I found myself in a white expanse. Nothing but white, as far as the eye could see. I could feel the sensation of a 'floor' under my feet, but when I looked down it was the same unending white as any other direction.
"Um, hello?" I called out.
"Hello, my son."
I turned around and blinked. I reached up to rub my eyes just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. "Morgan Freeman?" I asked in shock.
The beloved actor, clad in an all-white suit that matched our surroundings, grinned at me. "Not quite. I just figured you'd appreciate this form more than a burning bush."
"Burning bush… don't tell me. You're God. God of my father, the God of Abraham, the God of Jacob, and the God of Isaac?" I asked in a deadpan.
"Got it in one, son," he nodded with a grin. The Creator, for whatever reason, had appeared before me. Wearing the skin of the thespian who'd portrayed him in 'Bruce Almighty' and 'Evan Almighty'.
"I'm guessing I died. Do you greet everyone when they die? Or am I a special case?" I asked.
"Yes. I wiped the memories for the sake of your own sanity. Wrong place at the wrong time, I'm afraid. And I'm here to make it up to you," God explained.
"Make it up to me how?" I wondered.
"Son, your death served no purpose in the Grand Design. It was, quite simply, a case of bad luck. And that bothers me, that you lost your life for no good reason. So, to salve my conscience, I'd like to offer you a gift," God told me.
"You mean, besides just going to Heaven?" I posed.
"Would you like to ascend? Fair warning, once you enter you may never leave. You won't be able to experience what I'm about to offer you," God asked, tilting his head.
"Hmm… let's hear this offer," I decided. For all I knew, Heaven wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
"I would like to offer you the chance to be resurrected in the world of your choosing. And, just because I really do feel bad for you, I'll include one wish, one blank check to hack reality of your choosing to affect your new life in that world," God said calmly.
I almost cackled. "You serious?" I asked excitedly.
"Oh, yes. Pick any world you want. The only rule is it can't be the one you're originally from," God elaborated.
I debated my options. One Piece? Eh, I didn't know the ending, too risky. Dragon Ball/Z/Super? Well, the power levels were really a bit too ridiculous. The MCU? Oh, who am I kidding, right? Harry Potter? Then again, I was so muddled on what was canon and what was fanon on that point I wouldn't be able to tell up from down. And what to do with my wish?
I debated for hours, it felt like, but I finally settled on the option I wanted.
I turned to God, who'd been waiting with infinite patience. "I want to be reborn in the Naruto world with the powers of The Gamer," I declared with confidence.
God nodded. "Very well. Good luck, son." Then he snapped.
And then there was a very odd sensation, like falling up, down, and sideways at the same time. There was a sharp pain at my navel, and then I was crying and the lights were so bright and sounds were too loud and oh God make it stop!
When I calmed down, I saw I was in a hospital room. A glowing blue screen took up almost my whole field of vision.
[Congratulations! You have been born! Welcome to the world, Gamer!]
I blinked, acknowledging the message in my head. The screen vanished and I got a good look at my new parents. My mother was sweat-soaked but smiling, and my dad looked scared shitless but still excited. I felt myself being moved by the doctor or nurse holding me and I was put in my mother's arms.
"Oh, darling, he's beautiful," my dad said, looking down at me like he couldn't believe what I was really there.
"He is. He really is," my mom said with a tender smile.
"Do we have a name? Or is it just Baby Boy Nara for now?" asked the doctor.
I noted the family name. Huh, I was related to Shikamaru. Didn't recognize either of my parents, probably just a distant relation through the clan.
My mom hummed in thought. "Kichirou," she decided. "He's lucky, I can tell. Little Nara Kichirou."
"Kichirou it is!" my dad declared.
Another blue screen appeared in my view. At least it was partially translucent so I could peer through it if I focused.
[You have a name! For getting an identity, you earn 1 level!]
[Level Up!]
The blue screens were replaced by a clear page labeled 'Status' at the top.
Status
Name: Nara Kichirou
Title: The Gamer
Occupation: N/A
Level: 1
EXP: 0/100
HP: 10/10
SP: 10/10
CP: N/A
Attributes:
STR: 1
DEX: 1
VIT: 1
INT: 1
WIS: 1
LUK: 1
Available Attribute points: 10
Okay, so apparently I was really starting from the bottom. I had a grand total of 1 in each attribute. I assumed I could freely assign attribute points, which I presumably got from leveling up. Whether it was 10 points every time or some multiple of my level or one of my attributes would have to be investigated later. Well, it was a bit early to specialize into a real class. I made a quick decision to spread the points out evenly according to what I prioritized as important. So saying, I focused on adding 3 points to Luck, 2 each to Intelligence and Wisdom, and then 1 to Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality.
