraordinary durability, endurance, and strength above all else.
Assuming the 3rd Raikage didn't have a wink of sleep during that time, it made me question myself. What kind of video game character am I?
Am I the type that can function 24/7 without sleeping? I never noticed as an infant because I slept to pass time faster. So I decided to test this theory by doing an all-night reading session tonight.
When class finally ended for the day, Maki let us know one final announcement.
"Before I let you all go today, those who are taking the graduation exams will meet in Room 205 next Thursday at 8:00 AM. Be sure to remember bringing your gear and supplies required for the survival test."
"These next few days during my lecture will be a quick final review on what's going to be on the exam. For those who want to graduate early, please see me after class is over. You're all dismissed for today!"
Approaching my teacher, I tell her "Maki-sensei, I want to apply for the graduation exam."
She didn't seem surprised by my desire and tried to dissuade me in a polite tone to let me down softly.
"I'm sorry Genji, but I think it's best if you hold off on graduating."
She then tried persuading me to graduate later on, but I already heard this speech from Goro. I gave her [Goro's Recommendation Slip] to interrupt her rambling and let the slip do the convincing for me.
Maki became puzzled for a bit, but turned serious the moment she saw the official seal of the Kazekage. She opened it and stared at me with wonder.
Then she coughed to correct her voice, and stated the following in a serious tone.
"With a recommendation from Goro and by orders from Kazekage-sama himself, I'll allow you to take the graduation exam. Make sure you're up to date with your studies and pass this go around or you'll graduate at 12 years old like everyone else."
"Thank you Maki-sensei, see you next time!"
After washing the dishes, I bought several books to read such as local fauna, physical fitness, and others from Honda's General Bookstore for 15,000 Ryo. Time to start reading.
March 30: Wednesday
So far today, I haven't experienced any drowsiness or felt the onset of fatigue forcing me to sleep ever since Monday night. I've heard some shinobi can stay awake for more than 24 hours, so my theory of not needing sleep hasn't been confirmed.
But I've made an interesting discovery in one of the books talking about physical exercise. The author of the book listed why you shouldn't skip leg day.
His reasoning was, "A well-developed lower body will allow you to exert a maximal amount of force in a minimal amount of time, which in turn makes you faster and more explosive."
This led me to thinking about getting a membership in a workout gym, but I later questioned if the Naruto world even has exercise gyms. From what I've seen so far, the technological capabilities of this world is confusing as fuck.
I've recently found a shop selling TV's, Video Cassette Recorders, VHS tapes, radio, and wireless radio headsets. So I don't know if they have gyms, and gym equipment, and whatnot.
Guess I'll have to ask an adult shinobi about that. Though I'll probably be denied membership in a fitness gym, until I become a Genin.
Namely because this world views graduation from the Ninja Academy as a coming of age ceremony. I know about this since I saw the parents of last year's graduating class celebrating with their children by taking them out to dinner or doing something special.
However in school, I've became the main topic in the school gossip or rumor mill. Word circulated around of me taking the graduation early even though I'm only seven years old.
Probably because of me handing Goro's slip with an official Kazekage stamp and in full public view of the other parent's picking up their children. Everyone was speculating what my relation with the Kazekage was.
Some classmates of mine ostracized me, namely those losers like Tsuchino and his friends who'd rather play football than practice Chakra control. Most didn't care, while a few suddenly went from antagonistic to supposedly friendly.
Although I know what they're doing thanks to Goro's lessons. The one's who treated me harshly are trying to establish friendly relations with me.
They're doing this because their parents know I'm going to become a big shot in the future. But I still replied to them in a humble and polite manner.
As for the notable student's opinions and thoughts on my graduation attempt? Reactions were varied.
Daimaru was happy because it meant I spent less time with his 'Temari-chan' and it gave him more time to woo her. 'Lady' Saya didn't bother wishing me good luck because she believed I'd pass the exam due to my superior skills. Her two lackeys agreed with her like the Yes-slaves they are.
Kankuro was annoyed due to someone younger one upping him. Temari on the other hand was puzzled as to what kind of deal I've made with her father. She didn't bother asking me because she wanted to find out for herself.
The three bullies, Datsuji, Ryoji, and Goji praised me for being strong and wished me good luck on the exam. When they said "strong", they were making a dig at Shira.
Shira however, was happy but I also saw some sadness too. I was confused at first on why he'd be sad, but then I thought of it from his perspective. This allowed me to believe he's thinking it'll be the official end of our friendship.
So I motioned to him to meet with me during lunch and informed him about his wrong conclusion. I explained I'm still willing to spar and hangout with him whenever I have free time available on my future schedule.
Shira mentioned he might be expelled from the Academy and I replied I'd still be his friend and assist in his shinobi lessons myself. I didn't promise him about convincing the Kazekage to allow him to become a shinobi because I don't want to make a false promise.
The stubborn leader may not allow it even if I have Naruto's [Talk no Jutsu] skill. Besides, it'd make an excellent surprise present if I gave him the news myself about how my [Speech] skills convinced the Kazekage to allow Shira to become a shinobi as a special case.
My reassurance of our continued friendship naturally increased my relations with him, and a bit with Sen and Yome who were eavesdropping on our conversation.
They might've tried hiding behind the corner, but I detected them with [Sense Presence]. Goro's training made sure I'm not ignorant of my stalkers. Besides, those two girls preferred hanging out with Temari and admire boys rather than hang out with them.
March 31: Thursday
Today's the day of my graduation exam and I'm ready to go. I've gone without sleep for four nights and I've confirmed I don't really need to sleep. So I can consider it as an emergency backup option for removing severe status effects.
Since Wednesday night, I used the extra hours to refine my skills and refresh my memory. Before I left my dorm, I made sure to remove all my Iron Sand weights so I'll have access to my full AGI.
Arriving in Room 205 at 7:50, I dropped my survival gear in the front of the classroom for inspection.
All the older students stared at me and I stared right back analyzing my competitors. The lowest level was 18 and the highest was 24.
Some of them looked at me with derision thinking I was getting too big for my britches. The others were neutral and more focused on passing the exam.
As I made my way to the front row seat, I then found my main competitor in graduating at the top of the class.
Notice Me Everybody
Level 24
Nobu
Nobu doesn't have much going for him in the appearance department, but he's the highest leveled student in this room. Observe.
Name: Nobu
Level: 24 / Age: 12
Class: Academy Student / Affiliation: Suna
HP: 2,600
CP: 5,050
Titles:
[Suna Ninja Academy Student] (+20% increase in proficiency towards learning academy subjects and skills)
Status: Normal, (Desert Fighter: +10% to all stats except LUK when the user is in a desert region or mountainous terrain), (Average Joe: +25% Stealth), and 10 DEF.
A young boy who's trying his best to stand out with his efforts, but his generic qualities make him easily forgettable like a background character to the general public. The only exceptions are his family, friends, and some acquaintances.
Is he easy to beat? Maybe.
Depends on his skill levels and not his character level. At 8:00 AM sharp, our examiner showed up and it's surprisingly Maki.
"Attention everyone, I'll be passing out your tests sheets. There will be no talking during the exam. Anyone caught cheating will get a zero and fail this portion of the exams. You have three hours to finish and you may start once you receive your paper."
