272 My SI Stash #72 - The Iron Gamer of Kumo by nclose9 (Naruto)
-Let me know if you guys have more SI that isn't set in Konoha! I really enjoy the world building in these kind of fics~
Sypnosis: An OC finds himself plunged into the Naruto verse with gamer powers. Homesick and not knowing how much time he has there, he goes on to make his place in a new world, maybe have a little fun and probably grow a little more. Strong!OC, OC!Insert, Gamer!OC, Magnet-Release
Rated: M
Words: 81K
Posted on: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13341703/1/The-Iron-Gamer-of-Kumo (nclose9)
PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)
-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)
Chapter 1-3 (exceptional)
I remember staring at that empty space, with that cream-colored background.
'Where am I?' Was the first thing I asked myself. Trapped in a monochromatic endless space was a novel experience alright, but not being able to interact with anything, not even myself, was downright horrible. I remember assuming it was one of those lucid nightmare / night terrors I got every once in a while.
Fear got a grip of me and cold sweat dripped down my back. A completely empty space. Void. I couldn't see my hands, couldn't hear anything, and I couldn't move. All I could see was a freaking cream-colored infinity. Trying to run didn't take me anywhere, trying to scream didn't get me any answers.
When you can't wake up from a night terror, fear continues to fester your mind until you hyperventilate. You'll believe you've woken up only to realize you're still asleep, and the cycle will start again.
But I learned a long time ago the golden rule to escape a night terror, it was rather simple: Calm down, relax and try to sleep. Yes, try to sleep while dreaming, Inception style. Only you don't go to a deeper dream within a dream, you wake up.
'That's all I have to do,' I assured myself, 'go to sleep on this dream and you'll wake up in your bed in the real world.'
I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing. Five seconds in, five seconds out. 'Just… wake up and take the goddamn pill.'
That's when it appeared, a light gray square floating in front of me with big black bold letters.
"YOU ARE IN A COMA"
'...This is NOT a nightmare.'
The thing about epileptic seizures is that they are not uncommon. Less than you might think, anyway. I'll always remember the first on I had: I unexpectedly woke up on a hospital bed with a headache, my whole body felt strained and I was confused as hell. I didn't even remember passing out in the first place. I was out for three days, doctors said.
A freakishly expensive pill a day, no driving or drinking for six months, and a "beware of bright lights" was all I got from the rather surreal experience. And a small scar on the back of the head due to falling headfirst on the university's stone floors. But life went on. That life, that is.
Another funny thing about epileptic seizures: they can happen at night while sleeping. I do recall going to bed the night before all of this and… that's it, that's the last thing I remember from before.
So, that's the only explanation I had, a night seizure plunging me into a coma. Is that too much of a stretch?
Nevertheless, there I was staring at a freaking pop-up message floating on my range of vision. Was that what happened to all coma patients? A cream-colored emptiness with floating messages?
'Am I really in a coma? Can I believe the floating box?' I wondered.
'Why am I not freaking out again?'
A loud DING broke me from my musings and the floating text box changed to something I didn't expect:
Welcome to the game! You've been chosen to play while in a coma.
'Huh?' I squinted my eyes and blinked rapidly. A game? I got "selected" to play a freaking game until I wake up? 'This doesn't make any sense.'
So here I am now. The grey text box still floating in front a cream-colored background, a soft ominous hum was emitting from the box.
'Does this game wants me to somehow click a Yes button?' I sarcastically wondered.
With nothing else to do, I clicked. Not clicking per se, there was no button at all, but somehow just wanting to accept the message made it change.
Please input your game preferences and create an avatar.
Please select world:
[] Naruto
'Huh, Naruto?' I wondered, 'I get to play a Naruto game?'
'I read the manga, watched the first part of the anime show, even the last movies,' I thought, 'I was even reading some fanfiction on my daily commute.' Why the hell not, right? It's not like I had too many options anyway. Let's accept the text box.'
Choose a first name
'Hmmmm, a name?' I mused, 'like, NoobMaster69 or a real name? Can I get a random one?'
'Kioshi' was selected, meaning 'Silent'. Confirm?
'Yeah, well, why not,' I snorted. Of course it would be a Japanese name, context and all.
Then, things got a bit more interesting.
Last name will be given according to later selections.
Defaults settings have been implemented:
Name: Kioshi
Title: n/a
Gender: Male
Level 1 (0/100)
HP: 40/40
SP: 30/30
Chakra: 150/150
Chakra Control: 20%
STR: 2
DEX: 2
VIT: 2
INT: 7
WIS: 7
CHA: 7/10
Points: 0
Money: 0
'...Holy shit! An RPG?' I exclaimed. I got to play a Naruto RPG game?
'Oh, I am SO going to play'
Select your traits. You have 3 points to spend. More will be available as the game progresses and you level up.
[] Civilian grown: The newbies. (0 points)
As a civilian, you don't have the same advantages as shinobi born.
25% slower Chakra growth. Adds 1 trait point. Incompatible with Descendant or Clan traits.
[] Taijutsu Oriented: The brick breakers. (1 point)
Increases Taijutsu and bukijutsu experience gain by 10%. 5% faster DEX and STR growth.
[] Ninjutsu Oriented: The chakra lovers. (1 point)
Increases Jutsu experience gain by 10%. 5% faster Chakra growth.
[] Genjutsu Oriented: The illusion and control lovers. (1 point)
Increases Genjutsu experience gain by 10%. 5% faster INT growth and +5 to starting Chakra Control percentage.
[] Medic Oriented: The "helping" hand. (1 point)
Increases Medical Jutsu experience gain by 10%. +5% to starting Chakra Control and 5% faster Chakra Control growth.
[] Fuinjutsu Oriented: The writing ones. (1 point)
Increases Fuinjutsu experience gain by 10%. +10% experience gain to INT.
