I also Post on AO3 where you can find the rough draft for this fic sans the corrections found here to better conform to guidelines.
My name over there is BloodyRewrite. If I write any porn you will also find it there.
So few things to note in this universe Sasuke was not under the Tsukiyomi as long as he was as a child in canon, only being inside for what felt like hours where as in canon it was a solid day. If I am remembering correctly. The Yamanaka clan also worked inside of his head while he was unconscious to lessen some of the effects of the trauma. Mainly this is reflected as Sasuke being less anti-social than he was in canon.
AN END.
Darkness... that was all Uchiha Sasuke now saw. It was blissful as compared to the torture he had witnessed before it. The murder of his people saw time after time in that hellish genjutsu anything was better than that. Darkness was the best he could have asked for. In the dark fog of unconsciousness, the screaming had stopped.
Then there was the light; a fluorescent pulsing light that made a faint humming noise overhead he opened his eyes and was greeted by a white ceiling with bright fluorescent lights that lit his room. His vision was blurry, and his head throbbed like a beaten drum even as his body ached from head to toe. He let out a groan. The smell of disinfectant greeted him when he inhaled, white walls bright lights disinfectant... he was in the hospital.
Uchiha Sasuke blinked several times as the events of his ordeal came flooding back to him it wasn't a dream then, everything that had happened; everything was real—his world had been shattered to pieces by his brother... his beloved brother whom he had admired more than anyone else he knew. A brother he had trusted and looked up to. That very same brother had murdered his people, his clan, his auntie and uncle, his distant father, and his kind mother... All cut down, and for what? filthy ambition. Was it all for the sake of power?
Had everything Itachi ever said to him before that night been just another illusion? Just another trick of the eye in his brother's vast repertoire? Sasuke concluded it must have been, no loving brother would make their sibling an orphan, no good son would murder his parents, and no true Uchiha would massacre their own blood. No respectable person would slaughter children either which Itachi had done, and Sasuke had witnessed hundreds of times in the hell his brother had forced him into.
As the light from the fluorescent ceiling hurt his eyes Sasuke was slowly becoming aware of what he had heard a soft gentle voice; the words of someone he could not see seemingly rumbled in his mind unabated.
"Uchiha Sasuke, you awaken, you who have endured great tragedy have a choice to make, I am the great Kami Kanoyanohime-no-Kami, or Kaya-No-Hime, for short the goddess of fields, harvests, and medicine, and I come bearing a gift to assist you in righting what was done to you."
Sasuke froze, A Kami? A literal Kami? This was ridiculous! How could a Kami be here? Sasuke looked around but saw no one. Had Itachi succeeded in scrambling his mind? Was he dead?
The voice continued to speak like a whisper in his mind. "My gift will assist you in healing the wounds inside your soul. You are hurting you are afraid; your heart is broken that is why you have not yet awakened and why you feel the need to close your eyes, but if you open them you can see yourself as you truly are open. your. eyes. Do you know of what I speak?"
Sasuke's mind raced, his eyes... what did this being- wait his sharingan! was this Kami saying his sharingan had awakened from what he had endured?
Sasuke stood on weak footing and trudged his way to the bathroom connected to his hospital room; he didn't trust the voice in his head, but he needed answers to what was going on. Sasuke looked into the mirror and a pale face with dark eyes stared back at him.
"Your chakra, think of the pain of the massacre and channel your chakra behind your eyes." Kaya-no-hime ordered.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock was he going mad? he had to be. But despite himself Sasuke closed his eyes and did as the voice requested.
He thought of seeing his aunt and uncle felled by a single kunai as they cowered, not willing to raise a hand against their beloved nephew. Itachi did not even spare them a glance or a second ninja tool.
He thought of Uchiha Inabi, with his long dark hair and stern eyes who had questioned his brother about Shisui's now revealed murder, he watched as Itachi bound him and made him watch his wife and child be murdered before Itachi beheaded him. He saw him die before the blade even connected with his neck, the fire that had shone in his eyes long extinguished.
