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"Gah! What am I going to do!?"
Naruto pulls at his hair in frustration as he paces his apartment, the words of his prospective sensei bouncing around in his head.
"Oh? You three aren't genin. Not yet," the jonin says, his one eye mirthful. "The academy test is just to weed out the hopeless cases. My test tomorrow has a 66% failure rate, and it'll decide if you become a real genin or not. Anyone who fails? They go back to be trained more, or end up stuck in the Genin Corps as a lifer. Oh, and don't eat breakfast, you'll just throw up."
Naruto and Sakura stare at the man in open horror, while Sasuke's eyes narrow.
Kakashi, the bastard, has the gall to smile at them.
That meeting was yesterday, and now early the next day, Naruto is freaking out. He took a look at the books Archie gathered for him at the library to try and distract himself, and leveled [Beginner Fuinjutsu] to 2 after cracking open the first book, but try as he might he couldn't focus on the theory within no matter how strangely alluring he found it.
"Oh man..." Naruto groans, turning and pacing another loop.
He's half-tempted to flop down in his bed and be a no-show, but it would be a crappy way to end his already short shinobi career... That, and the bed is so nicely made that Naruto slept on his couch the night prior.
The nicely cleaned, crumb and crud-free couch.
Laura-chan really is too kind... Speaking of her...
Naruto opens his Main Menu and jumps down to his friends list, finding both Archie and Laura to be marked as 'busy', leaving just Dakki as available. A glance at the party chat shows Dakki sitting in VC alone.
Part of Naruto doesn't want to bug the grouchy man so as to not catch his ire, but the other part of him absolutely 100% wants to be a genin so damn bad and he's out of ideas! With a hissing breath, Naruto screws his face up in resignation and reaches a hand up, pressing the 'join' button on the party chat.
Ding-ding!
"Hrm?" Dakki grumbles, his metallic-flanged voice echoing slightly.
"Hey, Dakki. It's Naruto..." The blonde ninja begins awkwardly. He returns to pacing his apartment, silently marveling at how clean it is. "I kinda have a problem as was hoping you could help?"
The blonde boy can almost feel the man roll his eyes. "And what problem would that be?"
"Well, it's like this..." Naruto stops in his kitchen and thinks his answer over. "I got my genin team yesterday, but my sensei said the test I did was just to weed out hopeless ones, and that the senseis actually get to pick who passes with another test that I know nothing about today. I have no idea what to do!" Naruto cries.
"Stop panicking, for one." Dakki growls. "Panic helps no one. If you're going into an unknown situation, then you need to gather as much info on the location and the people involved as you can. If you weren't an idiot, you would have done this yesterday. What do you know about your sensei?"
"I know that his name is Hatake Kakashi, and that he's a jonin..." Naruto says, crossing his arms as he looks at the plant in his kitchen windowsill. He pokes the soil of the plant with a finger, finding it moist and unneeding of water. "I scanned him too, but all I got was his name."
Dakki grunts. "Get into the habit of using [Observe]. Anything else? Have you ever talked to him before he became your sensei?"
The blonde boy shakes his head. "Nope."
"Describe him."
"He's pretty tall, with grey hair that stands up, and his headband is pulled down over his left eye," as Naruto talks, his eyes widen when a sudden memory hits him. A memory of an ANBU agent in a dog mask with the same hair he saw years ago. It was pure luck that a younger Naruto saw the ANBU outside his window, who vanished a second later after realizing he was spotted. Of all the agents who probably watched him, Inu was the only one Naruto had ever seen.
"Wait! Kakashi was in ANBU! He and Agent Inu had the same hair! He was one of the ANBU who watched me when I was little!" Naruto shouts in surprise, his blue eyes wide at the revelation.
"Quiet down! Do you want someone to think you're crazy?" The man a universe away scolds. "Now, what is ANBU? Does that stand for something? Are you sure that Inu and Kakashi are one in the same? Just having the same hairstyle proves nothing."
"It stands for..." Naruto blanks out, shifting his eyes around his apartment in hopes of his memory being jogged, but nothing comes to him. "Black ops. ANBU are black ops guys, and I'm certain it was him. My gut says so."
"Hrm. So this Hatake Kakashi is a former black ops agent if your memory is correct. Based on that alone, you were either set-up for failure, or you're not expected to actually beat whatever test he presents to you if he is to be the opposition. Considering your relationship to the Hokage, I seriously doubt this is a set-up, and it lends credence to Kakashi being Inu if you and he have a pre-existing relationship, no matter how one-sided." Dakki goes silent for a long moment, and just as Naruto thinks of asking why, the man speaks up again. "Yes, that makes sense..." He trails off. "Boy, I don't think you can fail this upcoming test."
"Huh?" Naruto asks. He scratches the back of his head as he squints in thought. "Why do you say that?"
"Think about it," Dakki demands. "You are the grandson in all but blood to the current Hokage, son of the last Hokage, Kyuubi jinchuuriki, and most importantly a Player. With such a pedigree, you are far too valuable to be failed on the whim of a single person, as doing so would be a tactical blunder that gives Raldoth Magaza full claim over you. No, Kakashi likely has some level of attachment to you and the Hokage using that to insure you are well taught and protected until you eclipse the rest of the shinobi in your village. Regardless of your actions, you will become a ninja."
Naruto blinks as he digests all the information. It makes an odd, unpleasant feeling in his gut twist around. "Huh..."
There is a sigh on the other end of the party chat. "What now?"
"I don't wanna pass like that. I don't want to fail, but I want to beat this test with my own merits, not get a free win because of who I am," Naruto frowns and crosses his arms. "That doesn't sit right with me."
"Tough. Congrats on being a ninja," Dakki says, though his tone is anything but congratulatory. He promptly mutes himself afterward.
Walking to his bedroom, the genin finally gives into the urge to fall into his bed and does so with a sigh. The clean, fresh-smelling sheets and blanket ease the nameless, displeasing feeling in his stomach only marginally. 'Is this what Konohamaru feels like all the time?'
He lays there for roughly ten minutes, trying to justify to himself that a free pass isn't so bad, or that Dakki might just be wrong, but neither train of thought helps. He glances at his alarm clock, noting the time of 7:14am. He's due at training ground 7 in fifteen minutes. He stands, and after strapping on his kunai holster and supply pouch, bounds out of his apartment and across the rooftops.
Naruto touches down at the edge of training ground 7 with just a few minutes to spare, finding both Sasuke and Sakura waiting atop a few of the training stumps.
Sakura sits with a perfect posture, her legs together and back straight as she stares longingly at the Uchiha beside her. Said Uchiha steadfastly ignores her, content to sit with his arms crossed and eyes closed.
For a moment, Naruto debates trying to talk to Sakura, but one look at how she's very purposely not turning her eyes to him is painful enough that he discards the idea. Instead, he hops up on the training stump next to her and sits, waiting for Kakashi-sensei.
Five minutes of waiting transforms into fifteen, then to thirty, and the blonde ninja feels his already limited patience wain. With a grumble under his breath, he reaches into his orange jacket, opens up a tiny, hidden Inventory window, then pulls out The Basics of Seals for Dummies. He opens the book to the page he dog-eared earlier in an effort to distract himself.
