Welcome. I'm not too sure when it became in my style to start off stories with an introduction of this nature, but when I read a story, I like to know what I'm getting myself into; I'd like to extend that same courtesy to anyone who stumbles upon my work. Beyond that, this is also a reupload, so I wanted to make sure people experiencing deja-vu would know why.
This will be a somewhat standard Gamer!Naruto story. I'm a big fan of stories where you can just sort of sit back, relax, and have a fun time reading it; that's what I aim to do with this story. That being said, this story will still have its serious moments, so try not to worry too much about it being a crack-fic. Turn your brain off and enjoy yourself with me.
This story will contain a number of clichés and tropes. I'm not going to lie, there are certain things I've noticed in this fandom that you find within almost every Naruto fanfic. I will definitely use a number of these aforementioned clichés and tropes found within the community, so if that doesn't sit well with you, maybe this isn't the story for you. It's more of a passion project for me.
I'm writing another Gamer story at the moment, and that's more of a realistic dive into it, just something different if that catches your fancy. For fun, I want to make this one pretty standard- if you've read some of the Gamer fics around in Naruto, this should be more or less marching to the same drum. I'm talking Yoru, Yami, Iron Gamer, all the big boys. I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel or anything, I just want to put another good product out there. I know there aren't too many good Naruto gamer fics being updated at the moment.
Pairings are up for debate. Unlike my other story, I could consider a harem on this one. Plus, Naruto has a lot of baddies.
Besides that, not much else to say. If you happen to have any questions, reviews or PMs are a great way to reach out. Enjoy.
Genin Days [1] - Prologue!
In my life, I've been in a number of uncomfortable situations. Like, way too many, in my opinion.
When I was a kid, my dad got me the new Assassin's Creed game- the second one, if my memory serves me correctly. He was just as excited as I was- he was a huge history buff and I, well, I wanted to kill some virtual people.
We sat in an amicable silence as I walked through the first few minutes, bashing some heads in and running around through the streets of Ancient Italy.
Then, well. I'm not sure how many of you remember the tutorial for AC2…but there I was, pressing the buttons to let Ezio bang that one chick. With my dad watching me do so.
I learned a lot that day. I learned where babies come from…why certain games are rated M…and why my dad suddenly told me to never show my mom this game. Ever.
Another time- when I was in middle school, my then-girlfriend and I were on one of those little kid dates, sitting in the courtyard behind a Dunkin' Donuts.
And, well, when you're that age, you're curious about things. Leaving two kids on the cusp of puberty in a private-ish place with no supervision? I'm sure you can get where I'm going with this.
The problem, however, lies in the fact that in my excitement, I forgot my mom said she'd pick me up around four, and suddenly, I had an audience for my first kiss…and second…and third…
Another time, when I was really young, I was in a McDonald's as a part of a summer camp. I'm talking one of those big, playroom ones where you can slide around in the tubes and climb the big net things. I still can't explain it, but as I was climbing to the top, I felt a hand grab me and toss me down into the ball pit. The worst part, though? No one was there but me. Little me didn't sleep for a week after that one.
Well, enough of that.
You're probably bored of hearing about me- I'm sure you're wondering why I even bothered leading with any of that. Maybe you didn't even like it. Maybe you're wishing I dove right in.
The point was, and still is- I've been around. I've had my fair share of awkward, weird, hell, even downright unexplainable things happen to me. I thought there was nothing in this world that could surprise me anymore.
I was wrong.
I believe it was the morning before my first semester of college started. I got in bed, as usual, prepared to sleep and awake to the boredom that was my life. Just your average teen, ready to kick some ass in College Writing I. Maybe if I was feeling really risky and wanted to deviate from my routine, I'd go swing by Starbucks before class. Real risky.
I can't tell you what happened next. I closed my eyes, and when I woke up, I was in a bright white room.
It stretched out as far as my eyes could track- an inconceivable, immeasurable amount of whitespace that seemed to sear into my eyes with its brightness. I blinked, and spots danced around my vision.
"Welcome," A voice said. A man was suddenly in front of me, appearing out of the air like he was cutting through its very existence. He was dressed in a sharp gray suit, with sleek black oxfords. I caught sight of a Rolex on his wrist.
The scary thing though, let me tell you, was the fact that his entire head was just changing.
