(AN: And yes… I will be using the Higurashi Tenten trope of the weapon shop. I just like the idea that that's where Tenten gets all her weapons from. It's fun. To jh831, I've got a couple of answers to your questions. The E-Rank scroll he received gave him the carpentry skill from the lottery. The C+ Rank Jutsu scroll gave him the five D Rank Jutsu's as a reward. For loot boxes, that's pretty much what the scrolls are. They're random chances to get items. C Rank scrolls can give skills C Rank and below, and can go up two ranks, with a slight chance to upgrade an entire rank. So, C can go to C+ and B-, or upgrade to a B, which then can be B+ or A- ranked. And Cheat Codes are definitely something I'm thinking about, just trying to figure out how to implement them right now.)
[Observe Complete!]
Name: Musano Daimuro
Title: Chunin
Job: Konoha Chunin
Level: 26
STR: 29
CON: 19
DEX: 14
INT: 16
WIS: 15
LUK: 11
Skills: [User must be Trusted to view target's skills.]
Relationship: Neutral [5/50]
Summary: Newly graduated Chunin, Musano Daimuro is a cocky but hard working man who likes to get a laugh off every once in a while. While he is neutral, he certainly doesn't mind your pranks so long as he isn't caught in them.
[Ding! Observe Skill leveled up. Lvl 1 - 2.]
"Finally!" Naruto cheered, garnering several looks from those nearby. He ignored them, however, and continued to look around, now smiling widely as can be. He had observed almost two dozen people while waiting outside his apartment for Iruka-sensei, and finally he had got something. Apparently if you were a Menace, then observe didn't work besides a name, title, job, relationship, and a smidge of a summary. Each time he had noted the skills EXP going up by a miniscule amount, but after finally finding someone at least neutral, it had jumped up. Man, who knew there were so many people that didn't like him… at least he had finally leveled it up. Speaking of levels, however.
[Ding! Bloodlust Detection Leveled up! 11 - 12]
It had gotten to the point where every three or four detects was now giving him a general direction. While Naruto didn't like the way it was leveling, he knew the skill would definitely be useful out in the field.
[For making a stunning realization, your WIS and INT have increased!]
"It was not stunning, you jerk!" Anyone would have figured that out!
"Everything alright, Naruto?"
Flipping around, Naruto struck a fighting pose at the man who dared to walk up to—"Oh, hey Iruka-sensei. Yeah, everything's great, just uh… observing people."
"Ah, people watching," Iruka smiled brightly at the young boy. "I used to do the same thing when I was your age."
"Yeah, there's a lot of weirdos out there, huh Iruka-sensei?"
Blanching, Iruka shook his head, "That's not what people watching is—you know what, you're right, Naruto. There really are. Now then, are you ready for some shopping? We'll head to my favorite Shinobi Supplies store. One of my old students runs the front on her off days. Anything she makes is actually cheaper, as she's still learning, even though they're still of very good quality."
"Oh really? What's the place called?" And will they sell anything to me?
"The Sleeping Tiger. The owner named it that after his wife."
Naruto blinked. "Why'd he name it after his wife?"
"I don't know. That's just what the sign says, so I never asked." Iruka said while shrugging, "Now come on, we're burning daylight."
As they journey through the village, Naruto couldn't help but ask Iruka the one question that had been burning within him since yesterday. "Iruka-sensei, I have a question about Nature Transformations…"
Without skipping a beat, the man tried to step out of that conversation. "That's a little advanced for you, Naruto. A little advanced for me as well. You should worry about the basics first, after all—"
"Yeah, yeah, a foundation of the basics sows the seeds for the forest of greatness." The man had heard the Hokage say it a few weeks ago, and now every other class he was repeating it. After all, if the great Professor was on his side, he might as well take advantage of it.
"That's right, Naruto. But why bring it up? You should at least get the Academy Three down before attempting to learn any Elemental Jutsu. Just look at Sasuke."
Naruto growled at the name of his rival and huffed. "I just wanted to know what the best one to learn would be."
"Ah, well, you should throw out that question entirely. Don't even worry about it."
"What? But why?" Naruto stomped his foot. Did the man not think he could handle it?
"Well, Naruto, I know this will hurt for you to hear, but you can't just choose your element. Everyone Naturally has an element to use, some have two, and in the very, very rare cases, they can have three. Lord First had two, which isn't a surprise with his Wood Style. He had two primary affinities to Earth and Water. His brother Tobirama, Lord Second, had an incredible primary of Water, and eventually trained his Lightning Nature to it's pinnacle. Lastly, Lord Third, he only had the primary Nature of Fire. However, he was able to train all five elements, mastering them all, and became know both as the Professor, but also the Second God of Shinobi."