[Beginner Fuinjutsu] is now Lvl 3!
And after reading just a few lines, he gets another level. 'Man, [Uzumaki Heritage] is awesome.' He thinks to himself with a small grin.
The book sucks him in, and before long, Naruto loses track of time, too enraptured by the feeling of reading something that makes sense to him. The author isn't terribly clear when he describes the relationships between different parts of the example seals in the first chapter, but Naruto's mind simply fills in the gaps as if by instinct. [Beginner Fuinjutsu] levels up to 5 as he reads, spurring him to go further at the sweet feeling of progress, and his INT even rises by one. After a moment of indecision, he dumps 6 of his 20 stat points into INT, bringing the stat up to an even 30, and then the book flows even easier than before as [Beginner Fuinjutsu] jumps to level 6! So caught up he is, Naruto doesn't notice anything other than his reading until...
-New Quest!-
The First Steps
Pass the true genin exam!
Rewards:
2000 EXP for clearing the exam
2000 EXP for ?
5000 EXP for ?
Failure Condition:
Kakashi decides to fail you.
Accept?
[Yes] [No]
Naruto looks up just as Kakashi suddenly appears in the training ground in a burst of smoke. Already, the jonin is in a lazy slouch as he surveys the genin before him without enthusiasm. Under his arm are a trio of boxed bento lunches.
"You're late!" Sakura screams, standing and pointing an indignant finger at the masked nin. "We've been here for almost two hours!" She says, a scowl maring her face. Sasuke largely mirrors her expression, though he keeps his mouth set into a terse line as he stands and waits.
Naruto blinks and looks down at the book in his hand. "Two hours passed that fast...?" He wonders under this breath. Nonetheless, he returns the book into the inside of his jacket and drops it back into his Inventory before standing.
"Maa, what can I say?" Kakashi shrugs and rests his hands in his pockets. "I got lost on the road of life is all?"
The non-answer only seems to infuriate Sakura more, who clenches her fists with a growl. Naruto can't help but frown as well.
"Now, before we have any more hissy fits, let's get this test underway," Kakashi cuts off any further chatter as he sets the lunches under his arm onto one of the stumps and reaches into his supply pouch. With a jingle, he withdraws his hands and shows the trio of genin hopefuls a pair of shiny silver bells on red strings. "Take a good look at these bells, as they're your objective for today," The jonin instructs, jingling the bells again. "Whoever gets a bell before noon gets to pass, and whoever does not... I'm going to tie them to one of these stumps and eat their lunch in front of them. Oh, and they fail." he says without any sympathy.
Sasuke's eyes narrow.
Sakura gasps and goes white a sheet.
Naruto can't help but gulp. 'What? Dakki said that this would be a free pass, though?' He grimaces, but with a silent thought, he hits [Yes] on the First Steps quest and braces himself.
The jonin ties the bells to his belt, then looks up at the sky, using a hand to shade his one good eye. "Hmm. must be around 10am or so," he muses aloud before returning to his relaxed pose. He reaches into his supply pouch once more, this time drawing a small alarm clock that he slowly winds up "You all have until noon to complete the test," he places the clock down on the middle training stump. "And it begins now."
Sasuke and Sakura both rush away in opposite directions, hopping into the safety of the treeline and vanishing, leaving Naruto behind. He stands defiantly and quashes the urge to run and hide in the trees, already knowing it would do no good.
For a long moment, Kakashi and Naruto just stare at each other until Kakashi raises an eyebrow. "Not going to run?" He asks, leaning back on a heel.
The blonde genin glances at the treeline on either side of him, spotting Sakura in a tree some ways away while Sasuke is nowhere to be found. The entire time, he makes sure to keep Kakashi in the edge of his vision. Gods know his guildmates punished him every single time he dared take his eyes off of them in a spar.
"If I ran and tried to sneak up on you, would it change anything? It's genin versus a jonin, after all," Naruto remarks, stalling as he glances at his party chat in the corner of his vision. Dakki has since disconnected, leaving just the text chat behind. He scrolls into the messages from earlier in the week and comes across the info he wants.
Archie: Oh yeah, I scanned that Kakashi Hatake guy. Dude is no slouch. Level 85 with some wild abilities like maxed out [Sharingan] and a ton of Professional ranked skills. Who the fuck needs all this?
Laura: A career ninja, I assume.
'My party members kick my ass easy even while taking huge stat cuts, and Kakashi is even stronger than them since he doesn't have that disadvantage,' The Uzumaki heir winces. 'Not good.'
"Hmm..." Kakashi hums as he thinks over his answer, going as far as to look away at Sakura's spot. "Well, you should at least try to-!"
-510 MP
MP: 12,800/13,300
The instant the man takes his one eye off of Naruto, the boy's hand shoots out and a glowing golden chain with a kunai-tip crosses the distance to Kakashi like lightning, aimed right at the man's belt.
The elder nin's eye widens, but before he can move, the chain cuts into Kakashi's thigh with a spray of splinters and right through the strings holding the bells. Then with a mental tug, the chains wrap around the bells and pull them back into Naruto's hands. The gapes down at his prize, scarcely believing his luck.
'Wait, splinters?'
In a puff of smoke, Kakashi vanishes, replaced with a rotted log. At the same time, the bells in Naruto's hand vanish too, replaced by a pair of acorns on strings. The genin hopeful rolls the nuts around in his hand before dropping them with a sigh.
"Good effort, but not quite enough."
Naruto's MP dips sharply when he whirls around and lashes out with both hands, three chains blooming from each of his palms and furiously whipping at Kakashi like enraged, clanking snakes.
The jonin draws a single kunai, and with infuriating ease, deflects every strike coming his way. The knife in his hand dances and twirls as he makes the least amount of movement needed to divert each deadly spear-tipped chain to the side. His masked face doesn't even shift away from it's bored expression.
With a growl, Naruto shunts even more chakra into his chains, making them speed up into whistling whips that greedily suck down his MP from 12,000, to 9,000. 'Even that slippery bastard Archie can't totally dodge this one! Eat chain, you smug cyclops!' He grins.
[Adamantine Sealing Chains] is now Lvl 15!
Kakashi raises a brow, and as the sealing chains can descend upon him, he steps into the whirling storm of metal, weaving around the chains to plant a snap kick right into Naruto's mouth before he can so much as react.
-1145 HP
HP: 5,655/6,800
Pain explodes in the blonde's jaw and he can't even cry out before he's launched back off of his feet from the force of the blow. His chains dispel as he hits the ground, and he drags a short trench in the grass as he slides across his back to a stop before the training stumps.
"Like I was saying," Kakashi casually strolls closer and comes to a stop just feet away. "Not bad. That maneuver would have shredded another genin. I thought I was going to have time to enjoy a book while fighting you, but I guess not," he comments with a shrug. "Flailing randomly can only get you so far, though," the jonin waggles a finger, as if scolding a naughty child.
Naruto growls, "[Kage Bunshin]!", he yells, spawning four clones in bursts of smoke. Before the wind can carry the smoke away, Naruto wordlessly casts his [Henge] and transforms into a small red fox.
