A Few Weeks Later
~Shinji Sarutobi~
The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon and gleam into my study. I gave a brief glance over my shoulder at it, before heaving a sigh and returning my gaze to my journal on the desk.
I was no stranger to early mornings. I've hardly gotten a full night's sleep since having started these journals. The Yamanaka said it'd be a good way to manage anxiety, reduce stress, cope with depression… or whatever. I don't know about all that, but after being forced to by the psychiatrist for months, it's just become a habit to make an entry every morning. Today marks the fourth anniversary of journaling.
10th of October
My love,
I'm not sure where to start. It's been four years since I last was able to hold you in my arms, and every day without you has grown colder. The day you left, you took a part of me with you. I'm not mad about that, though. I hope that in some way that piece of me with you is keeping you safe and warm, and that thought truly brings me happiness. It's just that I could really use your help right now.
Don't worry, it's not about the house or the clan. They're thriving, and our finances are perfectly fine. It's about Ichiro.
I just can't stop seeing you every time I look at him. It hurts so much, and I know I'm failing him and it's not fair. It's not fair to him and it's not fair to you. I promised you I'd take care of our son. I'm just not strong like you were. I don't know how to be there for him. I hired the girl in hopes that he could feel some maternal love and I think it's working, but I can't help but feel I should be the one getting him up, helping him dress, cooking breakfast together and eating. It sounds so simple, yet I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm sure at this point he resents me but it's just too much to handle. Oh, I wish you were here. You'd make things so simple.
I know I'm a horrible father, but if there's something I'm good at, it's being a soldier; I will not let our son be weak. I can take some solace in the fact that he's extremely gifted in just about everything he does. I suppose we have a little prodigy on our hands. Maybe one day he'll finally take the mantle of strongest Sarutobi from old Hiruzen. I tried my best to do that and still fell short, only surmounting to be the substitute clan head, as opposed to any real one.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't make this about myself.
I hope you know that to this day you are still dearly loved, and that I really am trying my best to do right by you. I'll be talking to you again soon.
Yours Forever,
Shinji
~Ichiro~
Training has been going well, but even with the extra incentive of watching my stats and skill numbers tick up, I could do with a break.
Which is precisely why Fumiko and I were down in the city central, currently munching on octopus on a stick. Apparently, there was some big festival today and we wasted no time getting into all the different types of foods and snacks being sold.
I was alerted to a small shout of "Hyah!" behind me, and as I turned, Fumiko was jabbing towards me with her empty skewer. I barely dodged, and grinned as I raised my own kebob—partially eaten tentacle and all—in a defensive stance, looking more akin to a fencer's pose than anything traditionally taught in this world. "En garde," I said back in my best French accent, to which she just looked at me perplexed, before engaging me in an epic stick fight.
We giggled our way to the game stands, before finding one named Ultimate Ninja Adventure.
"Welcome in, kids!" The carnie called out, before explaining to us the rules of the game. I guess the goal was to 'win a series of fights' by throwing 'shuriken' at targets getting increasingly more difficult. By the end, if you can defeat the 'Kage' level opponent you'd win a prize.
This was the stand all the kids wanted to play at, since just about everyone thought ninja were really cool, so I got the chance to stand and observe the best strategies for a while as we waited in line.
It was just a series of targets that got bigger and bigger, each cut out to resemble a random ninja. You'd think that the targets getting bigger would make things easier in the end, but it was just the ninja themselves that got larger and would be filled with even more targets. You had to hit every target on the ninja to win the battle.
-- Quest Alert! --
Ultimate Ninja Adventure!
Objective: Defeat the Kage level ninja!
Reward: 200xp. An extra-large stuffed animal.
Oh, you're on!
I had yet to start any throwing weapons training with father, but my dexterity stat was fairly good for my age, in my opinion, so I gave it a shot. The first ninja—a genin—had just 1 target, and I was supplied with 2 wooden shuriken.
Two chances, huh?
So, I reeled my hand back, ignoring Fumiko's giggles behind me, and let loose my first shuriken.
"Woah!" came the shout of some poor soul out in the crowd, because my shuriken flew extremely wide and almost hit them.
I raised a hand, "Sorry!" I shouted immediately, my face turning red. Suddenly, there was a gentle hand on my wrist.
"Here, Ichi-kun, hold it like this," Fumiko said while quietly kneeling behind me so she could set her face just above my shoulder and bring her arms around my sides, guide my hands into a proper form.
I couldn't help pressing my back into her, she was just so warm and comforting. Huh? I guess this little body of mine was making me crave affection.
Anyways, resisting the urging to just turn and cuddle in her arms, I let my shuriken out again, guided by Fumiko's arm.
Buzz!