Once the paper was placed in front of me, I wrote my name at the top and started answering the questions with ease.
Question 1) Fill in the blank: Who is the founder of the puppet art of Sunagakure? Monzaemon Chikamatsu.
Question 2) What are the three main Shinobi Arts? Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu.
Question 3) What is the unofficial fourth Shinobi Art considered by some? Fūinjutsu.
Question 4) What are the five Elemental Chakra Natures? Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water.
Question 5) What is the title of Sunagakure's leader? Kazekage.
Question 6) Anko has 800 dango and ate 90 each day for seven days. What does she currently have? 170 Dango.
Question 7) It has been several sunny days ever since Team 7 departed from their ninja village escorting a merchant caravan. Along the caravan's path, they see a puddle of water, but ignore it. They are later ambushed by several high caliber ninja and the caravan's cargo has been destroyed. What went wrong? The team ignored a puddle of water when it obviously hasn't rained in several days as the weather was sunny.
.
.
Answering all the questions on the test to the best of my ability, I finished the paper test in two hours. I was tempted to write a smartass answer for question six saying, "Anko isn't an Akimichi; therefore she's fat and has diabetes."
But I chose not to because I want all the points I can get. So for the remaining one hour, I honed my [Meditation] skill.
"Time's up! Please stay seated as I come around to pick up your tests." Once she was done, we moved on to the next phase of the test.
"Now everyone follow me to the target range for the ninja tool test. When I call your name, please step behind the desk and throw ten kunai and shuriken each at the human scarecrow target."
"First up is Akira!" She then proceeded to call out the student's first name in alphabetical order and I watched everyone else throw theirs. Some tried showing off by throwing several projectiles simultaneously, but messed up and hit off target.
So we're not being tested on throwing weapons while moving? This'll make this portion of the test a cinch.
Soon enough, she finally reached my name. "You're up next Genji."
Rather than throwing all of the weapons simultaneously, I threw each of them one by one at the scarecrow's face. Then repeated the same procedure with the shuriken, except aiming and hitting the scarecrow's heart and upper chest.
"Alright everyone, we're going to now test your Chakra Control and Jutsu. As I call out your name, please proceed into the nearby open field over there. For those that haven't been called, please remain here until I do."
When it was my turn, I got up and went to the testing site. Arriving at the field, I see Maki and Saki about ten feet away from me. There's also a tall rocky wall and a 20-foot long sand pit reminiscent of the one you see on long jumps.
"Okay Genji, start off with the Transformation Jutsu. Please transform into either one of us or somebody you know."
Deciding to have a little fun, I used the required Jutsu and remembered the details of the person I'm copying. The voice, the gray hair, the stern intimidating visage, and tone of voice.
Covering the room in smoke momentarily, the smoke dissipated revealing I transformed into Goro-sensei himself.
"Hrmpph! What are you standing around for!? Drop down and give me 100 MAGGOT!"
"Very funny Genji, next is the Substitution Jutsu.", said Maki sarcastically.
"Now then. I'm going to throw this blunt kunai at you and you'll switch places with this chair. Alright?"
Right after nodding to her statement, she tossed the kunai at a leisurely pace, and I switched with the chair to avoid taking the hit.
"Okay. Please show us three or more clones using the Clone Jutsu."
"Maki-sensei, do I get bonus points for creating more than three clones?"
She shook her head meaning there's no point in showing off. So I used the [Clone Jutsu] to form three clones like she asked. Then she proceeded to tie me up in rope to see if I mastered the [Escape Jutsu].
The next task is to use [Rock-Climbing] and scale the two story rock wall and then use [Sand-Walking] to walk across the sand pit without leaving any footprints.
Succeeding at all the tasks assigned to me, Maki then told me to go back to the classroom and wait for everyone else to finish.
"Okay class, please follow me to the sparring rings."
She then explained she'll pair us with one random student who'll be our sparring partner. We have a total of three minutes to either defeat our opponent or remain standing at the end.
Then after finishing our fight against our classmate, we'll spar against a Chūnin who'll simulate a higher level opponent we might encounter on our missions. We either have to land a clean hit on the Chūnin or remain standing for three minutes.
Surprisingly, she paired me with the highest leveled student for my partner which is Nobu. Both of us stepped in the ring and gazed into each other's eyes.
Nobu interrupted the silence by saying, "Let's have a good match." I nod in agreement as the both of us are determined to be number one and won't give the each other a handicap.
After forming the seal of confrontation, Maki started the match and the two of us fought.
I waited for Nobu to attack and evaded his attacks. Analyzing his Taijutsu, he's around level 50 of [Advanced Suna Taijutsu]. Even though mine is level 96, I can still lose if I make too many mistakes.
An opening presented itself when Nobu overextended his right straight towards my face. Capitalizing on his mistake, I sidestepped to my right and struck back with a left handed open palm strike to his stomach.
-200.09 HP!
He grunted in pain and tried retaliating with a right hook towards my temple. In response, I countered with a right uppercut to his jaw after ducking underneath the hook.
CRITICAL! -300.14 HP!
As I continued to evade and counterattack, I realized time is running out and wanted to end this quickly in my victory. When Nobu pulled his right hand back to his body after a missed jab, I implemented my plan.
I attacked with a one two combo in which my opponent blocked them. Right when my second punch landed, I quickly used a right low kick empowered with a [Power Strike] targeting his left knee's backside.
-103.4 HP! -153.4 HP!
-50 CP! CRITICAL! -579.15 HP
Nobu grimaced in pain, but he didn't fall down. Seeing he didn't go down as expected, I launched a right straight at his face.
My opponent shifted his body to avoid it, but he fell for my feint. This allowed me to strike with a low kick from my left leg in the same area I've struck earlier.
CRITICAL! -300.14 HP!
You inflicted the status effect (Weakened Left Leg: -10% AGI).
This time, he fell to the ground and tried to get up quickly. But before he could, I maneuvered myself behind his body and placed him in a chokehold like one usually sees in the Metal Gear series.
Though I did this without holding my opponent at knifepoint. Nobu tapped the ground repeatedly signaling to the teacher he surrenders.
"Stop! Both of you stand with the others who are waiting for their turn with the Chūnin."
You defeated Nobu in a Taijutsu spar!
A random skill scroll has been deposited in your inventory.
Releasing Nobuo from my grasp, both of us made the seal of reconciliation. He then congratulated me on me winning and I replied with thanks for not giving me a handicap.
While watching the Chūnin fight, I saw the students passing this portion by evading or enduring the older ninja's blows. None so far from what I've seen or heard from my classmates has landed a clean hit on the man.
Observe.
Name: Tomo
Level: 60 / Age: 22
Class: Low-Chūnin / Affiliation: Suna
HP: 5,600
CP: 9,900
Titles:
[Chūnin] (Allowed access to E, D, C, and B ranked Jutsu in Suna Library's restricted section. Can participate on D, C, and B ranked missions with a team. As a squad leader, can command Genin on missions whenever the Jonin in charge is dead or incapacitated.)