[] Sarutobi Clan: The monkey like ones. (2 points)
Great aptitude to bukijutsu and taijutsu, a battle-oriented clan.
Increases Chakra Control by 5% at start. 10% faster Chakra Control, VIT and STR growth. Fire affinity imposed. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Aburame Clan: Insect loving ones. (2 points)
Unique hidden jutsu list involving insects, a highly analytic clan.
Access to hidden Aburame clan techniques. Symbiotic relationship with kikaichu imposed. 10% faster INT and WIS growth. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Hyuga Clan: The White-eyed ones. (2 points)
Unique Dojutsu, a taijutsu oriented clan divided by inner turmoil.
Access to Byakugan dojutsu and related taijutsu list. 15% faster DEX growth and 10% faster STR growth. Increases Chakra Control by 5% at start. Region Locked: Konohagakure. Caged Bird Seal imposed.
[] Inuzuka Clan: The feral ones. (2 points)
Unique canine companions, a hot-headed clan known for their tracking prowess.
Access to special canine companion and related jutsu list. 10% faster DEX and STR growth. Improved hearing, sight and smell. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Nara Clan: The lazy ones. (2 points)
An unmotivated but highly intelligent clan.
Access to hidden jutsu list. 20% faster INT growth. Decreased SP gain by 20%. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Yamanaka Clan: The mind ones. (2 points)
A clan of mind walkers.
Access to hidden jutsu list. 10% faster INT and WIS growth. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Akimichi Clan: The big ones. (2 points)
A clan possessing great physical strength.
Access to hidden jutsu list. 15% faster STR growth and 10% faster VIT growth. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Uchiha Clan: The Red-eyed ones. (3 points)
Unique Dojutsu, direct descendants of Hagoromo Otsutsuki and a proud clan of Fire users.
Access to Sharingan dojutsu, 15% faster DEX growth, 10% faster Chakra Control growth. Imposed Curse of Hatred. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Uzumaki Descendant: The ones with the red hair. (3 points)
Massive Chakra capacity and increased life force. Survivors are now scattered across the world.
Increases Chakra by 100 points at start. 50% faster Chakra growth and 20% faster VIT growth. 100% faster Fuinjutsu experience gain. Access to chakra chains. -10 to Chakra Control percentage at start. 50% slower Chakra Control experience gain.
[] Senju Descendant: The great ones. (3 points)
Unique life force, direct descendants of Hagoromo Otsutsuki.
Increases VIT by 10 points at start. 15% faster Chakra and VIT growth. 10% slower Chakra Control growth.
[] Yuki Descendant: The cold ones. (3 points)
Decimated during Kirigakure's civil war, their descendants are now scattered.
Nature transformation kekkei genkai Hyoton (Ice release) available, elemental affinity to Wind and Water imposed. 10% faster DEX and INT growth.
[] Kaguya Descendant: The bone ones. (3 points)
Decimated during Kirigakure's civil war, their descendants are now scattered.
Shikotsumyaku available. Increases VIT by 10 points at start. 15% faster DEX growth and 10% faster STR and VIT growth. You will be mentally unstable and prone to violence.
[] Hozuki Descendant: The water ones. (2 points)
Unique clan ability to turn their bodies into liquid state.
Hydrification Technique available, which requires constant hydration. Water affinity imposed.
[] Hoshigaki Descendant: The shark ones. (3 points)
Unique shark-like appearance with an aptitude to water style jutsu.
Underwater breathing ability. 15% faster STR and 10% faster VIT growth. +25% faster experience gain to water-related jutsu. Water affinity imposed.
[] Boil Release: Stew them. (3 points)
Access to Boil Release nature transformation kekkei genkai, Water and Fire affinities imposed.
[] Explosion Release: Blast them. (3 points)
Access to Explosion Release nature transformation kekkei genkai, Earth and Lighting affinities imposed. Region Locked: Iwagakure, to be trained as a member of Iwa's explosion corps.
[] Lava Release: Liquefy them. (3 points)
Access to Lava Release nature transformation kekkei genkai. Fire and Earth affinities imposed. Sub selection of specific form.
[] Magnet Release: Attract them. (3 points)
Access to magnet release nature transformation kekkei genkai. Wind and Earth affinities imposed. Sub selection of specific form.
[] Scorch Release: Heat them up. (3 points)
Access to scorch release nature transformation kekkei genkai. Fire and Wind affinities imposed.
[] Storm Release: Beam them up, Scotty. (3 points)
Access to Storm release nature transformation kekkei genkai. Lightning and Water affinities imposed. Region Locked: Kumogakure.
[] Wood Release: Up the trees. (3 points)
Access to the cell infused version of the fabled Mokuton kekkei genkai. Water and Earth affinities imposed. Region Locked: Konohagakure.
[] Dust Release: The disintegrating ones. (4 points)
Access to Dust Release kekkei tota. Earth, Wind and Fire affinities and 'September' by EW&F menu music imposed. Region locked: Iwagakure. Student of the Tsuchikage imposed.
[] True Wood Release: Requires Senju Descendant Trait. Blocked in history mode.
[] Jinchuriki: Blocked in history mode.
[] Transmigrant: Blocked in history mode.
'Wow,' I dumbfounded thought.
There was a lot of information there, and a lot of conjectures could be made, too.
Clans are region locked; Descendants are not.
Timewise, it appears the timeline was post Kiri bloodline issues from the lack of clan affiliation of the Yuki or Kaguya families, but probably before the Uchiha clan massacre, as they are still considered a Clan. And since the last traits state "history mode", it was easy to assume the timeline is more or less in hand with the manga.
I could take the Sharingan and try to build an Itachi type ninja, but I needed more points to also specialize in genjutsu. And being an Uchiha pre-massacre… nope. It's tempting, though.
