Along a Fading Path (Naruto/SI)[Quest Story]

Leekz01 · May 13, 2020

Life, it's short, long, sweet, and bitter, paradoxical as that sounds. My previous life was good, but not the best. There was always someone better than me, but also those worse off. Others might not have seen it as anything special, but to me, it was. I loved my family and would do just about anything for them. It was good. It was mine. Sadly, all things come to an end, and my life wasn't any different.

It was a day like any other, sunny and slightly chilly. Winter was here, or, was leaving, to be more exact. I was heading out, not sure where. Everything's fuzzy, twisted. I can't remember.

Anyways, I was crossing the street, carefully looking out for any ice on the road. A loud honk drew my attention to a speeding truck barreling right for me. The driver was frantically trying to warn me and anyone else about his rocket-like speeds. As he drew closer, I leaped aside, narrowly avoiding having my guts splattered all over the pavement. my heart was racing like crazy, adrenaline rushing through my veins.

That was amazing! I started running out of the road, hoping not to be hit by another passing car. Never have I felt such a rush before and I'm so happy to be aliv-

My leg slides, slips, and rises. The world spins and I fall backwards.

H-Huh?

There's a loud crack and great pain assault the back of my head. The world swims and something coppery slithers into my mouth. Slowly, the world begins to fade.

I-I can't feel anything below my neck.

W-What's happening? T-This is scary. I don't want to die. N-No...

Please, anyone.

Help...

...

---------------------------------

Darkness, the void, purgatory. These are just a few of the many names I've come up for this place. Did I really die? Maybe I'm blind, deaf, and in a hospital bed, waiting for the machines that keeping me alive to be turned off. I didn't feel anything. Or, maybe this is hell. A few more months of this and I'll probably be insane. At most, I'm presumably been here for a few hours, waiting for something, anything to happen. If this is life after death, then it's a terrifying existence, one I wish to exit as soon as possible.

(Allocate Stats!)

As I ponder what the hell to do, a ray of light pierces the darkness. There's no voice or words, simply a feeling. I had to make a few choices, but I didn't know what those choices meant. All it would take is a conscious decision and I could move on. So many questions rise to the surface of my mind. Is this god? Am I finally dying? Or... am I hallucinating?

10(Base) + 10 (2nd Life) = 20 Points Available

Strength (1) -/+
*How hard you can hit things!
*How much you can lift, carry!

Dexterity (1) -/+
*Lets you use complex weapons and improve your precision with those weapons!

Agility (1) -/+
*How fast and nimble you are!
*Makes you harder to hit!

Charisma (5) -/+
*How charming you can be!
*Let's you avoid most confrontations with words alone!
*But, sometimes, fighting is the only choice!

Cunning (5) -/+
*How fast you can solve problems!

Luck (3) -/+
*How much the universe you live in likes you!

Soul (4) -/+
*How strong your SOUL is!
*Determines your chakra reserves!]

...

(Stats Allocated!)

Well, there's nothing else to do, so to distract myself from the crippling fear and loneliness, I choose, uncertain of what I'm even deciding on.

The strange feeling vanishes and the darkness surrounding me begins to fade away like smoke in the wind. Tiny motes of light start to flash into existence. I fall.

A scream threatens to leave my lips, but I don't have a mouth. I pick up speed and the world only grows brighter and brighter the more I fall. Through my terrifying descent, I start to see strange crystals floating in the air. Menacing power pulses off them in waves. In the recesses of my mind, something urging me to reach out and grab one. They're so close!

The Blue Crystal
*It's as blue as the ocean and pierces deep into your very soul.

The Red Crystal
*It's crimson colour reminds you of blood and fire.

The Green Crystal
*A calming, relaxing wind emanates from it.

The Gold Crystal
*A regal feeling oozes out of it.

The Obsidian Crystal
*It's calm, almost as if there's nothing to it.

With my choice made, I hurried and grabbed the desired crystal as I continue to fall. Within seconds, the world is so radiant that I couldn't see a thing. Nevertheless, I can feel a great, spiralling mass of energy in front of me. I'm being drawn to it. Unable to move or change course, I'm helplessly pulled in. The world spins, my consciousness is torn apart, and once more, darkness consumes my awareness.

The pain lasts only a second, as does the darkness. For a third time, a dazzling light blinds me.

"H##ddd21"

"Nanai44ghs?"

"Naahhhh!"

"Nuun222ru1?!"

"Noono."

There! I heard something!

The light dims and I make out strange, blurry things in my field of vision. I could do nothing as they grab me and strike my... butt?

Wait! I felt that! God, I've never been happier to feel pain!

The hand strikes me again, prompting an angry hiss to leave my lips, only, it comes out as more of a cry than anything.

One time was fine, but you can stop now, asshole!

Thankfully, the strange creatures do stop, my tears don't, though. This is the happiest day of my life! But, wait, I'm not alive, or am I? Was my theory of being in a coma right?

...

I have no idea, but the weird blobs pick me up and put me in what feels like a soft bed. Why am I so light?

A yawn leaves my lips. I'm so tired. Why? Why am I so-

My eyes close and don't open for some hours.

============

When I next wake up, it's to a blurry, empty room. The lights are still very strong, hurting my eyes if I focus on any one spot for too long. Still, I can see things slightly better now!

The first task I do is try to move. My limbs respond, but they are extremely weak. I can't even stand yet! This definitely adds more evidence to the coma theory. Atrophied limbs are part of that.

But, that doesn't feel right. My limbs are shorter than before, incredibly so. Even with my horrible sight, I can make out my tiny hands.

What the hell is going on?!

A feeling of powerlessness overwhelms me. Where am I? What's going on? am I blind? Why couldn't I understand anyone?! There were so many questions and so few answers. It's terrifying.

Fear gripped my soul, along with a familiar, awkward sensation. You needed to use the bathroom, but moving right now was almost an impossibility. Shamefully, I defecated right where I lay. The tears came easily enough, my mind being overwhelmed by the situation and stress.

Screams tore free from my lungs. This is scary. Please, someone, anyone, help!! For minutes, I shouted for any form of aid, and thankfully, someone did come. A small blob stopped by my... bed? I could barely make out the blobs expression, but he looked worried, maybe?

"Ggahgea!" He turned around and shouted something. A few moments later, a much taller, feminine looking blob entered the room.

"Hhhyyy,,dd?"

What the hell were they saying?! This was driving you insane!

The woman picked me up, somehow. This was when I realize how small I truly was. I thought it was a trick of the light or perhaps a warped perspective due to exhaustion, but no, I'm positively tiny.

What the hell? A-Are they giants?

...

The woman rocks me, carefully moving me to another room and then removing my pants. No, not pants- a-are those diapers? I continue to cry, the situation having mixed my fears, anger, and sorrow into a mighty roar.

I just want to go home. Why? Why is this happening to me?

Once more, heavy drowsiness begins to press down on your mind, probably due to all my screaming.

D-Damn it...

============

It's been a good week or two since my 'birth.' I... I'm a baby. When my eyes finally adjusted, I was able to look in a nearby mirror and confirm my suspicions. The constant feedings, diaper changes, and 'walks' weren't enough to convince me.

I really did die back then. So, what is this? I were reincarnated as a baby? Is this the afterlife? Again, I had so many questions, unfortunately, I really doubt I'll get the answer to any of those soon.

Either way, with my week or so of existence, I managed to remain somewhat calm and examine the circumstances. It was either that or go insane, to be honest. Being a baby is boring, maddeningly so. I remember reading a few stories like these, where the main character used his early days to train and learned. How the hell am I supposed to do any of that when I can't even take my own shits? Honestly, it's frustrating enough staying sane! Anyone would get stir crazy by being in one spot for a long period of time! At least back home there were computers and stuff to keep me entertained, but here, my only form of entertainment is counting the tiles in my room!

Oh, right, there's also my 'family.' Apparently, I have a brother, who's name I don't know. He seems like a quiet, reserved kid. He barely talks, and when he does, it all sounds really jumbled up. I think it's your ears, maybe they're not all that developed yet? Whatever.

My mother is very affectionate, running to my side the second I even so much as cough. A part of me wonders if there's something to that. Normal people don't have hearing that fine. Hmm... maybe I'm just seeing things?

Anyways, the last person in my family, my father, isn't a very present individual. I rarely see him, and when I do, he always has this serious look on his face. Maybe he has a really important job? Who knows.

Hopefully, my childhood passes by quickly. All I want is the ability to walk and hold things! Is that too much to ask for?! This so god damn boring!

=============

It happened suddenly, without any warning. A malicious, thick feeling crashed into my tiny body. I couldn't beath. I couldn't move. Oh god, I were going to die! No. No.No!! Not aga-

"Shh... gahenae." my mother cooed, gently rocking me in her hands. Only when I started to calm down, did I realize the strange sound in the background was my loud crying.

Explosions could be heard from outside, and as my mother rushed out of the room with me in hand, a red hue could be seen through the window. There were fires, lots of them.

What the hell was going on?!

As I was quickly carried across the streets, I saw something that will be etched into my mind until the day I die. The haunting sight would never leave me.

Right there, off in the distance, was a giant, red, fox-like monster. Just for a second, I stared into its crimson eyes. This thing would kill me. No matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do that would even scratch the monster.

And so, I realized that wherever I was, it wasn't earth. Monsters, the men that fought them, and magic were for fairy tails.

If that was the case, then it'd be best if I get used to it.

After all, right now, I was living a fairytale.

===========

The months it took to finally learn the local language passed by at a snail-like pace. It was horrible and perhaps the greatest challenge in my life. Seriously, being unable to move and stuck in one place is worse than what people in prison get. Solitary confinement was a step below your situation, but not by much. Either way, due to my baby brain learning quickly, I eventually picked up on the language, if a bit slower than I'd like.

With my new found abilities, everything came together. There was a strange suspicion in the back of my mind ever since I saw that giant fox. There wasn't any proof before, but now, having learned my name, there's no denying it.

I am 'Uchiha Sasuke' of the Village Hidden In The Leaves. What. The. Fuck?!

No! This is not ok! I've been reincarnated into a death world!! Sure, maybe once upon a time the very idea would have had me jumping for joy, but this place is terrifying. Even worse, since I'm not Sasuke, the original timeline is caput. What are the odds that everything will work out just fine now? All it would take is a single difference and everything could fall apart. Essentially, I'm screwed, and so is the world once Kaguya awakens.

Fuck. What the hell are I supposed to do? Someone... please help.

==========

Time waits for no man, and I'm no exception. No matter how much my situation scared me, doing nothing wouldn't get me anywhere. I were still a baby, only 6 months old, but there were still things I wanted to do. Facing a world-ending apocalypse was not one of them, however, with the blood of the Uchiha running through my veins, I had an advantage.

Being a ninja would not be easy, but if I went down that path, I would have one of the world's strongest weapons, the Sharingan.

Yet, that wasn't my only choice. I didn't have to be a ninja. Maybe I could pick up baking? Was I really strong enough to beat Kaguya? What if I reincarnated again when she killed me? If so, why not just enjoy this life as much as I could before I died? What's the point of going through all that pain and suffering only to die a pitiful death?

...

For now, I'll focus on something, anything. I needed a goal to keep me grounded.

As I slowly crawled across the floor, so to did time continue at a sluggish pace. My day-to-day life didn't change, soon becoming another boring, monotonous part of existence. However, all of this gave me a lot of time to think. What I was in the past, what I'd do from now on; it all became very clear.

I would be a ninja, if only to protect myself. My previous life wasn't anything too exciting and I never accomplished anything all that great. Still, I liked it. Here, in this world of wizards pretending to be ninja, I had a chance to try something new. I could stay a normal civilian, living out my life and eventually dying, but that just doesn't sit right with me. Worst of all, there's a nagging feeling in the back of my head. It's probably what's driving this desire in me to learn, grow, and become stronger.

What if when I do die and wake up in another world. Most would be happy, but what if the said world is far worse than this? I could be born a slave, having only a life of hardships waiting for me. That's not something I want to do, so rather than accept a terrible fate, I'd rather use the time I have now to improve. Honestly, aside from the upcoming rebellion and massacre, I couldn't be in a better position to train! I'm the son of a clan head and he'd be more than happy to teach me the Uchicha clans secrets and techniques. In the end, while I look like a child, I'm not one. My resolve is stronger and I will stick through the training required. Compared to the insanity that I had to endure in those early months, this will be nothing! All I have to do is show determination!

That said, I'm still a baby, so untill then, I'll enjoy this time of peace available to me. Thing's won't always be this simple.

=========

"Hey, little brother." Itachi Uchiha greeted, with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. By that, I'm referring to the show. It's actually very in character for him to do so in this life, as he smiles every time he comes to speak to me.

His hands carefully ruffle my hair.

My mother walks into the room, calling out to my brother.

"Itachi, it's time for school."

He turns, giving her a frown.

As he gets ready to leave, I cried and cried, unwilling to be ignored. Above all, I didn't want to be alone. So I shouted out to the world, hoping to attract the attention of others. My new mother, my new brother, anyone. This little hobby of mines had an embarrassing side effect, namely, giving me the nickname of 'crybaby.'

Whenever my brother stopped by, he'd poke my head and call me 'crybaby Sasuke.' It became a little joke between him and my mother. I could tell she enjoyed the bond me and Itachi shared, always giggling when she saw him poking my cheeks and nose. One time, she let him carry and feed me. It wasn't breast milk, but the bottle was fine as well. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about the whole breastfeeding thing. She's my mom but also a stranger. It's just really awkward and you try to ignore it.

============

My very early childhood was spent playing and basically trying to keep mself sane. Reading books was a no go and I couldn't even walk on my own. So, with so many restrictions, I turned to the easiest available source of entertainment.

"Sasuke... please stop." I let out a laugh, pulling on Itachi's hair just a bit more. Somehow, I had convinced him to walk around the house. Mother had recently allowed him to take me whenever she wasn't looking after me. Suffice to say, I made great use of my older brother, bothering and making him take me to other places. Though, technically, wasn't I older than him? I should be the older brother.

Either way, being a nice, kind person, Itachi put up with me. Aside from my mother, he was my only friend. It's no surprise I started to really like him, seeing him as something more than what my mind remembered. He wasn't the person that slaughtered his clan; he was just a small, caring boy.

The time spent with Itachi didn't only affect me; the young prodigy began to open up more, giving tiny smiles here and there. When no one was around, he'd tell me about his day and the things he saw in class. It was... nice.

My father's face was a rare sight, but he was around. Stress marred his eyes sometimes, but I could tell he really loved Itachi and my mother. There wasn't any hatred or dislike aimed at me, but neither was there love. I think he might still be forming a opinion of me, but on rare occasions, I did notice him giving me longing looks. Maybe he wanted to hold me?

Curious, I tested out that theory, crying when he was the only person in the house. Surprisingly, it didn't take him all that long to make it to my room. The serious expression on his face made me hesitate for a second, but as he turned, happy that I shutted up, resolve flooded my mind. I wouldn't give up!

More cries left my lips, causing the serious man to sigh and pick me up. He rocked me slowly, caringly.

"Calm down, crybaby Sasuke."

Those words were all it took. If even he could use that ridiculous nickname, then he couldn't be such a bad guy, right? I wanted to laugh but kept my mouth shut instead. He was a busy man, so maybe crying so much wasn't a good idea.

With a pleased nod, my father turned around and headed back to his room. The thing was, he carried me off with him. And so, I fell asleep in his lap, watching him fill out some paperwork.

Busy indeed.

============

Time kept turning, and before I knew it, I was a year old. All through this year of life, there had been a small, blue square at the edge of my vision. It took a great deal of time, but I finally managed to figure out what it was. If I focused on it at just the right angle, the small screen would expand and cover my field of vision.

It was a stat's screen, like one from a game.

A myriad of questions assaulted my mind, but the most prominent one was why?!

Life would certainly be a bit more... interesting from now on.

+2 Agi! +3 Cha! +1 Cun! +1 Luck! +2 Soul!

Leekz01 · May 23, 2020

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age: 6~ Months

Stats
(1) Strength
(1) Dexterity
(3) Agility
(8) Charisma
(6) Cunning
(4) Luck
(6) Soul

??? (Obsidian Crystal Gift): It's calm, almost as if there's nothing to it.

What. The. Fuck.

Is... is this a joke? I knew the small little thing in the corner of my eye was weird, but after spending months trying to learn more about it, all I got was a slight bit more understanding about how it worked!

Still, the fact that I somehow have an RPG menu absolutely makes me simultaneously happy and terrified. The assumptions I made about the world and how it works had me shuddering in fear. Will I instantly die if I jumped from too high a ledge? What about water? Is it an instant death zone? So many frightening questions that I'd rather not answer with first-hand experience.

After fiddling around with it, I found my 'status.' Aside from my STR and DEX being a 1, I'm not really sure if those other numbers are all that high.

There's no EXP bar or the like, which I've honestly become so accustomed to that it's surprising not seeing one.

A quick look reveals that I also don't have any skills, though, there is a skills tab. Carefully opening it up, I'm greeted with a simple menu.

SKILL POINTS AVAILABLE: 1

AVAILABLE FOUNDATION SKILLS: NINJUTSU, TAIJUTSU, GENJUTSU, RANGED WEAPONS, MELEE WEAPONS, SHARINGAN, CHAKRA.

Overall, I found it to be a very weird interface, but its purpose was clear. Very carefully, I opened up each one and read the small description underneath. Essentially, these were 'major' skills that were apparently affected by your stats. Some use multiple, while others only used one. From these major skills, I could branch out and learn 'minor' skills, such as the use of katanas, bows, shuriken, and such.

.....

After careful consideration, I hover my index finger over the chakra button and press the small cross. A confirmation message appears, which I agreed to, hoping that the changes don't feel too weird or sudden. Well, I really shouldn't have expected that.

The instant I accepted the changes, the world spun and I fell to one knee, pain flaring everywhere in my body. My lungs felt like we're on fire, my brain turning to mush, and my heart was about to explode! Thankfully, the extreme discomfort vanished a second later and I felt bigger. Not in a physical sense, but spiritually.

Taking deep, calming breaths, I used my little hands to prompt myself up and sit down on my bum. Opening the menu back up, I found that my 'Soul' stat had gone up by 2 and there was now a new little tab.

'Traits' it read.

Opening it up, I read my newest addition and smiled, even as phantom pains still assaulted me. Whether I'd actually use this menu again was an issue i'll deal with when the time came, but for now, everything worked out quite well. Still, is it just levelling up Soul that hurt so badly? Would my muscles rip and then heal if I had chosen strength? What if I decided to learn a skill? Would I get horrible headaches as knowledge flooded into my mind?

...

This strange game-like ability had its ups, but it also had its painful downs. All I hope is that it gets more convenient and less painful with every use.

[Reward: Gained +2 Soul! | Gained Trait: Enduring Soul]

=========

"You're so cute, you know that?" my mother, Mikoto says with a smile. Her soft finger gently poke my nose, making me involuntarily giggle. Maybe it's because I'm a baby and my brain isn't developed, but I find that too be so funny!

Letting out a small chuckle, Mikito picks me up. "Come one, let's go take a stroll around town. Maybe you'll feel better with some fresh air?" Finally, my wish was going to be granted! I've been stuck in the house for so long! Everything is making me super agitated! The stressful shits I've been taking because of it all have been really annoying. Still, if they did one good thing, it's the fact that they made my mom want to take me out.

"Let me just grab a few things first." No! Don't go! Come back! Who knows what little thing will distract you enough to make you change your mind! Come back!

And she left. Damn. Well, I'll just busy myself counting the tiles in my room for the 7th thousandth time. Honestly, if I don't turn out to be some crazed serial killer by the time I turn 6, I'll be beyond shocked!

...

Please come back soon!

=========

Konoha or, 'The Village Hidden In The Leaves" was full of surprisingly adaptive individuals. Just a year ago, the whole village was almost destroyed by the nine-tailed fox. As a child, I only saw a small portion of it, most was still damaged, but the reconstruction efforts were clear as day. Everyone was working together, though, there seemed to be very few individuals that gave my mother warry looks. It wasn't anything major, just sidelong glances. Considering how the Kyuby was controlled by a Sharingan user, I'm not all that surprised. Maybe someone saw its eyes, but there's no evidence that anyone from 'my' clan did that. They would have to be stupid to attack the village, after all, it's not like the Uchiha compound was spared from its wrath. Losses were light, but quite a few people from the Uchiha were killed.

Anyways, my walk around town was quite short. Mikoto took me around the compound, to the market, buying a few things for dinner. However, there was one specific place she stopped at.

"Ok, little Sasuke, pick one out!" She told me, a brilliant smile on her face. "Any toy's fine."

My tiny eyes looked over the merchant's goods. The large, friendly smile on his face had me smiling in return.

"Quite a handsome boy you have there, mam." Winking, the man sent my mother a knowing look.

Giving him a small nod, she took out her wallet and waited for me to look at the toy I wanted.

I've never been one to really play with toys, but there's just something about the small little horse in my hand that's so fun! There's definitely something wrong with my head, and I'm sure it's the fact that I'm a baby. It's either that or I went insane from basically being unable to do anything!

"You really like the little horsie, huh, Sasuke?" Mikoto says, gently rubbing my head. I want to correct her, but in the end, all I do is pout.

"Such a cute little boy." She continues, picking me up and giving me a tight hug. "Don't worry... I'll make sure you grow up nice and strong."

Her warm breath hits my cheek, filling me with a sense of comfort. As she holds me against her chest, a heavy drowsiness slams into me. Damn... this small body of mine gets tired so easily. Just with this, I already want to fall sleep.

"Come on, little crybaby-Sauske. We'll put you in bed with your new toy."

...

I hate living as a little kid. All I do every day is shit, eat, and sleep. Time, please go by quicker!

=========

Fugaku, my father, is a silent, serious man. However, underneath those stern and stonelike walls is a caring, loving father. He doesn't show it all that often, but there are times, like right now, where he does.

"Sasuke, remember, never trust a salesman further than you can through him." He sighs, throwing the strange scroll in his hand away. I catch a glimpse of its contents, but the unusual characters are beyond my understanding. I have no idea how to read, and that sucks.

Grumbling, he shakes his head, standing up and removing you from his lap.

"I'll have to change you the normal way." He sighs and takes me to my room. It's not like I like him looking at your junk. It's honestly really disturbing, but there's nothing I can do about it. Mikoto isn't here, and neither is Itachi. So, it's either that or sit around covered in my own excrement. If he's willing to do this for me, then that just shows that he does care.

"Fireball Jutsu!" He's even showing me some of the advanced techniques by burning my diaper! Fugaku is wise beyond his years.

Stepping away from the lake, he motions for the clone holding me to walk closer.

"See, Sasuke, that is our clan's signature move." Nodding seriously, he repeats the signs and motions required to perform the jutsu. Unfortunately, I forget them in a minute or two. Why is he showing me this now, when I could barely talk?

Both Fugaku's stare at me, a distant, sage-like look in their eyes. On cue, those obsidian orbs shift to a scarlet colour, spinning round and round.

"And this is the Sharingan." With eyes of blood, he picks me up form the clone. "One day, you'll have these eyes as well. I pray that you have no need for them."

Turning around, he stares out toward the lake, longing expression on his face.

"You must be strong, Sasuke. We all need to be strong and endure."

With those foreboding words, he turns around and returns to his room, starting up some paperwork. The life of a clan head is full of timewasting activities, it seems. Obviously, I got bored. Eyes roving over the neat and organized space, I eventually find a few things of note.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and before Fugaku can react, I squirm out of his grasp and pull out a certain book hidden under his table. While I couldn't read, I've still got a good set of working eyes.

I hold back a laugh, staring at my 'father' with as smug of an expression as possible. His eyes narrow and his right brow twitches in annoyance. Still, my face must have looked more 'cute' than smug.

"I suppose you're already on the way to being a proper ninja." He chuckles, taking the book from my hands. I stare at the large, colourful bear and them small, soft bunny on its cover. Fugaku picks me up and places me on his lap, a hesitant smile on his features. "But, Remember, Sasuke; Knowledge can be dangerous, so any good ninja knows when to turn away."

With those ominous words, he opens the book and begins reading it to me. Honestly, it's probably the most boring story I've ever been told. Yet... I couldn't help but feel bad, not reacting in the slightest to my 'father's' nervous attempt to bond. Even if I've only known him for a short time, I'm not an asshole. In a way, it's like seeing an old grandpa trying to have fun with his spoiled grandson that ignores him.

I begin to smile, giggle, and laugh as Fugaku reads the story, often reaching out and touching the pictures. It might all be fake, but it still makes him smile. This isn't about the book or the strange characters in it. This is a rare moment, one where Fugaku is actually trying his best to have some 'father-son' time. I won't be the one responsible for ruining it.

...

Huh. Was he like this with Itachi, I wondered?

=========

It had been hard, but after so long, I finally started being able to control tongue tongue enough to actually speak. I practiced alone when no one was looking or listening. It was difficult, but the noises that left my lips slowly, but surely started to shape themselves into letters, then syllables, and finally words. Honestly, I think I was a bit slower than normal children when it came to speaking. To that, I'll say that normal toddlers didn't have to worry about going insane! I had more than enough to worry about already!

In any case, with my new linguistic skills, I thought long and hard about what to do. There was an option to tell everyone the truth; it would take time, as even though I could talk, I wasn't the fastest speaker as a 1 and a half-year-old. There were advantages and disadvantages to doing that. If they believed me and then didn't instantly lock me up as a security risk, I'd probably be able to live a very cushy lifestyle. My knowledge of future events would be helpful, but with those events being so far off, it would take some time to actually prove my claims. Untill then, I'd basically be watched 24/7. After some deliberation, I decided not to do that. Aside from hurting my parents, it was far too big of a gamble. For all you knew, the Hokage might just have one of their mind ninjas dissect my brain. What were they called again, Yamanaka? It's only been a year and a half, but I'm already forgetting the little details. That's no good.

Since I was obviously not going to reveal the truth, that left one other option, namely, saying something that would make my 'family' happier. If I said mom, dad, or brother, the one in question would be overjoyed. While, personally, I think babies are ugly, most people can't get enough of their cute and adorable faces. It might be a shrewd and opportunistic approach, but my first words are a tool that can easily manipulate others, giving them a memory they won't forget. Of crouse, all of this relies on the fact that they already care a lot about me.

Decisions, decisions....

====================================

No one is impervious to the flow of time, and soon enough, I found myself turning two years old. For the first time in your new life, I could walk around on my own. Freedom!

====================================

"Ichi!" I shout, making sure to be as 'baby-like' as possible. My brother freezes in place, his eyes going wide and stared at me in shock.

"W-What?" Her asks himself, unsure of what he just heard. His name was my first word, so it must come as a huge surprise.

"Itachi!" I repeat his name, standing up on shaky feet and latching onto his leg. "Itachi!"

Every time I said it, his lip raised slightly higher. An elated smile tugs on his usually neutral features.

"Itachi! Itachi! Itachi!" I giggle and laugh, putting on the perfect act of a little brother.

"I... Sasuke." He's at a loss for words, only being able to bend over and look me in the eye.

"Itachi!" I reach up and wrapped my little hand around his neck, giving the best and most heartfelt hug I possibly can.

Stoic as your brother is, his mask shatters and breaks. For the first time in my short life, I saw a truly emotional Itachi. He's strong and a prodigy, but at the same time, he's only about 5 years old. A single tear slides down his face and he strangles me with love. His hands pull me into his chest, and while he doesn't sob, I can feel the pure affection blossoming in his heart. He truly loves me like no other.

"Sasuke..." He whispers my name, carefully breaking off the hug and standing up. Wiping away the tears in his eyes, he stared at me lovingly. "I'm glad you were born, cowardly little bother." He chuckles, reaching out and carefully pulling one of my ears. Hopefully, this doesn't become a common occurrence.

Before I can say anything, Mikoto practically bursts into the room.

"I head Sasuke say something!" Her eyes are wide, instantly locking onto me, then my brother. Like a tiger on the prowl, she barrages Itachi with questions.

I grin, mouth opening wide.

"Itachi!" It's so heartwarming that I felt my teeth start to rot. God... I'm so embarrassed.

"His first word!" The trained ninja all but squeals, swiftly picking me up into her arms and showing off her humongous grin. "Can you say 'mama' now?" she's often reserved, but no longer. Right now, she's a woman on a mission.

Just to humour her, and to stop saying the same thing over and over, I do just that.

"Moma!" This time, she does squeal like a little girl.

"You're so adorable!" Suffice to say, the rest of my day is spent being carried around by Mikoto. She constantly asks me to say different things, which I do. The most common word was definitely 'mom' though.

When Fugaku returns, she shows off my impressive linguistic skills, and just to be fair, I call him 'papa' as well. His reaction consists of a small, proud smile and a nod.

"Good job, Sasuke."

Overall, everyone was really happy!

==========

I did my best to follow Itachi around, even going so far as to wait for him to get out of the bathroom. The plan was simple, keep following him untill he took me somewhere!

It was pure genius, at least to my small, childish mind. Strangely enough, it actually worked! My big brother put me on his back, and after making sure no one was following the two of us, he scurried away! Of course, he left a note behind so they wouldn't think I'd been kidnaped.

Anyways, with my brother a fair distance away, he let me down and proceded to walk me around town. Konoha, even after all the damage it sustained, was still a beautiful city.

"Here, Sasuke." I smile, taking the frozen treat from my brother's hand. Honestly, his total disregard of our parent's rules is what really surprised me. He basically ignored what they told him and ran off to town with me. One thing was for certain, he'll be getting an earful when we return, so I'd best prepare the most adorable face I could!

...

Are they going to strike my bum? God... that would be beyond embarrassing.

"Sasuke... where do you want to go next?" Itachi looks down at me, waiting for my to point in a direction.

When I said 'Hokage,' Itachi's eyes grew wide.

"Where'd you hear that from?" He was unsure if it was our mother or father that taught me the word, but it wasn't that suspicious.

A conflicted, hesitant look crossed his face. Already, I knew why he was feeling like that. Even if he's a prodigy, I'm sure it's going to be incredibly hard to meet with the leader of this military focused city. Actually... I still have no idea if it's a dictatorship or something like that here. Did Konoha have a council or something? My memory tells me yes, but who's to say the real world is like the story.

"The Hokage, huh?" Again, Itachi hums to himself, thinking over my request. "Alright. The very least I can do is give it a shot, for you." His neutral expression shifts into a tiny smile, and before I knew it, he's picked me up and put me on his shoulders.

"Let's go." I smiled, nodding and then start to use my new height to look around. No one cares about two children playing around, especially when they have more important things to do. Konoha is a beautiful city.

========

"You... want to see the Hokage?" The secretary standing guard asks, brow raised questioningly. Honestly, she looks meek and unassuming, which is probably why she's secretly an assassin or something. Seriously, she's working for the one person with presumably absolute authority. As someone once read, look beneath the underneath... or something. Drat! What the hell was Kakashi's quote again?

"Yes." Itachi replies, taking me off his shoulder and putting me on the ground. He looks to the secretary and then to me. "I know it's unlikely that he'll say yes, but my little brother would like to meet him."

She hums, reaching for her clipboard and then proceeds to give it a look over. I'm ready to leave, because why would she say yes?! The equivalent would be Itachi bringing me to the White House and then asking to see the president. Anything but being kicked out would be incredibly suspicious.

"Give me a second. He's actually free at the moment."

Bullshit! Impossible! This has to be somekind of set up or Uchiha privilege!

"Thank you." My brother replies, giving the young woman a small bow and pulling me over to a nearby seat. He takes out my toy and gives it to me to play around with.

Actually, thinking about it, this might be a good move for PR reasons. It's no secret that a few people are wary of the Uchiha due to the recent Nine-Tailed Fox attack, so meeting with their children might help out both sides. It shows the Uchiha that he trusts them while also gives the impression that they are trustworthy.

As I now expected, the secretary returns, giving the ok.

"He's ready, so you can go in."

The Hokage is a shrewd, calculating man indeed.

=======

"Welcome." The old man's face is wrinkled and soft, his eyes staring at the two of me like a grandfather would their nephews. I see absolutely no hint of deception in his kind demeanour, which is what puts me on edge. This man is supposedly a legend among his peers and no doubt has a great deal of experience in faking emotions. I'll have no idea if he's being genuine or masquerading behind a kind face. No leader gets to their position by 'being nice.'

Why the hell did I want to see him again?

"I've head good things, Itachi. You're doing Konoha proud." Taking a small puff from his pipe, he reaches out and gently rubs my bother's head. "I'm sure your mother and father as just as proud as I am."

Itachi nods, not showing an eek of emotion. It seems I'm the only exception to that.

"As for you, young Sasuke-" He bends down, smiling and staring into your eyes. "I hear you wanted to see me?"

Calmly, I nod and look into his eyes.

What's the best way to conquer your fears? Some might say slowly facing them and working your way up to bigger and bigger challenges. Honestly, that's something I'd like to do, but considering how hard it should be to meet up with the Hokage, I decide to go with the much faster method. Charging straight into my fear and kicking it in the face works just as good, even if I might piss myself in the process. Of course, I'm replacing the 'kicking' portion with something more comforting.

The Hokage stills for a moment as my hands wrap around his neck and back, and for a second, I think he's going to attack me. It's only now, after I've done it, that I realized exactly what this looks like. Essentially, I reached for his neck. Considering he's a highly trained ninja, and being an assassin like that comes with insane levels of paranoia, I'm surprised he didn't see it as an attack.

"My, my, you're certainly affectionate." Chuckling, he returns the hug without a hint of hesitation. If I didn't know he was trained to kill people since birth, I'd think he was just a friendly old man. Still, just because I couldn't see him getting ready to snap my neck at a moments notice doesn't mean he isn't doing so.

"I'm sorry," Itachi says, bowing slightly and calling me over to his side. As I sheepishly walk back, the Hokage lets out a small laugh.

"It's quite alright." His steely eyes pierce my own, and even though I see the warmth in his orbs, I know there's more to it than that. "I can see the will of fire burning deep within him."

Right... that was a thing. It's supposed to be the desire to protect Konoha and its people, even when facing death, right? Honestly, it sounds more like some indoctrination thing to make people give their lives for a cause. Then again, being a ninja here is no different than being a soldier back in my previous world, so it's almost expected that people are going to die for the 'army' or 'village.'

"Thank you for the compliment, sir." Itachi bows once more, and as the old man laughs again, he gives my head a small pat. "You'll make a good ninja. I can see it in your eyes."

His words are slightly unnerving, and perhaps picking up on this, Itachi grabs me and starts to leave. He gives the Hokage a small nod and wishes him a good day. I, of course, give a small wave goodbye. As much as I'm scared of him, giving a bad impression is a bad idea.

========

"Itachi! I cannot believe you would do something like this." To say our parents were pissed at my brother would be an understatement. I got off with only a slight bum lashing, but my brother isn't as lucky.

"Did you think what could have happened to your brother?!"

Itachi takes a small breath and tries to defend himself.

"I thought myself reasonably competent to-"

"You're seven years old, Itachi. Yes, you're older than him, but that doesn't change the fact that you are also a child."

Unable to keep watching, especially since it was my idea to go meet the Hokage, I waddled on over and attach myself to Itachi's front.

"No!" I shout with as much air as my little lungs can take. Our mother and father's expression's falter for a second. "Sasuke dear, please step aside. Your big brother did something bad, so he has to be punished."

"No!" I shout again, turning my head even as my arms tighten around Itachi's body.

Fugaku sighs and steps up.

"Sasu-"

"No!" I shout again. If he's going to get punished, then so are I!

Our parents look at one another, a complex series of emotions, but eventually relent.

"Both of you are grounded," Fugaku says.

"For a month." Mikoto nods and crosses her arms.

"Just don't do something so foolish again." our father grumbles and starts to walk away, giving our mom a second to talk.

"He's right. Please, try not to worry us so much." She leans down and gives both of us a small peck on the cheek. "If anything happened to the two of you, we'd be heartbroken."

Itachi reaches out and gently grabs her cheek, an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry." He says.

I couldn't help but speak my mind as well. Again, it's my fault that they're angry.

"Sorry!" I shout, turning the closeness between the three of us into a warm hug.

Suffice to say, the month that followed was very boring. Still, I had my brother to speak to and play with. He even showed me his training weapons and things from school. Now, I'm not a lover of knives, but there's a certain weight to a kunai that feel right in my hand. I'd be turning three years old soon, and then a year after that, I would start school. Already, I was getting better at talking, able to hold childish conversations with other people.

Either way, one thing's for certain. With my improved communication ability, I could finally talk to people! Maybe I should try and convince my parents to let me get a pet? Dog's are supposedly very good companions.

+1 Agi

Leekz01 · May 26, 2020

The Sharingan, my clan's signature and most powerful ability. With it, any Uchiha can read their opponent's moves, copy a jutsu with a glance, and under certain circumstances, warp reality with strange eye powers. Seriously, that last part is such a massive escalation in the eye's abilities that it makes me wonder why more people didn't have the Mango Echo Sharingan.

...

It sounds dumb, but if I didn't link that weird ass hell name with something like that, you're going to forget.

Anyways, with only a few years left before the massacre, I wanted to at least try and unlock my crazy eye powers. Though, that runs the risk of accidentally hurting myself.

Hmm...

-------------

"The Sharingan?" I nodded, looking at Itachi with an innocent look on my face. It's gotten far easier to speak with others now, so he should understand my question.

"The drain is proportional to your chakra reserves, but supposedly, it's higher as a child." I see his eyes narrow in suspicion. "Why are you asking, little brother?"

A sheepish look crosses my face as I glance away.

"I heard eat cool." Damn, I'm still messing up little things like that. Can anyone blame me, though? Whatever this language is, it's prety hard to get all the small nuances just right.

"Hmm, it's certainly a powerful ability." Crossing his arms, my brother thought long and hard.

"Supposedly, one awakens their Sharingan at a time of great stress or crisis," His eyes glance over my own. "Hopefully, you don't have anything like that any time soon." Chuckling, he gave my head a little pat.

"Either way, come. Mother's made some delicious rice cakes for us."

Those taste divine!

"Ok!"

=========

With everyone asleep, I thought it'd be the perfect time to continue my practice of 'summoning' the Sharingan. This'd be another month of attempts, but something felt special about tonight! If all it took was a great deal of stress, and from what I remember, the death of a friend, then I had a small lead. Dying had to help, right?

Thus, with that in mind, I once more thought about the moment of my death and all the fear I felt after my birth.

Soul DC: 16
Soul Roll (4d6): 20 PASS!

The world slows to a crawl and a few moments later, I passed out, only to wake up in the hospital.

Well... that worked.

[Reward: Sharingan get!]

=========

Why am I doing this? Seriously! My arms are screaming in pain just lifting these small weights my brother uses. Trying to throw kunai or shuriken is even harder than that! Worst of all, this will be for nothing! Itachi's a very observant person, so even if I put everything back in its place, he's sure to notice eventually.

Darn. I was hoping to make some progress instead of floundering around. Maybe if I-

The door behind me slides open, and I came face to face with my father.

"So, it was you, little Sasuke?"

I gulped and quickly hid the kunai behind my back, accidentally nicking a finger and dropping the sharp weapon.

"Ah!" I cover my mouth, making sure to muffle the small shout as much as possible. The last thing I needed now was my mother getting involved as well. She'd go ballistic if she saw me 'playing' with a knife.

Fugaku's eyes pierced mines, their harsh, cold gaze striping me bare. He sighs and steps forward, picking up the kunai and then grabbing my hand.

"You hold it like this." With those words, he goes on to show me the 'proper' way of using the deadly weapon. Suffice to say, I leave Itachi's room and go to your father's instead.

"Tell me, son... what type of ninja do you want to be?"

What type of ninja do I want to be? Honestly, that's a very difficult question to answer. The immediate thing that comes to mind is bathing the battlefield in flames from jutsu and such. Unfortunately, I see one big issue with that, specifically, people like Might-Guy. I still remember how easily he managed to wallop Madara in the show, though it did cost him his life. Considering how insane that feat is, right now, I'd probably be better off just learning the basics of close quarter's combat. It's highly doubtful that I'll learn anything about the eight-gates without speaking to him, but having a fit body is never a bad idea.

"I want punch things!"

Fugaku looks down at me with a small smile and chuckles.

"Taijutsu, is it?"

I nod vigorously, making sure he understands that yes, I wanted to learn.

His hands reach down and patted my head.

"Follow me, then. I'll show you something."

A smile races across my face, and quick as lightning, I reach for his hand and follow behind. He stiffens but allows me to continue to hold his hand.

========

"Do as I do." Fugaku says, taking a very basic stance in front of the large tree in our backyard. He waits, watching the serene leaves hanging from the tree's branches. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blows through the yard and sends the green leaves flying.

Quick as lightning, my father lashes out. One kick, two, three. Each kick hits a leaf, but his movements are fast enough that the small, green shard can't escape. After five kicks, he stomps his foot on the ground and then slowly lifts it up. Five leaves stare back at me.

"This is a basic, but difficult and challenging routine to train one's kicks and precision." His calm eyes lock onto me. "I don't expect you to succeed in this, so don't be disheartened. First, we must build a strong foundation."

He ushers me forward, so I step up and nervously look at the tree.

"All you need to do is try and kick a single leaf. It'll be hard with your height, but If you succeed, I'll treat you to ice cream."

My eyes widen at that and I catch the tiny smirk that spreads across his face. Darn these childish thoughts of mine! Ice cream is just so delicious! Maybe the cows in this world have tastier milk? I have no idea.

Either way, with a reward on the line, I tried my best, but inevitably fail.

"It's fine. We'll try again tomorrow." He told me, and so we did. Day after day, I trained, crawling an inch closer to the finish line after every failure. Through slow and diligent practice, I eventually do hit a leaf!

My father was proud and happily gave me my just deserts. To make things more amusing, I asked him to eat some with me. He begrudgingly agreed and that's how I found out his favourite flavour was mint.

I'm just happy to be growing stronger.

[Reward: +1 STR! | +1 Skill Point!]

=========

Over the past year, I've been doing my best to get a 'feel' of my chakra. Honestly, it was incredibly difficult, sort of like trying to feel the blood flowing through your veins. Still, I didn't give up and kept at it through the year. It was honestly the most frustrating thing I've ever attempted in both my lives. I was essentially trying to use a hidden limb I never had before and had no idea how to use.

...

It was a trial for sure.

Soul DC: 10/15/25
Soul Roll (4d6): 18 PASS!

While I didn't manage to learn much of anything about my chakra, I did discover something equally as interesting.

"Where the hell am I?" Those were my words as I stood in the ancient, dilapidated ruin. It looked like something straight out of Skyrim, creepiness factor and all. The winds moaned through the ancient walls, rustling the many cobwebs and blowing the weak flames decorating the old torches.

Now, that sort of made sense in games, not so much here. Someone or something had to have lit these torches, and I don't want to stick around to figure out what it was. Picking a direction, I start walking and follow the claustrophobic hallways. Everything looks the same and I could imagine getting lost in here. I randomly put out a few torches and dropped them every now and then to mark the places I'd travelled. Eventually, after what felt like 30 minutes, I came to a large, open room. Directly on the other end were three different doors.

One had the symbol of the moon.

The second had a depiction of a sword.

And the last seemed to be some sort of... leaf?

Hmm.

After careful deliberation, I stepped forward and placed my palm's flat against the 'moon' door. It took a considerable amount of force, but I managed to just barely push it far enough to fit through. The instant I stepped through the small crack, the door shuts behind me and then vanishes. I'm essentially trapped.

Great.

----------------------

The new area I find yourself in is quite different from the last one. the ground is white and sandy, perhaps like that of a beach. The sky is surprisingly bright, considering I stepped through the 'moon' door.

Shaking my head, I looked around, finding a small, faded path on the waterless beach. Following it, I see several hills and indentations. Looking at them closer, I realized that those 'indentations' are more like craters than anything else.

As I walked, I grabbed a handful of the sand and swish it through my fingers. Now that I'm actually seeing it, it's less like sand and more like... powder? Honestly, it reminds me of powdered Cheetos.

...

Definitely a weird comparison, but it fits. Though, it clearly doesn't taste like the orange snacks.

Whatever.

-------------

The slow, winding path through the beech eventually leads me to what looks like an altar. From the distance, I can see three, glowing orbs floating atop the car-sized slab of stone. The closer I get, the more details I make out. First, the altar is not made from stone, but bone. It's a solid piece of bone and each of the orbs seems to be held within different skulls.

The leftmost is situated in the skull of a giant... alligator? I'm not really the best at figuring what an animal's skeleton looks like. Seriously, only those that deliberately go out of their way to figure this stuff out actually know.

The center orb is placed in a much easier to identify human skull. Unlike animals, everyone knows what people look like under their skins. Though, a part of me wonders if that'd be the case in all places. For all I knew, there might be a remote village that's never seen a skeleton before.

Anyways, the last orb is floating just above what I could) )only assume to be the skull of a dog. They kind of looks similar, so that's what you're going with.

As for the orbs, they're all black as night, but judging by the way they're acting, I can tell a bit about them.

The leftmost one is somehow merged with the skull, almost as if that were just how it naturally grew.

The center one seems to be making the human skull twitch every now and then.

Finally, the rightmost orb is obviously floating in the air.

Something about the one on the right. It calls out to me in a meek, hopeful voice. The other spheres have them as well, but they don't sound nearly as in need. Slowly, I step up and place my palm flat against the floating orb. It pulsates with unearthly energy, though, if I focused, it kinda feels like a heartbeat.

Reaching out with my other hand, I hold the orb and gently pull it free from the altar. The world trembles and the very ground beneath my feet dances in anger! It takes all of my concentration to stay on my feet.

With a loud and deafening blast, the altar explodes and sends hundreds of bone shards in every direction. One nicks my cheek, lightly spraying the ground in my blood. When everything clears, I'm still somehow on my feet with the orb in hand. My heart's like a drum that's threatening to rupture from overuse.

Taking a deep and calming breath, I try and analyze the surrounding area. First, the altar is gone. In its place is a giant, smoking crater that doesn't have a single trace of the other strange orbs. Aside from that, everything else seems normal enough. Well, everything but the object in my hand. Looking at it now, I see that it's a perfectly spherical... ugh... sphere?

...

Ok, maybe I'm not the best at descriptions, but that's not the point! Just looking at the thing makes my brain hurt. There's just something alien about how perfect it is. Even in nature, there's no such thing as a perfect shape, yet this sphere is exactly that.

"What the hell are you..." The words leave my lips, and not a second later, the black ball in my hands twitches. I drop it out of reflex. Thankfully, my reflexes are fast enough to snatch it out of the air.

The ball rumbles once again, this time much more violently. I fear that it's going to explode, similar to the altar, so I try and wind up a throw. Voice or no, I'm not going to let it kill me.

"Fuck!" I shout as panic floods my mind. The ball is now stuck to my hand. No, melded would be a more accurate word. No matter what I do, it just won't get off!

"Son of a-" A single crack runs up the side of the sphere, halting my curse in its tracks. Through the crack, a golden ray of light shoots out and irritates my eye.

"No, no, no!" I grab the ball with my other arm, but it instantly fuses with my fingers and I find myself unable to move my hands.

"Fucking seriously?!"

A part of me wants to kick the stupid thing, but that'd probably have my foot fusing with it as well. Either way, it seems I'm out of time. A dozen more cracks appear on the ball. The rays are blinding, and before I could even scream, it explodes in a brilliant configuration of light and air. Your body is easily picked up by the explosion and thrown high into the sky. The world spins around me, and as I rise, I find an ocean of clouds just above me. Instead of ascending, I begin to fall, but upwards. I clear the clouds and have just enough time to see a big, blue marble that reminds me of the earth.

An instant later, my world is bathed in flames; my eyes instantly evaporate from the heat. I burn up and die.

--------------------------

With a loud, startled gasp, I open my eyes. Sweat drenches my body and has seeped into my small pyjamas. Taking deep, calming breaths, I try my best to figure out what the hell just happened!

There was a strange maze, a beach, and a weird sphere. Was it all a dream?

I lift up my hand and flex my fingers, finding them all to be perfectly fine and not burning stumps. The phantom pains of being burned alive haunts me, but clearly, it was all just a nightmare.

"S-Sorry..." A meek, apologetic voice shatters the small shard of sanity that I have left.

Cautiously, I turn my head toward the voice, making sure to have my body follow as well. All I knew was a single kick, but I've practiced it over 100 times!

"I-I'm sorry." I faced not some hellish demon that prays on the dreams of children, but a small, winged, cute little... fairy? Her face is bandaged, showing that she is blind, either by choice or wound. All in all, this completely catches me off guard.

"W-What are you?"

The small fairy wilts under my gaze, but after a second of hesitation, she answers.

"I-I'm the one you chose." She takes a breath and bows. "I-I will grant your wishes... but my powers are limited." There's a pause. "I don't have a n-name, but I am that which slept within the crystal inside your soul."

A wish?

"Are you like a genie?" Those definitely weren't a thing in Naruto, and considering I do remember grabbing some weird crystal thing when I died, it fits.

She nods meekly.

"S-Sort of. Umm, since you freed me, i-i'll be following you around." again, she apologizes and bows slightly. "U-Unless you want me to disappear untill I can grant a wish." The way she says that breaks my heart. Her voice is just so sad. Still, I can't just blindly believe her, so I asked about those 'wishes.'

"I gain power passively as time goes by." She stops to word her explanation better. "I-I guess you could see it as me granting a wish every year."

"Does that mean I have three wishes?" It's been 3 years since you were born, after all.

She shakes her head solemnly.

"N-No. S-Sorry. I can only grant a single wish now, but the more time passes, the fewer limits that are on the wish."

Interesting.

"P-Please beleive me. G-Go ahead, wish for something."

This is unbelievable... literally. A wish-granting fairy suddenly appearing in front of me and is giving me the option to wish for anything. Sure, she said there were limits, but that doesn't change how insane what she says sounds like.

"You can grant any wish?"

The little fairy stutters and blushes slightly, looking away in embarrassment. She's a meek little thing that reminds me of a small puppy.

"A-As long as I-I have enough energy..."

I still had so many questions, but maybe I should stick to the most important ones for now.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are there bandages around your eyes?"

The fairy goes still and her hand rises. Slowly and carefully, she presses her tiny hands up against the ragged bandages. Her lips fall into a sad, accepting frown.

"I-It's just how I am. I can't see." As I thought, she's blind. Clearly, she had to have some other means of seeing the world, as she does seem to know where I am.

Hmm, if that's the case, then I knew of a perfect way to test out if her wishes are real or not. Honestly, being blind is a horrible disability and one I'd rather not have someone that wants to help me be afflicted with. If she can really grant me wishes, and was willing to do it for free then healing her eyes is the least I could do. And in case her wishes are just a trick, like a monkeys paw or something, I'll find out now. Though, it's entirely possible that if it is a monkey paw-type situation, then her eyes might start shooting lasers at me.

...

It's a risk I'm willing to take, as wishes are honestly too good to pass up.

"Ok, I've thought of a wish." Her little head snaps up at me and the small frown quickly changes into a bright smile.

"R-Really?!" She looks so happy. I haven't even told her my wish yet.

"Why do you seem so excited?" It's not something I'd call creepy and it's more odd than anything else.

Her little face lights up like a red Christmas tree. With lanky arms, she covered her mouth and flies a small distance away. The tiny wings on her back flap frantically, glowing just a tad brighter.

"M-My purpose is to grant your wishes." Her hands fell, showing the thin smile underneath. It was something precious, something that made my own lip rise in retaliation.

"When you make a wish, I feel happy." Her voice was firm and confident. For the first time, she hadn't stuttered or spoken nervously. It was then that I knew she wasn't a bad person. Alone in my room, surrounded by darkness as a small fairy, I made my wish.

"Please, heal your eyes," I spoke, earnestly and softly. There were many other wishes in my thoughts, but this one rose above them all. "I want you to see the world."

Though she lacked eyes, I knew she'd be opening them wide if she could. Her mouth did the opening instead, giving me a perfect view of her pearly whites.

"B-But w-why would you-" The little fairy was dumbfounded. "Y-You could wish for anything else. Power. Wealth." Yeah, I could have, but I didn't. "My eyes aren't anything special, so, please reconsider! It'd be a waste!"

My eyes grew softer and I leaned in. With one of my fingers, I carefully poked her nose.

"It's not a waste," Foolish, maybe, but definitely not a waste. This is what I want. "There's nothing else I want."

At a lost for words, the small fairy only nodded. She held out her hands and focused. Energy swirled around her fingers; destruction and creation mixed into something new. The display was breathtaking and soothing to my soul.

"T-There." She spoke shakily as the wild conflagration of power slowly started to fade. Tendrils of darkness and light spun and rushed to the palm of her hand. The light died down, but I had to avert my gaze due to the strong winds. When all was said and done, I got to take a look at the fruits of her efforts. A single, obsidian scale sat on the palm of her hand.

"A wish for a wish..." She whispered solemnly, picking up the scale carefully. "The world turns, like an unending pinwheel." With a small bit of force, the fairy crushes the scale. There's no bright light, brilliant display, or anything of that manner. I had no idea if my wish has been granted, at least not untill she reaches up and pulls the blindfold off.

"Thank you." Two scarlet eyes stare back at me. They were as deep as the ocean, but also carried a warmth similar to the spring sun. Gazing at her dazzling jewels, I couldn't help but feel safe. Suddenly, she leaned in and kissed my nose, only to blush brightly and fly away a second later.

My wish had been granted, and a few of my questions answered

"What now?" I brought my hand down. She might be small, but hiding her would be very difficult, and that's not even taking into consideration food and other necessities.

"Now... u-umm." The stutter returned, and her panicked face was a cute sight to see.