Status
Name: Nara Kichirou
Title: The Gamer
Occupation: N/A
Level: 1
EXP: 0/100
HP: 20/20
SP: 20/20
CP: N/A
Attributes:
STR: 2
DEX: 2
VIT: 2
INT: 3
WIS: 3
LUK: 4
Available Attribute points: 0
Well, that was that done. First level up completed. Now I just had to survive, you know, infancy, and keep leveling up until I could take on Kaguya with one arm behind my back.
It would only take time, stubbornness, and a whole lot of grinding.
It would be 5 months and 10 days before I reached Level 2. For the record, I was born April 3rd, though I wasn't sure what year it was.
In that time, I had worked out through trial and error how God's version of the Gamer as adapted for the world of Naruto worked. Sadly, there was no 'Help' screen for me to look up.
HP or 'Health Points' was my Vitality times 10. Simple, really. SP were 'Stamina Points' and were used up for physical Skills. Far as I could tell, they were the average of my Strength and Dexterity times 10. CP or 'Chakra Points' were still a mystery, and would likely remain so until I unlocked my chakra later.
I had a 'Character' screen, which described my 'Perks' and 'Curses', special qualities about myself that helped or hindered my development. I had one in each.
[Perk: Nara Intellect
You are of the Nara Clan, the family of lazy genius. Gain +2 INT and +1 WIS with each level.]
Why that didn't apply to my first level up, I didn't know. And my curse just mocked me, I was sure. It laughed at me behind my back and everything.
[Curse: God's Pity
God felt sorry for you and granted you a wish and reincarnation. To balance this out, -100 LUK.]
Which meant when I finally scraped together enough EXP from playing with toys and babbling coherently and rolling over from my back to my belly, I saw this:
[Level Up!]
Status
Name: Nara Kichirou
Title: The Gamer
Occupation: N/A
Level: 2
EXP: 0/200
HP: 20/20
SP: 20/20
CP: N/A
Attributes:
STR: 2
DEX: 2
VIT: 2
INT: 5
WIS: 4
LUK: -96
Available Attribute points: 10
Okay, due to my Curse, Luck was officially my dump stat. It would take me dedicating a full 10 levels just to it only to dig myself out of the hole. I'd simply have to make my peace with being incredibly unlucky. I'd be the male version of Tsunade if I ever chose to gamble.
Now, I'd had nothing but time to think about how I was going to allocate my attribute points going forward. I'd yet to confirm this, but I was sure I could level up my attributes with regular training, such as exercise or playing strategy games or reading nonfiction and such. I'd had time to debate the pros and cons of the various 'classes' I could pursue. Intelligence and Wisdom would practically take care of themselves thanks to my Perk of Nara's Intellect, so I didn't have to invest too heavily in them. Strength and Dexterity could be handled with physical conditioning once I was older and mobile. But Vitality… I mean, how exactly do you train your body to be healthier and more resistant to damage, right? Making my decision, I allocated my stats.
Status
Name: Nara Kichirou
Title: The Gamer
Occupation: N/A
Level: 2
EXP: 0/200
HP: 100/100
SP: 20/20
CP: N/A
Attributes:
STR: 2
DEX: 2
VIT: 10
INT: 5
WIS: 5
LUK: -95
Available Attribute points: 0
There. 1 point to keep Intelligence and Wisdom even, 1 point to make my negative Luck stat a nice round multiple of 5, and the rest into my precious Vitality attribute.
My leveling done, I went back to grinding Observe. I had a grand total of 4 Skills so far:
[Gamer's Mind (Passive) Level: MAX
You think calmly and rationally. Life is but a game, and you are the Gamer. Immune to trauma, mental damage, or mental illness.]
[Gamer's Body (Passive) Level: MAX
You can go through life as if it were an RPG. Your body can be healed by eating food, sleep, or the use of restorative items. You need never eat or sleep but you can if you want.]
[Observe (Active) Level: 3
Look at something and learn things about its nature. Scales with level.]
And then there was the last one, which I had created quite by accident.
[Tantrum (Active) Level: 1
Draw the attention of those nearby so they can fix the problem bothering you. Costs 1 SP per 5 seconds.]
That's how I know how Stamina Points worked. The regen rate, as far as I could tell, was 1 SP/min. I sure hoped I could scale that up with a Perk or training in the future, otherwise I was screwed.
And, to round out my Gamer powers, I had an Inventory. I had only experimented with it when it was night and everyone was asleep. I had a hammerspace, though it had a limited capacity like in Deus Ex. I was sure the weight capacity or number of slots was based on my Strength stat.
My leveling done, I returned to playing with my mom, Haruhi. My dad, Tanaka, was a career Genin, nothing exceptional but he brought home a steady paycheck and he and my mom were crazy in love.
If I'd known how brief a time I'd have with them, I might have savored our shared moments more. But I took it for granted that I'd have them my whole life, like I'd been lucky enough to have my parents in my first life.
I'd forgotten, or chosen to ignore, how harsh this new world was.
The night of October 10th, I was trying to sit up unassisted when I heard the roar. It was a wall of sound, sweeping through the whole house and making me shake like I was in an earthquake.