He thought of Izumi Uchiha a beautiful girl with a kind face who had loved his brother almost as much as he did, he saw Itachi fry her brain with a genjutsu so powerful it made her bleed from the nose and killed her. He then saw Itachi kill her mother after knocking her out.
He thought of old man Tenkai, a crippled veteran of the first two shinobi world wars, whose somber face would lighten when he talked of his granddaughter and how good she was for helping him in his old age. He saw again how she was cut down in front of him, a child a year younger than himself slaughtered by his brother she was not even in the academy yet, he saw in that moment how Tenkai lost his will to live as he stopped desperately trying to get out of bed and into his wheelchair he saw him with a cry of anguish blow himself up with an explosive seal carved into his chest only to see Itachi escape the blast radius unharmed.
Last he thought of his mother and father, his mother had been the kindest woman he had ever met, she was graceful, warm, beautiful, and intelligent, the peak of what a truly noble person should be, and she was always there to lend him an ear or help him. His father was stern, but not cruel where his mother was open and friendly Fugaku rarely spoke but when he did everyone listened, he was like earth itself, mostly unmoved but when he was moved the very world shook and listened. He thought of them in their final moments how they refused to fight, to kill their son, how Itachi cut them down without mercy just as he did hundreds of others that night.
All these tragedies flashed across his eyes—and the next thing Sasuke felt was a sharp stinging pain behind his eyes.
He decided to open them. The image was blurry at first but soon the blurs resolved and like a polaroid picture taking form Sasuke looked at his reflection and saw his eyes glowing red his vision far sharper than the already sharp eyes his people were known for.
In each of the bloody crimson irises a single black tomoe spun like a pinwheel. He had his sharingan, and all it had cost him was everyone he had ever loved...
It was like a nightmare; but there was no waking from it.
The pain was gone, so was the dull throbbing of his head. He felt good, physically at least...
He gazed into his reflection once more the tomoe staring back at him lazily spinning. 'On these eyes, I swear to all of you I will make him pay.' Sasuke vowed as he felt tears well up in his eyes—he wasn't sure if it was from anger or grief. No matter the cause they fell all the same.
With a low sigh he deactivated the sharingan cutting of his chakra flow to his dojutsu he watched as his flinty onyx eyes stared back at him. Nodding he turned away from the mirror. The voice it would seem had told the truth.
Kaya-no-Hime's voice called out to him like a whisper; "You see now, poor child that I spoke the truth, that I am here to assist you in your time of need my gift has been passed onto you so you might survive your trials and emerge triumphant!" The voice said with a soft joyful tone that seemed to come from all around Sasuke.
'What gift?' Sasuke thought, it didn't matter what it was if it could help him move on from the loss of everything, he cared about he was all ears.
The Kami's voice came back to him like a soft purr; "You are destined for great things my child. I have marked you as my chosen, all those who are marked by me are bound for great things."
Sasuke frowned in confusion. The Kami went on, "A great gift I will bestow upon thee, oh last of your line, I will grant you an ability I and Ame-No-Uzume have worked tirelessly on an ability that will make advancement nigh trivial for you."
'What could this be?' Sasuke wondered and more importantly what strings would such a gift come with?
"You will gain a new ability—a power that no one else in your clan nay your world, has ever gained save one, a power that will aid you greatly in your quest to defeat your brother—a new power that will change this world and ensure that the yellow sky rises once more; for the sake of peace!" Kaya-no-Hime's voice came like an explosion as it spoke to him; "With my gift you shall become more than a mere ninja. With my gift you shall become a king upon men. If not more if you desire so."
"What is it?" Sasuke asked as his thoughts turned to the promise of power.
The Kami's voice came back to him in a warm whisper, "A power to see the world as a system, as a role-playing game. A system of stats, attributes, merits, and techniques, would you like me to show you what I mean?" Kaya-no-hime asked.
Sasuke felt a wave of curiosity wash over him, it did not sound like much to the boy but he would not toss aside help so quickly. "Show me," Sasuke said.