When had the old man become that strong? "That's… so how does one train all five if they're only born with one, two, or three?" His notifications were still blinking at him, begging for him to choose his two elements.
"Anybody can learn an elemental jutsu of any type. But it is much harder than learning their primary. For example, if you have a Fire Nature, you'd learn it the fastest. You'd then be able to learn wind, lightning, and earth at a standard speed. But Water would probably be halved as it beats fire."
"Can you tell me about their pros and cons?"
[For your quick thinking, your WIS has increased.]
Mentally cursing the ability, he turned his eyes to Iruka, giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes that he could.
[New Skill obtained! Puddy Dog Eyes.]
Puppy Dog Eyes (Lvl 1 5%): Embrace the cuteness! Can make even the Gods bend to your will with this powerful ability. Loses the effect once you lose your youthful charm. 10 CP to use.
+15% Chance of effectiveness when of a high relationship.
+10% Chance to sway people to your side.
Was everything a skill or something?
"Alright, Naruto."
"Yes!" He mentally cheered and ignored the notification that confirmed the skill had worked.
"But you actually have to listen, understand? I don't want to have to repeat myself since you already ignored this study in the classroom."
"Eh heh, thanks sensei." Naruto realized maybe he should have paid attention in the Academy more… nah, school was for suckers.
"Now then, Naruto. As you know, there are five main Elemental Natures, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water. Each has their own different pros and cons. Fire is considered the most destructive of the Elements. It is wild and unwieldily, burning through entire swaths of friend and foe alike. The flames can continue burning even without chakra, maximizing its strengths. This is one of the most dangerous natures to learn as well and is quite hard to master, even as a primary affinity. Fire also beats Wind. Wind Nature is known as the Nature of War. While having similar destructive power to Fire, it does not last as long, but makes up for that in its defensive capabilities. Imaging surrounding yourself in a tornado to push away your opponents while simultaneously blocking any ranged attacks."
"They both sound awesome!"
"They can be quite interesting to learn." Iruka said proudly. "Now then, Wind beats Lightning. Lightning is almost purely used for offense. It is a great singular target, Nature, while also having plenty of wide range capabilities. I believe there are only a few defensive jutsu, though most double as offensive. Such as the Raikage's Lightning Armor. Lightning can also be used to enhance the user. Strengthening their muscles, boosting their speed, even making someone smarter, though I'm not sure how that one works. It is both dangerous and hard to learn. You can fry your own nervous system if used incorrectly, just like Fire."
Naruto was very interested in the Lightning style, especially since his one jutsu could paralyze opponents. Though the extra damage from the Wind or multiple ticks from fire also looked nice.
"Lightning beats the next element, Earth. Earth Nature is the pinnacle of defense. A Master of Earth Nature is able to make his skin as hard as steel and impenetrable as a diamond. With both single target and area damage, Earth is always a safe choice. It is also the easiest to learn and master. It is also the only element where its clones are durable and can take multiple hits."
"Clones?" Naruto groaned. That sucked.
"Yes, there are elemental clones, as well as a few other variants besides the standard illusionary Bunshin."
Naruto wondered if perhaps they would be easier to learn than the regular one. He mentally filed away the thought of checking it out in the skill purchase list later. At least once he leveled up and got more points. Though, knowing his luck, he'd be screwed on that.
"Now, Earth then beats Water, which is considered the jack of all trades element. It has impressive offensive and defensive jutsu, and master's can even breath underwater, or create storms that can drown entire villages. Lord Second was one of those people. It is fairly simple to learn, and is considered the best support type. Multiple of it's jutsu are paired with medical ninjutsu in order to boost their power and efficiency. It also is the counter to Fire."
Naruto thought long and hard for a moment as he tried to absorb Iruka's impromptu lesson.
[By listening to your teacher's quickly made lesson, you have earned a Stat increase. INT has increased +1]
"I'm not that stupid!" Naruto raged against the machine.
He really needed to get some training in for the rest of his stats and skills. Maybe a prank was needed to level up his stealth skill..
Stealth (Lvl 19 87%): You are like the shadows, weaving in and out of the light, hiding from all but the best of the best… And your sensei, you've still have never figured out how he can find you at will.
Orange Monstrocity Set Bonues in full effect.
Naruto still fumed about that set bonus. Orange was a great color, but at least he got a +100% EXP increase from it. It just meant he had to work harder for even better rewards.
"So, Naruto, did that help at all?"
Breaking free of his thoughts, Naruto answered. "Yeah! Thanks Iruka-sensei. Though… do you think Jiji would be willing to give me some advice too?"
"Oh, is mine not good enough?" Iruka ruffled the boy's hair good naturedly. "I'm sure if you ask the man, he'd be more than willing to help. Though again, Naruto, I do think you should give this some more thought at a later time. Focus on the basics for now."