The board lit up and made noise when I hit the target and I jumped out of her arms to celebrate, throwing my hands in the air and spinning to give her a beaming smile.
"Nice job, Ichi-kun! Oof-" she grunted as I rushed in to give her a hug, resting my head at the crook of her neck. What can I say? It was comfy.
Fumiko just smiled down at me and rubbed my back gently before letting me know I still had a game to finish.
"Oh right," I said sheepishly, while rubbing my head. Out of the corner of my eye I read a notification stating:
Skill Unlocked: Throwing Weapon Mastery!
Throwing Weapon Mastery – Level 1 – You can accurately throw weapons at a range of 1 meter. Velocity and damage of thrown weapons increased by 1%.
Oh nice. That should come in handy, assuming the range scaled up with level. I was currently standing further than 1 meter from the game targets, so it looks like this wouldn't exactly help me right now, but I would still try!
The next ninja was a Chunin and it had 3 targets, whereas I only had 4 shuriken. So, I guess I would only be allotted one slip-up each round.
I held the ninja star how Fumiko had shown me, and let it fly, actually managing to hit one of the targets on my own. Peaking into the corner of my vision again as another notification popped up, claiming my weapon master skill had gone up again.
Skills:
Throwing Weapon Mastery – Level 2 – You can accurately throw weapons at a range of 2 meters. Velocity and damage of thrown weapons increased by 2%.
My grin broke out, with two meters of accurate range, the targets were now at my mercy. I had to stifle a giggle as a line I would always quote from the show came to mind.
You're within my field of divination.
I can see now why Neji loved to say it as I mercilessly started taking out all the targets all the way up to the Kage level ninja, who had 9 targets for 10 shuriken. The vendors mouth was practically on the floor as he watched me fling the little wooden stars with impunity, and his mouth would remain there as I walked out with my own giant stuffed Toad, in honor of the great Jiraiya.
-- Quest Summary --
Ultimate Ninja Adventure Complete!
The Kage Level Ninja was defeated!
Reward: 200xp. Extra Large Stuffed Toad.
Level Up!
Awesome! It was the first quest I had received since my birthday, so it was nice to be earning experience points again.
"My goodness, Ichi, you really picked up on shuriken throwing fast!" Fumiko's tone was one of exasperation. She'd been witnessing my training with dad and knew already I was pretty good at everything I tried. I didn't let it get to my head, though. I knew it was just the game working in my favor. Anyone could seem like a genius when they had such a powerful ability propping them up.
I just turned back to her, almost completely encompassed by my stuffed toad, and said, "it's only because I had you there to show me along," before turning to walk straight again, spotting a show beginning to start in the distance in a little amphitheater.
I didn't make it far as Gama-chan and I were scooped up into a bone-crushing hug from behind, "oh, you're just so cute, I could eat you up!" Fumiko squealed while spinning me around in the air.
Thoroughly jostled and dizzied, I was having a hard time walking straight when she set me down, so I stumbled over to a bench to sit, and patted the open portion to my side to invite her over. Fumiko said without hesitation and wrapped an arm around my side.
"Ah, this is so fun! Are you having a good time, Ichi-kun?" She smiled down at me and pulled me in tight for a side hug. I smiled back up at her and just gave an enthusiastic nod.
"Erm, but I was wondering something, Fumiko-Neesan?" I asked, to which she responded with a simple 'hmm?' "I just was wondering where your little brother is. Don't you think he'd like the festival too?" I immediately regretted asking, because no sooner than the words left my mouth, her warm countenance chilled significantly in sadness.
"Oh, um…" Her eyes turned down to the ground, and she released a little sniffle while trying to find the words, "…father said I wouldn't be seeing little Fuu-chan for a while. He's going to some kind of special training program because he's doing so well in school." Now she hiccupped and placed her arm over her mouth as she stifled a sob.
All I could really think to do was put my hand on her arm and rub her back with my other. "I'm so sorry for bringing it up! I'm sorry, I didn't kno—" before she cut me off.
"No! It's okay little Ichi. It's nothing you should worry about!" She wiped her face and heaved a great sigh. "I just don't exactly know when I'll get to see him again, but I'm sure it's going to be okay." She sniffled again and gave me a weak smile, which didn't quite make it all the way up to her eyes.
I just nodded dumbly and stood with her to go to that show I spotted earlier. I'm pretty sure I had some vague memories of a Fuu Yamanaka from the show, but I wasn't quite sure who he was. But since he was named, he must have been quite a shinobi. I tugged on her sleeve to get her attention and gave her my best heartfelt smile. "Your brother is going to do great!"
She just smiled again, this one regaining some of its warmth, "I know he will!" With a reaffirming nod, she grabbed my hand and led me to the seating section outside the amphitheater.