[Fox Henge] applied!
-50% Damage resistance
+50% Movement speed
+20% Evasion
Skill [Animalistic Senses] Lvl MAX applied for duration
Naruto darts into the treeline far faster than he could have done as a human, and as he runs he glances back at Kakashi, who actually seems surprised if the slightly wider eye is any indicator. Before the jonin can give chase, Naruto's clones pounce on the tall man and force him to jump back. The real Naruto snakes through a patch of brush too dense for a person to traverse.
'I need a plan...' He takes a deep breath through his grimacing muzzle. He settles in a bush near the edge of the training ground before releasing his transformation. He watches his prospective sensei as his HP and MP slowly tick back up.
'What jutsu is that?' From his observation place crouched in the most densely covered tree of the training ground, Uchiha Sasuke watches Kakashi shut down the blonde idiot's wild gold chains, then he watches as Naruto creates solid clones before he nonsensically disguises himself into a fox and runs away. 'He doesn't seriously think the Henge actually transforms him, does it?'
Sasuke quietly sighs at the budding headache he's getting and turns his coal-black eyes back to Kakashi and the Naruto clones. With his sharp eyesight, sharper than most even without the Sharingan, Sasuke can make out a tiny cut in Kakashi's pants, just an inch away from the bells.
'The deadlast actually landed a hit...' Sasuke's eyes narrow. 'Why has he never shown off that chain jutsu before? Or the clones? The moron should have been screaming from the rooftops that he has a flashy new technique to throw around.'
The last Uchiha draws a fistful of shuriken in one hand from his supply pouch as a plan of action formulates in his head. 'I can worry about the dunce later. I've got a test to pass.' He goes still and waits for his chance.
The Naruto doppelgangers are woefully stiff fighters, screaming and rushing the jonin with the basic academy stance, but they accomplish their apparent goal of being a distraction. Every single strike is dodged by Kakashi easily, and swaying around several fists and kicks, he finally seems to tire of just evading and catches the wrist of one of the Narutos.
"Uh oh..." One of the clones murmurs.
Kakashi smiles under his mask, then breaks the clone's wrist with just a squeeze of his hand.
The Naruto yelps and dispels into a cloud of smoke a second later.
Before the other clones can form up and defend themselves, Kakashi slips into their loose formation as a blur and swings a backhanded fist through the heads of all three remaining clones, destroying them in bursts of smoke, obscuring the gray-haired jonin.
'Now!'
Sasuke throws the shuriken from his vantage point, the stars curving in a deadly arc right for the distant jonin. The throwing stars fly into the smoke with a staccato of meaty 'thwack's, making Sasuke smirk, but when the smoke clears, he can only scowl.
In Kakashi's place is yet another rotted log now peppered with shuriken and the jonin himself is nowhere to be found.
With a grunt of annoyance, Sasuke tenses his legs and hops to a new hiding place as quickly as he can. 'He never let his guard down and forced me to give away my position...'
From her hiding place under a bush, Sakura can only watch the going-ons as a nervous sweat rolls down her brow.
First Naruto breaks out a jutsu she's never seen before, and she's not sure how to classify what she saw. The chains glowed a yellow-gold, so maybe Lighting Release? They were certainly fast enough, as she couldn't track their movement at all.
Then the clones. She's read about Nidaime-sama's Kage Bunshin. The book she read was frustratingly light on details, as expected of a forbidden technique, but it did say how the chakra toll of the jutsu is so harsh that it was labeled a kinjutsu. Yet Naruto knows it and made four of them with ease.
Finally, his Henge.
From her spot, Sakura wondered why Naruto disguised himself. He may be an idiot, but surely he knows that the Henge is just an illusion, right?
The fox-Naruto ran to cover just thirty or so feet away from her, and that's when she noticed it.
...How did Naruto run through a bush without disturbing the top-most part of it? No leaves were displaced and the bush barely shook. He slipped through just like a fox would.
Sasuke-kun took advantage of an opening Naruto made, but their sensei proved to be too crafty and slipped away with a simple Kawarimi, forcing Sasuke-kun to relocate away from his blown cover.
'What am I going to do?' The pinkette gulps, her hope beginning to die. 'I don't have anything that can take on a jonin! This is bad...'
"Psst. Hey, Sakura."
A chill runs down the girl's spine as she slowly turns around, finding her sensei crouched behind her with his hands held in the Rat seal.
The man smiles, and Sakura's vision begins to blur. 'Genjutsu...' her suddenly bleary mind supplies. She raises her hands into a seal to pulse her chakra and disrupt the illusion, but rustling in the shrubbery behind her distracts her, prompting her to turn around.
Her breath hitches.
Stumbling through the greenery, a beaten and brutalized Sasuke Uchiha falls to the ground at Sakura's feet, showing the horrified girl the multitude of kunai lodged into the boy's blood-soaked back.
"S-Sakura..." Sasuke coughs, staining the grass under his mouth red. "H-Help me..."
The pink-headed girl can't help it.
She screams as black overtakes her vision.
Naruto jumps when he hears a shrill, feminine scream cut through the quiet of the training ground. His first urge is to rush in, as that can only be Sakura-chan, but a niggling voice in the back of his head warns him of what he's up against.
'I can't do this alone...' Naruto grimaces at the sobering realization and clenches his fists. 'But I've got no idea where the bastard ran off to, and Sakura-chan is the one in trouble. Damn it!'
Praying to whatever higher power there might be, Naruto opens up his Main Menu and slowly scrolls down to his Friends List. He opens it and holds his breath.
Archibald Jones: BUSY
Oh no...
Dakki Makura: BUSY
No no no...
Laura of Gloam: AVAILABLE
Yes!
Naruto taps on her name, then sends her an invite to the chatroom as quickly as he can. Then he closes his Menu and waits impatiently.
Ding-ding!
After the longest minute of his life, Laura pops into the voice chat
"Good morning, Naruto. How are you?" The woman's gentle voice eases the blonde boy's frayed nerves.
Naruto grimaces. "I could be doing better, Laura-chan," he begins, looking back at the clearing and spying Sasuke and Kakashi in a stand-off. "There was another genin test, one with a sixty-some percent failure rate, and I'm stuck in the middle of it."
"Oh? What exactly do you need to do?"
"We need to get a bell that Kakashi-sensei has tied to his belt," Naruto frowns as he watches a furious taijutsu exchange between Sasuke and his aforementioned sensei. "But I can't do it alone. Kakashi is a jonin, and he's way better than any one of us. I don't wanna ask for help, but..."
"Nonsense, Naruto," Laura firmly interjects. "You can always ask for help."
Naruto can't help but smile at the warm feeling that blooms in his chest.
"Now, I did meet your sensei briefly, and with the Multiplayer Correction limiting me, I can safely say I'm not a match for him."
The genin-hopeful deflates.
"...But I do have something that might even the odds somewhat. Let me slip into something more... comfortable and find that headband. I'll let you know when I'm ready."
Grin in place, Naruto sits and waits out the exchange between Kakashi and Sasuke.