Before Sasuke could say another word, a long scroll appeared in front of him at the top of it was titled.
"Chronicles of Kami Character sheet."
Below that was listed what he assumed to be everything about himself.
The first thing he saw were his basic details.
Name Uchiha Sasuke
Age 10.
Character: vengeful- You are not one to take a slight laying down whenever you act as befitting your personality by righting a perceived wrong take a beat. 5 beats grants 1 experience point.
Dirge: Passionate- You hide it well but you secretly like many Uchiha have a very choleric temperament whenever you act on impulse no matter the impulse take 1 beat. 5 beats grants 1 experience point.
Clan- Uchiha
Bloodline- Sharingan one tomoe.
Experience points 30. from surviving massacre and torture.
Beats 0/5
Size- 5 roughly in the five foot range.
Health level- 8, 3 from stamina, 5 from size.
Chakra Capacity 1600 CP.
Speed-10 yps run speed 5 from size 3 from dex 2 from str.
Defense rating- 4
armor rating- 0A 0A 0B.
Soak- 6B.
Initiative modifier- 6
Genjutsu resistance- 8
Genjutsu bonus- 5
Below this basic info was a large rectangular section labelled attributes, this section was then divided into 3 categories Mental, Physical, and Social.
Mental attributes
Intelligence- 3/5. An intelligence of 3 depicts an IQ of around 140 or so intelligence governs memory comprehension, sealing proficiency, medical ability, and mathematical abilities and more besides.
Wits-2/5. A wit of 2 is the human average wits governs improvisation and thinking on your toes. It benefits any skill when time is critical.
Resolve-5/50 Resolve of 5 is the peak for normal humans but in this world that peak is 40. Resolve covers your mental endurance to torture and your ability to keep going. Resolve in this world also heightens genjutsu resistance, and chakra capacity.
Physical attributes
Strength-2/50 A strength of 2 is the human average in most worlds, strength 2 allows one to lift 80 pounds above their head with difficulty, strength also governs the damage of physical attacks along with weapon modifiers and martial arts skill. Strength along with dexterity raise speed.
Dexterity- 3/50 A dexterity of 3 is higher than human average but not much so. Dexterity raises the defense rating directly and contributes to the accuracy of physical attacks. Dexterity along with strength raise speed.
Stamina- 3/50 A stamina of 3 is higher than the human average of 2. Stamina directly adds a level of health per level, stamina also directly effects chakra capacity and raises your blunt soak allowing you to survive more punishing blows from punches and kicks.
Social Attributes
Presence-4/5 A presence of 4 is the equivelent of being an eight out of ten. Presence is the combination of your looks, magnetism, and aura. It directly effects the starting opinion of those around you a presence of 4 grants you plus 10 to initial reputation with all characters.
Manipulation-2/5 Manipulation is part of your ability to lie, cajole, and other subtle means of getting your way. Manipulation effects the strength of genjutsu being added as a bonus to genjutsu rolls. A manipulation of 2 is the human average.
Composure- 3/5 Composure is part of your social resilience against manipulation. A composure of 3 means you are moderately harder to fool than the average person. Composure like manipulation is also added to your genjutsu attack rolls.
'Hey, I noticed there is no level listed isn't that a common thing in RPG's?' Sasuke asked, he had never played many himself, but he remembered some of his distant cousins speaking about them before. Not that he would ever get to ask them now...
"Ah yes, yes, that is correct. This is because, ahem in short levels are stupid and do not correlate at all to reality. Humans do not have levels, there are no level 15 ramen chefs or level 22 bandits. Humans do not become stronger by leveling up they do so by becoming more skilled and improving themselves in more subtle ways." Kaya-No-Hime said this with an air of disdain directed at leveled systems.
"What humans do have is attributes, skills, techniques, and merits. " Kaya-no-Hime's voice came back to him with an air of pride; "This, this wonderful system is far more grounded and easily quantifiable."
Kaya-no-hime went on and explained.
