Graduation Day arrived clad in deceptively bright sunshine. The air within the Academy grounds buzzed with an almost palpable tension, a discordant symphony of youthful excitement, parental pride, crushing anxiety, and unspoken rivalries. Freshly laundered uniforms seemed brighter, hopeful faces turned constantly towards the examination hall doors. For Ren, the atmosphere was a dense cloud of raw emotional data, easily parsed by Observe but carefully filtered by Gamer's Mind to maintain focus. Today wasn't just about passing; it was about navigating the first critical junction where his foreknowledge demanded action. Failure here didn't just mean repeating a year; it could mean Iruka's death and Naruto potentially falling into deeper despair or Orochimaru's grasp later on. The stakes felt astronomically high for a simple Academy exam.
Ren moved through the preliminary tests with calculated mediocrity. The written exam was, as expected, trivial. He finished quickly but deliberately handed it in somewhere in the middle of the pack, avoiding the appearance of effortless genius. The Taijutsu assessment involved basic sparring rounds against classmates. Ren relied on his solid Academy Taijutsu Lv. 4 defensive forms, using Observe to anticipate predictable attacks (Opponent: Kenji Ito. Predictable Pattern: Right Jab -> Straight Kick. Counter: Parry Jab, sidestep kick.) He won some rounds through attrition and tactical defense, lost others "narrowly" when opponents overwhelmed him with sheer aggression, always careful not to display skill significantly beyond the Academy norm. His goal was a solid 'Pass,' nothing more.
Then came the crucible: the Ninjutsu examination. The final hurdle. One by one, students were called into a side room where Iruka-sensei and, ominously, Mizuki-sensei waited. The required technique: the standard, illusory Clone Jutsu. Ren watched from the hallway, tracking the successes and failures. Sakura, driven and precise, produced three perfect clones with barely a ripple of wasted chakra (Observe: Sakura. Chakra Control: Adept+. Status: Calmly Confident. Pass). Sasuke, exuding innate talent and effortless cool, conjured three equally flawless duplicates, earning a rare approving nod from even Mizuki (Observe: Sasuke. Control: Expert (for Academy level). Status: Unshakeable Composure. Pass). Others struggled – Kiba's clone looked slightly feral, Shino's was passable but stiff, Hinata produced one pale, trembling illusion but scraped by on sheer effort (Observe: Hinata. Status: Extreme Anxiety. Control: Fluctuating (-20% efficiency). Barely Pass).
Finally, Naruto Uzumaki swaggered forward, trying to project confidence that Observe immediately tagged as [Forced Bravado; Underlying Fear of Failure: High]. "Alright! Clone Jutsu, piece of cake! Believe it!" He flashed a wide grin towards Iruka, who offered a strained but hopeful smile back. Mizuki watched with hidden anticipation (Observe: Mizuki. Intent: Confirm Target's Predicted Failure. Initiate Manipulation Phase.). Naruto performed the hand signs with clumsy enthusiasm, pouring chakra into the technique – far, far too much raw energy, completely untamed. POOF! Not a clone, but a pale, sickly, deformed thing flopped onto the floor, looking like a half-melted dumpling version of Naruto, before dissipating with a pathetic wheeze.
Silence descended. Naruto stared, aghast. Iruka's expression crumpled with genuine sympathy, but protocol was clear. "Naruto... I'm sorry. You fail." The words hung heavy in the air. Naruto's bravado shattered, replaced by crushing disappointment and humiliation. Mizuki stepped forward, placing a supposedly comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder, his expression perfectly mirroring Iruka's sympathy, but Observe screamed otherwise: [Feigned Empathy: Success! Target Primed. Opportunity Secured.].
"Ren!"
His name cut through the tension. Ren walked into the room, maintaining his usual quiet composure. He met Iruka's tired gaze, noted Mizuki's dismissive glance – just another orphan. Perfect. He performed the hand seals cleanly, drew the precise amount of chakra needed (Clone Jutsu Lv. 5), and channeled it smoothly. Poof, Poof, Poof. Three solid, stable, perfectly average illusory clones stood beside him. No wasted energy, no flashy display. Textbook proficiency.
"Ren. Pass," Iruka said, marking his sheet with a sigh, his thoughts clearly still on Naruto. Mizuki barely registered the success.
