When being scolded for my life's worth on the possible consequences of my little stunt with Fugaku, one thing Hazuki said resonated with me in particular.

"He's our clan head, Tomo! He could very well tell me to disown you, and what will you do then?!"

Whereas I'd been taking the lecture mostly in stride for what it was, that little sentence in particular sent a cold, dark chill running down my spine as I realized that he very well could do that, if he was feeling petty. And well... I had no faith in a politically-involved man who also treated his son like a weapon of warfare to not be petty.

So it might be petty of me in return, but I was now (February the 20th) exploring Konoha, on one of the days where I only did light training rather than the breakneck pace I'd started putting myself through in order to try and catch up with the weasel.

Also, and I would not admit this to anyone but myself because the alternative was a visit to the mind-readers, I was starting to feel myself spiral back into depression. Between the lack of mental stimulation (training left me much too tired to do much else other than rest), the fact that I was only interacting with people while training as a result of the former, and the realization that all I was doing was just making myself a more efficient tool for the Hokage's private militia... I liked the man, but I didn't like him thatmuch. Chakra was cool and magical and fantastic, and all I was using it for was to learn how to kill people.

So today, I explored Konoha instead. I had actually not seen much of this place- I didn't get to leave the house much when I was younger, either because of helicopter parenting or because I was a depressed bundle of tears, and now because I'd mostly kept to the Uchiha ghetto compound, since all I might've needed (not much) was there.

Sadly, as I passed by the Konoha hospital, glancing in, I suddenly felt a sharp tug of my ear. Consciously not enough to do more than inflict pain, but at the same time, definitely strong enough to restrict my movement.

Also, ow ow ow ow- who the fuck-?

Soma Hiroko, Konoha Nurse, Lv – 18

Ohno

As I was paraded in front of a few snickering chunin and pulled into an examination room, she finally turned to regard me. "Get on the table."

"?" I made a questioning sound, but I complied, jumping up halfway and pulling myself up. Hiroko hummed in angry approval at that.

As she began examining me, I focused this time on the sensation of her chakra moving through my own system, which I hadn't been able to perceive the first time. It was more than a little uncomfortable, as though I had a cold, slimy thing moving under my skin and through my veins and eventually spreading to the rest of the body. As she did so, I murmured a quiet [Observe], comparing myself to her.

Fuma Tomo, Fuma Clan Kid (The Gamer), Lv. 6

Health Points (HP): 30/30

Chakra Pool (CP): 10/10

Experience Points (Exp): 0/600

Money: 0 Ryo

STR: 3

VIT: 3

DEX: 11

INT: 21

WIS: 7

CHA: 2

CC: 1+21%

LCK: 5

Status: Fine

Points to Spend: 0

Questions Unasked: 1

[Skills] – 13

[Jutsu] – 5

[Boons] – 1

[Titles] – 1

Soma Hiroko, Konoha Nurse, Lv. 18

Health Points (HP): ?/?

Chakra Pool (CP): ?/?

STR: ?

VIT: ?

DEX: ?

INT: ?

WIS: ?

CHA: ?

CC: ?%

LCK: 9

Useful as always, game. Apparently, the answer to the question of "which of her stats are out of my range?" is "every single one of them". I knew that age would grant me better stats and remove the caps on certain ones, it was the only hurdle that I and Itachi shared at the moment, but still. As always, I was humbled.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." I murmured under my breath. "I needed to see for myself what happened since..." I trailed off. Hadn't the Hokage put out a ban on talking about the Kyubi? "And adjusting to living without Kaa-san has been hard."

As I felt the warmth of my own chakra seep back into my body as she removed her glowing hand, she brushed a bit of hair out of her face. "It's okay, Tomo-chan. I was just worried, is all, since you vanished without a trace while still being injured. However, I can see that you're just fine, thankfully, beyond some minor aesthetic scarring. How has your chakra been coming along? Have you been able to unlock it yet?"