I don't know how to explain it. It was like his hair was cycling through different haircuts, different colors. His face was twisting and drooping and swirling- smushing up down and around like a vat of playdoh that was in zero-gravity.
I caught dozens of eyes on his body. Some on his hands, others on his fingers- I even caught a few on his neck. They all blinked at different times, too. Blech.
"You…are…dead," The man continued, speaking slowly. He held out his hand a moment later, and shadows pooled in his hands, coalescing into a sleek-black iPad. He tapped the screen a few times. A sigh escaped his lips. "I regret to inform you this."
"Dead?" I scoffed, somehow not that disturbed by the man's appearance. "Listen, man, I don't know what kind of dream"-
"Dead. Jake Richards, aged nineteen. Your cerebral stem just snapped," He tapped a few things on the screen, showing me a picture of my brain, almost like an x-ray. "Prepare slot for Player 1."
I rubbed my forehead. Well, that made sense, now. I really passed on in my sleep, huh? I felt like kind of a wimp for that one. "Snapped? How did that happen? And what do you mean by Player 1?"
"An eighteen-wheeler rammed into the side of your house, and your head was caught underneath the first wheel."
This time, he showed me a picture of my guts splattered all over my room- even my closet was covered in blood.
I started, a small pinprick of repulsion growing in my stomach. I was looking at my own dead body. It was surreal. "Jesus! Why didn't you just lead with that?"
"It felt more prudent to tell you that you died in a peaceful sort of way," The man shrugged. "It felt better than telling you that your head was popped like a cherry tomato."
"Thanks," I deadpanned. What was the point of showing me that picture if that was what he wanted to do? "You really saved me some strife with that one."
The man chuckled. "No problem."
"So," I paused, looking at the man again. "Quick questions. Who are you? Where am I? Why am I not freaking out? I just saw my own guts."
The iPad was lowered. "An angel, at heaven's gate, and that is a slightly longer explanation if you'll allow me."
"By all means."
"You see, you're an interesting case," The angel continued. "Believe it or not, your karmic score is one of the highest we've seen in one so young. You should be proud."
That threw me for a loop. "Um, really? I feel like I haven't done much."
"What about all of those times you didn't turn the light on while peeing? And you didn't let the water run? Or those times you finished your food because you thought of little starving kids? What about that one time you gave up your seat to that pregnant lady? Do you know how much stuff like that adds up?"
"Really?"
"No," The angel laughed loudly, and I felt my eye twitch. "You were painfully average if that, even. Your karmic score might've even been positive, but all of those times you were toxic in video games canceled it out. Do you remember pushing that one kid down that slide because he was taking too long? What about when you stole that pen from your dad's best friend because it looked cool? Did you know, when you played League of Legends four years ago and you told your top lane he deserved to die, he was actually a cancer patient? He died a few weeks later."
"Um…"
"Yep. Playing straight from the hospital bed, you dick. Were the three times you were ganked worth it?" The angel sighed loudly. "Don't answer that. Knowing you, you'd find a way to justify it-but then, you had to go around volunteering. There was that one time you gave your sub to a homeless guy, and you hadn't had any food at all that day. You spent weeks of time out of your own summer helping out at a hospital, a food clinic- why'd you do that?"
"My parents"-
"I don't know why I'm asking, I can see your entire little, insignificant life right here, motivations and all," The angel showed me his iPad, grumbling something about not getting paid enough for this. "I know why you did it. You're a dick, not an asshole. There's a difference. Regardless, you're a dick with one of the first karmic scores of zero."
"Ah," I didn't know what to say. "I see."
"If you were over twenty, we would've just passed you along to our usual afterlife; you would've had your memory cleared, and we would've pretended you were in heaven and put you through a series of different psychological and emotional situations, poking and prodding you to see if, at the end of the day, you were a good person."
He paused.
"If you were good," He pointed up. His thumb flipped, pointing downwards. "And if you were bad."
It went without saying.
"You don't meet the cutoff, though. You're still too young to have gained enough worldly experience to make predisposed decisions despite not having memory- we'd have no way of monitoring your true karmic score. So, I offer you another option. To prove that you're a good person, I can send you to another dimension that is in need of a hero. From there, if you choose to do good, you'll be fast-tracked on our list for heaven at the end of your life. If not…"
"What if I'm just a dick again?" I wondered aloud. "And what's the other option?"