It was some kind of play depicting the Fourth Hokage battling and defeating the Nine-Tails, when I was jolted into an epiphany. This was the Kyuubi Festival! It was four years ago, today, that Kurama was used to attack the Leaf, the Fourth Hokage, Kushina and so many others died. That also means that today is…
"Naruto's birthday…" I whispered in realization. I wonder what he's up to right now. I know he didn't have the happiest upbringing, but there wasn't really much I could do about that, right?
I mean, it's his hardships that made him who he was. That taught him about never giving up and made him appreciate the people around him. What would happen if I tried to befriend him? I mean, I wouldn't turn him away if we happened to cross paths, but I wouldn't actively search for him either. Consequences be damned, there's no reason to not be at least amicable.
The sun was beginning to set, so Fumiko led me home and gave me a hug goodnight, before she went off her own way. As I stepped through the house toward my bedroom, I passed by my father's study, where he was sitting behind his desk. The only acknowledgment he gave me as I passed by was his eyes peering up from the book he was writing in.
I just huffed my annoyance and kept going to my room. He'd been a ruthless taskmaster in training, which seemed to be the only time he ever spent with me. I don't know what he's always doing in there, but I guess it was more important than hanging out with me.
Once I made it to my room, I quickly shut the door and sat at my desk—which I had asked my dad for a couple weeks into making library visits—preferring to study on my own, even if Daibutsu was great company. Not to mention in my room I had free reign to play with the menu all I'd like without worrying about someone questioning any odd behavior. Although, at this point I've become pretty good at discreetly navigating my system.
Looking at the desk, it was covered in different books on chakra and jutsu theory. I want all my skills to be strong, but overall, I think being a ninjutsu specialist will be my priority. Not only did I select the large reserves and acute chakra perks, but the idea of shooting lightning out of my fingertips was too cool to pass up.
I had also been practicing my hand-sign skill, which funnily enough spawned its own skill in my list. I don't know why exactly I didn't think it would be something that could be trained, but it just never came to mind.
My progress in training, while still impressive, had certainly slowed since the first day. The attributes themselves becoming more difficult to acquire with each increase. Which is why I was excited for the quest today.
Status
Status:
Name: Ichiro Sarutobi
Age: 4
Level: 2 (280/100 XP) ~ Level Up Available ~
Title: None
HP: 325/325
Chakra: 290/290
Attributes:
Constitution – 9
Strength – 8
Agility – 11
Dexterity – 10
Wisdom – 15
Intelligence – 19
Not too shabby, if I say so myself. My goal was to at least be low genin level by the time I got into the academy, so have each stat to at least 20.
I went ahead and spread my stats out as much as possible, putting 2 into strength, 2 into constitution and 1 into dexterity.
Status:
Name: Ichiro Sarutobi
Age: 4
Level: 3 (180/250 XP)
Title: None
HP: 400/400
Chakra: 358/358
Attributes:
Constitution – 11
Strength – 10
Agility – 11
Dexterity – 11
Wisdom – 15
Intelligence – 19
Luckily, I had found a setting in the menu that could give me a brief overview of skills and passives so I didn't have to have a wall of text attack me every time I looked at them, instead it would just show the skill levels, and I would have to click on them to check the description. Which, thank goodness for that, I was only just starting my ninja career, and it was already becoming too much.
Skills
Skills:
Observe – Level 14
Chakra Sensing – Level 8
Chakra Concentration Technique – Level 16
Throwing Weapon Mastery – Level 5
Hand Sealing – Level 11
My chakra concentration has come a long way, largely thanks to my acute chakra, and while I was waiting for my chakra to regenerate, I would practice my hand seals. Something to note about the chakra concentration technique was that once it hit level 10 it started consuming only 4 points of chakra per second. Would it eventually cost me nothing? I just shrugged and moved on to the next screen.
Passives: Leveled
Passives:
Chakra Potency – Level 9
Chakra Control – Level 12
Just seeing the numbers certainly made my monkey brain feel good. It also made me miss the video games of my old world. Sure, my whole life was a game, but at the same time, it would come with a lot more consequences than anything I ever played in my last life.
I was going to continue my chakra control exercises for the night, but I kind of wanted to just leave this as a rest day like I initially intended. Instead, I left the room and headed down to the living room, maybe I'd find a game to play before heading to bed. Unfortunately, though, my father had other plans.
"Ichiro!" He called as I passed his office again. "Come in here, I'd like to talk with you for a moment."
It's a bit of a shorter one, sorry about that. Let me know, do you like having the skills/passives and all the shortened down to their levels, or do you want the whole descriptions? I'm just trying not to fill the whole chapter with stats all the time.
Thanks.