*Early Morning, Ninja Academy.*
Today, Yuto arrived unusually early, so early that only a handful of students were scattered around the classroom. The looks directed at him were no longer indifferent—instead, they carried curiosity and a hint of awe.
This was the lingering aftermath of the recent "Grade-Level Tournament."
With an undisputed victory over the so-called "genius" Sasuke, and subsequent opponents forfeiting the moment they heard his name, Yuto had become the uncontested top-ranked student of their year—despite only fighting a single match.
Such a dazzling achievement naturally drew everyone's attention.
Even the negative rumors that once swirled around him had all but vanished.
After all, the essence of the Ninja Academy was to train competent shinobi, and in the shinobi world, strength reigned supreme!
Now that Yuto stood as the strongest in their year, his classmates couldn't help but regard him differently.
Of course, this shift in attitude only applied to those who didn't interact with him much—friends like Naruto and Shikamaru still treated him the same.
As did the short-haired girl currently standing in front of him, her expression soft and timid, her cheeks flushed as she avoided his gaze.
"Good morning, Hinata," Yuto greeted with a smile.
He didn't have any particular romantic interest in her, nor did he plan to distance himself. To him, she was still just a kid—whereas he was, mentally, an adult.
"G-Good morning, Yuto!" Hinata stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Congratulations on becoming the top-ranked student."
"Thanks," Yuto replied sincerely, though he couldn't care less about the title.
"Um…" Hinata fidgeted, her eyes darting to the side. "Yuto, I wanted to ask you…"
"Yuto! You're here early today!" Naruto's loud voice cut through the air, interrupting Hinata mid-sentence. "Shikamaru's not here yet?"
He bounded up the steps before noticing the nearly invisible Hinata standing in front of Yuto. "Oh, were you two talking about something important? Did I interrupt?"
"N-No!" Hinata shook her head, her voice small. "I-I should go."
The tiny shred of courage she had mustered vanished instantly, and she turned to flee.
[Choose.]
A golden selection screen abruptly unfolded before Yuto, freezing him in place.
[1. Grab Hinata's hand in front of Naruto and ask if she's free tonight.]
[2. Stroke Kushina's cheek in front of Naruto and praise her for being amazing.]
'What the hell?!'
'This damn system is actually trying to kill me!
Yuto's face darkened, his lips twitching violently.
Objectively speaking, neither task was particularly difficult—but the humiliation factor was off the charts.
One was Naruto's future wife in the original story, the other his actual mother.
And now, this godforsaken system was demanding Yuto cuckold him to his face?! For a staunch believer in true love, this was the ultimate insult!
'Damn it all.'
Taking a deep breath, Yuto forced a calm expression. "Wait a second, Hinata."
"H-Huh?" She turned back, only to see him stepping closer. Her heart hammered wildly. "Yuto, you…"
Before she could finish, he took her hand in his.
*Pffft—*
Hinata's face instantly turned beet red. Her pupils dilated, her breathing grew erratic.
"Hinata… are you free tonight?" Yuto asked, maintaining an air of effortless coolness while internally screaming.
"T-Tonight?!"
Hinata short-circuited, her vision filling with spirals.
'What does he mean?!'
'A date?!'
'Is he asking me out?! Is this real?! Does he know how I feel?!'
Her brain went into overdrive, conjuring endless scenarios. The sheer force of her imagination sent her shyness levels skyrocketing past the breaking point.
Just as she teetered on the edge of fainting, Yuto finally released her.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: The Funhouse.]
'Huh?'
The reward notification caught Yuto off guard.
[Construct a special dollhouse. Any unresisting or unconscious beings thrown inside will be transformed into doll form.]
'The Funhouse…'
Yuto wasn't sure how to feel about this.
On one hand, the ability was undeniably powerful.
On the other… 'what's the point?'
'A live-action figurine collection?'
"Y-Yuto!" Hinata's voice, soft as a mosquito's buzz, snapped him out of his thoughts. "I-I'm free tonight!"
Without giving him a chance to clarify, she bolted back to her seat.
"Yuto… so you and Hinata…?" Naruto clapped him on the shoulder, eyebrows raised.
"It's not like that. Don't overthink it," Yuto said flatly.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it!" Naruto grinned, giving him a thumbs-up.
'You get nothing, you idiot!'
Yuto felt an overwhelming urge to facepalm.
"Kushina, what do you think about this?" Mikoto's serious voice echoed in his mind.
"Shut up!" Kushina snapped, clearly in a foul mood.
She had always believed in letting the younger generation handle their own affairs—but this? This was a direct assault on her sanity.
The boy she liked was flirting with her future daughter-in-law right in front of her—and her own son was cheering him on?!
From Kushina's perspective, this was double the betrayal!
'What kind of cosmic karma did I earn to deserve this?!'
"It's a curse. Believe me," Yuto said solemnly.
"You shut up too! Don't talk to me right now!" Kushina roared.
"Got it."
Yuto sat quietly, ignoring his nosy orange-clad friend.
More students trickled into the classroom.
Shikamaru appeared, looking as lazy as ever. Naruto stood to greet him—only to immediately abandon his bro the moment Sakura and Ino walked in behind him.
"Sakura-chan!" he bellowed.
'Ah, yes. Peak Gotham behavior.' Yuto sighed internally but kept a polite smile as he greeted the others.
"Yuto! You're finally here!" Ino beamed, waving. "Heard you got another blind date recently?"
Yuto side-eyed Naruto. He had a strong suspicion about who was spreading rumors. Still, he didn't bother correcting her. "Yeah. This one had black hair."
"Black hair?" Naruto frowned. "Same as that bastard Sasuke. I don't like it!"
"It's Yuto's date, not yours!" Sakura huffed, then suddenly looked worried. "I hope Sasuke-kun doesn't skip class again today…"
As if on cue, Sasuke strolled in, hands stuffed in his pockets.
His entrance brought a hush over the room.
The whole school had heard about his… unique wardrobe malfunction during the tournament. It had become the gossip topic during breaks.
Now that the man himself had arrived, the students couldn't help but tense up.
Yet Sasuke ignored them all, walking straight up to Yuto. He pulled out a scroll from his bag and tossed it onto the desk.
"Your request. It's done."
"???"
Naruto, Sakura, Ino, and Shikamaru all froze, staring at the two in utter bewilderment.
'What the hell is going on here?!'
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