H4rd 2 F4c3 R34l1ty Chapter 23: Interlude 4 - Looking Forward to Meeting, an Anime X-overs + Naruto Crossover fanfic

"Hah, just a snot-nosed brat like you?" The man in front of me sneered. "What, did the Leaf not have enough Jonin on their payroll? Did they-"

"You irritate me." I frowned, then reached out with my hand.

The man's expression morphed into horror when his body began to walk towards me of its own accord. "What… what is thi-"

I slashed my Zanpakuto through his neck and released his body from my control. The head fell to the ground, but then rose into the air when I manipulated the blood still within. A flick of my fingers opened up my inventory and withdrew the purchased sealing scroll. Setting the head down carefully on its open surface, I flared my chakra and it went straight in in a soft plume of smoke.

I sighed and ruffled my hair. This… didn't help at all. I took another sig from the bottle of Jack in my hand, then turned on my heel and apparated.

When I burst into reality(?) again, I was in front of the Hokage Tower.

I ignored the stares and whispers and made my way in, paying no heed to the rest of the people. I walked right into the Bounty Collection Office, and slammed my bottle down on the kiosk. "I wish to turn in all the Leaf Bounties."

The man behind the desk with a generic name I couldn't even bother to register looked up at me from a book and snorted. "Ha! Go home, drunken brat, and stop making up-"

With a scoff, I threw the scroll with the heads towards him. "Look inside." I said simply. The world was blurring and turning a bit, an effect I can only objectively note because of my gaming powers, I'm sure. But then again, whenever I drink, I'm usually too out of it to bother about what being drunk feels like, or get too smashed to remember it the next day.

The man looked at me skeptically, but opened the scroll and channeled chakra without checking the matrixes. Idiot.

With a considerable larger plume of smoke, a mountain of human heads, still dripping fresh blood (and possibly turning the scroll worthless) appeared on his desk. There were just too many, and some rolled off of the flat surface with wet squelches.

The man turned green. "Who-"

"These are all of them." I interrupted him, not interested in his drivel. "I opted to turn them in here simply because it's more convenient. I can always take them to a private Bounty Station if you refuse to compensate me." I shrugged, and took a huge gulp of the whiskey in my hand. "Now, are you going to pay me or do I have to take this to the Hokage?"

The man frantically nodded and pulled out a huge pile of paperwork onto an adjacent desk. He paused, looked at me and shuddered, then reached into a safe to count out and hand me my rightfully earned moolah. "There. That should be all…"

"Thank you." I quipped back, then turned to walk the hell out of there.

PING!

[Quest Complete!

Side Quest: Cleaning House

In the Bingo Book is a comprehensive list of people of interest and missing-ninja – ninjas who abandoned their home either with or without traitorous intentions. Eliminate all of the latter and bring their heads to the bounty collection office in the Hokage Tower.

Completed Objectives

Eliminate all the missing-ninja of the Hidden Leaf.

Eliminate Academy Student Missing-ninja (19/19).

Eliminate Genin Missing-ninja (4/4).

Eliminate Chunin Missing-ninja (7/7).

Eliminate Jonin Missing-ninja (2/2).

Completer Bonus Objectives

Eliminate all the ninjas via death.

Eliminate all the ninjas within one year.

Eliminate all the ninjas within one week.

Eliminate all the ninjas within one day.

Eliminate all the ninjas within one hour.

Rewards

159000000Ryo, +New Title, +10000Ryo, +20000Ryo, +50000Ryo, +Mask of the Reaper x1.]

I didn't bother with the quest screen. In fact, the ones from earlier even were still on there. The only time I used the interface was to accept the bounty hunting quest after moping around for a few hours, thinking it would help me re-center myself. I don't know what's up with [Gamer's Mind], but it's ether not working as it should, or I'm just too goddamn pathetic for it to handle my shit for me.

"Gundan-kun?"

I sighed, then turned around to focus on who spoke. Shaak Ti and Kakashi, of course, had paused where they were currently walking out of the doorway to the staircase that led to the Hokage's Office. "Yo." I waved at them. "What are you guys doing?"

"We were just debriefed on the mission." Kakashi spoke, eyeing me warily. "Why are you covered in blood?"

I looked down at myself in surprise. When did… ah, wait, I think it was that female academy student who tried to suicide-bomb me with explosive tags…? I halted her fall towards me, but she exploded anyway, splattering me with gore.

The actual damage to my person had been negligible. "Ah. Well, I guess I need to get changed."

"That's alcohol in your hand, isn't it?" Shaak TI asked, looking at me with concern. "Legion, it's not going to help-"

"Let me just stop you right there." I interjected. I vanished the bottle with a look – as long as I was still drinking, she probably wouldn't leave me alone, being the matronly woman that she is. Plus, I have so many bottles of alcohol in my inventory, it ain't even funny – vanishing a bottle won't hurt my stores at all. "I'm fine, I just need to clear my head a bit. I'm not depressed, or suicidal or… whatever." I shrugged. Then I thought of something. "How are the kids? My shadow clone with them disintegrated during the battle.

"I stopped by on the way here. Thankfully, they were still sleeping. It's quite early in the morning, you know." Kakashi idly replied, then a tone of irritation entered his voice. "That Kaiza… he refused to leave their side, however. I had to request the Hokage to not detain him until you returned."

That… was surprising. Huh. I guess the immortal really was a man of his word.

"The Hokage wanted to speak to you." Kakashi continued.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the Bounty Clerk rush up to the leader's office. "Ah, well, can't say no to him." I waved a hand over myself and the blood vanished, leaving my Onmitsukido set pristine once more. Another repaired it from the rigors of battle. "Let's go."

I walked up the stairs and into the Hokage's Office without waiting for a reply. I activated my [Snooping] skill a few steps from the door, just in case.

"- he's clearly too powerful to be a Jonin, forget being a Genin. I recommend we promote him regardless of whether he wants it or not. Maybe that will give him some goodwill towards the village." That voice… was that Nara Shikaku?

Behind me, Kakashi, who also had beyond-human levels of hearing and knew that I did too, groaned.

I opened the door without much aggression, in spite of anger being one emotion I was feeling at that moment. "Believe me, Shikaku-sama, if I wanted to destroy this village, no one could stop me."

The man turned to smile lazily at me. "As I thought."

"Ah, Gundan-kun." Hiruzen spoke, looking up from a paper (likely the list of my bounties) with a surprised look on his face, but it was clearly fake. "When you took down Hinotama, did you-"

"Find the scroll he stole from the Academy?" I completed his query for him, then pulled out said scroll from the folds of my short-robe and tossed it to Jiraiya, who stood next to him with a pensive expression on his face. Since I wanted to stay here, it wouldn't do to antagonize the Hokage. "Here. It looks like he read a lot from it. He used a couple of the jutsu in our 'battle'. Or… at least he tried to."

"I see." Hiruzen smiled. "I take it you have no intention of accepting a promotion, still?"

"Nah. I'm gonna move on with my friends, or not at all." I smirked. My eyes traced the confirmation window of my quests. "I… took a lot of time to think. I can't say what Athena made me see has not awoken feelings I'd best keep hidden, but…"

"But?" Orochimaru, who stood with Tsunade on Hiruzen's other side, asked with a narrowed gaze.

"But I won't let it hold me back." I confirmed. If I did have feelings of any sort for Jake even after what he put me through, I'm an idiot. A massive idiot. There are people around the world with worse experiences than what I've been through, and I'm sur they got over it. I spent my entire past life running away from myself, and where did it get me – hanging from a rope on my own fan. Nah, this time around I've got people who actually care about me around me, so I'm going to let them in and help me for a change. "I'm going to fight tooth and nail to be the best, because it's my job to protect the people of this village from the shadows."

Hiruzen's small smile was replaced by a big and true one. "That is good to hear." He cleared his throat. "I have spoken with the rest, and we have a basic idea on what happened. What you have done… it is no small feat, defeating an enemy that even my fastest ninja could barely keep track of."

Maito Gai offered me a thumbs up and a beaming smile from where he was.

"I'd like to recompense you with the higher-end pay of an S-rank mission, and grant the Uzumaki Clan permission to purchase property and start a business in Konoha." He spoke, then sighed tiredly. "Even though it will be a lot of paperwork, you deserve it."

