The chase pressed on through the labyrinthine alleys, bustling market corners, and tiled rooftops of Konohagakure, the early afternoon sun casting long, shifting shadows across the vibrant village.
Naruto, a literal whirlwind of orange and boundless energy, tore through the streets with astonishing speed and a distinct lack of spatial awareness, occasionally shouting breathless apologies at startled vendors and scattering pedestrians.
Kenji, meanwhile, followed behind at a much calmer,on the ground with almost unnoticeable pace, his trained eyes meticulously scanning the environment. With his Spatial Awareness significantly leveled up, every subtle shift, every distant footstep, and every frantic skitterwas instantly captured in his mind's eye, rendered with crystalline clarity like echoes in a perfectly mapped, three-dimensional view.
This constant influx of data provided an unparalleled understanding of his surroundings, making him virtually impossible to surprise, allowing him to anticipate every turn and obstacle in their relentless pursuit. But it would have been straining his mind if not for Gamer's mind.
The skill granted him a rich, real-time understanding of his surroundings. He could feel the intricate rhythm of the village that was within his Range—the lazy, unhurried stroll of civilians, the occasional Genin practicing shuriken throws or hand seals in obscure alley corners, the more deliberate, purposeful movements of patrolling Chūnin, their presence a faint, steady hum of controlled chakra.
And most importantly, cutting through all of it, was the distinct, frantic, desperate movements of one very evasive, very annoyed feline darting through the shadows a few buildings away. Tora.
He had felt multiple cats but they weren't the ones they were looking for. But now he had eyes on it. A cat. Brown fur with a line running down her forehead with two lines going across it and the iconic red ribbon on her right ear.
Tora was truly a master escape artist, a blur of Brown fur that seemed to mock its pursuers with every impossible leap and sudden change of direction. Kenji could almost feel the cat's anxiety, its tired panting, and its desperate desire to remain uncaught. No doubt scared of being squeezed to death by its owner.
"There you are," Kenji muttered beneath his breath, eyes narrowing as he pinpointed the cat's exact location, a faint smile playing on his lips. This was almost too easy with his heightened senses, a stark contrast to the initial, frustrating search without the system's map. He could envision the entire chase playing out, Tora's frantic escape attempts, and Naruto's clumsy pursuit.
Of course, Naruto was none the wiser to Kenji's advanced sensory perception. He was currently spinning in a slow circle near a bustling ramen stall, nose in the air, completely distracted by the tantalizing, wafting scent of pork broth and noodles. His stomach let out a theatrical growl, loud enough to be heard over the street noise.
"Hey, hey! That smells amazing! Think we've got time for a snack break?" Naruto called over his shoulder, clutching his rumbling stomach with both hands. His prior focus on the mission had completely vanished the moment the delicious aroma hit him, a truly predictable yet endearing trait.
"You're in the middle of a mission, Naruto," Kenji replied, amused, watching the boy's predictable antics. He suppressed a chuckle, remembering all the times Naruto got sidetracked by food in the anime, often to the exasperation of his teammates.
Naruto gave a mock salute, slapping his cheeks dramatically, forcing himself to refocus. "Right, right. Mission. Focus! noble shinobi on a grand pursuit, dattebayo!" His voice was earnest, despite his recent distraction, brimming with a naive but powerful conviction.
Kenji couldn't help but laugh softly. He studied Naruto more closely as they resumed their chase, the boy's impulsive energy reigniting as quickly as it had dimmed. Despite the wild enthusiasm, the occasional clumsy movements, and the evident lack of refined focus, there was something deeply admirable about him.
Beneath that loud voice and impulsive behavior was a kid desperate for acknowledgment, for connection, for someone to truly see him for who he was. And that's all he was, at his core—a kid.
A twelve-year-old child, brimming with raw, untapped potential and a powerful entity, being trained for war, molded into a weapon for a village that largely ostracized and feared him.