And then I felt it.
Killing Intent. I had intellectualized it when watching the show and reading fanfictions of Naruto, but I hadn't really known because there was no such thing in the world I came from.
But now I knew. I knew because Kurama was let loose from Kushina and Obito had hypnotized him and funneled all his rage at humans and being imprisoned on the helpless villagers of Konoha. I could feel his desire to hurt me. Oh, it wasn't individualized, I knew Kurama had no idea I even existed. But he exuded a general bloodlust for every human in the village, and I felt it like gravity on my mind, weighing me down and making it hard to think, to even breathe.
And then he must have flicked his tail or stomped his foot or shot a Bijuudama, because the whole house collapsed on top of me.
[Danger! Your HP is below 10%!]
I tried to breathe through the pain of being crushed by the wood of the roof on top of me. I tried to close my eyes, fall to sleep and be restored immediately to full health.
[Warning! You cannot fall asleep mid-battle.]
And apparently just being in the same square mile of an unleashed Kurama counted as battle to the Game. Fucking hell.
I knew I had only one hope. Tantrum. But I could only maintain it for a little over a minute and a half. I had to endure until I heard search and rescue nearby.
I sat there under the crushing weight of the ruins of my house and crib. As I sat there, still struggling to maintain my sanity through the crushing pressure of Kurama's Killing Intent, two blue screens popped up.
[New Skill Created!]
[Physical Resistance (Passive) Level: 1
Decreases damage from physical attacks by 1%. Scales with level.]
[KI Resistance (Passive) Level: 1
Increases ability to function through enemy's Killing Intent by 1%. Scales with level.]
Well, at least I got something out of this clusterfuck. I wasn't sure exactly how I'd grind these two Skills, short of masochistically torturing myself for the former and provoking enemy ninja for the latter. Still, if I got them to Level 100 or whatever their Max was, I'd become a tank for physical damage and completely immune to even a Bijuu's Killing Intent.
After about 2 hours, the noise stopped. Guess Minato had finally succeeded in sealing Kurama's Yang half into baby Naruto and the Yin half into himself. And really, was there any reason for that other than Minato having Bijuu Mode come the Fourth Shinobi War? I mean, really, Kishimoto. But then again, I was the one who'd picked this world out of all the options out there. What can I say?
If I didn't have Gamer's Body, I'd probably have bled out or asphyxiated or something by now. But I didn't, so I stayed alive if at under 10 HP while listening for anyone to come looking through this particular destroyed neighborhood.
"Spread out! Look for survivors!" I heard at the edge of my hearing.
I took a deep breath and mentally activated Tantrum.
"WAAHHH!"
"Did you hear that?!" I heard as I took a breath. I keep up the wailing until my Stamina ran out. I laid there, hoping they had a Sensor or a Inuzuka or something in this search party.
The wooden beams covering me were moved, and I could see the sky. Even through the clouds of inky smoke, the stars shined brightly.
"Wow, this little baby survived the whole house falling on him!" one of the shinobi gaped.
"Did his parents make it?" a kunoichi asked.
"Found their corpses in what used to be the master bedroom. Autopsy will take weeks to get to them, the morgue is so backed up. I'd wager blunt force trauma from the house collapsing or maybe a heart attack when the damn Kyuubi was throwing around its KI," said a gruff, older shinobi.
I closed my eyes. Huh. So I was an orphan. Didn't matter that I was mentally an adult and had memories of my parents from my first life to tide me over. Losing Tanaka and Haruhi hurt. They'd been so happy to have me in their lives.
"This guy have a name?" asked the first shinobi.
The kunoichi looked at the blanket wrapped around me. "Kichirou… oh, I remember. I have a friend in the Nara clan. She said her cousin just had a baby boy named Kichirou back in April."
"Looks like a 6 month old. That plus the blanket is all the confirmation I need. We'll take him to what's left of the Nara Clan Compound, they can sort him out there," the older shinobi said with authority.
As I was carried to my remaining family, I said a quiet prayer for the souls of Tanaka and Haruhi. I hoped they'd enjoy Heaven or the Pure World or whatever. And I felt a surge of determination. I had a new goal in life:
If Naruto didn't get to him and Talk no Jutsu him first, I was going to wring Obito's neck with my bare hands for killing my parents.
I looked up at the Ninja Academy. I hadn't even thought of living a civilian life. If I wanted to ensure my own survival if nothing else come the Fourth Shinobi War and Kaguya's resurrection, I needed to get as high leveled as I could. Which meant getting strong enough to fight a mad goddess. I wouldn't get that strength as a librarian or cook or merchant. I was going to be a Shinobi, and I already had my nindo: Ever Better. I would forever be grinding, forever striving for self-improvement. I would not rest at the end of each day unless I had leveled up at least one Skill or gained one Attribute point. I would never stagnate, never settle. I would chase the sun, forever out of reach but driving me onwards.