"I don't need the money, remember?" I shrugged, pointedly looking at the bounty list in his hand. "Instead, I'd like to ask that Kaiza be allowed to join the Uzumaki Clan."

"Do you trust him?" Hiruzen asked me, eyeing me critically. "At most, you know him for barely a day. How can you be sure he has no ill intentions?"

I tapped my head. "I have a million alternate realities in my head, Hokage-sama. Surely you trust me to be a good enough judge of character?"

We had a staring contest, then, the both of us. I was aware of everyone else's uncomfortable countenance as they either fidgeted, or shifted from foot to foot.

"Yes. I do." Hiruzen finally spoke, reaching into a drawer. "Here. Fill this out."

"Are you not going to ask to meet him?" I asked, confused, as inputted the information required.

"Something tells me I will, soon enough." The man cryptically answered, smiling and sharing a secretive smile with everyone present.

I groaned. "Whatever is going to happen today evening, there better be lots of alcohol."

"Ninja or not, you're still six." Tsunade frowned. "Come to think of it, who even sold you that bottle?"

"That's for me to know, and you to never find out." I shrugged, straightening and handing over the paper. "Here."

Hiruzen picked up the cup of tea at his side and took a sip, eyes scanning over the paper. "This looks to be in order. Very well, Uzumaki Kaiza is now part of the Uzumaki Clan of the Hidden Leaf." He nodded. "You're free to go. I'll be summoning you in a few days to really get a handle on the situation. Until then, Team 3 is granted a one-week paid holiday."

"We don't do anything besides train." I pointed out. "Very little of which is actually overseen by Orochimaru-sensei."

Jiraiya laughed sheepishly when Hiruzen, Orochimaru, and even Tsunade turned a glare on him. "Aha…ha… whoever is keeping Orochimaru and Tsunade from work is a real slag… ha…"

I sweat-dropped. "Um… ok. Well, if Tsunade-sama hasn't trained her team for a while either, then I guess I have a lot to do."

"You're going to train your teammates and Team 2?" Tsunade asked, surprised.

I shrugged. "I have a lot of knowledge and skills to share. Why not? I'm not working today, though. I've gotta save some energy for whatever's happening. I may not need to sleep, but mental exhaustion is a thing."

"You… don't need to sleep?" Hiruzen blinked.

"Nah. But if I do so at least for an hour, any injuries I have get healed. After that, it's just a good way to waste time." I shrugged. "Oh, speaking of which, I'll be visiting Konoha General one of these days to help out with the patients. I'm sure Kakashi has already told you about my health and energy restoration capabilities. I'll be employing them to ease a bit of the pressure."

I waved behind myself as I walked out of the stunned room, Shaak Ti in tow, towards home.

"Happy early/late Birthday!"

My eyes were wide as I took in the amount of people who occupied the medium-sized training ground of the Senju Compound. I don't think I knew all of them…

"Thank you so much." I said in response, and bowed. A loud cheer rang from the gathered crowd.

"Gundan-nii!" a nasally whining voice caught my attention, and I looked (not very) down to see Naruto trying to grab me. "Say thanks! Is bad manners!"

"No, Naruto, you should say 'it is'." Tenten corrected.

"Should not!"

"Should so!"

"Should not!"

"Okay, you two, calm down." I ruffled their hair. It's hard to believe they're speaking so well even with how young they were… my [Educating] skill was overpowered as fuck. Come to think of it, is there any skill of mine that's not overpowered? "There, Neji, Sasuke, and Hinata seem to be waiting for you two, why don't you go and play?"

"Okay!" Naruto grinned, and pulled a beaming Tenten (who was already waving to Neji) along with him.

Ah, the joys of being young and oblivious.

"Like it, Gundan-kun?" Mai asked, voice unusually soft. I tore my gaze away from the group of now-playing toddlers (which somehow had Choji, Shikamaru, Ino, and Kiba added into the mix) to focus on my group of friends. "I'm sorry, I know you probably wanted something small… but we had to invite our sensei, and then Hideki wanted to invite his family, too, and then Tsunade-sama invited Jiraiya-sama and Hokage-sama, and then I thought I'd invite my family… and then our families thought it best to invite our clan heads…"

"So troublesome." Biko sighed. "What she's trying to say is that everyone wanted to meet the person who single-handedly reduced Konoha's home bounties to an all-time zero in an hour."

"People who recognized you at the Bounty Office this morning were quite vocally praising you, Gundan-san." Itachi quietly nodded. "My father was intrigued, and insisted he meet you."

Huh. Interesting. Fugaku wanted to meet me? Please let him not be thinking of a coup, oh god-

"That explains the clan heads…" Ryosuke allowed, "but who're the creeps over there?"

The party had already dissolved into groups at this point. Naruto, and what looked like most of the Rookie 11, were running around playing with an extra Yamanaka besides Ino… ah, that must be Jyuuni, Mai's younger sister – she'd be in Tenten's generation. Kiko, Mikoto, Shishito, Hitomi, Hira (Hideki's mother), Yoshino, Chomai, and… someone who had to be Ino's mother were all gathered in one place, watching the younger kids with a warm sort of smile almost eerily similar to each other. The 'dads' were huddled around the refreshments table, trading barbs and jokes and laughing. Kaiza laughed loudly at something Chouza said. At his side, Katsuhiko almost mirrored the sound and jabbed Fugaku in the ribs, who smirked in response. Even Hiashi and Hizashi were present, the only way to tell the difference being that one had his forehead covered and were listening intently to something Inoichi was telling them alongside Joka, who was sagely nodding along, and Shikaku, who was pretending to be asleep while standing. Shino and his father, meanwhile, were standing in front of what looked like an army of…

I blinked. I totally forgot!

"Holy crap, there are so many of them." I muttered. "I mean, I knew that there would be some, but…"

"You are aware of their identities?" Kitsuna asked, arching an eyebrow. "Does this have something to do with…?"

"I think they were ROOT agents." I nodded. "They were needed to be emotionless weapons, and so they were sapped of all emotion. People say it was through a certain type of training, but they don't look old enough to have finished it yet." In fact, there were only a couple of kids my age in there, one of which seemed younger than me. Most of them were older, but still not up to Fuu and Torune's canon ages. Then again, being the hands of Danzo at that point of time, they ought to have been trained from an extremely early age…

Wait… Torune was right there! And… I think the kids my age were Sai… yep, definitely him and his brother.

"I'll be back." I muttered and made my way over.

Before I could reach my destination, however, I was waylaid by none other than… "Hokage-sama!" I almost said at once, and hastily bowed.

"Ah, no need for such a formality. While I'm here, I'm simply Sarutobi Hiruzen." The man sheepishly waved me off.

I straightened, and offered him a smile. "Thanks for making it. You deserve a day off."

"Considering the only thing on agenda today was a council meeting, and most of the Shinobi Clan heads are here, well…" he chuckled. "But we all get our blessings. How do you feel now?"

"Simply forgetting an emotion just does not happen, even for me." Well, technically… "Old wounds… you know? But I have a lot more to focus on here and now." With a nonchalant wave of my hand, the air around us grew a bit distorted. "Since we're here, there's something that needs to be said."

Hiruzen's eyes perused the air around us with an intrigued expression. "Just now, that was magic, yes? I'm assuming it's a spell to… give us privacy?"

"Astute as always, Hokage-sama." I smiled, then frowned. "I'm leaving the village tonight to travel to the Mist. There's a high probability of a movement there in the near future that will result in the loss of hundreds of lives, that will result in further bloodshed via a rebellion. I want to stop it."

He looked at me for a long moment, likely mentally sifting through intelligence reports on the area. "How are you going to stop it?"

I opened my mouth and… paused.

How was I going to stop it?

I'm assuming I can't just keep a clone there for life with instructions to break Yagura out of Obito's genjutsu again and again, that's just nasty. Besides, Obito could simply do away with Yagura, have Zetsu impersonate him, and run the movement from there, which will be a hassle to deal with. I don't know sealing to create an anti-illusion tag or something, and I can't deal with Obito right now because somewhere, a part of me is filled with despair and I can't reasonably ask someone to put aside their own while I'm under its influence myself. And I really want to bring him back to the Leaf…

What was the reason Obito did it again? Ah, revenge for Rin. Since the world was going to fall into the Mugen Tsukuyomi anyway, in his plans, the ones left alive from the ordeal would eventually be happy. But for now, his rage was simmering hot, and he wanted Mist to pay.