Sasuke is like the wind, flowing from one attack to the next with incredible speed. He comes at Kakashi with a left heel kick that the jonin catches, only to twist his body and punch right at the older nin's face with his right hand, forcing Kakashi's other hand to come up and block. Then in a show of flexibility, Sasuke contorts his body in Kakashi's hold and makes a grab at the bells, coming up just the slightest bit short before Kakashi tosses him away.
Sasuke isn't idle long. The instant he lands on his feet, his hands shoot through hand seals too fast for Naruto to keep up, ending on a Tiger seal. The boy's chest swells as he takes a deep breath. "Katon: Grand Fireball!"
He breathes out a fireball as large as his own body that rockets towards a wide-eyed Kakashi, and before Naruto's eyes, then man is consumed whole by the crackling flame. Kakashi writhes briefly, then falls to the ground, burning.
Naruto can't help it and jumps from his hiding place, his gut sinking. "Hey, bastard!"
Sasuke's head jerks away from the slowly dying fireball to look over at Naruto. "Naruto?" He creases his brows. "What do you want, idiot?"
"Don't give me that!" He growls, chopping a hand through the air and pointing at the smoldering, ashen ground where a blackened form lay. "Don't you think that was overkill?!"
"Sweet of you to care, Naruto, but I'm not so green as to be caught by that," Kakashi's muffled voice comes from seemingly all around them.
Both boys freeze, then as one, they look over at the 'corpse', which dispels in a puff of smoke.
Before either of them can react, a hand bursts from the ground right under Sasuke and grabs his ankle, drawing a yelp from the Uchiha. At the same time, the earth under Sasuke's feet takes on a sludge-like consistency, letting the hand drag a shocked Sasuke down all the way to his neck before the ground hardens again.
Naruto jumps back right before another hand bursts from the ground, nearly getting him too.
The ground cracks between Naruto and the now buried Sasuke, and like a mole. Kakashi rises out of the hole without a speck of dirt on him. "Earth Release: Headhunter Technique," the jonin comments idly. "An old favorite," he says before turning his gaze upon Naruto. "Well, this whole test has been enlightening. You're the only combat-capable nin right now, Naruto. What's your plan for taking me alone?"
"Naruto, I'm ready," Laura murmurs.
The blonde grins at Kakashi, making the man raise an eyebrow. "Who said I plan on fighting you alone?" He asks. "Teams can do what one person can't, so I called backup."
Both of Kakashi's brows raise, and behind him, Sasuke stops struggling in his earthen prison to watch.
The Uzumaki raises his thumb and bites down on it just hard enough to draw blood, then speeds through five hand seals before raising his wounded hand and slamming it on the ground. "Kuchiyose!"
A burst of smoke erupts under his palm, one larger than normal.
A deep growl rattles the entire clearing, making the blonde ninja's skin break out into goosebumps
When the wind carries the smoke away, Naruto can't help but gape.
Where Naruto expected Laura, there instead stands a titanic wolf glaring directly at Kakashi. The beast is easily as tall as his sensei, even with it's stance lowered threateningly. The shaggy brown-and-white fur coating its body does little to hide the rippling muscle underneath, and it's golden-amber eyes shine with a cruel intelligence. Around its thick neck, a Leaf headband hangs like a collar.
The wolf growls again, and this time the sound is dripping with [Killing Intent].
Even with the majority of the wolf's ire directed forward, Naruto can't help but shiver.
Kakashi tenses ever so slightly, and behind him, Sasuke breaks into a sweat as he looks between Naruto and the wolf with a measure of disbelief.
"I didn't expect to meet again so soon, Kakashi-san," the massive canine says in a startlingly gentle female voice, though the snarl remains. Her gold eyes blink once. "I'm not so arrogant as to think I can best you, but dismiss Naruto and I working in tandem at your own risk."
Kakashi's eye narrows. "Laura-san?" He asks, making no effort to hide how his hand hovers over his kunai holster.
"Wha..?" Naruto looks between the wolf and his sensei with confusion. "Laura-chan? Is that you?" He silently casts [Observe] as he asks.
Name: Laura of Gloam
Level 102 Lycanthrope Matriarch (New Moon Form)
HP: 31,600/31,600
MP: 9,050/9,050
STR: 171
DEX: 93
VIT: 171
END: 86
INT: 75
CHA: 50
LUK: 41
Sure enough, his scan confirms that the wolf is Laura, and Naruto feels his eyes bug out at the obscene stats she now boasts, even with Multiplayer scaling her down.
Laura looks back at Naruto, eyes softening slightly. "Indeed it is, Naruto. Perhaps I should have explained my chief trait, [Lycanthropy]. That, however, is for a time other than your career-deciding test," she lets out a wolfy chuff and returns her hard eyes to Kakashi.
In the corner of his eye, Naruto sees a little message pop up from Laura.
Laura: Do you have a plan? I'm going to cast [Pack War Cry] to up our movement speed and physical attack power, but many of my other support-based skills are too costly to use at this level.
He thinks for a moment, then;
Naruto: Pincer maneuver. Go at him from the front and I'll have clones flank.
Laura snorts, then rears her head back and lets out a loud howl that echoes loudly off the trees, scattering nearby birds and making the hairs on Naruto's neck stand on end. A second later, an odd, tingling sensation washes over his skin.
+10% Phys Atk for 15 min
+10% Movement speed for 15 min
The boy gasps when he feels his muscles bulge and his body suddenly lighten.
Laura snarls and thunders forward like a furred locomotive, pearly maw open to maul Kakashi.
Naruto blinks and pushes away the bewilderment caused by his sudden burst of strength. His hands form the signature cross-shaped seal of the [Kage Bunshin], and ten more Narutos burst into existence.
-1000 MP
MP: 8,600/13,300
"Go!" Naruto orders with a pointed finger.
His clones split up, already knowing the plan, and close in on Kakashi from his sides.
The jonin's eye narrows, and faster than Naruto can track, he sidesteps Laura's charge and bashes the ring handle of his kunai into the side of the wolf's head, making her stumble and shaving off nearly a thousand HP from her. He follows it up with a high kick to her jaw, making her jaws painfully slam shut with a loud crack and taking yet another thousand HP from her.
"Laura-chan!" One clone loses his cool and rushes Kakashi from behind, murder written on his face. The Hatake whirls around like a top and deflects the clone's punch, then without looking, ducks when Laura's slathering jaws snap shut right where his head was a half-second prior.
The jonin sweeps Laura's front legs out from under her with a spinning low kick, making her stumble once again, then grabs the clone that tried to punch him and throws the boy into two other Narutos, making all three dispel with a short scream.
Frustration mounting, the original Naruto throws his hands out, "[Adamantine Sealing Chains]!"
-6,930MP
MP: 1,970/13,300
Like last time, three chains of brilliant gold shoot from each of his palms, moving faster than ever with Naruto's desperation fueling them. They cross the seven-meter distance and aim all for different parts of Kakashi's body.
At the same time, Laura regains her footing and charges from behind. As she runs, her eyes glow a baleful yellow, and she shoots forward even faster, ripping up the ground under her paws.
Two more clones behind Kakashi jump and come down on the older nin, each clone palming a kunai as they fly. Another two clones on his sides on the ground toss handfuls of shuriken at the jonin, seemingly blocking him in with attacks on all sides.