"You could wait here until you're ready," The angel chuckled, gesturing around to the white room. "But you won't. I know you, Richards. Anyway! If you're a dick, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I could always toss you in another dimension. I have no shortage of dimensions to throw you into."
"Fair enough. Won't I just try to be a good person because I remember this conversation? Doesn't that inherently corrupt my motivation?"
"No. Full memory wipe of this conversation," The angel shrugged. "It's like a baby version of what we do to adults. As for that, you also won't see me until you die. Again."
"Cool. So why don't I feel"-
Ping!
You have entered the game! Welcome, [PLAYER 1]!
You have experienced a degree of selective amnesia. Any memory of friends and family has been removed for an easier transition. Memories of your life have been partially altered, your necessary memories have been kept in a state of remembrance.
Motor skills have also been retained. Knowledge privy to this universe has been retained. Your psyche has remained. Your morality and preferences have remained.
There was a whirring noise. A loud, kind of freaky screech. It sounded like a bunch of bats screaming at the top of their lungs.
Booting up Player Creation…loading…loading…
Done!
The noise stopped.
Please create your character profile! Choose your gender!
I picked the M.
I couldn't remember anything. I was just somewhere. Somewhere with someone. I went to rub my forehead, but I realized, with a shock, that I didn't even have a hand to rub my forehead, or a forehead to rub, for that matter! How the fuck did I pick that M, then?
A bouncing line appeared in front of me.
Please enter your name:
AUTO PICK AVAILABLE!
I shrugged and hit the auto-pick option. Once again, not sure how I hit it, but it slinked backward, as if I'd touched it, so…anyway! I couldn't remember my own name, so I didn't really care, at the moment.
The only thought in my head was that I needed to be a good person. Something like that. Maybe it was to eat good food. I think I like doing that.
NAMES GENERATED:
MOSU
SHIMESHU
ASAHI
TSUKI
DAKU
I stared at the names. I kind of remember my preferences, even if I don't know what these words mean, necessarily. I picked Tsuki- it reminds me of this one character from this one game I used to play, I think. I don't know. It's getting kind of hazy, now.
Splendid! Please select your area of residence!
LAND OF FIRE
LAND OF WIND
LAND OF LIGHTNING
LAND OF WATER
LAND OF EARTH
Area of residence, huh? I get it. This is like one of those RPG games, or something, but in the Naruto-verse, which I remember as clear as day, for some reason. I'm a little confused, but sure. There's only one real answer here, for me, anyway.
You selected [LAND OF FIRE]! Please wait…loading…loading…
Please select your perks (you have three allotted points):
Civilian Background [COSTS 0 POINTS]: You were never meant for this life; suffer from chakra reserves 50% smaller than the average ninja, gain 50% chakra control. Take a +5 to your CHA per level, and gain an extra point for your troubles.
Orphan Background [COSTS 0 POINTS]: You're a gambler at heart, then. Do the equivalent of hitting RANDOM on the clans, but gain the benefit of not spending any points! +1 point for your possible troubles. Possibly canon-altering. Can be influenced in certain ways depending on your other perks.
I'll Give You The Mitts [COSTS 1 POINT]: You like fighting with your hands, huh? Fine by us. Learn new fighting forms 20% easier, and gain experience in them 20% faster. Your DEX and STR grow 5% faster.
Watch My Hands [COSTS 1 POINT]: You're a freak of nature! Just kidding. Kind of. Ninjutsu is fun! Learn any new ninjutsu up to 20% faster, create hand signs 10% faster than your average ninja. Your chakra reserves grow 10% faster.
Seeing Is Believing [COSTS 1 POINT]: You remember that one scene from Polar Express? Well, have fun doing that to people, all the time! Learn genjutsu 20% easier! Gain a flat increase to your CHAKRA CONTROL and gain a 10% boost to the growth to your INT.
Monkey See, Monkey Do [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Join the Sarutobi clan and become one of the only ones that can call the Hokage Jiji and get away with it! Gain a natural fire affinity, and enjoy boosts to your bukijutsu and taijutsu per level-up! Your VIT and STR will gain a 10% boost, as well.
Feathers of a Bird [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Enjoy having a stick up your ass! Be born in the Hyuga clan, gaining access to the byakugan. Furthermore, gain a significant boost to your DEX, STR, and CHAKRA CONTROL.