The only solution to that…

"By dissolving Mist." I said bluntly, causing Hiruzen to arch an eyebrow.

"… and then Yoshino was all 'How dare you try to antagonize our future baby-sitter?' You know, after she phrased it like that, I'm most inclined to simply left events roll by as they are." Shikaku finished, making Chouza laugh again. "It's troublesome."

"The brat is good with kids? Is there anything he's not good at?" Kaiza huffed, annoyed.

"Well… they say he's not good at anything he hasn't tried even once. You can catch him off-guard, but then he'll master it and turn the situation back around on you." Kakashi shrugged.

"He's six!" Kaiza protested.

"You get used to knowing he's better than you no matter what, after a time." Orochimaru hissed in pleasure. Gundan was, after all, his student.

"He's being called 'the Little Professor', can you believe it?" Chouza smiled. "He's all the rage n ton lately – people who frequent our restaurant talk about him all the time."

"Don't tell anyone this, but Tsunade really wanted him on her squad because of his control." Jiraiya added, sipping his saucer. "I think he'd make an even better medic than her."

"But… as a medic, his bloodline would go to waste." Inoichi pointed out. "Bending four elements out of five as easily as one would their own body… it's something nations would happily go to war over."

"He can use all five." Kakashi added, nose deep in his book. "He calls Lightning a subset of Fire, since they're both forms of energy."

"That… is ludicrous." Fugaku snorted. "Fire is heat energy, and Lightning is… something else entirely."

"Well, if it weren't true, he wouldn't be able to use it so well, would he?" Kakashi eye-smiled, jerking his chin towards where the subject of their conversation was putting on an elemental show for the ex-ROOT operatives.

"If he's going for a reaction from them, he's going to be disappointed." Inoichi sighed. "Kami, but the past few days were a nightmare. Danzo really had a disturbing training regimen for his forces. Effective, but messed up."

"Ah, wait. That one just gasped." Katsuhiko pointed out. "And Shibi's son seems to be enthralled. Considering that he's an Aburame, that just as difficult."

"Why isn't he playing with the other kids?" Hizashi wondered, looking to where the clan heirs and other children were all playing tag.

"He's a bit of an odd case. Doesn't like socializing much, even by Aburame standards." Katsuhiko explained. "Much like the Uchiha Clan, if I'm being honest."

Fugaku gained a tic mark on his head simultaneously with a blush. "You…"

"Just like the Uchiha Clan, huh?" Shikaku wondered, eyeing the odd sight of the normally composed Uchiha Fugaku running after Katsuhiko with his sandal. He looked towards the softly-smiling Shibi, and made a decision.

Meanwhile, across the ground entirely, the women were bonding of their own accord.

"… can't imagine what it must be like." Mikoto softly murmured. "My sympathies."

"If I deemed it best forgotten, then perhaps it is the way it should be." Shaak Ti, known as Uzumaki Tisha, allowed. "I have, however, found family here in the Leaf, so I am… content."

"Oh, Naruto-kun." Hitomi nodded. "Of course. To be honest, there were many of us who wished to take the poor dear in, but…"

"His 'situation' forced Sarutobi-sama to prohibit anyone from doing so." Hira added sadly. "I wished to raise him since he reminds me of my teammate, but I was not allowed."

"Ah, those geezers of yours would've had a heart-attack!" Inazuka Tsume barked in laughter.

"It was the same situation with you, Tsume-chan…" Yoshino sweat-dropped.

Chomai nudged her. "Well, at least he's happy now. Gundan-kun juggled taking care of him and the Academy for a year, you know. He still managed to pass the four-year course in one, while doing jobs on the side to earn for additional things the orphanage wouldn't grant them."

"That boy is too good for his own benefit." Shishito sighed.

Yoshino raised her nose up at her. "That true… especially since the first time you met him, you drenched him in Explosive Sap."

Said Yamanaka woman was about to retort when an incredibly heavy weight settled on the group. Everyone turned collectively to stare at Tisha, who seemed emotionless; hoever, the killing-intent permeating the air spoke otherwise.

"I'm sure it was an honest mistake… was it not?" she smiled a seriously not-friendly smile.

"Of course, Tisha-san…" Shishito replied, hiding her fear. The chakra levels she could sense from Tish were ungodly… truly, the Uzumaki Can was to be feared.

"Holy hell, woman! You're just my type!" Inazuka Tsume interrupted the moment, slinging her hand over Tisha's shoulders and pulling her in close. "How about we ditch this joint and pick up some sake for a private night of our own?"

"Ex… excuse me?" Tisha stuttered out, and… was she blushing? "This… this is highly inappropriate…"

Every other woman besides the two sweat-dropped.

"Nii-chan! Nii-chan!"

I looked towards where Tenten was running towards me, followed by the usual gaggle of her friends, and let the elemental show continue while my back was turned. Maybe the ex-ROOT would let an expression slip if I wasn't looking?

She ran to me holding something black, then stopped before me and sniffled, holding it up to me. "Nii-chan… I didn't mean to… it was an accident…"

"It was my fault, too…" Ino sobbed.

In Tenten's hands was a small black… noodle(?) that was twitching. I scanned it.

[? – Level 1

(Beginner Crawler)

Race - ?

HP - 5/20

CP - 50/50

Constitution - 2

Strength - 1

Agility - 3

Intelligence - 5

Luck - 1

Wisdom - 1

"We were running… we did not see…" Neji bowed his head.

"You can save him, right, nii-chan?" Naruto asked me.

I smiled at them. "Of course, I can. Just wait a second."

My hand twirled outwards and drew back in. A thick band of water broke away from the dance and hovered close to me. A gesture had it reform into a blob and settle around the snake. Then it began to glow.

"P… pretty…" Hinata murmured.

The wounds of the little snake almost vanished in front of my eyes immediately. Makes sense, since it had far less HP than I could heal per second. I kept it up for a fw moments longer, then released my hold on the water. I splashed onto the ground.

The little black snake blinked its eyes open and its little tongue slipped out to scent the air. Wait… snakes don't have eyelids… gods that's freaky.

"Who has saved me?" it hissed. I blinked in surprise. How did- Oh wait. Parseltongue is a language. And I have a setting that allows me to instinctively know all languages… neat- HOLD UP.

Does this mean I can speak to all animals? I mean, here people speak to ninja-dogs right? And their partners always understand them. I'm sure that in some fictional world, there will always be a language that animals speak, or a human who can understand their languages.

Does this mean I essentially have the All-Speak? Awesome!

"I did." I spoke, looking at the little snake.

It turned its head towards me at once. "You… you speak the noble tongue!"

"I suppose so." I smiled. "I would like to apologize on behalf of my little ones. It was a mistake that they wounded you."

He, because the voce had male undertones (and explaining how I knew that was… freaky), turned to look at the gaggle of children who were looking between me and the small snake in my hands in obvious surprise. "These hatchlings… they hurt me involuntarily…?"

"Yes." I nodded. "I have healed you, however. I daresay you are now in a better condition than when they found you."

"You… have impressive foresight." The snake hissed, turning back towards me. I absently noted someone tall come to stand behind me but paid it no mind. "I have lost the way to my nest and cannot seem to find the way back." He looked at me critically. "You, speaker… you seem to be a mortal capable of understanding the magnificence of snakes. I will be your familiar."

"Um… what?"

The snake eyed me up and down; he looked adorable doing that. "You seem to be intelligent enough. I don't know why you pretend you cannot hear me."

"I can hear you." I pointed out. "I just don't understand you. My siblings and their friends harmed you, so I healed you. If you want I can try to send you back home, but-"

"You of course, are not going to turn down the opportunity to take me as your familiar." The snake drew back and hissed, trying to appear threatening. "I, Boop, accept your request to be your familiar."

Aww! So adorable! I pulled him up to my face and rubbed my cheek against his head. "Your name is Boop? That's so cute!"

"Stop this molestation at once, human! I am a dignified snake!" It hissed, trying to pull away.

"And anyway, you can't intimidate me into making you my-"

PING!

[You have chosen a familiar!