What about a Senju Descendant? It wasn't stated as a clan so maybe I would be an illegitimate child of Tsunade maybe? Wood release was only available in an imperfect form, nevertheless, and I didn't have the points to pick both.
An Uzumaki? A Yuki? A Sarutobi? Other Konoha clans? Other kekkei genkai? Maybe a taijutsu master? 'Holy crap, I can be a Hoshigaki!'
But my mind was already set when my gaze stopped at a particular kekkei genkai: Magnet release.
'I could be like the freaking Third Kazekage and have the freaking iron sand! Or the freaking gold dust!' I thought, doing a little dance in my head.
I had a simple picture in my mind. If I can't make myself so extraordinary as the First Hokage with his senjutsu and Wood release or even an Itachi type ninja right from the beginning, I would try my own version in this game. A silent ninja who stuck to the shadows, not the talkative-pause-suspense duelist. I would get my big ass jutsu in time.
Maybe later, when and if I got more trait points, I could diversify… maybe then there will be new traits to unlock.
I turned my thoughts to the floating screen and selected Magnet Release.
Select specialization:
[] Ferromagnetic - Iron Sand.
[] Diamagnetic - Gold Dust.
[] Diamagnetic – Sand. Requires "Jinchuriki – One Tail" status.
Grinning, I chose the Iron Sand.
Please select your country:
[] Konohagakure
[] Kumogakure
[] Iwagakure
[] Kirigakure
[] Sunagakure
[] Amegakure
'Oh, Ok. What to choose?' This was a very important choice.
Author's note:
As you might have noticed, the story is based on all the Gamer fics around. Specially The Gamer of Sunagakure by Zturn. I want it to be a Gray!OC but not dark or antagonistic.
I had this story in my mind for quite a while and now that I'm out of work and haven't found a new one, let's try to finally write it.
Chapter 2
When I looked at my options, some were dismissed instantly.
I wasn't going to try Ame. One word: Pein, or maybe Hanzo. Did Hanzo die before or after the Sand-Sound invasion of Konoha?
The bloody mist was neck deep in the bloodline related hate, so that was also a negative. That left the other 4 great nations.
Suna… it was the place where iron release was born, and the Yondaime Kazekage himself used the golden variant. But Orochimaru's eyes over the village and the Yondaime's assassination by his hand were not good omens to someone with a rare and locally famous kekkei-genkai. So, I discarded it quickly.
And what about Konoha, where the story unfolds? Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, the Sandaime, Tsunade and Jiraiya! But then again, an iron release wielder in Konoha under the watchful eyes of Danzo and Orochimaru? I didn't want to risk being hunted, kidnapped or experimented upon. 'I'll be damned if someone tries to control me,' but I didn't want to discard Konoha that fast.
'I should try to hide my magnet release for as long as possible, to avoid Orochimaru's interest… or anyone like him'
Iwa used to hire the Akatsuki, and naturally I wanted to avoid them until I was strong enough. Sasori also had the Third Kazekage's body as a puppet and I wouldn't appreciate sharing that fate, no sir. Besides, Orochimaru was part of the Akatsuki before Itachi ran him over. So, Iwa was dismissed.
The choice was between Konoha and Kumo.
'Do I want to repeat so many cliches and start in Konoha, along all the known characters?' I wondered, 'I might get to know Naruto and Sasuke, maybe even help them become those monsters they'll eventually grow into.'
All in all, I chose Kumo.
It was the logical answer. Away from Akatsuki, Orochimaru and Danzo, yet a strong village even without most of the main characters of the manga. Kumo looked to be a place where I could learn a lot, away from the gaze of the world.
If I recall correctly, Kumo had a magnet release user, a floating shuriken version. It wouldn't be such a horrible thing If somehow my kekkei genkai went public. 'Nobody would believe Kumo stole a kekkei genkai or captured the Third Kazekage for breeding purposes, right?'
I selected the second choice.
You have selected Kumogakure, the village hidden in the clouds.
Kumo is the hidden village of the Land of Lightning, the current Raikage is A, the Yondaime.
You are now playing Story Mode.
My head began to spin quickly until, suddenly, it stopped. I opened my eyes before picking myself from the floor. I was in a small house, Japanese styled from what I knew. Rubbing my eyes, there was one thing to do before exploring the house and this new life:
'So, is there a menu or something alike in this game?'
Menu:
Status
Skills
Inventory
Quests
Map
Relations
'Let's go in order... Status.'
Character Status:
Select an item to view additional information.
Name: Kioshi Shirasu
Title: n/a
Age: 4
Gender: Male
Level 1 (0/100)
HP: 40/40
SP: 30/30
Chakra: 150/150
Chakra Control: 20%
STR: 2
DEX: 2
VIT: 2
INT: 7
WIS: 7
CHA: 7/10
Points: 0
Money: 0
Well, I got a last name.
'Crap, I'm young,' that was not going to be fun, but at least I would have a lot of time to train.
I selected each item on the list.
Title: Your title might be something you are famous for and might give you bonuses to skills, stats, etc. Currently available: n/a.
Level is your character level. Each level up your mayor stats will increase by one point each and you will be awarded 2 stat points to assign freely.
HP are your health points. When health reaches zero, you die.
SP are your stamina points. When they reach zero, you'll feel lightheaded and might faint because of exhaustion.
Chakra is your chakra pool. Chakra points are used to cast ninjutsu and other skills. If you spend all your Chakra, you will faint because of chakra exhaustion. Chakra depends on your Intelligence, Wisdom and Vitality, and can be trained and augmented.
Chakra Control indicates your overall control over your chakra. It's measured in percentage, with 100% meaning perfect chakra control. Chakra Control depends on your Intelligence and Wisdom, and can be trained and augmented.
STR is your Strength, it affects your melee and weapon damage. It can be trained.
DEX is your Dexterity, it affects your aiming, dodging and general speed. It can be trained.