"Hai, Iruka-sensei." He would… for five minutes, then he'd go back to it. Iruka's definitions went well with what the system was telling him. "Oh, now there's an interesting character! Observe."
Name: Maito Gai
Title: Konoha's Green Beast
Job: Elite Jonin
Level: ERROR
(Note: Level too high for a full scan. Due to the Relationship Level, some information is still obtained.)
Relationship: Neutral [49/50]
Summary: An Elite Jonin of Konoha and one of the strongest Taijutsu specialists in the Elemental Nations.
"Well, that's new…"
"What's new?" Iruka asked him.
"Oh, uh, nothing." Naruto frowned as they began to pass the strange man, and for a split second an ingenious thought formed in his mind. He skipped over to the man and his companion, some white-haired scarecrow. With a flourish, Naruto butted into their conversation, ignoring the words they were speaking. "I love your outfit! Believe it!"
From one bright orange garish tracksuit to another garish jumpsuit, it was the greatest compliment he could give. Though he especially liked the orange leg warmers.
Everything seemed to freeze around him and the scarecrow man even dropped the book he was reading as silence choked the breath from everyone. But Naruto never backed down, he continued to strike his pose.
Finally, after an eternity, the white-haired man whispered, "What have you done?"
But nothing exploded. The world did not end. Instead, the green man merely fell to his knees in front of Naruto and clasped his shoulders with his large hands. "My boy… you…"
"Uh, yeah?" Now he was becoming creeped out.
"That is… the greatest compliment anyone has ever given me."
Naruto blanched at the man's words.
"Tell me, would you like one of these jumpsuits? I will give you five, no ten. No! Twenty!" The man's eyes were burning now. Literally, Naruto thought about grabbing his canteen and pouring over his head. "The power of Youth must flow deep in your veins! This is a time for celebration. Tell me, how many would you like?"
Naruto just wanted to see if he could get more information from the man if his relationship was higher than neutral. But now…
[Sub Mission Unlocked!]
[Sub Quest: Fan the Flames of Youth! Or Smother them forever…]
[Rank C]
[Quest Description: Give the man what he wants, or quash his feelings permanently, ending his career as a shinobi. Accept the new path before you.]
[Choice One: Sure, I'd love one! I think they're neat!]
[Choice Two: Pssh, who cares? It was just a prank anyway.]
[Rewards: +100 Relationship with Maito Gai (or) -1000 Relationship with Maito Gai, +5 Relationship with Kakashi Hatake (or) -25 relationship with Kakashi Hatake, Permanent clothing Option: Maito Gai's Green Jumpsuit, ?, ?]
"Mínus a thousand! How the hell did that work?!" Naruto had to figure out something quick. He didn't want to wear one of those forever. No one around seemed to be of help either, including the weird guy with one eye who seemed like he was choking on a lemon. Maybe that was Kakashi Hatake?
"Well?" the man practically begged him for an answer.
So, thinking quickly, Naruto did the only thing he could think of and was good at, he improvised, "Maybe just those awesome leg warmers for now! I love the orange!" He was deviating from the path but, hopefully that wouldn't be considered a failure.
"Just… the leg warmers?"
For a moment, Naruto flinched, wondering if he had made a mistake, but suddenly the man jumped to his feet, and struck a pose.
"I do not have any on me at the moment!"
"Thank Kami!" Naruto was about to give up pranks forever at this rate… nah, that would never happen. "No problem then, I—"
"But that is no issue. I shall retrieve a pair for genin post haste! Do go about your day. I shall find you later!"
"Eh? That's not—"
But the man was already gone in the blink of an eye. Leaving behind a green blur that slowly faded away, still striking that pose.
"Necessary?"
[Hidden Quest unlocked: Have your cake and eat it too!]
[You have expertly out maneuvered the system! Congratulations! Your hidden rewards are being calculated!]
[Current Rewards obtained; +50 Relationship with Maito Gai, +15 Relationship with Kakashi Hatake, +5 Relationship with all active duty Shinobi, +25 EXP]
[Hidden Rewards still being calculated.]
[Your Relationship with Maito Gai has increased. Neutral - Friendly (49/100)]
"Eh, I can live with that." Though he did wonder why he had gotten +5 from all active duty shinobi…
"That was… masterful, Naruto." The white-haired man said.
Naruto simply glanced at the man and grinned widely. "It is a cool outfit, from one eyesore to another!" Discreetly tossing an observe the man's way, Naruto made his way back to Iruka, who simply patted him on the back with a soft smile. As the two continued their journey, Naruto looked at his notifications and pouted.
[For your quick wit and quicker mouth, you have obtained +1 INT +1 DEX. For thinking with the System in mind, +1 WIS.]
He wasn't really sure what the DEX part was about, but a free upgrade was a free upgrade.
[One Achievement obtained!]