Souls tied! You may now instinctively know where the other is, how he is feeling, and whether or not he is safe!

Boop – Level 1

(Familiar of the Gamer)

Race - Black Python

HP - 20/20

CP - 50/50

Constitution - 2

Strength - 1

Agility - 3

Intelligence - 5

Luck - 1

Wisdom - 1

I stared at the latest screen in shock. IN WHAT WAY DID I ACCEPT THIS?!

"I can feel the bond settling. It has been done." Boop hissed smugly. "Now, human, I demand to be kept away from the little-ones."

"My name is Gundan." I managed to bite out. "And these 'little ones' are the future of my village. I will never, ever stray far from them as long as they need my protection."

Boop hissed. "But… but I hate hatchlings!"

"Tough. You forced this on me, so now you bear with it." I replied, radiating smugness of my own. "And besides, I'm six years old. Aren't I a hatchling as well?"

"You smell of blood and hard battle." Boop noted. His tail came up to jab in the children's direction. "They smell of strange human foods! Except the cat one. He reeks of foul energies. At least the one behind you smells lke home."

The one… behind me…?

I whirled around, charging up a Cero…

Only to see a stunned Orochimaru.

"Oh." I let the technique dissipate into black light. "Hello sensei."

"Gundan-kun." The man spoke, eyes locked on my mouth. "I know you have a penchant for the impossible, and I have long since made my peace with it. It helps when your comrade was also shown-up by his student… but that's not saying much, considering who he is."

"Hey!" Jiraiya protested from… right next to him. Huh. Why was everyone gathered around me again?

"But… did you just… speak… with that snake?" Orochimaru asked, eyes alight.

Wait… he's the Snake Summoner. But he can't speak to snakes… I can.

"If it helps, I think I can speak to all animals." I offered in sympathy.

When Tsunade face-palmed from his other side, Boop hissed. "You, human, have a lot to learn about social interaction.

It turns out, I get to be appraised by the snake who holds the contract on the next team training day due to sheer pride on my teacher's part. I tried spending an entire hour teaching Orochimaru Parseltongue, but since I was essentially using a translation software that change my language depending on who I was talking to, it didn't work at all, even with my [Educating] skill. I guess it would have worked if I had Parseltongue as a skill in my repertoire, but since I didn't…

Once everyone left, I made a clone to tuck the children in for the night and oversee Shak Ti's training in the Mirror Dimension. It's high time she learned about her powers and affinities; with the latest upgrade to the skill, she won't even age in there. Best milk it for all we can, hm? I formulated a solid plan before I created the clone, and told it to be back only before morning…

Then I rubbed my hands together. Time to be devious.

"Something tells me you're going to do something foolish, human." Boop hissed in my ear.

I sighed. "Not foolish, wise. I'm giving power to my allies."

He reared back in surprise. "What? Why would you do that? Why not keep the power for yourself?"

"Since I can learn these powers if I want to in some shape or form, it's not that hard to part ways with them." I shrugged. "I possess a technique that allows me to analyse, decipher, and shape virtually any spell, technique, or skill performed if there is some form of energy utilized with it."

Boop went very, very still. "Any spell? You have the means to learn any spell just by seeing it performed once?

"Yep." I popped the 'p'. I eyed the floating screens in front of me with trepidation. "It comes from a magic I know called Archive. Essentially, it allows me to use magic to compress and decompress information in my brain, thus using it as a vast processor. Because of this, creating and learning new skills is easy." I began accepting the notifications as I spoke. Hey, familiar or not, I literally just met this snake. I'm not sure what 'familiar' means, anyway; is it like a pet or something? Many fanfics and media interpret it differently, so which version was I stuck with?

"That… would mean that you are capable to taking over the world." Boop mused. "Ah, I am the familiar to the next overlord!"

"I'm not taking over the world." I firmly said, waving the last screen away and opening up the interface. The row of familiar icons now had a new one – it looked like a talon of a bird. I tapped it, and a totally newscreen opened up.

"Is this Archive?" Boop asked, gingerly gesturing with his tail.

"Ah, so you can see it?" I asked, turning my head to look at t with surprise. "Must be because you are my familiar… but then why didn't you say anything about the messages floating in front of my face all the time?"

"There is always a right time and place for questions… I simply did not find one." He said evasively, studying the screen intensely. I wonder what language it's in for him? I rolled my eyes and turned to do the same.

[Familiar Page

Boop, Level – 1

Race: Black Python

Title: Familiar of the Gamer

Next Level: 0/100 EXP

HP - 20/20

CP - 50/50

Constitution - 2

Strength - 1

Agility - 3

Intelligence - 5

Luck - 1

Wisdom - 1

A young hatchling, Boop has only just set out into the world. He doesn't know who his parents are, or where he comes from. It is a thirst for this knowledge that drives him.

+Add Perks.]

"Why does it call me 'Familiar of the Gamer'?" Boop asked, turning his head to face me fully.

I shrugged. "The person who uses 'Archive' is referred to as a Gamer. Don't ask me why – it's a quirk of the ability and I can't change it."

"Interesting." Boop hissed, turning back to look at the screen. "Why is this 'Add Perks' greyed out?

"I'm assuming it won't be available to us unless you pass a certain threshold of power – also called a level." I hypothesized. "Oh, and you cross a level by getting experience, which you obtain by completing quests, or missions."

Boop hummed. "Set this aside and draw up your own page. I wish to compare the two of us."

I frowned. I wasn't sure I was going to like the look of my page with all the experience I got from Athena…

[Character Page

Uzumaki Gundan – Level 100

Race: Nephilim

Title: Outsider's Chosen

Next Level: 75,404,999/Bank

HP - 53800

QI - 53800

RR - 53800

CON - 528

STR - 528

AGL - 877

INT - 528

LCK - 877

WIS - 528

Stat Points: 1002820

Resistances:

Physical – 99% (50% Damage Reflected)

Chakra – 6% (-50% vs Tainted)

Spiritual – -50%]

Okay, deep breaths. Deep breaths. Inhale… exhale. Remember, you decided to be okay with being overpowered. Keep that in mind.

"Human, I demand to know how you are so strong." Boop hissed. "You have far more in each of your parameters than I."

I deflated. "Just yesterday, I fought with someone of a higher race than I. She also had incredible techniques and weapons at her disposal. Since I survived the ordeal, I am far more powerful now."

"I approve." Boop bobbed his head. "We snakes are born with an instinctive urge to survive. That you did so against unsurmountable odds is respectable."

"Aw, thanks!" I smiled. "Well, it looks like I've reached the level cap for this race, so all that's left to do is prestige – that means ascending into a higher race. A pity about all that experience and stat points though… I wonder what 'bank' is…? Probably because I maxed out my level cap…"

I murmured to myself as I allotted the maximum possible stat points to each attribute. I had been right – it took ten thousand points each. Seeing the numbers filled me with almost instinctive denial, but… well, I guess I have to be okay with this for only a few minutes until I ascend.

My finger hovered over the accept button for a fe seconds, before I sighed and resignedly pressed it.

PING!

[Due to crossing the 1000-point threshold for both Intelligence and Wisdom, a skill has been updated!

Educating (Passive) Lv MAX

You are able to coach others in what you know perfectly, and with great efficiency. Due to investing a lot of time spreading knowledge, you are able to bypass the negatives effects of any physical, psychological, or social minuses, and tech them at the same level regardless.

-75% to learning time for your students.]

[Due to crossing the 2500-point threshold for both Intelligence and Wisdom, a skill has been updated!

Educating (Passive) Lv MAX

Due to investing a lot of time spreading knowledge, you are able to bypass the negatives effects of any physical, psychological, or social minuses, and are efficiently able to coach others in what you know perfectly.

-90% to learning time for your students .]

[Due to crossing the 5000-point threshold for both Intelligence and Wisdom, a skill has been created!

Eyes of Oblivion (Active) Lv MAX

Eyes granted by mysterious forces. It allows you to see echoes of energies both in living beings and non-living objects, as well as in the environment around you. Since you can see these nuances of the body and energy, it is easy for you to replicate anything you have seen performed in front of your eyes.

Special Abilities: Conditional Foresight, Critical-point Identification, Magic Focus, Telescopic X-Ray Vision. ]

[Due to crossing the 1000-point threshold for both Constitution and Strength, a skill has been updated!