This world, for all its vibrant colors, its seemingly peaceful facade, and its legendary tales of heroism, had a truly messed-up, cruel foundation, built upon child soldiers and hidden burdens. Sometimes, lost in the excitement, it was too easy to forget that harsh reality, to overlook the immense burdens placed on these young, developing shinobi. Kenji felt a pang of empathy for the boy, realizing the fundamental unfairness of his early life.
Kenji's senses pinged again, pulling him back to the task at hand. Up ahead, in a narrow, shadowed passage between two old residences, he could feel the distinct, weary presence of the target. He had kept his senses on it since first seeing it.
Not just with Spatial Awareness, He had been using this chance to practice Chakra too.
He focused his chakra outwards similar to what he did with Spatial Awareness but instead of using his magic he used chakra and replecated it gaining a new skill. Chakra Sensor.
Skill Chakra Sensor level up (2).
Good. Progress.
"I've got you now," Kenji whispered, his eyes locked on the precise location, a faint smirk forming.
But instead of making a direct move to catch it himself, he subtly reached to magic and casted Enchantment Magic on Naruto, a slight buff.
He sent a small, almost imperceptible ripple of energy, a whisper of gravitational influence, towards the area immediately beneath the crate. The effect was barely noticeable to human senses, a mere fraction of a percentage point increase in localized gravity, it subtly increased the air's density, making the very space around the cat feel heavier, just enough to slightly blunt its reaction time and make its next jump a fraction heavier, a fraction slower, should it attempt another escape.
There was no visual spark, no dramatic flare, no sound—just a whisper of control embedded in the air, a perfectly disguised nudge, ensuring Tora wouldn't escape Naruto again.
"Over there!" Naruto shouted suddenly, his keen instincts kicking in as he caught a blur of movement from the now slightly sluggish cat. His eyes, surprisingly sharp despite his earlier distraction, had finally locked onto the target, recognizing its Brown fur.
The boy, fueled by renewed determination launched himself forward with a triumphant yell, arms outstretched in a clumsy pounce. Kenji watched closely.
Naruto stumbled into the alley, flailed for a moment as he wrestled with the surprisingly strong-willed cat, and then, after a brief, comical struggle of flailing limbs and indignant yowls, emerged holding a squirming, yowling but otherwise unharmed Tora.
The cat hissed once more, its fur bristling, before reluctantly sulking into Naruto's triumphant arms, seemingly accepting its fate for now, though not without a final, defiant glare and at just the right time too as other came.
More footsteps approached, echoing in the narrow alley. Sasuke and Sakura entered the alley, their expressions revealing they had clearly followed the ruckus and Naruto's loud shouts, clearly annoyed. Kakashi Hatake was a few steps behind them, as usual, nose buried in his orange Icha Icha Paradise book, though his visible eye was fixed keenly on Naruto.
"Naruto," Kakashi drawled, his tone light but firm, carrying an undertone of mild exasperation, typical of a long-suffering sensei, "care to explain why you went off on your own again without waiting for your team?"
Naruto winced, clutching Tora tighter against his chest, trying to look innocent. "I was gonna get the cat before it escaped again, Kakashi-sensei! I had it! It was right there!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes with an audible sigh, but otherwise remained silent, arms crossed, maintaining his aloof, 'too cool for this' demeanor. Sakura, meanwhile, placed her hands on her hips, her expression a mix of concern, irritation, and anger.
"You could've said something, Naruto!" she chastised, her voice echoing in the narrow alley, a familiar dynamic playing out.
"I had it!" Naruto insisted, puffing out his chest with pride, still trying to defend his solo charge.
Kakashi's single visible eye then shifted from Naruto to Kenji, a flicker of professional assessment passing through his gaze.
His tone remained pleasantly conversational, almost casual, but there was an unmistakable edge beneath it, a subtle probe, an unspoken question. "And who might you be? I don't believe I've seen you around Konoha's Genin ranks, or indeed, any of our registered shinobi." His eyes scanned Kenji, assessing, measuring.
Kenji offered a disarming, easy smile, carefully maintaining his civilian merchant persona with practiced ease. "No, No, No. My name's Takeda Ken. I just happened to bump into Naruto here and decided to lend a helping hand. Not more, it was quite fun tho." He kept his body language open, and non-threatening.