VIT is your Vitality, it determines your SP and HP directly. It can be trained.
INT is your Intelligence, your ability to resolve complex problems and learn complex jutsu. It can be trained.
WIS is your Wisdom, your decision making ability and affects related skills. It can be trained.
CHAR is your charisma, measured from 1 to 10. It's a static value and can't be changed by normal means.
Points are the available points to allocate. They are obtained from leveling up or as certain quest rewards.
Money is the amount of cash you currently possess in your person and inventory.
(Level not high enough to access detailed information).
'Okay, I think I get it. Pretty standard RPG mechanics so far. I get points awarded each level up, I can train most of the stats. Are there observation skills and such?'
'Menu?'
Menu:
Status
Skills
Inventory
Quests
Map
Relations
'Skills!'
Skills
Select an item to see additional information
Perks:
Gamer's Body.
Gamer's Mind.
Old Soul.
Skills:
Magnet Release (Iron Sand). Lvl 1.
Observe. Lvl 1.
Jutsu list:
[This list is empty]
'Ok, let's see each of those perks and skills'
Perks:
Gamer's Body.
- Allows you to feel your body as a gamer's. Death upon reaching 0 HP, sleeping in a bed removes most negative status.
Gamer's Mind.
- Grants immunity to mind control, mind reading and mental manipulation. Ensures peaceful state of mind and grants immunity to phycological status and effects.
Old Soul: You have already lived a life, and some things are carried over.
- Protects your knowledge from third party intrusion. Grants +5 to INT and WIS at start, +100 Chakra points at start. 10% Faster Chakra and Chakra control growth. 1% bonus to Chakra each level up. Birthmarks or other physical conditions might be present.
Skills:
Magnet Release (Iron Sand). Lvl 1.
- The famed third kazekage's version of the kekkei genkai. By controlling magnetic fields, ferromagnetic iron sands obey your commands. Control, sand amount and Chakra cost are level dependent.
Observe. Lvl 1.
- Observing what's around you is a great way to obtain information. At higher levels, more information is revealed.
As I was expecting, I got a gamer's body and mind passive. Immunity to mind control jutsu and such was amazing, and that Old Soul perk looked nice too. 'But, what's that about "some things are carried over"?'
The Magnet Release skill was my overall kekkei genkai level. The jutsu list was empty so I had to come up with iron sand jutsu to start filling it up. I also wanted to level that observation skill as much as I could.
'Menu, Inventory' I mentally commanded.
Inventory:
This is where you put things only you can access. There's no weight limit, but you cannot stash over 100 items. Money can be kept in the inventory for safe keeping without using an inventory slot. Mental commands are used to store/access any number of items in any slot. Restricted to one type of item per slot.
[Empty]
Nice, I've got my own inventory! And it didn't have weight limit, which made me happy.
'Menu, Quests.'
Quests:
Here is a list of currently active quests, categorized.
[This list is empty]
Pretty standard, 'Menu, Map.'
Map:
Local maps are shown in detail. Other maps are also accessible.
[You haven't acquired any maps.]
Ok, another mission in the short term: Get a map. 'Menu, relations.'
Relations:
Each person you have some relation with is listed here. Only basic information is presented. You need a real relation with the subject for him/her to be listed.
Denji Shirasu. Father, good relationship.
Denji is a jonin from Kumo, expert in long distance lighting jutsu and shurikenjutsu.
Chijaru Shirasu: Mother, deceased.
Chijaru was a jonin from Kumo, expert in wind release jutsu.
Sadako Hirano: Babysitter, very good relationship.
Sadako is a student from Kumo's ninja academy.
'Huh?' According to that, my mother in this world was dead and I had a babysitter.
'Ok, enough of this menu.'
Suddenly, I got the memories of my life here. I lived in Kumo with my father, my birth mother died two years ago from some sort of illness. He's been struggling with my mother's death and took up drinking. I'm mostly left alone at home, but Sadako comes twice a day to check on me.
Our home was a typical Japanese styled little house. A wooden ceiling, white walls with wooden pillars and a tatami floor. At the center was a small table with four cushions. To the right, there was a small kitchen and to the left, a short corridor which led to two bedrooms and a bathroom. Some drawings hanged on the walls, and some rice paper with Japanese writing hanged over the entrance.
'Shit, I don't know how to read!' I could read and write in English and I learnt a little Spanish in school, but I didn't know Japanese. I must have learned while growing here, no?...
"Hello?"
I spoke! In Japanese!
"Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates."
"You've been living in a dream world, Neo."
"Let's put a smile on that face."
'Hell yeah! I can speak Japanese!' Well, mostly. It sounded somewhat miss-pronounced. Probably because I was four... were kids supposed to speak correctly at four?
In that regard, my body was... small and sometimes non-respondent. I moved my fingers freely, but more meticulous movements needed a lot of concentration. My legs didn't respond that well to simultaneous controlled movement, but it was okay, I could walk and run.
Being four again after becoming an adult once was bizarre.
My musings were interrupted by the jingling of keys and the front door opening.
"Kioshi, are you awake?" a sweet voice called.
I recognized it as Sadako's. She came to visit every weekday in the morning and in the afternoons after class to check on me, and whenever Dad was on a long term mission.
"There you are!" she said with a cheerful smile, "come here you little chipmunk."
She grabbed me by my armpits and spun me around a couple of times. Her golden hair was gorgeous, contrasting with her dark brown eyes and dark skin.
"Did your dad leave you any snacks? Did he come at lunch time from village patrol? Did he remember to water the plants?" she asked in quick succession, "or do I have to nag him again?"
I just looked with one eyebrow up. She spoke too much and too quickly.
"Yes, no, maybe, I don't know?" I responded.
"You... you spoke?"
I was awarded with big brown eyes opened like saucers.
"You spoke!"
And I was again spun around the living room.