"Do you, like, go back inside me? Can others see you? Do you need to eat?"

Those seem like the most important questions.

"Oh!" Her eyes widened and she nodded.

"I-I could go back, but I want to see the world, i-if that's fine."

I nod.

"And, umm, only you can see and hear me." So she's basically an invisible spy? That's definitely a good advantage for me.

"Also, I don't need food, but I can eat."

In that case, there was only one more question on my mind.

"What's your name?"

She blinked and gives me a confused expression.

"I don't have one."

Well, that can't do.

"Would you like one?"

A blush rises to her cheeks, and with a meek, embarrassed look, she nods.

"Then, from now on, you're Yue"

With that out of the way, I laid back down in bed and prepared to sleep. It was well past my bedtime, and tomorrow would be annoying if I didn't get any sleep. As I closed my eyes, I noticed my fairy looking around nervously.

Right... how could I forget.

"Just take my other pillow." I say with a yawn and moved over. The last thing I saw before falling asleep was the face of a happy little fairy.

This place is weird.

==============
Year Three End
==============

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age: 3 Years~

Stats
(2) Strength 1d6
(1) Dexterity 3d6 + 2d6 (Sharingan T1)
(4) Agility 4d6 + 2d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Charisma 4d6
(6) Cunning 3d6
(4) Luck 2d6
(8) Soul 4d6

Skill Points: 1
Wish Points: 1

??? Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan(1 Tomoe): You've dipped your foot in the Uchiha pool of power! Woo!
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 2d6!

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.

Leekz01 · May 26, 2020

"Big brother... how's school?" An Eight and a half-year-old Itachi turns around, carefully grabbing the small cat.

"It's just like anything else, Sasuke." He smiles and jumps down from the tree.

That's not very helpful, but Itachi's always been one to avoid overly long descriptions.

"Do you have lots of friends?"

He stiffens and gives me an odd, undecided look. It's as if he's not sure what to categorize the people he's thinking of as.

"There's Shisui." He pauses, taking a second to measure his next few words. "I don't think you'd remember him."

Really? Well, he's right. Maybe I saw him as a little kid, but didn't recognize him? To be fair I rarely get to leave the house, so it's kind of expected...

"There's also my team..." A sad look grips his features. "Perhaps I should have brought them over before-"

He sighs and shakes his head. Kneeling down, he smiles and grabs my shoulder.

"Are you scared of school, Sasuke?"

Scared? why would I-

...

Oh, right, I'm starting that next year. I can see why my question might make him think that.

"No. I just want to learn more about you, big brother." Thinking about it, I really only know the face he shows me at home. Itachi already graduated school and early at that. Maybe it's because I've grown so close to him over the past four years, but I want to be part of his other life as well.

Chuckling, Itachi pulls my ear.

"You're pretty brave, crybaby Sasuke." God, he's never going to forget that!

Finding my pout amusing, he laughs and starts guiding me away from the tree, cat in hand.

"Let's turn in this mission, ok?"

I nod and look at 'Tora' the cat. He was surprisingly easy to catch, at least for my brother.

-------------

"Here, Sasuke." my eyes widen as he hands me a small portion of his money.

"But that's your reward."

Itachi smiles and then shakes his head.

"What's mine is yours, little brother." I really have the best brother in the world, don't I?

"T-Thanks." Carefully, I count each coin and put it in my pocket. The numbers on them add up to 25.

As I start walking back, Itachi asks me what I'd like to do next.

=======

"Oh, so this is your little brother?" The young Uchiha greeted me with a wide grin. With a free hand, he reached out and rubbed my head. Incredibly, the 12-year-old was probably more dangerous than any military man back in my old world. This was Shisui, Itachi's best friend.

"Sasuke, meet Shisui." With a sigh, my brother introduced me to the energetic ninja. I exchanged pleasantries and began talking as I walked through the Uchiha compound.

"Does big brother have a girlfriend?" It's my first question. I think he had one in the original timeline. What was her name again? Aya? Maya? Mizumi? God, Japanese-like names are so hard to remember!

"I do not," Itachi answers perfectly. If it was just the two of us, I'd have been fooled. However, the restrained grin on Shisui's face gives it away.

"No way! Who is she?!" Itachi's perfect facade cracks.

"Wow! You're little brothers a bonafide sleuth." Shisui says with a laugh. "If he can see through you, then he'll definitely make a great ninja!"

My brother grumbles and sends an annoyed look towards his best friend.

"So you do have a girlfriend?!" I was just shouting nonsense to bait him out! Did the two of them actually hook up this early? Though, the love life of 9-year-olds is probably more along hand holding and playing games together.

Itachi sighs and nods.

"Please do not let mother or father know." Seriously? They're ninja. If anything, they've probably known for ages! It just goes to show that Itachi is as gullible as any other 9-year-old.

"But yes, Sasuke, I have a friend that I'm decently close to."

Shisui snickers and walks forward, wrapping an arm around my brother in the process.

"Yeah, wish I had a friend like that."

A silent tension rises around the two brothers in arms. Maybe coming here was a mistake.

"Let's forget about that." Itachi hums and turns to me. He reaches into his pouch and pulls out a kunai. "Shisui, are you willing to help little Sasuke practice?"

A small bead of sweat rolls down the Uchiha's face.

"Not as target practice, right?"

Itachi says nothing, choosing to look at him instead. His stern, determined gaze eventually breaks down Shisui's own determination.

"Fine." He huffs and starts leading me to a nice training spot. "If it's for crybaby Sasuke, then I'll do it."

Oh god... it's spreading!

I give Itachi a betrayed look, but he shakes his head in surprise.

If not him, then who?!

Noticing my confusion, Shisui laughs out loud and pats my head.

"I'll tell you if you can hit me~"

That stupid name!!

=====

I tried my best to hit Shisui with one of the training Kunai, but sadly, he's way too quick for me. Besides, my throwing technique isn't the best. Itachi tries his best to teach me, but being honest, I'm not an actual prodigy when it comes to combat. The only reason my parents call me one is because I already have a lot of knowledge to call on from my past life. New things are just as hard to learn for me as they are for anyone else.

"U-Umm, I think I can feel something." It was Yue's voice that pulled me out of my trance mid-session.

"I-If you wish to hit him, I bet I could have it work." Well, that'd definitely surprise him.

"B-But I think granting his wish m-might give me more power."

That was another option.

Hmm.

Hitting Shisui is most definitely an incredible challenge that I'll fail. Even if he were to hold back, my chances of success would be miniscule! Still, when am I ever going to get an opportunity like this again?

"I'll hit you!" A bold declaration, but one I want to try and do. It'll be incredibly hard, but that doesn't mean I'll just back down. One step at a time, I'll climb the stairway of power. I only hope that I'm ready when the time comes. I'm but one person, and alone I probably won't be able to change much, but that doesn't mean I'll sit on my laurels.

"That's the spirit!" Shisui says with a laugh. Giving me the training kunai, he moves back a bit and waves boisterously.

"Come on! Hit me!"

With keen eyes, I gripped the weapon and throw.

DC: 17
Roll(1d6): 4 FAIL!

The kunai's trajectory swerves to the right and misses him. He didn't even move! I felt so embarrassed that tears start building in the corner of my eyes.

Stupid kid brain! Why the hell would something like this make me cry?! Even with my Sharingan, I'd need the best of luck to hit him! Of course, I'd miss!

"Sasuke... it's ok." A soft, comforting voice whispers into my ear. I felt Itachi's warm hand hold my shoulder tenderly.

"Raise your hand and try again." There's no pity in his tone; Only a desire to help me improve reached my ears.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my head and lock eyes with Shisui. He smiles and gives me a cheeky wink.

"Come on! you can do it!"

Closing my eyes, I contemplate using my Sharingan. It only takes a second for me to realize how stupid that is. I've kept it hidden so far, so why reveal it on something so insignificant?

"I-I believe in you!" Yue's tiny form flutters beside me; she speaks with a sincerity that warms my heart.

"Y-You can do it, master!" The sweet, kind little fairy does her absolute best to try and cheer me on. If she knew any dancing, I wouldn't be surprised to see her doing just that. She's my very own cheerleader.

The tears pricking my eyes evaporate. That's right, why am I getting so worked up over this? Above all else, this is a learning experience! I won't let my little brain make me cry!

"I'll get you!" A mighty shout leaves my lips. Bringing up the training kunai, I hurled them at Shisui with new confidence in myself.

DC: 5
Roll(1d6): 6 PASS!

The first two kunai go wide, but the last manages to hit Shisui's right leg.

"Oh no! You got me!" He shouts loudly enough for me to hear. Even though I knew he was going beyond easy on me, it still fills me with pride. It seems you can't escape these childish feelings of mine.

"Y-You did it! G-Good job, master!" Yue flies to my side and grabs my cheek.

"Congratulations, Sasuke." Nevertheless, Itachi's praises fill me with even more joy.

It might have been a cheapened victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.

"Now, we should probably head home before mother gets worried."

I nod and quickly grabbed my practice kunai. With a small goodbye to Shisui, I head on home.

From now on, I'll try and practice my throwing more.

[Reward: 1 Skill Point!]

=======

"U-Umm, it's time to wake up!" Yue says, shaking me awake. Her little hands barely carry any strength, but she's doing it the way I taught her. I sneeze myself awake and Yue pulls her hands back from the sides of my nose.

"S-Sorry!" She instantly apologizes and flies away into the 'shame' corner as I've started to call it. It's the top right corner of my room, and whenever she does something she thinks is wrong, she goes up there and faces away from me. Honestly, it's really cute.

I chuckle and tell her that everything's alright.

"I'm not angry, so come on down." Slowly, Yue turns around and meekly nods. As she flies onto my shoulder, I hear my mother giggle and step into the room.

"Speaking to your imaginary friend again?" A crimson blush streaks across my face. Yeah, she somehow overheard me talking with Yue one time, thankfully, she quickly came to the 'imaginary friend' conclusion all by herself. Still, it's embarrassing! I'm a grown-

...

No, I suppose I'm not. Every day that goes by is a day I get further and further away from my old self. It scares me, knowing that I'm becoming more and more immature. There's still that paranoia of mine, but the childish brain in my head has had a massive effect on my personality. I found fart jokes hilarious now and sweats things are like gold to me. Worst of all, thinking of naked women seems kinda gross! I hate to think this, but I hope puberty comes soon!

"Y-Yeah." Smiling, I gently pick up Yue and place her on my lap.

"She was feeling sad for waking me up." Yue moans in my lap, still ashamed from that.

Mikoto giggles and steps forward, gently running her hand through my hair.

"Well, are you ready to get your hair cut?"

...

Oh, right, that was today.

"Yes."

Mikoto smiles and picks me up. Quickly moving through the halls, she heads for the baths.

Suffice to say, I get to see her naked, but rather than blush, I feel a bit disgusted? This was definitely a lot more awkward when I was a baby, and so was the breastfeeding!

"T-The water's nice..." Yue mumbles as she floats nakedly in the bath. Unlike what I expected, she really doesn't care for modesty all that much. Her shy and bunny like demeanour only extended to speaking and such. In other words, she's perfectly fine getting naked in front of me, which is pretty funny in its own way.

Anyways, after a quick wash, my mom gets me dressed and ready to go out on the town.

"Oh! Is there anywhere you'd like to stop on the way back, sweaty?"

======

Haircuts are surprisingly comfortable affairs. Maybe it's because of my new life, but I really enjoy sitting and having others groom me. It's relaxing, soothing, and just plain nice.

"Such a handsome little man!" The kissing, cheek pinching, and suffocating hugs weren't nearly as fun, though. My mother was usually calm and collected around others, kind of like those traditional Japanese women, but around me, she might as well have been a little girl with a new puppy. She kissed my cheek and paraded me around town as if I was the biggest diamond in the world.

Honestly, even though the constant attention kind of annoyed me... it felt nice. She loved me unconditionally, and that was more than many people in this world or the last could say.

"So, the park?" I gave a small nod and looked to my right. Beyond the busy streets and people, the park was waiting.

"Then let's go." Giving my hand a little squeeze, she started walking. Truthfully, I didn't want to go to play, but rather explore. Sure, I've been around the village a few times, but the places I actually know of were very limited in numbers. My world's basically made up of my house. By exploring more, I hoped to grow my horizon.

--------------

Compared to most cities, Konoha's park wasn't all that different. There was a jungle gym, a slide, and a few seesaws. Kids of all ages and backgrounds were running around and playing with one another.

"Go on, sweety. Go enjoy yourself." Surprisingly, Mikoto let go of my reins and urged me to explore. I was expecting her to be like a helicopter, but this was a pleasant surprise. Still, I could see how worried she was that something might go wrong. Being a parent was tough,

Anyways, with a smile on my face, I went up to a group of kids and introduced yourself. there wasn't much trouble, and soon enough, I was playing with them. Of course, being quite a bit more mature than them, even with my mind being messed with, I found their games to be a bit boring.

Thus, I introduced a new game and Freeze tag was born! No one had heard of it before, so almost all the kids joined in to play. Among their lot was a small, blond child with blue eyes. His face was soft, almost feminine in nature, but the whiskers gave him away. This was Naruto.

"Can I play?"

None of the kids seemed to mind, but already, I saw some of the parents stand up and start walking closer.

I did not expect to meet Naruto of all people here and now. He was obviously around somewhere, but I didn't think I'd actually have a run in with him until school started up. Now that he's standing in front of me, I'm frozen stiff!

Should I ignore him? If there wasn't attention on me before, there definitely will after I start playing with the Kyuubi Jinkuriki. Seriously, unless this is one of those retarded realities where they have no one trailing her from the shadows, I'm sure this whole place is being watched. Anything I do or say will no doubt be reported to the Hokage.

Speaking of realities, I sure as shit hope this isn't one of those where he gets bullied so much that he dies, release the fox, or gets a murder boner for the entirety of the village. Oh god... I didn't even think of that. How likely is it that I'd end up in a timeline close enough to the canon one to not get myself killed?

"U-Umm, i-it's ok if you don't want to..." Naruto pales under my absent glance. He shrinks away and starts turning around.

Damn! My bad habit of overthinking things is making me look like a rude ass.

"No! It's ok!" I say with a smile and grab his hand. He stiffens at the contact but doesn't run away.

"R-Really?" The hopeful look on his face seems to lake any sort of desperation. Instead of an ostracized child that's hated by everyone, I see a small boy that is confused and not quite sure why others don't play with him. In other words, things haven't gotten so bad for him yet.

"Yep! Everyone's fine playing with him, right?"

Most of the kids nod at my question, but a few looks towards their parents with nervous expressions. Only a small amount of them actually leave.

"Thanks!" Naruto says meekly and squeezes my hand. "S-So, what sort of game are you playing? It looks f-fun."

I grin and start explaining the rules. A few minutes after, everyone's having fun and running around. Of course, good things don't last long. Perhaps finally seeing Naruto, the children's parents start slowly taking them away. The once huge crowd thins, and shortly after, only me and Naruto are left.

Naruto, contrary to what the show taught me, is very perceptive. He slowly realizes what's happening and gets disheartened. All of it makes me furious, especially since I perfectly understand why they took their children away.

Mothers and fathers would do anything to protect their kids. To them, Naruto is like a giant, cute tiger. Sure, everyone says it's trained and won't hurt their kids, but no parent is ever going to take the risk. It's a cruel reality, but one Naruto lives with every day.

Anyways, my determined refusal to let the other's disappearances ruin my fun pays off. Naruto eventually starts enjoying himself, even if it's just the two of us.

Off on the sidelines, my mother watches. I can tell that there's a conflicting whirlwind of emotion's on her face, yet she's remained silent.

"T-Thanks! That was a lot of fun!" Cute, whiskered cheeks stare back at me with a bright smile.

"I'm Naruko! It's nice to meet you!"

"Sasuke." Wait... did you mishear?

...

Yeah, that's probably it. I'm not trying to be rude, but Naruto's never been known for his vocabulary.

"D-Do you want to be friends?"

At this point, I see Mikoto stand up and start to making her way towards me.

"Sasuke, It's time to go home sweety." She grabs my hand and slowly starts to pull me away.

"Say goodbye to your... acquaintance."

I grit my teeth and bite my tongue. Even after how rude she's being, I can't fault her.

The Uchiha are already under a lot of scrutiny from the village. If I, clan leader's son makes friend with the village's Jinchuriki, then even more pressure will be put on the clan.

Naruto stares at me, his eyes dropping low to the ground. This isn't anything new for him. Thing's will be fine. I can wait till school starts.

...

But, is that really ok?

It would be so simple to just ignore a lonely child's wish for companionship. Naruto's wish is minuscule in the grand scheme of things. I know he's strong, stronger than me or anyone else. He's small and weak now, but it's because of all the hardships he faced that he grew into the iron-willed ninja that never backed down. All I had to do to keep the future steady is to leave and not look back. I'll be joining school soon and there will be more chances to become friends then.

"Is that your wish?" I stopped midstep and almost tumble forward. Thankfully, Mikoto catches me in time and lifts me back up. Her face is a mix of conflicting emotions.

To think that one small little boy could hold so much sway over the actions of adults. I wouldn't be surprised if some people piss themselves at the thought of accidentally scratching a hair on his head.

"Sasuke-"

"Please, mom!" I turn around and look deep into her eyes. They were filled with surprise at my sudden bout of rebelliousness. "I want to hear his answer!"

For once in my new, short life, I stood up to my parents. Her stance was understandable, but something in me found it wrong. Perhaps it was the countless hours I spent watching his journey, his battles, and all the pain he endured. Either way, something within me was stretching out a helping hand to the lonely boy. It was a selfish move, foolish even; if I became friends with Naruto, the clan would be in trouble. I was essentially putting him above everyone else, including my family. It was dumb and I was already hesitating.

"I-" His words stole any chance I had at taking back what I said. Small, blue, teary eyes looked up at me. The sky was reflected in those azure mirrors, and for a second, I found myself in a trance. Childish innocence and hope pierced my very soul.

"I wish we could be friends!"

Soft-spoken, yet powerful words. To most, it might have been low and whispered, but to me, it was louder than the mightiest of roars.

"That's..." Mikoto mumbled with a bitter, frustrated look on her face. She wasn't angry at Naruto, but the situation.

"Yue, there's a wish for you. Please make the consequences as light as possible." I whisper, closing my eyes in resignation. There's no turning back now. The wheel of fate has been flipped on its side and I'm basically pissing on its smouldering form. Whatever happens now, I have no one to blame but myself. In the end, my greatest weakness was being unable to let a little boy suffer alone. Yet... it's not that bad of a weakness, I think.

With a confirming nod, Yue floats between me and Naruto. She raises her hand, and in the blink of an eye, covers the area in bright, brilliant light.

"I-It's done, Master."

"From now on, we're friends," I say proudly, letting go of Mikoto's hand and gently grabbing Naruto's.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha and the two of us are now friends."

His eyes widen and the whiskered cheeks on his face rise into a dazzling smile.

"T-Thanks! I'm Naruko! Naruko Uzumaki!"

The two of us just stare at one another, large smiles on our faces.

"Do you mean Naruto?"

He blinks and then shakes his head.

"Um, no?"

I suppose this is one of those timelines where he has his name changed?

"Sasuke." Soft, loving arms wrap around me. Naruko lets go of my hand and moves away nervously; a small hint of fear flashes onto her face.

"You're such a kind child, but this won't end well." She turns me around gently caresses my cheeks. "Do you really want this?"

Determination blazes onto my face and I nod. The choice is made and I won't turn tail now.

"My little crybaby looks so grown up." She says as she leans in and gives my forehead a quick peck. "I think I can be a little bit selfish."

I blink in confusion.

"What do you mean, mom?"

She doesn't reply and instead stands back up.

"Say goodbye to your little friend. You can see her later."

Confused, I nod and wave goodbye to Naruko. The small boy seems extremely happy that my mom accepted our friendship.

"B-Bye! L-Let's play again!"

And so, giving her a goodbye hug, I followed my mother home. As we walked, a sudden, perplexing thought slips into my mind.

Wait, she?

All it takes is a single question to destroy any preconceptions I had about this being the canon timeline.

"A boy? Sweety, your friend is a girl."

"Oh..."

Things were doomed from the start. I have no idea how this would change things. Honestly, befriending her might have been the best decision.

----------------

To say my father was livid once he heard the news was an understatement. Away from prying eyes and ears, and believing me asleep, he had a rather loud shouting match with my mother. Both of them were incredibly angry, but one thing became apperantly clear. Things wouldn't be the same again. Surprisingly, no one ever stopped me from playing with 'Naruko,' but for a long time, there was a tense aura in my house. Thankfully, as the months rolled by, it began to lessen. But then, just like that, it was time to start school.

[Reward: Naruko Friend Get! | History irrevocably changed! | Avoided ??? | +1 WP From Naruko! | +1 WP for the new year!]

===========

After all my troubles, I had managed to nab myself two skill points. It was a hard year, but my constant training paid off! Even better, I also managed to get another wish point. All I had to do now was spend those skill points!

In the end, I wanted to train up my Taijutsu and my Sharingan. By making my body a weapon, I'd always be ready in case of an attack. The Sharingan as basically an overpowered ability only my clan had, so it was a no brainer if I wanted to live longer. Ninja's weren't about honour and fighting in the open, even though the 'ninjas' of this world were more like wizards.

Reflected in the mirror, I saw my Sharingan blazing with three tiny little marks. Aside from that, there was also a fountain of knowledge that sprung up in my mind. I knew how to use the Hakkyokuken; or, at least, I knew the basics.

Everything would be used to propel me to even greater heights!

[Reward: Sharingan LVL Up! | Gained the Hakkyokuken| Gained The Taijutsu Skill!]

================
Year Four End
================

-1 SP: Sharingan (Tomoe)
-1 SP: Taijustu (Hakkyokuken)

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 4 Years~

Stats
(2) Strength 1d6
(1) Dexterity 4d6 + 3d6 (Sharingan T1)
(4) Agility 5d6 + 3d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Charisma 4d6
(6) Cunning 3d6
(4) Luck 2d6
(8) Soul 4d6

STR DMG: 3 = (STR (2) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 1
Wish Points: 2
Money: 123 Ryo

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Taijutsu [1/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +2d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan(2 Tomoe): Slowly, but surely, you're getting better at using your Sharingan.
+Tomoe [3/6]
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 3d6!

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Leekz01 · May 30, 2020

To say that things were tense at my home would be an understatement. As the days turned to weeks, my father became more and more stressed. At times, he'd snap at the littlest of things. Even I wasn't safe from his grumpiness.

"Try again!" I winced at his loud voice but nodded. My kunai swerved slightly to the left, but it struck the target nonetheless. No doubt I was already better than anyone else that'd be going to school, but it wasn't good enough.

"No! Sasuke, try again." Fugaku loved to spend time with me Before. Watching me train would calm him down, but now all it did was stress him out.

My family was drawing further away from one another, and it was my fault. Truthfully, I did have regrets about making Naruko my friend. It was worse than I thought, but at least it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Yue's wish had relieved most of the problems, but it was clear Fugaku and the Uchiha were now under scrutiny.

"S-So you're going to be a ninja?" I nodded and turned to Naruko. She had a small smile, which was weird, to be honest. I was so used to seeing Naruto's humongous grin, so such a reserved expression looked alien.

"Yeah. What about you?"

She hesitated for a second before looking me in the eye.

"M-Me too!"

Still, even as my family was slowly pressured, I continued to be her friend. She wished for it and I wouldn't be taking it back.

--------------

Eventually, after a few gruelling months of investigation, the Uchiha got a break. It became clear that no one was planning anything, but that didn't mean the pressure stopped. At the end of the day, this was a village of paranoid ninjas. They would keep an eye on me, whether they said they stopped or not. The only thing that went away were the constant arguments and discussions with my father and the clan.

With this small reprieve, I wanted to try and help my family relax. What better way than a surprise party, right? Still, I was just a five year old, so anything I could do was limited. Convincing Itachi to help was easy, though I felt a bit guilty about using his time off. He had recently become a Chunin, so he was getting busier and busier too.

"Of course I'll help, little brother." Squeezing my nose, he listened to my plan. Through some eavesdropping, which would have made my father proud, I learned that his and Mikoto's anniversary was coming up. It'd be an incredible undertaking to set up the decorations without them noticing, but I was ninja!

...

Well, Itachi was.

Anyways, all that was left was to get them a gift.

A frame would be best. I'd use it to capture my family and every time I'd looked back, I'll know that I was loved. Of course, no one let me out of the house alone. Even here, in Konoha, I was never safe, at least not yet. Thus, I asked my brother for some help. Grabbing all the money I needed, I flew off into the village with Itachi. There were many, many stores to visit and so little time to do it.

Eventually, after spending about an hour and a half going through stores, looking for the perfect frame, I found it. Itachi even managed to haggle it down to a price I could afford! All that was left was to start the party.

----------------

"Surprise!" To say Mikoto and Fugaku were caught off guard would be an understatement. Perhaps the stress had been getting to them a bit too much. Suffice to say, I was almost kicked across the room by my father.

Maybe I shouldn't have done it when he was walking with his eyes closed.

Thankfully, I actually managed to avoid the blow, though I had to call on my sharingan for it. No one noticed, which was a blessing in itself. Seriously, that was crazy!

After a quick apology, my father asked what was going on. I, of course, took centre stage and explained the situation.

"It's a party for your anniversary!" I said, pulling out the hand wrapped gift. "Itachi and I went and got you a gift."

Both of our parents widened their eyes in shock. It looked like they had forgotten what day it was.

With a motherly smile, Mikoto pulled me and your brother into a tight hug.

"Thank you, my little angels." She gave each of us a kiss and then stood up.

Finally calming himself, Fugaku looked around at the room. The decorations and small cake must have really left an impression on him. He looked proud.

"Did both of you set this up when we weren't looking?"

"Yes, father." Itachi replied. "It was quite a difficult task, but we managed."

For the first time in the last few months, Fugaku smile.

"Dear, do you want to-"

Fugaku raised a hand, stopping my mother in her tracks.

"I think we should just sit down and enjoy the rest of the day."

I smiled, knowing that my little plan had worked wonders. In the coming days, I saw my parents smile more.

Things were slowly getting better and better.

[Reward: Family Stress Down!]

=======

Our first teachers weren't Iruka or Mizuki. They were most likely teaching the older years or hadn't started yet.

"I won't lie to you. The path of a ninja is an arduous, dangerous one. Only the strong will graduate." The teacher, an older ninja, said as he looked at the class.

I saw familiar faces, or at least what I thought as familiar. It was honestly very hard to recognize everyone, as they looked like real people, rather than anime characters. Untill I learned everyone's names, I'd probably have a hard time figuring out who was who.

"Nevertheless, I see a bright and courageous class in front of me. Work hard, don't give up, and all of you are sure to pass."

His words were optimistic, but I already knew not everyone would graduate, let alone get past the first year. The class was massive, even though it was only one of many others. If the show was to be believed, then the numbers would drop soon enough. After all, there were civilians in our class as well. Unlike Naruto, they didn't have a giant fox demon in their belly or the Hokage's favouritism to keep them afloat.

Speaking of Naruko, the instant she saw me in the class, she all but monopolized the seat next to my right. Thankfully, it was the first day of class and everyone was nervous. No one knew who I was or where I came from. No one aside from Naruko, that is.

"Now, to help you get to know your peers a bit better, could everyone from groups of four?"

I hated group projects. They always ended up the same. Either I did all the work and everyone did nothing, or someone else did all the work and didn't let anyone else touch it.

Anyways, the group assignment was easy enough. I all had to come up with a simple way to steal a certain piece of information from a fortress.

Suffice to say, Naruko instantly partnered up with me. The other two were ones I didn't knew from the show, but that was expected. The class was quite large and they were already in groups.

As for the riddle,my answer was the obvious one, and honestly, I'm surprised anyone got it wrong! Seriously! we're all ninja! There's absolutely no excuse to say anything aside from stealth! God, knowing that some groups said 'rush in and kick their butts' makes me embarrassed to even be in the same room as them!

I could tell the teacher wasn't surprised in the least, though. He must have seen this dozen of times, because all he did was nod and then move onto the next group. A saying came to mind.

A person's genius has limits, but their stupidity had no bounds. It blew my mind! Honestly, I felt sorry for the old man.

Anyways, the rest of the class went fine. Everyone walked up to the front and then introduced themselves, along with their dreams. I got to see the original cast and gawk at how different they looked like. Everyone had pudgy cheeks and lanky arms.

Aside from introductions, everyone shared their dreams. As expected, most gave generic answers like 'becoming a good ninja' or 'be the strongest.'

The only people that had more personalized goals were Shikamaru.

"I want to be a ninja so my mom can stop nagging."

Kiba.

"I'm going to be the best and become Hokage!"

Finally, Hinata stuttered out her goal.

"I-I want to be strong..."

Seeing everyone so meek and different from what they'd become was a shock. Even Naruko was completely different. Gone was her dream of becoming Hokage.

"I want to protect my precious people!" She shouted with a bright smile.

Still, she wasn't too far off from what she'd become.

As for me It was my time to go up to explain my dreams and goals. Putting my thoughts into words was surprisingly easy.

CHA DC: 13
Cha Roll (4d6): 14 PASS!

"I have a simple dream." I paused, making sure to get everyone's attention before starting. "I want my life, and those of my friends to be long and successful." Maybe being a ninja wasn't the best career path for that, but hell, it's what you wanted,

"I don't know much about the shinobi life, but I'm sure it's full of pain, loss, and much more." I'm a kid and so are they. Most of this stuff will probably just go over their head. "But most of all, ninjas are those who Endure!"

I smiled and look at everyone.

"As we grow, we'll develop our own code or ninja way. It might be but a seed, but my ninja way is to live life to the fullest and help my friends do what they want."

The stary eyed civilians look at me with awe. Most of the clan children are still that, children. They too find warmth in my words.

"I recently learned that we can find true strength by helping others. It was a scary choice, but one I made. I hope we can all be friends and help each other out."

With that, I take a second to breathe and watch their reactions. Slowly, everyone starts to calm. It's obvious that like, 80% of the class had no idea what I just said, but the core message was still there.

Let's be friends and help each other out.

Those that droped out would be the lucky ones, but those that endured would need all the help they could get. I needed help. Together, perhaps the future wouldn't be so bleak?

[Reward: Class Opinion Up!]

========

To say Naruko was bad at the basics would be an understatement. When the teachers started showing everyone how to use Chakra, most clan children picked it up in a week or so. At least, those that didn't already know. Like them, Naruko had no foundation, so she was walking blind. When it came to chakra, I was among these, as my father and brother prioritized teaching me the basic skills of a shinobi before giving me access to superpowers. Anyways, it took me about 2 or 3 weeks to actually start being able to do anything significant with my chakra. It wasn't amazing, but I was still ahead of most of the other people in the class. The civilians had a really hard time pulling out their chakra, and some already dropped out when they learned that they had minuscule amounts.

Naruko, however, was a different beast altogether. She had so much she could barely control it! The students were awed at her at first, but that soon changed when she couldn't do anything with it. As expected, the children scorned those that were different. They started making fun of her. Through all of this, I stood by her side and kept her spirits up. Whenever she'd make a mistake, she would laugh it off and try to make others laugh instead. It was her way of coping with failure.

Eventually, her frustrations started to become apparent. She'd stay long after school ended and practice her control. No notable improvements were being made, however.

"H-Huh? Shouldn't you be going home, Sasuke?"

I smiled and shook my head.

"No. I'm going to stay back and help you."

A smile instantly sprouted onto her face.

"Thanks! But you don't need to!"

"I want to."

And that was the crux of the matter. I couldn't just stand by and watch her stay back hours yet make no progress.

Now, what would I help her with?

Chakra was Naruko's greatest strength, so I decided to focus on that. It might not have been the smartest move, but I wasn't exactly a genius, was I? Sure, everyone called me that, but it was mostly thanks to my headstart on life. Eventually, I'd come to the point where everyone else would catch up to me. Hopefully, I'd be enough ahead by then that it wouldn't matter. Still, actual geniuses like Shikamaru outstripped me by insane margins. Seriously, how was he not the strongest ninja in the original story? His plans were insane!

Anyways, I wanted to make Naruko's even stronger than she was. It took many, many days, but I did my best. After every class, I'd stay with her and practice the basic chakra control exercises. A side effect of this was that it also helped me improve.

I wasn't the best at everything in the class. Shikamaru was smarter. Kiba was stronger. Hinata had better Chakra control. Still, I was the most well-rounded person in the class and that meant I was getting consistently good marks on all topics. Suffice to say, I was the best student in the class, which shouldn't have been all that surprising. I had a good 20 or more years on these kids. It would have been embarrassing if I wasn't #1!

"Thanks for always helping me, Sasuke!"

"No problem! Want to go get something to eat?"

It had been a hard day, and while Naruko's control only increased a tiny bit, it was improvement nonetheless. After all these weeks, she could still barely control her Chakra, but I could see she was getting better at it.

"Sure! Umm, is Ramen fine? I found this really nice place! The people are super nice!"

Well, that sounded great. Truth be told, I rarely ever had the salty broth in my old life. It'd be something new to try out! Naruko seemed very excitedly at least!

[Reward: Soul +1! Naruko control increased! | +1 WP]

======

"Faster." I gulped and nod, sending another clumsy fist at my father. He easilly dodges, not even bothering to use his Sharingan.

In a split second, his fist lashes out. I kept my eyes open, just like Fugaku taught me. His fist stops an inch from my face.

"Good. At least you're not shutting your eyes." He steps back, a small, but proud smile on his face. "Still, you need to work on your form."

I nod solemnly and take the unfamiliar stance.

"Fighting your classmates will be easy, but even the greenest of ninja can spot the weaknesses in my form." He walks next to me and carefully raises my arms. He moves my legs slightly further apart and then rotates my elbows.

"You lack the Sharingan, but the style must be engrained into your head nonetheless." I see him chuckle. "It's quite smart of you to ask for lessons this early."

A sad, almost regretful look crosses his eyes.

"I hope the day you unlock our Clan's bloodlimit is an easy one."

Sighing, he returns to the lesson. I bob, weave, and try to hit him before he hits me. It's a simple, but an effective fighting style that's enhanced by the Sharingan. Essentially, I focused on predicting my opponent's attacks and strike before they do. The Sharingan's near precognitive abilities make it all that easier to execute, thus, it's a deadly combination. However, there are counters to it, and only the most experienced combatants can overcome them. Still, most people wouldn't specialize in countering the Uchiha clan's taijutsu. Sure, they might know some of the required techniques, but that's not enough to stop a strong person from just beating them.

Anyways, I continued to train with my father for the remainder of the year. When sparing lessons finally start up in school, I'd go basically undefeated. The only one that even gives me a challenge is Hinata, but that's mostly due to her clan fighting style. Honestly, if she was just a bit more confident, I wouldn't at all be surprised if she could just crush me in melee. The saying about bringing a Hyuuga to a fist fight is no joke. All they need is a simple tap to burst blood vessels to cripple you. Of course, that hyper-specialization gives them a lot of weaknesses to exploit.

In any case, it was a long, productive year.

[Reward: Learned Intercepting Fist! | + 2 STR | +1 Dex!]

=======

"A-Are you s-sure this is safe?"

I smiled and nod.

"Yes. Come on, Yue. It's not like anyone can see you, right?"

Blushing, the small fairy nods and floats on by. She keeps going higher and higher, and soon enough, I stopped being able to see her. Even my Sharingan loses track of the tiny fairy.

I wait and wait. After about 15 minutes, she returns with a tired look on her face.

"Y-Yeah... I could s-see a lot of things!"

Yue goes on to explain how she flew up so high she could see the land around me for miles.

"I-It was really prety."

I smiled and gently patted her head.

"Told you it was worth it." If I could fly, it'd be the first thing on my to-do list.

"Y-Yeah. T-Thanks." Yue float by my cheek and gives it a tiny kiss.

"Ok. Next up is swimming." She stiffens and starts to look down in shame.

It's all part of the plan. I wanted her to experience a lot of things, even though she says they scare her. For her, the whole world is new and unexplored. I want to show her that not everything is out to get her.

"B-But there could be s-sharks!"

"It's only a small lake."

"G-Giant frogs?"

I chuckle.

"Don't worry, I'll be right there with you."

She trembles and looks away.

Hmm, maybe I should try something else if it's really bothering her?

--------

Dancing is a delicate art, one that most people actually put stock into, even though it's not all that useful. Thankfully, I'm a decent dancer, at least by my standards. Swimming's more my forte, but Dancing is ok too.

"L-Like this?" Yue asks as she glides forward, tripping on a small pebble. "Ah!"

I reached out and grab the little fairy before she can hurt herself. Her soft wings press against my palm. A part of me wonders what they're made out of.

"T-Thanks." I smile and right her little body.

"No problem. Come on, you almost had it." The tiny fairy blushes and takes another step. Slowly, but surely, she starts dancing on the spot. I chose something really simple for her. The box step as it's called has her moving slightly to the left and to the right. If she had a partner, there would be some turning as well, but Yue is sadly way too small.

"Here." That doesn't stop yme from trying to help, though. "Try and use my finger as a partner."

She hesitantly grabs hold and gets to it. Each step is a bit clumsy at first, but she perseveres. Again and again, she stumbles but gets right back up. Within the hour, she's dancing like a pro. The sweet smile on her face warms my heart. I can't believe my little fairy could be this cute!

"I-I did it!" Yue announces proudly. "D-Did you see?!"

I nod and pull back my finger, gently taping her head.

"Good job." Her little body surges with energy as she flies into the air and holds out her hand.

"C-Can I try it up here?" I didn't expect that. Dancing kinda requires something to stand on for it to work. Then again, who am I to tell a magical fairy what can and can't be done?

"Sure." Once more, I give her my finger. It quickly becomes apparent that the moved from before are not as good in the air, so she starts to adjust. Before long, she's guiding my finger through the sky. It's almost as if she were on an invisible staircase. Her moves are captivating, even though they're kinda clumsy.

"T-There." Yue comes to a complete stop, slightly panting at her exhaustion. It's surprising, but it looks like her endurance is prety crap. "H-How did I do?"

"I loved it." Her tired little face warps into a happy grin. Like a small child showing her father a drawing she worked really hard on, Yue tried to impress you with her dance moves. Aside from being sweet, it's also a bit amusing.

Blushing like a cherry red tomato, she flutters her wings and slowly flies onto my shoulder. Her soft rump lands on it and she leans over, giving your cheek a small kiss.

"Thanks, master."

Even after all this time, the name "Sasuke" still feels odd. It's probably why I let her keep calling me that.

"How about we work on swimming next?" Aside from being great exercise, it'll also help build up her stamina. So far her lack of it hasn't been a problem, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. When the time comes, it's best if she's fast enough to run away.

"S-Swimming?" Yue gulps and nervously grabs onto my shoulder.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll be in the water with you." Her tiny hands slacken just slightly. "If you get scared, you can just climb onto my head or back." There's absolutely no way she'll be hurt, not while I'm there with her. Though, I see why she would be. Her wings don't work in water and for someone that flies in the sky, being grounded must be scary. But it's ok; I'm there for her.

"I- Ok, master." Yue takes a deep breath and stares at me with determination. Her eyes blaze with the will of someone about to attempt a challenging task.

I smile and return the small kiss she gave me a second ago.

"Ah!"

Comically, she happened to lean into me at the same time, so she slides into my mouth; I almost ate her!

Suffice to say, a nice dip in the water would efficiently help her clean up.

---------------------

I slowly trudge through the small lake. It wasn't hard to find this place, as Konoha has a lot of close bodies of water. Still, I try to be a bit sneaky. It'd suck if it turned out people weren't allowed to swim here.

Anyways, because I didn't want to come back home with wet clothes, I basically went skinny dipping, which is why I had my Sharingan activated. Being found would be so embarrassing, so I wanted to at least get a heads up if anyone was coming. It'd also help to spot any mischievous pranksters that might have thought to steal my clothes. It could be funny to them, but you'd be prety pissed. Thankfully, no one stopped by during my quick dip.

"I-Is this ok?" Yue asked. I wouldn't call what she was doing 'swimming' but she was at least staying afloat. There was nothing wrong with doggy paddling, after all.

"Try and lift your legs. Put them flat against the water and kick off." Like me, my little friend cast her clothing aside. As before, she has no modesty and doesn't really care if anyone sees her tiny naked body. It's a fairy thing or something.

"L-Like this?" She furrows her brow, raises her legs, and uselessly thrashes in place. her body starts to sink a second later, so I quickly reach out and pick her up.

"Not quite. Try and 'crawl' forward with your hands while kicking." Yue coughs and nods, giving swimming another chance.

Her determination pays off, and while she doesn't cover much distance, her little body does move forward. For added effect, she even tries to flutter her wings to speed herself up. It actually works, though the effects aren't that noticeable.

In any case, the result is just what I was looking for. Yue takes the first step in conquering her fear of water. I'll have to come back here at least once a week or so to help her learn more.

For someone so small, Yue has an incredibly strong will.

With that, I leave the lake, get dressed, and then head home. My night is filled with sweet dreams.

[Reward: 1 WP! | Yue learns to swim!]

============
Year 5 Ends
============

-1 Wish Points: Increase Dexterity by one!
-1 Skill Points: [Bloodline] Sharingan unlock a (Tomoe) by one!

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 5 Years~

Stats
(4) Strength 2d6
(3) Dexterity 5d6 + 4d6 (Sharingan T1)
(4) Agility 6d6 + 4d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Charisma 4d6
(6) Cunning 3d6
(4) Luck 2d6
(9) Soul 4d6

STR DMG: 3 = (STR (2) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 1
Wish Points: 4
Money: 100 Ryo

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Taijutsu [1/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +2d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Intercepting Fist [1/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +2d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)

Throwing [1/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. +1d6 to Combat rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan(4 Tomoe): Slowly, but surely, you're getting better at using your Sharingan.
+Tomoe [4/6]
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 4d6!

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Leekz01 · Jun 10, 2020

"How am I so strong?"

I nod.

"Yeah. You're already a chunin and almost a Special Jounin!" The show didn't give enough credit to your brother. He was already as strong, if not stronger then most of the ninja in the village.

Itachi hums in though and bends over, gently pulling my nose.

"I don't run away, crybaby Sasuke." He chuckles at the pout I made. "Though, strategic retreats are a sound tactic when necessary."

What was the difference? No, better yet, was he never going to let that go?

Huffing, I crossed my arms and sent him an annoyed glare. He just smiled and shook his head.

"I guess you want a real answer?"

I nod.

"In that case- find something you want to protect." He pauses and looks down at me. Steel mixes in his gaze; my brother reaches out and gently pats my head. "People can do incredible things If they have a reason they can't fail."

It goes without saying I knew what his reason was. Itachi loves his family and me, but he also adores Konoha. He's got the perfect mentality for ninja, so it's no surprise that he's so strong.

"Umm, what are you going to do after?" Is he still going to join Ambu?" "Do you want to be the Hokage?"

"Hokage?" Itachi utters the words skeptically. To him, just speaking them feels alien. "No. I'd make a terrible Hokage."

I shake my head.

"I don't think so. You're strong and kind."

Itachi nods.

"Hokage's can't be kind."

"That's not true." I protest. "Sure, there's a lot of bad things they have to do, but that doesn't stop them from being nice."

My brother hums in thought.

"Do you think so?"

I hesitate.

Naruto proved it was possible, though that was after the world united as one. Maybe... maybe I'm wrong. People die, lie, and betray each other right now. The four villages are filled with ninja; paranoid people that can't trust others.

Maybe Itachi's right.

"I don't know." I answer softly. "Still, there's nothing wrong with being a good person and also being Hokage."

I want to beleive it. S-Some things have to be done, but that's just how the world works. Outside of that, I believe it's possible to trust others.

"Do you want me to be Hokage, little brother?"

I pause.

Time waits for no man. My brother is young, but soon he'll be an adult.

"I just want you to be happy." I say softly. "I know you hide your true feelings because that's what being a ninja means to you." He shouldn't have to do that. "Everyone sees you as the ideal ninja."

Itachi stares at me, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes hold a kind sense of understanding within them. I haven't even finished and he's already seen through me.

"I want you to be yourself more, nii-san." There's no need to steel himself and put on a brave face. "We're family."

His cool mask cracks slightly and I see him smile.

"I remember the smile and tears you shed that day." It's really foggy, but I won't forget his face. "You don't need to be a ninja around me, mom, or dad. Just be yourself."

That's all I want. He's always reserved and smiles are rare occurrences. It can't be helped, as that's just how he's trained himself.

A ninja doesn't show weakness to his enemies. Well, I'm not his enemy. Not now or ever.

"Sasuke." At a loss for words, he looks down at me with a shocked expression. "Is that really how you feel?"

I nod.

"Yes. Please don't hold yourself back with us, nii-san." It hasn't even been a decade, but I've grown to love my family. They're no longer characters on a page. This is my life now and he's family. As I've always done, I will look after my family.

"Very well," Itachi answered. "I love you, little brother." I felt a tap on my nose and raised my head. The brilliant smile on my brother's face was breathtaking. It was something born out of true happiness.

I reached up and gave my brother a tight hug. Soft arms wrapped around my back.

This was nice. The bond between brothers was a strong one indeed.

"I know you'd make a great Hokage." He'd be perfect for the job.

"Thank you, Sasuke."

I smiled and nodded.

The time was quickly approaching, and I felt all but powerless at the impending death. I wasn't a genius and had no idea how to stop it. Telling the Hokage wouldn't change anything.

All I could do was hope that my existence had changed something.

[Reward: +1 Soul | +1 WP]

========

I really shouldn't have expected anything different. My peers were children.

"Sasuke! Want to play hide and seek?" Even with my more childish perception, their games felt boring. I played, but only because I were supposed to do so.

In the end, even with my deteriorating maturity, I was still too old for this sort of stuff. Rather than give up and accept the inevitable, I tried introducing more mature games to the children. Chess was the first, which Shikamaru quickly picked up. He had a blast playing with the small coloured stones I dug up.

Sure, he only knew the basic rules, but he went on to crush everyone at it. I wasn't an exception. Really, how was he not one of the strongest ninja in the original series? Naruto and Sasuke were touted as geniuses, but they had nothing on Shikamaru. Yes, he was still just a kid and not as smart as he'd become later on, but he was already more intelligent than most teachers.

Shikamaru was terrifying.

Sadly, he was so good that the other students completely gave up on chess. The next game I made was dodgeball, though, the ball was replaced with kunai. The teachers approved of this particular idea.

To put it simply, I was the best student in the class at this 'game' followed by Hinata- at least when she actually tried. To help her out a bit, I spent a good few days just letting her kunai graze my side. Every time she hit, I praised her and urged Naruko to do the same. Slowly, but surely, she put more effort into her throws and I actually had to dodge or get hit.

Shino was almost mute, but he did speak one or two words here and there. He was a very stoic individual, but I assumed that was because of his bugs. The girls definitely didn't like being around him. The only ones unaffected were Naruko and Hinata. The former didn't really care, saying they were 'just bugs.'

"I see em all the time."

Hinata just wasn't affected by them at all.

"B-Bugs are nice. I-I don't like hurting them."

Sakura and Ino had completely different opinions. They both basically called them gross and kept their distance. I was happy to see the two were still friends, but I didn't know how long that'd last. What caused them to split up in canon? I honestly couldn't remember.

Choji was constantly eating, but I knew that was just part of how his clan worked. As a show of peace, I made some special dip with tomato sauce and a few fruits. When I gave it to him, he almost cried after the first bite. He shared his chips with me and Naruko. Admittedly, the chips were delicious; they were also filled with a lot of vitamins and such to help our bodies develop.

"Don't eat too many unless you want to get round like me!"

Judging by how many Naruko was eating, I suspected she didn't worry about her weight. Hey, I didn't judge a girl on that.

Finally, there was Kiba. The young boy was basically always challenging me to a fight. He had gotten it in his head that since I was the strongest person in the class, he could get stronger by beating me. That wasn't technically wrong since to do that, he'd actually need to train. I humoured him and used it as practice. Both of us grew stronger and a small rivalry of sorts started to bud.

Overall, the year was full of socializing and a bit of fighting.

I enjoyed it!

[Reward: +1 to all stats! | and extra +1 to CHA!]

======

"This is too hard." Naruko huffed. She looked down at the leaf in her hand and crumpled it in annoyance. "How come you can do it so easilly?"

The frustration in her voice was evident.

"Because I'm weaker than you." It was the truth. Maybe I was stronger when it came to technique, but Naruko blew me out of the water when power became the focus.

"But you're the strongest person in the class!"

"Maybe." I nodded." But you have more chakra than all of us combined."

She blinked at that.

"R-Really?"

"Yep." I smiled, walked over, and gently patted her head. "It's not so surprising you have trouble trying to control it."

I bent over and picked up a stray leaf.

"The fact that you can keep it from falling for even a second is impressive." Naruko's eyes sparkled at my praise. "I'm actually a bit jealous."

"Hehehe." She gave me a large grin and rubbed the back of her head. "Y-Yeah. I-I guess not everyone can be like me."

I chuckled at that.

"True." Coughing, I handed over the leaf. "So, keep trying. Eventually, you'll succeed. Just stand up when you fall and no one will ever be able to beat you."

I could tell those words sunk deep into her mind. She repeated them quietly and then nodded confidently.

As she practiced her chakra control, I thought about what to focus on next.

---------

With a soft plop, I fell through water and into the lake. I hadn't expected to actually get it right, so it was fine.

"Are you ok?!" Naruko shouted from the shore. "D-Do you need help?!"

It was easy enough to swim back up, smile, and wave at her.

"No! I'm ok!" Waterwalking was incredibly difficult, but it was an excellent way to increase one's control of their chakra. There was no way I'd be able to master it this year or the next, but that wasn't my goal. I wanted to get a feel for it and improve my discipline.

Unlike me, Naruko was still trying to work on making a single leaf stick to her palm.

Swimming back to the shore, I tried again and failed.

"H-How's the water?" Naruko asked nervously.

I smiled.

"It's nice and cool. Are you sure you don't want to come in?" She'd always been evasive about that. Was she afraid of water or something?

"Nope!" Naruko answered swiftly. "I'm fine out here!"

Hmm.

CHA DC: 10
Roll(5d6): 16 PASS!

"Are you sure." I grinned and sat by the edge, kicking my feet and splashing some water. "It's really fun."

Naruko hesitated.

"If you want to be a good ninja, you've got to learn how to move in water." That did the job. She stood up and slowly made her way to my side.

Flustered, Naruko took a look at the water and then at me.

"I-I don't know how to swim."

...

Oh, that makes so much sense. I must have been absolutely blind not to notice!

"How come you never told me?" There were plenty of opportunities to teach her. All she needed to do was ask.

"Ca..e I w.. a....d."

She spoke without confidence and as low as a whisper.

"Sorry. I didn't catch that."

Naruko took a calming breath and answered with red cheeks.

"Cause I was afraid you'd think I was a loser."

Just because she couldn't swim? Well, I guess kids are supposed to be dumb.

"Come on, I'd never think that." I replied, gently clonking my fist against her head. "I mean, if not being able to swim makes you a loser, then since it took me so much longer than other kids to talk, then I must be a big dummy."

She gasped and shook her had.

"No way! You're the second smartest kid in the class!" And how that hurt. Shikamaru was a freak! I had a good 20 or so years on him and he was still smarter than me!

"It's the truth." I chuckled and held her up. "No, come on. I'll teach you."

She gulped and took a good look at the lake before turning back to me.

"O-Ok."

--------------

Much like Yue, Naruko ended up liking swimming once she got the hang of it. By the time the two of us stepped out, she could doggie paddle and keep herself afloat. It'd probably take the rest of the year to get her up to speed, but I was willing to wait.

"I have an idea!" The completely naked Naruko shouted. I told her to keep her pants on, but that just had the reverse effect. Little kids could be really stubborn at times.

I watched as Narko grabbed a bunch of leaves and threw it all over her body. At first, I thought she was trying to do something funny, but it quickly became clear what had happened.

"Huh. Good job." I said with a smile and a thumbs up. Naruko might not have been able to keep a single leaf on her palm, but two dozen was apperantly perfect.

"I did it!" The small girl shouted happily, losing concentration and dropping the leaves. A second later, she tackled me with the force of a freight train.

"Did you see?!"

I grinned and nodded.

"Yeah. Now, lets dry off and put our clothes back on."

She shook her head.

"No way! I want to practice more!"

...

I knew that determined look on her face. She wouldn't stop pestering me untill I agreed.

"Fine, but not for too long."

Hopefully, this wouldn't become a habit. At least I had the whole kid angle going for me right now. This would have been much more awkward if we were both older. Actually, I should probably teach her about modesty and stuff. It doesn't look like her caretakers really said anything about that. Though, to be fair, my parents haven't officially told me anything either.

...

God, that's going to be a really awkward conversation. I'll have to find a way to make it entertaining instead of cringy.

Anyways, by the end of my training session, Naruko had increased her control enough to hold a single leaf for a few seconds. It was slow progress but compared to before, she had made leaps and bounds!

[Reward: +1 Soul! | Naruko Control Up!| +1 SP!]

========

Cats; cute little fluffy things that love being looked after like kings. Some people love cats, others love dogs. I personally never had a preference.

"Nya!" The small kitten in front of me purrs and starts nibbling on my fingers.

"Big brother..." I take a small breath and gently poke its head. "Since when could you summon cats?"

Itachi smiles and taps my forehead.

"I found the contract on a mission." He pauses. "The only ones that know are you, Shisui, and the Hokage."

My eyes widen.

"Wait... you told me a secret that important?!" If only the three of them know, then it has to be something big. I can already feel the assassins coming for me.