A hand on my shoulder broke me out of my reflection. "You alright, Kichirou?" Shikamaru asked.
I'd been lucky enough to be taken in by Shikaku and Yoshino and raised alongside Shikamaru. We were second cousins once removed and close as brothers. I technically was old enough that I could have enrolled in the Academy last year. I volunteered to wait until I could be in the same class as Shikamaru. Plus the rest of the Konoha 9, of course. Assuming I didn't grind to the point I got the chance to graduate early, that is.
"Just thinking. Nothing to worry about, Shikamaru," I assured my cousin.
"Hmm, if you're sure," Shikamaru shrugged. "Man, school. This'll be so troublesome."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm rather looking forward to it."
"You would," Shikamaru grumbled.
I was a bit of an inside joke in the Nara Clan. I had been exercising and reading literally since I was able. More insensitive members of the Clan joked the house had hit my head during the Kyuubi Attack and knocked the famous Nara laziness out of me. My grinding mindset gave me a very positive work ethic. I took time to relax, of course, but even then I tried to be productive. I read nonfiction for fun, when I read fiction I analyzed it to stretch my brain, I played Shogi and Go with anyone who'd agree, and I was being taught the biwa by Yoshino. Some of the other Nara kids avoided me because they found my can-do attitude freaky. Shikamaru, though he got tired just looking at me he claimed, still supported me.
As we followed the clear signs to the classroom for first years, I checked my 'Status'.
Status
Name: Nara Kichirou
Title: The Gamer
Occupation: N/A
Level: 6
EXP: 150/600
HP: 3500/3500
SP: 130/130
CP: N/A
Attributes:
STR: 14
DEX: 12
VIT: 35
INT: 20
WIS: 16
LUK: -95
Available Attribute points: 0
I'd had an epiphany and realized if I hadn't dumped so many points from my first level up into Vitality, I would have died during Kurama's attack. So I happily poured at least 5 points into it with each level. And I would randomly get points into it based on physical milestones like taking my first steps or reaching a certain height. Luck had not seen a single point from me, and I had no idea how I could grind points for it so I was stuck on that front.
As we took our seats, I used Observe on as many of my fellow students as I could. I noted that we were all in the single digits for levels, with only the Clan kids cracking Level 5 in most cases. Seeing Sasuke with the face of a cherub and actually smiling caused enough cognitive dissonance I almost passed out. Oh, right, he was actually a little jelly bean before Itachi mind raped him and he got the whole avenger complex.
I noticed that Naruto wasn't in the class, even when the bell rang. What was with that? The Chunin sensei stood at the front of the room and I used Observe on her.
[Skill has Leveled Up!
Observe (Active) Level: 10
Look at something and learn things about it. Scales with level.]
Name: Kazuri Maeda
Title: First Year Sensei
Occupation: Konohagakure Chunin
Level: ?
EXP: ?/?
HP: ?/?
SP: ?/?
CP: ?/?
Attributes:
STR: ?
DEX: ?
VIT: ?
INT: ?
WIS: ?
LUK: ?
Damn. If even a mere Chunin, and an academic-focused one at that, was enshrouded in question marks, that told me how far the big leagues truly were. For all I knew, Kaguya had a quadruple-digit level. I wondered, was it a question of how much higher their level was than mine or the level of Observe? A mixture of both? Was there a third factor?
"Hello, class. I am Kazuri Maeda, but you can call me Maeda-sensei! Welcome to the Ninja Academy! From this day forward, you are Academy Students, seeds that will grow and sprout into mighty trees of Konoha!"
[New Occupation Acquired!]
[Occupation: Academy Student (Konoha)
Increases all gains of Attributes and Skills by 10% while attending class at Ninja Academy (Konoha).]
I immediately equipped that occupation mentally. Any multiplier for gains was a good multiplier in my book.
"Now, we're going to go around the room and each of you will stand up, say your name, the reason you want to be a ninja, and one fun fact about yourself!" Maeda-sensei said brightly. She clearly loved working with children.
We were working through the rows of the class, each student giving their brief introduction. When I was 3 away from going, the door slammed open.
"I'm so sorry I'm late! I overslept!" said a certain tan, blue-eyed blond with whisker marks on his cheek.
Hello, Protagonist-kun.
"Detention, boy, for disrupting my class," Maeda said, her face suddenly as cold as the dead of winter. I knew right away that she was a Kyuubi hater. "Now sit at the back where you won't bother anyone," she said dismissively.
Naruto's face crumpled, but he obeyed.
I grit my teeth. When it was my turn, I stood up. "Hello. My name is Nara Kichirou. I want to become the best shinobi in history, even better than the Sage of Six Paths. And one fun fact about me is I think Maeda-sensei is a bitch."
"WHAT?!" Maeda gasped while the class broke out in whispers and dropped jaws.