Kakashi simply leaps up through the air, letting the chains and shuriken miss him. The shuriken pelt the wide-eyed clones who stand opposite each other, popping both of them. He chops a descending clone on the skull before he can attack, dispelling him, then twists around the stab of the other falling clone, instead springboarding off of the orange doppelganger and popping him from the force. The jonin lands on the side of a tree and chakra clings to it with his feet.
Naruto yells in panic and dismisses his chains before he spears a wide-eyed Laura. Laura herself stops and digs her paws into the ground, but still slides into the last idle shadow clones, knocking them to the ground with a pair of "Oof!"s before they're dispelled.
"Well," Kakashi begins in his slow, lazy voice from his high perch. "This is an interesting turn of events. You'll still need a bit more than that to get a bell, however," he says, patting the bells on his side. He slides from the side of the tree and lands back on the ground
Below, Laura regains her footing with a snarl. She glances over to Naruto, and the boy sees a message pop up from her.
Laura: He's still too fast. He's resisted my debuffs thus far, and I'm going to swiftly run out of MP if I boost myself to match him. We need a way to slow him down.
Naruto dismisses his chains and lets out a shuddering breath as the steep MP cost makes his limbs shake. He grits his teeth as he glares up at Kakashi, who just looks down at him calmly. 'Slow him down... Slow him down... How can we do that?!'
He glances at his MP bar, which is slowly ticking back up, but not fast enough. He turns his eyes to the still buried Sasuke, who has been watching with the same narrow eyes the entire time. The Uchiha heir has wiggled himself out up to his shoulders, and before long he'll be free.
'Wait. That's it!' He grins widely.
Naruto: I got an idea. Play along and try to keep him still for a second.
Naruto sways and falls to his rear, planting his hands on the ground to support himself. He pants harshly, not needing to act as a sealing chain pokes through his palm and slowly burrows down into the dirt.
"Tuckered out already?" Kakashi asks, relaxing and leaning back into the tree behind him.
"Kakashi-san."
The man looks over to Laura, who levels him with an even look. "Hmm?"
"I have to ask..." The great wolf pauses, seemingly chewing on her words as she works her jaw. "Why just two bells when you have three students?"
The jonin shrugs. "I was strongarmed into teaching, and I have a thousand better things to do. The less students, the better, I say," he says flippantly. "Why the curiosity?"
A frown plants itself on Laura's muzzle and one of her ears flick. "I have a number of children of my own, Kakashi-san, all of whom I've schooled myself. Teaching children, especially in such a... volatile career, is not something you should approach so casually."
"Precisely why I'm trying to get out of it," The jonin nods with a smile under his mask.
As his party member stalls, Naruto guides his sealing chain under the ground like a worm, slowly closing in on his sensei. More than once his chain caught on a root, forcing him to backtrack. His MP trickles down quickly, from 2,000, to 1,500, then 1,000. Sweat dots his brow.
Laura's expression sours even further. "Know this, Kakashi. Should Naruto fail here, I'll take him under my wing regardless of you or your village's input."
Kakashi's smile becomes strained.
Just before Naruto's sealing chain gets below Kakashi, the bushes at the side of the clearing rustle, and out of them comes a pale and disheveled Sakura. The girl blinks at the scene before her green eyes focus on the partially buried Uchiha..
"S-Sasuke..." She whispers, eyes tearing up. "You're okay..."
"Oh? I expected you to be unconscious longer, Sakura." The instant Kakashi-sensei turns his attention to the sole kunoichi on the team, Naruto springs his trap.
A glowing chain bursts from the ground and wraps around Kakashi's legs like a snake, and with all his might, Naruto pulls the chain taut, pulling Kakashi's legs together and rooting him to the ground.
"What..!" The masked nin looks down and tries to yank the chain trapping him off, only for the ethereal links to hold fast.
At the same time, Laura and Sasuke move.
"[Howling Blood]!" The great wolf roars as she surges forward, her muscles straining against her skin from the burst of might. With her jaws open wide and aimed right for the copy-nin's right arm, the same arm closest to the bells, she moves in a blur of brown and white.
Kakashi tries to bring an arm up into a hand seal, but Laura is just a hair too fast and seizes his wrist in a savage bite. She turns her neck and pulls his arm away from his body at a painful angle, straining as the ninja tries to pull himself free.
Sasuke bursts out of the ground and ducks under the wolf. Before Kakashi can retaliate, he yanks both bells off of his sensei's belt before leaping back.
Less than a second later, the sound of an alarm clock rings through the training ground.
Slowly, Kakashi blinks, seemingly uncaring of the chain around his legs or the teeth crushing his wrist. "Huh. I didn't see that one coming."
Back in the center of the training, Naruto sits in the grass with his arms crossed, bitterly recounting the end of the test with Laura calmly seated just behind him. More than once, Laura has bent down to nuzzle the top of his head and murmur that he did well, but... 'Of course the bastard is the one to win...' He scowls and leans back into Laura's legs.
Laura: Naruto, honey. This isn't the end of the world. If you don't pass, you still have the guild. Remember that. You're a Player, and your destiny can be anything you want.
Naruto's severe expression eases when his wolfy party member presses her nose to the top of his head again.
At his side, Sakura stands and stares at the ground, her entire visage dejected. Under normal circumstances, the presence of a man-eater-sized canine summon just feet away, the same summon she rudely doubted Naruto had, might make her nervous, but after bombing this test? 'I can't believe it. Years of work and my love story is going to end here... Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry...' The girl curls upon herself a little more.
On Naruto's other side, Sasuke silently stares at the bells in his hand, his face unreadable.
"Well, Sasuke. Congrats on getting the bells," Kakashi says with a few half-hearted claps, though he's ginger with his mauled, somewhat discolored right wrist. "Now that you have them, who gets the other one? Or are you keeping them all to yourself?"
Both Naruto and Sakura's heads snap up, then both turn to the last Uchiha.
Sasuke doesn't look back at them, and after a long second, it seems as if he is going to keep both bells. Then he sighs and tosses one of the bells right into a shocked Naruto. "You helped, deadlast," Sasuke sniffs. "Do both of us a favor and don't get in the way next time."
The blonde genin scrambles to catch the bell, and when he does, holds it up by its string and admires how it shines in the sunlight.
He passed. Never has such a simple thing as a bell seemed so beautiful.
Speechless, Sakura wilts as she watches. Her green eyes fill with tears when she fully digests what just happened. "O-Oh..."
The sight of his crush so close to tears makes Naruto's heart clench painfully. He looks down at the bell in his hand and recalls Dakki's words from earlier in the day.
"You are the grandson in all but blood to the current Hokage, son of the last Hokage, Kyuubi jinchuuriki, and most importantly a Player. With such a pedigree, you are far too valuable to be failed on the whim of a single person, as doing so would be a tactical blunder that gives Raldoth Magaza full claim over you."
"Regardless of your actions, you will become a ninja."
'I can't just let her fail! Not after we got put on the same team!' With a gulp, Naruto brings up his stats, and dumps all 14 of his stat points into LUK, bringing the number to a whopping 55. "Sakura-chan?"
