Naruto was uncertain about inviting Hinata to his secret hideaway—a quiet spot on the school roof where he often went to watch the sky. It was, in essence, his own personal retreat.
He would head there during any free period, when a class dragged on too long, or simply to enjoy his lunch.
The only other people he ever encountered there were Choji and Shikamaru, though their appearances were sporadic, just a few times a month. It seemed the duo drifted from one rooftop to another without any real pattern.
While Naruto longed to be friends, the feeling didn't seem mutual. Shikamaru would often just sleep there, earning his reputation as a lazy bum, and Choji was usually preoccupied with snacks. They weren't mean, but whenever Naruto tried to join them, he felt out of place, like he didn't quite fit in with their laid-back, contented demeanor. He wanted excitement and engagement; they seemed content with quiet and snacks.
Naruto sighed, dreading the next class. It was math, his least favorite subject. He couldn't help but wonder why ninjas even needed to know math.
Why would I need to know the angle at which I throw my Kunai?
"Couldn't they teach us something useful, like... doing taxes?" he muttered to himself, though he wasn't quite sure if that was more useful. He was certain there had to be better things to learn out there... right? Just then, Hinata caught his gaze, hesitating as if she sensed he wanted to say something.
"Hinata, do you want to come to my secret hiding spot?" he blurted out, immediately regretting his volume as he noticed several classmates turning their heads towards them.
Hinata seemed to shrink a bit under the sudden onslaught of attention, and Naruto mentally kicked himself for making her uncomfortable.
"Well, I-I'll be on the roof if you want to hang out," he stammered, his voice cracking as he quickly made his escape from the classroom.
Not everyone is like you.
Naruto paused, the thought echoing in his mind. He really wanted to be friends with Hinata; she seemed awesome. But seeing how uncomfortable she became when everyone was looking made him uneasy. He sighed to himself, hoping this situation wouldn't turn out like it did with Choji and Shikamaru, where they knew each other but weren't really friends. 'I... would like a friend,' he thought, 'even if I have to change for it.'
Naruto headed to his locker to collect some scrolls on basic academy jutsus like the substitution jutsu, transformation, and the clone jutsu.
His hand clenched slightly when he reached the scroll for the clone jutsu—a technique he had always had mixed feelings about. But a smile crept onto his face as he remembered how, thanks to the system, he had already mastered Kunai and Shuriken Bukijutsu.
If the system can help me learn the proper way to do Kunai and Shuriken Bukijutsu, I should be able to do a clone jutsu.
[ Notification: Opportunity detected to acquire the following skills ]
[ Transformation Jutsu]
[ Body Replacement Jutsu ]
[ Academy Clone Jutsu ]
[ Action Required: Confirm acceptance or declination of class skill. ]
Naruto paused to consider his options, wanting to gain a deeper understanding of these skills.
[ Skills: 'Skills' represent specific abilities or proficiencies a character can acquire and use. They are typically divided into three categories:
[ Quest-based Skills: These are skills obtained through special items, such as skill runes, or as rewards from completing quests or achievements. They often provide unique or powerful abilities not commonly found. ]
[ Trained Skills: These skills are developed through dedicated practice and training. They represent the gradual improvement of a character's abilities in a specific area over time. ]
[ Class Skills: These are skills available on a character's skill table and are directly linked to their class. They are unlocked and improved by using class-specific materials or reaching certain milestones within the class ]
As Naruto reflected, he realized the book in his hand contained the necessary information and material to perform the Jutsu. This meant that as long as he had access to this book, the corresponding skill would become available for unlocking on his skill table.
Naruto was confirming the previous notification when he was suddenly interrupted.
[ Skills Unlocked in Skill Table: ]
- [ Transformation Jutsu ]
- [ Substitution Jutsu ]
[ Skill Unlock Failure: ]
- [ Skill: Academy Clone Jutsu ]
- [ Status: Cannot be unlocked due to Chakra Imbalance ]
Naruto felt the information about the substitution and transformation Technique enter his head.
[ Substitution Jutsu - Level: 1 (Active) ]
[ Chakra Points (CP): 10 ]
[ Description: A defensive maneuver that utilizes smoke and rapid movement to evade and hide from attacks. ]
[ Stat Effects: ]
- [ Evasion Rate: +10% (Chance to avoid a direct hit from an enemy attack) ]
- [ Stealth Increase: +15% (Effectiveness in creating diversions and obscuring enemy vision with smoke) ]
- [ Movement Speed: +10% (Temporary boost in speed to enhance evasion and mobility) ]
----------------------------------------
[ Transformation Jutsu - Level: 1 (Active) ]
[ Chakra Points (CP): 8 ]
[ Description: An illusionary technique that creates a thin layer of chakra over the body, enabling the user to assume the appearance of another person or object. ]
[ Stat Effects: ]
- [ Illusion Success Rate: +20% (Probability of successfully creating a convincing illusion) ]
- [ Disguise Duration: +30% (Extended time the transformation can be maintained) ]
- [ Chakra Efficiency: +10% (Reduction in chakra consumption while maintaining the illusion) ]
Naruto muttered to himself as he unrolled the scrolls, his voice barely a whisper, "Everything I learned was wrong."