I blinked. "Oh yeah, totally. I can do this now." I jumped, sticking my hands to the wall and pushing chakra into them. I had not been able to do it with my feet, for some reason, but channelling chakra into my hands had been way, way easier.

Courtesy of the Kyubi nearly destroying the pathways there, maybe? That was where my skin had developed weird lines running along them anyways.

"Ta da." I hollered, now close to the ceiling and sticking to the smooth hospital wall through sheer strength of will.

And magic.

...okay, it was all magic.

As she blinked- eyes wide and mouth slightly parted for a moment before her face settled into a starkly neutral expression, I could feel a distinct... something, in the air. It would've been frightening, I suppose, if I had not decided to compete with Itachi of all people. No killing intent though, thankfully. "How long have you been able to do that for, Tomo-chan?" She inquired "innocently".

Time to brag. If I was going to waste the day having a social call, I might as well turn it into an opportunity.

"Oh, a bit now. Technically like 3, maybe 4 months- oh, woozy" I felt the cold begin to spread through my limbs as my chakra thinned. "But my chakra reserves are abysmal. I've been sticking things to me for that long, though." I smiled with all the grace of a preening peacock.

"I see... that is quite good for your age, Tomo-chan." She said, and I inwardly cringed. Gone was the nurse looking out for a child that came in with burns all over their body, replaced by a Shinobi looking at a potential asset for the village.

...mentally filing away my disappointment for later, I instead kept going. Time to brag. If I was going to waste the day having an unpleasant social call, I might as well turn it into an opportunity. "Yeah, but I don't think I've reached the limits of what I can do yet, so far it's all been easy as pie. Could you show me something else? You've already told me how to unlock my chakra and I can do some cool stuff with it, but I want to start doing jutsu!"

As she blinked, some of the humanity returned to her gaze, and she smiled. "I'm sure we can find something to keep you entertained, Tomo-chan, though I'll have to get permission from the Orphanage matron for it."

This time, it was my turn to blink in confusion. "I don't live at the Orphanage."

"Who do you live with, then? I was told there was no remaining family members to pick you up, back then…" she trailed off, though we both understood what event she was alluding to.

"Well, when the Kyubi happened, Takeo dropped me off at the Uchiha. They just kind of took me in from there. I think we might be distant cousins or something?" I said, though it came off as more of a question. Truth be told, I wasn't sure of the relationship between the Fuma and Uchiha clans- only that there was one, thanks to my Fuma Clan Kid title.

"Is that so?" She asked. "How has the Uchiha Clan been treating you? No one's bullying you, or hurting you, or mistreating you?"

I cocked my head. Is that a hint of racism I hear? "Not really, besides the Clan head telling me that I am a worse prospective shinobi than his son, the Clan-Head-to-be. Which I'd hope is the case, or else the Uchiha are screwed."

I said, lying as naturally as I breathed. I already knew both that Itachi was oh-so-very-strong, and that would be exactly the downfall of the clan. But, well, I wasn't *supposed to*.

"I see." She said.

"It's kind of what I was asking you about, anyways. I'm sort of in a... "friendly competition" with the son of the Clan Head. And I was looking for an edge over him." I asked.

She looked... pleased?

"Though I will have to ask my superiors about it, I think I might be able to arrange something for you." She said, before shaking her head. "Anyways, off you go now. I have other patients to attend to."

I grinned, flashing her a thumbs up. "Thanks Hiroko-san! You're the best!"

Of course, I would later go on to change my tune as I began to learn the truth behind the cruelty of this world. And most of all, I would learn that just because INT was my highest stat did not mean that I was not a fool.

She smiled back as I scarpered off.

-40HP! (nonlethal)

I didn't make it far before a sharp blow to my skull made my eyes roll in the back of my head and I lost consciousness.

...and shit hits the fan. Smaller chapter, but at least I posted the continuation right afterwards, right?

Drink water, stay awesome. Nick of Name, out. :)