To everyone's surprise, my brother laughs.

He never laughs!

"It was a joke," Itachi says with a smile.

A joke? My brother, telling a joke?

I snicker. It's just so... weird.

Itachi furrows his brow and looks at me oddly.

"Was it bad?"

I shake my head, wiping a small tear from my eye.

"N-No. It was really funny!" I never expected Itachi of all people to tell jokes. Maybe he's actually doing what I asked him?

"I'm glad." My brother smiles and kneels down. "Shisui said you'd freak out."

Did he?

"How come?" I'm just a kid. Why would I freak out?

Itachi's lips rise into a knowing smile.

"You're very smart, Sasuke." He reaches out and pokes my forehead. "You hide it well, but older brothers are made to see through that."

My heart freezes.

Do they know? Did I slip up?

"Don't worry." Itachi chuckles. "There's nothing wrong with hiding your intellect." He tugs at my nose. "Though, I see you're still as cowardly as always."

I bite my lip and give him a look; it only makes him smile wider.

"Mother was right. Your pouts are adorable." He says with a perfectly neutral tone of voice. It's honestly a bit disturbing how he can display so much emotion without showing it.

"Are not!" I answer with a pout. Damn! childish brain is messing with me again!

Quick! I have to change the subject!

"So, uh, where did you get the contract?"

Itachi gently picks up the kitten, pulling out a sardine from his pocket. The cute little thing gobbles it up.

"I found it on a mission." My brother continues. "It was hidden in an ancient looking ruin." He pauses. "I'm sorry, but I can't disclose the location."

Make sense.

He pulls out a small, tattered scroll.

"I asked the Hokage- so, would you like to enter the contract?"

...

"R-Really?" Aren't contracts supposed to be a big deal?

"Yes. Think of it as a gift for doing so well this year."

My big brother laughed as I excitedly told him that, yes, I did want cats as a summon.

"Just remember, you can only have one contract at once, ok?"

What? Why? Actually, I think that was an actual thing in the show.

"How come?" I asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

He answered quickly and happily.

"Technically, there's nothing actually stopping you." He paused, showing off the Cat contract. "It's simply that the contractors dislike their contractees forming other contracts."

Ah, that made a bit of sense. Jealousy was a powerful emotion, and it looked like not even wise, powerful summons were immune to its temptations.

"Think of it like your girlf-" He bit his tongue, taking a second to think it over. He probably thought I wasn't old enough for that sort of thing. -"like if mom stopped giving you your favourite treat and instead gave them to some stranger."

I put on a show of being annoyed and agreed with his point. Still, realizing that summons were basically like clingy girlfriends gave me a bit of a chuckle. Seriously!

"So, umm, I just cut myself and write my name on the scroll?"

Itachi nodded and pulled out my finger. I say him take out and sterilize a kunai. There wasn't a point to prepare myself. I'd been cut plenty of times before, mostly from training with sharp knives and stuff.

"Good." My brother smiled, lifting up the scroll and calling me over.

"Now, let's go meet the boss."

--------

One reverse summoning trip later and I found myself in front of a giant cat. He called himself Nekomata and towered over my form. Was he the boss?

Itachi kneeled and motioned to me.

"This is my little brother- the one I mentioned before." The large, intimidating cat took one look at me before scoffing.

"He looks weak."

My brother shook his head.

"he is quite strong, you'll find."

Clicking its tongue the cat nodded and moved aside, letting the two of us pass through the gates he was guarding. Following a small path, I eventually ended up in a traditional looking room. Beyond a folding screen door, I encountered the 'boss' of the cat summons.

It was a small, black cat. She was cute and her fur was puffy and made me want to gobble her up.

"Oh? Is this your brother, Itachi?" The boy in question nodded and moved me forward.

"Yes. He agreed to the terms and is ready to join."

The small cat gives me an appraising nod before extending a paw. I, of course, gently gave it a shake.

"Tell me, what sort of partner do you have in mind?"

=======

I look down at my 'partner'. The small cat stands on two paws, looking at me judgingly.

"Well? Is he up to your standards?" Mila, the leader of the cat summoning contract asks. Her sharp eyes look at me for any signs of disapproval.

The small cat I chose hums in thought. He reaches behind his back, grabbing the aged wakizashi-like dagger. In an instant, he's at my side, sword aimed at my nose.

He was so fast I couldn't even see him! Faced with a sharp, dangerous weapon, I stare deeply into his eyes. This is obviously some sort of test, if he wanted me dead, I would be.

"I guess he'll do." The swordsman cat huffs, sheathing his blade. "You didn't flinch." His eyes lock with mines.

Curiosity drove him to accept me, so there's only one possible answer to his statement.

"You're really fast." He blinks and a second later, I hear a low purr escape his tiny lips.

"And you're also a funny kid." Wait, was that a laugh? "Name's Jubei" He holds out his tiny, furred paw.

I smile and grab hold.

"Nice to meet you."

He chuckles.

"Hopefully he'll be a good comrade," Mila says with a smile.

Jubei grimaces.

"Can't exactly got worse than the last." He says, breaking of the handshake and turning to Itachi. "Your brother know anything about swords?"

Itachi turns to me and then shakes his head.

"No. He's proficient in throwing weapons though."

Jubei hums.

"It's a start." His eyes turn to me. "Kid, get a sword."

What?

"Why?"

The cat sighs.

"If you're going to be my partner, then that means you're going to use a sword."

I don't even know if I want to use a sword!

"It doesn't matter if you can use it well. So long as you have it, it's fine." He says, dismissing my concerns.

That- that's stupid!

He huffs.

"That's your first task. Get a sword and I'll think about teaching you how to use one."

I've gone and chosen a troublesome partner.

Mila chuckles, her furry coat trembling as her chest rises.

"Amusing. Now, please make yourselves scarce." She points to me and Itachi. "I've got some company coming soon."

"Very well." My brother nods and stands up, carefully grabbing my hand. "Come. I'll teach you how to summon your partner."

I nod absentmindedly.

Huh. Who could be coming over?

[Reward: Cat Summoning Contract Get! | Partner: Jubei get!]

=======

To think, the person that'd have me discovering 'quests' would be Naruko. I had tried everything from making a to-do list and going around asking my mom if she needed anything done. Countless chores were accomplished and all I had to show for it was my mother's love, kisses, and hugs.

...

Ok, maybe that wasn't so hard.

She probably wouldn't be around for much longer.

I grit my teeth and pushed those thoughts aside.

There was nothing I could do.

I was weak-willed and even weaker in body. Telling the Hokage would just make me seem insane or part of somekind of conspiracy. At most, I could maybe tip him off the day before, but that could make everything worse. I had no idea what to do and it was very stressful.

Hopefully, the wishes I made could do something. Nightmares suck, but they were for a good cause! I wasn't 'Greater Good' Dumbledore, but 'Kinda Good' Sasuke sounded alright.

"So, what do you think?"

I sighed and looked at my friend. Her chubby cheeks were puffy and her eyes full of enthusiasm.

"That's a big list." I answered with a chuckle.

If there's one thing my new childish mentality was good for, it was fighting stress. Ignoring it made me feel better.

I just have to keep it out of my mind or risk crashing.

"I thought so too!" Naruko exclaimed. "The old man went way too far!"

Well, it wasn't that bad. Most of the things on it were chores and such. The truly difficult ones weren't that hard. Still, I could see the Hokage's underlying reason.

"I mean, look at this one!" Naruko pointed to the 12th and final task. "He wants us to steal a button from a genin!"

"You're overthinking this." I said. "Genin aren't that amazing." Sure, they could kick our asses, but at the end of the day, they were just children; highly trained children that could kill us, but still just children.

"No way! Genin are ninja! I bet even a fresh one could kick your butt!" She said. Naruko was being surprisingly bashful today.

"I'm sure," I agreed. "But we're not going to fight them." I grinned and twirled my fingers. "We could pay them, be stealthy, or even ask," I said with a shrug.

"Gota think outside the box." Hopefully, I sounded a bit cool. It's not every day I get to dish out wisdom to the younger generation.

I'm sounding like an old man now...

"Oh... I didn't think of that." She grinned and laughed sheepishly. "I guess that's why you're number one."

I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe." Stepping up, I moved to her side and raised her little list.

"So, which one do you want to do first?"

Naruko smiled.

"I'm thinking something easy! We can do the hard ones later."

I sighed and looked at the paper. She was a lazy butt.

"Alright. I think I should pick."

"Huh? How come?!"

I smiled.

"Cause I'm 'number 1.'"

"No fair!" She replied with a pout.

[Reward: Gained Quest: Narukoko!]

=======

I focused on the easy tasks first. With the two of us, everything went by really quickly. we cleaned up the Hokage's building, gave it a fresh coat of paint, broomed the leaves and-

...

I were beginning to think the Hokage just wanted Naruko to do his errands. Either way, by the end of it all, the easy tasks were finished. That left the harder ones, and while convincing an active duty ninja to say our name was surprisingly hard- the paranoid ass- everything else went pretty good.

"How are we going to do this?" Naruko asked, stalking behind yme.

Ok, maybe getting a button from a genin wasn't that easy. I'd found a team by staking out the Hokage's tower, but now what? They had come back from a mission and split ways, and if what I saw was right, I was pretty sure their 'teacher' knew that the two of us were following his students. As for the students in question- well, I didn't think they knew, but who knows at this point.

"Should we jump them and try and take it by force?" Naruko asked. I could feel the disapproval in her voice. It wasn't what she or I wanted to do. Besides, it was prety likely that the genin could just beat us up.

"We could also try and steal it by 'bumping' into them." That'd take a lot of dexterity and finger control. I didn't know if I was up to the task, and Naruko wasn't exactly better at that than me.

"Maybe we can just ask them for it?" It was the most obvious approach, but if the Jounin from before was anything to go by- it would take a lot of convincing. Besides, I didn't know anything about these genins.

Hmm.

It was a tough choice.

=======

"You want my pin?" The young genius we stalked asks. His face is full of confusion, but also that paranoia all ninja have. "Why?"

"Cause the Hokage made a list for me to do!" Naruko shouts, a small smile on her face.

That was a mistake. There's absolutely no way he'll ever-

"Really? Ok then." Casualy reaching up, he takes off his button and hands it to Naruko/

"What?" I look at him, completely baffled.

The kid shrugs.

"She said the Hokage sent her."

Naruko grins and turns to me.

"Mission complete!" Behind her, I see the kid sigh and turn around.

Why did he do that?

...

Maybe he's just tired and doesn't want to argue? OR maybe he's going to follow us now and see if something's up?

...

A pair of small, soft hands wrap around me.

"Thanks for the help, Sasuke!"

I smile and hug her back.

"It's what friends do."

She nods happily and hugs even tighter.

Hey, I'm not some sort of hug doll. And I have bones- bones which she's squeezing very tightly!

Naruko lets go and gives me a second to breathe.

"Right! That's the last thing on the list!" She hops up and waves the list in question. "I'm going to go give this to the old man! Do you want to come?"

I hum and look at the sky. The sun's about to set and my mother is probably waiting for me.

"Sorry. I have to go on home."

Naruko blinks and then nods.

"Oh, ok. See you tomorrow!" I smile and wave goodbye, watching as she dashes of toward the Hokage tower.

She's got a lot of energy, that's for sure.

[Reward: +3 WP! | Naruko finishes the Hokage's list!]

===========
Year Six End
===========

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 6 Years~

Stats
(5) Strength 2d6
(4) Dexterity 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(5) Agility 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(7) Cunning 3d6
(5) Luck 2d6
(12) Soul 6d6

STR DMG: 7 = (STR (5) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 3
Wish Points: 8
Money: 100 Ryo

Narukoko!: Help Naruko finish her lists of tasks!
+Reward: +3 WP [Complete!]

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Taijutsu [1/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +2d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Intercepting Fist [1/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +2d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)

Throwing [1/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. +1d6 to Combat rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Progress: 0%
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen.

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Leekz01 · Jun 20, 2020

Death is ever present; the life of a shinobi is hard and short. It is with a heavy heart that you perpetuate this cycle of death and violence.

You are but a single drop of water in the ocean. One man cannot stop the world from turning.

You're old, far beyond your peak. The end is close; you can feel it in your bones. They creak and your back hurts.

Yet... you'd still be able to kill even the most dangerous of ninja.

Chakra is both an amazing weapon and life support system. Still, your feats of strength don't fill you with confidence. You are Hiruzen Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi- and you are withering away.

You take a puff from your pipe, glancing out the nearby window. Birds chirp and dance by a nearby tree. Your eyes narrow.

No- none of those feathery creatures are disguises. You're being paranoid.

War changes people. It pits man against man and the bloodlust required to survive changes them. Some return, but many are lost in that particular labyrinth of blood.

Sometimes, you can still hear the screams.

Your pipe's flame is extinguished as you put it down on the small table in front of you. The life of a leader is stressful and full of paperwork. Some might suggest using shadow clones, but the technique is quite exhausting; if an attack were to happen, you'd be working at half strength. It's too much of a risk.

Every day's the same. You sit, read, and stamp paperwork. The council brings up the city's concerns and you sign off or deny them. Things would be so much easier if times weren't rough. The Kyuby practically brought the village to economic collapse. Many a favour were spent to rebuild.

You grin, thinking of the miraculous recovery Konoha underwent. Like a Pheonix, your village rose from ashes into a brilliant, majestic creature. However, the scars remain.

The village hides them well, but Kyuby's rampage can't be understated. It'll take years perhaps even decades to return to full strength.

In front of you, a violet crystal ball sits. You reach out and gently tap its surface, changing the clearness into a viewable picture.

Naruko... one of your greatest mistakes.

It should have been you. Your time was close, so why wasn't it you?

You smile, comforted by her large grin.

Sasuke Uchiha.

He was a risk, but one you gambled on. You met the boy; he's someone that you deemed innocent and without corruption. Yet... there was a certain spark of wisdom in his eyes. It spoke of hardships and fear.

He was afraid of you.

Thankfully, your investigation provided nothing. Still, you were paranoid. You dug deeper. Surface level scans of his mind had nothing out of place.

He was a young, innocent child with incredible curiosity. Sure, he was far more mature than his peers, but there were children like that.

A part of you still worries the Uchiha might be using him to influence Naruko, but that really doesn't seem to be the case. Itachi is perhaps one of your most loyal shinobi- he has only praise and pride for his younger brother. If anything, he's the one influencing his family, rather than the other way around.

Sadly, one boy's smile, a clan does not make. The show of trust alleviated the worries of some, but many still view the Uchiha in a bad light. Tensions are rising, and you fear what that might cause. Danzo suggests that ninja aside from Uchiha be allowed to join the police force- an idea that doesn't sound too bad on paper. You'd have agreed to it, were it not for your recent nightmares.

You see a lone Uchiha, slaughtering his clan so that his brother may live. You see your old friend, taking advantage of the massacre to steal dozens of eyes.

Danzo's idea was denied. If one was to look further ahead, they'd see that it'd only raise tensions higher. Take something away from someone and it's obvious that they'll not be pleased. Such action wouldn't be so bad in normal circumstance, but when standing on a cliff's edge, the slightest of weighs could send one tumbling to the lowest of depths.

They might be dreams, but a shinobi's being is one of paranoia. You'll keep your eyes on Danzo, Itachi, and his little brother.

A storm is rumbling on the horizon; you merely hope to stop it before it arrives or at least prepare your people for the inevitable damage.

You turn back to the crystal in time to see Naruko practicing her Chakra exercises. Her potential shines through, like a dazzling gem.

A sting of pain assaults your heart.

They didn't want a shinobi's life for her. It's as if fate herself conspired to guarantee the opposite life they chose. As a Jinchuriky, she must be trained; for her own safety and that of the village.

Life is cruel.

If you had been the one to go. Could things have been different?

....

You sigh.

There are things to investigate- people to check up on. These might be dreams, but there's nothing wrong with looking into your paranoia.

======================

2 Wp's were used to give the hokage dreams/visions of the massacre and Danzo's involvement in it.

AN: If you enjoy this quest/story please leave a like and comment. Don't want each chapter to be so bunched up with each other.

Leekz01 · Jun 21, 2020

Life is strange. Sometimes you feel it's out to get you- yet things can change so fast.

You thought the world hated you.

You thought no one really cared.

In the end, you planned to make them care. You were going to become completely unignorable! They'd have to care, if only because you were annoying the heck out of them!

Yes. That was your plan. You didn't know how to even start it, but it was a plan you wanted to follow through on.

You were just a kid- a no-name orphan like everyone else. Still, you noticed the looks the grownups gave you. Why were they so scared? You weren't some mean old dog that was going to bite them!

Thankfully, your fellow orphans were nice. You played ball and laughed together. But... that changed soon enough. They were either adopted or slowly drifted away. That was one thing that always seemed weird. A lot of people came in for adoptions.

Sometimes you'd see your old friends again, but their parents wouldn't even let you talk to them. It didn't take long for them to start ignoring you too. You grew older and your understanding of the world grew with you.

The grownups fears were being passed to your friends; they could feel and see how the adults treated you like some sort of angry monster. It was obvious your friends would get curious.

If the grownups were scared of you, should they be too? At least, that's what you thought went through their minds.

And so, the last few people you could call friends slowly drifted away.

You were alone, and every day that passed pushed you closer to lashing out and starting your plan.

"I'm Sasuke." Then you met him. He had this stupid hairstyle that reminded you of a duck's butt, except he was a really friendly guy! He played with you, even after all the other kids were pulled away by their moms or dads.

You knew it wouldn't last, as his mother was looking at you with a sad face. It's why you did your best and had as much fun as you could.

When the time came to go, you couldn't help but hope. Maybe he'd be different?

You reached out one last time.

"D-Do you want to be friends?" If he said no, you'd go through with it. You were strong, but there was only so much rejection you could take.

It hurt being seen as a scary monster. No one ever said it, but their eyes spoke enough.

You saw his mother wince and start pulling him away. Your face fell.

What did you expect?

"Is that what you want? Do you wish to be my friend, even if it leads to bad things?"

Your eyes snapped to his. Was he giving you a chance?

"Y-Yes! that's my wish! I want to be your friend!"

You shouted with all the hope left in your tiny body. Would he say yes? Would he leave?

"..."

You gulped.

"Ok." The bright, sunny smile on his face left you breathless. "Let's be friends." He grabbed your hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Behind him, his mother spoke a few words. You didn't bother to listen.

He wanted to be your friend.

Somehow, the young boy had convinced his mother to let you be friends. That's the message you got.

Tears started welling up in the corner of your eyes. You sucked them all up and took one last look at your friend's- at Sasuke's face. His smile was still there; it was a tiny beacon in a dark, lonely world. You held on for dear life and sunk your nails in as had as possible.

You wouldn't ever let him go.

"Well, I have to go now." He said, giving you a small wave.

He'd be one of you precious people, along with the old man.

"O-Ok. Bye!" You answered.

So long as he was nice and a good friend, you'd do anything for him!

"Yeah, see you soon!"

Those words reverberated through your body.

Soon.

You'd be the best of friends. But, if he ever abandoned you- you knew it would be a wound that would take a long time to heal.

But that was fine. You just wanted a friend; Anything was better than nothing.

----------------

Sasuke wanted to be a ninja. Once, you thought that would be a great idea. Everyone liked ninja, so if you became a ninja, then they'd like you too, right?

That all fell away when you became friends with Sasuke. You were happy just playing with him.

"There's more to life than just being my friend." He told you once.

Who cared about them? They ignored you and didn't want to be your friends.

"I'll become a ninja with you!"

You knew that if you didn't, the two of you might drift away. It wasn't your dream, but if it meant staying friends, you'd do it.

As it turned out, Sasuke was really good at the ninja stuff. You weren't.

He was from the "Uchiha" Clan, which was some bigshot ninja family or something. You didn't have a family, but that stuff didn't mater, right?

Sasuke said your chakra was bigger than his an everyone else's combined!

You didn't punch the hardest, threw the best, or we're all that smart- but you did have one thing no one else had. You were super stubborn!

Chakra control was your worst subject, so you practiced! Sasuke even came and helped you out!

In fighting class, you were usually knocked down, so you got back up and kept doing that until the other kid was so tired you could just push them out of the ring.

Whatever you were missing, you'd make up for it in spirit and determination!

No one would hurt your friend! Not while you were there!

"Hey, wanna stop and eat some ramen?" The people that worked at the small shop were nice. They even gave you discounts and stuff!

Sasuke took one look at the stall before sighing and nodding.

Ha! You'd show him how delicious Ramen was!

Huh?

What do you mean it's really unhealthy? No Way! Food so good can't be bad for you!

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

The Sharingan- my clan's strongest weapon. No modern technique, Jutsu or seal can come close to its potential. Those that unlock its rise above the average and gain a significant boost. However, there are downsides just as well. Everyone knows our eyes and they know what to look out for.

"So what is it that you wanted to show us, Sasuke?" my mother is the first to speak. She sits comfortably on a small pillow, her long hair freely resting on her shoulder.

I swallow and calm my racing heart. It's not that big of a deal. Most Uchiha unlock their Sharingan at some point.

But I'm just a child.

"You seem nervous, little brother." Itachi points out.

My father's brow furrows in annoyance. He's been very impatient as of late, but the answer is obvious. I've got just shy of a year left before that happens. What have I been doing? Nothing. I'm far too scared and have no idea how to stop it. Politics and such are way over my head- I'm just a normal guy.

I take a breath and curl my fingers into a small fist.

Ball the anxiety up and then swallow it. Calm down.

"Are children at your school bullying you?" Fugaku asks sharply. The question catches I off-guard.

"H-Huh?" What? Why would he- "No. It's not that." I answer.

He nods and silently stared at me.

"Well, what is it then?" Mikoto asks curiously. "Does it have to do with your little friend?" She smiles.

My mother's changed. She happily accepts Naruko as my friend and even encourages the two of us to play. When Naruko stops by, she even makes her cookies and other treats.

All she needed was a little push. Still, I could see the regret and guilt in her eyes.

Taking one final, encouraging breath, I shut my eyes. Chakra flows through my body, spiralling into those same eyes. When next I open them, a fully developed Sharingan stares back at my family.

Fugaku's eyes widen in disbeleif; my mother's too.

"O-Oh my." She whispers in shock.

"How?" Fugaku's even more bewildered by the development.

Itachi... Itachi simply smiles and praises my accomplishment. His warm show of affection overtakes the fear from our parent's reactions and gives the strength to continue.

"I, umm, unlocked the Clan' special eyes a while back. Been practicing making them better in secret!" I say nervously.

Mikoto looks at my father, a worried look on her face.

"Did you-"

He shakes her head.

"No. There hasn't been anything like that."

Everyone's eyes, including Itachi's focus on me. my father speaks.

"Son- can you please tell us when and how you unlocked your Sharingan?"

And then my nerves explode.

I spoke softly and carefully.

"I-I've had them for a very long time." Fugaku and my mother shared a look of surprise. I spoke the truth, and unless they believe I to be a better liar than trained adults, they have no reason to doubt me.

"How long?" my father asks curiously.

Taking a small breath, I answer.

"I-It was a long time ago- I can barely remember." Was I five? Four? "I fainted and mother was worried."

Mikoto's eyes widen slightly. She remembers.

"T-That was when I first used them. It hurt."

Fugaku sighs.

"You're still a child. Using our Clan's eyes costs a lot for someone your age."

It's the truth. Even though I've focused on increasing its efficiency, I could only keep my eyes open for a dozen minutes at best.

"Brother, your eyes are already fully developed," Itachi noted. He was curious and the silent question was clear for me to see.

"I-I practiced." I answer meekly. "You're a good ninja, big brother. I know you have the eyes too, so I wanted to be like you."

That's no lie. Itachi is really strong and I do want to be strong like him.

Softness flows over my brother's face, lifting his lip into a smile. Is that pride I see in his eyes?

"You've been training with them?" Fugaku asks suspiciously. "How? And why didn't you tell us sooner?"

To doubt his own son, my father really is a good ninja.

"U-Umm, I've just been using them lots." I stutter out. It's no act. I'm very nervous right now. "And I wanted to get them strong like this before saying anything."

Something flickers in my father's gaze. My lips twitch upward as I realize that it's pride. My mother is happy for me too- though, there's also a sad acceptance hidden in her heart. No mother wants to see her child fight. The Sharingan is a boon, but unlocking it this early cannot be understated. I'm going to be a ninja now as there's no way people will let someone with my 'talent' escape service.

Fugaku takes a breath.

"Two sons- both geniuses." He chuckles. To see my father laugh is a rare sight indeed. "Do you think the next will be born with them already active?" He jokes.

My mom giggles and then shakes her head.

"I hope not."

She turns to me, a soft, gentle smile adorning her lips.

"Sasuke, I have something I want to tell you." She calls me over and presses my hand against her stomach.

My heart leaps to my throat.

"We're going to have another baby." Mikoto gives you a hug.

Itachi smiles. He already knew, didn't he?

"That means you're going to be a big brother too."

I suspected this, but hoped that she was just getting fat. Butterflies are dangerous. This is someone that shouldn't exist.

With trembling hands, I rub her pudgy belly.

Everything changed when I was born. The shackles of fate shattered like glass.

"A-Are they a boy or a girl?" I ask nervously.

Mikoto hums.

"Don't know yet." She gently rubs my head, hands sliding between my hair. "Say, since you're so big and strong for awakening the Sharingan- do you want to give them a name?"

My mother looks at Fugaku. He nods back.

"Well? Your father's fine with it?" She turns to Itachi. "Why don't both of you think of a name?"

My brother nods.

"You go first. Pick a girl or a boy's name. I'll choose what remains."

=====

With that done, you clarify a few questions asked by your father.

Cha DC: 50 -25 (Father/Son) = 25
Cha Roll (5d6): 20 FAIL!

Sadly, he doesn't buy my lie about being able to see through walls and such.

"I know you're happy, but don't joke about a serious matter." He admonished.

Anyways, when you brought up the prospect of training, he agreed with a happy smile. There were a few 'courses' he could make. It was up to you to choose.

[Reward: Special Training!
+1 Extra Skill Point per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year]

=========

"T-Thanks for the help, Sasuke." Hinata says as I help her up.

I smile and give Hinata a small thumbs up. It had taken a bit of convincing, but as a way to make friends, I started an afterschool club. It genuinely blew your mind that those weren't a thing in Konoha.

"Sasuke! Again!" Kiba's sudden shout drew my attention. "I won't lose this time!" He was still on about beating you to become the strongest student or whatnot.

With a smile, I got up and walked toward him. The particular 'club' I made was a football club. A few places called it soccer, though. It was honestly very fun to play, especially with how fast everyone was.

"Alright. Let's give it one more shot." I got up and joined Kiba for a 'shooting' match. Naruko had taken to the goalie position and was basically impossible to score on- mostly because she had no regard for pain and whatnot. She had literally bounced the ball with her face a few days ago just to keep her team in the game. I still ended up beating her, but no more goals were scored that day. Honestly, the whole idea had been great and was making the students closer.

"Shikamaru." Even Shino was into the game.

"Ah, what a drag." The genius boy said as he passed Shino the ball. It bounced off a few tiny rocks and completely slipped by everyone's guards.

"Hinata," Shino whispered as he passed her the ball. Oddly, she heard him loud and clear. His small bugs pushed it just a but higher, and using her Byakugan, Hinata was able to kick the ball at Naruko past the people blocking. Sadly, my best friend smashed her head into it and stopped the shot.

It was a fun game, and there weren't any special rules for it. It was the basics, but Jutsu and other techniques were fair game. The teachers actually praised me since it helped get the students interested in using the basic Jutsu.

If I had a penny for every time a goalie used a clone to trick the shooter, then I'd be a rich little boy.

[Gained 1 Dexterity!]

=========

Cun DC: 8
Naruko Cun (2d6): 5 FAIL!

"This is really hard." Naruko grumbled. She wasn't having a very good time trying to learn the particular fighting style I was teaching her.

I hummed in thought.

"Hey, can we do something else instead? How about eating Ramen?"

If I wanted to get her interested in this, I needed a plan.

Cun DC: 8
Naruko Cun (2d6): 10 +10 (Sasuke Motivation!) = 20 PASS!

Naruko had a strong will, but she was still a child. Sometimes, even I was swayed by my instincts to play and ignore hard things.

"It's important to get stronger." I started. "Being a ninja is... hard."

It all seemed so simple now, but when up against an enemy that's coming for your life, things become so much different. I don't want her to die. She isn't Naruto, and probably never will be. Better to suffer frustration today than suffer death tomorrow.

"But it's so boooring!" Sadly, logic doesn't work too well on kids.

"Alright, alright." I say. "How about I do any one thing if you get this technique down?"

That did the trick. Her eyes sparkled and she immediately got to work practicing the unarmed combat style. After many weeks of training, she eventually gets it down.

Her request is... well, really weird.

"I want you to have a sleepover with me!"

Kids will be kids.

[Naruko Leaned: Hakkyokuken]

=========

A sleepover... I can hardly remember if I had any of these in my past life. Young children love to show things off, play, and be together with their friends. A sleepover is the perfect combination of all these three. Considering Naruko's lack of friends, I'm not surprised in the slightest that she wants to share something like this.

"Sure." I answer, giving her a friendly smile. "Though, ugh, do you mind if we do it at your house?"

There's so much going on at mines that it'll just sour the mood. You're doing this to have fun, not to worry over every little thing.

"Oh-" Naruko blinks, her smile faltering for a second. "I-It's really messy!"

I shrug. That's not so bad, besides, I might be able to help her clean up.

"I don't mind."

Biting her lip, Narkuo nods.

"Ok. Yeah, that's fine." Her smile returns in full force. "B-But you have to give me a bit to tidy up, ok!"

It's not like you have to do the sleepover today.

"Sure. How does tomorrow sound?"

She thought about it for a moment, eyes wildly glancing at the distance.

"Ok! I'ma go now!" Without another word, she turned around and sprinted away, leaving me in the dust.

That... wasn't what I was expecting. Kids can be very unpredictable at times.

Hopefully, nothing goes wrong.

--------------

"A sleepover?"

I gave my mother a small nod.

"Yeah. It's with my friend, Naruko. Is it ok if I go?" I really should have asked before saying yes. Talk about being irresponsible. Here you are, calling Naruko a kid, but you can't even think ahead! Blarg! I blame this childish brain of mine!

Mikoto bit her lip, a worried look pulling at her cheeks. I smiled, knowing this was less about who I'd be staying with and more about going off by myself.

"Why don't you have it here?" She asked softly.

I shook your head.

"Dad and you look a bit tired. I don't want to make you feel even more tired looking after us!"

Mikoto smiled warmly, the droopy expression on her face brightening a bit.

"Honey, I-"

I step up and shake my head. If there was ever a time to act like a kid, It's now!

"Besides, I promised her I'd go to her house." Again, my mother has enough to worry about.

She sighs, lifting her hand up to cup my cheek.

"I guess my little boy's growing up." My mother says with a giggle. "Ok. But I'll go pick you up in the morning, deal?"

It was that easy? Huh.

"Ok." I nod.

Honestly, she's probably just going to send ninja or something to make sure no one tries anything on me. Either that, or she's expecting the ones supposedly guarding Naruko to look after me too.

There's never enough paranoia!

--------------

Naruko's house or 'apartment ' was surprisingly cleaner than I expected. Oh, it was absolutely filthy, but not in the way one would think. I could tell she made an effort to throw out the trash and clean the floor, but all the appliances had a layer of dust she obviously missed. There was also a strange smell that reminded me of soiled food.

Was no one taking care of her?

"Oh, um, there's the nice landlady that comes in and usually cleans stuff every month," Naruko answered with a blush. "S-She's supposed to come by next week."

So this was all the result of a single month's worth of accumulated trash? Either that or something had died in her house.

"The smell? Umm, I don't smell anything."

Of course, she wouldn't. Most people tune out their own smell, especially if they live in it constantly. Good thing I came prepared!

"W-What are those?"

I smiled and pulled out the rare, never-before-seen inventions made by my genius intellect! But really, my Clan had a lot of money! The things they bought and made was surprising. These particular little slips of paper weren't rare, just a bit more expensive than most could afford.

"Just some air fresheners."

Smelling around, I find the spots with the greatest stench and put the small seals nearby. They only lasted so long, but it would freshen up the air a bit.

"What are those?" Naruko asked curiously, poking the two seals I managed to bring along.

"They make the air smell better! It's really hard to make seals, so try not to touch them too much."

She pulled her hand back as if burnt.

"R-Really?" The look she was giving the seals made them seem like some amazing, irreplaceable treasure.

I nodd.

Naruko gulped and moved away.

"Ok." She took a breath and then got back to guiding me through the house.

"There's my bed, the kitchen's outside, the bathroom's to the right, and here's my pet plant."

I moved toward the one that didn't belong. Near her balcony window was a small pot with a tiny sprout.

"What sort of plant is it?" Did Naruto ever have a pet plant? I don't think so. Was this because of my meddling? Or is this just showing that she and he are different?

"Tomatoes!" Naruko replied with a grin. "Sometimes I get hungry and don't want to go out. Choji said that is should just grow my food then."

A small smile spread across my lips.

"So you're getting along with everyone else in the class?"

Naruko shrugged.

"I guess. Anyways, what games do you want to play? Should we stay up all night telling scary stories? What about reading this weird book I found?"

I chuckled. She wasn't easy to handle, but the excited look on her face made me smile.

But before I could even think about staying the night, there was much, much to be done. Bedsheets crumpled, spraying my face with tiny bits of bread and other crumbs.

"Don't just stand there." I huffed. White sheets billowed in the air, showing off faded yellow splotches here and there. Wait... had she?

"S-Sorry!" Naruko moved toward me, feet sliding on the carper, barely managing to hold her balance.

Amusement travelled from my chest, building up in my lungs before exploding outward as laughter.

"Don't kill yourself, alright?" I struggled, biting my tongue to stop the burst of emotion that was coming.

"Hey! Don't laugh!" Naruko crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. Her brow furrowed, and in one swift motion, she was by my side. My back burned as a loud slap echoed throughout the small room. She was far stronger than any seven-year-old had any right to be!

The moment had passed. Frustration vanished and was replaced by something else. Naruko's gaze wandered away from me. Her fingers rose, running along her chin once, twice, and so on.

"S-So, umm, h-how can I help?" She scanned the room, turned to me, and then helplessly continued to look around.

"Well, can you help me move the bed?" The floor was free of dust, but could harder to reach places be as clean?

"U-Under?" The question came with the cracking of her voice and wild, erratic eye movement. She looked everywhere but the bed. "I-I'm sure it's fine, you know?"

...

Naruko was horrible at lying. What had she hidden under her bed? It couldn't be that bad, right?

"Come on. I won't judge."

Golden bangs blocked her eyes as she suddenly found one of the floor tiles more interesting than helping me.

"I.. w. za..."

A mixture of worlds slithers into my ears, fracturing and leaving behind a puzzle without an answer.

"Er... what? Could you speak up?"

Azure eyes snap upward, piercing my own obsidian orbs. Her cheeks burned and her face contorted, making me wince.

"I kinda drop my empty pizza boxes down there..." Naruko shrunk under my gaze, vanishing behind her bed. "And some other stuff too..."

...

How can someone be so messy? It's insane!

"Do you have any pets?" I bent my knees and pressed my right forearm to the floor. Feeling around, my fingers brushed against a familiar texture. "Like rats?" Cardboard rubbed against the floor before, out from under her bed, and to a corner near the window. I'd be making a small pile for now. Hopefully, she had trash bags.

"Do tomato plants count?" I wanted to say no, but glittering blue eyes begged me not to.

"I guess." A breath slipped from free my lip as my fingers brushed against the back of my neck. "Now, come on. We've got a lot of cleaning to do."

I very much doubt the only treasure trove of trash was under the bed.

There's always more.

--------

A mound of bags sat before us, flies swirling above and two children with noses pinched nearby. Of course, those two foolish children were I and Naruko.

"I can't beleive we had to make two trips." She told me she had cleaned it!

Sheepish, nervous giggles hit the back of my head, snapping it around like a squeaky wheel.

"I-I guess I forgot about the bathroom... and the closet."

I couldn't let this stand. A palm slid across my forehead, whipping the moisture from my brow.

"Let's just go back an relax." An angry beast within my stomach roared to the heavens. Naruko skittered away, eyes darting around for a wild animal.

"W-What was-"

I moved, taping her shoulder and walking up the stairs while ignoring any unnecessary distractions.

"I'm hungry!"

Hopefully, she had some food. I wasn't feeling in the mood for pizza right now.

----------------

"And that's how the great Naruko became the Ninja King and no one ever said anything bad about her again!"

...

The awkward silence was suffocating. With frozen lips, Naruko's frozen gaze held me in place. She was expecting an answer.

"An odd story, but it wasn't b-bad?" Why did that sound like a question? Oh, who am I kidding? She shouldn't quite life as a ninja and become a storyteller. That was horrible!

A chill rushed up my spine, and in front of me, Naruko's arms twisted around one another.

"Well, why don't you tell a better story?" She asked, nose rising toward the heavens.

I smelled blood, and like a shark, my lips spread wide. Something better, eh? Well, I've got a lot of interesting stories bouncing around in my head.

"Do you ever wonder what happens to a person once they die?" The bed's sheets shuffled, pushed toward me. "Well, once you die, your 'soul' is forced out." my fingers coiled around invisible chains. "Every soul has a link to their body, and with said link severed, the soul can wander freely as the body dies." I pulled sharply, shattering my soul's 'chain.

Wide, azure eyes gazed up at me.

"Sadly, this 'chain' is what keeps us human. With the link broken, the chain falls apart, revealing the hole within everyone being."

Naruko's throat pulsed, and she shuffled closer.

"If left untreated, a person's hole will grow and consume them." My fingers squeezed softly, making Naruko's eyes widen in a slight panic. It was adorable. "They become hollows."

Her nostrils opened and a steady drumbeat travelled through my hand. Good. She was excited.

"Thankfully, there are warriors than send these hollows to a peaceful afterlife. This is a story about one of those Shinigami. His name was-"

And so, I spoke, captivating my audience with a familiar story. Before I knew it, I found my eyes getting heavier and heavier. I closed them for a second and the next time they opened, naruko was fast asleep on top of me.

I chuckled.

Nothing like a good story to make someone fall asleep.

=============
Year Seven End
=============

+1 Cunning and Luck!

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 6 Years~

Stats
(5) Strength 2d6
(5) Dexterity 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(5) Agility 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(7) Cunning 3d6
(5) Luck 2d6
(12) Soul 6d6

Chakra: [40] = +24 [Soul*2] + 5 [STR] + 4 [Dex] + 7 [Cun]

STR DMG: 7 = (STR (5) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 2
Wish Points: 9
Money: 250 Ryo

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

Taijutsu [1/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +2d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [1/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +2d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)

Throwing [1/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. +1d6 to Combat rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Seako Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

=[Fugaku]=

A dreams contents often showed a side of a person's soul- that which made someone unique. The ancient texts of your clan said eyes were the window to the soul, so, how clean were your eyes? Half your clan was asking for blood, the other rejecting the idea as if it were a rotting corpse. A clan divided is weak. The Uchiha are weak.

How did things get to this? Every meeting is the same. You show how foolish a revolution will be, but emotions blind your people. It takes your all just to stop a civil war from breaking out within your own houses. And now, you're plagued with nightmares of what you assume to be possible futures? It's the stress, obviously. Still... the horrid outcomes have made you think.

Is this really the world you want your children to grow up in? They'd be executed, just as you and everyone else would be if this revolution fails. Are you willing to risk the life of your family? The life of your children?

...

No.

You were a proud man; someone that put the clan first. Your father taught you to be strong- to be the ideal ninja. Someone that endures.

Yet... when did you grow so soft? Was it when you married Mikoto? When Itachi was born?

...

Small, chubby cheeks come to mind. A smile and your name being called. No. Itatchi was just like you- he was the ideal and perfect son. A true genius.

Sasuke... he wasn't any of that. He was clumsy, childish, yet his eyes held a certain weight to them. When you stared into those orbs of his, you saw curiosity and fear. He scared, yet he hid it extremely well.

Seeing your son achieve great feats made you proud. But having your son show an interest in you and want to stay by your side made you happy.

And that was all the difference you needed.

You sighed, mind wandering toward the new member of your family. Would they be a boy or a girl? That strange nervousness was swelling within you again.

You'd cast aside your pride for your family.

Strangely... that didn't feel so bad.

Hiruzen would not be happy about what you had to say. You needed to plan this out carefully.

=[Kakashi]=

The life of a ninja was one filled with hardship. You weren't anything special, just a fool who wasn't strong enough to protect his friends. Yet... a part of you dreamed. It wanted to enjoy life- to live for those that couldn't.

But how could you? The dead weighed you down, pulling you deeper and deeper every day. One of the few things keeping you going was you job and the few short glimpses you caught of your teacher's daughter. The Hokage had been kind enough to let you guard her for a time. Sadly, all good things come to an end.

Your exit from Anbu was heartfelt and disappointing. Your peers held a small party, and there were even a few hugs. Yet... not being by her side anymore meant you couldn't interact with her.

It was for your health, he said. Obsessing over a single person would only lead to disaster.

It wasn't fair.

Nevertheless, the Hokage was wise in years. Having had some time away from Naruko, you realized how childish and disturbing you had been. Would Minato really want to see you hiding in the shadows, skulking near his daughter like some kind of bat? She wasn't your teacher and never would be. Looking after her wouldn't bring him back. Still, you wanted to make it up to her, at least as a gift to her departed father.

Being a teacher yourself didn't sound so bad.

On another note, your dreams have been nothing but conflicting. You saw a future, one where Naruko was chosen to be a part of your team. It was... sweet. It made a small smile blossom on your face. Sadly, the good came with bad. Seening the same nightmares every week was making you justifiably paranoid. Was someone pulling a prank on you? If so, they had some serious explaining to do. Not only did they sully your best friend's image, but they also dared to make him seem like some sick monster.

Obito attacking Konoha? Summoning the nine-tails? If there was someone messing with your sleep, they'd have hell to pay if you ever met.

You'd have to go speak with the Hokage about this.

=[Jiraiya]=

"So, what do you think, old man?" You asked, eyes lazily fluttering out the window. "You've been having the same dreams, right?"

He took a puff of his pipe, brow furrowing in deep thought.

"It's far too widespread to be a coincidence." He hums. "Several other people, including a certain Clan head have come forward with the same story."

Damn it. Then it's definitely not normal.

"So it's infiltration, then?"

Who the hell could sneak in and do this without triggering a single alarm or being detected?

"Perhaps." Hiruzen takes another puff from his pipe. "It could also be a warning..." His gaze hardened. "A certain someone informed me that some of those events hold a bit of truth in them."

Your eyes widen.

"You don't mean-"

He nods.

"Yes, but let's forget that for a moment. There is one particular part that concerns me greatly."

It doesn't take a genius to know what he's talking about.

"Madara..."

He nods.

"It's our job to be paranoid... and having heard some parts of the dream are true-"

Your tongue clicks.

"You want me to look into it?"

He nods.

"Please."

A sigh slips from your lips.

"Alright." It'll be a long trip, but you have time. Besides, these dreams are both bad and good.

"I'll head of in the morning-" You hesitate, hand sliding into your pocket.

"Hmm?" Hiruzen's brow rises.

...

"Here, give it to the kid." You say, tossing the small box into the Hokage's hand.

She's given you some really good ideas for a new book. A small reward is only fair, right?

The large, wrinkly smile on Hiruzen's face has you jumping out the window.

There's work to do.

============================

[4 wish points used! The Great Konoha Conspiracy!]

============================

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

"Are you feeling ok, Sasuke?" My mother leaned down, hand gently rubbing against my hair. "You look worried."

Of course, I'm worried. Its this year. My brother will murder everyone, including her and my father. What makes it so bad is that I don't know when it's going to happen. It could be today, tomorrow, or months from now! I just... didn't know what to do. I jumped at shadows every day.

"I'm fine, mom." But I wasn't. The stress was compounding, and it was costing me sleep.

"I know my son... and those aren't the eyes of someone that's ok." She leaned down, hands lifting my face up. "Now, tell me what's wrong, sweety?"

I shut my mouth and slowly coiled my fingers. Was it ok to tell her? M-Maybe if I-

...

No.

"I've just been having a few bad dreams." I couldn't, It'd be risking not only her, but everyone else in the village. For all I knew, speaking now could lead to the Uchiha attacking sooner. Maybe everyone would die.

"About what, sweety?" She asked, concern blossoming on her face. "Tell me about it."

I took a breath and nodded. It wasn't a lie when I said nightmares were plaguing my sleep.

"I-It's about e-everyone dying." I was never the best at coping with stressful situations like this. Maybe... maybe talking about it could help me calm down.

It wouldn't. Nothing could ever fix this. I'd done nothing but sit by and watch. I was just a scared little boy, restrained by his powerlessness and fear.

Mikoto listened as I poured my heart out. My 'dream' was as close to reality as I could safely say. Real tears streamed down my face; her soft bosom gave me comfort, even as my muffled sobs stained her dress.

I was a child. A strong one, but crying was only human. Sometimes, living with ninja made people forget this. Mikoto made sure I remembered.

"It's ok, honey. That was just a bad dream." She gently kissed my cheek, her arms embracing me. The sweet scent of flowers wafted in the air. "Everyone has them sometimes. Just remember that they aren't real and can't hurt you, ok?"

I took a deep breath and sunk into her. Just for a little bit, I wanted to stay like this. Slowly, but surely, my eyes closed. The next time they opened, I found myself back in bed, blanked softly covering my form.

I wasn't injured, but it hurt.

--------------------

My brother and father were simpler to deal with than Mikoto. Itachi definitely felt off. There weren't many people antagonizing the Hokage, in fact, it was strangely calm. Weren't they supposed to be angrier? Either way, the few times that such people encountered and tried to sway ne to their view, Itachi was swift and merciless. He never got angry or hurt anyone, in fact, all he did was stare.

That was enough.

I never saw those people again, but not because anything happened to them. They were simply scared to come talk to me again.

"Don't listen to them, little brother," Itachi advised. "The Uchiha are fine as is." Konoha valued us and even though there were idiots that blamed my clan for the Kyuby, most had forgotten or realized how stupid that idea was. There would always be bigots and sour individuals. Thankfully, things seemed to be different in this timeline.

I wasn't sure why, but the animosity within my clan wasn't nearly as extreme as in canon.

"I love you, son." If Itachi was a scorching sun, burning all that got close, then Fugaku was a warm fire by my bedside.

"W-What?" I was frankly shocked at his sudden outburst of emotion. Fugaku was proud and while there were small smiles here and there- bursts of emotions- he wasn't someone to be so frank.

"I'm proud of you."

I didn't know what to say.

"I just wanted to let you know that you, your mother, and your brother were the best things to happen to me." With those simple words, he gave me a hug and walked off into his study.

I should have felt happy. I did. But most of all, I felt nervous.

Things like these were never good signs.

=========

Aside from my little football club, I eventually thought about making a study group to help everyone.

DC: 12/18
Roll (5d6): 24 PASS!

To my surprise, even the lazy Shikamaru ended up joining.

"Eh, If my mom think I'm studying here, she'll stop bothering me at home." He said, taking a seat next to Choji and eating some of his food.

Even though he said that- he gladly helped others when they asked, giving a small, 'what a bother' comment.

Naruko struggled with the more academic parts of the group, but everyone else ended up helping out. By this point, Sakura had shown her presence, hanging around Ino like a shadow.

"S-Sasuke, d-do you know the answer to this question?" Hinata was as shy as always but was slowly breaking out of her shell. When not following me around, she could be seen spending a bit of time with Naruko. Apperantly, the two of them bonded over some bullies or something? Hinata saw people bothering Naruko, so hiding in the shadows, she threw some training kunai at the idiots and drove them off. She hadn't planned to reveal herself, but Naruko's surprisingly potent sense of smell literally sniffed her out. After that, well, the blond started sitting next to her during lunch.

She made sure to bring me along.

Overall, the study group was a great success!

[Reward: +1 Cun! | Study Group Formed - Other characters growth increased!]

=========

Naruko's chakra control was finally around the level of a beginner. She still struggled to do the basic exercise, but at least she could do it.

"Watch!" With a puff of smoke, she made a 'droopy' clone of herself. The clone jutsu was the first one taught in class this year. A lot of people struggled, but I wasn't one of those people.

Honestly, it was way better than the random explosions of chakra and air she used to do. Heck, it even looked better than the original clones Naruto used to make.

"Very nice!" I, of course, made sure to praise her.

"But that's not all!"

Once more, she focused, surging a gale of chakra into the simple Jutsu. When the smoke vanished, an adult Naruko stood in front of me.

"Hahah! I'm all grown up! you can't make fun of my hight anymore!"

She couldn't make a clone, but she could change her shape... that was such a Naruko thing to do.

"Hey! So, what do you think?"

I laughed.

"You're a genius!"

She grinned like a little girl at a candy shop.

"T-Thanks!"

We returned to training, and after that, we ran into an interesting individual. Walking through town, we met a Hyuuga boy.

He looked at us and scoffed.

"Shouldn't you be going back to your little hole?"

Naruko was about ready to drop a fist in his face.

The Hyuga are a proud, stalwart clan. My previous memories show them as a clan ruled by internal politics, discipline, and fear. Supposedly, the 'main' branch is kept pure by inbreeding, but you hope that's just something I misremembered. Honestly, if that were true, wouldn't it be the same for the Uchiha? Thankfully, I haven't seen anything like that, let alone genetically deficient children. If it is a thing, it's probably with people genetically diverse enough not to be super creepy.

"Man, even with those eyes of yours, you'd have to be blind to think an insult like that was good." You reply to the Hyuga child's insult. Beside me, Naruko blinks, a small grin rising onto her lip. She seems bewildered, but not so much as to see me in a bad light. Considering she was about to clobber this guy, that's was fine.

"Blind? I could put you down with a tap of my fingers." The boy hisses, eyes hardening, but not 'activating' as it were. "Mind your own business and spin on home."

Obviously, this kid has a massive stick up his ass. I tried to be a bit friendly and break the ice, but maybe that was a mistake. Maybe he's having a bad day? If so, the best thing to do would be-

"And your hairs really, ugh, crappy! I bet you never wash it!" Naruko barrels into the conversation, completely oblivious to what's going on. A silent sigh slips from my lips.

Why did I think things would go any other way? She might not be as reckless as Naruto, but that stubbornness and brash attitude are still there.

Where did that sweet, innocent, quiet girl I knew disappear to?

"Excuse me?! Are you an uncultured swine?!" The Hyuga boy hisses, eyes widening and finger gently cupping his hair. "My mother did this for me. She showed me how to do it- and I make sure it's always perfectly prepared." His eyes boil, rage seething just under their surface. It doesn't take a genius to know his mother is a touchy subject. Sadly, Naruko is quick to lose her temper and even quicker to miss the obvious.

"I bet she's fat! And ugly! Why don't you go tell her to shave your head like a butt!" The Hyuga's eyes don't explode, as I expected- no, his gaze freezes. The frigid stare nips at my body.

Why, Naruko? Why can't you stay cool?

...

Perhaps anger management classes would be good for her.

"My mother's dead, you ingrate!" The boy roars, fist flying toward Naruko. So close, she has barely any chance to react and catches the blow on her cheek. To her credit, she rises from the ground swiftly, not the slightest bit of anger on her face. Yes, her cheek's bruised, and she's holding it with a wince, but she seems more sad than angry.

"O-Oh..." She looks at the ground, eyes dark and regretful. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know."

I sit back, unsure of what to do. I'm not just going to hit the kid- he's obviously had a bad enough day. Did he just get the news, I wonder?

Stepping forward, I rub my neck and stare at the boy.

"Look, maybe we can go get-" Another fist flies, this time at me. I hesitate, choosing not to call on my Sharingan, lest that cause unneeded attention.

DC: 8
Your Roll (2d6): 10 PASS!

The fist sails past my cheek, grazing the side of my face. Like water, my feet flow away from the boy, keeping enough distance to prevent a repeated attack.

"Look, we're sorry." I raised my hands, eyes locking with his own. "We didn't know."

"Yeah! So stop attacking us, ok? I-I'm sorry." Naruko adds, head lowering in shame.

The three of us reach a standstill, each waiting for the next action. Amusingly enough, those walking by give us a wide birth and giggle every now and then. The Hyuga boy doesn't take to kindly to this.

"Just... leave me alone!" He shouts, storming away. A few small tears strike the floor as he vanishes into the crowd. All that's left behind is a bitter taste in my mouth. Naruko feels much the same, her face solemn and dripping with guilt.

"I-I didn't mean to make fun of his mom." She said, fidgeting in the middle fo the street.

I grab her hand and start guiding her away. There's nothing we can do for the boy now. He's lost to grief and anger. Anything we say would probably just make him even more upset. Instead of trying to do something impossible, or at least impossible to me, I'll focus on what we can do.

"Come one, let's have something to eat." I start walking, Naruko trailing slowly behind. She nods hesitantly, eyes trained onto the ground.

"It's not your fault." It really isn't. If anything, it's me and the boy's. I really should have just let him go- and while Naruko was definitely rude, so was he for randomly insulting others.

In the end, this is just the consequence of being a child. No- even some adults fail to grasp what it means to stay calm.

The journey to Iichiraku Ramen is one filled with silence and a pouting Naruko. I try to cheer her up to limited success, but it's the smell of the salty, unhealthy food that brightens her face. She doesn't forget, but the ramen helps soothes her soul. She listens to me, and by the time she's finished her third bowl, I've managed to cheer her up.

"Come on, have another!" Naruko joked, placing another bowl of Ramen in front of my face.