"You're giving that blond boy detention just for being 5 minutes late on the first day? For all you know, he's a Kyuubi orphan. He probably lives alone and doesn't have parents or siblings to wake him up on time. So if he's going to serve detention for no reason, I figured I'd join him and keep him company. Which is why I called you a bitch, Maeda-sensei," I said calmly.
"D-Detention! Detention every day for a week! I'll be writing home to your parents, young man!" Maeda sputtered.
"My parents are dead. I'm a Kyuubi orphan too. You know what happens when you assume, Maeda-sensei? You make an ass out of you and me. An ass and a bitch, that's quite the combination. Wonder what would happen if a male donkey and a female dog actually got together. The baby would probably be as ugly as you. Seriously, who wears that much makeup for a day of teaching?" I was on a roll, digging my grave and not regretting it.
"Detention for a month and I'll be reporting you to the Academy Administrator! You'll be lucky not to be kicked out, you… you vile boy!" Maeda screeched.
I shrugged and sat down. The other kids looked at me like I was either God or the Devil.
[New Perk Acquired!]
[Perk: True Friendship
All Attributes and Skills are increased by 25% when fighting alongside or in defense of a friend.]
I had a good idea what caused that. I looked over my shoulder to see Naruto staring at me with wide eyes and dropped jaw. I flashed him a grin and winked. He beamed like the sun right back at me.
We got through the rest of the introductions, ending with Naruto. "Hiya! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, I want to be Hokage, and I love ramen!" he said quickly before we sat down.
Maeda-sensei led us through a basic lecture on the schedule we'd be following for First Year. We'd have 5 periods a day, 3 before lunch and 2 after, each roughly 75 minutes long. Saturday would be a half day with only 3 periods. Sundays were free. We'd alternate between A days and B days where we covered different subjects in each period. Then she went into the rules of the Academy, mentioning no foul language with a pointed glare at me. We did more icebreakers just to help us socialize, and then we were released with the lunch bell.
"Dude, what were you thinking, mouthing off to the sensei on the first day?" Shikamaru demanded as we walked to the cafeteria.
"Lose the battle, win the war," I shrugged. I looked over my shoulder and spied Naruto following me at a discreet distance. I turned to address him. "Hello, Naruto. I'm Kichirou. Sorry you got in trouble for something silly like being late."
"Did… did you say all those things just because you thought she was being unfair to me?" Naruto asked hesitantly, as if afraid of the answer.
"Well, yeah. Even adults can be bullies, and I thought she was bullying you, being mean for no good reason. I couldn't exactly beat her up since she's a Chunin and I'm just a kid, but I figured I'd throw myself in the fire with you and keep you company," I grinned.
Naruto got a grin that could light up half the country. "Say, want to be friends?!" he asked hopefully.
"We'll shake on it," I agreed, holding out my hand. Naruto took it and we shook. "That does it. We're friends for life," I declared.
"I've never had a friend before," Naruto said, actually tearing up.
"If you don't count my relatives, you're my first friend too, Naruto," I grinned. "Want to have lunch with me, my cousin, and his friend Chouji?"
"Really?!" Naruto asked, like he couldn't believe his luck.
"Sure thing!" I assured him.
Naruto bounced next to me as we continued to the lunch line, Shikamaru looking between us with confused eyes. We got our free cold lunch. Hot options were available for money but since I didn't technically NEED food with Gamer's Body this would work just fine. In fact, I took the sandwich and bottle of water and stored them in my backpack, really stashing them in my Inventory.
"You're not going to eat?" Naruto asked, tilting his head as he talked with his mouth full.
"I'm not hungry right now, I'll save it for later," I told him. I used Observe on him.
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Title: Kyuubi Jinchuuriki (Yang)
Occupation: Academy Student (Konoha)
Level: 3
EXP: 280/300
HP: 500/500
SP: 85/85
CP: N/A
Attributes:
STR: 10
DEX: 7
VIT: 50
INT: 3
WIS: 5
LUK: ?
As I expected for the most part, sky high Vitality and some obscenely high Luck stat to account for his plot armor, everything else pitiful. And only Level 3? He had a long way to go until he was Hokage material.
"So, Naruto, why were you late this morning?" Chouji asked, sitting next to Shikamaru and easily accepting that I'd invited a new friend to sit with us.
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "It's like Kichirou guessed. I'm a Kyuubi orphan, I live alone, and my alarm clock is old and doesn't work half the time. I overslept. I skipped breakfast and ran all the way here from my apartment and I was still late!" Well, that explained why he was eating his sandwich so voraciously.
"So get a new alarm clock," Shikamaru said like it was obvious.
"With what money?" Naruto asked, saying it with a joking tone but making no secret that he was strapped for cash.
"Shikamaru, most Kyuubi orphans are stuck in the orphanage living off the orphanage's budget. They get a stipend and free lodging if they enroll in the Academy, but Naruto is basically taking care of himself at the tender age of 6. And with how many orphans are getting payments from the stipend fund, I'm guessing he barely has enough to feed himself," I reasoned.