He noticed discrepancies everywhere—the hand signs he had been taught were incomplete, the descriptions of how the jutsus should look were incorrect, and even the recommended practice methods were flawed.
While he could somewhat understand the errors in Kunai and Shuriken Bukijutsu—after all, he hadn't been the most diligent student in those areas—Transformation and Substitution were different. Those were the techniques he had excelled in, the ones he had poured his heart into mastering. For months, he had practiced tirelessly, believing he was perfecting his skills.
Stolen novel; please report.
Tears welled up in Naruto's eyes as the realization hit him hard. He had been deliberately misled.
Why?
Did I do something wrong?
He paused, struggling to make sense of it all.
Are my pranks something to destroy my future over?
His voice was shaky, the words tumbling out between sobs.
Naruto's lips quivered as he turned to the system, his last beacon of hope in a world that suddenly seemed stacked against him. "Help."
[ Hybrid Quest Alert ]
[ Quest: Confrontation ]
[ Objective: Confront one of the teachers suspected of sabotaging player Naruto. Discover their motives while ensuring no suspicion arises during the confrontation. ]
[ Reward: Dungeon Key ]
[ Failure: None. ]
[ Note: If player Naruto is discovered to be aware of the sabotage, unforeseen consequences may ensue. ]
[ Action Required: Confirm acceptance or declination of quest. ]
Naruto accepted.
[ Choose from the following:
1) Touji Mizuki
2) Fujino Ōmori
.
.
.
Naruto's eyes fixed on the second name on the list: Fujino Ōmori.
His Kokugo teacher.
Everything he knew about reading, writing, grammar, and literature came from her. She was one of the few teachers he genuinely liked because she had always been kind to him. The thought that she might be deliberately sabotaging him felt like a kunai stabbing him in the back.
It hurt deeply.
Overwhelmed by betrayal, Naruto hugged his knees to his chest and screamed into them. All his sadness, all his unanswered questions poured out in that raw, primal scream. He knew once he stopped, the tears would follow, and he wasn't ready for them yet.
He didn't know how long he sat there, curled up, head pressed against his legs.
An hour, maybe two, or even three.
He didn't think; he couldn't bear to think.
"N-N-Naruto-kun," a stuttering voice eventually broke through his self-imposed isolation. Naruto looked up to see Hinata standing there, her face etched with concern and a hint of guilt.
"Are you okay?"
Taking a deep breath, Naruto shifted slightly, trying to compose himself.
"Hinata, let's say hypothetically you knew your teachers were sabotaging you, how would you confront them without looking like you know their scheme?"
Hinata scratched her head, the intensity of Naruto's gaze making her nervous, yet she wanted to help. "I-I-I," she gulped, "I would give... a comparison between me and some other students, asking in between the lines about the sabotage."
"That's a great idea," Naruto said. Hinata smiled, relieved but still puzzled. "Why was that a good idea?" she whispered.
"I gotta go."
Without another word, he jumped off the roof, leaving behind a confused and concerned Hinata.
----------------------------------------
Abashi Tenma, a civilian-born orphan, was tidying up his locker when something struck him with startling speed.
The impact knocked him off his feet and onto the ground, leaving him disoriented and scrambling to understand what had just happened. As he lay there, a mix of confusion and the sharp sting of pain clouded his senses. Looking up to see the cause of his sudden fall, he heard an apologetic voice cut through the fog.
"Sorry."
The word registered slowly as he spotted Naruto darting away in the distance.
"What's with him?"
He turned back to his locker, his thoughts still spinning from the encounter. Noticing his test papers were missing, he surmised they must have fallen during the commotion.
"Must have fallen down when that dead-last hit me. Can't even see straight and says he wants to be Hokage," he grumbled under his breath.
...
As Naruto hurried away from Tenma, his mind was a whirlwind of frustration and disbelief as he glanced at his own test paper, clutched tightly in his hand. His grades were average—neither high enough to draw attention nor low enough to cause concern.
Yet, something was off.
As he scrutinized the marks, he realized that some of his wrong answers were marked correct and some correct answers were marked wrong. Naruto took a deep breath, trying to quell the rising tide of rage within him. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temples, a woozy sensation clouding his thoughts.
His heart raced, and his breaths came in heavy, uneven gasps.
It was the kind of anger that demanded action, that could not be easily soothed or ignored.
After this is over, I don't care what excuses you have, I am going to prank you to the point you'll wish you hadn't even thought of this sabotage.
----------------------------------------
An hour later, Naruto approached the Kokugo classroom, mentally prepping himself.
You got this, just like we rehashed. Think of this like the preplan for a big prank. Like how you scouted the time schedule of the guards at the Hokage monument.