She just finished her fourth. I could barely get through my second.

"A-Are you trying to explode my stomach?" God... I'm so full I can hardly speak properly anymore.

"Awww, come on! If you're my friend, then you have to eat at least half as much as me!"

I started at her fifth bowl.

Oh god.

Suffice to say, it took all of my willpower not to throw up on the way back home.

The things I do for friends...

==========

It's not every day I see my mom being so active. By now, her stomach's ready to burst! My finger's tremble at thoughts of what might occur.

No. I-I won't let that happen.

"Sasuke, whatcha doing?" Naruko's hot breath slithers into my ear, her weight pushing down on my shoulder. "Just cause your mom's watching doesn't mean you can slack off!"

She shouts, even as I duck and roll. Her kick goes wide and my fingers dig into the exposed leg.

"Waaa-" She bounces off the floor, my training kunai trailing after her. To my surprise, her hand comes up like lightning, just barely managing to deflect the thrown weapons.

"O-Ouch." She holds her knuckles, eyes sliding to the discarded weapon near her. That's all the opening I need. The ground rushes past my eyes, Naruko's face drawing closer and closer.

"W-Wai-" My palm punches into her chest, cutting her pleas short and slapping my face full of spittle. Something smashes into the side of my cheek as you blink and try to wipe the spit away. My tongue roves over dirt, and brown gunk clings to my teeth.

"H-Ha...." Naruko chuckles between half-breaths. She cradles her gut and stands up, one eye closed. "G-Got you."

Admittedly, she's right. Things would have been different if I had your Sharingan, but this was a friendly spar and nothing else.

"And that's enough." My mother's voice glides over the field, pulling my attention along with Naruko's. "The two of you did well." Her eyes fall to me.

"Sasuke, never take your eye of an oponent, especially if you think them beat but not dead."

She looks at Naruko, a complicated expression on her face.

"I'd suggest keeping that sort of trickery up, but try and improve your fundamentals and not get hit."

The young Uzumaki blushes and nods, lips rising into a smile. Her pearly whites almost blind me.

"Thank's, Sasuke's mom!"

My mother sighs, but nods.

Leaves crackle as I approach.

"So, do you think you can help her get better, mom?" It'd definitely be a big boost to Naruko if she got some actual training under her belt. Mikoto wasn't some petit wallflower- she was an accomplished ninja in her own right. Maybe not on Kakashi's level, but still deadly in combat.

Her eyes soften, a small hint of hesitation flashing within them. Why? I knew that look...

"Sasuke... I don't think now's the time." She gently rubs her stomach, a smile blossoming onto her face. "Your little sister or brother's almost here."

"You're going to get a sister?!" Naruko shouts, eyes widening to the size of saucers. "When?!"

She's at my side in an instant, hands griping my shoulder.

I turn to Mikoto for help. She chuckles, amusement dripping from her tone.

"Well, she's not here yet and we don't really know." She pauses and caresses her gut. "Doctor says in a month or so."

"Wait... does that have anything to do with your fatness?" My friend points out. "I thought that was cause you were eating too much food!"

...

Wow. Tact? What's that? Clearly, Naruko doesn't know!

My mother steps back, taken aback by the sudden insult, yet she lets out a small giggle.

"I'm not fat. I'm just pregnant."

...

I don't think she-

"What's preganagnt? Can you eat it?"

Jesus...

My skin crawls and I look away.

"Ah... I guess you are a bit too young to know about those things." Her eyes slide over to me. "Maybe I should have Fugaku teach you too, Sasuke."

Lightning crawls up my spine. God, that's going to be awkward. Thankfully, unlike what people normally assume, it's probably not going to be that bad.

Not unless they make it bad by stuttering or avoiding the subject...

....

"Is it something we'll learn in school?" Naruko asks, knitting her brow forward. "Cause it sounds really compicated."

I sigh.

"It's pronounced complicated."

She huffs, arms crossing over her chest and eyes looking at me sternly.

"Whatever!" I noted that her tongue is bright pink and a bit longer than mines.

What a kid.

"H-Hey! don't give me that look!" She's on me in a second. "That's the 'Naruko's saying something dumb' look, isn't it!"

What?

"I have a look like that?"

I swear, her grin's almost as bad as that of shark's.

"Nope! But you just admitted that you were thinking that!"

Wow. That was really sly of her. Naruko can be a lot smarter than she lets on.

"Ok, ok, maybe you're a tiny bit right."

Her tiny fists gently impact my shoulder.

"Don't be mean!" She sticks her tongue out once more, so I reach up and grab it, lightly pulling her forward.

"Weaght wou dwuing!" She shouts, arms reaching to grab my face.

DC: 8
Roll (2d6): 7 FAIL!

Her slithering hands proves to be too fast for me without the Sharingan. Dirt brushes against my hair and tiny blades of grass prick the back of my neck. Intrusive fingers slide into my mouth, plucking my tongue and pulling it out.

"Wgats gat fweel wlike?!" For her small stature, Naruko is prety heavy. I can't even move!

I let go, giving the rambunctious girl some breathing room. She smiles triumphantly, jumping off me a moment later.

"Ha! You're fast but really scrawny." She teases, gently pushing my shoulders. "I bet a small wind could blow you over."

My eyes roll, hands rising to get her fingers off my tongue. Thankfully, she lets go.

It's at this point that my mother chimes in, a pleased smile on her face.

"As I was saying- we can't set a training schedule up just yet. Maybe a bit after your sibling's born, Sasuke."

I nod, accepting the reasonable answer.

"So, after that workout- are any of you hungry?"

A loud, earthshaking roar splits the clearing.

"H-Hehe. Yeah..." Naruko speaks, not even needing to answer. The crimson blush on her cheeks speak pounds.

How can she eat so much and not gain a single pound?

...

Jinchiriki's are bullshit.

+1 JP (Jutsu Point Training) +1 LSP (Life Skill Training) +1 TSP (Technique Skill Training)

-1 JP (Fireball ) -1 LSP (Dancing!) -1 TSP (Taijutsu!) -2 SP (Throwing / Chakra Nature)

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 8 Years~

Stats
(5) Strength 2d6
(5) Dexterity 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(5) Agility 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(9) Cunning 4d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(12) Soul 6d6

Chakra: [40] = +24 [Soul*2] + 5 [STR] + 4 [Dex] + 7 [Cun]

STR DMG: 7 = (STR (5) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 0
Wish Points: 6
Money: 250 Ryo

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [1/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 20
+3d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [1/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +2d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.

{Utility}

{Life}
Dancing [1/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +1d6 to rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (25%): You're working on getting this one too! Only 3 more points to go!

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Saeko Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Leekz01 · Jun 26, 2020

It was just another day. Another mundane, simple day. I went to school, finished the lessons, and spent a bit of time with Naruko.

"I'm telling you- ninjutsu's the best part about being a ninja!" My friend said adamantly. Her head was thick as a stone and there wouldn't be any convincing her otherwise. "Giant balls of fire! Dragons made of water!"

My friend's eyes sparkled as she recounted the 'examples' our teacher spoke of. Amusingly enough, she was perfectly suited for that style of combat. In the future, she'd be slinging spells or 'ninjutsu' for days.

"You'd make a good Wizard, Naruko."

Hmm, there was a though. Maybe I could teach her the only other Jutsu I knew. It was my clans signature, so perhaps I'd need to ask Fugaku first. Then again, something was telling me Naruko wouldn't get it in just a few days. It'd be a decent commitment.

"A what?"

I had forgotten those sorts of things didn't exist in this world. 'Magic' was a ninja's art.

"Think of a really squishy person that can only use Jutsu."

Her face scrunched up.

"That sounds so bad! What If someone came up and punched me?"

She had a good point. Ninja were both physically strong and had incredibly deadly abilities. Any traditional wizard would soon find their heads punted from their shoulders if they didn't plan around a ninja's insane speeds. Then again, a prepared wizard meant a winning wizard. Ninja bullshit or not, I wouldn't want to go up against anything like that.

Anyways, Naruko continued to praise ninjutsu only ninja. I did encourage her to focus on taijutsu too. As she said, the number of jutsu in her repertoire wouldn't do any good if an enemy could kill her before she could use the.

"You don't have to worry about that! I punch stuff every day!" My face was immediately full of her knuckles. The calluses on her fingers spoke volumes.

Chakra was an incredible thing, even in children.

"Just don't overdo it." Chakra powerhouse or not, she was still a little girl. "Work too hard and you'll be a shrimp forever."

"Who you calling short!" Tiny hands gripped my shoulders, shaking me back and forth. "Just you wait! You'll be looking up at me in a few years!"

Not if genetics are anything to go by. I'm pretty sure the original Sasuke was much taller than her.

"Yeah, yeah." I said, entering the small stall. "How about we grab a snack and call it for today?"

Splitting the curtains, Naruko's head swivelled left, then right. She took in the place's selection of foods and immediately turned her nose up in disgust.

"Ewww... what is this place?"

The friendly lady minding the counter ignored the insult and asked if I was here to buy anything.

"Two vegie wraps, please. One with extra tomatoes and onions." I spun, meeting Naruko's eyes.

"Any vegetable you like in particular?" Eye dropping to the floor, she mumbled a halfhearted answer.

"What was that?"

Huffing, she repeated her words.

"I said vegetables are yucky."

I shook my head.

"That's a lie. Vegetables are delicious and also good for you!"

My hands snaped out, grasping her tongue the instant it peeked out from her mouth.

"I know you eat them sometimes, so be brave."

Eye broiling with frustration drilled into my skull.

"Fwine!"

It wasn't easy convincing my friend to eat healthily, but the rewards would be worth the headaches. Unlike Choji, she didn't have a fighting style that revolved around calories and weight.

She'd thank me one day.

-----------------

The sky was dark, and honestly, I was running a bit late. Maybe spending so much time tutoring Naruko and then subsequently goofing off with her wasn't such a good idea. Either way, my mother was sure to worry her head off if I didn't arrive home soon.

The entrance to the Uchiha compound is surprisingly baren. It's eerily quiet, and for a second, I feared something was wrong. Stepping forward, I spot the guard out of sight, cigarette in his lip.

Just jumping at shadows.

"Sorry, can't come in." The guard says as I walk closer, barring my path.

"What? Why not?" It's pretty late. "My mom's going to be worried!"

The guard smiles, head swooning left and right.

"Sorry. We're having a special Uchiha festival tonight. You're not allowed in."

...

"Are you pranking me?" Seriously? I'm the son of the clan leader. What the hell is he talking about?

"Nope, little man. Why don't you turn around and walk away?"

...

"I'm going inside. You can talk to my dad about this or whatever."

Was he high? I didn't even hear about a festival or whatnot.

I stepped forward, easilly strolling through the gate. A hand griped my shoulder, pushing me back.

"Last warning kid. Turn around."

The world stood still. My eyes narrowed into sharp daggers.

"Who are you?" Was he actually this stupid? I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but everyone should know who I was! At least, my black hair and eyes, accompanied by my Uchiha shirt should be enough proof!

"I'm the guard, and you're trying to get into places you shouldn't be."

...

Was it really possible for ninja to be this stupid? He might just be really paranoid.

"Look, just call my dad Fugaku and let him know I'm here." Fine. If he doesn't want to move, then I'll just have my dad set him straight.

"And leave the gate unguarded? you're pretty bad at this whole infiltration thing, you know?"

Oh. My. God!!!!

Would it be bad to just punch this guy in his stupid face? I really want to do it!

"What the hell do I need to do to make you let me go inside?!"

The more time I waste here, the more worried my mom will be! If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to get this guy cleaning the toilets for a week!

"Hmm." His eyes hoved over my face. "Show me the Sharingan."

...

"Are you serious?!"

I'm supposed to be an eight-year-old! What kind of child has their Sharingan by this point?!

"Hey, you're the one that asked." He chuckles. "If it's too much, then you can walk away and come back tomorrow."

I take a deep breath, calming the imminent eruption of rage boiling within me.

"Anything else?!"

He hums.

"Nope!" The way he popped that P has my teeth gratting against one another. "Sorry kid. Just go home and play your games elsewhere."

"..."

This fucking guy!

There was so much wrong with the situation that I immediately made up my mind. This guy was all sorts of fishy. With the massacre weighing heavy on my mind, everything just built up and up and up. Like a bottle filled to the brim, I could only take so much untill the lid just came bursting off.

Was it foolish?

Yes.

Was it immature?

Almost certainly.

Still, unprovoked attacks with intent to kill weren't ok. That was a crime, but then again, so was punching someone randomly in the face.

He asked for it.

"You want to see my Sharingan?" I asked, teeth mashing against one another.

"Yep! Come on and whip it out~"

Oh. My. God! This fucking guy!

"Yue, please make it so I can switch the way my Sharingan looks at will." A simple wish; one made out of spite.

"Y-Yes." The small fairy hovering over me shoulder whispered. Her form pulsed for a second, light shimmering from her soul to cover mine. In seconds, the light surrounding her faded. "O-Ok. It's done."

[Reward: 'Shift' Gained for Sharingan! | -5 WP]

The 'guard' blinked, confused about what I just did.

"Talking to yourself? Should I call a shrink?" He said, genuine concern on his face. "That's the first sign of insanity, you know?"

My Sharingan blazed to life. The world took on a slower tinge, yet my eyes remained the same to anyone looking at me from the outside.

"Again, I'm not letting you in untill-"

Something was off. I'd seen how Chakra clung to people normally. It stuck to them like a second skin, always flowing over flesh and muscle. However... this guy was nothing but Chakra. He had no 'body' to speak of.

My fist crashed into his face easilly, knocking him against the wall. Nothing changed.

He stood back up, a firmer look on his face.

"I think it's time you came with me." He said, threateningly taking a step forward.

Wait...

"No." I walked through the gate, ignoring the weird chakra-person behind me. His arm reached out, fingers coiling around my shoulder.

I kept walking, feeling no resistance but the air itself.

"You're not real, after all."

A simple illusion. Genjutsu. At least, that was my theory. A theory that was proven true.

Amused laughter came from behind.

"Not bad... you actually saw through that." I ignored the frustrating fake, eyes focused on more important matters. The streets were empty.

Where was everyone?

"I'll see you around-" The strange Genjutsu whispered- taking on a more sinister tone. "Uchiha Sasuke..." And just like that, the voice and illusion vanished from my mind. A shiver rushed up my spine.

Behind the gates, bouts of grass were stained a deep crimson. I gaged at the sight. Oh, there was training for this sort of stuff. Cutting up frogs and inspecting dead animals wasn't enough. My lunch swiftly rushed up to my mouth and out onto the ground; some of it getting in my nose.

"W-What?"

Two people. Garbed in black and wearing ornate masks, their twisted bodies sat right behind the compound's gate. The air was rancid; I could taste the iron and blood wafting around.

Why didn't I notice?

...

The illusion!

Snaping around, I found the back of my clan's flamboyant gates stained red. My body shook and a with unsteady hands, I reached down, pulling free the real, metal kunai from the deceased ninja's holsters. A weapon.

What could I possibly do against whoever did this?

...

Nothing. Nothing at all.

"M-Mom!" But I couldn't standstill. All my frustrations and fears rushed up at once. I took off running into the clan compound. There was only a single thing on my mind.

I have to stop this! Brother! Please!! Don't hurt mother or father!

It was inevitable. My wild floundering changed nothing. I had hoped Itachi or the Hokage would find another way... but that clearly didn't happen.

God damn it...

--------------

My small feet dashed through the compound. Bodies littered the streets. Most of them were armed and obviously killed during a struggle. The lack of civilians didn't ease My mind, however.

It was a nightmare, yet not all was lost.

I didn't see any children.

As I rushed by houses, I made sure to glance inside. Unlike what I remembered, there weren't any signs of people being slaughtered in their sleep. Of families being butchered by Itachi.

Something had changed, but what did it matter if everything ended the same?

My lungs burned as I ran toward my house. Stopping to catch my breath, I heard a pained groan.

"H-Help."

Around the corner and in a dark alley, I saw a dying man. Blood pooled below him and flowed freely from a thin hole in his chest.

I rushed to his side.

"A-Are you ok?!" You asked, fearing the obvious question.

Don't say it.

Don't say it!

Don't-

"I-Itachi-"

My eyes widened.

DC: 6/12
Dex Dice (2d6):6 PASS!

I see the flash of steel too late. Not late enough too end my life, however. The man's weapon rakes across the back of my hand, spilling blood and causing me to push him away.

It hurts!

"B-Bastard." He coughs. With shaky legs, he stands up and takes a combat stance. "I-I'll k-kill you. Y-Your f-family. T-They d-did this."

Dozens of thoughts flash through my mind. My family? What is he talking about? Why is he trying to kill me?!

My eyes spiral and transform.

He's no imposter or illusion. He's very real and out to end my life.

"Why are you doing this?!"

He lunges forward, pouring his lifeblood in desperate attempts to end my life. I easilly dodge.

I stare down at the man. He aims to kill me.

Why...

DC: 6/12
Agi Dice (8d6): 25 PASS!

The injured man grunts and once more aims for my life. His blade sliced through naught but air; I easilly sidestep the blow, having seen it coming. The Sharingan's predictive qualities are truly a marvel. I see his next move before he even does it, easilly grabbing his hand mid-swing and knocking the kunai out of it.

"H-How." He coughs, blood splattering the floor. "Y-You're j-just a kid." Strength leaves his frame and he quickly hugs the ground. "D-Damn you and y-your family."

Dull, obsidian eyes pierce into my soul "I-If it w-wasn't for you... w-we could h-have been great..." Another cough brings him closer to death. I don't turn my back- not on a trained ninja. He's exhausted and on the verge of death, but he can also kill me with a well-placed hit. A normal person wouldn't, but Chakra is a hell of a thing. It can make people super-human and let them perform impossible feats. Thus, I keep my eyes trained on the dying man.

I watch, even if it sends shivers down my spine.

I watch- the smell of blood and death slithering up my nose.

I watch and realize that this is something I'm going to be seeing over and over again. This is the life I wanted so much.

The life of a ninja.

It takes all my concentration to keep my eyes on my clansmen, even as bile and vomit flow from my lip.

C-Can I really do this? Can I really live a life like this?

"B-Bas...tar...d" I see the final ember of life fade from the man's eyes. "S-Shoul...a k-killed y..ou and y..our..."

He dies, reminding me why I rushed into this deathtrap. My family.

What the hell is going on? What did they do?!

The shock and disgust I feel at his death slowly fades, replaced by a much more familiar emotion.

Fear.

Like it or not, this world is one where civilians and those without power can be killed at the drop of a hat. If I don't fight, then I'll die. My mother will die. My father will die. And my friends will die. Perhaps there is a way to resolve every conflict with words, but I'm not someone that can do that.

I'm just a scared, normal guy.

Taking a deep breath, I reach down and lob a stone at the unmoving corpse. If he's still alive, then he's doing an incredibly good job of it. Just to be sure, I walk away, still facing him.

The dead lay still- those without life don't give chase.

-------------------------------

My feet carried me through abandoned streets. Only bloodied corpses and signs of battle marked my path. What had happened here? Why was there so much violence and death?

Sounds of battle and metal striking metal drew my attention. I rushed ahead, bloodied kunai in hand. Turning the corner, I saw a battle unfold in front of me. Someone from my clan, Sharingan blazing, traded blows with Konoha's Elite. Anbu. It was a beautiful dance where a single mistake would spell the end of one of its participants. Skill faced against deadly eyes. Feints lead into jutsu and punches.

A ninja's fight was a spectacle and this was no exception. Both combatants were bloodied, and in the blink of an eye, they struck.

"Bastard!" The Uchiha shouted, eyes shifting from the usual three tomoe to something else.

Mangekyo.

"No!" The Anbu shouts, throwing his sword at my clansmen. It all happens in a flash. An arm flies into the air, blood spraying all around.

"Ahhh!" The Uchiha shouts, holding his stump as he falls.

"Gah!" The Anbu screams in pain, gripping his gut. A tiny, finger-sized hole can be seen, going past him and into the building behind him. Both fall to the ground, pained cries slipping from their lisp.

Without energy and at death's door, both lay still.

The Uchiha's eyes meet mines. Something flares within. He gurgle's out my name.

Across from him, the Anbu locks eyes with me- a pleading expression on his face. Reaching into his pouch, he just manages to pull out a small, green vial. Sadly, he has no strength to do anything with it.

"H-Help." The Anbu whispers with the last of his energy.

I'm are faced with a choice.

Help the Anbu? Or help my clansmen?

The vial is clearly some sort of medicine.

In the end, I decide to help the dying Anbu. Perhaps it was my last encounter with my clansmen that put me on edge, or maybe it was the scathing look the Uchiha was sending my way. In any case, I just felt a lot more comfortable helping the Anbu. His gaze wasn't malicious and was genuine. The Uchiha's, however, held something in it.

"T-Thank you." Through gritted teeth, and with barely any energy, the Anbu swallowed the vial's contents. I held his head back, marvelling at his desire to live. How had he not instantly died from whatever the Uchiha had done? The hole in his chest might have only been as thick as a finger, but it looked to be in an important spot.

"Y-You save my l-life." The wheezing that left his lip reminded me of a slowly deflating balloon and the sound it often made. "T-This should k-keep me alive untill I g-get help."

As he said, the constant bleeding soon stopped. The wound sizzled and through the half-broken mask, I saw a pained expression bubble onto the Anbu's face. What sort of medicine was that?

I had several questions, yet now wasn't the time for them.

"Y-You should leave." the Anbu warned. "This place isn't safe for a k-kid."

Why? Why did I have to go?

"What the hell's going on?! Why are you fighting the Uchiha?!"

Slowly, the Anbu rose to his feet. His legs wobbled and threatened to snap under his own weight- yet he stood nonetheless. The sheer determination and strength of will required were insane. How could someone endure all that pain and just walk around? It had to have something to do with Chakra.

The thought of someone just ignoring it sent shivers down my spine.

"I-I need to g-get to a medic." He coughed, staining his palm scarlet. "H-Here."

A small pill spiralled through the air. I nimble snatched it out of its arc and started examining it. It was small, spherical and had an ashen colour to it. My fingers felt a certain brittleness to it, almost as if it'd shatter with a good hit.

"I-It's a s-smoke bomb." Konoha's elite says with a cough. "H-Head out of the c-compound and use it if y-you meet someone."

I'm not leaving!

"T-There should be a f-few guards there. N-Not sure h-how you're still here." The dry, sickly laugh makes me feel as if he'd fall dead at any moment. "I-I gota go."

Before I can say or do anything, the ninja vanishes. Even half-dead, he's still fast enough to outspeed my gaze.

The difference between an Elite and a common grunt can't be understated.

[Reward: Elite Smoke Bomb X1]

========

I keep running, only a single thought on my mind. Where is my brother? Where is your mother? And where is your father? All of my worry and stress culmulates into one violent, intense confrontation. I turn the corner, coming face to face with a scene I've dreaded.

"Die!"

"Traitor!"

My clansmen rush at Itachi, blades drawn.

Useless.

Like the wind, my brother easilly cuts them down. They die as leaves dragged away by a violent gale.

The Uchiha aren't the only ones intent on taking his life. Two brave Anbu rush him. Their blades meet empty air, yet my brother easilly slices through flesh and bone, ending their lives in an instant. It's a scene straight out of a nightmare. My brother stands triumphant, surrounded by the corpses of his enemies.

He turns, spiralling eyes locking onto me. The Mangekyo burns itself into your mind.

"Sasuke..." Confusion and surprise flicker onto his face. Most would see a blank expression, but not me. I'm his brother.

"Brother... what's going on?! Why are you killing everyone?!"

Please... please let me be wrong. The signs don't point to him. There has to be something else.

"Sasuke. Stand very still." He commands, hands drawing forth a kunai. Crimson eyes stare straight through me. "Don't move." He rears back.

I stare at Itachi, fear dripping from me in waves. What comes next will decide if I live or die; I can feel it in my very bones.

"Stand still, Sasuke." My brother's voice is cold and sharp- just like the shuriken that he pulls out. In one swift motion, he rears back his hand and throws the deadly weapons at me.

Run!

Jump away!

Move!

Do anything!!!

Mu instincts scream at me to get out of the way. To do anything but stand still. I stare death in the face, weighing what I valued more.

My brother's words- or the advice of my flesh.

The answer comes to me like an avalanche.

I trust my brother. He'd never hurt me.

Shuriken whizz past my face, only taking a few strands of hair from my head. They move so fast, that a second or two after they blow past my ears a massive explosion sends my senses reeling. I lose hearing in both ears momentarily, having it replaced by a loud ringing.

The earth vibrates behind me, a loud thump-like feeling travelling up my leg. I snap around, realizing what just happened.

He saved me.

An Anbu, though, this one didn't feel like Knoha's elite. This one was aiming for my neck.

In a split second, Itachi's by my side, hands blurring through the air. Dozens of shuriken and kunai clatter to the floor.

"Come out. It'll make it easier to kill you." My brother commands, taking a protective stance over me.

"What's going on, b-brother?" This... this is nothing like what it should be.

A pained, hesitant, and guilty look flashes across My brother's face. He knows me, so rather than treat me like a child, he gives a quick and precise description.

"A portion of the Uchiha were about to do something dumb. It was decided that they be apprehended." His gaze scanned the area, and in a split second, one of his shuriken drilled through a nearby wall, splashing the entry hole with blood.

"I'm not sure who these ninja are, but they're the enemy. Stick close."

I noded, gulping and hardening I gaze.

Surrounded on all sides by masked strangers, I can do nothing but watch.

"Who are they?" I ask, a chill running up my spine.

A part of me already knows the answer to that. Who else could be behind this? Obviously not Obito, or as he's calling himself now, Madara. That leaves only one other dirty scoundrel unaccounted for.

"It's better if you didn't know such things," Itachi mumbles, eyes falling onto the dark streets of Konoha. "Stay behind me. They're coming."

Metal glints through the air. In a dazzling display of speed, my brother batters all of them away like nothing. His hand wraps around my midsection, and a moment later, I'm flying through the air. My body twists and turns, spotting a dozen shadows rushing toward my landing spot. Itachi perfectly spins, stomping on the face of one of the masked ninja and letting loose a single kunai straight into his throat. Blood spills in all directions, staining my shoes and the ground slick with a crimson sheen.

A hail of metal rushes at my position. Nimbly falling backward, my brother kicks the corpse forward, using it as a makeshift wall against the rain of steel. Suffice to say, the body becomes a pincushion, nearly popping like a balloon.

"Hold on." Itachi curses, dashing through the air at speeds that force the air from my lungs. In a second, I'm across the street, standing next to one of the masked ninja. I gasp for breath, but there's no time to rest. The area I was just at combusts as a giant fireball explodes near it, boiling the very rock beneath it.

Fire?

Without a word, Itachi swings his hand forward, slicing apart the ninja's throat with ease. I see vertebre, muscle, and flesh part like water.

"Close your eyes, little brother." He advises. I feel the pain and sorrow dripping from his tone.

I want to. Oh, how I want to shut my eyes and look away.

"N-No..."

Not now. Not like this. A single mistake could spell the end for both of us. If I look away, it could very well mean that we both die. I have to keep an eye out and at least try to help.

"Very well." With those words, My brother jumps back into the fight. Using only one hand, he blitzes through a series of hand signs. His chest heats up, the air near his mouth roasting as he opens wides and exhales. Flames rocket from his lip as if alive. They chase one particular ninja through the streets- nothing he tries works, and soon, the burning fires of hell are upon him. His screams pierce the night, yet those around him barely bat an eye. They ignore his cries for help and charge Itachi as one.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't so much as worry about him. However...

He deflects, blocks, and parries a number of blows. Jutsu come at him from all sides, yet none reach him. He fights back, but his deadly blows become less so with each confrontation. And then, while spinning me around, a single kunai nicks his cheek.

An insignificant wound; that's what it is. However... that's more than enough to show that he can be beaten. His opponents redouble their efforts. The battle becomes much bloodier. Some lose fingers, others an eye. Their teamwork is excellent. A single nick becomes two, then three.

No matter how good my brother is, he can't fight to the fullest with me weighing him down. This is what I realized.

The clashes of blades come sooner and sooner. Itachi's an amazing ninja, but he's still only human. He starts to get tired.

Not like this...

The next time an enemy get's close, I shut my eyes, focus and breath.

Fire Ball! (8d6): 39 Hit!
DMG (3d6+Soul): 24 DMG!

He never sees it coming. No, to be exact, my brother doesn't give him a chance to see it. Perhaps he's that good, but Itachi somehow realizes my plan and spins around at the very last second. Our target changes in an instant, yet I don't hesitate.

Red-hot flames streak across the ninja's body, scorching his suit and setting his flesh alight. A small part of me shrivels up and shuts its mouth.

The man falls to the ground, rolling out of instinct in an attempt to put out the seething flames.

It's a mistake- one my brother doesn't allow him to make twice.

Like a flash, Itachi's at the ninja's side. His friends anticipated this, so a shower of kunai race toward my brother's back. Always a step ahead, he backflips over the kunai, picking one from the air and using it to kill the downed ninja. The weapon goes straight through his eye, and with a solid kick, it completely shatters his skull.

Within my brother's grasp, I start to tremble as sweat soaks my clothes.

Why is this happening? What the hell's going on?!

Only two ninja are left, but my brother is beyond exhausted. He's been fighting for god knows how long. How much longer can he keep it up?

Performing the final dance, he rushes in toward one of the remaining two. Kunai bounce against one another- kicks are dodged and jutsu barely miss. It's down to the wire and at the most crucial moment-

My brother coughs.

It's an insignificant thing, not more than a second's inconvenience. Yet it's all the opportunity they need to strike.

Both lunge at us like mad sharks. Itachi's fingers tightly coil around my body.

This is it. This next strike will decide the outcome of the battle.

An ominous feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

Itachi?

The deadly, bloody dance continues around me. Itachi deftly blocks swings and thrusts, keeping me out of danger. Yet he is but one man. The tiny nicks begin to accumulate, and as his clothes go slick with blood, I feel the end approaching.

I'm nothing but a hindrance now. If he could fight all out for but a moment, these two would be dead.

A part of me wants to run away and leave my brother to fight, but that's suicidal. I'd die and then he'd die trying to protect me.

No, I need to do something else- something no one would expect.

A blade glides by my cheek, slicing off a few strands of my hair. Even Itachi's amazing abilities are faltering. How much longer do we have before he takes a deadly hit to protect me?

He leaps into the air, one of his hands blitzing through a dozen handsigns. The air sparks and ozone begins to burn. In an instant, he thrusts his hand down and the night sky shines brighter than the sun. The cataclysmic crackle reaches my ears after the flash. Below, the ground smoulders a dazzling orange. The lightning bolts he launched ruptured the ground and sought to fry our enemies.

It was a desperate move- one I hoped would work.

There was damage, alright. One of the ninja had his arm charred black and the other's back bubbled. Yet, both were still standing.

The powerful Jutsu had mangled our opponent's bodies, but it also left my brother open to a counter-attack. Exhaustion coursed through his body and dripped onto my face.

No...

Moving through sheer willpower, the enemy ninja charged. One's arm uselessly flopped at his side, blood vessels popping as he raced across the ground. The other left a trail of blood and charred flesh as he followed. The wound on his back was wide and gaping. I could see bits of white; his spine.

They're not human. How could a human endure so much pain?

This was it- the deciding moment. My brother's movements were sluggish and his breath heavy.

One of us would die if nothing was done. My heart smashed against my rib-cage, threatening to expel all the food in my stomach.

The one to act would have to be me. There wasn't any other choice.

Slowly descending through the air, I swallowed and took a deep, shaky breath. Itachi's feet touched down and the first ninja was upon him. My Sharingan blazed to life once more, focusing on my target.

Both he and my bother crossed blades, yet for the first time in the fight, it was my brother that lost the trade. His landing was imperfect and the ninja pounced on that opportunity. For a single second, Itachi's footing was lost. I knew he'd regain it in a moment, but that was far too long. The other ninja raced forward, leaping over his ally with a bloodthirsty blade in hand.

"Sasuke!" Itachi shouted, his movements sealed as the first ninja assaulted him with frenzied strikes. The message was clear.

Run!

I squirmed out of his grasp, using his hip as a springboard to launch myself forward. Everyone had committed themselves to an attack; they wouldn't be able to change course.

Everyone but me!

Punch! (13d6): 49 Miss!

Abandoning my kunai, I swung my fist straight at the ninja's face. I saw his movements, used my clan's style, and followed through.

Too slow.

My body couldn't keep up. I saw the enemy adjust his aim, yet all my attempts to follow suit were far too sluggish.

In that case-

I abandoned the idea of a counter-attack. It was a desperate, final hope. There's no way a child would actually be able to hit a trained ninja...

My body turned in the air, twisting and making itself as wide as possible. For an instant, I blocked his sight, and in return, I felt metal scrape across my flesh and slide through my body.

Not yet!

Through the agonizing pain, I grit my teeth and sunk my nails deep into the ninja's wounded back. For the first time in the fight, his torturous screams pierced the night air. A sharp piece of metal burned my insides.

It hurts.

It hurt!

It hurts!!!!

My own screams joined his as my vision swam. The world grew darker, and a moment later, his head left his shoulders.

"Sasuke!!!!" Itachi's frantic horrified scream rung in my ears. I fell, catching a glimpse of the other ninja falling to the ground- his body split in half.

"Sa..."

"..kue!"

"... me!"

"T...k to... e!"

My brother was trying to say something, but the beating of bloody drums pounded my ears.

"Please!" I painfully opened my eyes, meeting Itachi's own. Crimson orbs stared back at me. They had a strange, intricate design I hadn't seen before.

Mangekyo...

"Please! No!" Tiny hands gripped my cheeks. Yue's tears bounced off my flesh. "Please!" She clung to me for dear life.

Ah... I was stabbed.

W-What the hell happened?

A bloody cough left my mouth, staining my shirt a deep red.

"B-Brother..."

"Don't talk!" I found my body being lifted. Everything hurt and I whimpered out of reflex. Itachi winced like a kicked puppy.

"I-I'm sorry. Just hold on!" The scenery around me began to shift. "I'll take you to a medic right away! Please, just hold on!"

Slowly, but surely, darkness crept up on me. The world grew gray and sound dulled. This was bad, yet what could I do?

It was so hard to keep my eyes open. my eyelids were so heavy.

Before I knew it- my eyes had shut. I found myself in a shallow, expansive ocean. The only source of light was the crimson moon reflected on the waters. Over the course of a few seconds, it grew larger and larger. I looked up and found the moon rapidly descending toward me.

Leekz01 · Jun 26, 2020

To be a ninja is to endure. The mission is all that matters. At all costs, it must be completed. Whether the mission is one given by your leader or one you decide on yourself; your goals demand that you endure.

Others might see you as a monster, but so long as they're safe, it doesn't matter. You believed that for the longest time.

But... he challenged that belief.

"You should smile more, big brother!"

-----------------------

You were born to be a ninja. Your father and his comrades heralded you as a prodigy- someone born only once in a hundred years. It was no surprise that you were wielding a kunai before you could even take showers by yourself.

You remember those days. Father was excited, proud. Mother wasn't so fond of you running with sharp objects and would often get into arguments with your father. They were calm, peaceful days.

"I can see bright things in your future, son. With you, The Uchiha clan is sure to prosper."

Faced with such words, what else could you do? Your devoted your life to becoming the best ninja you possibly could. School was easy, though you kept socializing to a minimum. Once you mastered everything they had to offer, you tried opening up and speaking to your peers.

"What? You want to talk now?"

"Umm... s-sorry, but I have other things to do."

"I don't want to hold you back..."

"What's so special about me?"

You had become good; the best. Everyone was either scared of you or saw you as an arrogant, anti-social jerk.

They were wrong... but could you really blame them?

Eventually, some of your peers decided to take their anger out on you. It would have been a simple matter... yet there was a surprise. Someone stood up for you; it was a young girl. The two of you had met before, but you had brushed her off. In the end, you were the one to scare off the fools by showing your strength.

Any further attempts to socialize were met with failure. The only one you could call a 'friend' was a person much older than you.

"Damn... you're good." He was an older student- a graduate. By chance, you ran into him and decided to test your might.

You managed to land a single blow before he knocked you on your ass. More importantly, he was part of your clam.

"Name's Shisui. Who are you, oh prodigal son?"

The spark of rivalry drew the two of you together. Your dull, monotonous life became just a bit brighter. The two of you quickly grew closer, and through speaking to him, you learned about the will of fire.

However... soon, your mother was with child. When he was born, you were there. His little hands looked so delicate- as if they'd break with the slightest of touches.

"S-Say hello to your little brother, I-Itachi..."

You stared deeply into young Sasuke's eyes. He was part of the family and you would protect him.

---------------------

The nine-tails changed everything. So many died- so much was destroyed. You were separated from your mother and father. It was up to you to look after Sasuke.

The world crumbled around you, so you ran. By chance, you met her again. Alone and scared, the three of you took shelter and waited. With skies tainted red, the Hokage died and Konoha suffered a deadly wound that would take years to recover. If that wasn't enough, rumours about an Uchiha charming the fox to attack slowly began to blossom.

You paid little attention to those, focusing on your brother.

At first, many thought him to be a 'damaged' child. It took him far longer than normal to begin speaking. His eyes held a certain intelligence to them, however. When he finally spoke his first words, you happily sat back, pointing out to any naysayers that he was fine.

Many of those same people soon began to see how quickly he was learning things.

"Another prodigy!"

"Amazing!"

You knew better. Your brother wasn't a genius- the way he struggled with certain topics and his problem solving was enough proof for you. Rather than a prodigy, it felt like he was reviewing things he already knew.

Your brother was certainly special, but not for the reasons others said. Also, you found his pouting and crying to be quite adorable.

You sat back, happily watching as he grew. Thankfully, it wasn't just him that was enjoying life. You made friends and saw your family grow closer.

Everything was great. So, of course something went wrong.

A coup... there were honestly some people in your clan that might as well not have a brain. You couldn't let that happen.

You would make his life as good as you could.

-------------------------------

How... how did things turn out like this?

"Sasuke!" You shouted, hands gripping the body of your little brother.

He was supposed to get away! You'd be the one taking the blow, not him!

Blood pooled under him, the gaping wound on his chest angrily staring back at you.

No!

As fast as you could, you used a fire Jutsu to try and stop the bleeding. It hurt to see him squirm, but seeing him dying would hurt so much more.

"B-Big brother..."

"Hold on! I'll get you to a medic! Sasuke!" Tears streamed down your face.

Not like this. Not him. Please.

"Big... brother...."

He had changed your world. You wouldn't let him die here.

You'd save him- even if it killed you!

Leekz01 · Jun 26, 2020

An ocean of tranquil, knee-high water surrounded me. Gazing into it's flat, mirror-like plain, I see my own reflection. Obsidian dots stare back at me.

Is this hell? Heaven?

The waters stir as I reach down, grasping at my own reflection.

Nothing.

The silence is maddening. Every direction is a flat field- the horizon stretches on forever.

And I am alone.

Ah... I died, didn't I? That's why I'm here, right?

...

It came out of nowhere, yet... I can't say it was a pitiful end. I died to save my brother. That's-

...

Damn it. I didn't want to die! Not again!

My palm smacks against flesh. Through moist fingers, I look down at my sorrowful reflection.

God damn it! Why?!

Alone and unheard, a grown man in the body of a small child lets loose a sob. It's curious how I see myself as Sasuke, rather than my old form. Had the years of isolation and insanity really warped my perception so much? Has my mind been twisted by the childish brain in your body?

...

I take a deep, calming breath and shut my eyes, trying to relax.

"What now..." What the hell can I do? Am I supposed to wander this place for all-

The dark ocean flashes for an instant, sending a cascading wave of light off into the distance. A small, crimson dot drags my gaze down towards my feet.

Sharingan.

Scarlet eyes stare back at me; the small, black dots within start to spin- drawing me deeper and deeper into the calm sea.

I fall.

The small reflection of my eyes rapidly expands. In the blink of an eye, my Sharingan has engulphed my reflection's body. It continues to expand untill the entire ocean is consumed by a wild, flaming pattern.

Water bubbles and sweat rolls down my face. Steam rises into the air, pulling my sight up toward the sky.

"Oh..."

A massive eye-shaped meteor spirals through the air- its target is right below my feet. The wind screams and ignites as it draws closer and closer.

What can I even hope to do against that?

As is punctures the cloud-line, evaporating the fluffy things, my body crashes into the ground. The very water is pushed aside, leaving me on a barren island. I stare straight into the red void, burning the image straight into my mind.

The ocean evaporates- my body buckles under the immeasurable weight, yet I... live?

Unkown sensations flow through me as my body passes through the meteor, coming to a sudden stop at its center.

"Sasuke..."

It whispers.

"Sasuke..."

What? How-

"Sasuke..."

This-

---------------

"Sasuke..."

My eyes snap open. A soft, tired voice calls out to me as tiny rays of light filter into the room.

An unfamiliar ceiling.

I hold back a pained groan and look around. White, sterile walls are bleached into my brain. I recoil at the bright colours, dragging my gaze down to the slightly duller sheets.

A hospital. I'm in a hospital.

I feel around my chest, wincing as my fingers brush against coarse fabrics. A glance down reveals layers upon layers of bandages. They're as white as the room, so that's something to be relieved about. Still, I'm now starting to feel the pain.

It hurts.

"Sasuke..."

Another mumbled call out finally has me looking at the small figure by my bedside. A blond head of hair rests by my side- Yue gently sleeping on her head.

I'm alive.

I smile and try to talk, only for a painful grunt to slip past my teeth. Breathing immediately becomes harder.

Ow...

Naruko's head snaps up instantly. Her azure eyes widen to the size of sauces as tears begin to bud from their corners.

"S-Sasuke!" She shouts, stopping herself just before nearly hugging me. "Oh! Sorry!" She sheepishly backs away.

Thank god. That would have hurt.

"H-How are you feeling? Are you alive? Are you ok?!"

I try to answer her. Seriously? Can't she tell just by looking?

Sadly, it hurts far too much to even speak a single word.

"Oh! Um, I'll get the doctor! Sit still, ok?!"

And just like that, she vanished.

Quick as the devil.

---------------

With Naruko's return came news. Both good and bad. I was alive and only due to luck. The sword had nearly killed me and the blood loss would have done me in shortly after.

"Your brother gave much of his blood and was in the other room." Thankfully, while he nearly died, he was ok. How he convinced a doctor to go through with that is beyond me.

Judging by the relieved and slightly nervous look on the doctor's face, it couldn't have been pleasant.

"He's gone home now and your mother is taking care of him." Which was why she wasn't here.

Sadly, while I evaded death twice, I wasn't entirely unscathed. The strike had cost you a kidney, so I wouldn't be drinking very much at all.

"But don't worry-" the doctor winked. "-I hear girls like scars."

He definitely shouldn't give up his day job...

In any case, visiting hours were about to end, so he sent Naruko home, much to her displeasure. Your mother and father would probably visit tomorrow, so untill then, you were to rest.

"M-Master!" I could practically fill a small pool with her tears. "I-I'm so happy you're alive!"

My face was bombarded with kisses and tiny hugs. And like that, I laid back and relaxed. As night fell, I thought to test something out. Grabbing a nearby mirror, I called forth my Sharingan and watched as it morphed into a new form.

Mangekyo.

I wasn't sure if this was good or bad. Right now, I was simply exhausted.

[Reward: Mangekyo Sharingan Get!]

------------------------

When I opened my eyes next, it was to Itachi, Fugaku, and Mikoto.

Everyone came, just for me.

"Welcome back, little brother." Itachi teased, even as he leaned on mother for support.

Tears swelled from my eyes.

"I'm back."

It was good to be home.

========

Everything hurt. Siting was fine, but the instant feet touched the ground, a crippling wave of pain rushed down your spine.

A cry left my lips, betraying the small amount of training I had endured. I wasn't a ninja yet, and even then, I'm sure grown adults would show some reaction from that.

"It's ok, Sasuke." The doctor said reassuringly. His hand leapt to my shoulder, sending me onto the wheelchair. "I know it hurts, but you have to be strong." A small lollipop found itself into my hand. The childish gesture got on my nerves, but honestly, I needed something to focus on aside from the pain.

I felt every bump, every turn, and every stop as I travelled the hospital's halls in my wheelchair. As it turned out, the lollipop did help me cope with the pain. There was a small tingling in ny mind, so I suspected it might have had some light painkiller in it or something.

Paying attention to my surroundings was extremely difficult, but I tried to look at my surroundings. The hospital was abuzz with patients.

"Another Uchiha?"

"Poor little guy."

Yue fluttered at my side, whispering soft, gentle words every few minutes. Her warm fingers pressed at my cheek, and through the thin sheet of pain, I could see the worried look on her face.

Ninja were insane. They had magic chakra cures and whatever, but they still had me start rehab so soon. It hadn't even been a week!

"We've healed most of the damage."

"All that's left is for your body to recover."

"The sooner you start, the faster you can go join your friends.

The doctor's words were filled with a thin veneer of anxiety and concern. But not for me. It felt like he'd be in more hot water than me if I somehow failed to heal.

"You are my son. You and Itachi are the future."

Fugaku's words came to mind. That was such a long time ago, yet I could clearly visualize them, even now.

Even starting now, it would take about a month or so to fully recover.

So much time.

"We're here, Sasuke." My wheelchair stopped. The door in front of me slid open, and as I was rolled inside, I saw something familiar. Two metal poles were parallel to the ground, supported by much smaller rods.

I 'm going to learn to walk?

"Chakra's an incredible thing." His words were calm, encouraging. "With it, we can push our bodies beyond its limits. We heal faster, jump higher, punch harder." His eyes feel onto my meek form.

"Can you make a fist for me?"

Taking a deep breath, I looked down at my right hand. I easily made the fist with my left, though, it was a bit painful. Gritting my teeth, tried to do the same with my right.

It was as if a searing rod was plunged into my right side.

It hurts!

"It's ok, no need to take it too fast." The doctor quickly said. "We'll take our time and get you up in no time!"

Complications sucked. At first, it was just my kidney, but in a few days, I learned that the sword had hit a small clump of nerves. I'd heal, but recovery would be painful.

"Come on, we'll keep trying, ok?" His gaze was hesitant, unsure of what I'd say.

He was scared to push me, to make the pain spurn me away from fast recovery. It wasn't hard to figure it out.

No one wants to be the one to ruin my career as a ninja.

"Yes." I answered. Talking hurt a little bit, but every day it became easier and easier.

I wouldn't falter here. There was far too much to do and focus on.

"I-I believe in you!" I whispered, rosy lips pecking my cheek.

A small, relieved sigh slipped out of the doctor's mouth.

"Good. Now, I have a few exercises to get you started."

This was going to be a long month. But I wouldn't just rollover.

[Reward: Gained Trait: Scarred]

=========

It was oh so tempting to use a wish to heal myself. My resources were very limited, though. Instead, I asked Yue to help my brother.

The face she made was complicated and conflicting.

"I-I'm sure he'll get better. You should focus on yourself!"

I wouldn't. Itachi risked his life to save mines. This was nothing compared to that.

"O-Ok." And thus, my last wish of the year was used on my brother.

----------------

The days in the hospital blurred together. All my friends from school stopped by.

Hinata brought some flowers.

"M-My mother used to give these t-to me when I was feeling down."

Shino brought me a small ant farm.

"While what you and I went through is different, focusing on taking care of this helped me out." I was sure that his ordeal had been far worse. To allow bugs to live in your body probably hurt a lot more than this, though, my pain-addled mind spoke on the contrary.

"We got ya a card." Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru all chipped in for said card. Amusingly, the card had scratch and sniff kunai and elements.

Ninjas were weird.

Finally, there was Naruko. She had gone out of her way to make you a homemade meal. My mother's handy work was all over it, even though Naruko denied anything of that sort.

"N-No way! I made that! You have to believe me!"

And so I did, digging into the pumpkin pie with gusto.

The days continued to pass, and while the number of visits went down, my friends never stopped coming. As for my family... one of them was basically always in the hospital every day.

After my little wish, Itachi had found his way into my hospital room the very next day. His eyes were red and there was a grim look on his face. The instant my face met his, tears flowed down his cheeks.

I was just happy to see him alive and he felt the same way.

"It looks like my little brother's no crybaby." He joked, stopping himself from hugging me.

I smiled, holding back tears of my own.

"No." I shook my head. "It looks like my big brother's the crybaby."

The two of us were alive. Mother, father... everyone had lived.

The future was dark and unkown, but I'd stand tall and proud.

There was much to do.

=========
Year 8 End
=========

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 8 Years~

Stats
(4) Strength 2d6 (-1: Trait)
(5) Dexterity 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(5) Agility 8d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(9) Cunning 4d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(14) Soul 7d6 (+2: Trait)

Chakra: [40] = +24 [Soul*2] +5 [STR] +4 [Dex] +7 [Cun]

STR DMG: 7 = (STR (5) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.4)

Skill Points: 0
Wish Points: 0
Money: 250 Ryo

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [1/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 20
+3d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls.
+Hakkyokuken [1/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.2 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [1/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +2d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.

{Utility}

{Life}
Dancing [1/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +1d6 to rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you more and more blind.
+???

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (25%): You're working on getting this one too! Only 3 more points to go!

Scarred: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?

Saeko Uchiha? The name you chose for your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Elite Smoke Bomb X1: Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

Leekz01 · Jun 28, 2020

What was life? What did it mean to be? It was the greatest question on your mind for sure. One moment there was nothing and then, in the blink of an eye, you were thrust into a great cold. Everything felt empty. You couldn't form thoughts or even perceive your surroundings. Hidden inside your 'egg', you slept. However, even as a formless and hollow vessel, you could still feel that something was happening.

How long did you float through emptiness? Years? Decades? Centuries? Who could say...

But, all of that changed one day. Something or someone reached out and snatched you from the abyss. The cold slowly began to fade, replaced by an unkown sensation.

Warmth.

You felt it carrying you. Every day that passed you grew, both mentally and physically. The warmth you felt was something etherial- a soul. You didn't know how you knew, but of that, you were sure. It was warm, kind, and oh so full of fear. As it trembled and struggled, you tried your best to reach out and comfort it.

It didn't work.

How you tried to return the favour, yet nothing you attempted stuck. You had hoped to be free, but in actuality, you'd simply switched prisons to one that was more comfortable. The cold no longer seeped into your bones, making way for comforting warmth. But what did it matter if you couldn't do anything?

And so, you waited. You held back your growth and focused it. The shell surrounding you halted in its tracks as you gathered power. And then, finally, one night you thrust it out like a drill. A single, infinitesimally small crack raced across your prison.

You roared.

Your voice was but a squeak among a raging storm. Yet it worked! For the first time ever, you could feel the one that saved you from your icy prison. Their soul was farm warmer than you imagined. You could just make out their shape- that of a small boy. However, their soul was much larger, though it was shrinking to match this child-like shape of theirs.

Sadly, you could do nothing but watch and guide him to where you slept. With each step, your non-existent heart raced. Was this it? Would you really be freed? It was maddening!

Yet, in the end, everything went exactly as you wanted.

You opened your eyes, but only darkness greeted you. The consequence of breaking your shell. But that didn't matter! You were free! You could smell everything, feel everything, taste everything!

And it was all thanks to him.

You knew it from the moment he spoke. He was someone you would serve for the rest of your life.

He saved you... and you would do the same for him.

Your name was Yue, and you'd wear it proudly.

Leekz01 · Nov 7, 2020

My return to school was heralded by many smiles and greetings. Some of the students I hardly interacted with even showed up to welcome me back. Had I really been that popular? Yeah, there were a few 'fangirls' around, but most of the really obnoxious ones had flunked. Those left behind were actually worth focusing one. Still... almost everyone in my class was happy to see me again.

"Right! Calm down, everyone!" Our old, wrinkly teacher roared. "Good to have you back Sasuke, but I do have a class to teach."

My cheeks burned; following Naruko's wide, hazardous waving, I took a seat next to my best friend.

"So, did ya like my notes?" She started to whisper to me only minutes after our teacher started his lessons.

"Yeah. Thanks again." I quietly spoke back, subtly trying to nudge her toward the front of the class. Her notes had been a great way to keep up with the class and distract myself.

They were also super messy, disorganized and full of random doodles. Decyphering them was a challenge in and of itself!

"No problem! so, what sort of cool stuff did you do at the hospital?" A subtle glance from the professor told me he could hear both of us just fine. Part of being a ninja was noticing subtle clues like that.

"Did they show you your insides?" That meant that Naruko had much to learn. I gently elbowed her side and nudged to the teacher, who just so happened to have his back turned.

"Huh? Oh! Don't worry, he's really hard of hearing. I bet I could shout and he'd-" I saw it coming before it hit Naruko square in the face. I could have stopped it, but then she wouldn't learn this important lesson.

"Guagh!" Her head snapped back- a small, white piece of chalk bounced off her forehead and softly rolled onto our table.

"Miss Uzumaki... I know you're happy to see your friend, but class is in session." His old, stained eyes were boring holes into Naruko's forehead. "Please keep quiet untill lunch or after school ends."

"H-Hehehe." Her sheepish laugh wasn't fooling anyone.

Oh, Naruko. Why couldn't you learn to be just a little bit quieter?

...

I supposed loud, explosive, and powerful was more her style. Still...

"Sorry, sir! I'll zip it right up!" She answered far louder than before. The teacher simply sighed, gave her a warning look, and then returned to writing on the board.

Only a few more hours...

-------------------------

A part of me wondered if I'd have made a great teacher instead of a ninja. Sure, I had so many advantages for the later, but seeing Naruko follow my instructions perfectly was kinda fun. She didn't learn everything on the spot, but the sheer determination and desire to get better was a sight to see.