Naruto blushed. "It's not so bad. I can get lots of cup ramen! They have so many different flavors! And if I skip a meal the next day, I can afford to go to this awesome ramen stand run by these really nice people, the Ichiraku family!"
Chouji and Shikamaru were looking at Naruto in horror. "You're so poor you have to skip meals?" Chouji gaped. Raised as a Clan Heir, son of the Clan Head who got a steady salary on top of his Jonin missions and his restaurateur mother, Chouji had never wanted for anything. He didn't exactly grow up with a silver spoon, but his family was very financially comfortable. The idea of the lower-class conditions Naruto considered normal blew his tiny mind.
"Well, what can you do?" Naruto shrugged. "I'm used to it," he said. "Don't worry about it."
Shikamaru looked at Naruto before making a choice. "If you ever want to have dinner at our place, you have a standing invitation. Just stop by our house and we'll feed you."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "You serious?"
"Yeah. You'll get lunch here and dinner with us. You'll only have to worry about breakfast," Shikamaru decided.
"Why… just, why?" Naruto asked, truly at a loss.
"You're friends with my cousin. My cousin is like my brother. If Kichirou likes you, I like you. That's that," Shikamaru declared.
"Hell, consider yourself an honorary Nara!" I chuckled, patting Naruto on the back. "Though you'll want to keep the Uzumaki name, I imagine. That's a rather famous clan, after all."
"What? They are?" Naruto asked in shock.
"Oh, yeah. Know how the Uchiha and Senju Clans basically founded Konoha? The Uzumaki Clan, cousins of the Senju, founded Uzushio in the Land of Whirlpools. Sadly, the village was wiped out by a coalition during the Second Shinobi War and the Uzumaki Clan survivors were scattered all over the world. Your mom or dad must have been an Uzumaki who settled here in Konoha. They wouldn't have just given a random orphan a famous Clan's name like that. Funny, I heard the Uzumaki were known for their bright red hair. Your other parent must have been blond," I mused. I hadn't said anything that couldn't be explained away by my self-study, but that was as far as I could go. But then again… "I'm sure we could go looking through the Academy archives for anyone named Uzumaki and find out who your mom or dad was."
Naruto was choking up again. "Kichirou… thank you. I never knew that about my parents. I thought they were nobodies or something. You're saying I'm part of a whole Clan? I have a legacy?"
"Definitely," I nodded. "Say, the Uzumaki were renowned for their skills in Fuinjutsu. Maybe you could study that in your free time if they don't offer it here at the Academy."
"You're the best, Kichirou!" Naruto said, pulling me into a sudden, crushing hug.
I chuckled and patted his back. "Us orphans gotta look out for each other," I said into his hair.
We chatted for the rest of lunch and then went back to class. Maeda-sensei gave us a basic math class and history lecture, and then we were done for the day. Naruto and I stayed behind afterwards for our detention.
"100 lines, both of you. For you, Uzumaki, 'I will not be late.' For you, Nara, 'I will not insult my sensei.' You will work in silence or I'll add 10 lines for every word you speak. Begin!" she barked at us.
I was writing my lines, idly hoping this counted towards my Writing Skill.
[Writing (Active) Level: 5
Increases speed and neatness of all written words by 5%]
What do you know, it did.
I was in the mid-30s for my lines when Shikaku and goddamn Sarutobi Hiruzen himself walked into the room. Maeda leapt to her feet from where she'd been sitting behind her desk watching us work. "H-Hokage-sama! Shikaku-sama! How may I help you?!"
Hiruzen pierced Maeda with a look that pinned her in place like a needle holding a butterfly. "Maeda-chan, why are these boys serving detention?"
"The Ky– Uzumaki was late to class and was disruptive when he arrived. Nara was extremely rude and used very foul language while addressing me," Maeda said, barely covering her near Freudian slip.
"Really? Because the way my son and Chouza's boy put it, you unfairly punished Uzumaki-san for something that deserved no more than a slap on the wrist, and Kichirou here merely called you out on your unfairness, albeit rather colorfully which I will discuss with him myself," Shikaku spoke up, sending me a look of mixed pride and exasperation.
"Maeda-chan, I do hope you're not letting the power you have over these innocent children go to your head. Being tardy by less than 10 minutes doesn't even merit being written up, let alone a full detention. And while I don't approve of Kichirou's use of profanity, a month of detention and threat of expulsion are disproportionate to the crime. Perhaps it was too early to promote you to Chunin," Hiruzen said in that tone like a disappointed grandfather.
"M-m-my apologies! I'll do better, Hokage-sama!" Maeda panicked at the implied threat of demotion.
"So, you will reserve detention only for those offenses deemed worthy of it in the teacher's handbook? And you will treat every student fairly REGARDLESS of his or her background?" Hiruzen pressed.
"You have my word, Hokage-sama!" Maeda swore.
"Splendid. You've written enough for today, boys. Follow me," Hiruzen said before leading us out of the room.