"Oh yeah, I need to check on those." He almost smacked himself for that slip up, but this time, Iruka didn't say a word. So he continued to the observation.
Name: Kakashi Hatake
Title: The Copy Ninja
Job: Elite Jonin
Level: 47
STR: 56
CON: 35
DEX: 75
INT: 61
WIS: 61
LUK: 49
Relationship: [Friendly 99/100]
Summary: The Copy Ninja himself, Kakashi Hatake. Being the son of the great White Fang of the Leaf, Sakumo Hatake, and the last surviving student of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Kakashi has a mighty legacy placed upon his shoulders. Racked with Survivor's Guilt, however, Kakashi's skills have severely diminished in the last decade of peace, slowly but surely. Still, he is considered one of the great shinobi in the leaf, and is a Jonin respect by all.
There was a new Relationship. So far, he had found quite a few, and slowly was piecing them together. There was Menace, Neutral, Friendly, Well Liked, Proud Ally, and Honored Friend. He was sure Menace went lower, however, and was thankful he hadn't run into anybody lower.
"Well, Naruto, here we are!"
Breaking from his thoughts, Naruto glanced up and was surprised at the quaint-looking store before him. He could smell the flames and metal in the air, as listened intently as the sound of metal was hammered over and over again. Briefly, he wondered if he could get blacksmithing as a skill.
"Looks cool." The doors were none existent, instead it was wide open, and he noticed the dozens of weapon types and clothes that lined the walls. Poking his head in, he saw another wall. This time filled with tools, books, and scrolls. He wondered if regular scrolls could be instantly learned or absorbed like the ones the System made.
"Well, let's get in there." Iruka moved past, entering the store while looking around.
Naruto mentally calculated his ryo amount and winced at the paltry 17000 he had saved up after his most recent purchases. He glanced around at the weapons and grimaced, noting that most of the prices were well above 50k. "Observe."
Journeyman Beginner's Bo-Staff
A beautiful piece of hard dark oak wood with a steel core and plenty of studs to smash your enemies into a puddle
+25 Blunt Damage
+15% STR when wielding in both hands
+10% STR when wielding in one hand
+10% DEX
21,000 Ryo
Naruto mentally cried. A piece of wood was worth more than him. How the heck was he going to get more money to become stronger?
"The weapons are beautiful, aren't they?" He glanced up at his sensei in worry, "But the supply section is over here, Naruto."
Reluctantly, Naruto left the weapons behind, and moved to a different corner, following Iruka. When they arrived, Naruto grimaced. The smoke pellets and other supplies certainly looked better than what was sold at the old man's arts and craft store, but man it was 2000 ryo just for ten…
He looked up and almost felt his jaw drop at the shuriken and kunai. A set of five shuriken was 5k and a set of five kunai was 7500! After a quick observation, he did realize they were probably the same ones that Iruka had gifted him. He really should thank the man again for that.
Before he could speak, however, someone else spoke, "If the price is a little much for you, we also have some discounted items at the front counter. They're still quite good, however it was my daughter that made them." Naruto turned and his eyes widened at the very tall and thin woman before him.
"Uh, I—"
"Ah, Sumi, it's good to see you again. But now, we're not searching for equipment today, just refilling his supplies. Someone sold him some sub par items. I hope that won't be an issue?"
"Of course not," she said, barely glancing at Naruto. "Do let me know if you need anything else? I'm the only one at the shop today."
"Ah, is Tenten out training today?"
The woman laughed to herself, and quickly said, "Yes, she is quite eager to finally be graduation this year, and wishes to keep her title as Kunoichi of the Year."
"I'm sure as long as she keeps training, she'll do fine."
"I'll be sure to tell her of your high praises. Do take care.
"Observe."
Name: Sumi Higurashi
Title: The Fan Mistress
Job: Inscriber of The Sleeping Tiger
Relationship: Neutrtal [2/50]
Summary: The wife of the owner, Sumi Higurashi, runs the shop as her husband toils away in the harsh forges. While not much of a smith herself, she does have an incredible knowledge of etching and inscribing. This comes in handy with her knowledge of seals.
"Another Neutral."
"I made sure we came when her husband and daughter were busy," Iruka whispered after she moved away.
"Eh? Why?"
"Let's just say after the last couple large scale pranks, her husband doesn't look too kindly on you, Naruto. He still would have sold to you, so long as I'm with you, anyway. But you hit them pretty hard a couple times, even catching him once while he was out meeting with a buyer."
Naruto grimaced, "Note to self, try to stay away from the owner." But wait, why would he mention the daughter? "What about the daughter, Tenten?"
The man shook his head, "The same reasonings. Plus, you've hit her class a few times at the Academy. "
Right, maybe it was time to start planning his pranks around this new relationship system. He'd find the two of their profiles in the system later, just to check their status, though it was most likely at Menace level.