"Aww honey, I knew you could speak! They were afraid you just couldn't, but I told them you were a smart little cookie and you would speak eventually," she happily continued, "you are such a handsome little man, oh I'll make you a snack!"
So, I didn't speak before?
Her happy skipping to the kitchen was a perfect opportunity to try the observing skill.
'Observe'
Name: Sadako Hirano.
Title: Academy student.
Level: 12
Age: 11
Sadako is a student from Kumo's ninja academy
Relationship level: Very Good.
That wasn't a lot of information. Level 12 and an academy student, was that a standard?
After the snack and more trying to make me talk while squishing my cheeks, Sadako went home. I practiced the observe skill on everything I could see; cushions, tables, forks, doors, beds, kitchen utensils, and a long etc. Basically, everything could be observed, and details were also dependent on the object. Knifes and forks had a damage stat, doors or cushions didn't.
The good news was that the skill leveled. A small gray icon started flashing in the lower right of my vision, focusing on it showed me a new window:
Observe increased by one.
Observe. Lvl 2 (26%)
- Observing what's around you is a great way to obtain information. At higher levels, more information is revealed.
The bad news was that it still didn't show any additional information.
From what I can remember about this world, all afternoons were like this, boring and silent, killing time by doodling or sleeping. Mornings were no different. Dad would leave to work and Sadako would come to check on me in the mornings before academy and afternoons after it. Dad would leave a small lunch of rice and other stuff on the table for me to eat, if he remembered, with chopsticks on the side which I couldn't use very well yet.
Why would dad leave a small child like me alone for most of the day? And why wasn't Sadako fazed by that, anyway? It seemed to be a common practice among shinobi parents, from what she spoke. Maybe to encourage self-awareness or some bullshit like that, or because they were lazy as hell and it was such an ingrained habit that nobody really questioned it.
Nevertheless, I needed a mirror. I wanted to see my face!
Rummaging through one of my dad's bedside table I found a small makeup mirror. Judging by the old and dried lipstick next to it, it was my mother's. I'm too small to see myself in the bathroom mirror, so this was all I have.
'What is wrong with my eyes?' One had a dark yellow iris while the left one was dark green. My father has green eyes and my mother had blue, so the weird one was the yellow eye. 'Heterochromia,' I remembered, was the name of the condition. Was this because of the Old Soul perk?
I also had charcoal black hair, that grayish black color. Not long, but not short, a little spiky and with a bang falling down my right eye. My skin was... skin colored. Normal. Not the darker color common in Kumo, but not pale. And my face was just the typical face of a small kid, maybe a little skinny.
That was me, a skinny kid with mismatched eyes and black-gray hair.
After walking around the house, I sat down to think about what to do before dad arrived. I was four years old, I was in Kumogakure, in the freaking Naruto universe. I was going to train and learn as much as I could.
'So, I need a plan' I thought, looking for some paper and ink until I suddenly stopped.
'I can't read or write, can I?'
No, I couldn't read nor write Japanese. So first thing first: figure out how to read.
Quest Created:
A Reading Rainbow
Learn to read Japanese.
Rewards:
50 Exp, a random simple scroll.
Accept?
"Hell yeah, my first quest!" I exclaimed. I would need to wait for dad to teach how to read and maybe ask Sadako for help. 'Accept.' I couldn't think of anything to do at the moment to progress that quest.
So, next on the list: Chakra! Could I feel it? Did I need to unlock it? 'Should I force it to my hands and try forming a Rasengan like Naruto's?'
The last hours before dad's arrival were wasted trying to feel my Chakra. I didn't accomplish anything, not even a blueish hue formed in my hand. I tried screaming, relaxing, flexing my wrist, holding my breath... but, nothing.
I was sprawled on the floor, angry and frustrated when dad came home.
"Hello," he said. Dad waltzed into the house with a stern expression, ruffled my hair and went into the kitchen. The sound of a bottle of beer being opened echoed around the house.
After a couple of seconds, I replied.
"Hello dad, how was your day?"
A pause later, his head was peeking out the kitchen door, one brow raised.
"Kioshi, you spoke" he half said half murmured. He took a long breath, calmly walked to me and ruffled my hair again. "About time, son," he added seriously, then chugging his beer and returning to the kitchen.
From what I remember, that was the biggest reaction I've got from dad in this life. I knew his routine, he would chug a couple of beers, read the newspaper in silence, cook a simple dinner for both, clean the kitchen and, finally, he would lock himself in his bedroom with a bottle of liquor. Some nights, I could hear him crying.
"Dad," I followed him into the kitchen, "could you teach me how to read?"
He staggered.
"Sure son, I'll buy some books about reading tomorrow," he responded over his shoulder.
"Dad, what is chakra?"
He staggered again, but this time, a small smirk was present. A reminiscent expression on his face, he looked at my eyes.
"I suppose it was expected," he answered slowly, "... for you to ask about chakra. Well, your mother and I, we are ninjas. We were nin-"
A pause and a pained face later, he continued.
"Yes, after dinner I'll teach you about chakra. Now go wash up."
I didn't tell him I still can't reach the bathroom sink or that the little stool broke weeks ago. I sat in a cushion at the table, waiting for him.
"So, chakra," dad said putting a plate of rice and pork and some instant miso soup in front of me, "chakra is your life force, its usage differentiates us from civilians and is what we use to protect the village."
He sat down in front of me with his own plate.
"Everyone's chakra is the same, but, at the same time, it has some aspects unique to each individual," drinking his soup in one big gulp he finished, "oh, and chakra can be made denser, lighter, faster, etc. depending on the jutsu."
"Where's my chakra?" I asked.
"Well, if you meditate enough, you'll feel it in your gut."
He stood up and went to his bedroom without finishing his meal, a half-filled bottle of booze in hand.