Status: Normal, (Desert Fighter: +10% to all stats except LUK when the user is in a desert region or mountainous terrain), (Lazy Bones: -15% DEX and -30% AGI), and 50 DEF
A young man who is an assistant instructor at the Academy, loves the easy life, and prefers 'D' ranked missions that stay within or near the village. Tomo became lazy after being promoted to Chūnin and is slacking off on his physical training.
While waiting for my turn against Tomo, I've formulated a plan of action against him. The key to ending this battle early is taking advantage of his lowered AGI.
Soon enough, Saki called for me to get into the ring with Tomo and I got into my battle stance ready for anything.
When she started the match, the young man rushed me with a compact right jab towards my chest. Easily evading the attack, I allowed him punch and kick a few more times to analyze his moves.
Tomo is certainly faster than Nobu, but unlike my fellow classmate, he isn't taking this seriously. Watching the incoming right straight towards my stomach, I parried the strike to the side and retaliated with my own right straight.
Before my punch made contact, the Chūnin leaned backwards to lessen the damage done.
-65.05 HP!
Knowing Saki won't end the match since it's not a solid hit, I continued attacking my opponent. I've landed several glancing blows, but those hits don't count.
But it's all part of my plan. Make Tomo get used to my current movement speed before boosting my AGI temporarily with [Chakra Reinforcement].
With 1:45 left on the battle timer, I took the initiative to change the flow of battle.
-50 CP!
Using the aforementioned skill to speed up, I rushed forwards and sent a left straight punch at him.
When I saw him raise his guard, I stopped my punch and followed up with a leg sweep powered up with [Power Strike]. While Tomo wasn't surprised by the sudden change of pace, he did fall for my feint.
-50 CP! CRITICAL! -576.32 HP!
Sweeping the Chūnin off his feet, I moved forwards to attack until I heard Saki say "Stop!"
You defeated Tomo in a Taijutsu spar!
A random skill scroll has been deposited in your inventory.
Going back to where the rest of the class is waiting, I checked my inventory to see another two [Substitution Jutsu] scrolls. Oh well.
Those who ostracized me with their glares earlier were now accepting that I have some skill. Eventually the fighting portion of the exam was finished and Maki proceeded with the next portion.
"Attention everyone, we will soon begin the Wilderness Survival Exam. Go pick up your survival packs you brought today and follow me to the testing site."
Picking up my bag and making doubly sure no idiots didn't tamper with it, the class and I followed Maki. To my surprise, the testing site wasn't a training ground inside the village, but outside instead.
We entered through the single cleft between two cliff faces and I saw the vast expanse of desert outside of Sunagakure. A pop-up appeared upon taking my first step outside.
You have exited the village you've grown up in and seen a small portion of the world outside your village.
[World Map] feature has been unlocked.
Along the way to our destination, I toggled the mini-map to see the world map. It functions like certain video games I played where places you've been to will be visible and those you haven't will be covered in a white smoky fog.
After walking what I believe to be around a mile at least, I saw a long stone wall surrounding a vast land. I used [Observe] on the vast area before me to see if there's anything special to read about.
Field Dungeon: Arid Desert
Monster: Giant Antlion Larva
An area specialized for testing the graduating Academy class on their navigation and survival skills. It also tests whether they can traverse the terrain by themselves without any assistance from a teacher or adult.
The area used to have no monsters, but a giant antlion larva has recently taken up residence here. There are other dangers as well such as the many deep sand pits and several different cacti where some are safe to consume the water stored within them and others are dangerous.
Huh? Used to have no monsters?
Stopping before the gate, Maki spoke up listing off the next set of instructions.
"Listen up everyone! Each and every one of you will be starting out at a different gate, so you'll have to rely on your own skills and knowledge. You'll use a compass and a map with given directions to navigate through the environment towards to the designated campsite."
"In addition, each of you will be given a special sealing scroll and signal flare. If the signal flare malfunctions, then activate the scroll. Only use these two items if you want to bow out of the exam should it get too tough or dangerous for you. Any questions? Genji, what's your question?"
"Are there any monsters in this area? Like for example uh, a giant antlion larva?"
Some of my classmates started snickering in derision before Maki hushed them up.
"Nope, there aren't supposed to be any monsters here at all. A shinobi team has inspected the area a few days ago making sure of it. If there are no more questions, you're all going to draw lots to determine which gate you'll start out at."
My lot was Gate 7 where I was handed a signal flare gun and a sealing scroll. A quick use of [Observe] told me that when the scroll is activated, it summons a Shinobi to the activated scroll's location. So the scroll given to us is like the ones Team 7 uses to summon Iruka during the Chūnin Exams.
Using the wilderness survival skills I've learned under Goro, I followed the directions listed on the map. Along the way, there were several cacti of various types.
Drinking some of my water, I refilled my canteen with the water of the cacti safe to drink from. Hydration is key in hot climates like these.
There's also several cacti which causes a hallucination lasting around five minutes if you drink from it. While it's not safe for consumption, it's a good idea to level up my [Herbalism] skill. So I harvested those which caused negative effects, so I can use them in future poison concoctions.
After walking past the field of cacti, I encountered an area littered with giant sand traps and depressions before me. I searched for a way around them, but the only way available is through them. Using [Sand-Walking] to maintain my balance on the shifting sand, I proceeded through a couple of pits.
When I crossed the 6th giant pit, the sand suddenly started flowing downwards towards the middle of it.
Hidden Boss Battle Event!
Boss Battle: Giant Antlion Larva
Aren't you lucky? You unknowingly entered the boss's arena of this open dungeon.
You've gained +1 LUK for this random encounter!
KILL OR BE KILLED!
Well shit! Does LUK run either ways or something? Observe!
Giant Antlion Larva
Level: 50
HP: 40,000
CP: 5,000
Status: Normal, (Hardened Carapace: +50 DEF), and (Paralyzing Pincers: +50% chance of inflicting Major Paralysis).
A gigantic insect known for its fiercely predatory habits at the larvae stage of development and digging huge pits to trap passing prey. Once the prey is secured within their hollow jaws, they suck out the life juices and flick away the husk out of the pit when they're done.
I used [Observe] on the antlion's mandibles and found it has a powerful status effect I need to avoid at all costs. This effect is (Major Paralysis: Paralyzes the afflicted target for two seconds at random intervals lasting a day long).
The gigantic antlion attacked using the following attacks: Swinging its giant mandibles, toss up large amounts of sand, using its large legs to stomp me, or use a body slam to crush me.
Evading the attacks is easy. The problem is paying constant attention to my current position and maintaining enough distance away from the insect.
I could've used [Iron Sand: Desert Suspension] to float above the shifting sand, but it tries pummeling me with large amounts of sand when my feet aren't touching the ground. Besides, it's easier to dodge its melee attacks.
Since it's too dangerous to get in close, the key to winning this is long range attacks. So I summoned tons of Iron Sand from the environment and my chakra-infused version in my inventory.
Why use my [Magnet Release] bloodline in public? It's going to be revealed sooner or later on future missions, so why limit myself for this battle?
Not feeling chivalrous or particularly nice, I forcefully inserted both regular and chakra-infused black sand in its mouth all the way to the stomach.
-170 CP!