"Alright then, Naruto, anything specific you need?"
He grabbed a pack of smoke pellets, and had to force himself past the weapons section once more, eyeing the clothing as well, but at the 50k price tags he was able to just barely get away with his money intact. He stopped by the scroll section instead, and realized they were in fact jutsu scrolls, as well as having books on taijutsu styles, most basics, and other bits of knowledge, like sewing, weapon maintenance, and more. He found a cheap-ish Jutsu, an E- Rank called, The Fast Draw Technique, that was really just sleight of hand with minimum chakra usage, and immediately got a notification.
[You have discovered non-system Skill Scrolls! Tutorial beginning…]
[In game skill scrolls can be purchased through the system, and instantly can be used to learn a skill and get to Lvl 2 with it. You already know this! Non-system skill scrolls, however, do exist, and when found, or bought, to use them, the Player must spend the prerequisite amount of time studying the technique in order to fully learn the skill. The skill will then be learned and start at Level 1 with 0% EXP. Depending on the rank of the skill, there are certain caveats to this learning method. An E rank skill may simply not work, while an A Rank skill could blow up in the Player's face. The Player can also spend a certain amount of skill points when obtaining the scroll to skip this process. While still cheaper than buying a scroll from the Skill Shop, most skills can not be found out in the wild like this.]
"Well, it's not like this skill scroll is going to cause me to blow up my hand if I get it wrong, I'll definitely buy it." So, adding the 5k of the smoke pellets, and the 7k for the scroll, Naruto marched up to the counter and purchased his new items.
"Ah, the Fast Draw Technique," Iruka looked over the scroll. "It's a nice one to know, as the faster you are than your opponent, the easier it is to live."
"It'll also work great with my elemental shurikenjutsu." Naruto couldn't help but remark to himself. Being able to outdraw his opponent was simply an added bonus. "Hey, Iruka-sensei, are there any other great shops you know of? Maybe a clothing shop that would sell to me."
The man glanced around at the clothing on offer and smiled down at the boy. "Right, I forgot how expensive some of their equipment can become. Especially for an academy student. I might know a place. It's just a few shops down, actually. I'm guessing you're just looking for something currently that you can lounge around in besides your, uh, ninja gear."
Naruto felt annoyed at the man's attitude toward his beautiful track suit. It was awesome! Orange was awesome! "Yeah, pretty much, my sleeping clothes especially."
The shop was nice, and once more the owner was simply neutral, though it was at 45/50, unlike Sumi's. Which was interesting. Maybe he just hadn't of hit the store as much in his pranks. After leaving, completely devoid of any cash, and weeping for his Gama-chan wallet, a loud noise interrupted him from asking for a third shop.
"Youuuuuuuuth!"
"What's that?" Naruto asked.
"Oh, no…" Iruka looked around, scared, which in turn scared Naruto as the haunted echo filled the streets.
"Dynamic Entry!" A green blur rocketed into the ground before them, tearing a large section of the road to bits, and scarring off several people who had been glaring at Naruto.
"Holy—"
"Youth!" Standing with the dust billowing behind him, Maito Gai struck a pose a few feet before Naruto, a box… floating in front of him.
"Uh…"
With a quick jump, and a flip, the Green Beast grabbed the box before it could hit the ground, and landed, holding the box out to Naruto. "My youthful friend! Please take these leg warmers. They shall help you on your journey!"
"My journey, huh?" Naruto thought, and gingerly reached out to take the box.
"I hope they serve you well. There are two pairs, but one of these has a chakra seal to give them a bit more of a weight. I am planning on using them for a student of him, though may simply give him physical weights, I am not sure. It is no matter to you, however, please, enjoy, and know the power… of YOUTH!" Striking a pose once more, the man leaped into the air, flying away.
"Well, that was something," Iruka muttered.
"You're telling me."
[Hidden Rewards obtained!]
[+1 pair of orange leg warmers, +1 pair of gravity sealed leg warmers, +75 EXP]
"Gravity sealed?" he turned to Iruka, a question on his lips.
"I wonder why type of seal is on those," the man was already speaking. "Though I hope it's nothing dangerous, like a Gravity Seal or worse. Perhaps I should—"
"No! I mean. That's fine, Iruka'sensei. If I can't handle it, I'll be sure to let you or the old man know."
"Hmmm, alright, Naruto. I'll let it slide this time. But for now, why don't we go to Ichiraku's before we hit up the third shop, alright? I doubt you'd want to get groceries and then leave them out while we eat lunch."