When we reached the courtyard outside the main building, Naruto exploded. "Wow, Hokage-jiji, you were so cool! You almost had her peeing her pants, she was so scared, and you didn't even shout or yell at her! How do you do that?!"
"It's an acquired skill," Hiruzen chuckled. "So, apart from that unpleasantness, how was your first day, Naruto-kun?"
"Oh, it was amazing! I made friends with Kichirou, his cousin Shikamaru, and Shikamaru's friend Chouji. And Kichirou told me all about the Uzumaki Clan! How come you never told me I came from a famous Clan when I asked about my parents, Jiji?" Naruto said in a rush.
Hiruzen furrowed his brows. He glanced at me, and I tried to look like butter wouldn't melt in my mouth. He refocused on the Jinchuuriki and the son of his successor. "I did it for your safety, Naruto-kun. The Uzumaki Clan had many enemies, and still does to this day. I worried if you knew you were from a famous clan, you would shout it from the rooftops and draw unwanted attention to yourself."
"Oh… yeah, that sounds like me," Naruto admitted, scratching the back of his head.
I took the opportunity and tried to Observe Hiruzen.
[Observe Skill Failed. Insufficient Level.]
Hiruzen's eyes swiveled to me. "What did you just try to do, Kichirou-kun?"
I gulped and tried to ignore how I was suddenly sweating bullets. "I… I don't know what it is or how it works. I call it Observe. I look at someone and focus and I just… know things about them. You're the first person to feel me use it on them, though."
"You don't get as old as I am in this world by not staying on guard. It felt like a Sensing Jutsu, unlike anything I've seen before. Describe the things you can 'learn' about a person," Hiruzen pressed, suddenly all a military leader wanting a debriefing.
"Um… well, with inanimate objects or plants or animals, I just get some general info, like a description in a book. For other people, I get clearer results on kids closer to my age and civilians than ninja. I got barely anything off Maeda-sensei other than her name. But when it does work, I can sense a person's name, their 'title', their 'occupation' and then a series of number values that describe their stats. Almost like a role playing game or something," I described, hoping I wasn't about to be chained to a slab and dissected to try and crack my Gamer powers.
"Curious. And can you use this Observe on yourself?" Hiruzen asked.
"Yes, sir," I nodded.
"What does it tell you about yourself and Naruto-kun here?" the Third Hokage interrogated me.
I checked my 'Status' page and used Observe on Naruto again. He'd leveled up to Level 4 during the course of the day. I recited our names, occupations, levels, EXP, HP, SP, CP, and Attributes for a curiously listening Hiruzen, Shikaku and Naruto.
"How curious. I've never heard of a Jutsu quite like this, a form of clairvoyance it seems like. A new Bloodline Limit, perhaps? Shikaku, did Tanaka's wife have any shinobi background in her family? These things tend to start with a mix of old bloodlines," Hiruzen asked the Nara Clan Head.
"Civilians 3 generations back, from what I recall. Must be a random mutation," Shikaku posited.
"Kichirou-kun, you mentioned 'titles' but you didn't say what your Observe listed as the title for yourself or Naruto. Why is that?" Hiruzen asked.
Crap, I was hoping he'd miss that. "My title is just 'The Gamer'. I think it refers to my power, how I seem to perceive the world like it was an RPG. Naruto's title… well, I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to know it," I admitted.
Hiruzen tensed, eyes flashing. Naruto was clueless. "Hey, hey, what's my title? Come on, Kichirou, tell me!"
"Yes, Kichirou-kun. Tell us what your power revealed about Naruto," Hiruzen said, though it was undeniably a command.
Well, might as well kill two birds with one stone. "He has two. The first is 'Kyuubi Jinchuuriki'. The second is 'Son of Yellow Flash'. I know what a Jinchuuriki is from reading a book on the First Hokage in the Nara Clan Library. The second one… well, it's pretty self-explanatory."
Hiruzen sighed. "I suppose I have no one to blame but myself for asking," he said, sounding so very old.
"Jinchuuriki? Power of human sacrifice? The hell does that mean? And son of Yellow Flash? But the Yellow Flash was the Fourth… Hokage…" Naruto's jaw dropped.
"Let's talk in my office," Hiruzen said. He grabbed Naruto's shoulder and vanished in a Shunshin, the Body Flicker Jutsu. I felt Shikaku take my shoulder. Then I felt like I was sticking my head out a fighter jet going at supersonic speed before the world came crashing to a halt.
"That was unpleasant," I said. I was immune to nausea between Gamer's Body and Gamer's Mind, but it still wasn't exactly fun.
"Most people vomit the first time," Shikaku let me know.
The 4 of us were now in Hiruzen's office. The Sarutobi elder sat down at his desk and sighed. "Naruto-kun… I have kept secrets from you. Not out of malicious intent or to hurt you, but only to protect you. I feared the harm that would come to you if this became public knowledge. And given your rather… boisterous personality and youth, I didn't trust you to keep this information to yourself. But the cat's out of the bag now, so I need your solemn vow to NEVER tell ANYONE about what I'm about to tell you without my express permission. That goes for you too, Kichirou-kun."