Anyways, after class had finished, I absconded with Naruko to our usual training spot. This continued on for the remainder of the year. It was slow, hard work, but I focused on shoring up Naruko's ninjutsu and book smarts. Both were challenging for their own reasons, but at least she made progress with her ninjutsu. She wasn't lagging behind the class anymore and was actually sitting at a comfortable spot.

That wasn't good enough for me, though.

Sadly, she didn't quite make the top ten by the end of the year. Still, she was really close. As for her studying... it was a nightmare. Sure, you pulled her out from almost flunking, but there was a lot of work to be done. By the end of the year, she was passing with a steady sixty-percent. Considering last year she managed a fifty-one, it was a success.

Oh Naruko...

[Reward: Naruko's Nunjustu skills trained! | Naruko's Intelligence trained!]

==========

"W-Where are we going, master?" Little Yue asked, wings softly carrying her through the air.

I smiled, an anxious wave rolling through my bones.

"It's a secret." It's also something I want to give her.

The little fairy nodded, meekly following my lead. Both of us went deeper and deeper into Konoha's business district. There were shops of all kinds around us. Flower shops, clothing stores, and a few ninja utility shops. Anything and everything one might want could be found here.

Yue's eyes leapt from store to store, curiosity and awe flickering within her gaze. And then, finally, we arrived at our destination.

"Hey, big brother... do you know where I could find a place that sells scale models of things?"

"Hmm? No, but I can find out."

As always, my brother never lets me down.

"H-Huh? What is this place?" I gently raised my finger, asking for Yue to take it. The little fairy descended, planting her soft rear on my⁶ index finger.

"It's where we'll find you something nice." Her eyes widened and she immediately snapped her head toward me. "It's your gift. The gift for always being by my side."

Her eyes burst like dams, flooding her face in rivers of tears.

"I-I no! Y-You don't need to do that."

I chucked and hushed her, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I know, so let's go find you a nice house. You pick, ok?"

She hickuped and gave a little nod, following me into the store.

I had already scoped the place out. They had three houses available.

-----------

I was left practically penniless, but Yue's smile threatened to burn down the store.

"R-Really?" Her voice trembled at the thought. "A-Are you really going to b-buy this for me?" She hovered around the small replica house. Its doors were just a tad bigger than her and opened as one would expect. All in all, I'd need both hands to lift it al the way home.

Though, considering my lack of muscle and my wound... maybe asking for help wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"It's yours." I whispered, a smile tugging at my lip. Turning to the shop owner, I pointed out our choice and asked for it to be rung up.

"Good selection." The elderly man said as his employees lifted the house and took it into the backroom for packaging. "If you don't mind me asking, what does someone your age find interesting about our work?" He was referring to his store; curiosity and intrigue sparkled in his gaze.

Umm...

"Well, it's for a friend- no, for family." Cause, what else Is Yue to me? The small fairy flutters closer, eyes looking up at me with soft warmth.

"Familly, eh?" The owner hums, stroking his chin gently. "It's always good to think of family."

Yeah. Where would I be without mine's?

...

It takes about a good ten minutes for the people in the back to finish and bring out a box that's about as big as me are. In short, there was no way I'd be taking that home. Sure, with chakra it'd be easy to lift it up, but there just wasn't any leverage. I'd probably break it by holding it over my head or risk dropping it or something.

"Ah, it's not a problem." The friendly old man said. "My boys will take it home for you." I wasn't expecting him to do it for free, yet his sons gladly took my gift all the way to the Uchiha clan.

"You're the clan head's son?!" Suffice to say, they were shocked when one of the passing security officers greeted me at the gates.

Speaking of the Clan- things had changed since my absence. The official story was that unkown ninja's had sneaked into and tried to assassinate the leadership. supposedly, a lot of our clansmen were affected by a strange jutsu that had them 'crazily' attacking their allies. Sure, there was some suspicions from a few ninja, but since all the other Uchiha backed up the claim, then there was nothing anyone could say about it.

Revealing that a small section of our clan was ready to perform a coup would have been incredibly stupid and it'd have a lot of consequences.

I really had no access to the goings-on inside the council and Hokage's inner circle, but things had changed. Those ninja that nearly killed me had to be working for Danzo. The fact that I heard whispers about the few dead Uchiha missing eyes was more than enough proof for me.

It was probably a lot of proof for the Hokage as well.

Sadly, I was just a child. The most I learned was from rumours and such. Itachi and my father were keeping silent, which no doubt was the Hokage's doing.

This was a secret they'd burry to their graves.

"T-Thank you so much, S-Sasuke." Finally arriving home, I placed the replica in my room and let Yue get to it. Her little hands cupped my cheek and she showered it with a barrage of kisses.

I grinned and returned the favour.

"W-Waghh!" Unfortunately for her, she leaned in at just the wrong time. "Gehg wme!"

I spat her back out, a sheepish look on my face.

"Sorry. But, now you can try out that pool?"

She giggled, striped, and jumped into the pool, eagerly awaiting water. Grabbing a cup, I headed for the kitchen.

Maybe I had nothing to do with it, but either way, my family is safe. The future is murky, but I still have to try. It's the only thing I can do.

[Reward: Became closer with Yue! | +4 WP! | Yue Gained - "Medium House Replica" | -3000 Ryo]

==========

It was finally time. Honestly, the whole situation absolutely terrified me.

"S-Sasuke! G-Go call your brother."

I panicked, eyes darting left and right. My mother groaned and her feet buckled. I rushed to her side, helping her up.

"W-We need to get to the hospital." She moaned.

What were the odds?! Both my father and Itachi had let not ten minutes ago! And here was my mother, about to give birth! I did not want to leave her alone at all.

"Y-You have to." Her free hand gripped my shoulder, nails biting into it. "B-Be a big boy and go call for help, o-ok?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded and darted out of the room.

"Y-Yue, please look after mom!" The little fairy gave a nod and fluttered back into the house.

Finding anyone from my family would be incredibly difficult, so I went for the next best thing.

"Hey, you! I need your help!" He was just a passing by Uchiha, but more importantly, he was an adult!

"H-Huh? Sasuke-sama? What is-" I was at his side in an instant, fingers coiling around his hand. "My mom's about to give birth! We need to take her to the hospital!"

His eyes burst open.

"R-Right!" The two of us raced back into the house. Thankfully, Mikoto was still ok.

"Come one, help me walk her outside."

Our drafted helper gave a small nod as the two of us hefted her up. Now, I'm not a girl so I have no idea what it feels like, but still, I knew that giving birth is incredibly painful. Yet... my mother only lets out tiny grunts and such as the two of us dash into the hospital, practically screaming at the receptionist to get her a bed.

Thankfully, they have big ears.

And so, I find myself waiting as my mother goes into labour.

...

There's not much to do untill she finishes.

-----------

It takes about five minutes before I get absolutely sick of just standing around, waiting for something to happen. My mother is in there, doing her best, but all I can do is sit around, looking dumbly at the clock.

I take a breath and stand up, determination flowing through my mind. If I can't do anything here, then I should do something elsewhere.

"H-Huh? Where are you going?" Yue asks, fluttering closer. Her shimmering wings carry her through the air, leaving behind a gorgeous trail of sparks. It's something new and has me curious. She blushes at the attention, diving onto my shoulder.

"I'm going to find my dad and brother." They should already be here. Obviously, they're either very busy or on the way. Still, looking for them is better than just sitting around.

"Oh... they are surprisingly late." She hums.

I nod, stepping past a few orderlies and walking toward the hospital's entrance. Still curious about her sudden change, I ask about the sparkles.

"Sorry." She blushes. "They come out when I'm really happy." Her wings twitch nervously. "They've been doing that since you bought the house..."

What?

"How come I didn't notice?" I'd think something so obvious would stick out like a sore thumb.

"I've been... cleaning them." She stutters out. "We were in such a hurry today that I forgot about it..."

Huh.

"Is the dust dangerous? Or-"

"N-No way!" She interrupts, eyes widening nervously. "It disappears after a little bit, but it doesn't even do anything!"

Her childish, slightly scared expression has my lip quirking up slightly. Seeing her so panicked over something so simple is just too funny.

"Please don't laugh." She grumbles, tiny fingers prodding at my cheeks. "Besides, I've almost figured out how to stop it!"

Was this like some sort of fairy puberty? I had noticed her body changing little by little. It was hard, her being so tiny, but since I bathe with her every day, the changes did start to add up.

She must have grown at least an inch or two.

Konoha's busy streets come into view as we burst out of the hospital. Holding onto my shirt, Yue leaps into the sky and starts scouting out for my family. I do the same, sticking to the ground. the distraction keeps my mind off what's happening, helping me stay calm and slowing the ever keeping worry.

Even with ninja magic, or 'jutsu' there's still so much that can go wrong when it comes to childbirth. I barely know the specifics, but it's a very dangerous thing, especially for someone my mother's age.

Taking a deep breath, I rush through the streets, eyes leaping from one raven haired youth to the other. Sadly, even with Yue's help, our search bears no fruit. The sun starts to set; defeated, I return to the hospital.

"Sasuke..."

A great sense of embarrassment fills me as I step through a familiar set of doors.

"I heard you ran off." Fugaku hums, eyes looking at me with a mixture of concern and amusement.

Itachi nods, a curious look in his eyes. The ghost of a smile haunts his lip.

"Did you try looking for us?" He asks.

My cheeks burn. Why do I get the feeling I only just missed them?

"Yes. Did-"

Fugaku nods, arms crossing over his chest.

"We arrived not two minutes after you rushed out of the hospital. One of the receptionists alerted us to your sudden exit."

Itachi nods once more.

"I think she said 'your cute son ran off. I think he was crying.' Or so it was."

What?

"I wasn't crying!" That's a lie. Or maybe a daydream. That receptionist needs glasses...

Why's he smirking?

"We believe you," Itachi answers, eyes darting to the door separating us from our mother. Well, there are a few rooms in the way, but we're not allowed past this point. "Someone's coming."

No sooner does he finish, than a nurse steps through the door. Her eyes glide over me and the rest of my family.

"Just to confirm, are you the Uchiha family waiting for Ms. Mikoto?"

Fugaku rises from his chair, a stony look on his face.

"Yes. Can we see her now?"

A smile blossoms onto the nurse's face and she motions to the door.

"Yes. She's finished now, though a bit weak, so please keep your voices low." I can just about feel my heart explode out of my chest. As I follow Itachi through the door and the rooms behind it, each step has my heart speeding up. Eventually, we step into a room that reeks of disinfectant and cleanliness.

"H-Honey." My mom sits in a bed, skin pale as snow. Her lip is curved into the gentleness of smiles. Its as if she ran three marathons back to back without drinking a single drop of water.

The sight shakes me to my very core and has my stomach dropping.

"L-Look how c-cute little Saeko is, h-honey." She speaks to all of you, but the name slams into my chest like a hammer. My little sister.

Before anyone else, Fugaku's at her side, softly squeezing her fingers.

"She's beautiful." He whispers, a gentle smile splitting his face. Me and Itachi follow suit, crowding around our mother like lost puppies.

"Waaaaaa!" The tiny bundle in her arms begins to shriek, arms wildly flailing around in fear.

"Shh. It's ok s-sweety." Mikoto hums, gently poking at her cheeks. She starts to sing a familiar lullaby, one I barely remember. Distant memories from my birth come to mind.

Eventually, my new little sister starts to quiet down. Her little hand reaches out, snagging one of my fingers. She squeezes and as I stare into her Onix eyes, I can't help but smile; she does too.

A comforting silence fills the room. Before ww know it, both Mikoto and our newest family member are taken by sleep.

I'm not sure how to feel, but one thing's for certain.

She's my little sister, and her smile means more to me than anything else.

[Reward: Little Sister!]

Leekz01 · Nov 7, 2020

The small 'breaks' I'd often get from school were somewhat comparable to those of my old world. Still quite a bit shorter, though. At these times, I mostly spent my days home, relaxing and just taking in my family's presence. With the whole Uchiha scandal going on, the Hokage's eye was squarely focused on my clan. Thankfully, he was smart enough not to restrict them any further.

It was the distrust and separation that lead to the near-revolt in the first place. Doing the same thing twice would be asking for it. They weren't that dumb, right?

Anyways, my clansmen were somewhat nervous but gratefull for the end result. There were those that felt like traitors, but the smiles of their living children prooved to be enough to sway them. In time, those events would become like a blurry dream. No one would forget, but they'd slowly stop caring. Only those with a burning passion for revenge would truly remember, but I hoped no such person existed.

While I did bleed for this ending, it seems my wild flailing managed to accomplish something good. Tiny as it is, this is a victory I don't wish to let go of.

"Can you please bring me Saeko's bottle, Sasuke?" My mother asked a small, tired look on her face.

"Be right back." I answered, rushing out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Raising children was hard work. She constantly had to look after my little sister and practically turned into a slave.

I was back in a few seconds, bottle extended.

"Here." My mother took the bottle, giving me a soft smile before pressing its tip to my sister's lip. The loud, incessant crying ceased as she began suckling the bottle.

"Were I and Itachi this bad?" I was curious. While my childhood memories are almost all faded, I don't remember crying all that much.

...

At least not as a baby.

While exhaustion and stress cling to her face, the warm, motherly smile on her lip clears any misconceptions I might have. She's happy and doesn't regret a moment of the incredible ordeal known as parenting.

"Itachi, yes." She begins, a small chuckle leaving her lips. "He was nearly as bad as little Saeko at first."

The nostalgic tone sets the mood. I can't help but find myself smiling along with her.

"He stopped pretty soon, but there were many sleepless nights for me and Fugaku."

Her eyes fell on me.

"You were very quiet, though." She says with a giggle. "Gave us quite a fright, but you did cry, only when you were hungry or thirsty, though."

And poop. God, those are the memories I wanted to forget!.

"Oh, and when you pooped yourself." The laugh that leaves her mouth has my cheeks burning. "So much poop. If there's anything you beat your brother in as a baby, it was that."

She has to be doing this on purpose...

"Sometimes, when I looked into your cute little eyes, I felt you staring through me." Most would consider that creepy.. not her. Those eyes spoke only of cuteness and joy.

Blagh!

Mundane as these short days were, I loved all of them. And so my peaceful days continued. I spent some time with Naruko, exploring Konoha, playing a few childish games, training, and just being friends.

Yue was prominent as well. She started working on her own 'training'. The little weights I set up were nothing but a kunai or two with their points dulled or cut off. Seeing her set up her little gym by the house I bought was both adorable and filled me with pride.

Everyone was slowly working toward something.

And so, one of these normally peaceful days, I decided to take a walk through Konoha. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the townsfolk were frolicking. Sadly, Naruko was nowhere to be seen today. No matter how much I told her to keep the food in her fridge fresh, she sometimes forgot to clear out the expired stuff. Thus, she was sick at home, most likely on the toilet.

I stopped by a few times, and boy, did she make some noises I never want to hear again. If sounded like a lion!

Suffice to say, I stayed a bit, helped her out, but when it became obvious she wasn't getting better anytime soon... I went into town to buy her some more toilet paper. Thus, I found myself dropping the soft bundle at the doorstep of her bathroom.

Of course, I could only stay inside so long before having to take a breath of fresh air, which was what I was doing right now.

So fresh. So nice. It didn't stink!

I could do this any day, every day!

With that, I strolled through the streets untill I found a familiar face. It was young Hinata. She was walking around, apperantly alone.

Odd. I didn't think her father would let her go to the bathroom alone, let alone wander Konoha's streets.

Curious, I walked closer. The moment she spotted me, a relived, expression burst on her face. It was as if I'd saved her from some horrible fate.

"S-Sasuke." She whispered, scurrying closer to my side. "H-Hi."

I waved back, a small smile on my face.

"Hey, Hinata. What's up? I going for a walk?"

She hesitated.

"N-No. I was walking with my c-cousin, but we got lost." She whimpered. "I don't know where he went."

My brow furrowed.

"How is this cousin?"

She blinked, unsure of my point.

"Umm, maybe twenty-something?"

So he had a working pair of eyes, then?

"Can he use the Byakugan?"

Again, she blinked.

"Oh, um, yes-" The gears in her head went round and round. I'd be pissed, but she was confused beyond imagining. "But.. why? how?"

Was this some sort of test I'd stumbled upon? Most likely. Sadly, no matter where we looked, there was no sign of her 'cousin'.

"W-What should I do?"

Such a classic move- letting others, more responsible people make choices for you.

Hmm.

It's obvious Hinata was left alone as some sort of test or a sick joke, something which she's already figured out. Her face falls and shame begins to slither onto her cheeks. What sort of person needs to have a test like this given to them? I'm sure this is the very first question to jump on her mind.

They're telling her that this isn't normal; that she needs to be taught how to wander alone. It's not something any child wants to learn- that they're not normal.

Tiny tears begin peeking out from the edges of the young girl's eyes. I've known her for a bit, and while she was shy, I could always see the determined flame within her. Now, I'm reminded that while she's strong, Hinata was still a child.

It's become so easy to forget how old I actually was. This somewhat peaceful life of mine has dulled the edges, made me more childish. Just thinking about it, when was the last time I acted like an adult?

...

I can't remember. Right now, I'm nothing but a mature, yet childish boy. And what scares me is how easy it is to fall into that role. I knew trying to be the adult I was will only be met with failure.

What should I do?

Hinata fidgets in front of me, her embarrassment only growing by the moment. What I need to do is obvious.

"So, you seem hungry." I reach out, showing her a metaphorical way out. "Want to go grab something to eat?"

Its as if she were at the edge of a cliff, about to die and I reached out, helping her back up onto solid ground. The pinpricks on her eyes recede and she gives a small, slightly embarrassed smile.

"Y-Yeah. I-I'm a bit hungry." The young Hyuuga heir stutters out.

"Good. I knew a few places." God knows visiting the same ramen place with Naruko gets old fast. Yeah, the other establishments give her the stink eye every now and then, but only the idiots actually speak out. "What are you feeling for?"

While none of the other restaurants have been up to Naruko's standards, I have a feeling Hinata's going to be a bit different.

"Oh, umm, what do you want?" Throwing the question right back at me? The classic move of someone shy who doesn't want to impose. Naruko she is not. Thankfully, I have more than enough experience with a certain someone to know how to handle this situation.

"I-Is something on my face?" Yue asks, cheeks turning a red hue. "Do I have rice in my hair again?" Her little hands rove around, finding nothing.

I shake my head, turning to Hinata a second later.

"Come on, I've been to all of them before. Just tell me what you feel like eating and I'll pick a place."

Her eyes dart to the left, then to the right.

"W-Well, what do you-"

Just like Yue, but far worse. This is going to take a lot more than that.

"If you say the truth, I'll teach you something and even show you something secret."

That catches her attention. Maybe I should feel a little bad about tricking her like this, but this conversation would have kept going back and forth if I didn't. I know how badly Hinata wants to get stronger. She's quiet but works very hard.

"Really?" She asks, stutter conveniently gone.

"Yep. So, what do you say?"

Her pale eyes narrow in thought. Honestly, the Hyuuga's bloodline is less creepy than mine's thought. The first time I saw those eyes, I couldn't help but stare. Now, they're more like cool contacts than anything else. I've never actually seen them activated, but the veiny face thing is sure to look cool, though, I hear that's frowned upon unless there's a fight or it's related to security.

Believe it or not, X-Ray eyes aren't something people are comfortable being around!

"R-Rice." She finally stutters out. "I-I'd like something with rice and e-eggs."

Huh. That's surprisingly tame.

"Alright! I know a place!" I say, a bright smile on my face. She flinches as I grab her hand and start carrying her along.

Oh, right. I forgot.

"Sorry about that," I say with a chuckle, letting go of her hand. "Come on, it's this way."

I have to hang out with more people than just Naruko. Her weirdness is spilling over to my other interactions.

Speaking of which, I hope she's ok in that bathroom.

----------------------

"T-Thank you for the food," Hinata said, putting her chopsticks down.

This world needed forks. No- Konoha needed forks.

"You like the food?" Her reply was a meek, but embarrassed nod. The amount she had managed to put away rivalled Naruko's. Seriously, she had more than thrice the number of plates finished than me.

I looked down at my chopsticks and sighed. Thre's only a single pair of forks, but those are at my house. I remember buying them from some trader a few years back. Sadly, he's not returned since.

"So, now that we've finished our meal, want to go out and work off the fat?" She blinked, eyes dropping to her small stomach.

"O-Oh, yes." Hinata answered with an energetic nod.

Damn it, why were children so adorable?

With that decided, we paid for the food and jumped back out into Konoha's streets. The sun was slowly making its way down, but our first stop was the park. Thankfully, there were already a few kids playing ball there.

"Hey! You guys mind if we join?" I asked, shocking Hinata.

"T-Their n-normal kids, though." How she could tell that was up in the air, but also true. None of them wore clan markings and weren't moving around like the students I knew. Still, there was nothing wrong about playing with normal kids. I blamed her family.

"It's fine." I reassured. "It's not like we're fighting. Just hold back a little bit and let's have some fun. We can partner up."

With a hesitant nod, she followed me into the crowd. The small children gave bright smiles and agreed to let us play with them.

The game?

Freeze tag.

"You're it!" One of the kids shouts. He's about my age and has a head of jet black hair. Unlike me, he's just a normal kid. I grin and give chase.

"Not for long!" I roar, feet carrying me forward. The small amount of chakra I can use to augment myself vanishes. He's faster than me.

"Slowpoke!" The boy taunts, tongue sticking out.

W-Was I always this out of shape?!

Gritting my teeth, I move my little legs even faster. He turns his head for a moment, and that's enough of an opportunity for me to strike.

DC:10
Roll (3d6): 14 PASS!

"W-Wha-" Bam! I palm strikes his back with a meaty thwack. He tumbles and falls down. I stand over him, lungs screaming out in pain.

"G-Got you." A grin splits my face.

Grumbling, the boy stands and gives me a dirty look.

"I guess. But not for long." He smiles and freezes in place.

I take a deep breath and calm my racing heart. Around me, about half a dozen kids lay in a similar state. It had been a bit unlucky to be made 'it', but I managed fine.

"Yeah!" A happy shout has my head snapping around. There! I rush forward, intent on catching both the sneaky devils. Hinata leaps to the right, eyes wide as saucers and cheeks tingling with a red hue. The boy on her right rushes away, forcing me to make a choice.

"S-Sorry." My friend whispers, feet carrying her away at lightning speed.

"Smell ya later!" The boy jokes, moving away far slower than the swift Hyuga. Suffice to say, I aim for the weak link, catching him in a few seconds. "Aww man..."

Unfortunately, this is a losing battle.

"Yes!" One of the other "frozen" children shouts. The little girl sticks her tongue out and runs toward one of my captives. Hinata looks away, cheeks still red; the rising smirk on her face is something I nearly miss.

Hesitant at first, my little friend was unsure of what to do. She was the first to be caught, however, the others wouldn't let that stand. They had freed her the instant I took my eyes off the young girl. Perhaps it was that kindness that let Hinata move so boldly. Wherever I went, she followed, taping my captives before I could catch them all.

The worst part was how damn fast she was! She was as slippery as an eel and would just avoid my swipes!

For someone so small, Hinata had a surprising amount of endurance. She was more physically fit than me!

"Go for it Hyuga girl!"

"Free us all!"

The other kids roared.

That was it. I knew if she didn't fall, then this unending game of can and mouse would tire me out. Taking one more breath, I rushed Hinata. Her eyes widened; she was like a deer caught in a car's headlights. However... that didn't last for long. Each swipe was expertly avoided, and while my attention was on her, all the other kids were freed.

Nearing the end of my endurance, I gave it one last try.

DC:16
Roll (3d6): 14 FAIL!

Sadly, even though her movements were sluggish due to our constant battle, mines was even more so. The other children had stopped running, deciding to just sit back and watch the two of us dance around the park. I fail.

"G-Gwah." I fall to the ground, muscles sore and out of energy. A second later, a panting Hinata joins me- her rear smacking into the sand.

"I-I win?" She asks, unsure of the outcome.

"Yeah." I joke as my lungs scream. "T-To fast."

Her lips explode into a wide smile, yet she stays quiet.

Everyone else rushes in, shouting in joy.

"Yes!"

"We beat the Uchiha!"

"Woo!"

"Take that!"

I refrain from pointing out the obvious and just lay back.

It was fun.

------------------------

After relaxing a bit, I go for one more round. This time, it's Hinata's turn to be it. Suffice to say, that was a quick game. And so, as that one comes to an end, everyone splits ways and heads home.

"T-Thanks for going with me," Hinata mumbles, walking by my side.

I give a tired smile and nods.

"W-What are f-friends for, right?"

So tired...

She gulps and nods.

"Y-Yeah. W-Were friends." Smiling like the sun, she keeps walking forward. Eventually, the two of us arrive at her clan's compound.

"W-Well, I got to go." Naruko's sure to be waiting for me. She's going to complain...

"B-Bye. A-And thanks again." Giving me a quick bow, Hinata scurries off into her home.

I smile, knowing she had fun.

Now, I've got a meeting with a stinky girl.

...

Blarg.

[Reward: Hinata Friendship up!]

=============
Year Nine End
=============

Leekz01 · Nov 7, 2020

Life is scary, unpredictable, and dangerous. You never wanted to be a ninja. Hurting others wasn't in your nature, and while Mother did her best to keep you from that life, it was inevitable that you'd become one. As the first in line for the Hyuuga clan head position, it was your duty to become a strong person.

"Again." Your father said, a serious, calm look on his face.

You followed his teaching, learning all you could... but it was never enough. You might have had the genetics, but your ideology and talent were lacking.

"There are branch children that can already use our clan's gift. I won't allow you to fall behind."

And so, you trained and trained. It was monotonous, exhausting, and stupid! Yet you every time you thought about speaking up, a crimpling fear settled into your bones. What if you did say something? Would he kick you out? Maybe father wouldn't want you as a daughter anymore. And then there was also your mother- she loved you. She loved you so much that you were sure she'd go with you.

It was scary, so you did what you were best at; you hid your true feelings and didn't speak. Eventually, this became a routine, and as more time passed, you found it becoming the core of your personality. You became shy and the simplest of conversations were marred in self-doubt, second guesses, and uncertainty.

You were scared.

Nevertheless, the life of a ninja isn't an easy one. Even as fear consumed you, you kept walking forward. Your sister was born, but she took your mother away. For the first few months, you hated her. Mother was the only one that understood you. She was your anchor in this crazy life. These feelings changed one day during a terrifying storm. Hanabi's cries refused to let you sleep, so you sneaked into her bed so she stayed quiet.

There, as the two of you stared at one another- you glaring at her, she gazing at you, everything changed. Her crying stopped, and a sunny smile split her lip. Those tiny hands of hers griped your nose and she laughed.

She had your mother's smile.

As the storm raged outside, your emotions rushed out of you. In the end, Hanabi was the one to quiet your wails and tears.

She was your sister- the last thing left of your mother. And her smile was something you'd fight tooth and nail to protect.

Unfortunately, this resolution wasn't enough to change your situation. Father still wanted progress and when you stopped showing it, he turned his attention to Hanabi. You cursed your weakness at that point. No matter how hard you tried, you just weren't a fighter. Your burden was passed to her. You were of the Hyuuga, and there was nothing you could do.

But then... you met a certain boy. He was an Uchiha, yet acted nothing like one. As time passed, he showed your classmates with help and a friendly attitude. Not even you could escape this.

Surprisingly, he helped you learn that there was always more than one way to get stronger.

So you opened your eyes and looked.

You wouldn't let Hanabi suffer anymore! It might take time, but you'd show Father your strength.

For her.

Leekz01 · Nov 7, 2020

I was never really a physically gifted child. Just doing the basic training regiments and exercises practically tired me out. Dodging, though, that was my expertise. With the Sharingan, I could easilly dodge anyone and everyone in my class. Thus, it was a shame that I never actually used the fabled pinwheel-eyes anywhere but my house. Without them, I was back down to being just average or below everyone else. Sharingan aside, I excelled when it came to tasks that required cunning and chakra control. Often, I'd be among the first to master a chakra-based training exercise. When the basic Jutsu came up, I was the first to get it into a workable state.

Within me, Chakra was plentiful. Though, another talent at my disposal seemed to be my charismatic nature. Honestly, it probably had to do with my maturity, but talking to the kids and teachers felt so easy. I asked nicely and more often than not, they saw things from my point of view and helped me out.

"Sasuke's so cool!"

"Sasuke's the best!"

To my surprise, quite a few of my groupies or 'fan club' had somehow still managed to make it this far. By this point, Chakra control had finally started to be pushed and anyone that didn't have enough simply couldn't keep up. Still, Sakura hung on by a thread. She had just enough to make the cut-off point; the amazing scores she had on tests probably helped as well.

As for the stalkers, I personally really got annoyed by them. There's a saying about children being angels and demons- I saw them standing outside of the bathroom, waiting for me. They "just" wanted to eat lunch with me. Even after I said no, they kept badgering me over and over. Enough was enough, so I told one of the teachers. Suffice to say, the day after he talked to them, I wasn't bothered again.

"Sasuke! Come on, let's go grab some food!" Speaking of lunch, Naruko's appetite only grew as the months went on. I quickly noticed how she had overtaken me. Naruko was definitely going to be a lot taller than me in the future; a fact which she didn't fail to rub in my face.

"C-Can I come?" To my surprise, one day, Hinata asked if she could tag along with the two of us. Determination flickered across her gaze and I could tell what goal she had in mind.

Peacefull days continued, yet I knew that it'd be a difficult year. My muscles screamed as I strained them. Day after day, I focused only on taijutsu and basic strength training. It was an incredibly gruelling year, but the rewards would almost certainly be worth it.

A small bit of pain now so that I could avoid greater pain in the future.

If only I didn't have to feel pain at all! Blagh!

[Reward: STR +2 | Dex +2 | Agi +2 ]

=========

"What is it, Sasuke?" Mikoto, my mother asked. Her eyes were full of worry and her gentle hands squeased my shoulder.

"You said this was something important?" My father asked with a stern, yet warm expression.

"What surprise do you have in store for us, little brother?" Itachi hummed.

A heavyweight pressed down on my heart. It felt like it was being squeezed by a vice! How could I say this? I remember how surprised they were when I showed them my Sharingan. Now, I stand before them, ready to display my clan's greatest secret as if it were nothing. Children shouldn't have access to this power, yet here I am. I've barely even used the damn things. Fear of what I could do- of how they could hurt me have been staying my hand. I'd go blind, perhaps even kill myself if I wasn't careful. I was basically handed a nuclear bomb and told to be careful not to set it off. I lost so much sleep because of it and were afraid that I'd accidentally use them if I wasn't careful.

There was only so much I could take, and since I had no idea where to start, the best thing to do was to ask for help. Thus, I did.

Taking a deep, calming breath, I locked eyes with my Brother. He blinked, curiosity bubbling onto his face.

"Is there something in my hair?" He questioned, hands gliding through his obsidian locks.

"Do you remember that night? How I nearly died?" Three faces fell; my parents shared a look with Itachi.

Silently, my brother gave an acknowledging nod. His eyes hardened and I saw them flash red for a second. Even months after, the topic is still sore.

"Does this have something to do with that?" My father asks.

"Are you ok, sweety?" Mikoto moves closer, gently pressing her fingers against my palm.

I take another breath and focus. Like the very thing they're named after, my pupils slowly shift and begin to spin like a pinwheel.

"Our clan's eyes are special, right?" Fugaku nods. "But, is that really all there is to it?" I point to the three small black dots spiralling within my eye. Something pushes against the back of my eye. It feels like a scorching rod spears the point right behind the bridge of my nose; the world momentarily turns scarlet and everything sharpens.

My father and Itachi stare at me in shock. The former's jaw nearly hits the floor while the later grits his teeth in frustration.

"That's- How?!" Fugaku hisses, practically teleporting to my side.

I gulp and stare him in the eye. He flinches and looks away.

"I don't know. When I almost died... I had this really weird dream. I didn't know what it was at first." I pause. "Do... do you know what it is?"

Silence.

...

A sigh bursts from my father's lip.

"That is our clan's greatest secret." He says. "It's a dangerous weapon which will make you blind. After hearing that, do you still want to know more?"

The Mangekyo Sharingan, a forbidden power used by the Uchiha of old. Though technically speaking, those of this time period make as much use of it as my predecessors. Shisui, my father, Obito, and perhaps Itachi currently have this great and dangerous power. Though, I'm unsure if my brother would have it. Didn't he originally get it by killing many of his clansmen? Or was it from ending Shisui?

...

Tiny details like that escape me at the moment. Damn it...

"Sasuke?" My father asks, eyes tired and staring straight at me. The weight of my announcement is threatening to have him fall to his knees. Is... is it really that shocking? Itachi as well- both of them seem to think that this is the end of the world. My mother, while worried, seems to be the calmest and most collected person here. Saeko's sleeping in her lap and she's casually rocking her as if nothing's going on.

It's crazy to think she's always so cool and relaxed.

"Sorry." I cough, blurting out a quick apology. "I-I was a bit lost in thought." Swallowing the building spit in my mouth, I gaze deeply into my father's eyes. "Please teach me. I want to learn about these eyes." I dare not show them, lest it literally explodes everything. Seriously, I have no idea what they can do.

Fugaku takes a deep, calming breath. The tension in his muscles slowly begins to melt and he gives a small nod. Beside him, Itachi continues to panic. His face is casual and neutral, but his eyes tell me more than enough. Even after opening-up recently, he's still most at home when hiding his emotions behind a mask of calmness.

"How can someone so young achieve so much." Fugaku whispers. "It's not normal." He shakes his head and stares down at me sadly. "Such a thing... it's an incredible burden to bear for a child." His face falls as he says this and I catch him looking at my brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Perhaps it's for the best." Fugaku mumbles. "I'd rather you knew how to control that power if only so you can't hurt yourself or those you care." He nods takes a stand. "Follow me." I rise and quickly match his pace. Itachi, still conflicted, gives chase. My mother takes a look at Saeko and then shakes her head.

"Please don't do anything rash." Her words are soft and kind. "And remember, Sasuke, remember that you're my little boy."

It's honestly a bit too sweet, but my mother would rather smoother me in sugar than make me feel that she doesn't care.

"Yeah." I answer, a smile tugging at my lip. "I'll be back soon."

She returns my gesture and waves goodbye. Saeko babbles some incoherent words, suckling on her finger as she waves with her other hand. Gods... babies are adorable, but also terrifyingly ugly. It's a good thing my sister's the former.

Hopefully, this introduction doesn't take too long...

-----------------------

Deep beneath the Uchiha Clan's compound, there lay a hidden number of tunnels. We traversed the bowls of our clan, diving deeper and deeper into the darkness.

"This tunnel will lead us out into a secluded part of one of the training grounds." My father spoke, voice ricochetting off the walls that seemed to be closing in. The measly torch in his hand barely illuminated the path ahead, yet he and Itachi seemed to perfectly know the way. Not a single dust mite could escape their sight.

"We'll be going to a dangerous forest to test out your control." He grumbles, blowing a sigh a moment later. "I'd have liked to do so outside the Village, but something like that would attract far too much attention."

I nod. It makes some sense. Though-

"Forest?" I've got a bad feeling about this...

"Yes. The forty-fourth training ground, also known as 'The Forest Of Death.' Stick close to us and you'll be fine."

Wait, what?! Seriously?! Aren't there massive centipedes and snakes that eclipse the giant trees in the forest?!

"Don't fret, little brother." Itachi's hand presses down on my shoulder. "You're brave, so hold your chin up." He chuckles, yet the look in his eyes is dead serious. "Besides, we're here to protect you if anything goes wrong."

...

Great.

"He's right." My father adds. "The name's intimidating, but the creatures inside shouldn't be a threat to any experienced genin. Training grounds are often used for the Chunin exams, and this one wouldn't be too far off something like that." He pauses, a hum on his tongue. "you've learned about ranks and the Chunin exams, yes?"

I nod.

"Yes. They taught us about that stuff a while ago, but we learnt more detailed stuff this year." There's just so much more to it than the show explained. Ninja can't just up and go wherever they please. Depending on their ranks, there's a bunch of paperwork and licenses one needs to acquire in order to do certain missions, let alone enter other towns and villages. All of that makes my head spin.

Anyways, before long, my father stops me. It's odd, considering the hallway keeps going on and on.

"The exits above our heads. If we keep going this way, we'll end up at a dead end."

Wait...

"Is it to trick them?" I ask. His lip quirks up slightly.

"Correct. Now, come on."

Taking a deep breath, I hopped on my father's back and allowed him to take me up onto the ceiling. With a few movements, he pulled aside a secret door and then leaped up what seemed to be a long shaft. Of course, there were no handrails or anything of the sort. It was a passage that only ninja could take. Before long, we reached the top. After digging through a bit of grass, we emerged out into a shadowy forest.

The trees were massive and towered over even the biggest houses Konoha had to offer.

"Ok, we're here," Fugaku stated. "We'll move a bit away and then you can show us your eyes."

I gulped and followed. Soon enough, I stood before them, eyes blaring a deep crimson. Both my father and brother looked at me.

"Go ahead, use it." Fugaku nudged.

...

"I-I don't know how."

He blinked, brow furrowing. After a short hum, he gave me some advice.

"Close your eyes and think of something. Focus on it and bring it to the forefront of your mind. Once you've got that something, open your eyes and imagine that it's in front of you. Let chakra and your Sharingan do the rest."

...

That didn't tell me anything at all! How's that even supposed to work?!

...

Well, I don't have anything else...

Confusion and fear slowly slither up my spine. Itachi and my father stare at me, a warm, patient expression on their faces. They don't expect me to succeed, only that I try. Yet, I feared the oposite. What if this does work? What if my eyes set the world on fire- a fire I have no idea how to put out. Not having any control is terrifying, and right now, I have no idea what's about to happen.

"It's alright, Sasuke," Fugaku reassures, a hand gently pressing down on my shoulder. "Whether you fail or succeed is not something you should be worried about." It is a rare sight, to see my father give a genuine smile. As of late, they've become more and more common, yet the smile he shows me now is one of the brightest. "You're my son, and nothing will change that."

Who'd have thought that the cold, calculating man that once wore that face would give such an honest and caring answer? Certainly not me. Nevertheless, this is the current reality. I thought my haphazard flailings would change nothing, yet the Uchiha clan stands united and my brother is no traitor. Other things changed, specifically that strange, mysterious gatekeeper I met on that fateful night.

Who was he? Obito?

...

I may never find out, but that doesn't matter right now.

I take a deep breath and give him an understanding nod.

"I believe in you, courageous little brother." Itachi chuckles, hand ruffling my hair. It's a bit annoying, but I'll let the gesture slide just this once. I huff and fix the unruly mop atop my head. Joke or not, it's really hard to keep the hair down. If I don't give it constant attention, it ends up looking like a duck's arse.

"Right..." I whisper and step away from the two people that brought me here. My eyes shut- chakra slowly trickling to them.

"Remember. Visualize a strong image and focus on it." My father speaks. "It matters little what comes to mind, only that you give yourself fully to concentrating on it."

It needs to be something powerful- something I won't easilly forget. Pictures of my family come to mind, but those fade rather quickly. I can't focus on a single one, as their faces jump around far too often. Yue comes next, but like everyone else, it's very hard to keep her in view. What else is there? My old world? No, its edges have started to blur slightly in my mind.

...

There's one thing. This world- the heroes that saved it. There's no way I'd forget the reason I'm here. Naruto. Sasuke. They're not here any longer- I've taken their place. For better or worse, the previous path to victory is lost. With me at the wheel of fate, who knows where everything will end up. Still, I won't just sit down at let the world roll me over.

Naruto and Sasuke.

Their silhouettes are seared into my mind. My eyes lay closed, yet its as if they were right in front of me. The heroes this world deserved. I reached out with my mind's eye, desperately trying to grab hold of even a fraction of their strength. Alone, this challenge would be near impossible, but if I could use their strength...

A massive wave of exhaustion rammed into my tiny body, nearly knocking me off my feet. Pain exploded in my right eye and I knew it had worked. Slowly, it opened. Something red and sticky ran down my face; blood?

Whatever the case, the image of Naruto and Sasuke remained in my mind, yet a semblance of that refused to leave. In front of me, a ghostly, glowing form hovered above the murky ground. His back was to me, yet I know that spiky head of blond hair and the etherial, orange cloak hovering behind him.

"That's-" My father's eyes went wide. Disbelief and shock threatened to consume him, just as they had for me.

Itachi was more reserved, and while it took him a bit longer to spot the resemblance, he still stared in surprise.

"The fourth?" He whispered, brow furrowing. No matter how many times his eyes bounced from me to the flickering apparition, I had no answer to give. It simply stood there, a large grin on its otherwise unremarkable face. Three whiskers sat on either side of his cheeks and eyes full of determination stared back at me as the spectre turned.

There was no will in its gaze- whatever this thing was, it only held a semblance of the great hero. I had sought for a fraction of their power to use as my own- so I found exactly that. My vision swam as chakra exhaustion began to set in. I could feel it in my bones; I'd probably be passing out in the next few moments. However...

"What sort of power is this?" Fugaku questioned. "Resurrection? No, while he looks similar, that isn't the fourth."

He stepped forward, cautiously staring at Naruto's phantom. Slowly reaching for a stone, he lobed it at the apparition. I had expected the lazy attack to pass right through him, yet the result was quite different. Swift as lightning, Naruto's phantom lashed out with claw of pure, orange energy, reducing the pebble to ash. I certainly hadn't ordered that, and neither did I order it to raise its hand against ny father. Yet, here it was.

Naruto's apparition was about to attack my father. Was there anything I could do? This was the very thing I feared...

The ghostly apparition, having taken Naruto's faded form, raises its kunai into the air. My father pauses, his hands falling into a familiar combat stance. His movements are far more refined than mine's. I'm a dull spoon and he's like a razor.

"Sasuke?" My father asks questioningly. "Did you summon this... spectre?"

Itachi joins my father's side, eyes spinning like crimson pinwheels. Whatever happens, they're both ready for a fight.

"I-I think so." I answer, gazing up at Naruto's phantom. His body flickers and tiny, orange embers sizzle of his strange form. The double raises a single hand. A deep, ominous chill races down my spine. Chakra visibly starts gathering at the center of his palm. It starts out as a small sphere, and then, a high-pitched whirring noise grates across my ears and echoes through the forest. A brilliant, blue, spiralling sphere shrieks in Nauto's hand. It threatens to grind away at anything it touches, like an industrial drill.

"How?" If my father was confused before, then he's absolutely flabbergasted now. "But thats-" He bites his tongue, and it feels like he'd snap around to face me were he not in front of an enemy.

"The Rasengan," Itachi mutters. "That's what its called, yes?"

Fugaku nods.

"The fourth's signature Jutsu. But, how?" It's a question I'd like to know as well. However, it doesn't seem like I'll be able to ask this ghost. Naruto hoves forward and then lunges at my father. His famed speed is sorely lacking. Fugaku sidesteps the blow, easilly sending a punch at the phantom's face, knocking him off balance slightly. In the next instant, Itachi's at his side, kunai flashing in his hand. The weapon sinks into where his ribs would be, yet the aberration does not fall.

Pain explodes in my right eye- Naruto's form flickers and appears a few feet away. He prepares for another attack.

No. This isn't what I want.

I take a deep breath and focus.

Stop! Stop attacking my family!

A silent command resonates within my soul. Even as the world slowly begins to fade around me, the order resounds in my mind.

Stop!

I fall to my knees, exhaustion tightening around my bones. Looking up, I find Naruto's ghost staring down at me. His hollow, lifeless eyes give a spark of recognition before he nods. And, just like that, he lays his arms down. The Rasengan pitters out into tiny strands of blue light, leaving behind not a single remnant of the great Jutsu. My summoned apparition vanishes shortly after, leaving only my exhausted body.

I collapse, darkness taking my mind. The world of darkness is strangely comforting. For a single, infinitesimally small moment, I can make out a voice. Like someone shouting in a deep cave, the sound is hard to distinguish and I can't make out more than a single word. Even then, it's distorted and hard to understand.

"...o....ive...up!"

It's familiar. I know that voice. It's-

Just as the name is on the tip of my tongue, consciousness sinks its claws into ny neck and violently rips me out of the dream-like world. Light assaults my eyes, and then a worried face comes into view. Small, growing wrinkles line his face.

"Are you ok, Sasuke?"

A meek, tired smile tugs at my lip.

"Y-Yeah." I answered my father. "Just super tired." The previously damp and dark forest trees have been replaced by cool, wooden architecture. The soft, comfortable mattress below me is one I'm intimately acquainted with. I'm back in my room.

"W-What happened?"

I ask, gently pressing a palm to my right eye. Damn, it stings! Thankfully, I can see just fine.

"You used your eyes." Itachi answers. Wait, was he always there? I didn't even notice! "Curiously, it has the power to bring forth the dead... or maybe their spirits?"

He and Fugaku share a look.

"We don't really know, and nothing else can explain why the apparition knew the fourth's Jutsu. That has to be it."

They're essentially coming to their own conclusions. If I wanted to keep quiet about the truth, all I need to do is stay silent.

Itachi and my father speak amongst themselves. They question if my Sharingan's ability is something related to an old, forbidden Jutsu.

"Once, there were rumours of the Second being able to revive the dead." My father murmurs. "I thought them just that- silly stories about him making a Jutsu to reach through the veil of life and death, dragging forth the spirits of the departed." His eyes glide towards me. "Now, I'm not so certain those stories were just stories." A pause. "If you can call the dead, then maybe we should look to the Second for more ideas?"

Itachi nods slowly, a question on the tip of his tongue. He thinks better of it.

"An Uchiha he is not. If anything, I've heard he truly distrusted our clan."

Fugaku blows a sigh.

"You're not wrong." He grumbles. "It wasn't exactly a secret that Tobirama Senju disliked the Uchiha. It's not like he hated all of us, but he could never truly trust our clan."

Hazy memories of war and children murdering each other came to mind. He and his brother fought the Uchiha as children, watching as their siblings were killed one at a time. I can't really blame the Second for holding a grudge, but such times have long since passed. Without the Uchiha, Konoha would not be as successful as it's been.

Yet... a small, cynical part of ne can't help but realize that he was right. The Uchiha would have shown themselves traitor had I not intervened. Granted, it didn't come without reason, but the facts don't change. A chunk of my clan was willing to kill anyone in their path to usurp control of the village. They paid for that with their lives.

"I don't think it brings back the dead." I spoke, voice solid and slightly nervous. As two sets of eyes bore down on me- one full of curiosity and the other of interest, I couldn't help but find the room just a tad warmer.

"Why do you say that?" Fugaku asked, brow rising.

"Did you learn anything?" Itachi questioned with a small smile.

Learn something? I suppose that's a way of putting it...

"I've... I've been having these weird dreams lately." I start, trying to find the best way to explain this. It's a good thing it isn't a lie, as the whole Naruto thing and Mangekyo dream were pretty weird, if a bit old. In the end, how can anyone explain that they're from another world without sounding insane? Ninja are paranoid, and nothing shows it better than my own thoughts.

"Dreams?" Fugaku hums. I give a gentle nod and shut my eyes.

"I... I dream of many things. One is of the man that appeared." Of Naruto.

"He's... he's a young boy who fought to save the world." I pause. What's the best way to prove this? The best way to show that I'm not speaking out my ass?

"His name was... Naruto? I think? There's this weird thing inside him- it kinda looks like a big fox or something."

My father and brother stiffen. It's a bit cruel, but distracting them with surprise and fear is the best way to get make them possibly miss my tiny lies.

"I've only seen scattered bits, but he grew up and learned that weird spiny, blue attack from some weird old guy that liked toads."

Again, the two men in front of me share a knowing look.

"I didn't call the fourth Hokage-" I stop, mumbling something under my breath. Something to sound confused. "I think I called Naruto."

Silence. Absolute silence. And then-

"That's... an interesting theory." My father answers, fingers digging through his chin.

I nod.

"He had whiskers on his cheeks, right?" I point out, hoping that the spectre had those familiar traits.

"Now that you mention it... yes, he did," Itachi say, coming to my rescue.

Thank god! That was perhaps the stupidest thing I've said. If he didn't have those whiskers, I'd have been in trouble.

"Something to think about." Fugaku nods wisely. "If your power isn't to summon the dead, then perhaps you can pull forth people from the future? People from your dreams?" He pauses. "There is no Naruto, after all."

Not in this world. But in my mind-

"Either way, I can see you're tired. Get some rest." With that, he stands; Itachi follows after him as he leaves my room.

A nice nap would be great about now. I lazily crawl into bed and allow sweet bliss to take my senses. Using those cursed eyes drained me completely...

In any case, my father and brother soon leave me to rest. The whole ordeals left me exhausted. Nevertheless, both share a piece of advice with me before they go.

"Don't become reliant on that power, son," Fugaku warned. "You'll go blind."

"That's true, brave little brother." Itachi nodded in agreement. "It's best to find other ways to gain power, lest you lose it all."

Good advice, and honestly, I might take it. Practicing to get a better handle on this might be good, but every second I spend refining it, is a second I use destroying my sight. And, I'm obviously not going to snatch Itachi's eyes to avoid the consequences.

It'd probably take a great deal of power to wish that particular problem away.

At my side, Yue flutters down with a small, worried smile.

"I'm happy you're ok."

It's just the two of us now. From what my father said, Mikoto practically lived at my side until Saeko called her away.

The life of a mother- of a parent is never easy. It's a good thing I'm not one.

I relax and sit back, allowing darkness to pull me under once again. The world swims around me. Voices batter my mind and body. Everything's so... heavy. This world, this life... it's not an easy one. Even though I've faced so much, it's nothing compared to what's yet to come. all I can do is hope I'll be strong enough to face those challenges.

Untill then, all I can do is train and hope that I end up strong enough to overcome anything that stands in my way.

[Reward: Learned More about Your Mangekyo Sharingan! | Gained trait: "The Price Of Power"]

==================

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 10 Years~

Stats
(6) Strength 3d6 (-1: Trait)
(8) Dexterity 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Agility 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(10) Cunning 5d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(16) Soul 8d6 (+2: Trait)

Chakra: [56] = +32 [Soul*2] +6 [STR] +8 [Dex] + 10 [Cun]

STR DMG: 8 = (STR (6) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.2 +.3 (Hakkyokuken) )

Skill Points: 2
Wish Points: 6
Money: 50 Ryo

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [2/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 21
+4d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Basic Genjutsu (Sound) [1/10]: A simple genjustu that produces a sound at your desired location. Limited to simple and rudimentary sounds at the moment.
+Chackra Cost: 5
+Cun/Soul DC: 10

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls | .2 toward Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Hakkyokuken [2/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.3 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Total = 1.5) (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [2/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +3d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.
One-Handed Swords [1/10]: How to use one-handed swords. +1d6 to combat rolls.

{Utility}
Stealth [1/10]: Ninja Vanish! +1d6 to rolls.

{Life}
Dancing [1/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +1d6 to rolls.
Singing [2/10]: You've apperantly got a really good singing voice. Still, being called adorable by your mom's a bit humiliating... +2d6 to rolls.
Cooking [1/10]: It doesn't hurt to pick up a few cooking skills here and there. +1d6 to rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you blinder.
+Image Gate: You can summon shades of Naruto and Sasuke? They're not as strong as they should be...
+cost: 40 Chakra + 5/ Round.

The Price Of Power: Using the Mangekyo is not a good idea. It'll leave you blind.
+[1/300]

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (100%): You've got the hang of Lightning Element chakra. (Lighting Jutsu gain bonuses | Higher Tier Lightning Jutsu Can be Learned)

Scared: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
+Medium House Replica: A gift you gave her. He table-sized house she lives in. It has a pool!
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?
Saeko Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Elite Smoke Bomb X1: Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

Leekz01 · Feb 20, 2021

Yue, my little fairy, was surprisingly mischievous at times. Oh, she mostly kept to herself, acting all shy, but the way she played with my little sister showed a different side.

"Poke!" The fairy giggled, tapping Saeko's nose. As expected, your younger sister could not see Yue at all. Her eyes were locked onto mines.

With a small smile, I joined Yue and poked at Saeko's cute button nose. She let loose a gaggling baby laugh and reached out, suckling on my finger. No longer was she just a ball of soft fat, now, she could crawl around like a little snake. Still, my little sister was a cute one indeed.

"She's so cute." Yue cooed, eyes trailing along the baby's cheeks. "Were you like this too?"

I recall the insanity that was my first few years of life. The memories have me recoiling.

"No."

Picking up on my distress, Yue wilts slightly and flutters onto my shoulder.

"So, it's a nice day. Do you want to go out?"

An interesting proposition. As I contemplate about her question, I first decided to ask her if she could grant a certain wish.

"Umm... I don't know what 'Furies are, but I'm sure I could make myself transform into a magical weapon." She said confidently. "Though, depending on how strong it's supposed to be, it'll take a lot more power."

"So you don't mind it?"

A grin splits her face.

"Of course not! I want to help you fight!" She proclaims." Right now, all I can really do is fly around and gather info." Yue blows a sigh. "If I could somehow help you fight better, then I'm all for it!"

I smiled and gently gave the small fairy a hug. Well, a finger hug, I suppose.

Anyways the day was young, and there was so much to do. With Yue by my side, we set out looking for something very specific, namely, quests. The odd phenomena was rather rare and I've only seen one or two so far. What causes them to appear? How could I get more of them? It was honestly something I wanted to learn, but none of my previous attempts really got me anywhere. What I knew suggested that they just showed up if I went looking for them, but not all the time. Sometimes they would pop up if I paid close attention to my friend's needs and such.