Who Let The Dogs Out? [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Join the kennel and become part of one of the most extensive clans in the Land of Fire! Gain a canine pal to take part in your journey with you, as well as their corresponding jutsu.
Ew, Get It Away From Me! [COSTS 2 POINTS]: You're a real freak if you choose this one. What kind of psycho would voluntarily choose to let a bunch of insects roam around in their body? Gain access to the corresponding jutsu, let different insects roam around in your body, and gain boosts to your INT and CHAKRA CONTROL per level, but have smaller reserves than any other clan.
Do I Have To? [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Ugh…too lazy to write this. Get shadow jutsu and be smart. +20% INT gain, -10% SP gain.
Your Thoughts Are Mine! [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Wanna feel like Snape? You've come to the right place! Gain access to the Yamanaka clan justu list, and take a boosted INT and CHA for every level!
Did Someone Say Food? [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Be a heavy hitter, a heavy eater, and heavy in general! Access to jutsu and +15% faster STR and Vit growth! - SP!
The Fourth's Kin! [COSTS 2 POINTS]: Run with the wind! The wind, I tell you! You're related to the Fourth! Gain heavy boosts to your DEX and CHAKRA CONTROL, and speed in general! Eventual access to the Namikaze style taijutsu, and Hiraishin.
You've Got Me In Chains [COSTS 3 POINTS]: A clan that has long since disappeared. Increased VIT, both at the start and throughout. Increased reserves and 50% faster growth. 200% experience buff while studying sealing. -40% CHAKRA CONTROL debuff.
My Eyes Are Better Than Yours [COSTS 3 POINTS]: Gain access to the SHARINGAN and eventually, all of its forms. Increased Fire Affinity, +15% DEX, and 10% CHAKRA CONTROL!
Konoha's Favorite [COSTS 3 POINTS]: Descend directly from Hashirama, the First Hokage! Monstrous reserves (5x the size of your normal ninja), +30% VIT, -60% CHAKRA CONTROL debuff.
BLOODLINES:
Wood Release [3 POINTS]
Boil Release [3 POINTS]
Explosion Release [3 POINTS]
Lava Release [3 POINTS]
Magnet Release [3 POINTS]
Scorch Release [3 POINTS]
Storm Release [3 POINTS]
Dust Release [3 POINTS]
SPECIAL EFFECTS:
Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails [COSTS 3 POINTS]: Warning! Choosing this option will dramatically alter the events of canon!
Rinnegan [COSTS 3 POINTS]: Warning! Choosing this option will dramatically alter the events of canon!
And the list stopped.
Wow. That was…a lot to take in, for sure. The game seems predisposed to my preferences, too. There's no way in hell I'd choose to be an Aburame, or Akamichi, really.
Looking through my options, I'm super tempted to either be an Uchiha or an Uzumaki. The only thing is, both of those clans are absolutely broken, and I'd be wasting all of the points I had on them.
It just seems like bad management, especially when I could choose that ninjutsu perk and it would make my life so much easier. I could be a Hyuga, and I'd gain some hype boosts that would help me be a freak of nature.
Ugh, or I could go get myself a special bloodline. Wood-style does seem kind of enticing. Think, man, think.
Lowkey, if I went with the orphan option, I could take a chance and still choose some nice stuff! I could get a bloodline AND that ninjutsu thing. Yeah, you know what, let's go with that. Plus, it said I could influence its decision by choosing a bloodline, so maybe I'll end up becoming a Senju!
Ping! You have chosen [ORPHAN]!
Please spend your remaining points…
Ping! You have chosen [WATCH MY HANDS]!
Please spend your remaining points!
Ping! You have chosen [WOOD RELEASE]!
Thank you!
There was another loud noise, and a gigantic wheel appeared in front of me. It looked like one of those machines at the arcade where you used to pull down and it would spin. The fish one! I think.
Each portion of the wheel had a clan on it. Some even had two, while others had none, and others even had three.
Please roll the wheel…
I made a mental effort, and the wheel started spinning quickly.
I watched, kind of stressed, as the words blurred by. I saw flitting images- am I tripping, or did I make out brief images of insects, dogs, and a bird?