Dad has taken up drinking as a way to deal with my mother's death, drinking himself to stupor just to sleep. Some days he doesn't return home until past midnight, smelling of booze and cheap perfume. He usually wobbles around looking for his bed, but most of the times he plops on the couch.
It looked like I was a neglected kid, but I couldn't blame dad about it.
I didn't know when I'll wake up from the coma or if time passed as in the real world, but the same question kept nagging around in my head all day: how much time do I have?
Chapter 3
I realized I didn't need to sleep, but I certainly could. I fell asleep around 2 am while trying to meditate, with my head full of loss and remorse, and woke up at about 6 am, just in time to bump into dad.
For the first time in a long time, he said "I love you" when leaving to his city patrols. He didn't look much hangover nor drunk. He didn't leave me breakfast, though.
Sadako came only for a few minutes as she was late for school, but I was able to ask her for a book to learn how to read. With her beautiful smile, she agreed on looking for one in the library before dropping here on the afternoon.
Sitting alone on the dining room cushions, I started my meditation, again trying to get a feel of my chakra.
'Five seconds in, hold it for three more, release your breath in seven seconds, then repeat.' I tensed every muscle before releasing them, from my toes to my head, focusing on the sound of my breathing.
Ever so slowly, I fell to the deepest part of my mind, ignoring all my senses in the way, my closed eyes dancing to non-existent music. I focused on my center, trying to find anything unusual.
There it was, a soft hum like an opera song, discretely frolicking inside me. I joined its rhythm and let it roam around my body. It felt vast, endless and somehow happy; like a wave, it crashed against my skin.
I opened my eyes slowly, determined to keep my chakra in my grasp. I directed it to my hands, feet, shoulders, back, to my head, to my eyes and around my skin. There was no blue glow nor any external indication, but it was there.
It was astounding! I felt tranquil and at the same time exhilarating and eager. Chakra felt wonderful, it made me feel delighted, vigorous and connected with my body.
Ding!
A small icon on the lower right of my vision range pulsated, selecting it opened a new window.
Quest Completed!
Everything we need is within us.
Unlock your Chakra.
Rewards:
+50 Exp, +1 WIS.
I got a point to WIS, increasing it to 8.
'Menu, Status'
Character Status:
Select an item to view additional information.
Name: Kioshi Shirasu
Title: n/a
Age: 4
Gender: Male
Level 1 (50/100)
HP: 40/40
SP: 30/30
Chakra: 156/156
Chakra Control: 21%
STR: 2
DEX: 2
VIT: 2
INT: 7
WIS: 8
CHA: 7/10
Points: 0
Money: 0
Huh? My Chakra and Chakra Control went up because of the one point increase in WIS?
Chakra Control indicates your overall control over your chakra. It's measured in percentage, with 100% meaning perfect chakra control. Chakra Control depends on your Intelligence and Wisdom, and can be trained and augmented.
Yes, it did, 'I'll get to 100% in no time!'
The small icon at the right continued to pulsate.
Skill Created:
Meditation. Lvl 1. (1%)
- Achieving a mental state of self-awareness and emotional serenity.
Increases HP, SP and Chakra regeneration by 50%.
There wasn't much else to do at home apart from chakra related training, so I planned my next actions.
I can't -or shouldn't- train my body too much yet, or it could stunt my growth. My training should focus on skills and mental aptitudes, I should read and play mental games; however, I can't read yet.
From what I remembered about the manga, chakra capacity could be increased by depleting your reserves, waiting for them to fill up and repeat. Namely the 'spam-jutsu-until-you-pass-out' method.
Chakra Control, on the other hand, was trained with the renowned leaf concentration exercise, the tree climbing exercise and the water walking exercise.
All things considered, I decided to focus on Chakra Control as the old soul perk already gave me 2/3 of my total chakra capacity and improved its growth. It was safe to assume I had a lot of chakra for a four years old kid.
A semi-dry potted plant in the kitchen gave me a leaf, so I began.
'Concentrate chakra on your forehead,' I repeated to myself, 'focus!'
After several attempts, the leaf stuck.
"Oh yeah!"
Ding!
Skill Created:
Leaf Concentration Exercise. Lvl 0. (1%)
- A staple of shinobi training.
Increases Chakra control percentage by [Lvl] percent; number of leaves to hold: 1.
Cost: 8 Chakra Points per minute.
'Nice!'
Given my 150 Chakra points, I should be able to hold the leaf for a little less than 20 minutes.
'Well then, no time like the present.'
Keeping a close eye on my Chakra, I stuck the leaf to my forehead and three and a half minutes later, I was panting, feeling a mixture of hunger, weakness and tiredness. My chakra went down to 3 points before I cut the flow to my forehead.
'Holy cow, this feels horrible.'
I forgot to consider my Chakra Control, those 8 points per minute were really about 40.
'At least I'll now know my Chakra regeneration rate.'
I had to wait about 10 minutes before seeing my Chakra go up to 12 points, and about an hour until it reached 60. According to the Meditation skill, regeneration was increased by 50% while meditating, so that was something.
Going into a meditative state, I kept an eye in my chakra. This time, my chakra increased by more or less 14 points at the 10 minutes mark. Hence, it will take me approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes of rest for my chakra to fill up, and one hour less if I was to meditate continuously.
I had to see if it was possible now to meditate without falling asleep.
It wasn't possible, I fell asleep over the table and woke up after lunch. Maybe I was relaxing my body too much. Anyhow, at least my chakra was full again.
I stuck the leaf to my forehead and repeated the process. Three minutes and something later, I was panting again.
I meditated again for about 10 minutes when I remembered to have lunch. Did I really need to eat or did the gamer's body take care of that? Did I feel hunger?
The fridge only had old take away food, some moldy rice and about thirty medium bottles of beer. I got a small sachet of miso paste and had a cup of cold soup. I'm too short to turn on the stove yet.