The girl lets out a watery sigh and turns to him. "What is it, Naruto?" She stops when Naruto stands up and holds his bell out to her.
"Take my bell."
"Naruto..!" Laura exclaims in shock.
The kunoichi blinks owlishly at the offering. Slowly, she brings her hand up to take it, but stops short. "N-Naruto? Why? Don't you want to be Hokage?"
"Because you'd be a better ninja than me," The blonde says with a wide smile, hoping, praying his sudden boost in luck will somehow save him. "Don't worry about it! One extra academy year isn't going to hurt me! I'll be Hokage one day!"
With a shaky hand, Sakura smiles and reaches for the bell, but she stops with her fingers just barely brushing it. "I..I..I can't take it, Naruto," she pulls her hand back, the tears in her eyes finally spilling over as her smile dies. "I didn't do anything at all during the test to deserve it, all I did was got caught by a stupid genjutsu and faint! I didn't even help when you and Sasuke-kun got the bells from Kakashi-sensei," she grits her teeth and sniffles. "How am I supposed to prove myself to Sasuke-kun if I failed this test so hard?"
The reminder that Sakura still only has eyes for Sasuke hurts, but Naruto stubbornly keeps his bell held out. "C'mon, Sakura-chan. Take it!"
"I can't..." She completely turns away, her shoulders quaking.
"Quit crying. It's annoying."
Sakura's tears abruptly stop when Sasuke steps up to her and drops his bell in her hand. She gasps and looks up at her crush, her face slowly turning pink. "S-Sasuke-kun?" she hesitates, looking down at the bauble in her hand.
"My goals don't require me to be a shinobi. I can train on my own." The Uchiha turns and begins walking toward the entrance to the training ground, his hands in his pockets. "You two hopeless cases, on the other hand, need all the charity you can get."
"Up yours, bastard!" Naruto growls in reply.
"Naruto! Don't yell at Sasuke-kun!" Sakura near-instantly admonishes.
Kakashi's hand comes down on Sasuke's shoulder before he passes, stopping the boy. "Ahah, not so fast, Sasuke. You're not going anywhere."
The dark-haired boy looks up at the taller ninja with narrowed eyes. "And why is that?"
"Because..." Kakashi smiles widely under his mask. "You all pass!"
-Quest Update!-
The First Steps
Pass the true genin exam!
Complete!
Rewards:
2000 EXP for clearing the exam!
2000 EXP for damaging Kakashi!
5000 EXP for capturing the bells!
+22 REP with Haruno Sakura!
Haruno Sakura: -8/100 (Disliked)
+11 REP with Sasuke Uchiha!
Sasuke Uchiha: -29/100 (Disliked)
+44 REP with Hatake Kakashi!
Hatake Kakashi: 224/300 (Fond Friend)
You are now level 13!
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Level 13 Genin of the Hidden Leaf (+10% to all Leaf Shinobi rep gains)
EXP: 1,300/9,100
HP: 7,300/7,300
MP: 14,300/14,300
Money: 25,820 Ryo
STR: 22
DEX:18
VIT: 73
END: 90
INT: 30
CHA: 22
LUK: 55
Available stat points: 5
"Eh!" Naruto exclaims, his face screwing up in surprise. Behind him, Laura sighs in relief.
"Wha..?" Sakura clasps her hands over her heart as her eyes shine with hope.
Sasuke's eyes narrow further, but he walks back to stand by Naruto.
"So, did anyone figure out the real meaning of the test?" Kakashi asks, looking between all three genin. "No one?"
None of the children answer. Naruto and Sakura share a look, but Naruto shrugs as Sakura bites her lip and thinks. Sasuke just stands with his arms crossed impatiently.
From her spot behind Naruto, Laura flicks her tail, her eyes widening in a sudden realization that Kakashi takes notice of. "Perhaps you'd like to answer in Naruto's stead, Laura-san?"
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of this test was to promote camaraderie between the students, correct?" She asks with a tilt of her head.
"Close," Kakashi admits with a nod. "The real meaning behind this test is teamwork."
"Teamwork?" Sakura asks, her brow furrowing. "Then why only have two bells? That just turns us against each other!"
"Exactly," Kakashi replies. Even with a mask and one eye covered, it's easy to see his expression darkening. "Everyone, follow me. I've got something to show you."
The jonin leads the trio of children and giant wolf to a small, square monument near the edge of the training ground. The monument itself is roughly four feet tall, and is bare of any adornment other than countless name engravings, but is obviously taken care of with how clean it is.
"Do any of you know what this is?" Kakashi quietly asks, staring at the monument without looking back at them. "It's a memorial to some of the greatest heroes Konoha has ever known. Heroes who gave everything, their lives included, in the line of duty."
Naruto feels himself go pale, his impending comment about having his name on the memorial dying in his mouth. Behind him, Laura dips her head.
Sakura wrings her hands, giving the memorial an uncomfortable look. Sasuke, unlike his teammates, just remains impassive.
"Some of my best friend's names are written on this stone," Kakashi continues, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on the monument. "One of them taught me an important lesson. If you ignore everything I teach, that's fine, but let this be the one bit of wisdom to stick."
He turns and gives Team Seven a hard look. "Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades... are even worse than trash," he says, voice firm for the first time since any of them have met him.
The genin, Sasuke included, rock back at the words.
Their sensei sighs. "That's why there are only two bells, Sakura. I wanted to see if you all would put aside your own interests for your team. Seeing some actual teamwork during the test would have been nice, but we'll work on it," he finishes lightly.
With a wide grin almost splitting his face, Naruto simply can hold himself back any longer. "Yeah! We passed! We're real ninja!" He jumps for joy and pumps a fist.
Sakura giggles into a hand, and Sasuke just scoffs and looks away.
It's right at that moment that Naruto's stomach decides to growl, ruining the moment.
The blonde genin holds his stomach and laughs sheepishly. "Heh. So, sensei? About those lunches?"
"All yours, go on," Kakashi waves the group off with a hand. "I've got to report your passing to the Hokage. Be back here at 8am sharp tomorrow, ne?" Without waiting for a confirmation, the jonin flickers and disappears in a burst of speed so fast that none watching could follow.
Naruto blinks and looks down at the sandal imprints that Kakashi left behind on the ground. The loose dirt that was under his feet is now hard-packed and looks almost like rock. "If sensei fought us going all out, he woulda wasted us, wouldn't he?"
Laura lets out a chuff that sounds like a rough laugh. "Almost certainly, honey. Now, let's get you kids something to eat. Honestly, telling growing children to skip a meal?" The great wolf shakes her head.
Back in the clearing of Training Ground 7, Naruto on the middle stump and inhales his meal with gusto, his chop-sticks little more than blurs dedicated to shoving food into his mouth.
Beside him, Sakura slowly eats her own lunch. Her disgust of Naruto's eating habits is tempered by the threat of the giant canine sitting by the orange ninja's side. The last thing Sakura wants is an errant comment getting her eaten.
On Naruto's other side, Sasuke eats his lunch at a normal pace, unperturbed by his team's antics.