I swear, I stood there for five whole minutes before it showed any sign of slowing. When it did slow, though, I saw it almost stop on Aburame. To my immense relief, it moved onto Yamanaka.
I'm honestly fine with…it's still moving?
Uzumaki? I guess it could be-no…
Nara? How the hell is it still moving! I swear…
It continued on and on and on and on, before pausing and stopping on Senju/Namikaze. Wait, what? What the fuck?
Your stats have been auto-generated. In the game, you may access this menu by simply verbalizing or thinking 'STATUS':
Name: Tsuki Namikaze
Title: None
Age: 11
Level 1 (0/100)
HP: 60/60
SP: 40/40
Chakra: 250/250
Chakra Control: 16%
STR: 2
DEX: 8
VIT: 6
INT: 4
CC: 4
CHA: 7
Points: 0
Money: 0
Really? I start at level one? I'm going to be weaker than most civilians! Ugh…I guess we all start somewhere. At least it's a blank slate. I'm sure I'll be broken in no time!
A mirror dropped down, stopping in front of my face. Huh. I'm not horrible-looking.
I had Minato-style hair, but instead of blonde, it was a tomato red, much like Kushina's. I kind of looked like her too, based on what I remembered. My nose looked a little like Minato, though, and I had eyes that were multiple shades of violet that I couldn't place between either of them.
I still don't get how it's possible that I'm a Namikaze and a Senju. The perk did say it was possibly canon-altering, but I'm struggling to see how even this could ever be worked into the canon.
Loading…Loading…
While the environment is generated, please take a moment to review the basics of the game.
Dozens of floating circles appeared in front of me, swimming in and out of sight. I reached forward and clicked the one closest to me.
You have chosen [TRAINING MODULE 1]:
In this wonderful game, your own capabilities are governed by the following stats.
STR—Strength:
This stat represents physical power. Higher levels in STR can directly provide damage benefits in battle.
VIT—Vitality:
This stat represents a character's physical toughness. It determines how much damage someone can take and how well they resist poisons, illnesses, etc.
DEX—Dexterity:
Dexterity represents a person's physical nimbleness. It determines fine motor skills, reaction time, and aiming.
INT—Intelligence:
The stat representing how smart a character is. It can be used to show how skilled a person is, how quickly they learn, their recognition of battle tactics, etc.
CHA—Charisma:
Charisma represents a person's force of personality. Used to determine how well someone can influence others by speeches, diplomacy, fear, and lying. The driving force between romantic attraction.
CC- Chakra Control:
CC has to do with what percentage of chakra one can readily use. For example, with 20% CC, you can use 20 Chakra for every 100 Chakra you have. CC is boosted at a staggering rate. Up to 20%, 1 point into your CC is equivalent to 4% Chakra Control. From 20-50%, 1 point is worth 2%. From then on, 1 point is directly proportional to 1% Chakra Control. After 90%, each point is worth half a percentage.
LUC—Luck:
Luck boosts a variety of events that have very low probabilities of occurring; critical strikes, random encounters, good loot, etc.
Fair enough. I eyed the CC for a second longer, though. I think that's the one I'm probably going to be going for, first. There's no point in having a bunch of chakra if I can't access it, I guess.
I clicked another sphere.
You have chosen [TRAINING MODULE 2]:
REP—Reputation:
Reputation indicates how well-liked or disliked you are! A REP of 0 is neutral, and a negative REP often indicates hatred or dislike! The higher your REP, the easier it is to convince someone to do something for you, or in some cases, can lead to romantic relationships.
That was all. Cool.
I flipped through the rest of the training modules, trying to commit some of the stuff to memory. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, although I did like the idea of my Gamer's Mind and Body. The Inventory feature looked like it could come in handy, as well.
Gamer's Mind (ACTIVE)
Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Grants a peaceful state of mind regardless of the situation and immunity to psychological status and effects.
Gamer's Body (ACTIVE)
Grants the user a body that allows the user to live the real world according to his stats. Sleeping in a bed restores all stats to the max.
Other than that, there wasn't much that jumped off the page. I knew I had to use [OBSERVE] to see everyone's stats and stuff, I knew how quests worked. Little things like that.
Oh! Important thing! It said I would gain access to [PERKS] once I became a genin, and/or when my base stats reached certain thresholds, like 25, 50, etc. [SKILLS] on the other hand, were constantly evolving and improving.
