Disclaimer: I do not own either the Gamer or Naruto.
"Boss" - Regular Speech
'Brat'- Thoughts
"I hate you" - Inner Beings, Summons, or Jutsu
'I hate you' – Thoughts of Inner Beings, Summons, or Jutsu
[Level Up] –Gamer Ability
Chapter 9: Steel Guardian Style
[New Skill Created]
Observation (Passive)
'A new skill? I didn't know I could create them. I thought I could only get them from the system.' Naruto got a little giddy thinking about it, but what kind of skill is observation? A skill for looking at stuff?
Observation (Passive)
Observation is a passive skill encompassing your ability to draw information from observing.
Skill Level: 1
Naruto was a little peeved at the short description, but the new stance looked more important.
Steel Guardian Style (D-Class)
A stance made for the strongest of foundations. This style is made for blocking, deflecting, and counterattacking. Having a sturdy build and Observation skill is recommended.
Style Level: 1
If there is one thing Naruto noticed after watching the spars, it was the lack of specifics in Taijutsu. To be franker, the Academy teaches you how to block, attack, footwork, etc. However, all these teachings fit the "once size fits all" build.
None of them caters to an individual's strengths or weaknesses. A slow but strong person would not be taught extra defensive maneuvers or a fast but weaker person would lack footwork catering to their dexterity.
Taijutsu could be considered almost a lost art at this point. Ninjutsu and even Genjutsu are placed above Taijutsu in importance. After all, Ninjutsu practitioners would in most cases have better utility and power than Taijutsu.
It's rather sad really.
As the class resumed, Naruto started to notice the effects of his new skill.
A lot of the things he never really paid attention to now popped out like a sore thumb. For example, how Iruka showed a sense of pride whenever someone did well or genuine concern when they didn't. He also noticed an almost…fake feeling coming from Mizuki. Naruto turned to his classmates and noticed two outliers. The first was Hinata with her constant glances in his direction. He was kinda creeped out with how everywhere he went she always was somewhere in his vicinity to look at him.
But Naruto was confused, he noticed she never got close and she never gave off a creepy vibe. He shrugged it off as something to think about later.
The other outlier was Sasuke. Naruto always felt personally offended by Sasuke's attitude. He always looked as if he considered himself superior to him. However, now he looks at how Sasuke is outside of their interactions.
He looked cold and callous, but it no longer carried the same feeling of superiority. It felt sad and lonely.
Naruto felt confused with him not really knowing what to do with this new information. Now that he thought about it, he didn't know what to do with any of this new information.
"Alright, class! That's it for today. Now, remember to finish the reading from today and the assignment. Naruto, I'm sure you remember our arrangement." Iruka grew a stern smile at the end daring Naruto to refuse. After seeing that smile, Naruto's indignant response died as he accepted his fate.
After Class at the Training Grounds
With his emotional dilemma out of the way along with his punishment, Naruto went back to the training grounds and took out the book from the system. As he opened the book to the page for his daily training regime, Naruto noticed a glow coming from the next page.
Flipping to the next page, he saw the new stance, Steel Guardian. It showed the correct posture one was supposed to hold. Blocks, counterattacks, and grapples, among other things, were shown.
'OHHH! This looks so cool! Watch out Sasuke-teme cause Naruto Uzumaki is taking the stage!' Naruto was literally vibrating in excitement. But before he could, a screen popped up.
[Warning]
Daily Training Quota Not Met
The user will not gain any assistance from the system without first completing their quota. The user has the responsibility to complete their quota whenever possible. If the user purposefully neglects this responsibility, it is grounds for system removal.
Naruto sobered up quickly. Remove the system? He honestly did not know how things would go without the system.
Maybe things would go back to the way they were, but he knew that was not possible.
"Not like it affects me. I'm not one for being lazy anyways. How can a future Hokage be lazy?! I'll do it every day no matter what and nothing is going to stop me. Believe it!" Naruto shouted with conviction and purpose in his eyes.
With that, he began his training. After completing the daily quota, Naruto had finally started on the stance.
Steel Guardian focused heavily on blocking, misdirecting, and counterattacking attacks. The first exercise trained the posture and form one needed to hold. With his least dominant side facing forward, both of his arms are raised with his fingers bent inwards like half-closed fists. His legs bent slightly with his back leg shifted diagonally.
Keeping this posture for a certain amount of time was the challenge, and for a hyperactive kid, there is no worse challenge than that. Naruto held this stance for an accumulative of 5 minutes but took half an hour to complete.
Thankfully, he had the training clone for him to reference from or he would have taken much longer to understand what he was doing wrong.
After completing the challenge, a screen popped up.
[Steel Guardian]
Stance Mastery Progress: 1.5%
Steel Sweep Mastery Progress: 0%
Steel Impact Mastery Progress: 0%
Steel Guard Mastery Progress: 0%
Steel Retort Mastery Progress: 0%
Once all progress bars are at 100%, Steel Guardian can either be upgraded or combined with another compatible Style at full mastery.