Might of the Offensive Stonewall (Passive) Lv MAX

You cannot be interrupted or knocked down by enemy attacks. Enemies cannot longer resist being knocked back by your attacks if chances exist. When health bar is empty, you are reinvigorated and regain fifty percent of your health twice a day.]

[Due to crossing the 2500-point threshold for both Constitution and Strength, a skill has been updated!

Might of the Offensive Stonewall (Passive) Lv MAX

You cannot be interrupted or knocked down by enemy attacks. Enemies cannot longer resist being knocked back by your attacks if chances exist. When you are killed, you are revived and regain seventy-five percent of your health thrice a day. ]

[Due to crossing the 5000-point threshold for both Constitution and Strength, a skill has been created!

Combat Clarity (Passive) Lv MAX

As a veteran of combat and master of multiple styles, you have developed a sixth sense that allows you to predict your opponents' moves if they are using a style you know.

-99% enemy dodge chance. ]

[Due to crossing the 1000-point threshold for both Agility and Luck, multiple skills have been combined!

Path of the Rogue (Passive) Level MAX

By choosing this path, you permanently devote yourself to the shadows. You can pinpoint the person who is emitting the sensation of wanting to very-much kill you, and from where. Your mastery with words allows you an amazing chance to persuade targets, compelling them to see your view of thinking and gently tugging them onto your path. You can hone-in and focus to listen in on things happening around you.

99% chances of persuasion success (+20% chance of working for every positive REP with target).

+50% damage to the same sex.

External noise no longer disrupts your ability to listen.

Listening Range 250m.]

[Due to crossing the 2500-point threshold for both Agility and Luck, a skill has been updated!

Protagonist's Tumultuous Luck (Passive) Lv MAX

Interesting events will happen to you much more frequently as time passes on. You are also able to sense the nearest item that has extradimensional origins regardless of distance.

+200% chance for Plot Events to occur.

+500% currency from quests.

+75% chance for rare item drops .]

[Due to crossing the 5000-point threshold for both Agility and Luck, a skill has been updated!

Protagonist's Tumultuous Luck (Passive) Lv MAX

Interesting events will happen to you much more frequently as time passes on. You are also able to sense the nearest item that has extradimensional origins regardless of distance.

+350% chance for Plot Events to occur.

+750% currency from quests.

+99% chance for rare item drops.]

That… actually isn't bad. There's barely a new skill in there – and it just raises percentages for the others. I waved the screen away thoughtfully. Now, I can do a lot more damage to men than I can to women… I wonder why that is…

PING!

[You have reached the limit for all of your attributes. Would you like to Prestige?]

Totally. Bye-bye, massive boatload of experience and stat points!

[Name: Legion

Race: Nephilim

Current Level: 100

Path: Rogue

Are you sure you would like to Prestige?]

Totes.

[Please select your race:

God (+ Paragon Alignment)

Titan (+ Infamous Alignment)

Undying]

Okay… definitely not Undying. I don't know why, but I'm getting a bad feeling from that option… maybe it's the system's way of punishing someone for not choosing an alignment? Ugh.

So… good or evil?

I remember loving playing as a heartless bastard in the inFamous games… but those weren't real. I couldn't interact with anything outside of my character, and, let's be honest, no one cares about a virtual life unless they're a goody-two-shoes.

But now… I'm in a whole world crafted specifically for me. Plus, I can visit other, real, worlds. Do I really want to be a heartless bastard there, too?

I knew the answer.

[Are you sure you wish to ascend as a God?]

Yep… although I feel a bit dubious about Gods being morally good.

[Please select your Godly Domain:

Heavens and Ruling

Seas and Earthquakes

Underworld and the Dead

Motherhood and Marriage

Agriculture

Blacksmithing

Wisdom

Love

War

Music, Medicine, Prophecy, Archery

Hunting

Travelers, Merchants, Thieves, Messengers

Wine

Home and Hearth]

Why am I not surprised?

Okay, let's think. The only reason I'd want to be a god of Wine is if I don't have any alcohol on me, which, given my massive stock, is pointless. I can hunt easily, I excel in combat, and have no need for agriculture. Motherhood and Marriage is right out. Hestia, Hermes, and Apollo were awesome, but nah. Having just killed Aphrodite's possessed body, I'm not exactly eager to take over her domain, too.

Wisdom could be useful. The Great Three, too. Blacksmithing will probably help my crafting…

Hmm… I… Bending takes care of being a god of heaven and the seas, and let's face it, [Wisdom] is always my third priority when it comes to stats…

That leaves only one.

[You have begun the process of Prestige! Please visit the Character Page to finalize the changes.]

My eyes began to throb. It felt like there were hot coals where they used to me just a minute ago. My entire body hurt, too, and it was almost excruciating and despite my pain supposedly being brief, it continued to hurt. I held myself back from screaming, though… I would not give in that easy.

I navigated over to my [Character Page] and skimmed it.

[Character Page

Uzumaki Gundan – Level 1

Race: God

Title: God of the Underworld

Next Level: 0/10,000.

Banked EXP: 75,404,999; Banked Status Points: 946,686.

HP - 12,000

QI - 12,000

RR - 14,000

CON - 2

STR - 2

AGL - 7

INT - 4

WIS - 4

LCK - 6

Stat Points: 3000

Resistances:

Physical – 99% (50% Damage Reflected)

Chakra – 6% (-50% vs Tainted)

Spiritual – -50%]

Okay, still what I expected. I started out with a base ten thousand for the meters now, and it increased by a thousand for every point in it. Also, my regeneration now counts per every fifteen seconds by default; considering my [Chakra Medium] skill, my energies regenerate every seven and a half seconds. Also, a starting requirement of ten thousand experience points means that it will increase by that every time. Cool.

But what was this about banked experience and points? Was it because I had maxed my level before I ascended? There was shiny blue accept icon next to it, but I was scared of touching it… I'm pretty sure that the experience required to level up has only doubled… it would mean that if I withdraw those points… I'll have enough to ascend again. Same goes for the stats…. Ugh. I already have three thousand points left over from levelling up normally, though, so I don't really need those points anyway.

So, let's sort it out. Thousand into my mains, and five hundred each into the others…

There we go.

[Character Page

Uzumaki Gundan – Level 1

Race: God

Title: God of the Underworld

Next Level: 0/10,000.

Banked EXP: 75,404,999; Banked Status Points: 946,686.

HP - 512,000

QI - 512,000

RR - 514,000

CON - 502

STR - 502

AGL - 1007

INT - 504

WIS - 504

LCK - 1006

Stat Points: 0

Resistances:

Physical – 99% (50% Damage Reflected)

Chakra – 6% (-50% vs Tainted)

Spiritual – -50%]

Excellent. That takes care of that.

"Wait, hu-…" Boop started, then abruptly paused. "Wait, godling. Does this mean you truly have ascended into a higher being? How can you take what this magic says at face value?"

I looked at him confusedly. "What do you mean? This ability can lie to me no more than I can stop breathing. It's simply impossible." … I think.

The snake gave me an odd look. "Then… you truly are the God of the Underworld, now?"

"Yes…?" I trailed. "where are you going with this?"

"Oh." He hissed in a small voice. "I was hoping I was dreaming while awake when I caught sight of the being that materialized behind us."

My eyes widened in surprise. I used chakra to stick Boop to my shoulder as I whirled around, fire spinning around my hand…

And came face to face with the Shinigami.

You know that feeling when you're taking an exam, and you know you're going to fail it? Try to picture that, but also add the fact that you haven't studied to it. And you're hungover… and have not slept at all.

Multiply that thousand-fold, and maybe you'll approach what it feels like to be around this thing. I scanned him without delay.

[Shinigami – Level 100

(Reaper of Souls)

Race - God

HP - 100,000,000/100,000,000

CP - 100,000,000/100,000,000

Constitution - 99,990

Strength - 99,990

Agility - 99,990

Intelligence - 99,990

Luck - 99,990

Wisdom - 99,990

Contracted by the creator himself, Shinigami has taken the job of collecting the souls of the dead when they die and ferry them to the place they best belong – Tengoku, Jingoku, or his own stomach.]

I eyed the spectral being with… not awe, because I could easily become him if I so wished, but trepidation. Why would he show himself here?