Kind of like Skyrim, they went from Novice to Apprentice, to Adept, to Expert, and finally, to Master. As you'd expect, 25, 50, 75, and 100 were the breakdowns for each. At each level-up, each skill gained an extra ability and all that. I'm guessing if it's something like Tree Walking, it'll just make it easier, whereas if it's something like a fireball, it'll increase the size and intensity.
Oh well. I can figure all of that out, later. I'm not too worried about it at the moment. My main goal, though, is to change everything that went wrong in canon.
Naruto's childhood, Sasuke's childhood, The Third's death- I can prevent all of that with my knowledge. I can become the greatest ninja to walk this planet! Or, well, I'm hoping I can, anyway.
Environment loaded. Begin game?
Y/N
Yeah. Let's do it.
"…hear me? Can you hear me?"
I opened my eyes slowly, ignoring the blinding feeling that came with it. I hissed in annoyance, and I heard some rustling noises in front of me.
"The lights. Cut the lights," The same grizzled voice said from before. I vaguely noted that the searing light dimmed. "Inoichi, were you able to glean anything off of him?"
"No, Hokage-sama," The man, Inoichi, replied. Inoichi, huh? That's Ino's father if I remember correctly. So, I'm in a room with a mind-walker and the Hokage- it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. "His mind is quite literally wiped of all things pertaining to Orochimaru. He remembers a few things about his past, but not nearly enough. His reserves and stamina seem to be drained…what did that monster do?"
"I intend to find out. Thank you, as always. Dismissed," I heard a whooshing noise. "Could you try to open your eyes for me again, Tsuki-kun?"
Well, I guess I can, just because you asked so nicely!
I slowly opened my eyes, and to my delight, the Third Hokage was sitting in front of me! I took a few cursory glances around the room, surmising that I was in his office, based on what I'd seen from the anime.
I turned to him, straining my eyes as hard as I could, trying to commit every curve and wrinkle of his face to my memory.
Ping! By observing the Hokage, you have created a skill!
Observe LV-1 (10%)
By Observing a target, one will get information about the said object and a small amount of data, as well. The data readily available depends on how close to the user's level the object is!
Hiruzen Sarutobi
?
I figured that was what would happen. Off to a great start, here, Tsuki!
"Tsuki-kun," The man's face sagged. "I cannot say I don't feel a sense of elation, just by looking at you, but I must offer my sincerest apologies. I have failed your father immensely. I-we all thought you had passed on during the rampage of the Nine-Tails, but to think that Orochimaru had taken you…"
Oh. Oh.
I get it now. The game took my stats and all and forced canon to accept me- my ninjutsu perk and my ability to use the First's power are then canonically explained by the fact that Orochimaru took me and experimented on me.
Clever.
"It's okay," My voice was young and childish. I repressed a wince and how squeaky it was, too. "I don't remember anything."
"Which is probably for the best," The Hokage mumbled lowly, but I caught it. He cleared his throat. "Now, do you remember anything from the night you were abducted?"
"Not really," I pushed some emotion onto my face. "Mom and Dad died, right? And then my little brother…Naruto…what happened to him?"
"Minato and Kushina did indeed perish in the onslaught," He replied, delicately. "Your little brother is safe. He's at an orphanage right now."
"Orphanage?" My eyebrows raised toward my hairline. "What about home?"
Kind of going out on a limb here, but I'm assuming the goddamn Fourth Hokage would've had a house somewhere in Konoha.
"I thought he would be too young to live there," Hiruzen said, sighing. "And too lonely."
"I won't go to an orphanage," I protested, my little hands tightening into fists. "And I won't let Naruto stay there, either!"
That's all true, 100% true emotion right there. I didn't get plopped into this world just to get sent to an orphanage when I know my game-dad has some house somewhere over here, and I'll be damned if I let Naruto stay there, either.
The Hokage's face twisted into a tight smile. "I figured as much, Tsuki-kun. The only issue is that even though I feel for you, personally, I cannot allow two underage children to live without adult supervision. It's simply against the law. Even in another such case, Sasuke Uchiha, I have positioned ANBU guards to be his caretakers."
"What if I become a genin?" I blurted out. Well not blurted- come on, I'm not really this dumb- but I wanted him to think I did. Maybe he'd give me the benefit of the doubt if he thought it was just some little kid trying to take care of his only family. "They're considered adults, right?"