Ren dispelled the clones and walked out, melting back into the corridor's relative anonymity. He watched as the final results were posted. Naruto Uzumaki: Failed. The first domino had fallen precisely as expected.
Later that afternoon, the Academy grounds buzzed with a different energy – the relief of graduates, the formation of new Genin teams. Ren stayed on the periphery, observing. He saw Naruto sitting alone on the swing set, looking utterly dejected. Then, right on schedule, Mizuki approached, his posture radiating false concern. Ren activated Stealth Basics Lv. 3, blending into the lengthening shadows behind trees and buildings, moving closer to eavesdrop.
"...It's not fair, I know," Mizuki's voice dripped with manufactured sympathy. "Iruka-sensei... he can be tough. But maybe... maybe there's another way, Naruto. A secret way. A special test just for you..."
Ren tracked them from a distance as Mizuki led Naruto away, whispering the poisonous promise of the Forbidden Scroll and the clandestine midnight meeting. Observe confirmed Mizuki's detailed instructions – the location (a specific clearing in the northern woods), the objective (steal the scroll), the fabricated rationale (a secret graduation test). Mizuki's Intent: Use Uzumaki as expendable tool. Secure Scroll. Eliminate Uzumaki & any witnesses (Iruka likely). Defect to Orochimaru. Chillingly clear.
With the plan confirmed, Ren initiated his own carefully prepared counter-maneuver. As dusk painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, he slipped away from the orphanage. Navigating the backstreets with practiced silence (Stealth Basics Lv. 4 proficiency slowly climbing), he reached Iruka's apartment complex. Heart pounding a little faster now despite Gamer's Mind's attempts at regulation, he checked the surroundings – deserted. He quickly slipped the crudely written, anonymous note under Iruka's door. The parchment felt impossibly small, the message frustratingly vague. Would it be enough? Would Iruka even find it, let alone heed its cryptic warning? Doubt gnawed, but it was the only move Ren felt he could make without revealing himself. He retreated back into the shadows, the die cast.
He couldn't simply go back and wait. Foreknowledge demanded presence, however covert. He needed to be nearby tonight. Not to change the core outcome – Naruto needed to learn Kage Bunshin and have that bonding moment with Iruka – but to act as a potential emergency buffer. What if Mizuki was stronger or more ruthless than Ren remembered? What if Iruka hesitated too long?
Returning briefly to the orphanage only to ensure his absence wouldn't be immediately noted, Ren slipped out again under the cloak of full darkness. He navigated unerringly towards the northern woods, his steps silent on the dirt paths. Finding the clearing Mizuki had described, he used his still-developing Basic Chakra Control and innate agility (boosted slightly by DEX investment) to scale a tall, thick-branched tree overlooking the entire area. Concealed by dense foliage, he settled onto a sturdy limb, his senses on high alert. The System interface provided a calming overlay to the tense reality.
Risk Assessment: Option 1 (Non-Intervention) - Probability of Canon Outcome: ~85%. Risk: Minor canon divergence could lead to Iruka's death (Low probability but high impact). Option 2 (Direct Intervention) - Risk: High probability of self-exposure, potential alteration of critical character development (Naruto/Iruka bond), unknown consequences. Option 3 (Subtle Interference/Safety Net) - Goal: Ensure core outcome while slightly improving Iruka's survival odds without direct involvement. Risk: Moderate chance of minor unforeseen ripple effects, low chance of exposure if detected.
Option 3 remained the logical choice. Minimal risk, maximal adherence to vital known events. He prepared himself mentally, running through potential actions – a precisely thrown rock to create a distraction, a sudden noise to shift focus, nothing traceable back to him.
The wait stretched on, measured by the slow crawl of the moon across the night sky. Finally, a flash of orange – Naruto arrived, huffing and puffing, the ridiculously large Forbidden Scroll strapped to his back. Ren watched with rapt attention as Naruto unrolled the massive scroll and, with surprising speed, began deciphering and practicing the first technique listed – Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Puffs of smoke erupted periodically as Naruto struggled, then began to achieve clumsy success.
Then, another figure burst into the clearing – Iruka, looking frantic and relieved. "Naruto! What are you doing with the Forbidden Scroll?!" The initial confrontation played out much as Ren recalled, shifting from anger to confusion to dawning understanding as Iruka started piecing things together.