Shinigami looked at me for the longest moment, arms stretched out to his sides as usual, face twisted into a demented grin. His eyes, however, told a different story – there was something in there that shook me to the very core.

Was that… allegiance?

As if in response to my thoughts, and perhaps truly so, the being bowed to me.

I could barely breathe. WHY was he bowing to me? My godly domain… is the underworld. Shinigami ferries souls. He's essentially the Thanatos of this world… so why would he bow to Hades?

He straightened and vanished.

"Godling… never summon him when I am present with you." Boop shakily hissed. "I can, perhaps, stand yearly visits… but no more."

"That's just mean." I huffed. "It's not like he chose that appearance… I think." I frowned. If theShinigami was subservient to me… did that mean that the souls in his stomach were essentially my playthings? Or did I not have authority over that?

Ugh, my head's spinning.

I closed my [Character Page] and opened up my [Skills] list.

[Skills

Strengthened Gamer's Mind and Body (Passive) Lv MAX

You cannot be affected by negative mental debilitations and emotions, and your body behaves as if it were in a game and reacts accordingly.

Immune to Negative Mental Status Effects.

Restore HP, energies, and remove debilitations by sleeping in a bed.

Skills advance 500% faster.

Protagonist's Tumultuous Luck (Passive) Lv MAX

Interesting events will happen to you much more frequently as time passes on. You are also able to sense the nearest item that has extradimensional origins regardless of distance.

+350% chance for Plot Events to occur.

+750% currency from quests.

+99% chance for rare item drops.

Godly Domain: Underworld (Passive) Lv MAX

As the ruler of the Underworld, you command the dead and their jailers. A soul of a god allows you to wield weapons affiliated with death and the afterlife and do so with far greater efficiency. Necromancy, and communing with the dead, comes as naturally as breathing. The dead will always help you if you call, no matter the situation.

Might of the Offensive Stonewall (Passive) Lv MAX

Energy Medium (Passive) Lv MAX

Only a bare minimum of energy is required to initialize a skill. Due to unshakable control, you now regenerate all energy at a much higher rate.

-50% delay in regeneration of energies.

-99% chakra cost for chakra-imbued skills.

Exercises Discovered – Leaf Balancing (0.1 CP/min), Tree Climbing (0.2 CP/min), Water Walking (0.3 CP/min), Chakra String (0.4 CP/min/string), Cloth Stiffening (0.5 CP/min/m2), Senbon Balancing (0.6 CP/min/needle, Flight (0.7CP/min).

Solar Radiation Enrichment (Passive) Lv 1 (0.00%)

Your body's cells drink in the radiation of a yellow sun, granting you preternatural capabilities in strength, speed, and various other ways.

+1% to all stats.

Path of the Rogue (Passive) Level MAX

99% chances of persuasion success (+20% chance of working for every positive REP with target).

External noise no longer disrupts your ability to listen.

Listening Range 250m

Bio-mechanics (Passive) Lv MAX

You know all there is to know about merging technology and the human body via mastering the two fields individually and then bringing them together.

+99% chances of success to create augmentations.

+99% chances of success to implant humans.

Educating (Passive) Lv MAX

-90% to learning time for your students.

Eccentricity (Passive) Lv 51 (9.22%)

Sometimes, people don't understand why you are doing what you are doing.

51% chance to earn positive REP with those around you.

49% chance to make those around you think you are crazy.

Combat Mogul (Passive) Lv MAX

As a veteran of combat and master of multiple styles, you have developed a sixth sense that allows you to predict your opponents' moves if they are using a style you know.

-99% enemy dodge chance.

+50% critical chance.

Master Brawler (Passive) Lv MAX

You are a master of hand-to-hand combat, able to hemorrhage opponents with a combination of skill, technique, and tactics.

+95% chance to cause damage to internal organs.

Styles learned: Konoha Academy Style, Arrancar Hakuda, Uzushio Chi-blocking.

Master Swordsman (Passive) Lv MAX

A true master of the way of the sword, your self-taught style in conjunction with several others makes you a fearsome opponent.

+100% damage with bladed weapons.

Styles learned: Iaido, Konoha Swallow, Uzushio Sheath-shield, Fire-Country Slash, Twin-Sword Dance.

Master Marksman (Passive) Lv MAX

You are a master at hitting your target, whatever the type of projectile you use.

Accuracy: 100%

Accuracy penalty: -2% for every 500m after 500m.

Highest speed: 10 projectiles/sec.

Master Illusionist (Passive) Lv MAX

Weaving illusions as a master, none can escape you, Sometimes, casting illusions doesn't even incur a cost.

+99% chance to inflict double damage.

+50% chance to cast an illusion at no cost.

Advanced Telepathy (Active) Lv 75 (3.62%)

Your scrying skills now allow you to see into the mind of the person you are observing and manipulate it. By connecting with others on an emotional level, you are able to understand what they feel and why.

1 sec in target's mind is 0.005 sec in real life.

4 CP per second while looking into someone's mind

Eyes of Oblivion (Active) Lv MAX

Special Abilities: Conditional Foresight, Critical-point Identification, Magic Focus, Telescopic X-Ray Vision.

Avatar (Active) Lv MAX

As the vessel for Raava, a spirit dedicated to maintaining balance, you are gifted with unimaginable control over the basic elements as well as their derivatives. In times of great need, you may enter a focused state that allows you finer, yet greater, control than you could ever manage out of.

10Qi/sec in Avatar State.

Water-healing limit: 250HP/sec.

Earth-sense radius: 100km.

Fire-transfer limit: 250Units/sec.

+99% Evasion Chance.

Exemplar Speed Force Connection (Active) Lv MAX (100%)

The Speed Force has sunk a fragment of itself in you. Your now have a far better connection with it than most speedsters in the multiverse.

Increase speed by 10000 times when active.

Subterfuge (Active) Lv MAX

A master of the unseen, you are able to stay hidden even in the most unorthodox of circumstances. Unless the target has a massive advantage, you cannot be found.

-99% chance to be detected.

+50% chance of landing a Critical Strike.

Mark of the Outsider (Active) Lv 99 (5.61%)

Granted to those who pique his interest regardless of moral alignment or sanity, the Mark allows you to bend the rules of reality. The Mark allows you to access the capability to cast spells, where otherwise you would need a focus of some sort. With your constant use, it has attuned itself to your energy system thoroughly.

-50% RR costs for spells cast through the Mark.

Branches of Magic: Animation, Combat, Conjuration, Transfiguration, Utility.

Special Ability: Arcane Bond.

Magic Specialty: Mirror Dimension Access (Active) Lv MAX

Through select knowledge, you can open a doorway into the Mirror Dimension – an alternate layer of reality that naturally coexists with the base. Once the doorway has been created, it is impossible to exit without utilizing an interdimensional relocation skill.

+100% effectiveness to magic skills while in the Mirror Dimension

Time Dilation: 1:100

Magic Specialty: Titan (Active) Lv MAX

You use magic to enlarge yourself. Along with your physical size, your physical and mental attributes and magical capabilities gain a boost.

+10% for every 0.1m on all physical stats.

+1% effectiveness for every 0.1m for all spells.

-50% damage received.

Cost: 1 RR/m.

Magic Specialty: Archive (Active) Lv MAX

Using your brain as a pseudo-mainframe and magic to affect the world around you, you transform yourself into a literal super-computer that can compute information and transfer it at a rapid rate. You can also interface with other entities using this skill to lend them its benefits.

Features Unlocked: Calculator, Connect, Emulation, Library, Map, Office, Skill Download/Upload, Synchronize, Telecommunication.

Time Dilation: 75%

Magic Specialty: Oblivion Summoning (Active) Lv MAX

As a summoner of the denizens of the realm of Oblivion, you are capable of summoning them and theirs to aid you in various situations. Through mastery of this art, you have no limits to the amount of things you can bring forth, and share any beneficial affects applicable to you with your summons.

Creatures Roster: Tiger, Flaming Tiger, Flame Thrall, Frost Thrall, Storm Thrall, Dead Thrall, Daedric Lord, Daedric Spell-weaver, Daedric Chef, Daedric Masseur.

Weapons Roster: Spiked Gloves, Dagger, Sword, Axe, Mace, Greatsword, Waraxe, Warhammer, Bow.