"Well, yes,"-
"Then give me a year!" I said, determinedly, intentionally cutting him off before he could make any points, or try to talk me out of it. "By the end of this year, I'll become a genin, no problem."
Cliché, I know. But hey! I'm trying to have some fun here, and a bunch of guards breathing down my neck is going to make it impossible to do that! Plus, this way it fast-tracks my goals to become the strongest ninja around and keep everyone safe. It's a win-win-win!
"Fine. And if by the end of this year, you do not become a genin, I will send guards to take care of both of you. Deal?"
[STORY] The Third's Gamble!
The Third Hokage feels remorse for how badly both you and your little brother's lives turned out, and he's hoping to make amends starting now! Become a genin after only one year at the academy and he'll let you take care of Naruto!
[MANDATORY] COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS:
GET [HENGE] to ADEPT [ ]
GET [SUBSTITUTION] ADEPT [ ]
GET A [CLONE JUTSU] TO ADEPT [ ]
SCORE ABOVE AN 80% ON THE EXAM [ ]
SCORE HIGHER THAN 90% ON SHURIKEN AND KUNAI EXAMS [ ]
SCORE ABOVE 75% ON THE TAIJUTSU EXAMINATIONS [ ]
[OPTIONAL] COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS:
GAIN THE TITLE [ROOKIE OF THE YEAR] [ ]
GRADUATE EARLY [ ]
GET A MENTOR [ ]
HELP NARUTO WITH HIS SCHOOLWORK [ ]
SAVE SASUKE FROM A CHILDHOOD FULL OF LONELINESS [ ]
GET A GIRLFRIEND [ ]
[BASE] REWARDS:
UNLOCK [PERKS]!
+5,000 EXP!
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+REP TO HIRUZEN SARUTOBI, NARUTO NAMIKAZE, SASUKE UCHIHA…AND MORE!
"Deal." We shook on it, his larger hand easily encompassing mine. The quest automatically accepted itself.
"Let's go retrieve your brother," Hiruzen stood wearily but grabbed my shoulder with frightening strength, and none of the fragility I'd been expecting from the aged man. We disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
We appeared in front of a rundown building.
The Orphanage of Konoha!
This orphanage is seemingly located on the outskirts of Konohagakure. It was run by a number of wardens, one of which was Nonō Yakushi — one of the captains of the Medic Corps and former member of Root. This orphanage took in children from different parts of the nation and taking care of them. During wartime, the orphanage also helped out the Konoha shinobi acting as a medical center where the shinobi would come for treatment. It was also revealed that once old enough, the children of this orphanage could train as Konoha shinobi.
I dispassionately kicked one of the pebbles, watching as it went skidding past the entrance.
"Naruto has been cared for," Hiruzen must've glanced at my expression. "He was given a bed and food and"-
"Just take me to see him," I rubbed the bridge of my nose in annoyance. I glared balefully at the walls of the orphanage. And people have the nerve to wonder why Naruto was such a troublemaker back in the day…I would be too if I ended up living in a place like this to start off my childhood!
"As you wish," The Hokage opened the door, and I winced as the putrid smell of sweat and pee reached my nose. He had a similar, albeit more controlled reaction.
"Oh, Hokage-sama!" A woman bustled over to us, drying off a dish with her dirtied apron. "I wasn't expecting you! May I get you some tea?"
Observe!
Kanji Shiruki
LV 20
Kanji is a retired lifetime genin who has a passion for helping children! Despite the rundown conditions of the orphanage, she tries her hardest to care for most of the children, as she was once of those orphans herself. She has a deep dislike for Naruto Uzumaki because she believes that he's the reason for all of the strife in the village.
HP ?
CHAKRA ?
I grumbled to myself at the description. How are you going to go through all of that, devote yourself to helping children, and then not help a child? What kind of twisted logic is that?
Plus, a genin, huh? Level twenty is nothing to sneeze at- hopefully I find a way to grind some EXP out, or this could be a bad time for me.
"No worries, madam," Hiruzen waved off her concerns. He slipped into what I assumed was the practiced persona of a leader. "May I see Naruto?"
The smile on her face dipped for a moment. "Oh? Why would you want to see…him?"
Hiruzen's response was immediate, a smooth reply with a bit of steel tied into it. "Is there something wrong with him?"