"Sounds good, Iruka- sensei!" Naruto grinned. He had only been able to buy a new pair of socks from the clothing store, but it seemed to have activated his quest as it now sat at a 2/3 for the submission. So this would be good. Plus, he knew exactly what he needed to ask old man Teuchi…
"Do you have any healthy ramen bowls?" You could hear a pin drop as the small shop froze. Even Iruka, whose chopsticks dangled several noodles near his gaping mouth. Naruto couldn't help but ask, "What?"
"You… you're asking me for…" The man couldn't get his words out.
"You want a healthy ramen?" Ayame-nii asked in a strange voice.
Naruto looked down at his usual Miso Ramen in sadness. For breakfast that morning had eaten a "healthy" breakfast, at least one that checked off the quest hovering nearby. But now, as he starred down at his delicious looking food, he couldn't help but think of the hidden portion of his quest that still lingered, un-checked for the day.
"Yeah, I think…" What could he say? He was severely malnourished because a game told him so? "Well, I noticed what the other students eat. Even Choji says he takes supplements for vitamins and has to always eat certain foods once a day." That was actually true. At least, he had overhead the boy say one time to Ino after she called him a pig.
"Well, my boy, Ayame, has been helping me come up with some new ideas. Would you be interested in trying one of them?"
Agreeing to it, Naruto watched as Ayame whipped up the dish faster than he had ever seen her work before.
"Here you go, Naruto, one Ayame Special!" she declared, sitting a much clearer broth of Ramen before him.
With no small trepidation, the boy slowly brought his chopsticks into the Ramen, and brought the noodles to his lips. He blew on them, placed them in his mouth, tasted, chew, swallowed and then—
"They're not half bad. Definitely a… 7 out of 10." High praise from the greatest of all ramen connoisseurs.
"Well, well, well. I never thought I'd see you eating a healthy ramen, Naruto." A fresh voice entered the arena, and the Hokage himself sat down between Iruka and the blond.
"Hokage-sama," Teuchi, Ayame, and Iruka all stood and bowed deeply to the man, who merely waved them off with a smile.
"Hey, Jiji!" Naruto half waved with his chopsticks, still staring at the bowl. He had to eat all of his breakfast before he got the check off from the System, so bottoms up, he guessed.
"Naruto!" Iruka warned, but once more, the old man simply waved off the man.
"It is fine, Iruka, as I have said many times in the past. Naruto is a dear friend of mine."
"Hey, Jiji?" Naruto finally sat his book down, noting the quest was now checked off for the daily, only the hidden was still waiting on him to get dinner. He'd figure that out later. Doing so cause him to miss the two's interaction.
Chuckling, the Third Hokage asked, "Yes, my boy?"
"What's the best element to you?"
"Here we go again." Iruka muttered good-naturedly.
"Oh? And what brought this on?"
"Nothing." He was quick to say, "I just thought that if you could choose any primary and any secondary nature, what would you choose?"
"Well, that is a tough question to ask, Naruto. For one, you—"
"I know you can't choose them, but what would you choose if you could?"
The man fell deep into thought as a bowl was eventually placed in front of him. "It is tough to say. I have journeyed long and hard to get to my current station, and while learning the fire basic elements, not truly stood out as the best or at least none stood out as better than the others."
"Really?"
"Each has their strengths and weaknesses, for example. Wind is weak to Fire. If you use a Jutsu to surround yourself in a wall of Wind to deflect, say, kunai or an earth jutsu, you would be fine. But if someone were to use a Fire Jutsu against you, then you would be surrounded by an inferno that can't be easily put out once your chakra merges with your assailants. However, if someone were to shoot a fireball at you, and your Wind is that much better than their Fire Nature, then you could stand a chance of pushing the fire back onto them."
"I hadn't thought of that."
"Elemental Jutsu are taught to Genin regularly, however, the true tactics and use of them are not gone over until Chunin for many. As an Academy student, you wouldn't have need."
"Sasuke teme can use elemental jutsu."
"He has since he was six, I believe. That is why he is able to wear his clan symbol so proudly on his back."
"Huh, that's…"
"Interesting?" Hiruzen chuckled at the jealous look of the boy. "But back to our conversation at hand, overcoming one's weaknesses is something to be considered, however you should also look at the synergies. If you could choose two, Fire and Wind is one, of course, but also Water and Lightning. Imagine you are surrounded by enemy shinobi, you have been shooting off Water Jutsu after Water Jutsu, trying to push them back. They are soaked to the bone, but they now have you cornered. What would you do?"
Naruto almost said he'd fight til the last stand, but he also knew the old man was testing him on something else, and after thinking long and hard, he simply said, "I'd use a Lightning Jutsu?"
"Yes, good job, Naruto. Yes, if you are in a puddle of water with your enemy, or with them being soaked, a Lightning Jutsu would be perfect, and even more effective. This is a strategy my sensei, Tobirama, would always use. He was a monster when it came to Water Jutsu, that is true, but after gaining his mastery over Lightning, he became near unstoppable. It took the Kinkaku Force to bring him down."