Once I felt there's enough inside, I clenched my hands to activate my crushing skill and continued to do so repeatedly.
-425 CP! CRITICAL! -2,707.35 HP!
You inflicted the status effect (Severe Bleeding: -150 HP per 10 seconds).
-425 CP! CRITICAL! -3,845.31 HP!
You inflicted the status effect (Ruptured Insides: -250 HP per 10 seconds).
-425 CP! CRITICAL! -3,845.31 HP!
Checking my current CP reserves, I concluded I don't have enough Chakra to continuously use [Iron Sand: Crushing Maiden] to bring its HP down to 0. At most, I can use it another three times taking in consideration the Chakra cost of [Sand-Walking] and [Iron Sand Manipulation].
Grr! How the heck am I supposed to kill this monster with only three crushing attacks? At the rate it's bleeding to death, it'll take at least 15 minutes, so what else can I do?
Evading another body slam by the antlion, I tried thinking of an alternative strategy. The only weak spot I've seen is its head.
How can I instantly kill it without waiting several minutes? Err, I've got it!
Why not try cutting its head off by crushing the neck area? Dammit!
Why didn't I think of this tactic when I faced the Legion Zombie? Probably because of my newfound wisdom taking effect.
Besides, nothing can survive with their head being chopped off in this world. Well except Hidan, but he's an exception to the rule.
Avoiding another pincer attack, I focused wrapping tons of Iron sand around the neck like a figurative hangman's noose. Once I felt there's enough sand enclosing the neck area, I clenched my fist thrice.
-425 CP! CRITICAL! -3,845.31 HP!
You inflicted the status effect (Weakened Neck: -20% DEF around the neck area).
-425 CP! CRITICAL! -3,857.31 HP!
-425 CP! CRITICAL! -3,870.31 HP!
FATALITY!
You've gained +75,000 EXP!
You've gained +300,000 Ryo!
Your level has risen by 1!
Gained 5 spendable points.
[Iron Sand: Crushing Maiden]'s level has risen by 1!
You've gained +1 WIS for your decapitation strategy!
The last use of my skill severed the antlion's head from its body and its HP plummeted straight down to 0. The insect's huge body collapsed against the ground and the sand stopped flowing downwards to the pit's center. At least I've confirmed decapitation really does kill most enemies.
Before I continued my journey, I harvested the antlion's corpse for ingredients and crafting materials. I received two [Desert Fang], three full small bottles of superior ranked [Paralysis Poison], and five [Insect Carapace].
In addition, I manipulated and compressed the excess black sand into manageable shapes and stored them in my inventory space. Taking out my map and compass, I looked at the directions and started walking again.
Along the way to the campsite, I sometimes felt somebody spying on me at a distance of at least 80ish meters. It does make sense as they wouldn't jeopardize their future recruits by leaving them totally unguarded for rival village's to kill or abduct.
An hour of slow walking later, I finally reached the designated area as it was marked with a large two story pole flying a red flag. Checking in with the Chūnin stationed there on guard duty, they told me to set up my tent without help from the other students.
Entering the campsite, I've noticed there's a lot of students here. Counting the numbers, I believe I'm the 64th to arrive here.
Searching for a suitable spot, I set up my tent and double checked the stakes for any future sandstorms tonight. For the rest of the day, I practiced my Chakra Control exercises.
When midnight came around, I switched to practicing [Meditation] until morning of the next day.
April 1: Friday
In the morning, some of the teachers showed up inspecting our tents and evaluating those who made it to the campsite. Nobu then questioned the examiners if they'll get bonus points for arriving early at the campsite.
Unfortunately for him, the instructor said, "Nope! The order of arrival doesn't matter. The test was to see who successfully navigated the area with the given directions and then endure the wilderness for a day.
They then made us wait in the Arid Desert and endure the hot sun. They allowed us to gather water from nearby cacti which may or may not cause hallucinations.
Some of the students started yelling weird things and the instructors subtracted points from them on their notebooks. At 12:00 PM, the examiners ordered us to follow them back to the Academy in the village.
Once there, we had to return the sealing scroll and signal flare back to them. Then they told us to wait until 2:30 PM to hear our exam results.
When the specified time came around, Maki announced today's results.
"Okay students, I'm going to reveal the results of this room's successful graduates. Please come up front to receive your headband when I call your name."
Going through the names alphabetically, my name was eventually called.
Ding!
The Title [Suna Ninja Academy Student] has evolved to [Genin]!
Evolved Title: Genin
Effects: Allowed access to E, D, and C ranked Jutsu in the library's restricted section. Able to participate on D and C ranked missions with a team.
Quest Complete!
You've gained 10,000 EXP!
Your level has risen by 1!
Gained 5 spendable points.
You've gained 50 Fame!
You received a [Suna Forehead Protector]!
Sitting back in my seat again, I checked out my headband to see what bonuses I'll receive if I replace my [Dark Blue Bandana] with this. Observe.
Suna Forehead Protector - Rank: Average
-A headband composed of a metal plate with the symbol of Sunagakure engraved in the center attached to a band of navy blue cloth. It's a symbol of pride to one's village.
+100 Durability and +5 Defense
+Increased relations with the denizens of Wind Country by 50% and people of foreign lands allied with Sunagakure by 25%.
+Decreased relations with those from Iwagakure and Kirigakure by 25%.
This is pretty good, so replaced my current bandana with this over my forehead. I also made sure it covered up my Kaguya heritage using a small mirror I have on hand.
"Now that I've called everyone who passed, it's time to announce this year's top student of the graduating class."
.
.
.
.
.
"The top student is Genji with a score of 98%! Please give him a round of applause."
Everyone started clapping and those nearby congratulated me. Nobu was disappointed he didn't get the top spot, but he wished me good luck for the future.
"Also, everyone's exam scores have been posted in the Academy courtyard so please check it out if you're curious. But before everyone leaves, I have a few things to tell you about as official Genin of Sunagakure."
"Those who graduated will need to have their Ninja Registration documents in order and attend a photoshoot for the picture on your ID card. This needs to be done as soon as possible and can be submitted at the Wind Tower."
"You can also buy a flak jacket at the Shinobi Outfitters for those who want additional protection. Please meet back in this room on April 11 at 10:00 AM for team assignments."
I questioned Maki on why the ten day long break of nothing happening and Maki replied, "The reason for team assignments taking that long is to give your Jonin instructors time to prepare, sort out paperwork, and finish up any loose ends they have."
Everyone including me exited the room towards the courtyard where a lot of parents waiting for their children and browsing the scoreboard posters. To my surprise, I saw my former classmates staring at the score sheet and their reactions varied when they saw me.
Some had a look a disbelief because they believed I'll pass, but not achieve first place. Kankuro appeared to be constipated, while Temari was indifferent.
Saya nodded her head and Shira was happy at the fact my spars with him allowed me to beat my opponents. I smiled and waved at them with gratitude in return for their acknowledgement.
On my way to the courtyard's exit, I watched several students reveling and preening with their parent's praises. Some are mournful and their parents saying there's always a next time. Then there were those who pointed at me saying I'm number one.
Ignoring most of their stares, I used the [Body Flicker Technique] when I reached the exit. Not towards Katsuo's dorm complex, but to the Wind Tower to complete another quest.