And then, Mizuki arrived, landing gracefully on a branch opposite Iruka. The air instantly crackled with hostility. The manipulation, the reveal of the Kyuubi secret – Mizuki twisted the knife with practiced cruelty, aiming to shatter Naruto's fragile world. Ren watched intently, Observe locked onto both Chunin.
Observe: Iruka. Status: Emotionally Reeling, Fiercely Protective. HP: Moderate. CP: Moderate.
Observe: Mizuki. Status: Combat Ready, High Malice, Killing Intent Focused (Iruka First). Active Buffs: [Enhanced Speed (Self - Minor)]?
Mizuki reached behind his back, drawing the enormous Fuma Shuriken. Its blades gleamed menacingly in the moonlight. "Iruka, you're always getting in the way! Die!" He spun, preparing to launch the lethal projectile directly at the stunned and emotionally vulnerable Iruka.
Now! This was the moment. Ren reacted instantly. Plucking a small, sharp-edged stone from a pouch he'd prepared, he infused it with a tiny thread of chakra for stability, took aim using Throwing Accuracy Lv. 3, factoring in wind and distance, and flicked his wrist. The target wasn't Mizuki, nor Iruka. It was a thick, dead branch directly above and slightly behind Mizuki's position.
CRACK!
The stone struck true, shattering the dead wood with a noise far louder than expected in the quiet forest. It wasn't threatening, but it was sudden, unexpected, unexplained. Both Iruka and Mizuki instinctively flinched, their attention momentarily diverted upwards for a split second, breaking Mizuki's lethal focus.
In that critical instant of hesitation, Naruto, recovering from the shock of the Kyuubi reveal and seeing Iruka in danger, reacted purely on instinct. "IRUKA-SENSEI!" He launched himself forward, putting himself between Iruka and the now slightly off-target Fuma Shuriken. The massive blade still struck, biting deep into Naruto's back, but the impact was glancing, diverted partly by Naruto's leap and partly by Mizuki's momentary distraction. Pain (Gamer's Body registered [Severe Laceration] but no internal damage notification flashed for Ren's own status) flared across Naruto's face, but he held his ground.
From there, events cascaded as Ren remembered. Iruka's heartfelt defense of Naruto, Naruto's emotional turmoil erupting into defiant power, the explosive reveal of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Hundreds, then seemingly thousands, of solid Shadow Clones flooded the clearing, an orange tide of righteous fury. Mizuki, arrogant and dismissive moments before, was utterly overwhelmed, his face a mask of terror before the clones descended.
[World Event Altered (Minor - Causality): Targeted Distraction Influenced Threat Vector Trajectory.]
[Canon Outcome Integrity: Maintained (Iruka Survives, Naruto Learns Kage Bunshin, Mizuki Defeated).]
[EXP Gained: 200 (Calculated Risk / Successful Covert Intervention / Objective Alignment)]
As the dust settled and the first response teams of Konoha Chunin arrived, drawn by the massive chakra flare, Ren watched from his perch. He saw Iruka, bruised and battered but alive, approach Naruto. He saw the heartfelt exchange, saw Iruka remove his own forehead protector and tie it gently onto Naruto's head. A critical bond forged in fire, subtly nudged by Ren's invisible hand.
[Level Up! Level 6 -> 7!]
[HP +15, CP +20. Regen +0.5/min. Status Points + 5.]
The satisfying chime of the level-up notification was his cue to depart. While all eyes were on the captured Mizuki and the newly minted 'Genin' Naruto, Ren used Stealth Basics Lv. 4 (proficiency boosted by the night's practical application) to melt back into the forest, circling wide around the activity. He slipped back into the orphanage unnoticed just as the first hint of dawn began to grey the eastern sky. Adrenaline still hummed faintly beneath the calm imposed by Gamer's Mind. He had done it. He had interfered, nudged fate, protected a key outcome, gained valuable EXP and a level, and remained completely undetected. The first test passed.
Tomorrow, team assignments. The game board was being set. And Ren, the unknown player with hidden knowledge and a powerful system, felt a surge of dangerous confidence. The future wasn't set in stone. Not anymore.