"T-The cities so peaceful." Yue hummed as we walked down Konoha's busy streets. The towns people carried on with their daily lives, watching the skies and enjoying the warm sun. I was prety sure some of them were actually ninja in disguise, as the best ninja were the one you didn't suspect. If there weren't some hidden amongst the civilians, then the Hokage was definitely doing something wrong.

Kind, trustful eyes gazed down at me. I could feel the cunning and experience burning deep within.

A sigh slipped from my lips as I remembered my meeting with the Hokage. The man scares me, even though he's done nothing to warrant that fear. A part of me feels a bit bad about that, but the more rational and frankly terrified part of me is screaming that he'll lock me away.

...

This world is incredibly unfair. It's not wrong to feel a bit of fear or be paranoid. That's what I think. I have to...

"Huh? Oh! Hey, Sasuke, what are you up to?" A familiar voice splits my thoughts. I turn, finding a somewhat chubby boy, a bag of chips in his hand.

"Ah... hey." Beside him, Shikamaru releases a sigh and gives me a friendly wave. He always looks so tired that it's a wonder he doesn't spend half of his day asleep. Though, is that for a lack of trying, I wonder? If my memories! is still somewhat reliable, wasn't his mother very pushy? To be fair, any parent would be annoyed if their child was as lazy as Shikamaru.

"Hey Choji, Shikamaru." I greeted the pair with a smile. Yue flutters closer, finding a nice perch on my shoulder. Her tiny head swerves around our surroundings, taking in the passing crowd.

The tubbier boy holds a bag of chips in his hand. Salt and vinegar, along with some kind of green pepper. The flavour is a strange choice, but my tongue sings out, drawn by the aroma clinging to the air.

"Huh? You want some?" Choji asks, eyes blinking. I stare at the offered bag of chips, curious as to what kind of texture and taste they might possess.

"Don't," Shikamaru suggests, head shaking left and right. "They're really spicy, sour, and salty."

I couldn't help it. Shikamaru might find all of that a bit too much, but I just had to try them out.

"Alright, I'll take some." I answered, sheepishly reaching in for a few chips.

Choji laughs and tosses me the whole bag. "Nah, take it all." He reaches into his mighty pockets and pulls out another bag. "I've got loads!"

...

Should I really be surprised? It seems like he's always eating something. Maybe the Akimichi clan has a technique to make their pockets bigger on the inside? Who knew they could control space along with their size and mass.

"Thanks." I say, placing one of the bigger chips on my tongue. The small, fried potato slice brittlely cracks under my teeth. Its tiny shards pepper the inside of my mouth, covering it with delicious goodness.

"Not bad." I reached for another, happily gobbling it down without a second thought.

"See! I told you the chips were fine." Choji bursts into laughter, gently pounding his knuckles against Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Bah. Both of your tastebuds are horrible." The young Nara groans weakly.

"I don't know." I replied, grabbing another chip and passing it to Yue. "Evidence suggests that you're the one with the faulty tastebuds." A chuckle slithers out of my mouth. On my shoulder, Yue happily grabs the large chip with both hands and starts eating it like a big cookie. It's odd; Shikamaru and Choji don't notice her at all, almost as if something was pulling their attention way.

It's not like Yue can do things without others noticing, as she's bumped into my mother once or twice. She definitely noticed and nearly took the little fairie's head off once or twice. Her particular brand of invisibility was weird. Maybe it applied to the things she held in her hands? But then again, my little sister definitely seems to notice when Yue's flying around with a sheet of paper.

"Ah! These are really good!" The small fairy proclaims. She gives me a hopeful look. I nod and watch as Yue dives into the bag. Loud crunching noises echo from within as it shakes in my hand. Not wanting to let her have all the chips, I grabbed a handful and start stuffing my mouth.

"See! He knows how to eat chips!" Choji jokes.

Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru shakes his head and lets out a sigh.

"Right." He clears his throat and starts looking around. As a neutral silence settles, I turn my attention back to the two boys.

"So, what are you two up to?" It's a genuine question.

"Oh, we're going to look for some treasure." Choji leans in and speaks in a whisper.

"..."

"Treasure?" I asked.

Shikamaru grumbles and speaks a bit more clearly.

"He got this weird map from one of the old people in his clan." The prodigy starts. "Apperantly it leads to, and I quote, 'super interesting treasure'" The young Nara says with a groan.

...

Ok, that definitely sounds like a grandpa trying to let a young boy have some fun. Still, a bit of fun is never a bad idea. As I think this, a small bit of knowledge pings in my mind.

A quest...

[Quest: Treasure Hunt
Objective: Figure out the secret of Choji's treasure map!
Reward: 4 WP | Treasure? | ???]

Well, a quest is a quest! This was my intention from the beginning and it's not like I'll turn down the opportunity. As if agreeing, Yue flutters out of the bag of chips and lands on my shoulder. Tiny splinters of the delicious potatoes line her cheeks. She lets out a small, cute burp and sheepishly covers her cheeks.

"I-I think we should do it." The small fairy whispers meekly. "Y-You'll probably get a decent amount of energy for my wishes." She blushes. "I'm sure it'll help!"

I smile and hold back a chuckle. For someone so small and quiet, her words are quite heavy.

"Alright. I'll help you guys track down this treasure." I give my answer, watching the two boys' reactions. Choji raises his arms in triumph and gives a joyous "yes!"

"With your skill, Shikamaru's brains, and my, ugh, food, we'll get this done in no time!" The young Akamichi shouts, tugging me and the reluctant Nara closer. My heads nearly bounce off another. Surprisingly, the other boy doesn't seem to mind my presence much.

"Eh? Well, I'll definitely have to do less with you coming along." He lets loose a small sigh and slides himself out of Choji's grapple like some sort of eel. "Now, let's go before we catch any other tagalongs," Shikamaru says with a yawn. He looks at the crowd, eyes narrowed as if searching for something.

"The more people with us, the easier to be seen, after all." Indeed. The inverse laws of ninjas are a great weakness indeed.

"Right! Then let's go!" Choji announces and starts walking, but not before pulling out a bag of pretzels from god knows where.

"Want some?" He offers.

"I'm good," Shikamaru answers with a yawn, motioning for the boy's bag my way. When Choji turns to me hopefully, I looked at my own supply of snacks. A peek inside the bag of chips reveals that only tiny crumbs remain. Yue does her best to hide behind my head, wiping away the small bits on her cheek.

"Yeah, I'll have some." I chuckle and thrust my hand into the opened bag. The delicious, salty treats crunch as I pull away and stuff them into my own bag.

"Have some more!" Choji grabs my bag and shives the opening of his own into its mouth. Pretzels flow like water, filling my bag within a few moments.

"I've got lots!" If Choji is one thing, it's definitely not greedy or selfish.

"Thanks." I throw a smile his way and nab a pretzel. The brittle, tasty salted snack snaps in my mouth. I savour the taste and offer a few over to my nervous little companion. With hunger in her eyes, Yue nabs the pretzel and begins chomping down on it like a woodchipper. Then she grabs the net, and then the next.

Is she secretly part Akamichi? It certainly looks like it...

"So, where to first?" I asked the enigmatic boy. Walking in random directions sure won't get us to the treasure.

"Oh! Let me take a look!" Reaching into his pocket, Choji whips out an old, crumpled scroll. Within, ywe find a faded map and several words near the bottom.

Hmm.

"I'm guessing this is your clan home?" I pointed to the rudimentary drawing of houses near the top left. A nearly scratched out "Home" can be seen written just below the design.

"Yeah." Shikamaru nods as the three of us turn onto main street. "If we follow the path here, we should arrive at this forest."

But, there's no scale to the map. The only way to tell if we're even going the right way was by following the small markers written along the way.

"That looks like the Hokage's tower." I point to the center, right in the middle of the trail.

"Yeah- It's where we were headed before we met you," Choji says casually.

Well, maybe we'll find more clues after we get there?

At least, that's what I hoped...

--------------

The Hokage tower is just the same as always. Few people actually walk around this area, yet there's always someone going in and out every now and then. Whether they're genin or not doesn't make a difference; they all have to take the front door or risk being jumped by the highly trained and very stealthy elites probably hiding nearby. Seriously, it'd be stupid not to have guards around. Though, attacking the Hokage head-on is also pretty stupid.

"Right. so, it says we have to look for the spotted tree and then head east untill we reach the pond of a thousand sorrows." Choji recites.

Tree? There's not a damn tree in sight. And a pond? I knew a few, but none had such a crazy and edgy name. It's very anime-like, I suppose.

"The map is very old," Shikamaru says with a yawn. "Maybe we should ask someone as old?"

No...

"Oh! You mean like the Hokage?" Choji suggests.

No. No.

The pudgy boy turns to me with a large, hopeful smile on his face.

"Hey, Sasuke, you're pretty persuasive, right? Do you think you could convince the secretary to set up a meeting with him?"

Does he think I'm some damn silver-tongued devil? I'm just a kid!

"Normally I'd say that was a dumb plan, but Sasuke is the son of the Uchiha's leader." Shikamaru pauses. "With what happened a while ago, I'm sure he wouldn't mind trying to get on their good side."

If I didn't know any better, I'd think Shikamaru already figured out the truth. But no, he's just a child. Still, he makes a good point. It's very likely that the Hokage wouldn't mind meeting with me and helping out. As Choji said, all that needed to be done was to convince the secretary to let me through. Well, more specifically, to ask the Hokage if he's was fine with meeting you. If she just let me through, then she'd be out of a job sooner than I could say "fired." At least, I wouldn't want her as my secretary...

Hm...

honestly there were very few people who could really tell us about the past. Civilians might be our best bet, but I honestly had no idea where to start with them. As for ninja, yeah, well, it was really rare for them to live that long. War, schemes and paranoia would easilly lead even the strongest of ninja to an early grave. Thus, it's no small feat for the current Hokage to have lived to be a ripe, old man. Seriously, he's the only Hokage to retire after a long, eventful life. All the others died in battle, yet he stands above them all.

Sarutobi was called the God of ninja, and while that might not have to do with strength, it almost certainly has to do with experience. My fading memories could hardly recall anyone that's close to his age that's still alive, at least when it comes to his level of strength.

There's that old woman from Sand, the particle style user, and Sasori. I really can't remember anyone else, and Madara doesn't count, as he's an entirely different beast.

Taking a deep breath, I glance up at the Hokage tower. Its towering form is imposing and has my heart starting to race. No. I can't allow fear to grip my heart. Sarutobi is a terrifying man, but he's not moved against me yet. For all he and anyone else knows, I'm just a young, childish boy. If I allow this fear to guide my actions, then I'll never be able to grow, will I? Naruko treasures the man, and he was never a bad person in the original story. Still, this is the real world, not some fairy tale.

"Let's go up." I nod and head for the front doors.

"Nice!" Choji grins and stuffs his face, quickly matching my pace.

"You do all the talking." Shikamaru groans and joins his side. "It's really troublesome and exhausting talking to grown-ups."

I hold back a laugh. The three of us might not be the closest of friends, but we're friends. With them here, by my side, the fear within me didn't look all that big in comparison. Just like these two boys, I had a father and brother that would risk their lives for me. It might be a bit foolish of me, but would the Hokage really do something like kidnap me and have my mind scanned by the secret ninja interrogators?

I bit my lip, doing my best not to laugh. When I call them that, they don't seem all that scary, do they? And no, I don't think he'd risk angering my clan after the hell that nearly happened two years ago.

Two years. It seems so like it was just yesterday. Has it really been that long?

"Hello? Can I help you?" The secretary sitting at the front desk scans the three of us. Her eyes are honed, but friendly. Even someone as young as I can tell that she's no common secretary. My previous suspicions were false. Of course, the Hokage would have a ninja for a secretary.

"We'd like to see the Hokage." I step up, eyes confident and fear fading. There's nothing to be scared of. If the Hokage is as rational and logical as I assumed, then there's absolutely no reason that he'd take me, prisoner. Even if he did figure out my true past, how exactly would that make me an enemy? If anything, I'd be an asset. Still, I'd rather keep that knowledge a secret, least others knowing lead to... problems.

"The Hokage?" Her brow furrows. "He's a busy person, young man." She answers with a smile. "You better have a good reason to talk to him, or else I'll have to turn you three away."

Choji looks up to me hopefully, while Shikamaru shrugs. Confidence sparkles in his eyes. Man, this would be a whole lot easier if he didn't believe I'd succeed before even trying.

...

DC: 20
Roll (5d6): 21 PASS!

"We're students from Konoha's ninja academy." I start, motioning to Choji and Shikamaru.

"And?" The secretary asks, brow rising in question.

"Well, we thought it'd be a good idea to get a headstart on our careers by speaking to the Hokage."

She opens her mouth to interrupt, but I beat her to the chase.

"We're not looking to learn secret techniques or anything." And we're not. What we want is something much simpler. Answers. "We just want to know a bit more about history, and the Hokage's the person you want to talk to for that. Am I right or am I wrong?"

She curls her lip down and blows a sigh.

"Alright. You've got a good tongue on you, kid, but that doesn't mean you'll get your way." She stands. "I'll go talk to him, but in the end, it's up to him."

Yes!

And like that, she gets up and walks through the nearby doors.

"You're so good!" Choji chuckles. "Good job man!" His meaty hands bounce off my back.

"Told ya it'd be easy if you did the talking," Shikamaru says with a sigh. "Just don't get me involved."

It doesn't take very long for the woman to return, and she comes back with good news. That's how we find ourselves talking to the Hokage. Surprisingly, the oppressive fear that crippled me before is naught but a tiny whisper now.

"The pond of a thousand sorrows?" The Hokage chuckles. "That brings back a lot of memories."

He's helpful enough to actually point out exactly where this "pond" is.

"About two decades ago it got turned into a hot spring." He hums. Of course, to keep up the charade, we listen to a few war stories from the old, hardened ninja. By the time we leave, all I see is a frail, nostalgic, and tired old man.

Whatever the case, our next course of action is clear. Inspect the hotspring, though, there's one problem.

"Who's going to check out the girl's side?" Choji asks.

Truly, what horrible luck I had.

=========

Time was running short. The sun was already setting and soon; the three of us would have to split up and head back home. There were many things I feared, but Mikoto's disapproving gaze and sharp tongue were up there. She loved me and everyone dearly, but that didn't stop her from speaking her mind. If she said no, everyone had better open their ears wide and listen. God, I still remember how moody she'd been with Saeko's pregnancy. She'd snap at the smallest of things and read the "perpetrator" a scrip on how badly they messed up.

Being a woman is tough. I'm extremely grateful that I was born as Sasuke, and not the fanfic favourite of Satsuki. Just thinking about that got my skin crawling.

"I'm going in." I turn to Choji and Shikamaru. The former grabs a fist full of pretzels and raises a brow in confusion. The latter, however...

"You're mad!" Shikamaru balks. "I've seen how my mom acted when dad snuck up on her in the bathroom. She nearly took his head off!" Is that fear I hear in his voice? The apathetic and tired groan he'd give in the future was lacking. Curious. What changed that, I wondered?

"Wait, you're going to snea-" I was at his side in an instant, hand gently pressing up against our friend's chubby lips.

"Yes, Choji." It wouldn't do for him to shout out my plan. This was a hot spring that ninja often visited, of course. The more I thought about it, the worse this plan seemed. Unfortunately, I really doubted my chances of convincing the owner to just let us into the woman's side. Even if he did agree, what says he's going to give us the treasure? He can easily claim it as his own, after all, it was in his hot spring.

"Can't you, like, get Naruko or another of your girlfriends to check it out?" Choji suggests, casually scratching his cheek.

...

"Girlfriend?" What is he talking about? They're like, ten! Goosebumps scurry up my spine just thinking about it. No, he's just a kid- they're all kids. They have no idea what they're talking about.

"Huh? She's your friend and she's a girl, right? Doesn't that make you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" Choji dumbly asks.

Shikamaru shudders.

"I hope not. If it was that easy to get a girlfriend, then I'd have to avoid all girls." The Nara said cautiously. Ah... that's right, they are kids.

"What's so funny?" Shikamaru asks, eyebrows rising with a spark of suspicion. Let it be known that the genius is smart, but that doesn't mean he knows everything.

"Nothing." I shoot back with a smile on my lips. "But no, I don't have a girlfriend. Just because I have a girl as my friend, doesn't mean we're like that." It's such a childish idea that it didn't even cross my mind. Kids are silly, but that lets them think outside the box, I suppose.

"That doesn't sound right." Choji huffs, stuffing another fist full of pretzels into his mouth. "But you and Shikaramu are the smart ones, so I'll take your word for it."

Floating around us, Yue partakes in more of the snacks Choji handed to me earlier in the day. At the new term, she pokes her head out, tiny chunks of pretzels sticking to her face and wings.

"Girlfriend?" She hums. "I-I don't think that's good for you." She stutters out before diving back into the bag. I see her little legs waggle as she digs through the pretzels. "T-They distract you from being a ninja."

....

Taking a deep breath, I turn back to my team.

"Alright. Time's short and I think I'm the best suited to be sneaky." Just to make sure of that, I dump the remaining two Skill Points I had into stealth. Honestly, the weird user interface of this ability is something I rarely use, so sometimes I forget it's even there. No matter how much I fiddle with it, nothing new seems pop up and I'm no closer to figuring out how or why it's there.

"You do look like a girl from a certain angle," Shikamaru notes.

"Exac-" I nearly bite my tongue. "What?" I do not!

"Oh, yeah, that's true!" Choji agrees. "I remember Kiba pointing that out. Couldn't believe it until he showed us." He chuckles, though that stops the instant our eyes meet. "N-Not that there's anything wrong with that!" He stutters out. "I mean, it's not as bad as the duck-butt hair joke some of the girls made up!"

I'm not even going to justify that with a response. Though, perhaps I do need another haircut.

"Well, that might be good then." I grumbled out. If I looked like a girl, then maybe I could disguise myself as one?

Choji and Shikamaru share a look. It's for the good of the mission. That's what I tell myself.

"Let's go." They nod and follow me inside.

For the good of the mission...

------------------------

The first step of my plan, sneaking inside, already started to fall apart the instant I tried. There were two people at the front, so distracting one of them was no good. It'd look really suspicious if Choji and Shikamaru tried to mess with both of them, after all. Thankfully, I had a solution.

"Can I get a little help!" The panicked voice said from the door leading to the men's side. It was one of the simplest of genjutsu, but I was using it masterfully... or so I thought. Either way, it worked, and with one of them busy investigating, my friends distracted the other.

DC: 20
Roll (3d6): 8 + 32 (10d6 [Sharingan]) = 40 PASS!

My Sharingan blazed to life, spinning like a crimson pinwheel. Yue's alteration hid it from sigh; anyone who gazed upon my face would only see a pair of black eyes. While only a small change, it had tremendous effects. Finding the right moment, I silently sprinted across into the woman's change room, swiping a towel on the way in. Honestly, it was a bit embarrassing getting my clothes off, but the bulges from it would attract too much attention. To be safe, I wrapped my head in a towel and tried to look as feminine as possible. Considering everything but my face and feet were covered, and I had pretty soft skin, the plan seemed solid. Still, I now had to look for a treasure.

"Seek the old sigil. It bears the tree of life."

The map's strange instructions came to mind, and just like that, I was off. Thankfully, a bit of snooping around and eavesdropping gave me a hint. Admittedly, there were a lot of... distractions in the women's side, but I tried my best to be civil and not look. Try is the word of the day here.

"Did you know that weird altar has been in here for years? I hear the owner found it in the spring when he was constructing the place!"

Just as the woman said, there was a strange, disk-shaped altar near the wall. Engraved on its surface was the depiction of a blooming tree. I had found my mark.

DC: 30
Roll (3d6): 15 + 29 (10d6 [Sharingan]) = 44 PASS!

Through sheer luck and determination, I managed to sneak behind the altar and examine it. Overlooked by the owner and probably everyone else, a small, nearly invisible gap could be seen on its edge. I carefully proper it open and found a small scroll hidden inside. Swiftly tucking it into my towel, I scurried out of the spring and into the change room. This was it! I was home free!

DC: 50
Roll (3d6): 6 + 32 (10d6 [Sharingan]) = 40 Fail!

"Oh? What do we have here?" Those words chilled my bones and glued my feet to the floor. Oh shit. "Tell me, little boy, why are you here?"

I dared not turn around.

Leekz01 · Feb 20, 2021

Ah shit.

Those thoughts practically shake my bones and have the enamel on my teeth peeling as I clamp my mouth shut.

Oh shit.

I've been found, and not by some normal civilian. Even though I'm still in school and not even a genin, I knew there wasn't anyone in the change room. I checked not once, not twice, but thrice before coming in here. How the hell could I miss someone!? No, whoever this is can't be a normal person.

I've been caught by a ninja.

"Well? What you up to, little boy?" The woman's voice slithers into my ear. She keeps a fair distance, yet her voice is no less menacing.

Shit!

How the hell do I respond to this? Being in the women's changing room is a sexual offence! They could fine me and-

...

Oh...

Wait. I'm a kid. I nearly chock as panic was threatening to swallow my mind. When I panic, I forget the most basic of things. It's why the first rule in emergencies is not to do that. I take a deep, calming breath and put on the best "innocent" look that I could on my face.

I'm just a kid. My mind is a cobbled mess of my last life and the childish musing of my new one. The more time passes, the less like an adult I felt, but, no one else knows that. To them, I'm just a child. A weird, maybe creepy kid, but still just a kid.

"Oh! Hello there." I turned Around, a small, casual smile on my lip. Lying? No, if she is a ninja, then there's no way I could deceive her. However, there's more than one way to hide the truth. Lying is just the easiest. "Who are you, lady?"

I look up, eyes meeting a dull pair of orbs. She wears a smile familiar to my own. That's not a good thing. Who does she have to deceive?

"Hmm?" She steps closer, bending down to get a better look at me. "That's what I want to know." Without hesitation, she reaches down and pats my chest. "You're no girl, so what are you doing in the girl's side?"

I swallow and answer as calmly as possible.

"Mom said that strangers touching me is against the law." I step back, hands rising to cover my chest. I needed time- time to think up a way out of this mess.

"Well, then she must have told you that going into the wrong bath is also illegal." Her violet hair spikes up into short ponytail. It feels like I should know this girl; she can't be older than twenty? Twenty-one?

I open my mouth, just about ready to ask her if this was the girl's change room. As her hollow gaze pierces into me, that quickly changes. I can't lie. It won't work.

"Well, I was on a treasure hunt, and I couldn't think of a better way to do it!" I'm not going to trick this ninja. The look in her eyes is like the Hokage's, but far less subtle. No doubt that it was her curiosity that had her speak to me. I've got to use that somehow.

"Treasure?" The young woman asks. "What sort of treasure?"

I shrug.

"My friend's grandpa said he hid something here a long time ago or something," I say, "I was going to try and find it, but, well, it looks like you found me." It's not what I say that matters, but what I don't say.

The girl hums, fingers digging through her chin. I could see the gears turn in her head.

"Ok," She answers, nodding in understanding. I hold back a relieved breath. "I believe that, but that doesn't change the fact that you snuck into the woman's side."

Ah shit.

"Umm... c-can you please not tell anyone else?" Time for plan B. I attach myself to her leg like a tick. Worst case, she kicks me away and calls the owner. Yeah, it'll look really bad and my mother won't be happy, but it's not like I'll go to jail.

I'm just a kid.

"H-Hey. What are you doing?!" She sputters, kicking her leg in an attempt to remove me. "L-Let go."

I hold on for dear life.

"N-Not before you promise me to keep it a secret!" As a child, I had the special ability known as "looking innocent." I've yet to grow old enough to lose it, so best to put it to good use while I can. "I-If you do, I'll do anything you want!"

A bit of a sacrifice, but I had to actually give her incentive to help me out. Honestly, If some kid pulled this on me, well, I wouldn't have helping them. Now, if they offered to do something for me, that's a different story. There's always trash to pick up or a wall to paint. Surely she's the same, right?

"What's that noise?"

"It's coming from the changing room."

"Does someone need help?"

My heart sinks as voices trickle in from the women's bath. Loud, wet footsteps bounce through the door and toward us. People are coming to investigate.

"Ah, shit!" The girl next to me curses. Her eyes snap to me, a frustrated spark burning within. "Fine, you're mine, kid!"

Before I could say anything, the world twists, bends, and my vision swims. Somehow, I find myself outside. I collapse onto my hands and knees, doing the best I could to hold in my lunch.

W-What the hell just happened?

"Don't be a pansy, you little bastard!" The girl's here with me and she doesn't look very happy. "Look, I saved your ass, so you owe me, ok?"

"W-Wha-"

She bites her tongue and glares at me.

"All I wanted was a nice, hot bath after a long mission." She crosses her arms and glares harder. "And you interrupted that, so I'll take that offer." She bends down.

"Now, I'm going to give you three choices. Pick one or I'll go to the highest spot in town and drop you." Her smile is wicked and curved like a dangerous scythe. "Don't worry, I'll grab you near the bottom, but listening to you scream, and maybe piss your pants should cheer me up a bit."

...

What a bitch.

"So, what's it going to be, little treasure hunter?"

==========

"So, what's it going to be, little treasure hunter?"

Her words still stick in my mind, even as I stare down at her "pet."

"Well? Are you going to do it or not?" If this girl was one thing, it wasn't patient. Her brow twitched in annoyance as she glared at me, arms crossed. "Snake's not going to feed itself."

Oh, it would. The little problem was that I was supposed to grab a live rat and toss it inside the snake's enclosure. The poor, fluffy little rodent looked up at me, eyes watering and filled with fear. This... this didn't feel right.

"Don't you have something else?" A slice of meat? Some chicken? Heck, eggs would work.

"You interrupt my bath and now you're telling me what to feed my snake?" She huffs, brow rising. "Look, if you're not going to apologize, then get out." The girl huffs.

She clicks her tongue and shakes her head.

"God damned waste of time. Probably won't have a chance to bathe again till tomorrow night."

I flinch at her mumbled words. That bad? I didn't mean to screw her over that badly. Still, she's a bit of a bitch. Should I feel that bad?

...

A sigh slips from my lip.

"Is there no other way to feed it? I really don't want to kill this cute rat."

She shakes her head.

"Rats are ugly. Snakes are cute." She huffs and reaches into the box, nabbing a rat and tossing it into the snake enclosure. I could only watch as the large python strikes, instantly coiling around the rat and shaping its spine. Not missing a beat, "Sir Snakey" opens its maw and chomps down on the poor rats' head.

At least she can pick cute names...

I watched as the snake devours it whole and slithers toward the window, soaking up the evening sun's fading rays.

"Since you can't feed him, you're going to have to help me feed Ms.Slither."

...

"Am I going to have to feed it another rat?" I asked, somewhat disturbed at the thought.

"Rats?" The grin that splits her face sends chills down my spine. "Nah, we're going to need something bigger," she says with a chuckle, "don't worry though, I'll kill it first."

...

Great.

------------------

Admittedly, I did not expect to be entering the Forest of Death again so soon. Was she insane? I were just a kid!

"This here's the Forest of death." She tells you, a wicked smile on her face. "My friend's inside, and you'll be helping me feed him a cow."

A cow?! How big is this sna-

I bite my tongue. No, I knew exactly how big it's going to be. The creatures inside that place are nightmare-horrors. Do I really have to go inside?

"So? Ya pissed your pants yet?" The shit-eating grin on her face practically wipes any doubt in my mind. She's a right smart ass! Well, I'm pretty sure I've got an idea about who she is. Violet hair, a snake theme, and the fact that she stopped to grab some of those sweet ball things on a stick on the way here...

There's only one person she could possibly be.

"You know, if you kiss the ground and apologize, I don't mind letting you go." She says.

Really now? Well, I'm not backing down. Honestly, she's pissed me off a bit.

"Well, I don't mind going inside, Anko! Let's go!" She stiffens as I spoke her name, eyes immediately narrowing into slits.

"I didn't tell you my name..." She grumbles; I smile.

"You didn't!" And that's how I find her standing behind me, arm on my shoulder. She's really strong.

"Welp, I wasn't actually going to take you inside." She mutters. "Gota get permission and all that, plus people would be really pissed."

She's really starting to squeeze hard! I bite my lip.

"But, considering you're such a smart ass... maybe-"

"Anko?" She freezes as an unknown voice cuts through the entrance. "What are you doing?"

I slowly turn, finding a strange man walking toward us.

"Nothing." Anko curses, clicking her tongue. "I was just showing this kid Konoha's training grounds. He kinda ruined my bath, so I wanted to scare him a bit."

The strange man nods.

"Well, I think you've done a fine job at that. Best you leave before it gets dark." He motions back the way we came. It's hard to really get a good look at him, but his dark brown hair and plain face don't really stick out. He's not anyone I know.

"Bah. Fine." And with that, Anko slings me over her shoulder and rushed off. This time, I do throw my lunch away.

What a bitch.

------------------------

"Right. that's it kid, beat it." I get nothing more. She leaves me back by the hot spring and vanishes. Thankfully, I didn't get dragged into something stupid, but she definitely didn't look very happy.

Shikamaru and Choji find me soon enough, and then it's back to talking about the treasure. The three of us find a nice, secluded spot and I reach for the scroll. Before we even think of opening it, Shikamaru grabs my hand.

"What if it's boobie traped?"

...

A great point. Suffice to say, we end up looping a small bit of string around the scroll and setting it up on a tree. It's the forest and no one's here, so we dee8m it safe enough. When everyone's ready, we find a good, safe spot in the distance and pull. The scroll unfurls and the three of us hit the deck.

A minute passes.

Then three.

Then five.

All seems safe, so we head on over and start inspecting.

"Wait..." Shikamaru's eyes narrow.

"Is this-" Choji looks to me, then back to Shikamaru, a massive smile on his face.

I sigh and palm my forehead.

Why did I expect anything else? God...

"I can't believe it." Shikamaru shakes his head in disappointment.

"I know!" Unlike him, Choji is only filled with satisfaction.

"This is a super-secret cooking recipe! I can't believe we got this!"

And thus ends our treasure hunt.

At least I got wish points out of it.

Yue also had a lot of fun eating Choji's snacks.

Well, it could have been a lot worse.

And thus, ends my tenth year of life.

Nothing bad happened, which I really appreciate.

When school starts again, they finally go about teaching people a new Jutsu. Interestingly enough, they let the students decide what they want to learn.

[Reward: Quest Finished! +4 WP | Yue Happy! +1 WP | Shikamaru and Choji opinion up! | Anko met!]

Leekz01 · Feb 20, 2021

Being a ninja was never really your dream. Honestly, lazing around and just enjoying things as they came was the closest thing to a "dream" that you had. Of course, your parents wouldn't have any of that. It was such a bother. Ninja or not, they wanted you to make something of yourself. Even if you were just a little kid, they knew you were smarter than average. Of course, they didn't t know how much smarter you were untill you'd outsmarted the grown-ups.

It was the first time you actually tried.

Genius.

Prodigy.

They called you so many things, yet those titles meant nothing to you. What you learned was that standing out had put a great deal of attention on you.

"We expect great things from you?"

"Do us proud!"

It was all so... bothersome and frustrating. Your days of lazing around and enjoying yourself vanished, leaving nothing but bookworm and studying. If it weren't for your parents, you'd likely still be doing that. They can be a bit of a drag at times, but in the end, you love them.

"We want what's best for you, Shika."

"Is all of this too much? If so, let us know."

The life of a responsible, disciplined, and charismatic prodigy was not one you wanted. So, knowing that your parents would love you no matter what, you took a match and burnt it all away. They called you lazy. They said you'd never amount to anything. They told you to straighten up or you'd end up like all the other dunderhead ninja running around.

In the end, they wanted a genius that would do everything for them, so you challenged them. A game of wits. It was extremely annoying, but if you didn't do something, everyone would keep badgering your parents. The Hokage signed off on it, and with him as your witness, you faced off against one of the Nara Clan's most wise members.

You'd like to say it was a close match... but it wasn't. Still, too great of a victory and you'd just expedite the issue. Thus, the story of Shikamaru Nara's victory won by the skin of his teeth became the truth. You just wanted a simple life, so, in the end, you settled for the life of a ninja. It was what your parents chose, and honestly, having shadows at your beck and call did sound kinda cool.

School was boring at first. The lessons were simple and you picked them up without issue. As the days passed, you found entertainment in watching your peers. They all had little quirks, but none were as interesting as one Sasuke Uchiha. Supposedly, he was another "genius," yet he didn't act like it. Rather than learn, it was as if he already knew half the things being taught.

You'd keep an eye on him, you thought to yourself. It was sure to keep the boredom at bay.

Eventually, you found a friend in Choji. He kept his emotions on his sleeve, and always carried around good snacks. As time passed, Sasuke himself became a friend. He was a friend to everyone and coupled with his odd behaviour, you got curious.

He looked at everyone as if they were children and he wasn't. The simplest of games bored him, but not the same way they bored you. You didn't find them mentally stimulating enough, but it seemed he saw them beneath him. And then there were his eyes. You'd never seen eyes like that on any other kid.

The more time you spent around him, the more you realized that Uchiha Sasuke was no child. There were childish sides to him, but the way he walked, talked, and interacted with the world reminded you of an adult. It was just a theory, but you suspected he might be an adult. Clearly, no one else noticed. Was it just you? Had he always been like that?

With nothing else to do, you went about investigating. It's surprising what people will tell a kid they don't think much of. Either way, It seemed he'd always been a bit odd, even from the day he was born. A part of you considered pointing this out to an adult, but something stopped you.

Surprisingly, for someone that was supposed to be an adult, Sasuke wasn't exactly the most confident of people. Quite a few things scared him, yet time and time again, he'd step forward if it meant helping his friends. Whether it was defending someone from older students or walking into a dirty bathroom, he'd still do it. The turning point must have been when you, Choji, and he stepped into the Hokage tower.

It was no secret that he was terrified of the man. No one wouldn't have blamed him if he changed his mind or went to find someone else. It would have been the easy answer, yet he stepped forward, scared and all. It seemed your friendship really mattered to him and that he'd gladly face his fears to help out a friend.

Someone like that couldn't be a bad person, you figured.

Sasuke was a true friend, and you'd take this theory of yours to the grave.

For, it was not he who charged headlong into combat without fear that was brave; It was he who raised his sword for his friends, fear in his heart, that was truly brave.

Leekz01 · Feb 20, 2021

When school starts again, they finally go about teaching people a new Jutsu. Interestingly enough, they let the students decide what they want to learn.

"Alright class, please fill out your forms and hand them to the front," Our teachers said. By this point, Iruka and Mizuki had been appointed as our teachers. The old man that taught us so well had chosen to retire. Hinata, of all people, had suggested throwing a farewell party for him. It was a good show of bravery from the often timid girl.

I wasn't the only one changing.

The girls had made the cards and all the boys signed it. To this day, I won't forget the proud smile on our teacher's face.

"I know you'll all grow up to be fine ninja," He had said, eyes slightly watering. "May the will of fire burn brightly within all of you."

The class had really caught him off guard, which was an achievement in itself. He chuckled about how he'd been losing his edge. On that day, everyone ate cake made by Choji's clan.

It was delicious.

"The strengthening Jutsu, huh?" Mizuki said, eyes glancing down at me as he hummed. In his hand was my paper. "A good choice, Sasuke." He gave a bright smile and started telling me how making up for my weaknesses was a smart decision.

The class had been split in two, and I'd been bundled with the traitorous teacher. Though, was he a traitor now? I couldn't recall when he became a turncoat, but perhaps a few subtle notes to the Hokage might help? Then again, nothing would be "subtle" when I'm dealing with masterclass ninja. They'd probably easily figure out who sent the letter and then track me down. Trying to explain why I knew what I knew would be a pain in the ass, that's for sure.

"So, let's start with something simple." Traitor or no, Mizuki was pretty good at his job. There was a reason why he was picked to guide promising ninja, after all. If he wasn't good, he wouldn't be here.

"Now, the basic hand signs are pretty simple, so just look at what do and try to memorize the movements." It was more than easy to get those down with my Sharingan, but knowing how to do something and being good at it were two completely different things. I put the majority of my focus on improving the strengthening Jutsu first.

DC:10/15/20
Roll (5d6): 22 PASS!

Strengthening Jutsu Learned! | Strengthening Jutsu LV set at 3!

As I suspected, the Sharingan's copy ability was second to none. I easily picked up the basics, though I slowed down a bit to not stand out too much. Now, getting better at the Jutsu was a whole different thing. It wasn't nearly as easy, but by the end of the Month, I had made great progress. At the same time, I went around and subtly copied the other Jutsus, adding them to my repertoire. Of course, they weren't exactly well trained, but I at least had the basics down. The other students would no doubt surpass me in their individual choices, but, well, I had all Jutsu.

Of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same. One day, Narkuo called me out and showed off her new and original Jutsu.

"Hey, Sasuke, look at this!" She made a quick few signs and channelled her monstrous reserves into what seemed like a normal transformation Jutsu. "Sexy Jutsu!"

There was nothing normal about it.

Suffice to say, puberty hit me like a truck. My best friend wouldn't stop talking about the weird ways I crossed my legs. There were lots of laughter, and this marked the day where she'd try and surprise me with that Jutsu. Naruko loved getting a reaction out of me, and this had become her ultimate weapon.

It wasn't good for my heart. Not at all...

[Reward: Learned Strengthening Jutsu (LV3) | Learned Substitution Jutsu (LV1) | Learned Transformation Jutsu (LV1) | Learned Sharpening Jutsu (LV1)]

===========

Puberty wasn't as bad as I expected. The first part of the year had hit me like a sledgehammer, but things had slowed down since. My world wasn't a wild ride anymore, and likely due to my previous experience with this annoying part of life, I learned to adapt. Naruko constantly trying to mess with me definitely didn't help, though.

"Sexy Jutsu!" She had stuck to the transformation Jutsu like bees stuck to flowers. Hers, however, was somewhat unique. The normal Jutsu only made a very convincing illusion, but nothing tangible. She somehow managed to actually transform. There were many limits, chief amongst them was that she couldn't transform into anything too large or small. By the looks of it, it was based on her actual height, but there were just too many unknowns to come to an actual concrete answer.

Was it her massive amount of chakra? No, I doubted it was just that. If that was the case, wouldn't someone have figured out this sort of transformation a long time ago? I definitely couldn't reproduce it, even after taking a look with your Sharingan. There had to be another element I was missing.

In the end, I chalked it up to "Ninetails-Bullshit" as I called it. It was either that or some other bullshit I didn't know about, but honestly, they might as well have been the same thing.

"Want to have a taste of my pie, Sasuke~" I nearly bit my tongue trying not to laugh. Bless Naruko and her innocence. This was one of the reasons I had managed to get over the annoyance known as puberty. The boners were stupid and a bit embarrassing, but unless I was in class, they could be ignored. What really bothered me were the hormones that kept screwing me over.

"Or do you want to touch my melons?" couldn't- I burst out laughing and Naruko dropped the pie and melon onto the floor. Where she got them, I have no idea, but her misunderstandings basically made sure I wouldn't be embarrassed. Obviously, she didn't take kindly to me laughing at her attempts to poke at me. She huffed and gave an adorable pout. Before, she only smiled, but thankfully, that had changed with time.

Speaking of change, I wasn't the only one going through puberty. Most of the girls in my class were suffering through it. Naruko was as well, but she didn't seem to be affected at all! Honestly, if it wasn't for a certain event that shall not be spoken about, ever, I'd have been none the wiser. Suffice to say, as her best friend, I'm willing to run to her house and back. Though, if I were as smart as others said, I'd have just talked to a teacher.

Panic makes people do weird things.

Anyways, the other girls had started to notice boys. The few that had started developing were quickly also noticed by the boys.

"Did a bee sting your chest?"

"Ew! What happened to you?!"

"Ha! Did someone pinch you too hard?"

Idiots, the lot of them. They obviously weren't going through puberty, which was understandable; girls usually went through it a lot earlier. Thankfully, those idiots didn't talk for very long. Lead by Ino, the girls squeezed their lips shut. Sakura was by her side, showing that their friendship was growing; I hoped it'd stay like that, but things weren't that simple.

With the advent of puberty, girls started to notice boys more. I just happened to be one of the more "popular" boys in the class, so I got most of the attention. It was very disturbing knowing that little girls were looking at me like that, especially when they came up and tried to talk to me. Thankfully, I had a shield of sorts.

People said Naruko wasn't all that bright, and while she did lack book knowledge, she wasn't a dumb person. She easilly read between the lines and quickly learnt that I was very uncomfortable being approached by the other girls. Naruko had always stuck by my side, but with her making more friends, like Hinata, she sometimes left me to eat with my other friends. No more. She practically glued herself to my hip, and for a time, that worked to keep everyone away.

Ino, however, wasn't so easily dissuaded. She started appearing at our table and did her best to try and impress me. Unfortunately for her, I cared very little for what little girls found interesting. Still, my constant rejections showed a side of her I hadn't seen before. She was strong, at least mentally. Surprisingly, even after a number of rejections, she continued to eat with us and Sakura eventually joined as well.

My daily life became just a bit more interesting. Honestly, I hoped puberty would pass us by quickly.

If only that were the case. We still had a number of years left.

At the very least, I had a friend by my side to make every day a little bit more fun.

=========

It's taken me a few, long, hard years of training, but I'm finally at a level where physical exercise doesn't have me wheezing. I'm faster, smarter, and usually just plain more competent than my peers, but this was the only thing they had on me. Of course, there are outliers like Shikamaru, Hinata, Naruko, and so forth, but generally speaking, I was just plain better at most things in school.

I might be cheating, having the knowledge of a past life and all, but most of my strengths came from genuine hard work and effort. My number one weakness was my endurance. Thankfully, I recognized that and have been spending the last few years improving it. Long, gruelling runs across town. Asking Itachi to help me train when he's around. And just plain exercises. All of that's made my tiny body into something of a weapon. Of course, the average adult is still leaps and bound stronger than me- at least in this world. Still, for a child, I'm very much in good shape. Given a sharp knife and no chakra, you'd easily be able to kill a man if they underestimated me.

...

That's something I can't run away from. The life of a ninja is one where I take that which I protect and then take it from others.

Can I really kill a man?

Flashes of a dark, bloody night come to mind. If I stood still and did nothing, then Itachi would die. The searing heat that drilled through my chest, nearly ending my life. That's the fate that awaits me if I hesitate.

I don't want to kill people... but will they give me a choice?

...

It's a choice I've made before; one I'll likely make again.

The life of a ninja is marred with split-second decisions that could mean life or death. As much as I don't want to admit it- this world has changed me. I've killed or, at the very least, helped kill a man. It's such a distant memory it doesn't even feel like something I did.

Whatever the case, Konoha is doing a good job of desensitizing my class. It's a really morbid thought, considering something like this would have parents smashing down on the school. Teachers would be fired, law-suits would be fined. But not here. In the end, no matter how peaceful the city looks, the facts don't change.

Konoha is a dictatorship and they employ child soldiers. There's nothing I can do about that now; I'm not going to fool myself into believing that the entire world can be changed with a few words. Centuries of murder, betrayal, and hatred don't just vanish in an instant.

This isn't a story where a happy ending is assured. This is the real world.

With that in mind, I double my efforts in training. There's only so much I can do, and while my future knowledge helps in picking up simple methods, that doesn't help me when I get into the more advanced stuff. My growth will eventually slow, but untill then, I have an advantage on everyone else.

I have a headstart, and the only way I'll keep that advantage is by milking it as much as I possibly can.

It's time to train.

[Dex increases by 2, Str increases by 2]

Obviously, I also focused on increasing the skills at my disposal.

[Taijustu Lvl up! (2/10) -> (3/10), Sharperning lvl up! (1/10) -> (2/10), Dancing lvl up! (1/10) -> (2/10), Mangekyo Sharingan - Image Gate chakra cost decreased!]

==================

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 10 Years~

Stats
(6) Strength 3d6 (-1: Trait)
(8) Dexterity 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Agility 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(12) Cunning 6d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(16) Soul 8d6 (+2: Trait)

Chakra: [56] = +32 [Soul*2] + 6 [STR] + 8 [Dex] + 10 [Cun]

STR DMG: 8 = (STR (6) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.2 +.3 (Hakkyokuken) )

Skill Points: 2
Wish Points: 11
Money: 50 Ryo

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [2/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 21
+4d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Basic Genjutsu (Sound) [1/10]: A simple genjustu that produces a sound at your desired location. Limited to simple and rudimentary sounds at the moment.
+Chackra Cost: 5
+Cun/Soul DC: 10

Substitution [1/10]: Move swiftly and replace yourself with a log.
+Chackra Cost: 15
+1d6+2 to your next dodge roll.

Transformation [1/10]: Cover yourself in an illusion made of Chakra.
+Chackra Cost: 20
+1d6 to your next disguise roll.

Sharpening [2/10]: Coat your weapon in Chakra, making the edge slightly sharper.
+Chackra Cost: 13
+Add +5 DMG to your weapon.

Strengthening [3/10]: Coat your muscles in Chakra, making you slightly stronger.
+Chackra Cost: 22
+Temporarily gain +4 STR.

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

{Combat}

Taijutsu [2/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls | .2 toward Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Hakkyokuken [2/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.3 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Total = 1.5) (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [2/10]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +3d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.
One-Handed Swords [1/10]: How to use one-handed swords. +1d6 to combat rolls.

{Utility}
Stealth [3/10]: Ninja Vanish! +3d6 to rolls.

{Life}
Dancing [2/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +2d6 to rolls.
Singing [2/10]: You've apperantly got a really good singing voice. Still, being called adorable by your mom's a bit humiliating... +2d6 to rolls.
Cooking [1/10]: It doesn't hurt to pick up a few cooking skills here and there. +1d6 to rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you blinder.
+Image Gate: You can summon shades of Naruto and Sasuke? They're not as strong as they should be...
+cost: 35 Chakra + 5/ Round.

The Price Of Power: Using the Mangekyo is not a good idea. It'll leave you blind.
+[1/300]

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (100%): You've got the hang of Lightning Element chakra. (Lighting Jutsu gain bonuses | Higher Tier Lightning Jutsu Can be Learned)

Scarred: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
+Medium House Replica: A gift you gave her. He table-sized house she lives in. It has a pool!
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?
Seako Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Elite Smoke Bomb X1: Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

Leekz01 · Feb 20, 2021

Saeko was almost two years old already. It felt like almost yesterday that she was crawling around on all fours. One thing that was plain to see was that she adored Itachi. Nowadays, I could see her waddling about, calling out "Tachi! Tachi!" whenever my brother was around.

If Itachi was in the house, you could bet she'd be on his tail. A part of me was happy, mostly because younger siblings were... well, not my thing, really. Babies were ugly and took up a lot of effort to look after.

And, honestly, I might have been dreading the fabled "little sister" archetype. Thankfully, once again, the world reminded me that this wasn't some story. Aside from my mother and father, Itachi was the one who took care of her, so she grew attached. Though, it's not like I don't love her or anything. She's my little sister and I'd gladly spend time with her.

...

It's just that I'm usually busy training or focusing on other things. Today was one of those days where I had nothing to do.

"Hey Saeko, how're you doing?" the youngest member of my family turns, jet black eyes rising to meet my own.

"Asque!" I winced at that. She had made small nicknames for everyone and mines was the worst for obvious reasons. Tachi just had a much better ring to it than that.

"Want to go play in the yard?" Her face lit up and she wobbled over, clinging onto my leg like a tick. My little sister was incredibly perceptive and could usually figure out what I was saying pretty easily. There were still a few times she looked super confused, but as they say, kids grow up fast.

Gently lifting her up, I headed for the pond in the back. It was a place I loved to sit down and relax in. Maybe I could watch the fish with her? Though, there were also a few other options.

Hmm.

========

"Oh? It's been a while, partner." Jubei scurries up from where I summoned him. He looks around, taking in our backyard. It's the biggest around, mostly because of my father's position. The adorable little cat summon had grown much since the time we first met. Still, he was pretty short, but the blades on his back promised pain to his enemies.

"Need me to train again?" He asked, eyes swiftly dropping toward the pound. Fish of varying sizes swim within.

Jubei's presence was rare, but the two of us met up at least a few times a month. Life kept me busy, but the small cat-ninja was my summoned partner. The head of the feline contract wouldn't have it any other way.

"Actually, I was wondering if you were up to help me keep my sister entertained?" Saeko struggled in my grip, and as I put her down, she wobbled closer to my partner.

With cute babbles and coo's Saeko latched on to Jubei's fur. The summon blew a sigh and allowed the small girl to crawl into his back.

"I expect many fish sandwiches for this." He was a grumpy cat, yet he stood firm.

"Fast!" Saeko yelled between giggles. "Fast!"

Jubei grumbled and began walking, giving my sister a furry piggyback ride. Honestly speaking, it did look a bit fun and the bright smile on her face had my lips rising.

"How much longer do I have to keep this up?" Jubei groans, tail trying to worm its way out of Saeko's grip. I winced and walk closer, pulling her from his back.

"Saeko, that's wrong." Jubei lets out a relieved sigh and begins padding the unruly mess that is now his tail. "You hurt our friend, so apologize,"

"Fast?" She looks up at me confusion fluttering across her face.

"No. Not fast," I say, keeping my voice neutral. "It's not funny or nice to hurt friends."

She reaches out for Jubei's tail and I pull her away. Of course, that isn't exactly what she wants. Saeko starts to sniffle and that soon turns into a low whine.

"This is why I don't like your kind's children," Jubei huffs, arms crossing as he stares at my sister.

I really don't have a counter to that. Saeko's incredibly spoiled. It doesn't help that my mother and Itachi give her just about everything she wants. Of course, it's not exactly as easy as telling her no. If Seako has one strength, it's the ability to make people feel really bad when she cries. For example, right now she's trying her best to get me to let her hop back on Jubei.

"No." But I won't. There are some things you're not willing to do, and letting her hurt my friend is one of them.

As if sensing my iron-will determination, her sniffling fades. Instead, Saeko looks at me with an amusing pout. She's smart, especially for a young child. Still, her adorable childishness never fails to bring a smile to my face.

-----------

After what feels like an hour, it becomes obvious that fish can only entertain a little girl for so long. Jubei also seemed to have eaten one... or two. He wasn't very open with the fact, probably because he thought these were my family's fish.

They technically were, but it's not like I paid for them. In fact, I'm sure Itachi fished out one or two from a nearby lake. If anyone would be upset, it'd be him. Which makes it a rather good idea to leave as soon as possible. I nab Saeko and start quickly walking away. She squirms in my arms and Jubai, sensing my worries, hurries after me.

"Something wrong?" The young cat asks, head snapping around periodically.

I do the same, making sure an annoyed Itachi isn't following me. There's no way he would, considering he should be out right now.

"My brother likes feeding the fish," and that's all Jubei needs to know. His face goes pale and his fur curls up.

I'm pretty sure he named some of the fish. I completely forgot about that.

"Did you eat the one with the red and blue fins?" That's his favourite. I don't think he really cared much about the others.

Jubei blows a sigh and shakes his head in relief.

"No," he says with a gulp. "It was a big goldfish."

...

Ok. I don't remember that one. Was that a new fish?

Whatever the case, a chilling realization strikes me. The small child in my hand had stopped squirming and as I turn, I see her staring at the both of us very intensely. Her eyes sparkle with the mischievous glint of someone that won't forget.

"Saeko... you're not going to tattle on your big brother, right?"

She lets out a cute giggle and turns to my right.

"Tachi!"

My heart nearly explodes, but no, Itachi isn't there. She turns back to me, a sly grin on her face.

...

My little sister is a damn manipulative little monster!

"Come on, Saeko, I'm your big brother!"

She hums and looks away.

"Tachi!"

...

I see how it is. She wants me to bribe her.

"How about my back?!" Jubei suddenly speaks up, a small hint of panic in his voice.

"Partner, I know your brother," he says with a deep breath. "I don't want to be on his bad side."

I couldn't help but let out a sigh.

My little sister is many things, but a scheming blackmailer wasn't something I expected. Though, to be fair, she's just a kid. Children are perhaps the most remorseless of all creatures. Jokes aside, she's got me in a little bind now, hasn't she?

...

Then again, Saeko's just a child. What would a decent brother do?

I take a breath and hoist the girl onto my shoulder.

"Want to try out swimming?" Her eyes sparkle with excitement. She's been eying our home's pond for several weeks now. Our mother even caught her trying to leap inside in some suicidal attempt at swimming. How the hell she got there when living in a house of paranoid ninja is beyond me. Though, honestly speaking, she probably just snuck out of her bed when mom was dealing with a visitor.

Since then, Saeko's been prohibited from swimming. It's a bit strict in the way that she's not even allowed near a body of water, but I can see why that is. Our mother is a worrywart and would likely skin my hide if anything happened to her.

"Wim?!" Saeko exclaimed, practically vibrating in my grasp.

I blew out a sigh and nodded.

"Yeah," I answered, eyes darting left and right. There was no one here- no mother or father that would leap out and punish me.

"I hope you're not expecting me to swim as well," Jubei said. He strolled by my side, furry arms crossed. As Saeko reached out for one of his ears, he stepped away.

"The grabby one is too grabby," he huffed, eyes narrowing. My little sister answered his disapproval with a frown. Once more, her eyes started to moisten. And once more, I refused her.

"It's not nice to hurt friends, Saeko," I said, turning her to face me. Held up just in front of my face, I could see her frown twist into a pout. If she didn't become a ninja, which I hoped she didn't, she'd make a great diplomat.

Honestly speaking, I didn't want to be a ninja either. Know the skills and techniques? Sure, that was amazing. But being held down by a village, anchored to their rule, and forced to murder as a basic part of the job just didn't suit me. Sadly, any and all ninja that deserted would be hunted down and killed. No exceptions. Those that lived were either incredibly powerful, stealthy, and smooth.