"Attributes are what humans have instead of levels. They govern Strength, think of attributes like this, 0-5 are normal human level attributes so we will call them genin level, 6-10 are attributes beyond the scope of normal human ability awakened chakra allows you to access these for all physical attributes and 1 mental attribute, think of this level of attribute as chunin level, 11-15 would then be the basis for elite chunin level attributes, 16-20 being the range of jonin, 21-25 are the realm of elite jonin rank shinobi 26-30 are S-ranked shinobi while 31-35 is the realm of high S rank threats like most Kage, 36-40 is the rare SS-rank while 46 plus is the realm of SSS rank legends like Madara and Hashirama the maximum level of which are attributes of 50."
Sasuke sat listening and mentally taking notes. Kaya-no-hime was right; attributes did work like levels which was a good thing, it meant that his own growth would be measurable in a clear and concise way to himself. This meant he could work to improve himself in ways that would be quantifiable and easily understood and that was something he had always wanted for himself. He had never had any real confidence in his abilities always being compared against his genius brother, but by looking at his stats he was not in a terrible place even now.
"What about those experience points from the first section, how do they work?" Sasuke asked.
"The experience points are a measure of how much you have grown as a character." Kaya-no-Hime replied; "In a normal RPG experience is only good for leveling up, but in this system, experience is used instead to directly buy attributes, skills, merits, and techniques. The costs are at the bottom of the sheet, but I will tell you them now since you asked my dear champion."
Sasuke read down the list as Kaya-no-Hime explained; "At first glance it might seem like experience is hard to grasp especially with the system of beats, but it is really quite simple." She began.
"4 experience points can be used to improve an attribute by a single point no matter how high or low it is, 2 experience points can improve or buy a merit by a single point no matter how low or high it is, 3 experience points can improve a skill no matter if it be novice or mastery. Beats are earned by acting in your nature, 5 beats make a single experience point this is a reward for roleplaying."
This was great news he could directly increase his stats and skills without having to waste time grinding for experience like in other games he had played; and best of all he could do it simply by acting as he already did. No moral grandstanding no bullshit.
Kaya-No-Hime sensing his interest continued "experience points themselves are also earned by completing quests, missions, and surviving or overcoming ordeals." He heard the smile at her lips.
"In fact for surviving the massacre of your clan and horrid torture you earned quite a few experience points."
Sasuke was momentarily distracted as he thought about what the clan massacre and torture was like but then shook his head clearing it from his thoughts; he was going to use those events to get stronger to make itachi pay!
FOR ACTING IN YOUR NATURE YOU HAVE GAINED A BEAT.
Sasuke smirked he would enjoy this. As Kaya-No-Hime continued her lesson Sasuke noted down every detail in his mind.
"Before you spend them though look down and to your left on the scroll and you will see the skills available. Skills range from 0 to 10 0 being unskilled and 10 being Kage level. As skills are mental and physical, they do not go as high as physical attributes do." Kaya-No-Hime said.
Sasuke looked where she had indicated, and—he was not prepared for what he saw! A whole list of skills divided again into three categories Mental, Physical, and Social. He read the categories to himself.
Mental skills
Academics-1/10 Academics one indicates a basic education in history and the shinobi arts. low genin level.
Sealing-0/10 Sealing indicates talent for using fuinjutsu 0 indicates no skill or training in the art.
Crafting- 0/10 crafting is a wide skill covering talent in various works from building to blacksmithing. 0 indicates you are unskilled.
Investigation 1/10 Investigation indicates an eye for detail and can help avoid ambushes or look underneath the underneath. Low genin level.
Medical- 0/10 your talent with medical ninjutsu and other medicines herbal and pharmaceutical. 0 indicates no skill.
Occult- 3/10 Occult is part of your genjutsu resistance it with resolve determines your ability to fight off illusions. currently at low chunin level.
Politics- 1/10 politics denotes your knowledge of political structure and intellectual bureaucracy. Low genin level.