Armor Roster: Vestments of the Mage, Leathers of the Rogue, Plate of the Warrior.

Hollow Method: Zero (Active) Lv MAX

Compress your spiritual energy into a ball with great pressure, then 'rip' its shell to expel the energy in a cascade of great power that completely bypasses armor and resistances due to its spiritual nature. Having a great mastery over it, you now can use multiple variants.

Simple Cero: 500 HP Damage; Cost: 100RR

Gran Rey Cero: 1000 HP Damage; Cost: 500RR

Cero Oscuras: 2500 HP Damage; Cost 1000RR

Hollow Method: Pulse (Active) Lv MAX

A sensing technique used only by the most proficient spiritual energy users. As a master in its use, by pulsing out your own spiritual energy and calling it back in, you can pinpoint beacons of energy around you via spiritual resonance over vast distances and gauge their strength.

Max sphere radius: 10km.

Cost: 1% of RR.

Hollow Method: Steel Skin (Active) Lv MAX

Your mastery of Reiatsu allows you to condense it around your skin, forming a barrier between an incoming attack and you. It cannot be broken, only powered through. Because of this barrier, you take less damage.

-75% damage.

HP + 5000.

Ninja Art: Chakra Enrichment (Active) Lv MAX

By nudging your chakra through an object, you grant a bonus to its properties. For weapons, it adds extra damage and an effect based on chakra type. For armor, it adds extra protection and an effect based on chakra type.

Neutral Chakra: Weapons: + (INT+STR) Damage; Armor: + (WIS+CON) Durability.

Ninja Art: Chakra Manifestation (Active) Lv 1 (0.00%)

By expelling potent chakra and manipulating it outside your body, you are able to effectively create objects of pure chakra.

Cost: 100CP/sec.

Ninja Art: Leaping Locomotion (Active) Lv MAX

Using chakra directed to the lower-leg muscles, one can increase the distance covered by a single bound. Your proficiency allows you to cross distances others can only dream of.

Speed: 1km/sec.

Cost: 0.1 CP/sec.

Ninja Art: Chakra Scalpels (Active ) Lv MAX

The user forms a sharp blade out of their chakra that covers both the hands from fingertips to wrist at best. It allows them to cut into a living body without breaking the skin, decreasing chances of infection. You can sever nerves, muscles, and even chakra pathways, and choose to solidify your scalpels to inflict damage onto flesh.

Damage: (INT + DEX)

Cost: 0.1CP/min.

Ninja Art: Thrall of the Shadows (Active) Lv MAX

You surrender to the shadows. This allows you to port directly from one shadow to another. While covered with shadows, you are invisible to everyone. You also gain a higher chance to score a critical hit in any situation as long as this technique is active.

-100% to enemy vision cones.

+50% critical chance.

Cost: 0.1CP/sec.

Ninja Art: Illusory Embodiment (Active) Lv MAX

By ejecting chakra from your body and manipulating it, you are capable of creating a basic illusion of yourself. The image produced is intangible and intelligent but vanishes after ten solid objects pass through it. These are capable of casting illusions on others, and reflect the same amount of mastery you possess.

Cost: 1CP/clone.

Maximum Duration: 4000 sec.

Ninja Art: Instant Exchange (Active) Lv MAX

You can instantly substitute with any object at any time. The size of the object poses no difficulty to you and performing this technique continuously does not tire you.

Range: 500m.

Cost: 5CP.

Ninja Art: Organic Shapeshifting (Active) Lv MAX

By utilizing memory as a medium and chakra as a catalyst, you can effectively change shape into any living creature you have observed in the past. This technique cannot be dissipated unless you consent.

Cost: 0.1 CP/sec.

Ninja Art: Shadow-clone (Active) Lv MAX

You bring a non-elemental tangible clone into existence by this skill, splitting your energies evenly into each of them, including yourself. It can act independently from the user. Any knowledge the clones gain is transferred back to the user.

Maximum Creation Range: 1km

Ninja Art: DNA Manipulation (Active) Lv 1 (0.00%)

Using dense chakra folded down on a chromosome, you are able to alter it in any way you see fit. You can currently make one change to an organism safely.

1% chance of success.

Cost: 10000CP/sec.

Saiyan Move: Kamehameha (Active) Lv MAX

After condensing your chi into a ball, you poke a hole in its shell to launch a concentrated beam of pure energy forwards. By concentrating more energy, you are able to empower this technique beyond what its limits should be. Strong emotions take it to the next level.

Damage: 5000HP

Cost: 150QI.]

That's a lot. I've accumulated a positive wealth of skills, right here. Against Athena…

It wasn't enough.

I need more skills, more techniques, and more power in case something like that ever happens again. The [Bank] is a good start – I've got an emergency ascension in case anything goes wrong. But I also need good abilities to properly utilize those skills.

I closed the screen and opened up my inventory. The Megaflare and Copy Magic skill books were sitting there innocently. I learned them immediately.

[You have learned a new skill!

Magic Specialty: Megaflare (Active) Lv 1 (0.0%)

Gather yourself to unleash a massive blast of non-elemental magic.

Damage: 5000HP

Cost: 95% of RR.]

[ERROR! Redundant skill detected. Updating parent skill.

Eyes of Oblivion (Active) Lv MAX

Special Abilities: Conditional Foresight, Copy Magic, Copy Skill, Critical-point Identification, Magic Focus, Telescopic X-Ray Vision.]

So it notifies me in case of redundancy? Not bad. Anyway, so counting my [Megaflare], I have… [DNA Manipulation], [Chakra Manifestation], [Mark of the Outsider], [Advanced Telepathy], [Eccentricity], and [Solar Radiation Enrichment] to level up. Then… I think I'll take a little trip. I have eyes that can copy stuff, like a Pseudo-Sharingan. I totally need to make use of it. And with the [Time-Space Gate], it will be like I never left.

But first… Perks.

[Perks

Armiger – Blessed by the Magic Crystal of Insomnia, you have been granted an ancient power.

Cost: 300PP

Conduit Gene 3 – Unlock a Conduit Gene.

Cost: 300PP

Fullbring Final – Unlock a Fullbring.

Cost: 300PP

Mutant Gene 3 – Unlock a Mutant Gene.

Cost: 300PP]

Alright. I have a whopping 111618 points to spend, so let's just say Konoha is going to get a major power boost.

"You should rest here, Boop." I said quietly, setting the snake down on my bed. "I'm going to be off for a while, but I'll come back soon enough."

I felt the snake's resigned countenance through our familiar-master link. "You're set on sharing your power with your nestmates, yes? Fine, Godling, but bring me back ten mice as appeasement."

I nodded absently and made my way out.

First off, I gave Tenten the [Armiger]. There, she's essentially Noctis, now. Then, I spelled myself undetectable and made my way into Konoha.

I visited Ryosuke first. Poor kid looks like he literally just fell asleep. Nonetheless, I cast a sleeping spell on him just to be sure, and quietly used his hand to select [Conduit Gene 3].

[Please select one if the following:

Smoke

Neon

Video

Concrete

Paper.]

Then, it was a simple matter. Video was one of the most OP powers in the inFamous universe, so that's what he got. When I set his hand down, I spent a good, long, minute cackling, thinking how I wasn't going to be the only overpowered brat around anymore. Then I remembered where I was, and left quietly.

Sneaking into the Nara Clan Compound was quite easy. For some reason, however, when I passed by the open field that was included in the property, the deer caught my presence and tried to follow me in. Poor random Nara Clan member… he was so harried trying to convince the deer not to enter the actual house area… I swear I was laughing so hard even my spells would break.

But I digress.

I visited Biko first, and gave her [Mutant Gene 3].

[Please select one of the following:

Phase-shifting

Mutant-gene Replicator

Super-speed

Cryokinesis

Energy Absorption and Expulsion

Portal Creation

Solar Radiation manipulation

Energy Expulsion via Hands]

Okay, powers from Days of Future Past. I can work with this. Biko is a Nara, a clan that works with strategy and intelligence, although she's a cut above the rest. Any mutation that would reward a straight-forward approach was right out. That left precious little, but I had my eye on one that could help her prosper magnificently…

[You have given Nara Biko the Portal Creation Mutant Gene.]