I decided then to train my observation skills while waiting for my chakra to fill up, though I really wanted something new to observe.
The house wasn't big. We didn't have a back yard, but we had a small front yard with some plants. The only problem was that the entrance door was always locked. 'I'll lose my mind if I stay here, I'll need to get a copy of the keys soon.'
Dragging the dinner table to the window, I peeked my head. The sun was shining bright outside, but it was a rather chilly afternoon. I loved it.
Ours was a narrow street, crammed with small houses from what I could see. We appeared to be in a small valley between some stony mountains. In the background, you could see the peaks of the highest mountains, some of them covered by snow, some had round buildings attached and, one in particular, had a big blue one. The Raikage tower.
An old lady strolled in front of my house. 'Observe.'
Name: Masami Ibuka.
Title: n/a.
Level: 5
Age: 71
Masami is an old Civilian.
Relationship level: Neutral.
'So, that's the level of an old civilian.'
People kept walking in front of my window and I even spotted a chunin running on the roofs, but my observation level might have been too low to discern anything useful.
Name: Motoichi Onoe.
Title: ?
Level: ?
Age: 18
Motoichi is a Kumo chunin.
Relationship level: Neutral.
After 3 hours of observing people -and a notably fat cat- from my window, the skill increased 4 levels:
Observe increased by four.
Observe. Lvl 6. (28%)
- Observing what's around you is a great way to obtain information. At higher levels, more information is revealed.
Now that my chakra was back to full, it was time to stick a leaf to my forehead and try to meditate again.
If meditating for more than 20 minutes was hard, doing so with chakra depletion was horrible.
That afternoon dad came home early, went straight to the kitchen and left the house with three bottles of beer in his hands. He didn't say hello when he woke me up with the sound of his footsteps.
Sadako did show up later.
"Hey chipmunk!" she shouted, "I got what you asked!"
'Holy crap, this girl is loud as hell.'
"Hello," I responded, "how was the academy?"
She pinched my cheeks, hard.
"Nice sunny day, boring teachers, nice lunch. That bitch of a genjutsu instructor made us hold a leaf to our foreheads -not everyone can, mind you- supposedly to improve our illusions and then-"
I blocked the next minute or so of her rambling about girl stuff... you know, what that other girl said, what that other boy thinks of the other girl. It was just too much.
Academy students were learning the leaf sticking exercise at age 11, which gave me a comparison point.
Finishing her rambling, Sadako took a regular looking book out of her backpack and handed it to me.
"This is the book I got from mom. I used it last year to teach my little sister," she said, "and I believe it will help you. She was older than you then, but we both know you are a smart cookie"
She brought her face inches away from mine and poked my nose, "I can see it in your eyes!"
The book cover had a lot of colors and drawings.
"It goes through vocalizations, sounds, people, basic verbs, different types of writing, the whole thing! It's actually quite thorough."
I looked at her.
"Sorry, chipmunk! I can't really help you, you'll have to ask your dad, I train with my mom after checking up on you and I can't miss it."
I smiled, genuinely. This little girl was sweet. Loud and boisterous, yes, but sweet as honey spread over muffins. Anyhow, I'm not asking dad anything.
"Now I'm gonna make snacks and some tea!" she exclaimed skipping to the kitchen.
She talked a lot about simple things before leaving.
The first part of the book was mostly a collection of pictures regarding animals and actions next to their corresponding symbols and then went on different types of writing, vocalizations, and so on. After I finished reading it, my mind was abruptly filled with information, and, out of the blue, I was able to read and write Japanese.
Ding!
Quest Completed!
A reading rainbow.
Learn how to read.
Rewards:
+50 Exp, one random scroll
Small scroll placed in inventory
"Wow, I feel dizzy."
The rewarded scroll was in fact a jutsu, the "Rope Escape Jutsu – E rank." I selected it and the scroll disappeared from the inventory..
Ding!
Learn jutsu?
'Yes.'
Again, my mind was stuffed with information, and the small icon to the right flashed.
Ding!
Rope Escape Jutsu Learned!
Rope Escape Jutsu. Lvl Max.
E rank
- A jutsu to escape bindings.
50% chance of escaping simple bindings.
Cost: 10 Chakra Points per try.
Ding!
You leveled up!
Character Status:
Select an item to view additional information.
Name: Kioshi Shirasu
Title: n/a
Age: 4
Gender: Male
Level 2 (0/200)
HP: 50/50
SP: 40/40
Chakra: 166/166
Chakra Control: 21%
STR: 3
DEX: 3
VIT: 3
INT: 8
WIS: 9
CHA: 7/10
Points: 2
Money: 0
'Hell yeah!' I exclaimed looking at my new stats, a reward system like that really gets you motivated to go on. Also, from my perspective, the most logical decision was to save those extra points for when I had more information about the whole stats system.
Now that I knew how to read, I could finally start devouring my parent's books. One big bookshelf adorned the wall of the dining room, whilst a second one was in my dad's room. 'Some of those books must contain shinobi information.'
The routine was simple, I would perform the leaf sticking exercise, then meditate until I felt sleepy, and then read a book waiting for my chakra reserves to recover. In time, it would increase my observation and meditation skills and give me more time with the latter before falling asleep.
I took the leaf and some books, mostly on ninja regulations and history, and went to my room.
I had plans for tomorrow. I was going to get out of this house.
Xxx
Morning came with me sitting on my futon reading the core rules of Kumo shinobi It was a bunch on comments about honor, protection and duty. Honor! For Shinobi! 'Bunch of hypocrites the lot of them.'
The leaf sticking exercise was progressing slowly; it was sitting at 68% before gaining a level, only 32% more to go! My meditation skill went up a level, now increasing regeneration rates by 51%.
Dad arrived at some point around midnight, made a bunch of noise and went to his room. He left when the sun came out in full ninja gear, his white jonin vest strapped tightly and his leg pouches full of kunai, a harsh stare on his eyes.
