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

Leekz01 · Jun 4, 2020

Cago said:
Why does the Sharingan have a maximum of six tomoe I thought the max was three?

3 in each eye for a total of six...

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.

Creed · Jun 10, 2020

Well this was a fun chapter, a bit stressful what with him worrying about the massacre but otherwise fun. I think it would be hilarious if it gets butterflied away only for him not to realize it has till like half a year later after it was supposed to happen, (then again I am a sadist) I'm looking forward to how it all plays out.

RichardWhereat · Jun 10, 2020

With all the time Sasuke is hanging out with Naruko, Ino and Forehead may bypass that rivalry entirely, to focus on a rivalry with Naruko.

Hopefully if it does happen, Sasuke hands out application forms, with minimum requirements to date him, like being a chūnin, two positive reviews from former boyfriends where they had a relationship of at least two years combined, for this entry level position, and essential skills like elemental jitsu, genjutsu, and being deemed good by Gai at taijutsu.

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.

Fellgar · Jun 20, 2020

Would it have cost more WP then it already did if you had chosen to give the Hokage dreams / visions of all of danzo's misdeeds?
At least for those we know of?

Leekz01 · Jun 20, 2020

Fellgar said:
Would it have cost more WP then it already did if you had chosen to give the Hokage dreams / visions of all of danzo's misdeeds?

Yep, but this is just a seed for now, to enhance my other wish later.

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!

RichardWhereat · Jun 21, 2020

Is there a reason this is in second person?

Leekz01 · Jun 21, 2020

RichardWhereat said:
Is there a reason this is in second person?

Cause unlike the other chapters the perspective is from someone else other than myself and it help with displaying how characters feel better.
But honestly I just don't feel like editing them since they're just side interludes to give you a better feel of said characters mindset and I personally enjoy the perspectives this way more.

LEGENDARYNOT · Jun 21, 2020

Leekz01 said:
Cause unlike the other chapters the perspective is from someone else other than myself and it help with displaying how characters feel better.
But honestly I just don't feel like editing them since they're just side interludes to give you a better feel of said characters mindset and I personally enjoy the perspectives this way more.

Yeah, it gets the character across better.

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

Kolarthecool · Jun 25, 2020

Leekz01 said:
I shook your head

Come on man. All the other slip ups in first/second person PoV are minor enough to be ignored (still annoying tho) but how does this one slip through?

Edit: that said, I really like the storytelling bit. Mainly because he went with Bleach. Seriously, why do so many Natuto, ASOIAF, and Harry Potter SIs default to Star Wars as their go to story? It's even harder since it involves a lot of sci-fi concepts that purebloods, medieval people, and Shinobi just wouldn't understand so the story teller would have to explain all that as well.

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

Kolarthecool said:
Come on man. All the other slip ups in first/second person PoV are minor enough to be ignored (still annoying tho) but how does this one slip through?

Edit: that said, I really like the storytelling bit. Mainly because he went with Bleach. Seriously, why do so many Natuto, ASOIAF, and Harry Potter SIs default to Star Wars as their go to story? It's even harder since it involves a lot of sci-fi concepts that purebloods, medieval people, and Shinobi just wouldn't understand so the story teller would have to explain all that as well.

Because I'm not a writer and this story was originally in second person because it's a quest that I play solo from my buddy lostghost on spacebattles dot com. Since the story was in second person to make me feel more immersed with my character it doesn't bother me. So mistakes like that can slip through my editing.

Honestly I'm kinda lazy with stuff like this, originally I didn't even want to edit the story and just post if freely to share it's a commissioned story after all. But some people complained and I decided to just try and edit them whenever I'm not busy.

Kolarthecool · Jun 25, 2020

Leekz01 said:
Because I'm not a writer and this story was originally in second person because it's a quest that I play solo from my buddy lostghost on spacebattles dot com. Since the story was in second person to make me feel more immersed with my character it doesn't bother me. So mistakes like that can slip through my editing.

Honestly I'm kinda lazy with stuff like this, originally I didn't even want to edit the story and just post if freely to share it's a commissioned story after all. But some people complained and I decided to just try and edit them whenever I'm not busy.

If you're using a word document to edit the story first then just save yourself time and do 'Find & Replace' for the words you, your, etc. You could perfectly edit the whole thing in less than five minutes.