"Cool." Naruto wanted to hear more of the stories, but he needed the answers first. "What other synergies are there?"
"We'll continue to use Water for these, as it is the one with the most synergies. Combining Wind and Water gives you the ability to use Mud Style, some think that it is a Kekkai Genkai, but it is in fact simply a higher form of Earth and Water Transformation. It can be quite deadly to an unsuspecting opponent. Wind and Water next can pair well together. For one, if it is raining, you can create a blinding torrent to sneak away with. Or you can utilize mist to block an enemy's view of you. If you want it to be colder, the Land of Snow has many Ice Jutsu they use to great effectiveness. Though, it is mainly due to the cold temperatures that allow them to flourish. Finally, Water and Fire, what many consider opposite, can combine to form the Steam Style. It is far easier for those with the rare Kekkai Genkai, but lesser forms, just like the Ice style, are still available."
[For Listening to the man's explanation, your Int has increased by 1]
"So, would you choose water?"
The man shook his head at the boy's need for a solid answer. "Possibly. If you were to go for an offensive primary, Earth, or Water would be good to have as a secondary. But as for the primary, Wind or Lightning would be a better choice than Fire, simple do to your Water or Lightning capabilities."
"Well, Iruka-sensei said that Wind is known as the War Element. Isn't that awesome?"
"Hmm, I must say, it certainly is a strong element for war, though that is only from a beginner's standpoint. Yes Wind is strong for offensive, but does lack some standing in defense. However, if you are able to choose your two elements, it would certainly be a good choice."
"And what would you choose for your second?" Naruto eagerly leaned forward.
"If. I chose Wind," he began, "I would then choose Earth or Water. Earth is far better when it comes to defense, so it would be a great asset to pair with your wind. However, Water also offers several synergies with Wind, while also offering more in the way of support and offense, while still holding several defensive capabilities."
So Wind and Earth or Wind and Water. Naruto glanced over at his notifications where the words blinked at him. "Thanks for the advice, Jiji."
"It is of no trouble, Naruto. I am merely glad that you would come to me with this."
Grinning at the old man, Naruto ordered another serving of his new Ramen, and prepared to make his decision.
Two hours later, and Naruto was finally entering his home.
[Mission Accomplished!]
[Urgent Quest Complete!]
[Sub-Mission Complete!]
[Details: You completed the Urgent Mission, congratulations! 100 EXP, 20 Relationship with Iruka Umino, +20 Relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi! (Note: Relationship is maxed out with the target.) Sub-Mission Accomplished! +75 EXP, +10 Relationship with Sumi Higurashi, +5 Relationship with ?, +5 Relationship with ?, -20 relationship with ?, ?, and ?. Received +2 Skill points, +2 Attribute Points, and +2500 Ryo.]
"Holy hell!" Naruto shouted. This was more than he got for beating the range test! And he got money from it too? He quickly checked Gama-chan, and it was true. There was more than there had been. This was awesome. He didn't even stop to think who he had lost those 20 points in relationship with, nothing mattered. Especially when he realized something else.
[Ding! Level Up! Lvl 5 – Lvl 6]
[1 Attribute point obtained! 3 Total]
[1 Skill point obtained! 3 Total]
[Adding Title's attribute points]
[Level Up Complete]
Nice! Now he could check out the skill page again. Wasn't there something he was going to check, something about the bunshin… nah.
Practically skipping into the apartment, he once more ignored the giant golden exclamation point and hopped onto the bed in his room. Willing the notification to open, he stared at the same words for the thousandth time.
[Congratulations! You have obtained your first Elemental Jutsu!]
[You may now select Your Primary and Secondary Elemental style!]
[Wind]
[Lightning]
[Fire]
[Water]
[Earth]
With a deep breath, Naruto chose the two his Jiji had argued most for, Wind and Water.
[You have chosen Wind as your Primary and Water as you Secondary. Is this correct?]
(Yes/No)
Selecting yes, Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine, as well as a headache form as something filled his mind.
[Two new Skills have been added at Level MAX. Wind Nature Primary and Water Nature Secondary.]
[Two new Skills have been added at Level 1. Wind Nature Transformation and Water Nature Transformation.]
[Two new Skills have been added at Level 1. Beginner's Wind Nature Training and Beginner's Water Nature Training.]
[Would you like to view these skills?]
(Yes/No)
Nodding and hitting the yes, Naruto blinked as the information loaded.
Wind Nature Primary (Lvl MAX): Wind is your being, your source, your fuel. With each breath, you fill your body with the power to bend mountains, with every breeze you are gone, vanishing into thin air.
+25% Speed in learning Wind Natured Skills.
+25% Damage for Wind Natured Skills.
+25% Defense for Wind Natured Skills.