Whatever the case, my little journey with Saeko eventually leads us to a familiar building. At first, I was considering taking her to one of Konoha's many lakes, but that was a bit stupid. If something happened to her, I'd be incredibly far from help. Even with my new techniques, I was still pretty slow. Instead, I chose a much closer, and more importantly, safer spot.

"Hmm, have we met before, kid?" The friendly man asks. I smile and shake my head.

"No, sir," I lie, eyes turning towards the change rooms. Konoha's hot springs, home to people of all kinds. The memory of my last visit here is still fresh in my mind. It was close, but somehow, I managed to pull through.

The man's eyes fell to Jubei in his "normal cat" form.

"I'm sorry, but we don't allow pets," he said, giving us a small smile.

I stared at my partner. He stared at me.

"He's not a pet- he's a ninja trying to lay low."

The man looks at me, doubt practically seeping from his pores. Thankfully, Jubei transforms, taking on the appearance of a young boy.

"It's my day off," he says with a grumble. "I'd rather not be seen, if you get my drift."

Smooth, Jubei. Smooth.

With that, there's no hold-up and the three of us enter the hot spring. This time, I go to the appropriate side. The water is warm. The sun is refreshing. But, most of all, Saeko is in no danger.

"Wim!" She splashes about, standing in waist-high waters, at least for her. It's not exactly a swimming pool, but its enough for her.

Though, there's another matter on my mind.

"Since when could you transform?" I ask Jubei, eyes hovering around his face. The cat summon raises a brow and shrugs.

"You already knew I could transform," he said. "Why are you surprised?"

"I thought you could only turn into a normal cat!"

He rolled his eyes, stretching his body out as a cat would.

"Ok, fair point," my friend replies with a yawn. "It's something I picked up recently, but still, you never asked~"

I blow a sigh and shake my head. Even though he's not a normal cat, he sure acts like those lazy felines.

And so, I lean back, relax, and make sure Saeko doesn't do anything crazy. When she starts getting dizzy, I call it a day and nab her. She struggles and squirms, but by the time I've dried her off and put her in clothing, she's already asleep.

Like a little angel.

But, just like angels, devils existed.

My mother was, for a lack of a better word, pissed.

"You should have let me know." Her rage wasn't scalding, but frigid. Calm and sharp, like a knife. Thankfully, I had a secret weapon.

Saeko stirred in my hands, and with quick reflexes, I put the young child in Mikoto's hands.

"Moma?" Saeko yawned, a small smile on her lip. Reaching forward, my little sister planted a soft kiss on our mother's cheek.

Her spike of anger dimed, and I breathed a sigh of relief. With soft eyes, she returned the kiss and started whispering into Saeko's ear.

"I'll talk to you later, mister," Mikoto huffed, attention drawn away by my sister. "But for now, you can go to your room."

I hoped she forgot about this. But... our mother never forgets.

Slinking away, I gave Jubei one final glance. The tricky cat had turned into an actual cat and hid in the other room.

Well, there was still a bit of time left.

Maybe I could prepare some tuna sandwiches?

Those always tasted good...

Leekz01 · Feb 24, 2021

Times flew by faster than I could imagine. I was in my second last year of the academy. Next year I'd be pushed harden than ever for the year that followed. Graduation would likely be before I actually turned thirteen, but those were all just semantics. Eleven years, all in the blink of an eye.

It really felt so... short? Looking back on everything, it feels like I've grown so much. The days of nearly losing my sanity, to being engulfed in paranoia and fear. It took so long just to realize that the world wasn't against me. If whatever force or quirk of fate that brought me here wished me dead, I'd likely never have made it out of my mother's womb.

The world is cruel, harsh, and unforgiving. However, I've built a new life here, one where I have friends and family that can protect me. The future is a canvas with a shaky outline, yet that doesn't mean it can't all be erased and redrawn. If I want to prevent the coming horrors, then I need to do something. Standing around and hoping for what happened once to happen again is a fool's dream.

There's no Naruto. I'm not Sasuke. No one is going to help me with this.

I'm alone, but it doesn't have to be that way forever. First and foremost, I need to grow my personal strength and prove to those that I'm needed, that I'm necessary. I have to show the Hokage that I'm someone worth trusting- someone that wouldn't lie. Perhaps telling the truth won't work, so I'll find another path. Untill then, I need to grow and help those around me do the same.

Those that once became friends might end up becoming the worst of enemies. The most dangerous of foes might end up on my side. Nothing is set in stone and with a brush in my hand, I aim to help draw a future where everyone lives; everyone I can reasonably help, of course.

What sort of future do I want?

A future where I sleep all day, comfortably resting at home?

A future where I'm in a position of power? The power of the Hokage?

A future where zi read interesting stories? A future where I don't have to fight?

Or...

Do I simply wish a future in which I follow my friends?

...

Many things had changed as time went by. Perhaps my dream was one of them. Now, as I looked at the world- at my friends, I found a burning desire within me. Power and strength now coursed through my veins. I could leap from building to building, though it took a bit of effort. With a single swing of my hand, I could accurately pin a kunai to a target.

I could breathe god damned fire by making silly signs with my fingers!

Maybe... maybe I had been far too paranoid and cautious. Everything I did was to grow stronger and prepare. But now, having developed a bit more, feelings once buried were slowly coming to the surface. It was a silly dream- one I had in my old world. A dream in which I gained power and used it to better the world; to explore unseen sights and help those around me.

It was a childish desire, but one I wholeheartedly believed in.

This world was no fairy tale, but I had the power to do something. I would help those I could and make sure my friends were strong enough to make their dreams a reality as well.

Perhaps I'd change this dream in the future. Everyone changes and no one could see what laid in store for them. Still, untill that day came, I'd try my best at this.

With each step, I walk further and further from who I was yesterday. A new me is just around the corner.

========

Another day, another morning of hard work. With a yawn, I rise out of bed, heading straight for the kitchen. My mother is already up and frying up your breakfast. Eggs and bacon, not exactly the most traditional Uchiha breakfast, but one I liked all the same.

Speaking of tradition, the Uchiha have practically seeped themselves in it. A normal meal consists of rice, a few steamed vegetables and an even smaller amount of meat. I hear the Hyuga are even more strict when it comes to this. Hinata once told me it was supposed to instill discipline and help open their "third eye." She said it was just a legend, but I practically shivered at the thought of a certain moon goddess. Even old legends like that held some truth, though I doubted a diet would help anyone obtain that.

Anyways, the food was delicious. The instant I finished my plate, two more strips of bacon made their way there.

"You don't have to-" I began, only to be stoped as my brother raised a hand.

"You need it more than me," he teased, finishing up his food.

Maybe it was because I was the one who suggested more diverse meals, but he'd been doing that as of late. My brother had become quite the trickster in his later years. Mother always seemed to blame Shisui for being a bad influence, though I knew it's not just him. Izumi was as much at fault as that scoundrel. They say finding a girl you like changes you and that looked to be the case with my brother.

Though, it's not like his more expressive nature bothered anyone. Compared to the cold, efficient, and frankly terrifying Itachi of old- my brother was friendly, surprisingly easy to talk to, and a very good listener. He still had that silent air to him, but he smiled a lot more and spoke with the wisdom I only seen in his later incarnation. The brother who lost everything, including his life, had never come into being.

Instead, I had Itachi- the brave, overprotective brother who couldn't help but tease you. Oh, and he just loved to spoil Saeko.

"Thanks." I answered, poking the bacon with my fork and smearing it around in the oil and salt. I'd burn these calories just by doing my daily exercises. Being a ninja had its perks.

"Oh, Sasuke, are you stopping by your friend's house today?" Mikoto's sudden question had my mind turning.

"Naruko?" I rarely stopped by anyone else's house. There was that one time with Choji and Shikamaru, but it was quick and not really worth mentioning.

"Yep," she answered with a little giggle. "Last time she stopped by, she said she loved my pie, so I made one just for her."

A whole pie. Honestly, I was a bit jealous, but if anyone deserved it, it was Naruko.

"Sure, I'll drop it off in a bit."

Speaking of Naruko, her face had become almost a common occurrence at my household. She'd stop by to train with my mother every week and then just crash my training. Sometimes she went diving into my room and wouldn't leave untill I spent some time with her. The shy, meek, and scared little girl of the past was unrecognizable. She was more like a spoiled brat that would barge into a friend's conversation just so they'd talk to her.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Still, Naruko wasn't Naruto. She'd never be him. Whatever the case, I had a long day ahead. Today, I wanted to find another quest.

Hmm.

==========

The day was sunny, peacefully, and just ripe for exploration. I already had an idea of what I wanted to do, but first, there was a pie that needed to be delivered. Unsurprisingly, with it being the weekend, Naruko was just lazying around in her house. She hadn't even locked the door...

Again, while my friend looked like a clueless imbecile, she was surprisingly observant and quick to catch onto things. People still avoided her and quite a few parents wouldn't let her anywhere near their child. It had been nearly a decade since the nine-tails had been sealed, yet the cracks ran deep. Konoha was finally starting to get back on its feet, but its economical future was on shaky ground. Thought, this was just something I assumed based on overhearing my parents. I wasn't some sort of economist or something.

Anyways, I stepped into her house just as easily as anyone else could. Though, the truth was that no one would. Naruko knew this, as did I. While it looked all clear outside, I was sure there was a group of ninja stationed out of sight. Then again, maybe the number had shrunk to a single one? Naruko wasn't a helpless child any longer. Nevertheless, she was still a very valuable member of the village. To leave her unattended would just be calling for misfortune.

"Sasuke, that you?!" Her voice echoed through the small apartment.

"Yeah!" I answered. "Where are you?"

"Bedroom!" she replied.

Stepping through her house, I was happy to see it that there was barely anything out of place. Just remembering the pigsty this had been a few years ago still makes me shiver and gag. How the hell could someone get used to so much garbage being around? Whatever the case, as I stepped into her room, I came to an unusual scene.

...

"What are you doing?" I questioned, brow furrowing deep in thought. It looked like she was trying to touch her nose with her foot?

"Kunoichi training!" she answered like that would explain everything. Whatever, I was pretty sure those were just stretching exercises.

"How come they don't teach us those stretches in our classes?" Seriously, stretches weren't just beneficial for girls. Everyone would be better off being a little bit more flexible.

Naruko rolls her eyes and grins like a fox.

"Well, that's cause our lessons are super-secret!" she proudly announces, walking closer and gently flicking your nose. "There's no way you'd ever do the stuff we learn!"

Really?

"I don't think I want to dress up like a pretty girl and trick people into telling me their secrets." Though, it's kind of really god damn creepy that seduction classes are a thing. No, seriously, that's super disturbing. A least, that's what I assume those classes are, right?

"Bah! I don't like acting all nice and giving pretty eyes either!" Naruko huffs, arms crossing over her chest. "They make us practice how to serve tea, how to bow, how to make flower-hat things and a bunch of other stupid stuff!" That did sound really boring. Though, it sounded like it was more of an etiquette class than what I suspected. That was a very good thing. "Still, I'm trying to turn all that mushy stuff into something I can use- like these stretches!"

She then proceeds to draw a kunai from her shoe with her toes and hit a target on the wall.

"Did you see that!" She shouts gleefully. "Score!"

And that's how you learn about Naruko's new and interesting "technique." To be fair, no one would expect that. Either way, I quickly show her my mother's pie and got to eating. Of course, she gave me half and then ate her half with a cup of ramen.

No matter what I say, she's never going to stop. She's an addict at this point, surely...

With our stomach filled, I tell her about my plan.

"I guess extra lessons are never bad," she says with a whimper. Her tone betrays her. I'm pretty sure she'd rather be doing anything but training.

"You could always not come." I say.

Puffing out her cheeks, Naruko gives me the evil eye and shakes her head.

And that's how the two of us head for the academy. Unlike the actual story, Iruka and Naruko weren't all that close here. She was a prankster, yes, but not to the extent she could have been. More importantly, Naruko was actually a very good ninja in training. All that extra training I had her do paid off immensely.

"So, you want to train?" Naruko asked, fingers digging into her mouth. She made a wet popping noise as she suckled on her digits, cleaning off the last bits of pie. It was honestly very distracting and made my stomach churn slightly.

Those weren't human noises...

"Yeah," I answer with a nod. The door shuts behind us, and Naruko starts to walk away. "Aren't you going to lock it?" I call out, brow furrowing in frustration.

"Huh?" she turns around, a curious look in her eye. "I don't need to do that!"

I shake my head and motion her over. Naruko responds much the same and lets out a loud groan. "Come on! No one's going to steal anything!"

Ignorance is bliss, but I very much doubt Naruko is ignorant of the world. She knows full well what people can do. Though not quite as ostracised as Naruto, she's suffered her fair share of hate. Naruko's had me as a friend since she was tiny, and the list only grew as the years passed. If anything, the reprive has made her more shrewd than Naruto ever was.

Then again, he wasn't all that cunning, to begin with.

"Just because no one's done it to date doesn't mean no one's going to do it," I counter, a calm look on my face. Honestly, in the world of ninja, a locked door might as well be a wet tissue paper. Unless there are explosive seals or other crazy things like that, the door's basically unlocked. Still, that's not the point.

Normal people don't just leave their homes unlocked. It's a bad habit and one I'd rather my friend not have.

"Fiiiiine," Naruko groans, quickly rushing past me and reaching into her pocket. Out comes an old, scratched key. With a soft click, she buries said key in her pocket once more and gives me her attention.

"Ready?" she asks, a jovial tone in her voice. "Don't need me to wipe my bum or make sure I'm wearing underwear?"

Her childish taunts are like rain against an umbrella. I show no reaction aside from a raised brow. Perhaps if she'd transformed into that cursed Jutsu of hers, things might be different.

It was all fun and games when it was just a show. In real life, aside from the obvious discomforts, people will look at you weird and no one will ever forget. There's no difference from what she does and some random naked woman soliciting you on the street back home.

Thankfully, Naruko's intentions are purely innocent in nature. I wouldn't expect anything else from an eleven-year-old, but I have to make sure to keep my true feelings hidden. My face must be a stone wall that deflects all blows.

If she learns how to get me flustered, she'll keep at it. Like a shark smelling blood, she'll bite and not let go.

Truly, children can be the worst kinds of people. They poke and poke untill the bear howls in anger.

Thankfully, Naruko knows some restraint. She'll only prod and push untill it's obvious that you're upset. She stops short and then waits a while to do it again. A vicious cycle of teasing and trying to get a reaction out of me.

As of late, it seems like she lives for these kinds of things.

In a way, it's not so different from how Naruto made a fool of himself to garner attention. Indeed, some things never change.

"Well, you coming?" Naruko says, a huff leaving her nostrils. "We don't have all day!"

I bite back a smirk and nod.

"Yeah. Let's see if we can find anyone else on the way."

She wasn't the only one that found it fun to tease others. The childish part of me was just as bad as her, after all.

--------------------

As usual, Konoha's streets were filled with the bustling of merchants and people. It was one of the nation's most prosperous villages, even after the nine-tails attack. Things were slowly getting better, and the unfamiliar faces selling merchandise were more than enough proof of that.

Naruko Roll (10d6): 45!

Coincidentally, I happened to run into Kiba as he was scouting out one of the new merchants.

"Huh? Training?" He mumbled my words, eyes leaping to the stall and then back to me. "Alright, sure." He answered with a grin.

"Let me just buy Akamaru these new treats and I'll come with!" The tiny dog lets out an excited bark and began running around the young Inuzuka.

"I won't let you beat me, Sasuke!" Those were Kiba's words of challenge, which I was certain meant he was going to try and fight me.

In any case, with one more person in tow, I headed for the academy. Curiously, Sakura seemed to be just sitting by a nearby bench on the way there. She had this look on her face that made it seem like her world was ending.

When I asked her to tag along, she gave a frail smile and nodded. I wasn't sure what was happening, but she could probably use friends to talk to or at least hang out with. Speaking of friends, it was a good thing Hinata was already at the school. It seemed she had much the same idea as me and was standing by the gates.

A nervous look flashed across her face as she contemplated whether to enter or to leave. Eventually, she made up her mind and stepped inside, only to nearly have a heart attack as Kiba greeter her with an almost ear-splitting shout.

"Yo! Hinata!"

The young ninja almost smashed her head into the sun with the jump that followed. Thankfully, it didn't take her very long to calm down. Still, she was squirming like a bug for a moment there.

"O-Oh, um, yes!" She was more than happy to join our little training session.

As for the actual training, Iruka was actually doing some grading. He said he'd help us all out if we did something for him. There were a number of tasks, and to keep things simple, everyone would partner up. Everyone but the odd man out, who'd help him.

Iruka was, for a lack of a better world, a very diligent teacher. He was one of those people that would gladly spend hours of his time helping a failing student catch up with his peers. He was kind, but also stern. So long as you weren't disrupting the class, he'd let you get away with very minor things. Yet, if you stepped out of line, he wasn't afraid to put his boot down.

This wasn't how he was during the first few weeks, but that swiftly changed. Class clown or not, Naruko was still pretty disruptive at times. She had a much longer attention span, but certain subjects just bored her out of her mind. Of course, this meant she turned to me for entertainment. That wasn't good- for me or anyone else.

"Training, huh?" Iruka mumbled, eyes darting from me to the rest of my friends, eventually stopping on Sakura. "That's a good idea," he said with a small smile.

"Mizuki's not here today, so you guys will have to rely on just me."

Kiba's lip splits into a grand smile.

"Ah well, you'll do fine!" he proudly announces. "That guy's ok, but you're the best!"

His words held some truth. Mizuki was much more charismatic than poor Iruka; he knew how to handle them better. Being children, not many noticed, but Mizuki was a very good at staying out of the firing line. Whenever Iruka went off on someone, he'd be the one to calm him down and then be the "good" cop to Ituka's "bad." Of course, no one likes the bad cop, so on a surface level, Mizuki just seems a lot more approachable.

Of course, anyone that spends some time actually trying to talk to both will quickly start to see the difference. Mizuki sticks around, but not nearly as long as Iruka. He helps but isn't nearly as involved. When you succeed in something, Iruka's right there, sharing your joy. Sometimes, you'd think he was the one that figured it out. Yet, Mizuki has an air of indifference. He smiles and gives congratulations, but never seems invested.

So, while Mizuki has a sweet, friendly surface, his innards aren't nearly as soft as Iruka's. It's for that reason that most of the "smart" kids go to him first for help or training. Though, that's not to say the others aren't smart; they're just children, and seeing through sweet masks is a skill that comes with age and wisdom.

Iruka chuckles at Kiba's praise.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but you shouldn't be talking bad about your teachers," he fires back, gently striking Kiba's head with the flat of his hand. "Now, let's see how you can help me get all of this finished with so I can help you."

Sometimes, it really felt like my life worked on videogame logic. This was a great example; the oh so "important" fetch quests.

Hopefully, it all went by quickly.

----------------

The five of us were split into partnered groups.

"Work together and we'll be done within the hour!" Iruka said, a small smile on his lip. Say what you will, but the man was really good at his job.

Naruko partnered up with Kiba and Hinata stuck with Iruka. I went with Sakura, if only because I was slightly worried about her. Maybe things would have been different if she were some other student, but the fact was that she wasn't. I knew Sakura, or what she would become. She wasn't the person I watched all those years ago, but it was pretty hard to get rid of that sort of bias.

"Right, you two can go inspect the boiler room in the basement," Iruka said, eyes darting from page to page. The large book in front of him was imposing and full of endless lines of text. What was it? Unfortunately, that was something I'd not be finding out today. "It's been giving us some trouble lately and I wanted to check that out."

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small little pamphlet.

"You don't need to touch anything-" I took the pamphlet and started flipping through it. "-just read it and jot down the information I need that's on the first and second page."

Basic reading comprehension and note-taking. This really was a very easy task, though I could see why he couldn't go do it himself. The amount of paperwork on his table reached halfway up to his shoulder.

"How come Mizuki isn't helping?" Kiba huffed.

Iruka gave a small smile.

"He has something really important to do."

I doubted that.

In any case, Kiba and Naruko headed off to clean up a few things in the attic. Poor Hinata was going to help Iruka with the paperwork. Just looking at that mountain made me wilt.

"Let's go, Sakura," I said, not wanting to keep everyone waiting. The sooner this could be finished, the sooner we could start training.

Sakura gave a half-hearted nod and followed after me. She dragged her feet and I had to deliberately match her pace, otherwise, I'd have left her behind. It was extremely obvious something was eating away at her- the real question was what.

"So, how was your day?" I asked.

I wasn't a therapist or anything, but I could be a friendly ear. Though, it was up to her to talk.

"Ok, I guess," she mumbled, a sigh bursting from her lip. The conversation died then and there.

This was going to be hard. I could tell.

---------------

The basement was easy enough to find, and honestly, Iruka's task was even easier than I expected. It took the two of us less than five minutes to write down all the readings and start our track.

The school was mostly empty, it being the weekend and all that. That made talking very easy, but Sakura still refused to open up. I couldn't force her and trying to just didn't feel right. Thankfully, she eventually said something.

"Sasuke... do you think I'm a good ninja?"

Leekz01 · Feb 25, 2021

I gazed at the young girl before me. A sullen, hesitant aura surrounds her. I don't need to ask to see what she thinks the answer to her question it. Sakura's made up her mind, and now, all she wants is confirmation. I have no idea what happened, but I'm not about to break a young girl's heart. I won't be lying to her either, however.

"I think you have a lot to improve on," I start. Sakura flinches, eyes sinking even further into the floor. "You're not a good ninja trainee, but you are good enough to be one."

My words sour her mood, but nevertheless, she raises her head. Sakura looks at me with a hint of hope and a whole lot of doubts.

"I thi- I believe you can be a good ninja," I say after carefully considering my words. She blinks, confusion dancing on her face.

"But you said-"

I hold up a hand. She bites her lip and nods. A smile slithers onto my face and I gently pat her shoulder.

"You're patient, a good listener, and very observant," I start with something soft to lessen the blow that's coming. "However, you're perhaps one of the weakest people in our class, physically speaking."

Being a girl has nothing to do with it. Chakra is a perfect equalizer and the only thing that makes a difference is dedication and control.

"Sometimes you're too smart and ignore the obvious answer," her brow quirks. "But, through it all, you have excellent chakra control."

She practically passed all those exercises in just a few tries.

"But... isn't that because I have such small reserves?"

I give a half nod, but quickly follow up with a counter-argument.

"Your reserves will grow, but unless you keep at it, your control will not."

Sakura mulls over my words, tossing them around in her head.

"You have a lot of potential." I pause, giving her a second to digest my words. "Genjutsu and medical ninjutsu would be something you'd likely excel at."

She blinks, almost as if the idea never crossed her mind. Though, it's not that hard to imagine. Our classes only briefly touched the subject and we wouldn't be learning actual Genjutsu untill next year.

Sakura stays silent, eyes locked to the floor.

"Without the drive and desire to grow, you won't realize that potential." She nods, taking a tiny breath. "Chakra's what makes us strong, fast, and shoot fire from our mouths."

She looks up at me, brow furrowing.

"With your control, I wouldn't be surprised to see you punching as hard as Tsunade or something." Sakura lets out a gasp, absolute shock on her face. The surprise slowly begins to fade, however.

"I... Thank you for being so nice, Sasuke," she whispers. "But you don't need to lie like that."

Damn it...

"I doubt I'd ever do anything as amazing as what Lady Tsunade has."

"Why did you become a ninja?" I blurt out.

Her mouth opens, then closes quickly.

"I wanted to be special," she whispers. There's no mask, no reason to lie. "What about you, Sasuke?"

I take a breath and put on a confident expression.

"I wanted to make the world a better place," maybe that wasn't my original goal, but that's how it is. "I want to make sure my friends and I are strong enough to stand on our own two feet."

A small, frail smile wiggles its way onto her face.

"I... I think that's really nice," she whispers. "It's a lot better than my reason."

I shake my head and step forward.

"No, your reason's just as good as mine," she blinks. "Everyone wants to be special, Sakura."

"That-" I don't let her finish.

"Who doesn't want to walk on walls, shoot fireballs, and make clones of themselves?" Even if the world was peaceful, I'd still want superpower. Seriously, what sort of person wouldn't?

"If you think your reason's aren't good enough, then surely half the students in this school and actual ninja in the field deserve to be kicked out."

Once more, she stares at me in shock. This time, however, I spot a spark of joy in her eyes. A small smile graces her lip. Time to finish up.

"You'll be a great ninja, Sakura," I say and gently pat her shoulder. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise- show them how wrong they are."

A grin splits her face.

"Yeah... I think you're right," She answer, this time with confidence. "Let's go, Sasuke."

It wasn't over, not by a long shot. She walked confidently, but the scars of lingering doubt were still on her form. Whatever happened, it hurt her deeply. Who knows how long it'll take untill she gets better. Nevertheless, I've managed to help her out a little bit.

I only hoped that it was enough.

----------------

I returned to Iruka with Sakura. Surprisingly, our group was the first. Considering the intense talk, I had expected us to be second or last. Either way, with Sakura's suggestion, I helped out Kiba and Iruka with the rest of their paperwork. Eventually, Naruko and Hinata returned.

Training would finally begin. First up was a spar.

"Remember, even a dull blade can cut through bone if sharpened," Iruka starts, finally finishing up his final piece of paperwork. The rest of my friends had finally arrived, and as a way to keep us all entertained, he began talking about random things. Mostly history if I'm honest.

Admittedly, some of it was interesting, but other parts not so much. After all, while learning about the warring clans involved a lot of myths and legends, more recent events were dark and without a bright side. To his credit, Iruka figured this out very quickly and shifted gears to more motivational lessons. Things like some of the missions he went on in his younger days and how his team handled it.

Those parts drew most of our attention because it was actual experience from someone who's shoes we'll be in just a year or two. Not much was expected of genin as they'd mostly just be doing simple missions and whatnot. The worst would be fighting normal people, in other words, bandits and the like. With chakra and training, even a child could kill a grown man.

That's what he was trying to say.

"Put a bit more confidence in yourselves, because not many made it this far." we've already learned quite a lot. "As proud ninja of Konoha, I know all of you will make me proud."

His words were less refined than Mizuki's, but there was real heart in them. In any case, as the last page fell and he hid away the stack of papers, it was finally time to move.

"We'll draw lots to make it fair," Iruka said, reaching into his desk and pulling out five lollipops. "Everyone take your pick."

I rolled my eyes and glanced at Naruko. There was one thing on her mind and it wasn't who she'd be fighting. As she licked her lip, I looked at the suckers. He'd often give them out to kids who did really well of followed instructions perfectly. Of course, they became less effective on older kids, but still. A good deed gives a good reward. Positive reinforcement is a scary thing indeed.

The first to draw was Naruko. She reached out and nabbed a green sucker. Kiba, not wanting to be last, plucked a blue sucker. Then there was Sakura, who pulled out a pink one. With just you and Hinata left, Iruka revealed the two crimson suckers in his hands.

"It looks like you two are up first." He said with a smile. "Now, everyone please give the suckers ba-"

He stopped, mouth still open. A sigh rolled off his lip as he shook his head.

"Naruko, why did you eat it?"

My friend gave a sheepish smile and tried to whistle with the lollipop hanging from her mouth.

"You dwint sway not too!" she wasn't fooling anyone. "Gwes its two wait nwow!"

A small, taunting grin slithered across Iruka's lip. He raised a brow.

"No, it's fine," he replied, hand outstretched. "You can still give it back."

Naruko's eyes went wide. She shrunk and took a step back.

"Bwut it hwas mwy spwit!"

Iruka chuckled.

"That's fine," he stepped closer, fingers curling toward him. "I know just the Jutsu to-"

Before he could finish, you heard a cracking sound. The plastic stick fell from Naruko's mouth as she smiled back.

"Woops!" she laughed. "Looks like I accidentally ate it!"

Accidentally? Sure.

Iruka shook his head as a sigh rolled off his tongue.

"I was trying to warn you that those were my special laxative lollipop," he definitely looked torn up about that.

"W-What?" Naruko whispered, face going pale.

"Ah well, let this be a lesson to you, I suppose." And with that, Iruka started walking toward the yard. "Come with me, everyone."

Kiba didn't hold anything back. He laughed straight into Naruko's face and called her greedy. Hinata, unsurprisingly, remained silent. Though, she did give Naruko a consoling rub on the shoulder. Sakura just looked at my friend in mild disappointment.

"W-Wait! Tell me you're joking!" Finally, my friend frantically chased after Iruka. "There's no way you'd have that, right?!"

Probably not. Still, this would be a lesson and one I hoped she learned.

It won't always be a game. Sometimes, even something like that could prove deadly.

---------------------

As the first two up, me and Hinata took opposite sides of the ring- simple lines drawn in the school's backyard.

"Let's have a friendly match, alright?" Iruka said as he looked at both of us. "Though, I don't think I have to tell that to either of you," he chuckled and gently patted my shoulder then did the same to Hinata.

I gave a nod and quickly performed the little finger tugging ritual with my sparring partner. I could never remember what the hell it was called, but its purpose was evident; to show good sportsmanship and to never forget that the two of us were allies.

As me and Hinata finished tugging each other's index and middle fingers, Iruka started the match. I leapt back while Hinata persued.

Hinata's Hit Roll (9d6): 24
Your Dodge Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 25

Sasuke Dodges!

I manage to dodge her palm strike by the skin of my teeth. When she follows the standard thrust by spinning on her heal and lashing out with her elbow, my eyes go wide. Thankfully, I had just enough time to dodge and jump away.

I rubbed my nose, wiggling it as I stare at Hinata. Her elbow had brushed its tip. That was very close.

Out of everyone in your class, she's likely the best when it comes to a straight fight. I best plan my counterattacks carefully.

----------

Sweat rolls down my face as I stare down at my sparring partner. The sun is shining and for the first time today, I realize exactly how hot it is. Hinata must feel the same, as she looks at you with incredible intensity. A single mistake here could cost me the match, and though this is not a life-threatening bout, I can't help but feel nervous.

Fighting my peers isn't anything new. It's something everyone does in class, but this feels different somehow. I can feel the weight bearing down on my shoulders.

I don't want to lose.

What's so different, I wonder? Is it because there's no class to judge my every move? Is it because of the blazing determination on Hinata's face? I can tell she's giving it her all, at least without calling on her clan's signature ability.

Untill she brings those out, neither will I.

As time slowly trickles away, a thought strikes me. The reason I'm trying so hard is very simple to grasp. A smile tugs at my lip. She takes this as a sign and charges.

Hinata Has Higher Agi! She goes first.

Hinata
Hinata's Hit Roll (9d6): 37
Your Dodge Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 28

Sasuke Hit!
+You take 5 DMG | No Injuries!

Sasuke
Your Hit Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 37
Hinata's Dodge Roll (9d6): 31

Hinata Hit for 10 DMG!
+She takes 1 Injury!

Hinata crosses the distance in the blink of an eye. Her chakra enhanced leap would put Olympic long jumpers to shame, yet she obviously doesn't care. Rather than an open palm, a fist sails toward my face. I step back, just barely dodging the blow.

The attack is something you wouldn't think a Hyuuga would use. For a split second, I hesitate from the shocking move. Hinata takes full advantage and lashes out with a kick that flashes like lightning. Her toes graze my nose and the counter strike I send her way is dodged gracefully. She slips through my fist like water and returns the favour with a flurry of palm strikes.

I had thought the odd attacks to be strange movements meant to throw me off. When a familiar jab nearly smashes into my cheek, I realize what's going on. The next time she throws a punch, I counter with the exact same one.

Two can play at that game. Both of us learned from the same source.

There's no shock or surprise on her face, if anything, it seems she was expecting this- knew that you'd take the opportunity to make a cheeky point. That's when her forehead strikes my own. The blow is soft and meant more to distract than anything; distracts it does.

I leap back, expecting a kick or punch, but instead, I find her palm burying itself in your gut. The air bursts out from my lungs.

It hurts, but not all that much. I take it in stride and quickly rush back at my friend. She's fast, but her most glaring weakness is showing itself. I smile. Using my superior strength and the momentum from my charge, I smash through her defences and land a punishing blow to her sternum.

A spark of guilt rushes through me, but years of being desensitized and living in this new reality have taught me better. If I hold back too much, she'll return the favour by beating me. Admittedly, I don't like hitting girls, but Hinata does everything in her power to prove to me that the choice I made was correct.

She curls into my blow, wrapping her small legs around my arm and letting gravity do the rest. I wince as she twists and bends my arm into an extremely awkward angle. A second later, she tries to smash her heel into my face.

Hinata Has Higher Agi! She goes first.

Hinata
Hinata's Hit Roll (9d6): 26
Your Dodge Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 32 Dodge!

Sasuke Dodges!

Sasuke
Your Hit Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 29
Hinata's Dodge Roll (9d6): 33 Dodge!

Hinata Dodges!

I tilt my head back at the last second, allowing her foot to only tickle my chin. With her counterattack having failed, I send my own kick her way. Slithering like an eel, Hinata worms herself off my arm and slides to my left.

Small, rapid breaths leave her lip, and I realize that the same is happening to me. Clearly, Hinata's been hiding some of her strength, as she's way faster and more slippery than I could have imagined!

I take a deep breath and lunge forward as she takes one of her own. A flurry of kicks and punches glide a hair's with from her face and side, but that's all they ultimately accomplish. Using her lithe and light body to its utmost, Hinata dances around each of my attacks. With every blow, I find myself growing more and more exhausted.

However, she's not exactly peachy either. My clan's style focuses on counterattacks, so the real "meat" and the weight of its attacks only show themselves after she makes a move. My probing attacks have been just that, probing. They take little energy to use, and I suspect her dodging is a whole lot less efficient.

Still... endurance has never been my strong suit. I've gotten better, but that's still one of my major weaknesses.

The two of us stand there, almost in a sort of "truce" to catch our breaths. She's faster, but I'm far more skilled. She can hit me more reliably, but her hits aren't as heavy, while mines hurt quite a bit more.

If she were using her clan's traditional techniques, that first hit would have ended me.

Truly, Hyuuga are bullshit. They can essentially beat almost everyone in a single hit.

I take another breath and consider my options.

hmm...

End the fight here and now? No, I can't do that. The blazing hint of excitement and determination within my friend's gaze is far too powerful to turn back now.

She doesn't want to stop and neither do I. Nevertheless, this fight isn't as onesided as others might think. She's as slippery as an eel, and while I might outlast her, she can easilly dodge all my blows and end the fight prematurely.

A thought comes to mind. As all ninja should, I need to use every advantage available to win. It's fun and games now, but in the future, the difference between life and death is as thin as a needle's tip.

"Strong as always Hinata-chan," I start, a small smile gliding onto my lip. My friend furrows her brow, but takes the compliment gracefully. "It's always fun challenging you."

That's no lie. She's always been the hardest to fight. Now that she's shown her true colours, well, there's no contest.

"T-Thanks," Hinata answers. "I learn a lot when f-fighting you too."

Indeed. There might not be time for idle banter in the future, but this young girl is my friend. A smirk slowly crawls onto my face. Earth grinds under my heel as I subtle step forward. Byakugan or not, she notices.

"How about one more round!?" I charge, fist tucked at my side and voice roaring.

Hinata Has Higher Agi! She goes first.

Hinata
Hinata's Hit Roll (9d6): 28
Your Dodge Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 26 Sasuke Hit!

You take 5 DMG (10 Total)
+Injury Thresh hold 10/20/30/40
+1/4 Injuries received!

Sasuke
Your Hit Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 29
Hinata's Dodge Roll (9d6): 33 Hinata Dodges!

Sometimes, Hinata seems like a small, adorable bunny. Shy and easy to spook, yet under that simple facade is something far more dangerous.

My first strike easilly sails over her shoulder as she ducks. The rising knee that follows meets her palm and she lashes out with the crook of her foot. She hooks the back of my ankle and pulls. I fall to the ground and roll to the left, avoiding the elbow that smashes into the earth.

My palms push me off the ground, back into the fray. A flurry of punches and kicks assault the young Hyuuga. Each blow is parried by her open palms. They gently strike my knuckles and divert them away. Hinata moves like flowing water, and no matter how much I try to strike her down, she simply curves around me.

A single moment of frustration has me pushing just a tiny bit too far. My fist, which was aimed for her face, gently grazes her cheek. In the blink of an eye, she dashes forward. Our noses nearly touch, and as I stare deeply into her ashen orbs, I realize that this would have been yet another killing blow if she were using her clan's trademark.

Two palms slam into my abdomen, forcing the breath from my lungs. My small body is thrown back by the mighty blow. Children we might be, but Chakra is a hell of a force multiplier.

This time, I knew she dealt some real damage. Nevertheless, Hinata doesn't stop. She rushes at me, palms aiming to strike at invisible targets.

Hinata Has Higher Agi! She goes first.

Hinata
Hinata's Hit Roll (9d6): 30
Your Dodge Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 24 Sasuke Hit!

You take 5 DMG (15 Total)
+Injury thresh hold 10/20/30/40
+1/4 Injuries Received.

Sasuke
Your Hit Roll (8d6 - No Sharingan): 33
Hinata's Dodge Roll (9d6): 31 Hinata Hit

She takes 10 DMG! (20 Total)
+Thresh hold 10/20/30/40
+2/4 Injuries Received.

Iruka calls the match!
Sasuke Wins!

I cough, putting everything into dodging her dexterous blows. However, it's very clear that she has a great deal of momentum in the fight. My fists are deflected with expert precision and all My kicks seem to miss her by a hairsbreadth.

Hinata is no cute bunny.

She's a cunning tiger.

I scurry around the battlefield, trying to figure out a way to beat a faster, more slippery opponent without using my Sharingan. The answer hits me like a sledgehammer.

Hinata's punch swerves past my face and though I dodge it, the following attack rings true. She spins with her missed blow, using the momentum of her swing to stretch out her elbow.

I barely manage to turn the devastating blow into something far more manageable. Instead of it striking my face, I dash forward, taking the hit with my chest. This proves to be the catalyst I need to turn the match around.

Hinata's movements are swift, precise, and very flowery at times. This is all well and good to steal the pace of combat, but it also leaves her incredibly open if something goes wrong. And something just went horribly wrong.

The instant her elbow bounces off my chest, she's momentarily knocked off balance. It's a tiny, almost unnoticeable thing.

But I do notice. And I do take advantage of it. I step in, crashing into her with all my might. my much bigger and beefier body acts as a perfect barrier, preventing any leverage for a powerful counter-attack. A mighty fist smashes into her stomach and I let gravity do the rest.

The two of us crumple onto the floor, my forearm digging into the back of her neck. She struggles, but even with charka, this specific hold makes it incredibly difficult to do anything. Both of us knows it.

"And match!"

Iruka calls, knowing the specific time to call it.

"Good match!" he says with a huge grin.

I smile and get off my friend, a small grin gracing my ragged face. My lungs burn, and so too does Hinata look exhausted.

"N-Nice fight." she whimpers, one hand on her stomach while the other stretches out.

I faired much the same and blow a chuckle.

"Y-Yeah." Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. That fits her to a T. "N-Nice fight."

Suffice to say, we stayed out of the remaining fights. Watching Naruko and Kiba go at it was fun, but also pretty predictable. The young boy delivered some mighty hits, but Naruko just took them all and kept going. She was like a tank, and before long, Kiba fell. He couldn't take nearly as much as he could dish out.

As for Sakura, she faced Iruka himself. Out of all the fights, this one was perhaps the most educational. And to his credit, Iruka took her seriously. Everyone left the school with a number of bruises, but no one left unsatisfied.

Sakura had a brilliant, warm smile on her face. The bruises were badges of honour she took pride in.

I only hoped this helped her get better.

[Quest Complete! | Reward: +3 Wish Points | +1 Agility | Bonds Increased with friends!]

===============

Name: Sasuke Uchiha
Age 11 Years~

Stats
(8) Strength 4d6 (-1: Trait)
(10) Dexterity 11/5d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(8) Agility 10/4d6 + 6d6 (Sharingan T1)
(10) Charisma 5d6
(12) Cunning 6d6
(6) Luck 3d6
(16) Soul 8d6 (+2: Trait)

Injury Thresholds: 10/20/30/40
+When total damage surpassed a threshold, you gain 1 Injury.
+Reach max injuries and you begin to die.

Chakra: [56] = +32 [Soul*2] + 6 [STR] + 8 [Dex] + 10 [Cun]

Hit Roll: 8/14d6 = +4d6 (Agi) +6d6 (Sharingan) + 4d6 (Taijutsu/Interception Fist)

STR DMG: 8 = (STR (8) x Unnarmed DMG Mod (1.2 + .3 (Hakkyokuken) )

Skill Points: 4 | +2 / Year
Wish Points: 15 | +1 / Year
Money: 550 Ryo

Clone (Normal) [1/10]: The basic art of making illusionary clones.
+Chackra Cost: 4
+1d6 to your next combat roll.

Fireball [2/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 21
+4d6 + Soul DMG if it connects.

Basic Genjutsu (Sound) [1/10]: A simple genjustu that produces a sound at your desired location. Limited to simple and rudimentary sounds at the moment.
+Chackra Cost: 5
+Cun/Soul DC: 10

Substitution [1/10]: Move swiftly and replace yourself with a log.
+Chackra Cost: 15
+1d6+2 to your next dodge roll.

Transformation [1/10]: Cover yourself in an illusion made of Chakra.
+Chackra Cost: 20
+1d6 to your next disguise roll.

Sharpening [2/10]: Coat your weapon in Chakra, making the edge slightly sharper.
+Chackra Cost: 13
+Add +5 DMG to your weapon.

Strengthening [3/10]: Coat your muscles in Chakra, making you slightly stronger.
+Chackra Cost: 22
+Temporarily gain +4 STR.

Yue (Obsidian Crystal Gift): Supposedly, the fairy was born from your crystal?

{Combat}

Taijutsu [3/10]: The basic art of fighting with one's body. +3d6 to Combat rolls | 1.2 toward Unarmed DMG Mod.
+Hakkyokuken [2/10]: A particular fighting style that focuses on striking power. +.3 to Unarmed DMG Mod. (Total = 1.5) (Naruko Knows This)
+Intercepting Fist [2/15]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +4d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (Already included in total)
Throwing [2/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2d6 to Combat rolls.
One-Handed Swords [1/10]: How to use one-handed swords. +1d6 to combat rolls.

{Utility}
Stealth [3/10]: Ninja Vanish! +3d6 to rolls.

{Life}
Dancing [2/10]: Your mom's a really good dancer. You kinda want to try it out. +2d6 to rolls.
Singing [2/10]: You've apperantly got a really good singing voice. Still, being called adorable by your mom's a bit humiliating... +2d6 to rolls.
Cooking [1/10]: It doesn't hurt to pick up a few cooking skills here and there. +1d6 to rolls.

Enduring Soul: All soul related rolls gain an extra +2!
Sharingan (6/6 Tomoe): Your Sharingan has reached full maturity at the age of 6. Truly, others would consider you a prodigy if they knew. All that's left to do is train with it.
+Chackra Cost: 8 Per Turn
+Dex/Agi rolls gain 6d6!
+Copy Cat +1: You can make a Soul or Cun Roll to try and memorize a Jutsu you've seen. This gain 1 bonus dice.
+Chackra Cost +2: Lowers The cost of keeping the Sharingan active by 10%
+Shift: You can decide whatever your Sharingan 'looks' like. This makes hiding them easy, as you can make them look like your normal eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you blinder.
+Image Gate: You can summon shades of Naruto and Sasuke? They're not as strong as they should be...
+cost: 35 Chakra +5/ Round.

The Price Of Power: Using the Mangekyo is not a good idea. It'll leave you blind.
+[1/300]

Chakra Nature: Everyone has one, though some have more.
-???: You're not sure what your original one is.
-Lightning (100%): You've got the hang of Lightning Element chakra. (Lighting Jutsu gain bonuses | Higher Tier Lightning Jutsu Can be Learned)

Scarred: You've been through some hardships. The experience has left marks on your body and soul.
+2 Soul!
-1 STR

Yue: Your wish-granting fairy. She seems... odd, but nice.
+Medium House Replica: A gift you gave her. He table-sized house she lives in. It has a pool!
Itachi: Your 'big' brother. He's prety cool.
Fugaku: Your stern, but kind father.
Mikoto: Your mom. Love with a face.
Naruko: Your friend? Why is she a girl?
Saeko Uchiha? The name you chose if your new sibling is a sister!
+2 Years old!

Acquaintances
-----------------
Mila: The leader of the cat contract.
Jubei: Your partner for the cat contract.

Family!
-1 Action (Personal Phase) | This is after the school/free action thing. You usually have 2.
+1 Extra SP per year.
+1 Extra Stat Point Per Year
+1 Jutsu Point Per Year
+1 Life Skill Point Per Year
+1 Technique Point Per Year

Elite Smoke Bomb X1:

Adds +50 to stealth rolls.

Please leave a like and comment if you enjoyed this chapter and story.

Leekz01 · Feb 25, 2021

It's the final year, and all things considered, we've come a very long way. As a sort of "test" Iruka and Mizuki have the class run around all of Konoha.

"First place gets five-hundred Ryo!" Mizuki announced, "So try your hardest!"

Many stared in awe and a number of wide eyes graced my class. Five hundred wasn't a petty sum, at least for kids. The value of money is really weird in this universe, as somethings cost a lot more than others when they really shouldn't.

Weapons were dirt cheap, but the more impressive commodities could cost an arm and a leg. Still, five hundred Ryo would be close to one-hundred dollars. Again, quite the sum for people your age. my clan's pretty well off, even with the insanity from a few years back, so my allowance isn't so bad. I mostly spend it on nick knacks here and there and on Yue's little home. The rest I saved up.

"That's a lot of money!" Naruko whispers by my side or tries to. "I could buy so much stuff with that!"

Quiet and Naruko usually don't go together. Which is a paradox since she's probably the best when it comes to stealth in our entire class. Seriously.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that she doesn't wear that orange jumpsuit anymore? My mother was quick to peel that off her as if it were a tick. Of course, Naruko screamed murder, but thankfully, the issue was solved rather easilly. Now, she'd alternate between that crazy get-up and normal clothing.

Right now, my best friend wore a simple white T-shirt with a short, blue skirt. It was as plain as one could be, but she really liked that look.

"You can just blend into the crowd, you know?"

And on that note, Naruko had no preference for clothing options.

"Eh, skirts are cool cause you get lots of air on hot days!"

They quickly became another weapon in her attempts to get a rise out of me. Once more, I have to say that children could be infuriating at times. The more I told them to stop, the more they pestered me.

"Pants are nice if you don't want things getting on your legs."

Those were her words. Indeed, Naruko was the only girl in our class that cared not for lady-like things. That often caused friction between her and the other girls; Aside from Hinata.

"What'd you buy if you won?" I turn and ask Naruko as Iruka begins to explain the rules?

"Huh?" she blinks and gives me a confused look. "Oh, um, I don't really know," Naruko says with a shrug. "What do people buy when they have a lot of money?"

...

"Things they like," I answered as a sigh leaves my lip. "Maybe you could buy Ramen?"

Sometimes, I forget how little Naruko has in the way of money. Of course, she wouldn't know what to buy.

Her eyes light up.

"Oh! I could buy you some cool clothes!" she answers with a snicker. "Cause your sense of style is really bad!"

My brow furrows in slight frustration.

"What's wrong with my style?"

Naruko rolls her eyes and points at my shirt.

"Black and blue? That's so boring!" she says and gently pats my shoulder. "I think orange and green would look great on you!"

I visibly gag at her suggestion. In return, Naruko bursts out into laughter.

The best of friends indeed...

Anyways, what's my strategy for the race? why give if every I have from the start!

Even I can find a competitive spirt when going against young children. Truth be told, some of my classmates were fast. Hinata came to mind and so did Naruko. The former was very dexterous; each movement was practiced and refined. The later just had so much energy she blitzed through everything without question.

Then, there was Kiba.

"I'm going to kick your ass in this race!" he suddenly shouted, barging up to Naruko with a mighty grin on his face. "Not literally, but you get the point!"

My best friend returned the gesture by sprouting a grin of her own.

"No way!" she proudly announced, pressing both of her hands onto her hip. "You're too slow!"

Slow isn't something I'd call Kiba. When it came to pure agility, he might be the fastest one in the class. His skill left much to be desired, though.

"We'll see about that!" the young Inazuka claimed. "There's no way I'll lose to you!"

This bickering kept going back and forth between the two. Since when had they become so close, I wondered? Maybe it was because I never really took him all that seriously?

He'd always be challenging me, but I'd end up winning in the end. With each loss, he grew a tad bit more cunning in his tactics, but I was just better when it came to that sort of stuff. What he had on me was superior physical strength- something Naruko had as well.

At some point, the two of them started sparing and a rivalry was born. Now, Kiba would constantly try to one-up Naruko as he had tried with me. The difference was that he'd actually win some.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Iruka's voice drew my eye away from the bickering duo. The proud teacher looked around, pencil riding along his notebook's page. "Good, then let's start!"

A loud bang signalled the start of the race. Everyone dashed away, leaving that unprepared behind. I took a deep breath and readied my legs, allowing chakra to freely flow through them like I've been taught. Naruko and Kiba rushed past me, both sending amusing taunts my way.

"Take a good look at my back! You'll be seeing it a lot!" Kiba shouted.

"See you at the finish line!" Naruko said.

I rolled my eyes and steadied my gaze far ahead. Focus solely on my goal and put all things aside. My lip twitched up slightly and my muscles coiled like snakes.

Time to go.

I let go and pushed forward.

My feet turned into wings and I took to the skies.

DC: 10/20/30/40
Your Roll (10d6): 45 PASS

Every step I take is measured and without wasted movement. I take to the rooftops and cut across the vast majority of the other participants. So long as I follow the path, it doesn't matter if I'm on the ground or not. Naruko and Kiba are the first to imitate my charge, but by then, it's already too late.

I swiftly take the lead and use everything available to keep it. This too is a lesson and I'll make sure everyone knows that as well.

Unfortunately, while I blast into first place, the actual run is very long. By the time I reach the third quarter, I feel my muscles burning.

DC: 10/20/30
Your Roll (10d6): 34 *.7 (Tired) = 24 PASS

"Don't think you've won!" Kiba somehow finds himself on your tail. Behind him are Naruko, Hinata, and another student I don't really know much about.

The three nip at my heels and put their all into overtaking me. The finish line is so close I can taste Iruka's cheap perfume!

Just a little more...

DC: 10/20
Your Roll (10d6): 35 *.5 (Tired) = 17 Fail!

At the very last second, I realized that I need to breathe. A lung full of air weighs me down just enough for Kiba to overtake me. He grins and dashes forward.

"Smell ya late-"

Naruko smashes into my back and pushes me forward.

"I ain't losing that bet!" She grumbles, using me as a stepping stone to land on Kiba's shoulders. I watch in awe as she jumps off him and claims victory.

Just, wow.

Kiba stands, slack-jawed at the outcome.

"T-That's not fair!" He grumbles and kicks the ground.

Naruko turns, sweat dripping down her face like a waterfall. She grins.

"A ninja uses everything to their advantage, right, Sasuke?"

I blow a small chuckle and give her a thumbs up.

Kiba clicks his tongue, and it's at that point that Iruka shows himself.

"And we have our winner!" he shouts. "Congratulations!"

Naruko cheers and happily takes the money.

I might not have won, but the experience was definitely worthwhile. I learned to Be More Efficient in my running.

[Reward: +1 Agility Gained!]

===========

It took some time, but Sakura's sour outlook slowly began to change. She failed time and time again but never allowed despair to grab her once more.

By this point, I started to notice that she and Ino weren't getting along so well anymore. It didn't take a genius to realize what had happened. Though, since last year, fangirls had all since vanished. Classes really got difficult. Whatever energy they might have had to chase after me was diverted into studying.

Those that valued my attention more than their lessons soon found themselves falling. Watching Sakura struggle and slowly get better was... not pleasant. To help her and the other people in our class, I started a small study group. Obviously I wouldn't be able to do it every day, but that wasn't the plan.

If I needed to do everything for them, then what was the point, right? They had to show some initiative. Thus, I gathered up Sakura and asked anyone else that would like to join. A few familiar faces showed up, among them being Naruko and Hinata. Ino was nowhere to be seen, sadly.

My goal was simple- train their chakra control and see if I could have them casting the most simple of Genjutsu by the end of the year. The thing about Konoha's schooling system was that you didn't need to master everything they had available in order to pass.

What one needed to advance was the basic three and strong fundamentals. Even with all of this, the final hurdle was a test against a veteran ninja. Every Jutsu learned and skill developed was a chance to impress them; a tool to hone and practice.

Suffice to say, it was hard. Teaching Chakra control was something your school's teachers had been trying to do for most of your class time. What made you think you'd do any better? Of course, they had to contend with an entire class. I quickly realized that there was no way I'd be able to do this by myself.

It sounds a bit selfish, but I focused the majority of my attention on my closes friends. Thankfully, Sakura bloomed under my tutelage and then I shirked a bit of the responsibility onto her. She learned a whole lot more by teaching than by being taught, that's for sure.

Eventually, I stopped going, but the study group didn't fall apart. It was what I was hoping for. Still, I'd dropped by at least once a week to help out whenever I could.

Overall, it was a great success!

==========

Both my father and Itachi were extremely hesitant to have me use my Mangekyo Sharingan once more.

"It's a very dangerous power that can leave you blind," Fugaku said with a stern expression. "You shouldn't be using it without a good reason."

"You shouldn't need to use it, brave little brother," Itachi nodded in agreement.