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

Kolarthecool said:
If you're using a word document to edit the story first then just save yourself time and do 'Find & Replace' for the words you, your, etc. You could perfectly edit the whole thing in less than five minutes.

Nope all the editing is done real time. I just copy and paste the original post, then edit it before posting it. I don't have a pc everything is done on my cell phone.

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!]

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

LEGENDARYNOT · Jun 25, 2020

Can he next save up wish points for an asteroid to conveniently fall on obito and kill him in his sleep

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

LEGENDARYNOT said:
Can he next save up wish points for an asteroid to conveniently fall on obito and kill him in his sleep

Obito is way to important to this worlds history and events, That shit would cost to much. Giving people dreams is cheap and doesn't affect them really cause most of the time they just forget about it or ignore them.

Only reason the dreams are working is because I gave them to all the important people of konoha besides danzo and traitors.

This first wish earlier was a seed to get the hokage to think more about how to handle the uchiha more delicately why also making him a bit more mindful of consequences.

The dreams are also recurring over the year so it'll effect people's sleep which will effect their work habits and get the hokage curious to wonder why. Which will lead him to see the similarities between his and their dreams and look into what's going on.

Although their are a few like fugaku and kakashi that just have more personal stakes with said dreams and confront him directly.

LEGENDARYNOT · Jun 25, 2020

Leekz01 said:
Obito is way to important to this worlds history and events, That shit would cost to much. Giving people dreams is cheap and doesn't affect them really cause most of the time they just forget about it or ignore them.

Only reason the dreams are working is because I gave them to all the important people of konoha besides danzo and traitors.

This first wish earlier was a seed to get the hokage to think more about how to handle the uchiha more delicately why also making him a bit more mindful of consequences.

The dreams are also recurring over the year so it'll effect people's sleep which will effect their work habits and get the hokage curious to wonder why. Which will lead him to see the similarities between his and their dreams and look into what's going on.

Although their are a few like fugaku and kakashi that just have more personal stakes with said dreams and confront him directly.

How much would it cost to give obito recurring dreams of seeing rin her telling him how she's disappointed in him?

Leekz01 · Jun 25, 2020

LEGENDARYNOT said:
How much would it cost to give obito recurring dreams of seeing rin her telling him how she's disappointed in him?

Lol no idea, probably not much.

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

demonitter · Jun 25, 2020

Very nice so far, just a small annoyance with equating suprising someone with being smart or intelligent, it simply means shes not too far below average in social intelligence, as in she is capable of understanding nuance and deception are a thing.

LEGENDARYNOT · Jun 26, 2020

Leekz01 said:
It's at this point that my mother chimes in, a pleased smile on her face.

She's definitely shipping them

Leekz01 · Jun 26, 2020

LEGENDARYNOT said:
She's definitely shipping them

Lol probably she was kushina's friend after all. But currently Naruku is just my friend ic and I'm focused on getting stronger instead of any other distraction. You guys may have noticed even though I'm sasuke I don't have his natural talent. The system balances my lack of talent unlike sasuke's. Although it's still takes a while to grow, which i believe is because I'm still in the tutorial stage of my life or Civilian stage.

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.

Hadrian810 · Jun 26, 2020

You're a terrible person with that cliffhanger. I'm on the edge of my seat right now.

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!

Hadrian810 · Jun 26, 2020

lol, clearly with the speed of the post you already had it written but that didn't help my cliffhanger problem. The next entry better not be:

A/N: Lost my muse, Saske ded, story ded.

Leekz01 · Jun 26, 2020

Beburos said:
lol, clearly with the speed of the post you already had it written but that didn't help my cliffhanger problem. The next entry better not be:

A/N: Lost my muse, Saske ded, story ded.

Lol nah next post is ready but waiting for a few more comments before posting. I dislike having all my updates so bunched up together.

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

Well worn.

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Aia airëa Fëanáro.

Well worn.

Connoisseur.

Well worn.

Well worn.

Aia airëa Fëanáro.

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Well worn.

From dusk till dawn

Well worn.

From dusk till dawn

Well worn.

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Well worn.

Well worn.

Know what you're doing yet?

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Well worn.

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Well worn.

I trust you know where the happy button is?

Well worn.

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