A brief walk through the lobby and up several staircases later, I finally arrived on the floor of the Kazekage's office. Thanks to the directions of helpful shinobi who were watching my every move on the way.
The secretary behind the desk is different from last time, but I couldn't care less about her. She looked up from my paperwork and asked what I am here for.
"Hello, can I meet Kazekage-sama? My name is Genji and I believe he's expecting me soon. Maybe?"
She checked her list of appointments and special notices looking for my name.
"Okay Genji, please wait a moment for him to finish up his meeting with someone first."
After 10 minutes of waiting, a man in his 40's left the Kazekage's office. A quick use of [Observe] told me he's an informant to Rasa working in the current Wind Daimyō's administration telling him about the political climate in the capital.
"You can now see Kazekage-sama."
Immediately after I entered and closed the door, Rasa spoke up.
"It's you. Finally here to meet your mother?"
Straight to the point huh.
"Yes Kazekage-sama, I want to meet her."
Rasa motioned to one of his ANBU to bring her here and pushed forward some documents on the desk closer to me.
"Of course. While we wait for your mother to come, please fill out your Ninja Registration forms so I can approve them right here right now."
After reading the documents and checking for any tricky fine print or hidden clauses, I didn't see anything wrong. It asked for my name, clan status, parents, home address, and personal signature.
There were several agreements that stood out to me for becoming a shinobi of Sunagakure.
No sexual intercourse with any foreign shinobi, unless they pledged their allegiance to Suna's interests and became my spouse.
I will not drink any alcoholic drinks until I'm 20 years old.
I pledge my allegiance to Suna and obey whatever my superiors command me to do so I can fulfill the mission.
Before signing on the dotted line, I asked Rasa for clarification on clan status and home address. He told me to not worry about clan status until I'm 12 years old. For my home address, he said, "151 North Dune Road."
Upon signing the paperwork, Rasa alerted his secretary to bring in the photographer. Instead of standing in a ridiculous pose for my photo ID, I chose to go with my standard calm and indifferent look.
Hopefully, my enemies will underestimate my power level whenever I act out of character with [Fool's Act] in the future. It's not going to fool everyone, but it might against ignorant ninja.
While I was busy with my photo-op, Rasa was notarized my papers with his official seal. He then told me my Ninja Registration Number is 51-001 and to pick up my ID card tomorrow at one of the many desks on this building's ground level.
"Kazekage-sama, we brought the lady you asked for."
"Send her in."
My mother walked in and paused her movement the moment she saw me. She hesitated to speak for just a bit before questioning out loud, "Genji?"
"Mom?"
Miya hurriedly closed the gap between us and embraced me with a deep hug. She lowered herself with her hands on my shoulders so as to talk to me face to face at my eye level.
"I'm sorry for abandoning you at the orphanage my son. Money was an issue back then and I didn't have enough to take care of your needs properly. Genji, will you please give me the chance to make it up for you?"
Of course, I'll give her the opportunity after reading her description a couple of months ago. She could've just dropped me off at the orphanage and leave Suna, but she didn't.
"Yes, I'll give you the chance so please stop crying."
She wiped her tears of joy away with her sleeve and said, "Thanks Genji. You won't be alone anymore for you have me to take care of you."
"That's great! I can't wait to spend more time and learn more about you."
Miya smiled in appreciation of my comment and I spoke up about where I'm going to live with her. Cause I'm not going to live in her rinky dink apartment. She's going to move in with me to our new house.
"Are we going to live in the house Kazekage-sama is allowing us to live in?"
She seemed confused by my question and Rasa cleared his throat to get her attention. He then explained what kind of deal I made with him and while she seemed upset at first, she eventually accepted it.
Major Quest Complete!
You've gained 5,000 EXP!
Your relations with Miya has increased by 100!
Then he handed us two sets of keys, one for me and the other for my mother. Rasa explained these are the house keys to the home we'll be living in and how a Genin team recently cleaned the entire thing so we don't have to.
"Before the two of you leave, I have to explain some things to Genji first. A portion of your mission rewards will go to paying off the orphan loan and stipends you received."
"If you gain additional money somewhere during your missions, you could use it decrease the amount owed here on the first floor of the Wind Tower. In addition, taxes and house bills are also paid there as well. You two are free to go now unless you have any questions?"
"No, thanks Kazekage-sama."
Both Miya and I bow to the village's leader and exit the office. After we left the Wind Tower, I say to mother, "Can we stop by Katsuo's dorm? I need to go gather my stuff before moving in together with you."
She agreed and followed me to the dorm complex. While I went to my room and shoved mostly everything into my inventory space, my mother stayed in the lobby conversing with Katsuo.
I returned downstairs with a backpack to not look suspicious. In the lobby, I alerted Katsuo about what happened recently and handed back his room key. In return, he told me several things with a proud look on his face.
"Genji, you're one of kind. I thought you would've been another annoying kid who likes everything to be handed to them, but you proved me wrong."
"You had the curiosity and drive to become self-sufficient and worked hard to do so. Feel free to come back and visit as you are always welcome here. Good luck with your mother and new life. Goodbye Genji."
Your relation with Katsuo has advanced from [Neutral] to [Friendly]!
We both then went to Miya's apartment to get her belongings. I stored most of it inside my storage scrolls and some inside my inventory space when she wasn't looking.
On the way to our new home, we both talked to get to know each other. I learned that her birthday is May 9, favorite color is blue, and several other things. After 35 minutes of walking northwards, we reached the new home and I was a satisfied with what I see.
What does the house look like? Imagine taking a three story high bucket and flipping it upside down. That's what the overall shape of the house looks like. There's also several circular windows with wooden shutters on the building as well.
The property was enclosed by a stone wall and the main gate is a Japanese entrance made out of wood. Mother used one of the keys to open and we both explored our new dwelling.
We found a foyer, living room, a curved stair case that leads upwards to the upper floors, a couple of bathrooms, a large kitchen, and dining room. Exiting the backdoor into the backyard, I saw a vast empty plot of land.
How big do I think the house and the overall area of the property? From my estimations, the house seems to be around 1,500 square feet. The property itself is around the same size as Training Ground 50, so about ten acres give or take.
All this empty land is going to cost us more money than an apartment room, that's for sure. But I see several potential uses already.
It'll make the perfect place for Taijutsu sparring, build some green houses for rare plants, or maybe convert a portion into a farm.
A farm in the desert? That's crazy talk! Not really, cause it's possible.
With my money and current assets, I can afford creating a garden or farm. I'll just have to figure out a soil combination that'll work out here with this sandy ground, secure a water source, and find some plants that are drought tolerant or have some chance of growing in the desert.
It'll serve as additional income and if I'm successful, hire some Genin teams to do the watering for me when I'm away on missions. But that's in the future.
Both of us chose which bedrooms we'd like to sleep in located on the first floor. Mother chose the master bedroom which I didn't mind because she's my mother. I chose a bedroom near hers with a hallway separating us.
When it came time for dinner, we both left the premises because there wasn't any food in the refrigerator. Shopping in the market, I asked mother about tips about what to look for in food.