Naruto was ecstatic at the thought of an even stronger style. This is like fuel to the flame representing his will to train. He looked towards the other moves from the Steel Guardian Style.
Steel Sweep
This move utilizes the hands, forearms, shins, and feet to direct blows away from the body while upsetting the opponents' balance leaving them open for a counterattack.
Steel Impact
An attack made tightening the muscles at the point of impact forcing out the maximum amount of power.
Steel Guard
The user absorbs the inertia of the opponent's attack to either completely stop the opponent's attack leaving them open for a counterattack or to mitigate the damage by spreading it across part of the body part attacked.
Steel Retort
A quick counterattack or powered attack depending on the situation. This move transfers the inertia of the opponent's attack into your next attack.
"Wow, every time I think this system couldn't get any cooler, it proves me wrong."
You could almost see the imaginary battles going through the blonde's brain. All of the guys from his class bowing with various injuries while the girls scream his name. The Old Man Hokage handed over the hat while Iruka cried out apologies for all the detentions.
Of course, the imagination was cut short when he went through the exercises.
Steel Sweep required him to sweep an opponent's attack. Naruto was standing there confused till the previously still training clone turned to him and rushed him.
He learned a painful lesson that day. While the clone couldn't really damage him, every attack that landed felt like he got punched by a gorilla.
Steel Impact required him to hit the clone's block and it only showed success when the block was broken.
Steel Guard was even more painful than the Steel Sweep exercise. This exercise had him blocking attacks from the clone and every time he incorrectly blocked the attack, he would receive a painful zap.
He did not like that.
Steel Retort seemed to combine either Steel Impact or Steel Sweep to make an opening for a counterattack making it the most difficult out of the exercises.
At the end of the day, much to his annoyance, he couldn't complete them all.
[Steel Guardian]
Stance Mastery Progress: 1.5%
Steel Sweep Mastery Progress: 0%
Steel Impact Mastery Progress: 1.5%
Steel Guard Mastery Progress: 1.5%
Steel Retort Mastery Progress: 0%
Naruto just couldn't react in time to properly use Sweep or to use it to counterattack. He barely completed Steel Guard before dropping into exhaustion.
While the System gave him the material to work from, it would not do the work for him.
Naruto was currently groaning on the ground in pain. His clothes were soaked with sweat and certainly smelled like it too.
He laid there resting while staring into the evening sky with the setting sun on the horizon. It was truly an incredible view.
'I wonder if Sasuke had this system would he be able to get it first try?' It was a demoralizing thought, but a realistic one no doubt. The dark Uchiha was talented with an impressive physique and even Naruto had to begrudgingly admit to this.
'Urgh…it doesn't matter. I have it and he does not. I'll prove the Teme that I can work hard enough to beat his talent.'
Naruto promised himself this. Talent will not beat his hard work.
At Naruto's Apartment
Naruto opened his squeaky door and walked in after taking off his shoes.
"I'm home…" He announced his arrival, but as usual, silence.
He walked into his kitchen and saw the books sitting where he left them.
'I don't want to…'
'But I should.'
'It'll be there tomorrow.'
'But then I would have to get up early to finish all my work.'
Naruto paced back and forth in a dilemma before decisively leaving towards the bedroom.
And then coming back a few seconds later sitting down at the table and picking up the book he had started the other night. A familiar screen appeared.
Chapter 1: Clan Wars Era
Read Chapter [1/1]
Complete Vocabulary Questions [11/11]
Complete Reader's Understanding [3/3]
[Knowledge Quest]
The History of Konohagakure: Chapter 1 [Complete]
Completion Reward:
+1 INT
History Quest Unlocked
A quest was completed and another was unlocked right before his eyes. Naruto never even knew he could gain quests from books.
'Could all the books be like this?' Naruto grew a grin as he has now found a way to farm INT.
The only one left would be WIS. He still had to figure out how to grow the stat outside of quests or stat points.
Now about that History Quest.
History Quest: Battle of the Clans
The Warring States Period was a time of war and chaos where the now noble clans were mere mercenaries. The best fighters grow during times of war. Putting someone forged by war against someone who was nurtured by peace would be like a man against a child.
Naruto Uzumaki will be sent into a simulated battle between two of the biggest mercenary families of this time.
Senju and Uchiha
Objective:
Survive 3 minutes
Side Objectives:
Kill 5 Genin Class Enemies
Kill 2 Chunin Class Enemies
Kill 1 Jonin Class Enemy
Hidden Objectives Found:
2
Completion Reward:
Senju Equipment
Uchiha Equipment
2500 Exp
5000 Ryo
Side Completion:
500 Exp per Genin
1000 Exp per Chunin
2500 Exp per Jonin
Hidden Completion Rewards:
?
Quest Ability Level Required: Genin
Quest has no Time Limit and is Repeatable.
User: Naruto Uzumaki will be reset back to starting point upon Death.