"Naruto, slow down a little, please. You're going to choke or end up with a stomach ache," Laura scolds from the Uzumaki's side. She noses his shoulder. "Your food isn't going anywhere."
Naruto grumbles something past a faceful of rice, but chews a bit slower.
Silently, Sakura gathers her nerve. "Erm, excuse me? Laura-sama?" Sakura begins nervously, only to let out an eep when the wolf turns her head to gaze down at her. "U-uh. I don't recall there ever being a wolf summoning contract. How did you and Naruto meet if you don't mind me asking?"
Sasuke slows his eating to glance over and listen.
The werewolf smiles gently. "No need for the 'Sama', Sakura-san. And no need to be afraid, as I think we'll be seeing each other frequently. I'm not actually from a wolf summoning contract. Our contract is a bit... unusual," she replies, mulling over her answer for a second. "We're not a unified clan, but rather a loose collection of different species. Naruto stumbled across myself and several of my friends on total accident, and we took it as a sign that we were all meant to meet, so we decided to form a contract with him. Right, Naruto?"
It takes a second for Naruto to process the vague truth, but he nods and swallows his latest bite. "Yeah. They're the best friends a guy could ask for," he says with a genuine, blinding grin.
Laura's own smile grows as she leans down and nuzzles Naruto across his cheek, making the boy blush. "That's sweet of you, Naruto," she says before turning back to Sakura, who looks a little uncomfortable watching the affection. "My friends and I have human forms that you'll likely see more often than this. I'd return to my human form, but I'm afraid my headband is the only article of clothing I have with me. I don't think my husband would be pleased if he found out I transformed and flashed two young, handsome boys," she giggles.
Naruto's face burns red at the image and Sasuke turns away, a near-invisible hint of pink dusting his cheeks.
Sakura politely laughs along with the large wolf-woman, even if her thoughts are nothing but murder at the thought of some random woman exposing herself to Sasuke.
"So, how did they do?"
Kakashi stares at the back of the Hokage's swiveling chair as the Sandaime himself looks out his office window at the slowly setting sun. The team reports were hours ago, but Kakashi received no reprimand for his late arrival, as per usual.
The copy-nin's eye travels to the portraits of the past Hokages on the wall.
Minato-sensei's smiling portrait, framed by shining rays of sunlight, makes Kakashi's heart hurt.
"They passed on their own merits," Kakashi says after a time, returning his gaze forward and the old Sandaime swivels back around. "No teamwork, really, but they each tried to save the others in the end, so I say that's worth a pass."
The Hokage sets his elbows on his desk and rests his chin in his bridged hands. "Tell me about them, how they performed as individuals," Sarutobi's eyes dart from the cut in the jonin's pant leg, to his bruised wrist, then to several burnt hairs atop his head.
"Hmm..." Kakashi taps his chin in a faux thinking pose. "Let's start with Haruno Sakura, as she's the one who is going to need the most work. Honestly, Hokage-sama? If I didn't need three genin for regulation's sake, I would have dropped her if Team Seven was forced onto me."
The Hokage's eyebrow rises. "Explain."
"While her academy files paint her as stellar, she fell apart in the field," Kakashi says bluntly. "She made no real attempt to get the bells, and fell victim to the Hell Viewing Technique, leaving her unconscious for some time. I couldn't get a good baseline on her. Worse yet, she's still in the lovestruck phase that kunoichi her age are prone to."
"If you are not able to straighten her out, alert Yuhi Kurenai or Mitarashi Anko for remedial lessons," the Sandaime orders sternly. "Haruno-chan will be killed by the danger Naruto-kun and Uchiha-kun attract if she does not shape up. If worst comes to worst, I will consider a transfer."
Kakashi nods. "Yes, Hokage-sama. I'll see that it doesn't need to get that far."
"Very good, Kakashi-kun. Next?"
"Sasuke is everything the academy said he is and more," Kakashi continues, closing his eye in thought. "He is proficient in taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, and ninjutsu to a level that puts him at a level above nearly any genin, and he'll begin encroaching on chunin territory before long. His mastery of the Grand Fireball and his hand seal speed is impressive, as he went from signing to casting in under a second. Not quite a 'prodigy' prodigy, but impressive nonetheless." Kakashi opens his eye again. "Now, his biggest failings are his reluctance to work with others, and his loose-at-best loyalty. He said, quote: 'I don't need to be a shinobi to accomplish my goals.'" The copy-nin shakes his head. "He'll take some work to crack."
"Indeed," Sarutobi sighs. He opens a drawer in his desk, withdraws his pipe, and slowly fills it with the perfect amount of tobacco as Kakashi waits patiently. The Hokage lights his pipe with a sealless, nameless Katon jutsu and takes a deep pull that makes the end of the pipe glow a cherry-red. After he exhales a great cloud of smoke, Sarutobi continues. "Uchiha-kun may have resisted therapy with the civil protections offered to non-shinobi, but now as an asset of the village, he will be seeing help if his condition deteriorates. Understood, Kakashi-kun?"
"Understood."
The Hokage nods, pleased. "Now, last but not least?"
"Naruto..." Kakashi gathers his thoughts with a sigh. "Naruto is a powerhouse, that much is apparent. A crude, haphazard powerhouse. His taijutsu is... Surprisingly form perfect, but he doesn't seem to know when to use what move, and the basic academy taijutsu forms are not well suited to real combat anyway. His ninjutsu and Kekkei Genkai is where he shines," Kakashi pulls at the cut in his pantleg. "He's a natural with the Uzumaki sealing chains, just like Kushina," Kakashi pauses when uttering the name makes a deep part of him ache. "With just the chains alone, I would say Naruto could manhandle most genin and perhaps a careless chunin. His use of Kage Bunshin is basic, but he seems to understand how to use clones properly. And his Henge..." Kakashi searches the Hokage's face. "Sir, you're aware that Naruto's Henge is a literal transformation, correct? I saw him shapeshift into a fox and run to cover while simultaneously creating clones to buy him time to flee."
Sarutobi can't help but smile. "Yes. Quite a wondrous technique, isn't it?"
"Unfair, or maybe broken are the words I would use," Kakashi sighs with a shake of his head. "I also spied him reading up on fuinjutsu when I arrived, so I'll be watching him closely for that. Of the three, I think Naruto will be the easiest to get into the teamwork spirit, as he had no issue summoning Laura-san when he realized he was outclassed."
"I see..." The elderly nin's eyes narrow. "Is that wound on your wrist from her?"
Kakashi rubs his wrist, which is still black and blue. "It is. Rather than a woman, she showed up as a wolf as tall as I, and probably four times my weight," he says, pulling back his sleeve to show the older ninja the bruises running up and down his forearm. "Other than supernatural speed and strength, along with some killing intent, she displayed nothing else."
"A wolf?" Sarutobi asks, his brow furrowing as he takes another deep drag of his pipe. "Curious. Those are bite marks, yes?"
"Indeed, Hokage-sama. She bit me to prevent me from substituting out of a trap Naruto laid, which wrapped my legs in sealing chains."
The Sandaime hums to himself. "She must have admirable control of her jaws to bruise, but not break skin," he murmurs. The old man takes one last drag of his pipe before emptying the ashes into the ashtray on the corner of his desk. "If that is all, Kakashi, you are dismissed. Have a pleasant evening."