"Oh are you interested in cooking Genji?"
"Yes. Can you teach me what you know please?"
"Of course Genji, I'd love to teach you."
From there, she told me what to look for when selecting fresh produce and foodstuffs for cooking. Paying for the groceries and helping her carry it back home, we spent time together in the kitchen.
She showed me some recipes and actually let me help her cook like letting me cut up some vegetables with a knife. But she probably remembered that I'm a graduated ninja that is used to handling sharp tools.
[Cooking]'s level has risen by 1!
[Dish-washing]'s level has risen by 1!
Cleaning up tonight's dinner we both tucked in for the night. I chose to sleep tonight instead of hunting monsters simply because I'm paranoid that mom will probably sneak a peek at me sleeping tonight.
"Good night Mom!"
"Good night Genji."
April 2: Saturday
Waking up in the new house, a new notification popped in my face.
Major System Update!
New and old settings have been added and reworked.
A title has been reconfigured into skill's bonus.
Some skill descriptions have been reworded.
The heck? Am I playing a beta-version or a modified version of [The Gamer]? Looking at my character status, I noticed that the [Bookworm] title turned into the level 50 bonus of my [Reading] skill. The passive effects are still there, so I don't have to worry about switching titles when reading books.
There's also a [Party] tab on the Main Menu. Looking in the options menu, I saw a new feature called Automatic Party System. I can either have it turned on or off. The description says the following:
People will join and leave your party automatically without you having to send an invite message they can see.
Sounds good to me. Turning on the Automatic Party System and exiting the menu, I readied myself for the morning before going downstairs.
Most of today's activities was me spending my time all day with mom. Helping in the kitchen, setting up the table, cleaning the dishes, and such.
In fact, she asked me to buy some ingredients since she forgot to purchase them yesterday. Which resulted with a familiar quest popping up.
Quest Alert!
Grocery Run
Mother Miya needs eggs, rice, chicken, and ketchup for some Omurice.
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Quest Reward: 50 EXP, increased relations with Miya, and the cooking recipe for [Omurice].
Quest Failure: No omurice and decreased relations with Miya.
[Yes] or [No]?
Accepting the quest, a quick use of the Body Flicker made finishing the task quick and easy.
Quest Complete!
You've gained +50 EXP!
Your relations with Miya have increased by 5!
The meal was delicious and I learned a new recipe after she explained the step by step cooking process. When night time came around, I sat at my desk brainstorming a new list of what I need to do to maximize my survival.
There's a high chance this world is an alternate universe meaning there's a slight possibility of the main character Naruto fails to defeat Akatsuki or last boss.
Revised Solutions to Surviving Incoming Conflicts
1: Become a Sage. However, I clearly remember it being stated repeatedly that one must have extremely large Chakra reserves and capacity to become a sage. Many fail, but the few that succeed are amongst the most powerful shinobi ever.
2: Focus on leveling up [Iron Sand Manipulation] and [Dead Bone Pulse]. Followed by [Chakra Threads], [Chakra Drain], [Energy Drain], and maybe some elemental Jutsu.
3: Create custom Iron Sand Jutsu that can be both deadly and effective. I should start experimenting with my abilities and come up with some skills nobody in this world has ever seen before.
Maybe some inspiration or straight up copy techniques other Sand users from other Anime?
4: If there's a [Medium Chakra Capacity] skill, will it evolve into a large and extreme version later on when I have more INT?
5: Consider performing a reverse summoning so I'm summoned to whichever summoning clan that could teach me Senjutsu. Because I highly doubt the Snakes, Toads, and Snails are the only summon clans who teach Senjutsu.
6: Whenever I receive bonus points from now on, the ratio I spend them should be 2 VIT, 2 WIS, and 1 LUK. Another variation could be 3 VIT, 1 WIS, and 1 LUK. VIT is my dump stat from what I'm seeing so far, but I'll hold off spending any points on VIT since it'll be harder to raise at higher numbers.
7: Figure out what my elemental affinities are.
8: Ask for assistance on Fūinjutsu.
9: Buy medical textbooks in preparation for the medic program.
10: Max out [Meditation] before 12 years old.
11: Learn the [Shadow Clone Jutsu] as it's an EXP modifier.
12: Find a way to reduce [AISD]'s Chakra cost.
Done with my list, I jumped into my bed and continued meditating throughout the night.
April 10: Sunday
With all the available downtime between graduation and team assignment day, I wasn't sitting on my hands doing nothing. So this is what I did throughout the week.
The first thing I did was let mother know that I'll be out sometimes to train and that I'll come back by 6:00 PM. She understood since keeping up one's training is very important to staying alive and returning home from missions.
Secondly, I went to the Shinobi Outfitter store to buy myself a flak jacket. Seeing the armor in question left me very disappointed in its design.
While the brownish-beige color is something I can agree with, the armor lacked pouches to store stuff inside. I felt some temptation leveling up [Blacksmithing] and or learning the [Tailoring] skill to create my own custom flak jacket. But for now, I'll have to make do with what I've got.
Suna Genin Flak Jacket - Rank: Average
A brownish-beige flak jacket vest fastened by a zipper. It lacks scroll pouches and shoulder padding, but makes up for it with a thick neck guard enveloping the entire neck.
+10 Defense
However, the jacket comes bundled with some segmented steel arm guards.
Steel Arm Guards - Rank: Average
Standard arm guards protecting the top part of a shinobi's hands all the way up to the elbow as they're important tools of the trade. Also comes with black fingerless gloves.
+10 Attack and +5 Defense
I bought the two items for 7,500 Ryo and equipped the both of them. Though I had to reshape my Iron sand weights to accommodate them. They also sold the armor Chūnin usually wear, but I couldn't buy it until I became one myself.
The next objective after that was finding a fitness club to raise my physical stats. I asked any Shinobi above Genin rank if there's a place to exercise one's strength and stamina like a gym.
Several of them mentioned some minor gyms who offer cheap prices. Others mentioned if I wanted the gym with the best facilities, then I should get a membership at the Konami Fitness Gym.
After visiting all the gyms recommended to me and inquiring about their amenities, I chose the Konami Fitness Gym. It's open 24/7 except on special holidays and it's the only gym with a swimming pool.
Yes, a swimming pool. The pretty lady behind the desk explained how some shinobi enroll only for a month, so they can learn how to swim and walk on water. I expressed interest in getting a gym membership and she explained to me several types of memberships.
The lady was overly enthusiastic, had a slight hint of desperation in her voice, and tried using her sex appeal to reel me in like winking at me. I chose the month to month membership that allowed me access to all gym equipment and services they provided.
She said I'll have to pay an initiation fee along with the gym membership, but I get a discount since I count as a junior. The total amount summed up to 13,500 Ryo. 10,000 was for the initiation fee, the membership is 5,000, and the discount took off 1,500 off the total.
I asked her why the membership cost is that high. Her enthusiasm diminished upon hearing my question as if it's the usual deal breaker. She explained it's for upkeep costs of the equipment and the pool.
Occasionally, the gym hires Genin teams for D-rank missions to transport water from a large body of water across the desert to here for the pool. Or they pay some shinobi to use a Water Jutsu that can fill the pool.