Sadako came to check on me and made me a small breakfast. She rushed to the academy, a worried expression on her face. She also had a full pouch strapped to her right leg.
'Something is definitely happening.'
I went to my dad's room after breakfast and found an extra key chain in my mother's bedside table. It was time to get out of this house and explore the neighborhood.
I took my black coat, which was short and a little tight on the chest, and went out into the street. The cold air kissed with my cheeks; the morning sunlight still cast orange lights on the roofs of the houses. Without thinking too much, I started walking west.
The houses in the neighborhood were all similar, with only slight differences. They all had a small garden in front, in different conditions and one had a second floor improvisedly built.
Already past morning rush hour, the street was fairly clear. Some people -civilians- rushed to their destination while others seemed to be enjoying a morning walk; a mother with her baby wrapped in blankets and some elderly people strolled down the road.
Almost at the end of the street, a local shop boasted the food it offered. Taiyaki, said the sign: fish-shaped bread with different sweet flavors. If I had any money on me, I would have tried one. Two noticeably pregnant women were sitting, whispering between them. The owner must have seen me, as he simply questioned me with an eye smile.
"Hey boy, are you new here? I haven't seen you before."
I smiled "Good morning."
"Where's your mother?"
I just shrugged.
"Do you live here or are you lost?" He asked more worriedly.
"I live five houses back," I pointed with my hand to my house.
Nodding and smiling, he went grabbed something under the counter and handed me a small brown paper bag.
"The first try is free! When you want any type of tea, come around too. The best in the area."
I gave him a big smile.
"No go back home boy, is too early in the morning to be walking outside on your own."
"Thank you, sir."
On my way back home, I saw an old man sitting on a small chair at the front garden of a house. Our eyes met and he greeted me with his hand, smiling serenely.
'Observe.'
Name: Yataro Sada.
Title: ?
Level: ?
Age: 72
Yataro is a former ninja.
Relationship level: Good.
'A former ninja?'
He looked like a regular old man yet held observant eyes and an inquisitive look. He was lounging in his chair reading a very thick book, a pipe lying on a small table next to him. He was wearing a gray flannel jacket and black pants, a blue scarf around his neck.
I approached him cautiously.
"Are you Kioshi?"
I looked at him surprised.
"I knew your mother; she was a loving albeit solemn person. I'm sorry for your loss," he continued.
My gaze was fixed to the ground, I never knew how to react to this kind of thing. I didn't know this mother enough to have any kind of feelings for her.
"I'm sorry about your father too," he said, staring at me sternly, "if you're ever hungry, you can always knock on my door. I'm a superb cook, I must say."
It was obvious, wasn't it?
After giving him a appreciative nod, I sat on the grass beside him and opened the paper bag. Inside, there were two taiyaki. I passed one to the old man, I could feel he was a kind soul.
We ate wordlessly. The taiyaki was something odd, but enjoyable. It was stuffed with some sweet paste that I couldn't recognize.
When he finished, he lit his pipe with a snap of his fingers. He caught me staring.
"I am -no, I was- a shinobi." he corrected himself, "I may be far from my prime, but I can still do simple stuff."
He was interrupted by a ninja running over the roofs in the direction of the Raikage's tower.
"Do you know what has been going on?" I asked, "people have been acting... strange."
He looked at me contemplatively sucking the smoke from his pipe.
"Apparently, our peace envoy to Konoha was killed by a Hyuga a few nights ago. The Raikage will demand compensation for it, and until that happens, the village is on alert in case of conflict."
'The Hyuga affair!'
There was no doubt, Hinata, the heiress of the Hyuga clan in Konoha, had been kidnapped. The culprit, a Kumo ninja posing as a peace envoy, was caught and killed by Hinata's father. The Raikage was going to deny any accusation and demand compensations for the murder of one of his envoys.
The compensation: the body of Hiashi Hyuga, Hinata's father and head of the clan, and, thus, Kumo would have his hands on the precious Byakugan, the all-seeing eye, the dojutsu of the Hyuga.
Konoha, however, would send them a surprise. Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, would sacrifice himself in his brother's place. Since Hizashi was not a member of the clan's main family, his cursed seal would, well, seal the byakugan. The clan's head and their dojutsu would be safe and Kumo, humiliated.
This event further clarified where the hell I was timeline wise.
Hinata was three years old, I think, when Kumo attempted to kidnap her. The Kyubi then had already been released from Kushina and Naruto was his new jinchuriki. The Uchiha clan was not yet killed by Itachi, although there was little time left for that to happen. I would believe about two more years. This also meant I was about a year older than Naruto's generation.
I would have to enter the academy as soon as possible; I need to get strong quick. If I want to survive this clusterfuck called Naruto, I'll have to be a beast, a monster. I need to plan all the way up to the fourth shinobi war.
Ding!
Quest Created:
Dust away the cobwebs of your mind.
Get accepted into the Shinobi Academy.
Rewards:
300 Exp, scrolls.
Accept?
'Accept.'
I still wanted to keep my magnet release a secret, it would be a huge target over my head for my age. In fact, I still had to unlock the kekkei genkai altogether.
'But first things first,' I thought holding the leaf to my forehead back at my room, 'concentrate and meditate.'
Author's note:
I finished the gross outline of this story, it's looking great, especially when Kioshi goes gray. He's still perplexed by the situation, taking everything one day at a time, but starting to plan ahead.
Next chapter: The long way to school.
Tried to make this chapter a little longer. I'm still playing with the pace of the writing; I don't want it to be a quick scan story nor I want to make it too dense and be boring.
Man, editing fiction in english is hard! Preposition usage is horrible. I miss scientific writing.
Any corrections or grammatical errors or tips you have, I'll be happy to hear/read them.
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions!