Ah, here comes the backtracking.
"N-no! Of course not!" A properly cowed Kanji stumbled through the sentence. The dish in her hands almost slipped out from her grasp. "I'll go retrieve him."
"Yes, I see now that he's been cared for," I said dryly, ignoring the group of little kids that was starting to crowd around the entrance, every little set of peering eyes trying to catch a glimpse of the Hokage and his mystery guest.
Another sigh came from the wizened ninja. "What would you have me do, Tsuki-kun? I understand your ire, but I could not simply give any single clan your brother for reasons I'm sure you understand. I myself could not raise him, as I would not raise any other orphan, and as the leader, I cannot pick and choose. Jiraiya-kun has his hands full with his network, and Tsunade is nowhere to be found. The orphanage was the only place. I'm sorry."
"It's alright," My eyes roved through the crowd of children. "I'm here now."
"That you are, Tsuki-kun. That you are."
A few moments later, Kanji came back, holding a little version of Naruto that was squirming in her grasp. Her left eye was twitching uncontrollably.
Ah. There's the guest of honor.
Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze
LV 2
Naruto is an orphan, the child of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze, and the current jailer of the Kyuubi. He hates the orphanage with a burning passion because everyone is mean to him, and he really wants to be adopted!
HP- 30/30
SP- 50/50
CHAKRA- 400/400
Damn, this kid's a beast. His charka dwarfs mine! And his stamina is nothing to scoff at, either. If I can get good enough to start training him, he's going to be an absolute animal.
Then again, Naruto was an animal in canon, too, and he had none of this help. The damn kid took on Gaara and won, something some fully trained adults probably couldn't have done.
"Let go of me! I'll kick your butt, dattebayo!" Kanji unceremoniously plopped him down on the ground. He shot back up, throwing tiny punches at her leg. "When I'm Hokage, I'm going to throw you in jail, you big meanie!"
The Hokage cleared his throat, clearly amused. "Naruto-kun."
Naruto turned towards us, his blue eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. "Hokage-jiji! Are we going to get ramen? Or learn some cool ninja things? Who's your friend?"
Hiruzen laughed loudly. "Come, my boy. I'll explain as we walk."
I didn't fail to catch the jealous looks the other kids were shooting at Naruto's back as we walked off. Yeah, nothing in this situation worked out for him.
The matron hated him, so that was a bust. She probably told all the other kids to stay away from him, or something, and then the Hokage would come to visit, making the other kids jealous.
Poor kid. At least I'm here, now.
I smiled pleasantly at Naruto, who returned my smile brightly. "What's your name, mister?"
"Tsuki Namikaze," I ruffled his hair. "It's good to see you, Naruto."
"Whoa! You know my name!" Naruto yelled, throwing his hands up. "My legend must be growing!"
"Your legend?" I asked curiously.
"Yeah! I'm Konoha's number-one prankster!"
I laughed, enjoying the pure excitement rolling off of the kid. That orphanage really cramped his style, huh? I gave the Hokage a meaningful look, and he cleared his throat again.
"Naruto-kun, I am going to have to ask you to bear with me. This boy here isn't just one of my friends. He's your brother."
Naruto's jaw dropped, and he stared at me. "What!"
"He went missing during the attack of the Nine-Tails, but we recently found him in one of the leaf bases on the outskirts of the Land of Fire," Hiruzen wasted no time dancing around, which I appreciated. "We had him tested to make sure he was okay, and the first thing he wanted to do was come get you."
"That's right!" I butted in, shooting Naruto a thumbs up. "I figured you'd want to come home with me."
I would be lying if I said I wasn't expecting a sobbing Naruto to wrap his arms around my chest. I made out some words in there, but I just patted the top of his head comfortingly.
"D-did you know our parents?" Naruto hiccupped a moment later, his eyes still shining with unshed tears. "Were they nice?"
"They were," I said somberly, searching the Third's face for the go-ahead, which he gave a moment later. "Our parents were Kushina Uzumaki, and Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage."
Thud.
Naruto passed out, his face smashing into the grass underneath us.
"I could go for a bite," Hiruzen broke the silence, bending down and gently picking up Naruto. "I know of this place that makes the most amazing ramen- would you like to try some?"
I shrugged. "As long as you're paying."