So that's how they're getting their water without paying an exorbitant amount the water utility company sometimes bills. Her attitude brightened up when I filled out the paperwork and paid the full amount.
In return, I was given a gym membership ID card and she asked a nearby trainer to give a guide to the facilities. The physically fit man gave an extensive tour and explained to me several things to me such as what the machines are, how they work, the purpose of the machines, and what to do on the machines.
In addition, he explained about what classes the gym offers, where the classes take place, where to stretch, where to find the weight lifting equipment, the locker room, the shower room, the bathrooms, and the swimming pool.
When he was done, I asked for machines I could use at my age. There were some I couldn't use because I was too short, but I worked out on those I could use.
Under the trainer's constant supervision, I gained +2 AGI. After hitting the gym, I tried locating Goro's house. My reason for the visit was to thank him for his teachings.
Well it's not the only reason. The other reason was for him to teach me the Sand Clone Jutsu.
Once there, the both of us engaged in a friendly discussion and I've learned several things. He told me he knows all about my heritage, but won't divulge it because the Kazekage ordered him not to. Another thing he revealed was that he found me weird at first, since most Kaguya clan members are battle maniacs.
Eventually I politely asked him if he could teach me the [Sand Clone Jutsu]. Goro refused initially, until I explained that I wanted to create the Iron Sand version of the skill.
I pointed out that a clone made from the [Clone Jutsu] lacks substance, so it'll be hard to fool enemy shinobi with it. I also mentioned the special properties of the sand clone I saw during my spar with it.
It seemed my endeavor was going to end in failure, but [Speech] leveled up telling me I successfully persuaded him. He explained to me the process and the hand seals for the Jutsu.
After some experimenting, this is what I got.
Iron Sand Clone Jutsu (Active) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-A versatile Chakra construct completely composed of Iron Sand which will not dissolve or vanish when damaged. It can reform itself as long as it has Chakra sustaining its form and can also hide within a pile of nearby Iron Sand for ambushes.
+The clone can envelope an object(s) or a person and trap them like a prison container. If it does, it consumes 100 CP per minute, while rendering the target immobilized.
+Activation Cost: 500 CP per clone.
+Clones have 1% of the caster's original stats and 500 additional CP.
+Clones will consume 50 CP to repair their body for minor damage and 100 CP for major damage.
+The Chakra constructs will follow the creator's intentions when they're made.
*Clones become less effective if they're more than 5 meters away from the caster.*
Thanking Goro for his teachings and leaving, I used ID Create: Empty ID to test something out. Inside, I formed an Iron Sand Clone and tried to see if I could store the clone inside my inventory.
To my surprise, the clone was actually accepted and stored inside. So broken! I can store an army of Iron Sand Clones.
For finding out you can store clones inside your inventory space, you've gained +1 WIS!
If I could store clones inside my inventory, then I can also store puppets I've built in there too. I won't have to carry a large cumbersome scroll on my back. I'll be known as a walking armory.
But can the same thing be applied to a Shadow Clone? That'll be a mystery to solve, until I amass more Chakra.
Another objective was locating a gambling den, pachinko parlor, casino, or any place where I can gamble money. Of course, I used [Transformation Jutsu] to mimic a generic adult and asked for information from various citizens as well.
There I found a gambling den and gambled some money away. Initially they refused to allow me in because I was child, until they saw my headband. Inside, I learned about the gambling game called Chō-Han and its rules.
Basically it follows this process. A dealer shakes a bamboo cup with two six-sided standard dice and then overturns the cup onto the floor.
Players place their wagers on whether the sum of the total number showing on the two dice will be "Chō" (even) or "Han" (odd). The dealer removes the cup, revealing the dice. The winners collect their money and dealer collects a certain percentage of the winnings.
The game was so simple that I decided to participate in it and gambled away 10,000 Ryo. A few hours later of sometimes losing and mostly winning, I left the den with 25,000 Ryo, +3 LUK, and a level 5 [Gambling] skill. All those gains in one day too.
They also gambled on Shogi there, but I needed to read a how to book before attempting it. That way, I'll be gaining in the WIS stat at a place meant for raising LUK.
The final objective on my list was creating some new skills using my Iron Sand abilities. With my current arsenal, I'm lacking on range-based attacks.
Technically, my current skills are ranged but I meant is a hard-hitting projectile attack. So inside an Empty ID, I looked at my current throwing weapons and decided to create a shuriken made of black sand.
First create the weapon's shape, then compacting the sand to harden it, adding additional Chakra to maintain its shape during mid-flight. But then I realized I don't know how to actually spin and launch my newly created projectile, until I remembered my Chakra has magnetic properties.
Focusing on the floating shuriken, I tried applying the correct magnetic field to apply a spinning force on it. Then I experimented finding the right magnetic charge and eventually fired off the spinning shuriken.
It impacted against the wall and reverted back into regular iron sand. Repeating this again and again a few times more made a prompt appear notifying me of a new skill.
Iron Sand: Spinning Shuriken (Active) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-A clump of Iron Sand shaped into the form of a shuriken, compressed to add density, spun to increase damage, and launched forwards using the repelling property of the user's Magnetic Chakra. An extra shuriken is generated for every three levels.
+Activation Cost: 200 CP
+Current Shuriken Amount: 1
+10% attack damage and 1 foot knockback per projectile upon impact.
*Shuriken will revert back into regular iron sand after impact.*
Satisfied with this ranged ability, I tried to remember if there's anything else I can create. Remembering the Zomboss battle with all the mercenaries surrounding me, all of them were ground based enemies.
A crowd control skill would've been very helpful at that time to slow them down. Then I remembered something that I could use. It's something a certain long nose liar uses and a move from Pokémon that damages ground based enemies upon entry.
With my idea in mind, I gathered a large amount of sand and tried shaping a dozen small caltrops. The shape was three nails pointing downwards like a triangular pyramid with another nail going upwards at the pyramid's top.
So no matter how they land on the ground, a spikey point will always be pointed upwards. Once I created one, I tried creating as many as I can.
The next problem was figuring out how to make them scattered all over the place instead of one area. But it was easily resolved by remembering about magnetic charges.
I applied one half of the spikes with a positive charge, and the other half with a negative charge. Then I forcefully gathered them into one single point with them mixing all together, raise it up high in the sky, and letting it launch themselves.
Once again I was satisfied with my new creation and repeated the action until I gained a skill prompt. I created a new skill and the system asked me to name it.
I tried thinking of something, but nothing creative came to mind. So I just gave it a random name off the top of my head.
Iron Sand: Nail Hell (Active) Level: 1 EXP: 0.00%
-A crowd control skill for ground-based enemies by shaping a large amount of iron sand into multiple tetrahedron caltrops and compressing them to add density. Each of these stepping impediments are then given the same magnetic charge, forcefully gathered together into one spot, and dispersed in random directions once released.
-25 extra impediments are added for each three levels in this skill, while the duration increases by 3 seconds per level.
+Activation Cost: 1,000 CP
+10% attack damage per nail if it collides against an enemy.
+Enemies lose -10 HP per minute and -2% AGI per nail stepped on.