Let her deal with the specifics… I'm not really going to get involved unless she asks me. Naras like a good puzzle, and I'm sure she'll enjoy working this one out when it manifests.

Since I was in the compound, I gave Shikamaru the [Fullbring Final] before leaving. There was no bell tolling or any random object appearing, though, which means the system has chosen something for him using an object he already has or will have in the near future.

I walked out of the compound and stopped a few feet away before I opened up my perk menu again.

[Perks

Etro's Salvation – Become a the bearer of the Heart and Eyes of Etro, tethering her to this realm.

Cost: 400PP.

Magic Potential – Introduce in yourself the capability to use magic.

Cost: 400PP.

Eighty Gods Vacuum Palm – Learn the secret of utilizing chakra to impact objects from afar.

Cost: 400PP.

Card Captor – Receive the Book of Clow and Cerberus' uncontested loyalty, becoming the next Card Captor.

Cost: 400PP.

Conduit Gene Final – Unlock a Conduit Gene.

Cost: 400PP.

Bloodline Final – Unlock a Bloodline.

Cost: 400PP.

Mutant Gene 4 – Unlock a Mutant Gene.

Cost: 400PP.

Magic Specialty 4 – Unlock a Magic Specialty.

Cost: 400PP.]

Good. I can work with this. 110418 points left. Before anything, though, I quickly Chose [Bloodline Final] for myself.

[Are you sure you wish to purchase Fire + Water + Earth + Lightning + Wind + Yin + Yang = Truth Seeking Chakra?]

HELL. YES!

PING!

[You have obtained Truth Seeking Chakra!]

And… no other notifications. Hm… It seems I have to access it on my own once before the skill is made… I wonder how do I go about doing that…

Anyway, time for [Magic Specialty 4]!

[Please select one of the following:

Arc of Time

Arc of Embodiment

Great Tree Arc

Maguilty Sense

Subordination Magic

Ushi no Koku Mairi]

Daaaaaamn. What the fuck do I choose from this?

Well, the voodoo doll one and the controlling one is out – useless. Same goes for Maguilty Sense. The only real choice is between the three Arcs.

…

OH GOD THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING.

Okay fine. I'm just going to close my eyes, tap, and whatever one of those I get, I'll go with.

So I did just that… then carefully peaked my eyes open.

[You have chosen: Arc of Embodiment. Are you sure?]

Certainly.

[Due to purchasing a perk, a skill has been created!

Magic Specialty: Arc of Embodiment (Active) Lv 1 (0.00%)

Using magic to conjure, you are able to materialize anything, as long as it does not live.

Cost: Variable.

Limit: 1m3.]

Okay… that's all I'm going to keep for myself. Time to move again.

I quickly made my way into the Yamanaka Compound, and into Inoichi's house. The place was filled to the brim with flowers, likely poisonous ones, so I didn't linger long. I just gave Ino the [Card Captor] perk and left. A pity – if it had shown up earlier, I'd surely have given it to Sakura. Hehe, cuz, you know…

Anyway, I hightailed it out of there and made my way to the Aburame Clan compound. Annoyingly, even the insects here were buzzing around me like no man's business. I just ignored them and made my way to the Clan Head's house, quickly locating it and thus, Shino. For him, I chose the [Mutant Gene 4]; it offered me a selection of powers from Age of Apocalypse. I chose Jean's [Psionic Capability]. If the Phoenix Force does try to control him, it's going to have another thing coming to it.

As I was making my way out of the house, though, I happened upon the room in which Torune was resting. That's right, since he was close to the Head's family, he was living with them while he acclimatized himself with the outside world again. God, that kid is… what, three? Half my age, and already mentally far older, and forced already to bond with those tiny insects that look purple…

Danzo, I swear, if you were alive, I'd keep giving you doses of Crucio.

I sighed and walked over to him, pondering my list with pursed lips. What would fit for him…? I don't know what energy being a Conduit uses…

Ugh…

I took his hand gently, and tapped the screen, following the choice to the end. I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me later, given how Yeul reacts to her visions…

I apparated out of there after giving him [Etro's Salvation].

I made a quick trip back home to give Boop [Magic Potential], then stood and thought about who to give the last Conduit gene to. I wonder what elements is it even going to have…?

After a few minutes of contemplation, I decided on Sasuke. A main character can never be too overpowered, after all. And I did give Naruto the Mutant, Conduit, and Bloodline genes for the Ice-release…

Giving Sasuke the same won't hurt… right?

Before I could change my decision, I quickly apparated right into his room (perks of being a family friend, I suppose), and took his hand. I gave him Kaguya's Vacuum Palm perk, and then selected the other option.

[Please select one of the following:

Glass

Gravity

Magnetism

Plant

Steam

Steel

Tar

Wire]

Woah. That's… wow. Quite the selection. I remember Glass and Wire being concept ideas for second Son, but the rest…

Okay, so he has a strong lightning affinity, right? So, a good conductor makes sense…

[Are you sure?]

Hella.

[You have given Uchiha Sasuke the Wire Conduit Gene!]

Great. Now, for the new options…

[Perks

Blacklight – Obtain the capability to utilize the Blacklight Virus.

Cost: 500PP.

Mutant Gene Final – Unlock a mutant gene.

Cost: 500PP.

Magic Specialty Final – Unlock a magic specialty.

Cost: 500PP.]

With 107,218 points, here we go. Let's go for the final specialty, although I an guess what it will be…

[Please select one of the following:

Dragon-slayer.

God-slayer.

Devil-slayer.]

Called it! I'm definitely going for the first.

[Please select an element:

Armor

Blade

Corpse

Earth

Fire

Ghost

Iron

Lightning

Poison

Shadow

Sticky

Sky

Water

White]

Clearly, God Serena was an arrogant asshole to rename his slayer magics like that. Ugh.

So… which element? What I'd like to choose from are Earth, Fire, Iron, Lightning, Water. The rest are either unappealing, or just plain disinteresting. Water sound promising, but if I end up in a desert and need to use my magic… I have to keep in mind that I can't eat elements I conjure on my own.

So… let's go with…

[Are you sure?]

Nope. But let's go ahead.

[Due to purchasing a perk, a new skill has been created!

Magic Specialty: Lightning Dragon-Slayer (Active) Lv 1 (0.00%)

Using magic to imitate a dragon, you use the element of lightning to startling effect. You can be nourished by consuming lightning or electricity. However, you can no longer bear being on transportation.

Damage from Lightning attacks received converted to HP, QI, and RR.

Spells learned: Roar.]

Excellent. Another spell to master.

I looked at t he last two options, and thought back to my friends… I think Hideki and Kitsuna are the only ones I haven't given anything to, so they're getting them. But… who gets what?

I apparated into the Kurama Clan compound and made my way up into Kitsuna's room with ease. Through way of random choice, Kitsuna got the final mutant gene. It gave me a selection of obscure mutations I've never heard of before, so I chose the most OP-looking one – Mutation Creation. I have no idea how that works, a mutation to create them, but hey, what could possibly go wrong?

I patted the boy's head and apparated away, Appearing at the Hyuuga Clan gates. Alright, this could be a bit tricky…

Wait… nope. It won't be. I casted a Notice-Me-Not on myself. That way, on the off-chance that the Byakugan can see through my spells, they won't dwell on me for long and will, hopefully, forget ever seeing me.

With that on me, I slipped into the Speed-Force and made my way through the compound, [Eyes of Oblivion] active to try and see which was his room… there!

I found him furiously writing something, then crumpling the paper up and tossing it away. He was mumbling something under his breath, something about 'blasted commoner making me all flustered', but even though I was not on a schedule, I'd rather have this done fast. I put him to sleep, and then gave him [Blacklight].

I looked to my perks menu, but even though there were still many concealed options, none were clear to me. I shrugged; at least it was a job well done for today. Plus, I have so many skills to level up now….

I sighed and apparated away.

Far, far away from Konoha, a strange portal opened high up in the sky. A strange being emerged, hulking, and yet with demonic-looking wings that were capable of keeping him aloft. Not much else could be seen, save for the luminous red eyes this creature possessed.

"Scanning planet." A computerized voice emanated from a box it was holding. "Scan successful. Planet deemed suitable for habitation. Message sent to Apokalips High-Command."