He slid open the faded green door to reveal his teacher, Fujino, who looked like she was about to head home. For the first time, Naruto noticed a brief flash of genuine fear behind her red-rimmed glasses as she saw him.
An easy smile quickly masked her initial reaction.
"Naruto! What can I do for you? I'm surprised you haven't headed home. It's quite late."
"U-Um." Naruto worked to calm the nervousness brewing from his anger, fearing he might blurt out his accusations prematurely.
"Can I talk to you, Sensei?"
As he spoke, Fujino busied herself around the room, placing her bag on the table and pulling out a chair opposite her desk for him. She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of chocolate, offering it to him.
"Here."
Naruto paused at the sight of the chocolate. He had always liked these chocolates, mostly because they came from someone he trusted.
Yet, as he bit into it, all he could taste was bitterness.
But it gave him a moment to observe her carefully, using his observer feat to glean as much as he could from her demeanor and reactions.
Thank you, system, and my dumb '?' luck for this feat.
Fujino clasped her hands together and leaned forward, "So, what's bothering you?"
Naruto slid both his and Tenma's papers across the desk towards Fujino. "I—I don't want to upset you, but you marked my paper wrong!"
"Wrong?" Fujino looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I checked my paper against Tenma's! It was 45%... which means," Naruto paused, his heart pounding in his chest, "I didn't pass."
"No…" Fujino spoke softly, her voice low and gentle. "No, Naruto. You didn't fail, you did good—"
"I know why you did it though!" Naruto interjected with a forced giggle that made his cheeks hurt, though his eyes continued to watch her intently. He had realized that the confrontation was meant to give enough time for the observer feat to work its magic, allowing him to complete the quest and get his answers.
She swallowed hard. "N-Naruto, I—"
"It's because you like me, isn't it?" Naruto's accusation was hesitant, laced with a betrayal he felt deeply since he had truly thought he could trust her.
"W-What?"
"Don't you like me? Actually, I think I'm your favorite student too. You wouldn't bring my grade up without me being your favorite," he continued, trying to keep the glare out of his eyes.
Her face fell, her eyes wide with shock.
"It's okay, sensei. I understand. Sometimes, we do wrong things because we don't want to hurt the people we care about," Naruto said, checking his system to see if the description had changed.
"N-Naruto…" Fujino's face was still pale, shock evident in every expression.
"But it's not fair to give me better marks because you like me," Naruto continued. "You've got to treat me the same as everyone else, otherwise, you could get in trouble. I don't want you to lose your job."
Naruto stood up abruptly, his desire to leave overwhelming him. He could feel anger boiling inside, pushing him towards actions he knew he would regret. With a shake of his head, he hurried out of the room, driven by a need to understand why he had been sabotaged.
"Come on, observer feat, don't fail me now," Naruto silently urged, his focus intensifying on the system that was now his lifeline. It was the only thing preventing him from lashing out, the only control he had over the storm of emotions swirling inside him.
He needed answers, any answers, about why this was happening to him.
[ Name: Fujino Omori ]
[ Status: Depressed, PTSD ]
[ Title: Academy Teacher ]
[ Level: 9 ]
[ Class: Civilian Shinobi ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ HP: 1770 / 1770 ]
[ AC: 23 ]
[ CP: 1180 / 1180 ]
[ Lineage Traits: None ]
[ Class Features: ]
- [ Natural Affinity: Katon (Fire Style) ]
[ Feats: None ]
[ Stats: ]
- [ STR: 20 ]
- [ DEX: 26 ]
- [ CON: 21 ]
- [ INT: 25 ]
- [ WIS: 21 ]
- [ CHA: 13 ]
[ Allies: Konoha ]
[ Equipment: ]
- [ Weapons: REDACTED ]
- [ Armor: REDACTED ]
- [ Gear: REDACTED ]
- [ Magic Items: REDACTED ]
[ Description: Fujino Omori survived the devastating Nine-Tails attack on October 10, which left her a widow. Unable to cope with the stress of active duty as a shinobi, she became a teacher. However, her fears resurfaced when she found herself teaching Naruto Uzumaki, REDACTED, triggering her grief-stricken mind with fears of the Kuyubi attack. ]
Naruto was utterly bewildered.
The idea that his teacher might blame him for her husband's death just because he was born on October 10th seemed absurd.
'What the hell is wrong with that woman?' he thought, his initial anger shifting to pity.
Initially, Naruto had considered playing a prank on her as a way of getting back, but now that just seemed cruel. With a heavy heart, he decided it was best to leave her alone.
Sitting down in the hallway, he turned his attention to the system, and there, to his surprise, was a reward he never expected to see in reality.
[ Item: Underground Rat Tunnels Dungeon Key ]
[ Type: Dungeon Access Key ]
[ Description: A rustic, aged key crafted from iron, bound with faint rune engravings that hum softly in the presence of underground passages. It unlocks the treacherous and winding paths of the Underground Rat Tunnel. ]
[ Special Requirement: This key must be used in any basement area to activate its power and gain access to the dungeon. ]