Kakashi bows, then is gone in a flicker of movement.
He bounds out of the Hokage tower and over rooftops faster than anyone can see, little more than a shapeless, flying phantom to most. Muscle memory carries him to where he needs to go, and without looking he comes to a stop in a grassy field.
Back in Training Ground 7, before the hero's memorial.
The copy-nin walks up to the slab of stone, hand reaching out so his thumb can gingerly trace a pair of names.
"Sensei, Nee-chan..." He mutters to himself. "Naruto has grown up so much. He's already a shinobi. He even has your chains, Nee-chan. Only one in a hundred Uzumaki have them, huh?" He smiles thinly under his mask. "He even made his own jutsu already. A Henge that is a real transformation. It boggled my mind to see it, you know. Something tells me Naruto will keep doing the impossible until I quit questioning it.."
There is no reply. There never is, but Kakashi moves to the next name.
"Obito, where did everything go so wrong? Why couldn't there be more Uchiha like you?" He asks for what feels like the thousandth time. The name engraving is smooth, yet it still feels like it catches the skin of his thumb. It's as if Obito wants to slap him over the head for moping, but is forced to settle for little scratches. "Uchiha Sasuke is on my team too. He's the very last one," Kakashi whispers. "I don't know his exact relation to you, but I refuse to let your family die out, Obito. I refuse to let that last little bit of you die out. I promise, I'll make things right this time. I promise."
Kakashi remains there, standing until the final rays of sunlight vanish behind the horizon. Then in a flash, he's gone.
(SAVING... DO NOT TURN OFF GAME...)
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Level 13 Genin of the Hidden Leaf (+10% to all Leaf Shinobi rep gains)
EXP: 1,300/9,100
HP: 7,300/7,300
MP: 14,300/14,300
Money: 25,820 Ryo
STR: 22
DEX:18
VIT: 73
END: 90
INT: 30
CHA: 22
LUK: 55
Available stat points: 5
Traits
Gamer's Body: Translates bodily damage to HP. HP, MP, and most debuffs are fully restored after 4+ hours of sleep in a secure, comfortable area.
Gamer's Mind: Grants EX-tier mind control resistance, grants A-tier illusion resistance.
Uzumaki Heritage: +5 END, +5 VIT, and +200 MP per level. Regenerate 0.1% HP per minute. +200% [Fuinjutsu] skill gain. Grants [Adamantine Sealing Chains] skill.
Kyuubi Jinchuuriki: +300 MP per level. Regenerate 0.1% MP per second. Regenerate 0.2% HP per minute until full when HP drops below 50% Grants A-tier poison and disease resistance. Negates muscle atrophy. Grants skill-set [Biju]. -50% to all (Konoha Civilian) Rep gains unless (Friend) or higher.
Active Skills
Sort by: Relevancy
[Observe] - Lvl 10 | 200MP | Magic
Take in all the details of an object before your eyes, divining it's true nature and history. Higher levels will glean more details and reduce the casting cost.
[Surface Cling] - Lvl 9 | 20MP | Ninjutsu
Circulate MP through your skin and into an object in a looping pattern to cling to it. Can be used to scale sheer surfaces and keep an ironclad grip on objects. Higher levels reduce wasted MP and count towards leveling up [Basic Chakra Control]. Costs 20MP to cast + 20MP upkeep per min.
[Kawarimi] - Lvl 14 | 10MP | Ninjutsu
Warp space and instantly swap places with a similar sized object within 14 meters to avoid danger. Higher levels increase range and increase object size tolerance.
[Henge (false)] - Lvl 1 | 20MP | Ninjutsu
Place a thin shell of chakra around yourself, taking on the appearance of someone else or a similar sized object. Higher levels make the illusion less likely to be detected and more durable. 2 MP upkeep per minute.
[Henge (true)] - Lvl 21 | 600MP | Ninjutsu (Alias: Oiroke no jutsu)
Transmogrify your entire body into something else. Higher levels allow more radical changes and reduces casting cost. 50 MP upkeep per minute.
[Kage Bunshin] - Lvl 20 | Variable MP cost | Ninjutsu
Create solid clones of yourself with 1.5% of your base HP. MP used is divided equally among desired clone amount. (Minimum 90MP per clone). Clones will return their memory and any gathered EXP to the user upon death. Higher levels reduce casting cost and increase clone HP.
[Killing Intent] - Lvl 7 | Variable MP cost | Ninjutsu
Project your desire to do harm upon others as a form of unblockable psychic wave, causing (Fear) or other debuffs depending on potency and target. Can be infused with up to 70 MP to increase effect.
[Adamantine Sealing Chains] - Lvl 15 | Variable MP cost | Kekkei Genkai
Spawn great, spear-tipped chains from any point on the body to use as weapons. The chains seal Biju chakra and act as conduits for [Fuinjutsu] and [Ninjutsu]. Higher levels reduce casting cost and increase chain strength. Costs 165 MP per meter of chain per minute.
[Biju Cloak] - Lvl 1 | LOCKED
Cloak yourself in the malevolent chakra of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, increasing STR, DEX, END, and VIT by 100%, but reducing INT and CHA by 50%. Fills (Corruption Meter) when used, and when the meter is full, user takes rapid HP damage. Higher levels increase bonuses and reduce penalties. Unlock condition: Form (Neutral) or better relationship with Kyuubi no Kitsune.
Passive Skills
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[Konoha Academy Taijutsu] - Lvl MAX
A basic set of fighting principles meant to allow students to grow into their own fighting style. +5% poise and +5% unarmed damage. Transmigration Skill
[Beginner Shurikenjutsu] - Lvl 2
The ascended version of [Basic Shurikenjutsu]. +7% to throwing weapon accuracy and damage. Allows knife-like weapons other than kunai to be thrown with only a minor penalty
[Beginner Fuinjutsu] - Lvl 6
The ascended version of [Basic Fuinjutsu] Allows for the creation and dismantling of low level seals. User can glean more about seals using context learned from similar seals. +12% to seal creation, identification, and dismantling.
[Basic Chakra Control] - Lvl 8
The art of controlling one's chakra (MP). This skill works in conjunction with INT to lower casting costs for [Ninjutsu]. Current bonus: -4% casting cost for all skills.
[Beginner Lockpicking] - Level 19
Ascended version of [Basic Lockpicking] Allows for the picking and understanding of lower level locks. -24% time needed to pick mundane locks without security measures.
[Journeyman Stealth] - Lvl 29
Ascended version of [Amateur Stealth]. Allows the user to hide from detection, even from higher level foes with special sensory abilities. +172% chance to not be detected by a pursuer. +169% sneak attack damage. Adds bonus from current attire compared to the surrounding area. Current attire stealth bonus: -90%
[Adept Trap Making] - Lvl 14
Ascended version of [Journeyman Trap Making]. Allows successful creation of multistage traps with advanced mechanical components and volatile substances. +205% trapmaking speed, +205% trap laying speed, +205% trap damage, x2 chance of trap debuff, allows substitution of missing components with alternatives, targets are less likely to notice traps.