Chakra control- 2/10 denotes your finer chakra control abilities reducing the cost of non-elemental jutsu by 8 percent per level. current level high genin/leaf exercise.
Physical skills
Athletics- 2/10 Athletics is your muscle memory and routine it increases your defense alongside dexterity allowing you to move out of the way of attacks. It also impacts certain other tests alongside strength or dex.
Brawl- 1/10 Brawl indicates your skill in a fist fight it alongside dexterity determines the speed and accuracy of your punches and alongside strength determines your strength in grappling or defending against grappling.
Martial Arts- 1/10 unlike brawl which increase accuracy and speed martial arts increases the raw damage of hand to hand combat every point raises unarmed damage by 1 point. Masters punch with fists stronger than many blades.
Mechanica- 0/10 determines your accuracy alongside dexterity for hitting targets with aimed mechanical weaponry such as senbon umbrellas, crossbows, and shuriken guns.
Sleight of hand- 1/10 indicates your skill with picking pockets or quickly drawing weapons and items alongside dexterity.
Stealth- 1/10 your skill of avoidance coupled with dexterity for graceful movement stealth determines how easy you can sneak challenged by opponents investigation, and resolve.
Survival- 0/10 your skill of living off the land and prepping animals, plants, and water for consumption goes with wits to adapt to circumstances.
Weaponry- 2/10 your skill with thrown and hand operated weapons like kunai shuriken and spears, weaponry with dexterity determines accuracy while the weapons damage is boosted by strength. Unless it is a bow.
Social skills
Animal ken- 0/10 A prized skill of the Inuzuka animal ken increases your ability to tame animals and order them in combat or otherwise.
Empathy- 1/10 Your ability to read others and put yourself into their situations and problems. manipulation plus empathy versus composure and subterfuge.
Expression- 0/10 Your ability to communicate thoughts and emotions clearly through acting, music, speaking or writing. Presence plus expression vs composure and subterfuge.
Intimidation- 0/10 Your ability to coerce through force of personality, physicality and threats. either strength plus intimidation or presence and intimidation. All are resisted by composure and subterfuge.
Persuasion- 1/10 Your ability to manipulate others subtly with words and covert actions. It can involve fast talking, (Manipulation + Persuasion.) Impassioned speech (Manipulation +persuasion.) Or seduction/charm (Presence + persuasion.) All are resisted by composure and subterfuge.
Socialize- 2/10 your ability to blend into parties or formal gatherings or anywhere really. Actions include Carouse (Manipulation + Socialize), Fit in (Wits + Socialize), and Get attention (Presence + Socialize) All are resisted by composure and subterfuge.
Streetwise- 0/10 Your knowledge of the other side of town, your connection to criminal elements and black-market types. Skills are work the black market (Manipulation+streetwise) and get the word out we are hiring (presence + streetwise).
Subterfuge- 1/10 Your ability to lie deceive and manipulate also your ability to defend against such things yourself. Lying is manipulation plus subterfuge, fake emotions is presence plus subterfuge. Other uses covered above.
After reading through all the various skills Sasuke felt a little overwhelmed at having so much to learn.
"As you can see," Kaya-No-Hime continued "It is not like an RPG where all skills start at the same level."
She went on.
"Upbringing and experiences to this point have effected what skills and attribute you possess now. In the future you will gain whatever skill you work towards but it is important to tell you this now if you accept this gift you will no longer be able to gain skills by training only by spending experience points. Experience points are gained by socializing, killing opponents, and completing quests and missions."
Sasuke thought on that for a moment but did not want to lose this advantage—he could get stronger now with only a small investment of time and effort while gaining experience it would be a faster path to power than training ever was. He nodded; "I understand and accept."
He somehow felt the goddess smile inside of his head.
"Good! Then we have one last broad section to cover before we move on to techniques, that being merits, as you have agreed I have granted you a few that will aid you in your quest. Merits uniquely are more like perks or special abilities, than skills and attributes they define what makes you special as a person."
Sasuke was looking at the list when he found the section simply labeled as merits. He began to read his eyes widening at what was written.