-25% Cost for Wind Natured Skills.
Water Nature Secondary (Lvl MAX): Streams, Rivers, Seas, and Oceans all part at your will. With every step, the water clings to you like a lost child, and with every leap, it follows you like a tsunami.
+15% Speed in learning Water Natured Skills.
+15% Damage for Water Natured Skills.
+15% Defense for Water Natured Skills.
-15% Cost for Water Natured Skills.
Wind Nature Transformation (Lvl 1 0%): The power of the sky in the palm of your hands.
+1% Speed in learning Wind Natured Skills.
+1% Damage for Wind Natured Skills.
+1% Defense for Wind Natured Skills.
-1% Cost for Wind Natured Skills.
Water Nature Transformation (Lvl 1 0%): The power of oceans in the palm of your hands.
+1% Speed in learning Water Natured Skills.
+1% Damage for Water Natured Skills.
+1% Defense for Water Natured Skills.
-1% Cost for Water Natured Skills.
Beginner's Wind Nature Training (Lvl 1 0%): Step one: Cut a leaf in half! Sounds easy right, well ohoho boy, you've got your work cut out for you. Get it? Cut?
Raises Wind Nature Transformation by a random percent based on DEX and this skills' level.
Doubles as a Chakra Control Exercise and gives half the amount of your highest chakra control technique toward your Chakra Control Skill.
Beginner's Water Nature Training (Lvl 1 0%): Step one: Pull the water from a damp towel. Sounds cut and dry to me!
Raises Water Nature Transformation by a random percent based on WIS, and this skills' level.
Doubles as a Chakra Control Exercise and gives half the amount of your highest chakra control technique toward your Chakra Control Skill.
Naruto realized after finding his thoughts again, that he now knew exactly how to try to do these techniques… He had to admit it. This gamer system was pretty broken. Though he also knew that just because he knew how to use the technique, that it wouldn't be successful every time.
He planned on testing one out immediately, when suddenly he noticed a flash in his notifications.
[Two Tutorials Left.]
If he finished the tutorial, he would get a premium gift, whatever that was. So maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to get something really, really good.
"Continue the tutorial."
[Please interact with the Golden Exclamation Mark in your living room]
"Seems simple enough." Stepping into his living room, Naruto finally approached the golden symbol, and reached out for it.
[Tutorial beginning…]
[Village Interactions Tutorial]
[You now have access to the map! A smaller version of this is available from your Status Screen.]
[On your map, you will have access to fast travel locations, cache locations, Random Encounters, Sub Missions, Events, and more! (Note: As an Academy Student, you are only allowed to view the map of Konoha.)]
[Fast Travel Locations are areas you can move to at any time without the worry of being caught. Must use a Shunshin FT Scroll or know the Shunshin Jutsu to use.]
[Cache Locations are tricky areas with high danger and high rewards. By finding and clearing out a location, you are able to take all the rewards inside for you and your party.]
[Random Encounters are just that, Random Encounters throughout your day. You have already experienced one by meeting Maito Gai with his rival, Kakashi Hatake. You can gain or lose many things during a Random Encounter, so be prepared as you traverse the world.]
[Side Quests are special missions that appear on your map every once in a while. They are denoted by the Silver Question Mark on your map. Finish these side objectives for EXP, RYO, and items.]
[Events. Like Side Quests, these are denoted on your map, however they are shown as a Golden Exclamation point. Events generally offer Relationship bonuses and smaller items, but are far more varied in their rewards.]
[Please Head Towards the Golden Question Mark on the map.]
"Golden Question mark?" The tutorial only told him about a silver one. But sure enough, near a large forested area, there was a golden mark. It was around three in the afternoon at this point, but he supposed he could try it out. Afterward, he would try to train those new skills of his.
After almost an hour of searching and getting used to his new mini map, Naruto eventually arrived in a clearing that bordered on a large fence that contained what look to be a jungle. He also saw the floating exclamation point sitting above a small hole in the fence… now wasn't that odd.
[Please climb through the hole.]
The game told him, so he listened. And after crawling through a tunnel made of vines and thorns, Naruto entered another small clearing. He looked around, only to squat down as something far in the distance roared angrily. Just as he was about to dodge back into his tunnel, a notification dinged.
[Congratulations! You have discovered your first Dungeon! The Dreaded Forest of Death!]
[Final Tutorial beginning!]
(AN: Hey, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, was a bit of a long one, but here we go! Stay tuned for the next one and don't forget to leave a Review!)
Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Title: Academy Student
Job: Academy Student
EXP: 174/300
Level: 6
Health: 30/30
Chakra: ERROR
STR: 10
CON: 19
DEX: 12
INT: 9
WIS: 8
LUK: ERROR
Attribute Points: +3
Skill Points: +3
Perk Points: +1