In short, they were worried. It touched my heart, but the truth was cruel.

DC: 20
Your Roll (5d6): 24 PASS!

"The future is a blank slate," I began. "If I find myself on a mission, lost and without any other means to defend myself, I'd rather know how to use the tools given to me."

It wasn't as simple as saying a few words, but I didn't give up with their first refusal. I'd drill into them how stupid it would be to not learn to at least get the basics down for my eyes.

Love made people do stupid things, but thankfully, they actually listened to my feedback.

Thus, my experimentation began.

The first thing I tried was summoning "Sasuke." Last time Naruto came out, and after several weeks of attempts, my counterpart also burst into life. He looked old, tired, and it seemed like he was just barely holding on to his own existence. For the few moments he was up, I commanded him to fire off a simple fire Jutsu, which he did.

Then came the explanation to my father and brother. I told them of the odd dreams I was having- that they never really stopped. This "other" you was from that dream.

Before I could continue explaining my theory, Itachi asked an interesting question.

"Can you only summon those you've dreamed of?"

I didn't have a concrete answer for him.

"Why don't you try and summon me?" He propositioned.

I had though my Mangekyo could only summon Sasuke or Naruto, but was that really the case? Was I just so focused on the two that I closed off other possible avenues?

...

I had to test it out. It would be an incredible folly to limit my powers just because of a misconception.

"Ok," I answered my brother and shut my eyes. "I'll try."

Itachi had been nothing but the best brother to me. The least I could do was try and summon him above any other person I might have possibly thought of.

Just like Naruto and Sasuke, I focused on what made Itachi, well, Itachi.

He was a great brother- someone who'd do anything to protect Sasuke. He gave everything he had to so, and while most of his decisions were questionable, at the end of the day, he truly cared for his little brother. He'd die for me.

Energy gathered in my eye, and just like before, I focused it, moulded it with my thoughts, and then used that energy to manifest my ideal image of Itachi.

My eyes shot open and light immediately began together in the space before you. What I expected to see was the old, sickly man who gave everything for Sasuke. Either that or the man who found peace in meeting his brother one last time.

Instead, the person that stood before me was neither of those things. He was Itachi, my brother- and the gentle smile on his face was no different than the one he always showed me.

"This one's much more tangible," Fugaku noted. "From far away, I doubt I'd notice much else aside from the glowing."

Indeed, this phantom held a solid form, well, a more solid form. He was still transparent, but at the same time, he wasn't breaking apart.

What was the difference, though? Why was Itachi so much more defined than the others?

My mind swirls for a hint of truth. Why is this Itachi so much more concrete than the others I've tried to summon? What makes him different? A number of ideas come to mind, all carrying uncertainty. There's absolutely nothing to back up my points, but without setting a course, how am I to find the true path?

I have a physical connection with Itachi- he's my brother. Perhaps because I know him so well he had a stronger manifestation? Yet, if that's true, then what makes Sasuke and Naruto different? I've seen their story. I've seen them grow up, struggle through hardships, and eventually become fathers.

Naruto was the hyperactive ninja in his youth. He worked harder than anyone else and never gave up on his ideal. What he wished for was approval, but what he wanted was friendship. It's why he sunk his claws into Sasuke and never let go. He'd never abandon his friends, even if others would call him a fool. He'd rather stay a fool than accept the way the world worked if it meant helping his friends.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was a boy that lost his clan, his family. Treachery and plans of old drowned him in despair. Through the years, he simmered in his hatred, only pushed to the limit and well beyond by his own blood; A misguided and dying brother. He fell and rancour consumed his every thought. It seethed in him, turning him against friend and village. Lost in the darkness, it took great lengths and sacrifices to bring him back. Yet, back he came. A bittersweet feeling of acceptance must have flowed through him at the end.

I never met them. There were an uncountable number of moments in their lives that I likely missed. Yet, even with that, I think I know a bit about the type of people they were.

Could it be that my Mangekyo Sharingan draws upon those very ideals to summon my imaginations to life? I'm unsure, but untill proven wrong, this is what I'll go with.

I shut my eyes, extinguishing Itachi's double.

"Trying another?" my father asks.

I nod.

"I think... I think i might have learned a bit more about my power from big brother," I answer and give Itachi a smile. "Thanks."

He nods silently, lip twitching upward like my own.

"I'm glad to have helped, little brother," he hums.

And with that, I focus once more. Chakra swirls in my eyes. I invasion Sasuke Uchiha. The Sasuke that could have been. And with that, I open my eyes.

The world bursts into dark blues and deep reds. I feel a huge amount of Chakra leave my body, yet, standing before me is a much more defined shade. Not quite as solid as Itachi's, but certainly more refined than the shambling spectre from before.

With a thought, I command it to step forward. It does just that.

"Let's see if it can fight," I chuckle, already feeling the drawing leech on my reserves growing. "Brother?"

Itachi nods and draws a Kunai. He charges my spectre and it acts without my input. A flurry of blows are exchanged, and for the few moments where the shade consumes your chakra, it is a match for Itachi. Perhaps not one for his full might, but still enough to push him back.

Unfortunately, at the point where its eyes blaze crimson and black flames begin to surge around it, the strain grows too strong. I fall to my knees, exhausted; the phantom, likewise, bursts into tiny motes of light.

"P-Progress," I gasp, chuckling between ragged breaths.

My father and brother are at my side in an instant.

"It's certainly a versatile ability," Fugaku says with an approving nod. "Being able to create shades stronger than yourself is a very potent ability."

Itachi nods.

"Those black flames also seem quite familiar," he mumbles and looks to Fugaku. "Don't you think so?"

Our father nods.

"A very powerful ability indeed."

I laugh.

All I need is to train it. God... I can't feel my legs...

Darkness consumes me.

But everything was ok. I had people to care for and comfort me.

[Reward: Mangekyo Sharingan - Image Gate Ability Upgraded!]

==========

Time slips through my fingers far swifter than I expected. I find myself spending more and more of it with my family, and before long, Saeko begins to grow up. She still sticks to our brother like glue, but now, she also follows me around.

Her intentions are a bit more malicious, and I think I know why.

As a joke, my brother told her he'd give her some training if she managed to sneak up and "tag" me. Being just a few years old, I can't understate how fast she was learning things. She could easilly understand people. Suffice to say, I found myself trying to evade her constant ambushes.

Sure, it's all fun and games when she jumps out with a toy kunai, but when she starts doing it while I'm taking a shit... well, it's a whole lot less cute then. And no- I didn't scream like a little girl the first time she tried!

That's not all, however. Itachi's little girlfriend is also making a lot more appearances at our house. Usually, she only stopped by every now and then, but we're basically seeing her every other day now. My mother never seems to stop talking to Fugaku about it. By the looks of things, she expects the two to marry each other in a few years.

"I might be a gramma!" she suddenly told me one day. The twisted smile on her face sent shivers down my spine.

What was it with mothers and wanting grandkids?

========

Agi +1! (9->10)

Fireball [2->3/10]: The basic jutsu of your clan. "It burns!!!"
+Chackra Cost: 21-> 20/40
+4d6-> 4d6+2 + Soul DMG if it connects. Or 4d6 + Soul *1.1 DMG if charged

Breathing [1/10]: A simple technique to calm yourself down. +2 to all non-combat rolls for the remainder of the day.
Throwing [2->3/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +2->3d6 to Combat rolls.

Mangekyo Sharingan: A powered-up version of your eyes that has some special ability. Using it supposedly makes you blinder.
+Image Gate: It seems you can forge manifestation of people you know a lot about? These shades can also use their abilities?
+Tier 1 Shade Cost: 35->25 Chakra + 5->4/ Round.
+Tier 2 Shade Cost: 50 Chakra + 5/ Round.

========

Please leave a like and comment if you enjoyed this chapter and story.

Leekz01 · Feb 26, 2021

Not much time left. The clock continues to tick forward, and soon, it'll strike noon. Events of horrible scale might be just on the horizon. Death, war, treachery, and forgotten truths. I've changed so much, and so far, it doesn't seem like there's any mystical force guiding everyone's actions down a set path.

It's both a freeing and terrifying thought. Nothing will hold me back, thus, the future can be changed. People can be saved. But, that in itself means that others can die. A twisted part of myself keeps whispering that my very existence might have doomed this world. But, I've learned to live with it.

Once I was scared. Once, I sat back and did nothing. Even if I had tried, there was no way I could retrace Sasuke's steps. I'm not him. It was never an option.

The path I knew is fading, slowly vanishing into the ether. For now, all I can do is use it as a guide. Once I found myself amongst a wide, expansive field of boundless possibilities, then I'll have to forge a path of my own making.

Untill then, all I can do is try to be proactive. The first thing that comes to mind is Mizuki. I still have no idea if he's a spy or not. Things could have changed. What once was can be something else. Obviously, he won't be approaching Naruko this time.

She's not a failure. She's not ostracised. And, most importantly, she's not someone that can be easilly taken advantage of. Her mind is as sharp as a knife; she makes others think it naught but a child's toy, but that's the point.

They never question whether or not the blade aimed at their throat is a danger. Not untill it's too late.

I wonder where she picked up such a sly and perceptive attitude from. She wasn't like that when the two of us met. She was a scared, sad, and lonely child. Her eyes carried a spark of what she would become, but that was all; a spark.

Who fanned the flames? Was it me? Or did she develop such a cunning mind by herself?

Perhaps I'll never know. Whatever the case, I'm thankful that she's not as dull as her original counterpart. It means I don't have to constantly look after her.

Sometimes, I wonder how things would have turned out if I left her alone that fateful day.

I really do, wonder.

------------------

"Alright! Let's go, Sasuke!" Naruko's voice rips through the house. Her hands clamp down on mines and with that freakish strength of hers, she pulls me behind her. I could do nothing to resist and find myself being dragged along.

My mother sits there, a small smile on her lip as she giggles. Saeko just stares as I'm pulled out of our house. Of course, my father simply shakes his head and opens the door. A lesson he learned last time Naruko tried this. Suffice to say, she wasn't paying attention and he was the one that had to pay for the damages.

In any case, the two of us were gone in the blink of an eye, off to whatever adventure Naruko's found this time.

"Your mom's cooking was delicious, by the way!" she tells me as the two of us come to a stop by the compound's entrance. The few Uchiha that spot us on the way out furrow their brow in confusion. I'm not exactly an unknown face, but compared to the other children, I rarely go out to socialize.

Maybe that was something I overlooked. I'm not nearly as active inside the Uchiha compound as I was outside, so while I knew some of the kids my age, I didn't really have many as friends. Aside from Shisui, of course. It's also not like there aren't other Uchiha kids in our school, there just aren't in our class.

I blow a sigh and slip my hand out of Naruko's, giving it a gentle rub. She'll be a beast of a woman when she grows up.

"So, what's this secret treasure you were on about?" I subtly ask. "It's not something like last time, is it?"

Naruko narrows her eyes and puffs out her cheek.

"That was one time," she says with a huff. "How was I supposed to know someone was dumping all their useless stuff there?!"

My mother was not happy to see me come home covered in stains. The smell was also a point she made sure to drill into our skull. I won't be forgetting how she personally bathed us.

Did the woman not know the meaning of personal space?! I wasn't a kid!

"Trust me, this time it's something really cool," she proclaimed, guiding me through Konoha's streets and toward a section near one of the walls.

I rolled my eyes and followed, taking note of the path. From the looks of things, this seemed to be one of the parts of the city that got hit the worst during Kyuubi's attack. The reconstruction effort had been going nicely, but there were still sections like this that hadn't gotten much work done.

"Here it is!" Naruko exclaimed, pointing to a perfectly normal-looking patch of grass.

Obviously, there was more to this than just that. I raised a brow and waited for her to show me what was really going on.

She smiled and stepped forward, reaching into the earth and pulling up to reveal a secret tunnel.

"Found it when I was practicing a cool flip," she said with a grin.

"Ok, this is definitely not a garbage dump," I answered warily.

Maybe it was an escape tunnel? A secret warehouse? Whatever it was, it definitely seemed interesting. However, that also meant it could be dangerous.

"I know!" Naruko said cheerfully. "And I don't think anyone else has found it either!"

We'd be the first then. Very interesting indeed.

"Come on, I want to see what's down there!"

I didn't have a chance to stop her before she jumped on the ladder and slid all the way down. Well, that made the choice for me. With a sigh, I climbed down. It was dark, covered in spiderwebs, and abandoned.

------------------

The dark, unknown passage greets us with open arms. Spiderwebs coat its walls like blankets and dust flutters in the air. It takes a great deal of concentration to hold in the sneeze that follows. Naruko lacks my force of will, however.

"Achooo!" She blows, covering the nearby wall in spit and other dischargers. "S-So dusty," she says with a whimper as she wipes her nose.

Well, if there was still anyone inside, they definitely know we're here now.

"Try and be a little quiet, ok?" I whispered, cautiously stepping past her. "And keep an eye out for traps."

Naruko rolls her eyes but makes sure to silently follow after me.

"Sure thing, boss," she answers, giving me a great view of her pink tongue. I can't pass up the opportunity. Honestly, you'd have thought she'd have learned by now.

"Hwa?!" I snatch her tongue and gently pull down. "W-Wetgwo!" Naruko growls, eyes boring into my skull.

I hold back a laugh, though quickly move my fingers away when she tries to bite you. The clanking of teeth echoes through the old, abandoned bunker. What secrets slumber within its mossy, cracked walls? What dangers wait to be discovered?

I couldn't take this lightly. If there are any traps, then they'd likely fallen into disrepair, but that doesn't mean I should count them out. I take a breath and walk forward, eyes on the lookout for deadly dangers.

DC: 17/20
Your Roll (6d6): 21 PASS!

As the two of us cautiously step down the winding staircase, something glints in the corner of my eye. I immediately hold up a hand, stoping Naruko in her tracks. She stays silent, forgoing that childishness of hers untill I've said my piece.

"A trap," I point to one of the loose bricks. Worn away by time, the rusted arrow within is easy enough to spot.

I give it a quick look and find the best way to disarm it. Yet, just before I do so, a thought comes to mind. we're dealing with ninja's. If it was me setting up these traps, I'd place more than a single. Heck, I'd trap the trap!

With eyes sharpened by paranoia, I take another look at the trap and everything near it. Naruko patiently waits behind me, keeping herself entertained by looking at the walls and back the way we came. Eventually, I spot a tiny imperfection on the wall directly above us.

A small grin splits my lips. Clever. If I were to disarm the trap, then the one above would trigger. I'm not sure what's hidden up there, but I don't want to know.

"Alright, let's go," I say, marking the wall with one of my kunai for future reference.

"You didn't even turn it off," Naruko answers, arms crossed. "What's the deal?"

I point up top.

"Another trap." She goes silent with that, nodding in understanding.

The traps might be old, but by the looks of things, they're far past their prime. Just as I thought, things shouldn't be so dangerous. Still, we have to keep a constant eye for these things.

I only hoped the others were as easy to find as this one.

---

After what felt like eight minutes, the two of us arrived at the bottom of the stairs. There were a few other traps, but just like the first, they weren't all that hard to avoid.

"This place stinks!" Naruko exclaimed, fingers pressing down on her nose. "And what's up with all the weird tube things?"

My brow furrowed in thought. As she said, the air was rotten and a number of large tubes filled the room. I stepped forward, giving each a quick examination. Dust marred their surface, so I wrapped my hand around my shirt and whipped away at the glass.

"Ewwww!" Naruko gasped and took a step back. "What the heck is that?!"

I had no idea. Floating within one of the tubes was what appeared to be a black, rotting mass of meat. It bulged near the top and was surely dead. Likely for years.

I cleaned the others, finding that they were all in much the same state. Some were bigger, others much smaller. It was the largest glass tube that made my blood run cold. The others didn't give us much of a view, but this one was clearly a fetus. Tiny, shrivelled arms and legs curled inward. The large, lumpy head sent shivers down my spine. Bile rose to my mouth, but I swallowed it back.

What the hell had we found? As my heart began to race, I heard the tale-tell sound of a door opening. My head snapped to the right, sporting Naruko by the other door. She was waiting for me to come closer. Not wanting to look at the grim sight any longer, I indulged her request and followed.

I stepped into the next room, finding that there was nothing else. Just these two.

"Oh!" Naruko's eyes sparkled as she spotted the bundle of scrolls and other notes on the far table. Like the previous room, a number of things sat within glass tubes. These were far less human in origin. Eyeballs, snakeheads, and monkey hands. They had been preserved, but for what twisted experiments?

Before Naruko could even touch anything, I gave the room another sweep for traps.

DC: 20
Your Roll (6d6): 25 PASS!

Thankfully, aside from a small pressure plate near the door, it was clear. By the look of things, it would drop something from above. I definitely didn't want to disturb anything and risk setting it off, so I made sure Naruko knew where the trap was. After that, we went and began our investigations.

The texts were faded and very hard to read, especially in the dark.

"Huh? Oh, I mean, it's not that dark," Naruko commented as she began to read the scroll. "You need better eyes," she teased, making spinning motions in front of her own.

I rolled my eyes and patiently listened as she tried her hardest to pronounce the "big words" as she called them. It was both amusing and adorable.

"Pieliminareye test show alligator in-"

...

Sadly, she caught me snickering and said she'd tear the scrolls up if I didn't stop. Thus, my little fun ended.

What wasn't fun was what the scrolls spoke of. This seemed to be a lab where genetic engineering tests were being run. There weren't any clear markings to figure out who worked here, but I had a few guesses. All that was left was to decide what to do with all this information.

Hmm.

This wasn't something we could just fool around with. Traps littered the bunker's very walls. Death, twisted experiments, and god knows what else lay in the foundation of this room's inception. This was anything but safe for children. Weather Naruko wanted to make this a secret room wasn't the problem.

People had to know. The Hokage had to know.

"Aw well," my friend shrugged, eyes closing and lip turning downward in a cute pout. "We can just use my closet and pretend it's a secret hideout!"

...

"You... you were joking?" She really made me think otherwise.

"Of course, Sasuke." Naruko answers, lip pursed into another pout. "This place stinks!" she points to cobwebs and weird limbs in jars.

"I mean, there's some cool stuff, but it literally stinks," she gags, fingers tightening around her nose. "I don't know how long it'd take to clean it up, but I'm not doing it!"

...

I burst out laughing. That makes so much sense in hindsight.

"Huh? What's so funny?" she asks, brow furrowing. "Are you laughing at me?"

I restrained my laughter and look at her again. This is the same girl that once upon a time had boxes of spoiled food on her living room floor. Now, she cleans her room on the regular. How people change.

"Nope," I reply, a smile on my lip. "Just found it funny how you of all people complain about the room smelling."

For the first time in a bit, I see genuine embarrassment trickle up her cheeks. She sends a weak glare me way and then huffs.

"Whatever" Naruko whispers as she walks out of the room.

My smile falls and a tiny sigh slips from my lip.

Maybe I shouldn't have joked about that.

-------------

Try as I might, it seemed like Naruko had gotten in quite the stinky attitude after my little joke. I didn't want to push her too much, so I gave up and simply moved on to other matters. The Hokage had to be told, and while Naruko was a bit bothered, she still went along with me.

"Old man's sure to be surprised when we show up," she grumbled. "I bet he'll give us some cool stuff!"

At the very least, there was some more life slipping into her tone.

Before long, ee found ourselves in front of the Hokage tower. I wouldn't call ourselves a common occurrence, but the secretary knew me by name now.

"More trouble?" She asked, brow raising as she looks at Naruko. "Or you here for a personal visit?"

"Afraid it's the former," I said with a sigh. "We found something the Hokage would like to hear about."

"A secret something," Naruko nods.

The secretary takes a very good look at the two of us before blowing a sigh.

"Very well," she nods. "Just sit tight and he'll ask for you if he wishes."

In other words, there are ninja listening in on our conversations. It's a very easy way to keep us here while making sure no one leaves the room.

Anyways, we eventually do get called in.

"The Hokage will see you now," the secretary says as she opens the door. There hadn't even been a sound, let alone the passing of a message. One second she was sitting down, minding her business and the next she let us go.

Perhaps a Jutsu to deliver secret messages? I had to learn that.

-----------

Stepping through the office's main doors, we come face to face with Konoha's most dangerous man. With a body count likely higher than the total sum of everyone in this room's ages added together, he is a man not to be trifled with.

Hundreds?

Thousands?

Only his dreams can say.

"What's this I heard about secrets?" The old man asks with a smile.

I take a small breath and step forward, only for Naruko to blitz past me and leap straight into the old man's lap.

"So we found this secret bunker!" she starts, stealing the words right out of my mouth. "It was full of these weird experiments, eyeballs, hands, and stuff."

He blinks, looking to me for confirmation. I blink, holding back a snicker, and give him an affirming nod.

"I think there were fetuses floating in glass tubes," I hesitantly spit out. Just thinking about what we saw sends chills down my spine. "Most of them were rotting."

"Is that what they were?" Naruko asks, brow furrowed in confusion. "What's a fetas?"

This is exactly why I used such a "big word." It's best she doesn't know.

"Just a name for a dead thing," The Hokage says, sending me a knowing look. "But if what you say is true..."

A hum leaves his lip as he reaches for his pipe.

"A very interesting find indeed," he pauses. "Where did you say this bunker was?"

Naruko gladly spills the beans. Hiruzen takes it all in stride and sends for one of his men to check it out. Untill then, he entertains the both of us. Naruko continues to sit in his lap, telling him all about the "cool techniques" I showed her. Through it all, he smiles, gives her advice and laughs at any jokes she makes.

The deadly man known as "the god of ninja" is no more. All I see is a friendly grandfather listening to his granddaughter. There are no lies or trickery. Hiruzen is a good man, just like I thought.

Eventually, his men return with the confirmation from our stories.

He blows a hum and nods.

"I must admit, your achievement is quite something," he says with genuine pride in his voice. "Even we had missed that particular bunker."

The spark of mischief and light of idea glint in his eyes.

"Extraordinary contributions to the village and its safety demand extraordinary reward," he chuckles and lights his pipe. "As such, the both of you may request a single thing of me and I'll see about granting it."

As Naruko's eyes explode into massive saucers, the Hokage immediately questions his decision.

"These rewards, of course, have to be within reason." He says with a cough.

Well, well. That's a very interesting reward indeed.

"Ok, I know what I want!" Naruko suddenly says. "But I'll tell you later, ok?"

That was quick! The Hokage turns to me next.

"Well? What do you want, young Sasuke?"

Hmm.

-----------

"A high-quality blade, you say?" The Hokage hums, wrinkled hand gliding down his beard. "Is that all?" he asks with a chuckle.

"Erm, yes," I answer with a nod. "I'm sure."

"You could ask for secret knowledge, forbidden techniques, and even for I to train you in the arts," he continues with a curious nod. "Are you really certain of your choice?"

...

Ah, right. Sometimes I forget that others only see "Sasuke," the young Uchiha child. It doesn't matter how skilled I was, because, in the end, I'm still just viewed as a kid. It's an interesting advantage to have, for sure.

I shaked my head.

"All those things are nice, but I doubt you'd actually give me access to any secret teachings," I say with a small smile. "Besides, I'm sure showing so much favouritism might rub people the wrong way."

Or not. He's the Hokage. He can do whatever the hell he feels like doing. Honestly, I just couldn't think of anything "reasonable." Asking to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu or anything like that would bring up many questions you'd rather not answer. If I think about it- this "reward" of his might as well be a test of character.

Best to go for something simple and useful.

The Hokage nods, bringing the pipe between his fingers to his lip.

"Such conviction is a strength in itself," he hums wisely. "While I can't give you our treasured blades, I can have you pick out the highest quality ones available for all shinobi within Konoha's walls."

Sweet! He's going to pay for my stuff! Free things are the best kinds of things!

"Thank you," I say with a small and courteous bow of your head.

The Hokage nods and then turns to Naruko.

"Now, what did you want again?" he asks. Amusement dances on his face as a chuckle slips past his rising lip.

My best friend blinks, surprised at having the spotlight thrust upon her. She fidgets in place, cheeks taking a slightly red hue. For a fraction of a second, she glances in my direction before puffing out her chest.

"It's a secret!" She exclaims and points to me. "Sasuke, please go outside so I can talk to him!"

...

Huh. She's quite a bit shyer than I expected. Never lost that part, it seems.

The Hokage blows a chuckle that reverberates through his chest. He turns to me, brow raised questioningly.

I shake my head, a small smile on my lip.

"Alright."

And with that, I step out of the room. As the door shuts behind me, Naruko can be seen starring in my direction intensely.

Why so secretive? You'd think she was about to ask him to let my mom adopt her or something...

In any case, I patiently wait outside.

-------------

With our rewards chosen, the Hokage lends us a random "Chunin." He was there to bring me to one of the best weapon shops in town. I very much doubted that this guy was just a Chunin. There was something about the way he walked and talked that pricked at the back of my mind. And, of course, I just couldn't see some no-name Chunin being given this task.

Perhaps I thought a bit too highly of myself and Naruko, but it just didn't seem like the norm. Anyways, the three of us eventually arrived at "Elite Ninja." An apt name for a store praised for high-quality goods.

"Just pick out what you want and we'll pay for it," the Chunin said quite calmly. That was another thing about him. He was very relaxed.

Putting such thoughts aside, I honed my attention towards the actual weapons.

"Sasuke! Pick this one!" Naruko suddenly called out. "It's so cool!"

The shop owner was looking at my friend with a confused look on his face. He turned to the Chunin and then back to Naruko. The ninja simply shrugged and gave him a lazy wave.

Whatever the case, Naruko's "choice" was a massive greatsword twice our size. I nearly burst out laughing at the notion. Seriously? It looked so unwieldy! How could anyone actually swing that thing around?

"I'll think about it," I answered with a meek smile. "But I'm looking for something smaller, honestly."

And with that, I went around the store. There were quite a few good options, but one drew my eyes in above all the others.

---------

Only a few weeks after our little discovery, our class has its "final exam." It was a simple written test followed by a demonstration of the main three Jutsu and a practical combat test. By this point, just about everyone had a hold on everything required. Sakura's study group helped out anyone that was struggling behind catch up.

And thus, the teams were chosen.

"Sasuke, Naruko and Sakura- you'll make up team seven."

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Though, things weren't quite so similar, were they? There was no fanfare from Sakura- no overt shouting between her and Ino. The two obviously had some sort of ill-air between them, but it wasn't as obvious as what was supposed to be.

"You don't seem very surprised," I said to Naruko.

My friend blinked and then her eyes widened.

"Oh, um, I wasn't paying attention!" she suddenly shouted. "We're on the same team? Awesome!"

Indeed. Awesome.

With that, we'd all be meeting our team leader in a few hours.

I had a feeling I knew who was coming.

=========

Seduction [1/10]: Both male and female ninja make use of this skill. You made sure to ask your mom more about it. +1d6 to rolls.
Meditation [1/10]: A calm mind is a sharp mind. Increases your resistance to mental attacks by +1d6
Throwing [3->4/10]: The basic art of lobbing pointy bits into other's bodies. You can hit slow-moving things! +3->4d6 to Combat rolls.
One-Handed Swords [2->3/10]: How to use one-handed swords. +2->3d6 to combat rolls.

Intercepting Fist [3->5/15]: The Uchiha clan's fighting style. Excels when used with the Sharingan. +5->7d6 to combat rolls. Gains extra dice per 3 Tomoe. (+2d6 Already included in total)
Substitution [1->3/10]: Move swiftly and replace yourself with a log.
+Chackra Cost: 15->12
+1d6+2-> +2d6+4 to your next dodge roll.

=========

Please leave a comment and like if you enjoy the story

Leekz01 · Feb 26, 2021

Time ticked by, slow as a trickling faucet. I hummed a small tune, sword in my lap. I had it for a few weeks, yet it still had that "new" smell clinging to its edge. The sterile scent of steel still stung my nostrils as I unsheathed the blade.

It was a long, double-edged sword. Where most ninjas used Katana, Ninjato or other eastern-themed weapons, I always found swords like this more interesting. Katanas had the "cool" factor, but more traditions, western swords like these had their own appeal.

I stared into its dark-blue surface and smiled at my reflection. At a distance, one might think my sword pitch as black, but even though this is an uncommon weapon, it's still made by ninja. This colour blended far easier in the shadow of night. The swirling, cloud design adorning its hilt and guard were a nice touch. Though, there wasn't much of a guard to actually speak of- at least at first glance.

That was the point, I suppose. At first glance, most things in Konoha- in this world seemed simple. Yet, with a slight twist of my wrist, two jagged spikes would shoot out at the point where the hilt and blade met. You'd have your guard and a hidden weapon to boot.

The sword was like the wind, easilly slicing through anything I tested its edge against. It was clear that this weapon was a mountain that needed to be toppled. My movements tarnished glistening, masterfully crafted blade. This was a weapon made for those who dedicated themselves to the way of the sword and the pricetag reinforced that. The only solution, then, was to get better so as to not bring shame to the wonderful weapon you had been given.

As my reflection smiled up at me, a heavyweight settled upon my shoulder.

"So, pick one yet?" Naruko's lips popped as she gently ran her finger across finely honed metal. "Everyone knows any cool sword has to have a name!"

She exclaimed, neck nearly snapping as she looked to Sakura.

"You think so, right?!"

Our other teammate turned, eyes blinking. Her lip quivered slightly before rising as her eyes shuffled to me then back to naruko.

"If Sasuke thinks it needs a name, then yeah," she said slowly.

I raised a brow, sheathing the gorgeous sword back into its sheath. Even now, I still couldn't help but take it out only to put it back.

"A name, huh?" I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it. "What do you two think would be a cool name?" I joked, lips slipping into a small grin.

Naruko was the first to answer. There was no hesitation or doubt in her voice.

"Death Slicer!" she shouted with a certainty often found when asked about dinner. "Moon cutter!"

Then again, maybe not so much.

"Oh! What about Soul Cutter?!"

I chuckled at that last one. A fun little coincidence, that. Still, I doubted we'd be seeing my sword transform by saying a simple phrase.

"Interesting names," I said with a cough. "What about your ideas?"

Sakura was deep in thought, though, at my words, she looked up.

"Maybe Zantetsuken?" she hazards, eyes wavering as she stared at my blade. "Its the name of a legendary sword."

I scratched my chin, hiding the small smile that was prickling at my lips. With how quiet Sakura was, I thought she might have been a bit upset being on our team. Now, however, I know that to be false. She and Naruko aren't exactly close friends, but their relationship is far less volatile than what could have been. And, while Sakura still gives me odd looks when she thinks I'm not looking- I'm happy she didn't turn out to be the raving banshee she might have turned into.

Honestly, in the last year or so, Sakura's turned into one of the most determined ninja's trainee I knew.

"A name, huh?" I muttered.

==============

After what feels like hours, our team leader finally arrives. The door swings open and in steps a familiar face. There's no chalkboard eraser or prank to greet him, as Naruko had more than enough to entertain herself with. Namely- she had me and Sakura to talk to.

I could feel both my teammates tense up as Kakashi took a spot near the front of the room. The Jonin blew a hum and examined the three of us.

"You're still here?" he said softly. "That's one point I suppose," Kakashi continued lazily.

"Are you our assigned Jonin?" Sakura spoke up, taking the initiative.

While we couldn't see him smile, the way he shut his one visible eye was more than enough for me.

"Correct. Now, let's find a nice spot to introduce our selves," once again, a hum rolled off his lip. "The roof should do."

And with that, he walked out of the room. The three of us shared a look and gave chase, only to see that he'd disappeared.

Show off.

Anyways, it didn't take very long to get on the roof, and as expected, Kakashi was there waiting for us all. The scene had my heart nearly bursting from nostalgia. It was a world away, but this... this was my childhood.

I took a deal breath and listened as he introduced himself. He wanted everyone to give their likes, dislikes, and aspirations.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake," he began. "I like reading, my dislikes are a secret, and there's nothing much I dream of right now."

He answered softly. I really couldn't recall if that's was what he originally said, but it felt off. Hmm.

"How about you go next-" Kakashi pointed to Naruko.

With a large grin on her face, my best friend did just that.

"Name's Naruko Uzumaki!" she said loudly, though not obnoxiously so. "I like Sasuke, hate assholes and want to be the best ninja I can!"

I nearly bit my tongue at that first part. That definitely caught me off guard and while Sakura's cheeks were slightly red, mine were anything but amused. Of course, I rolled my eyes and did my utmost to take Naruko's satisfaction away.

Even now, she loved getting a rise out of me.

"I see, I see," Kakashi hummed as his one eye hovered over Sakura. "What about you, pinky?"

Sakura blinked and gave a quick, acknowledging nod.

"I like... learning new things," she started slowly. "I don't like people that betray you and I dream of being a good ninja," she said, giving me a subtle sidelong glance near the end.

Kakashi nodded and then all eyes turn to me.

With a soft hum, I gently place Mugetsu on my lap. A bit cliche of a name, but Naruko thought it sounded cool. Sakura didn't seem to think it was all that bad either.

"What I like, huh?" I toss the words around in my mouth.

"Yes," Kakashi answers. "I do believe that's what I asked." he pauses and blinks. "Are you hard of hearing?"

I bite my tongue and keep any comments I might have to myself. This isn't the man I've seen grow and step out of a lonely spiral of guilt and regret. He's very much still the same, bitter man that began that long, difficult journey.

"I guess I like training," I start, eyes dropping to the onyx sword in my grip. Its surface shines like a mirror. How many people will it take before crimson stains muddle its lustrous shine?

"I also like my family and friend," I continue with a small smile. Naruko chuckles and Sakura looks away, a slightly happy expression on her face as I glanced in her direction.

"Meeting new people is also pretty fun."

Kakashi nods, a curious hum on his lip.

"Quite the talkative one, aren't you?"

Oh?

"I guess people have said that I'm good with words," Shikamaru called me charming once. Or was that Choji? And, of course, Jubei never ceases to use me to trick his friends out of fish.

"As for things I hate-" I furrowed my brow and think. "I guess losing people I care about."

Just thinking about anyone hurting them sets my blood alight.

"And not being able to live up to my potential, I guess," I add as an afterthought. With the challenges coming in the future, I'd certainly hate myself for not doing so. Essentially, that means I'll die along with everyone I cared about.

Kakashi gives an acknowledging nod and waits for my final answer.

"My dream, huh?" How many times have I asked myself this? It feels like it changes slightly every time. The core stays the same, but the fringes warp just a tad.

"I want my friends and I to excel at what we want to do." Be that the path of a ninja, writing, or even cooking- I just want them them to be the best that they can be. "Oh, and for them to achieve their dreams."

Everyone has to have dreams. It makes it so much better when the finally pluck them out from the sky.

Kakashi lets loose a thoughtful hum and nods. It seems like he's just about getting ready to say something. However, just then, a mischievous thought suddenly comes to mind.

"I also want to become the strongest ninja and have a big family to spoil!" I finish with a wink at Kakashi.

The veteran ninja simply blinks absent minded for a second and then rolls his one visible eye.

"Right, right." He stands up and reaches into his pockets. Two golden bells clatter in his fingertips. The ringing echoes through the rooftop. It carries an odd, almost soothing tone.

Kakashi stares at the bells, a contemplative expression on his face. Conflicting emotions clash, and as he takes a breath, the bells vanish back into his right pocket.

"Before you become fully-fledged ninja, there is one final test," Kakashi says, eliciting confused looks from my future teammates.

"What?! Another test?!" Naruko groans. "Didn't we have enough of those already?!"

Sakura nods, caution rising onto her face.

"We weren't told about anything like this..." she says slowly. "It wasn't even in our books."

Kakashi shuts his one good eye, almost mimicking a cheerful smile with that. A friendly smile is the last thing I think is on his face right now.

"I wouldn't be much of a secret test if you could easilly find information about it, right?" I suppose that's true. Though, how do they keep students that fail from just telling other people?

...

Oh. Oh no. I'd like to keep my memories intact, thank you.

"Meet me in training ground three in half an hour or you fail."

He gives us no other warning. He doesn't even wait for any of us to speak before he vanishes in a puff of smoke.

"Hey! Wait!" Naruko shouts. "You can't just leave!"

I was just about ready to try and rally everyone together, but Sakura beats me to the punch.

"I think we should go," she stands up and moves to the roof's edge. "I don't think he was joking."

Naruko reluctantly nods and blows a sigh.

"Like, does anyone know where the third training ground is?"

I smile and raise a hand.

"I do," I'd have to be an idiot not to acquaint myself with such an important place.

"Ok, then let's go there quickly!" Sakura urges nervously.

She doesn't need to say that twice.

----------------

Even running at full force, it takes the three of us about twelve minutes to arrive. That's not counting the small pitstop the three of us had to take because Naruko had to use the washroom. Just to be safe, all three of us did our business so it wouldn't get in the way later.

Had we spent time walking or trying to ask for directions, it would have been much closer. Whatever the case, Kakashi is there, waiting for us.

"That was quick!" he greets the three of us with a small wave. His eyes drop to me, and for a second, it feels like he's peeling me away, one layer at a time. All of that with a simple glance.

I felt naked.

"So, it's quite clear that the three of you are quite good friends," he pauses. "Well, two of you at least."

Sakura's eyes subtly drop.

"Your test is simple-" Kakashi reaches into his left pocket and pulls out a single bell. "Those with a bell pass. The first person to express intention will get this bell and join my team for this test."

What?

Naruko's brow furrows. She looks straight at him and opens her mouth.

"That's-"

"I'll join you!" Sakura shouts almost immediately. She rushes to Kakashi's side

What?!

My eyes go wide, as do Naruko's.

Kakashi smiles. I could feel the smugness in his eye.

"Good," he gently pats Sakura's shoulder and stares back at me and Naruko. Our other friend looks away, shame and guilt on her features.

"The test is simple-" Kakashi holds the bell aloft and gently pins it to Sakura's chest. "-take the bell while I try to protect her."

He pauses.

"If you can't take the bell within four hours, you'll fail." He pauses. "If she can keep the bell safe for those four hours, she passes."

"How are we supposed to beat a Jonin?!" Naruko all but shrieks.

"That's a good question," Kakashi hums and reaches into his poker. Out comes a familiar book. "Let me know when you figure that out."

And just like that, he takes up a protective position in front of Sakura.

Silence. A heavyweight falls over me and Naruko.

This won't be easy...

==================

Sakura turn traitor? I'd like to believe she wouldn't do that.

...

No. I can't say that for certain. This isn't the loud, smart, thoughtless girl I knew a long time ago. She's different.

Sakura is quiet. She's cunning. And she knows how to use her head as something more than a walking encyclopedia.

She's a ninja.

Whether I think she's actually betrayed me or not, nows not the time to doubt my convictions.

"Sakura!" her name burst from my lips. Beside me, Naruko takes a breath and draws a kunai.

A silent gaze passes between the two of us. My Sharingan blazes to life, though to all the world nothing seems different. She's not a clone. She's not an illusion. This is the real Sakura Haruno. A pit begins to form in my stomach.

And in her eyes, I see the twinkling of intelligence. Whether that's a good or bad thing is something I'll have to figure out.

"I told you my dream!" I roared. "I'm not going to be abandoning you anytime soon!"

Kakashi blows a hum, gently patting the young girl and stepping forward.

"Girls don't like it if you constantly push," he says sweetly and flips a page of the book he's holing up.

Naruko grumbles something under her breath and steps up.

"We'll just kick your ass and take all the bells!" She shouts, weapon outstretched toward the Jonin. "I know you have two more in your other pocket!"

Kakashi lets loose a little laugh.

"Noticed that, did you?" He mumbles and glances toward Naruko. "Perhaps you're not far off from being a proper ninja."

He takes a step forward.

"But I'm here to test that, aren't I?"

He vanishes. No, he moves.

Kakashi Hit roll(??d6): 69!
Sasuke's Dodge Roll (14d6): 44 Hit!
+Sasuke takes 10? DMG! | Sasuke takes 1 Injury
Injury Thresholds: 10/20/30/40

His free hand smashes into my gut like a bullet. The only warning I received was the whistling of the wind and a green blur. The next thing I knew, I've gone flying and smashed into the ground.

"Sasuke!" Naruko shouts.

I roll with the fall, finding myself back on my feet in a second. Smart as she is, Naruko had tried to rush Sakura while Kakashi was distracted. Unfortunately, the Jonin was faster. With a kick to her side, Kakashi sent my friend rolling away.

Through it all, he seemed not to have a care in the world. One thing was certain.

None of us were beating him alone. Even with me and Naruko working together, chances seemed slim.

I took a breath and glance at Naruko. My right finger twitched in a very peculiar way. Understanding flickered in her gaze.

I charged at Kakashi, making sure to peek at Sakura while doing so.

Come on. You're smarter than this.

Naruko comes to match my pace, and as we neared, Chakra gathers in my belly.

Sasuke used Fireball Jutsu
-20 Chakra [62->42] | 4d6+2 + Soul DMG

Hit Roll(14d6): 54!
Kakashi Dodge(??d6): 42 *.9 (Numbers Disadvantage) = 37 Hit! | Substitution Jutsu used!

Naruko hit Roll(??d6): 49
Kakashi Dodge Roll (??d6): 63 *.9 (Numbers Disadvantage) = 56 Dodge!

Two shuriken sail past my shoulders. Naruko sprints forward, assaulting Kakashi with a barrage of kicks and punches that he deflects with a single finger. As she tries to jump away, he lashes out with his right foot, hooking her ankle with his heel. Naruko falls flat on her back and the veteran ninja follows up with a kick to her stomach.

The kick never lands, as my own weapons flash out of my hands. He deflects the kunai, giving Naruko enough time to leap away.

A massive ball of fire bursts from my lip. It burns through the air, searing the grass and earth beneath its path. Naruko is long since gone, though I began firing off the jutsu before she had. A simple plan, but one we practiced before.

The move catches Kakashi off guard. He has but a second to react before the flames consume him. Yet, I knew this wouldn't put him down, let alone scratch him. But that's fine. My goal was to distance him from Sakura.

Naruko jumps over the smouldering crater, landing right in front of sakura. The "traitorous" kunoichi draws her kunai, eyes hardened.

She darts forward, swinging away at Naruko.

My friend clicks her tongue and meets Sakura's swing with one of her own. The moment is lost and Kakashi ceases it. His hand burst from the ground.

"W-Wha?!" Naruko's eyes go wide as another hand erupts from the earth and coils around her ankle.

I curse and send a wave of shuriken at Kakashi. Alas, it's too late. He pulls, burying naruko neck-deep in soil. Or so one might believe. With a puff of smoke, Naruko is replaced by a common log.

Kakashi steps out from behind Sakura, surprising the young girl.

A stalemate. He's obviously holding back, but it's clear that the two of us are good enough to push him somewhat at this level.

As he opens his mouth to speak, I draw Mugetsu and subtly focus chakra into my weapon. Its edge is reinforced and honed.

[Sasuke uses "Sharpen Jutsu" -13 Chakra [42-> 39!]]

"Not bad," Kakashi mumbles. "I suppose I should give you a bit more rope so you can hang yourselves."

He mumbles and takes a breath. The book he's been reading up till now slides back into his pouch.

"You work well together... but how long can you keep that up?"

His hands blitz through a number of hand signs. Even with my Sharingan, it's all a blur!

"Let's see how you deal with this."

A wave of nausea hits us like a truck. A genjutsu, but not one I really need my Sharingan to see through. Vomit bursts from my lips, staining the ground a darker shade of green.

"R-Release..."

I whimpered, performing the countermeasures taught to us by our school. The feeling of unease and vertigo fades, but the vomit does not.

Unlike me, Naruko doesn't figure it out right away. The second my words reach her ears, however, she follows suit.

The distraction is an opportunity Kakashi doesn't let slip. He's at my side in an instant, fingers slamming into my neck. In a second, he's picked me up and thrown me away like one would a garbage bag.

"Let's take care of your friend first," he says cheerfully. "Don't worry, I'll be back once I'm done."

And like that, he turns his back to me. An instant later, he's next to Sakura, stoping Naruko's attempt to capture her.

What's the game plan here, Sakura?! Did she really-

Our eyes meet. As I gaze deep inside, I see determination. She glances toward Kakashi and then back to me. Once more, she mouths.

There's a great distance between me and them. I'd have to burn a lot of Chakra to close in before he advances on Naruko.

It's a gamble. Should Sakura's true plan be to abandon the two of us, then there'll be no way to turn things around.

A gamble.

A risk.

A chance.

Do I trust Sakura? That is the question that will decide my fate.

As the pink-haired girl desperately stares into my eyes, as if trying to tell you something- I make my choice.

The two of us haven't been that close. Most might call us "friends" but at best we're very good acquaintances. Though, I still consider her a "friend." Not the type of friend one knows a lot about, but someone I can still put some trust into.

And this is that moment.

This is Sakura's time to shine. I have no idea what she's planing or how she's going to do it, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that I can't beat Kakashi alone. Even with the three of us, the battle's outcome is a foregone conclusion.

Yet, this obviously isn't just a test of might. It never was... was it?

I take a breath and rush forward, putting everything I could into my legs. Chakra coils around my muscles, compressing like a spring. It's the simplest of techniques and one used by all ninja to leap great heights.

That's all it is- a simple technique.

Yet, even a branch can be shaped into a deadly weapon with the right mindset.

I grit my teeth, nearly biting my tongue off as the full force of my movements crashes into me. My lungs and stomach slam into my back and air smashes into my face. The ground I stood upon bursts and peppers everything behind me in loose rocks and a small bit of dirt.

I explode from my spot, rushing forward like a missile.

[-35 Chakra (42 -> 7)]

Everything blurs, yet Kakashi's form explodes into view. Where once he was as small as a mouse, now he stands right in front of me.

His one good eye widens, even as I lash out with Mugetsu. It takes all my strength just to lift the previously light weapon. Its as if the air itself is a prison chaining me down. Even the simplest of movements feel like an insurmountable mountain. Nevertheless, I persevere.

By sheer force of will and a lot of luck, I manage to tilt my body enough to perform a simple swing. Mugetsu slices through the air; a loud crack echoing a second after as it cuts through sound itself.

Hit Roll(14d6): 54!
Kakashi Dodge(??d6): 50 = Hit! | Kakashi uses Substitution!

My blade catches flesh. It burrows deep into Kakashi's side, tearing through cloth like butter. Yet, the surge of chakra and puff of smoke spoil my hopes. My sword cleanly slices through a log, not the body of our teacher.

Though, admittedly, that's for the best.

The speed I carried is not kind to me. I barrel forward, tumbling to the ground and digging my foot in the dirt. The sudden stop is far more jarring than I expected and has my head smashing into the ground. I bounced once, twice, and then finally digged my fingers into the earth. A second later, I'm back on my feet and standing next to Naruko.

All things considered, I did rather well and only got a tiny nosebleed.

Naruko is back on her feet a second later and takes a position next to me.

"Quite the daring rescue," Kakashi says with an amused tone. "It might have caught a lesser ninja off guard." He hum, eyes still on the two of us as Sakura hurries to his side.

"Could have even killed a few that underestimate you with that."

Advice? A distraction? Whatever the case, he had ample opportunity to "finish" both me and Naruko off right then.

"Guess you didn't underestimate us then, huh?!" Naruko shouts back, eyes momentarily glancing toward me. She steps just a tad closer.

"No," Kakashi answers. "I didn't." His one eye slowly hovers toward my own. He furrows his brow and lets loose a query hum.

"An Uchiha without his Sharingan, yet one that moves as if he-" Kakashi stops and blinks. "Curious."

What the hell is he going on about? Is he just talking to waste time now or-

"I suppose It's time to end this."

I blink and he's upon us.

A heel smashes into my stomach, pushing me down to the ground. Kakashi pins me in place, easilly grabbing Naruko's arm as she swings. With a clean twist of his body, he slams Naruko to the ground right next to me. Metal flashes from his holster and twin Kunai find themselves pressed against both of our necks.

"And you lose," he says cheerily. "Though, can't exactly have a team with only one person," Kakashi mumbles.

"Tell you what, how about you two fight and the winner gets a bell?"

...

What?

His eye shuts, forming an odd little "smile" as it does so.

"I think it's quite generous, you know?" We just stare at the man's audacity. "Fight each other and the last one standing passes."

"No way am I doing that!" Naruko growls. "I'll kick your ass!"

Kakashi chuckles and shakes his head.

"What about you, Sasuke?" He raises his hand away from my neck and reaches for his pocket. "I'll give you this-"

Only the sound of flesh hitting cloth can be heard. Once again, he pats down his pocket, brow furrowing in confusion. The moment he figures out that there's nothing there, he reaches for his other pocket and finds much the same.

A sigh bursts from his lip.

"Clever girl," He mumbles, releases the two of us and turns to Sakura. "How exactly did you do that?"

Sakura stands a ways away. A large, grin splitting her face.

"I wouldn't make a good ninja if I told you, would I?" she shouts, holding up three golden bells. "I'll be giving two of these to Sasuke and Naruko, so that means we all pass, right?"

How did she get those bells? You didn't see anything either!

The clearing stands silent. Then, slowly but surely, a laugh rubles through the area.

"Well done," Kakashi puts away his kunai, and soon, his clapping ripples through the air. "You three pass!"

"Hell yeah!" Naruko roars, helping me up.

I smile and nod at Sakura, who quickly rejoins the two of us. Bells exchange hands and "Team 7" is born anew.

"No, but seriously, how did you do that?" Kakashi eventually asks again just before we part ways.

"Well, since you're our teacher now-" Sakura wiggles her fingers. I immediately have my Sharingan looking for anything strange. I can just barely make out tiny strands of hairs on Sakura's fingers that are flowing with her chakra. She uses these hairs like a muscle, lifting up her new, shiny bell.

"Can't really lift anything much heavier than that..."

That's amazing! How much control would it take to keep the hair from snapping, let alone using it to lift something?

She's just as scary as Naruko when it comes to potential...

"Very clever," Kakashi responds. I could just feel the grin on his lip. "I foresee great things..."

And with that, we part ways- not as strangers, but as a team.

The future ahead of us would not be easy. But I will try my hardest to make it a bright one.

Prologue End!

==================

Mugetsu: An "exotic" straight sword that's uncommon in the hands of ninja. Its edge is sharp and untested, but you can see the great potential it holds.
+Adds Dex (10) or STR (10) to hit rolls (Highest)
+Base DMG: 55
+DMG Mod: 1.9
Straight Sword Damage: [74] = +19 (Dex/STR x DMG Mod [x1.9] + 55 (Mugetsu Base DMG)

Please leave a comment and like if you enjoy the story

Leekz01 · Feb 26, 2021

The smallest of ripples can have the largest of changes. What was once a tiny wave can build, grow, and devour fate itself. Indeed, even your path was once unknown, inconsequential. You could have lived as the prince of a mindless kingdom. Yet... you and your brother chose another path. A better path.

Thus, your tiny ripples exploded into a massive crescendo that swallowed your mother whole. The waves did not stop there, however. They continued to rise, changing the world itself. You travelled the land, met a number of interesting individuals, found a wife that would eventually birth two kids and later on, you had another set of "children."

You won't forget those that came after. The nine. As much of your family as any other.

Alas, even you could not control the rippling waves that eventually surged into a raging whirlpool. You dreamed of a world engulfed in peace. The world, however, did not make that easy.

Oh, Indra... I'm sorry...

Even though your body and soul were spread over the world as you died, you could feel all that transpired. Of the treachery, of the violence, of the war.

The world was consumed by hatred, yet you knew things would change. Surrounded by nothingness- feeling nothing and being nothing you blissfully recalled your life. Even as time stretched out to infinity, you question if there was anything else you could have done. Your mother was mad- a truly alien mind. Your words did not reach her, as much as you wished that they did.

How much different could things have turned out if she simply listened?

Even after all this time, can you say that you love her?

...

Heh. Is there even a need to ask?

Your soul breathes in, soaking in the world's ethereal winds. The cycle goes on. You left everything to your sons and their souls continue to hold the banner. Even after what happened, you can't help but smile at that. Smile? Ah... how you miss that. It's the little things that truly get to you.

At times you feel despair's wretched fingers coiling around your ankle, you remember all that came before. This state of half existence isn't so bad. The world moves on and you move with it. Perhaps one day you'll be able to scrounge up what remains of your existence and manage to speak to those below.

Yes.

That'd be just grand...

...

...

...

A nudge, followed by a knock. Something scrapes against the boundaries between your world and... well, you can't quite describe it. Not the realm of the dead, but something else.

The gentle knocking erupts into harsh strikes. Cracks begin to weave themselves into the very fabric of existence.

Each strike carries more power. One. Two. Three. And then, on the fourth, the walls shatter like a common window.

A single, minuscule light slips through the world's oozing wound. It whizzes past you and falls to the world below, forming tiny ripples as it drops.

Though the gaping hole in space, you see a massive, golden eye. It follows the glittering light until it finally flickers and fades. Then, the eye turns its attention on you.

Oh...

Primordial fear shakes your very soul. You stare into the eye, finding naught but your own reflection.

Hollow.

How long do you lock gazes with the creature? A few seconds? A few hours? An eternity? You know not, but the entirety of your being is focused on it. Should you look away, you fear there will be nothing left. You will be swallowed whole.

Wait... nothing? You are nothing. How could nothing be le-

The wounded walls slowly sow themselves shut. You refuse to look away. Even as the walls close in around the eye, shunting it out of your world- you refuse.

Don't look away. Never look away.

And then, all is still. All is normal.

Truly... you have the worst of luck when it comes to alien intelligence. Eventually, the fear fades and you gaze down at the world.

Ripples become waves. Waves become a storm. And the raging storm of change moves the world.

"Oh? Curious..."

Truly... interesting...

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Along a Fading Path (Naruto/SI)[Quest Story]

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