"Kind of you," Kakashi replied smoothly, his visible eye lingering for a beat too long on Kenji, observing every minute detail—his posture, his eyes, his subtle energy signature, the very way he held himself.
Kenji could almost feel the intense scrutiny, the silent assessment beneath the polite words. Kakashi wasn't fear for nothing, this man hadn't become a Jōnin and a legendary figure by being trusting or unobservant. Every word, every gesture, everything was likely being analyzed, weighed, and stored for future reference. It was a little scary especially when he knew this man could kill him before he uttered even a single word.
Still, Kenji merely shrugged casually, maintaining his relaxed façade. "He did all the heavy lifting, honestly. Kid's got a lot of drive." He gave Naruto a discreet thumbs-up, further cementing the boy's pride.
Naruto's face lit up instantly, beaming with pride at the compliment. "See? Even the cool stranger says I'm awesome, Sakura! And I'm gonna be Hokage someday, believe it!" His declaration echoed with unshakeable confidence.
Kakashi's visible eye curved slightly, almost forming a genuine smile, acknowledging Naruto's enthusiasm while still processing Kenji's presence. "Good work, Naruto. Now that we have Tora, let's finish the mission and report to the Hokage. We have to go but thank you again for helping Naruto." He turned to his team, the brief, intense assessment of Kenji seemingly concluded, or at least deferred for later.
"It's no problem and It was nice meeting you all" he waved at them
As the team began heading back towards the Hokage's office, their voices drifting back down the alley, Sakura sighed loudly, a dramatic gesture of exasperation. "Ugh, Naruto's such a pain, always running off like that. And Sasuke's ....!" voice fading as they left.
Kenji watched them go for a moment, then turned away, choosing a different, quieter route back to his shop to avoid further attention or questioning from any other shinobi. There was no need for him to tag along to the Hokage's office, his mission was complete, and his anonymity preserved(hopefully no one comes looking for him).
It wasn't long after that Kenji lounged comfortably in his inn room, legs crossed, a warm cup of freshly brewed tea in hand. The familiar System Alert chimed softly in his mind, announcing his success.
[System Alert: Sub Quest Completed!] Mission: Assist in Capturing Tora the Cat – COMPLETE Rewards Gained:
EXP Gained: +10,000
System Points: +500
Gold coins: 30
Skill Gained: Ninjutsu Scroll (Basic Clone Technique)
Additional Bonus missions:
Interacted with All Team 7 Characters: Reward ( EXP Gained: +3,000
System Points: +200, Gold coins: 10).
Learn to use chakra: Reward (EXP Gained: +6,000
System Points: +200, Gold coins: 20).
Kenji smiled faintly, a sense of deep satisfaction settling over him.
"Hmmm, so other sub quests can also be achieved during an ongoing sub quest. Good to know" he eyed the so called 'Additional Bonus missions'.
They weren't much of a reward if you look at them well. Sure the points he got are more than the daily row and he got a skill and gold but the points won't be buying him anything useful from the shop anytime soon. Still.
"Even the silly ones have value," he mused aloud, swirling the tea in his cup. The chance to test his skills, the invaluable gain of chakra, and the confirmation of his ability were all priceless. This seemingly trivial mission had proven that he could not only do sub quests without issue but also serve as a training ground depending on the world he's in and even learn things that could be bought from the system.
He opened his status screen, eager to see the tangible results of his first successful side quest in a new world.
Kenji Takahashi – Updated Stats
Level: 49 (Previous: 48)
System Points: 1,557 (Previous: 657)
New Skill Gained: Ninjutsu Scroll (Basic Clone Technique)
Skill Level Up: Spatial Awareness – LV 7 (Previous: LV 6)
Kenji leaned back against the wall, letting the soft lantern light flicker across his face. Despite the absurdity of the mission—chasing a cat in a ninja village—it was good for a first test.
He now had a clearer idea of how things would operate. The multiverse was vast, full of gods, monsters, and world-ending threats, but even the smallest quests had unique learning opportunities and unexpected gains.
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