+Current Caltrop Amount: 25
+Time duration: 3 seconds
Hand Seals: Dragon → Rat → Ox
*Nails revert back into regular sand when the time duration runs out or if the user cancels the skill early.*
This one came bundled with hand seals meaning I don't have to worry about experimenting with random hand signs to create new Jutsu.
On the day before April 11th, I focused leveling up both [Iron Sand: Spinning Shuriken] and [Iron Sand: Nail Hell]. The first to increase my damage output per projectile and the second to increase the time duration.
And on that night, I allowed my mother to read me a bed time story. Even though I've heard the story already back at the orphanage, I listened to it anyways.
Mainly to give her the opportunity to be a parent and a memory to remember in the future. After the story concluded, I fell asleep wondering who I'll get for my teacher and teammates tomorrow.
April 11: Monday
Arriving at 9:50 AM in the classroom 205, everyone's speculating on who they think will be on each team. Some students were wearing the Genin's flak jacket and others didn't bother buying it.
At 10:00 AM on the dot, Maki came in to announce the team assignments.
"Listen up everyone, I'm now going to announce team assignments so pay attention. Team 1 will be Nobu, Akira, and Masae. Your Jonin instructor is Wataru."
Several minutes later, Maki finally mentioned my name. Though her face shifted from indifferent to hero worship like a celebrity is coming her.
"Finally, Team 11 will be Genji apprenticing under Jonin instructor Pakura-sensei."
Oh. So that's why she's happy.
"What", "No way", and "He gets an apprenticeship under her" were some of many various comments I've heard from my fellow graduates. They were jealous of me learning from someone famous within the village.
But for me however, this confirmed I'm in an alternate universe. Only because I remembered my new future teacher was dead in the original source and reanimated by Kabuto.
The classroom's doors opened a slew of instructors called out their teams to follow them. Soon enough, Pakura showed up and she greeted Maki before searching the classroom. Her eyes focused on me, while I did the same too.
Appearance wise, she's light skinned and her height is around 5 foot and 5 or 6 inches maximum. She's well endowed, but not as big compared to Tsunade.
Her hair is dark green hair with orange tips tied up into a bun behind her head. There's her brown pupil-less eyes and it's like I'm staring at a brown colored version of a Hyuuga. Observe.
Name: Pakura
Level: 170 / Age: 28
Class: High Jonin / Affiliation: Suna
HP: 9,750 / CP: 18,200
Titles:
[Jonin] (Allowed access to any ranked Jutsu, except Kinjutsu. Can participate on any ranked missions from D all the way to S. As an elite ninja, can command Chūnin and Genin on missions.)
[Hero of the Hidden Sand] (+500 Fame, +30% relations with Suna-nin, and 25% morale of Suna-nin in her party.)
[Experienced Veteran] (+10% INT when fighting in war and +20% skill effects related to leadership skills.)
Status: Normal, (Desert Fighter: +10% to all stats except LUK when the user is in a desert region or mountainous terrain), (Blade Master: +30% DEX with bladed weapons), and +100 DEF.
A famous kunoichi known as a hero amongst the village population for stopping an Iwa plot which could've crippled Suna during the war. She has a moral code of sorts where she prefers to not kill those she considers as 'children' and just incapacitate them.
She classifies 'children' as those who are between 12 to 20 years old. However, she'll set aside her code if the situation is dire enough. Her bloodline limit, the Scorch Release, allows her to instantly kill her enemies using intense heat to evaporate all liquids inside the human body.
Pakura is a very strong shinobi because she doesn't only rely on her bloodline. She's a perceptive fighter who is very agile and so skilled in close combat that she can fight Kenjutsu specialists with a kunai.
Damn! Not as strong as Rasa, but that bloodline though. Burn baby burn!
"Genji, follow me to Training Field 50."
Character Status
Name: Genji Kaguya
Class: The Gamer
Age: 7
Affiliation: Suna
Titles:
→ [Genin] (Allowed access to E, D, and C ranked Jutsu in the library's restricted section. Able to participate on D and C ranked missions with a team.)
[Aspiring Fanboy] (+15% proficiency learning Suna's fan arts.)
[Aspiring Puppeteer] (15% proficiency learning Suna's puppet arts.)
[Zombie Slayer] (+50% attack and defense when in combat against Zombies.)
Status: Normal, +20% Evasion, and +38.47 DEF
Level: 23 - EXP: 10,383/60,000
HP: 3,315 - HP Regen: 145.5 per 5 seconds
CP: 3,154.33/6,308.67 - CP Regen: 27.89 per 5 seconds
STR: 51 + (51 X .99) = 101.49
VIT: 97 + (97 X 2.0) = 291
PE: 392.49
WIS: 60 + (Meditation 21) + (Bookworm 2) + (83 X .68) = 139.44
INT: 99 + (Meditation 21) + (Bookworm 2) + (122 X 1.05) = 250.1
SE: 389.54
DEX: 75 + (Ambidextrous 23) + (98 X 1.43) = 238.14
AGI: 95 + (Sandals 4) + (99 X 1.38) = 235.62
LUK: 116 + (116 X .05) = 121.8
Fame/Infamy: 60/0
Unspent points: 20
Money: 6,747,999 Ryo + (1,375,000 Trifecta Winnings) + (100,000 Coin Purse) + (1,569,375 Zombie Hunting) + (300,000 Antlion Boss) + (25,000 Gambling Profit) + (4,000 Stipend) - (3,250,000 Miscellaneous Items) - (25,000 Books) - (10,000 ticket) - (10,000 Gambling Fee) - (7,500 Armor) - (13,500 Gym Membership) - (9,300 Sanae's Restaurant) - (42,600 Milk) - (900 Expenses) = 6,752,574 Ryo
Kaguya Genji is a paranoid reincarnated young man who desires money and power to guarantee his wishes such as his survival past the 4th Shinobi War and his mother's wellbeing.
He feels indebted to his mother Miya because she didn't throw him away after birth and tried her best to take care of him.
Genji is somewhat lazy, but his paranoia of the main characters failing to save the day is enough of a motivator for him to improve himself. In addition, he's finds the art of puppetry enjoyable and has thought of several ways to improve the field.
Currently, his power level and stats are nearly equivalent to Itachi and Kakashi when they were his age. With the right training methods, skills, work ethic, and overall goals to improve himself for selfish reasons, he'll surpass all eventually.
Author's Note:
Yes, I changed the location of stadium where the Chūnin Exam finals are held. I based it off the OVA episode of Naruto versus Konohamaru. No I don't know how tall the tower is so I made it comparable to a skyscraper.
Because Genji isn't wearing the Young Noble Lucky series of garments, his LUK returned back to its original numbers.
Yes, I included the effects of [Detect Bloodthirst] into the [Sense Danger] skill.
Where did I get the idea of an Automatic Party System? Fantasy Life 3DS.
XxOmNiPoTent PriMorDial GodxX: Of course, he'll be forced to participate in the 4th Shinobi war.
lwymoisiraslom: He might have teammates when he turns 12 years old. Maybe even earlier to build up Leadership experience and get used to working with other people.
kewllewk: Yes, I'm doing milestone skills and it'll happen for every 100 points in a stat.