Merits
Lying Eyes- A merit that conceals your sharingan activation, whenever you so choose you can use your dojutsu without revealing it granting all the advantages. Doubles chakra cost of Sharingan when used.
Desperado- Yours truly is a fool's quest, but you do not give up. You have a reputation as a desperately reckless sort but in an almost admirable way. You suffer no relationship penalty for acting in your choleric nature. As an added benefit when the chips are down and things are dire take +1 to all physical stats. A desperado goes down fighting tooth and nail.
Pain and hunger- You saw something few others could possibly relate to when you were little more than a child you were tormented for weeks on end in a hellish genjutsu that showed your beloved brother killing everyone you loved over and over again. You will not hesitate to kill you cannot afford to. take a plus 1 to hit rolls in life-or-death situations.
Sharingan 1 tomoe- you have awakened the eyes of your vaunted clan at this level the Sharingan grants plus 25 percent to defense when active plus 2 to your hit roll, and plus 4 to genjutsu resistance rolls.
Godly Earth affinity- Kaya-No-Hime favors you as the champion of the Goddess of fields and medicine you have gained her earth affinity! All earth jutsu cost 10 percent what is shown and stone can be used in any way imagined. makes stone summoning and clones permanent if they are not already so and allows rock clones and golems to repair themselves with natural energy.
Peak Fire Affinity- Ember in bone fire in blood the Uchiha were the inferno given form. No other clan was as enamored with the frenzied flame as your own. All fire jutsu cost 25 percent the normal amount and fire is very easy to control. An awakened sharingan allows one to manipulate fire jutsu in enviable and deadly ways.
High lightning affinity- lightning techniques cost 50 percent less to cast sharingan allows lightning to be more focused.
Curse of Hatred- Made up bullshit spouted by a bigot, pay it no mind. Just know that some others will blame trauma on your eyes rather than events that caused it.
After reading Sasuke was stunned 'This is... It should be criminal to have this level of understanding of me.' He thought, 'Not to mention the incredible gift you have just bestowed on me—I have never seen anything like this. No Uchiha has ever been able to use the sharingan without it being visible...'
Kaya-No-Hime smiled; "That's why it is a gift. Merits are more than skills and attributes they are special talents; the last user of this gift changed the world forever after all." She said softly.
Sasuke's eyes had gone wide as he thought of the implications this may hold for him.
'Who was the last user?' Sasuke asked as he continued to read through the list.
"I will not lie to you, though as you get older you may come to detest the answer, I am an honest Kami if nothing else are you sure you wish to know?"
Sasuke felt mild trepidation, but he gave in to the impulse all the same. "Tell me."
FOR ACTING IN YOUR NATURE YOU GAIN 1 BEAT!
His eyebrow twitched but a smirk settled on his face. Far be it for him to become angry by getting stronger it served his purpose after all.
Kaya-No-Hime sighed from somewhere within his skull. "Very well young Sasuke, the last wielder of your gift was the first Hokage of Konohagakure, Hashirama Senju."
His blood ran cold, and silence reigned for a good twenty seconds he felt Kaya-Hime shuffle nervously.
'What!?'
END NOTE
Kaya-No-Hime is basically me bitching about stuff whenever she shows up you know why.
So this was primarily just a draft of the system I was working on which is a mix of vtm20 vtr 2e and chronicles of darkness 2.e made for the Naruto world. I call it chronicles of Vtrm22.E nindo mix.
Interestingly this fic started as a way to describe Hashirama's frankly bullshit abilities in canon and how none of his descendants inherited his bullshit. It is also a bit of a potshot against some of the gripes I have with gamer fics (though I really love them.) which will be expanded upon in future chapters.
My gripes are things like weird and inconsistent leveling, a damage system that is never explained, them being annoyed at getting wisdom points and other stuff I will touch on later the next two chapters are not chapters but an explanation of the combat system in depth to make the fics system easy to understand and serve as a reference point. Because I love knowing what is going on. So maybe other people do too.