"My lips are sealed, Hokage-jiji!" Naruto promised. "I won't tell a soul, I swear!"
"Secrets? What secrets?" I asked guilelessly.
Hiruzen chuckled before sighing. "You've been told that the Fourth Hokage gave his life to kill the Kyuubi during its attack 7 years ago. This was a lie. It is impossible to kill a Bijuu. They would reform in a few short years if their body was ever destroyed. The only permanent solution is to seal them away, like sealing a kunai into a storage scroll. But a Bijuu is so great and powerful that the only suitable vessel is a human being. The Fourth Hokage sealed the Kyuubi away inside a baby born less than an hour earlier… That baby was you, Naruto. And you were his own son. The Fourth Hokage died to protect the village from the Kyuubi, making you its Jinchuuriki, the living prison that contains its fury. It was his hope that you would be seen as a hero, saving the village with every breath you take and maintaining the seal locking the Kyuubi away. Sadly, that is not how most of the village views you. Some don't understand how Fuinjutsu works, some doubt the power of the Fourth's seal, some are convinced it will inevitably fail. In the minds of many, Naruto, you are the Kyuubi in human form or a ticking time bomb set to go off and unleash the Kyuubi on the village all over again. Fear led to anger which led to hate. So I made a law that none may speak of your Jinchuuriki status. It was my hope that, forced to keep it secret, the hatred would be contained to the adults and you could have an ordinary childhood among your peers."
Naruto's eyes were dull, as his whole worldview was shattered. "But it didn't work out that way, Jiji. Adults tell their kids to avoid me, they say I'm a bad kid or dangerous, and they can be so mean."
Hiruzen winced. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I tried my best, but it seems it wasn't enough."
Naruto looked down before looking up. "My father was the Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash. What was his real name? And who was my mother?"
"Namikaze Minato. And his wife was Uzumaki Kushina," Hiruzen replied immediately.
"So… I'm Uzumaki Naruto, son of Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato. And I'm the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi." Naruto stated more than he asked.
"That's right," Hiruzen nodded.
"And I'm going to take that hat off your head and become Hokage someday!" Naruto added. "This doesn't change anything, Hokage-jiji! I mean, it's nice to know where I came from and why everyone seems to hate my guts. But I'm still going to become the best ninja in the village and become Godaime!" Naruto declared. "And no one needs to know except us," Naruto added.
Hiruzen chuckled, and looked like a huge weight dropped off his shoulders. "That's a relief to hear, Naruto-kun. I'll be sure to keep the seat warm until you've earned it for yourself."
"You better, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned cockily, brimming with confidence.
I cleared my throat, reminding them that Shikaku and I were still in the room. "So, all very hush hush about Naruto's parentage and the furry tenant living rent-free inside him. If that's all, Hokage-sama, I've missed a good hour of my usual afternoon training. May I leave with Shikaku-ojisan?"
"A Nara who willingly trains? Be still my heart," Hiruzen said with a wry twist to his mouth.
"We don't know what went wrong with him," Shikaku groaned.
"I just got a dream to reach. Naruto wants to become the Hokage. I want to become the best ninja ever. Full stop. I'm not going to rest until I've surpassed the Sage of Six Paths himself, and maybe not even then! To infinity and beyond!" I said cheerfully, quoting one of my favorite movies from my first life.
Hiruzen tilted his head. "I wish you the best of luck on that perilous journey, Kichirou-kun."
Shikaku let me out of the office and we walked to the Nara Clan Compound in silence.
"How come you never told me about your Observe power?" Shikaku asked as we approached our house.
"Would you have believed me?" I asked.
"Probably not," Shikaku admitted. "It sounds so odd. A Bloodline Limit that lets you perceive yourself and others as if you were characters in a tabletop role-playing game… that's a new one."
"Not that useful, really, apart from comparing and contrasting the Attributes of different people to measure their threat level," I remarked, trying to downplay my Gamer power. He and Hiruzen only knew a small portion of it. They thought it was just Observe, they didn't know about Gamer's Body, Gamer's Mind, my other Skills, or how I could assign Attribute points every time I leveled up. And I'd already tried subtly with Shikamaru, the Game didn't have a Party system. I couldn't extend my power to others. The buck stopped with me.
We came in, and of course Yoshino-obasan scolded me for getting detention before praising me for standing up for another kid being mistreated. I went to get in my afternoon workout before going to read before dinner and then read on a completely different subject after dinner and ending the night with a Shogi game against Shikaku.
First day at the Academy recap: made friends with Naruto, almost got outed as the Gamer to the Hokage, ended up getting Naruto to learn about his parents and Kurama. All told, I mused as I slid into bed, I'd call it a success.