Team 7's rendezvous point was a small wooden bridge near the village gate.
When Crane arrived, he immediately spotted the legendary silhouettes standing ahead.
Kakashi Hatake leaned lazily against the railing, silver hair spiking toward the sky, his visible eye drooping as he casually flipped through the orange-covered Make-Out Paradise, not even glancing up.
Naruto Uzumaki, bursting with energy, was bouncing all over the place, trying desperately to get noticed.
Sasuke Uchiha stood on the far end of the bridge with his hands stuffed in his pockets, cold expression and sharp profile warning strangers to keep their distance.
Sakura Haruno was close behind, eyes locked on Sasuke's figure with unwavering infatuation, occasionally throwing a white-eyed glare in Naruto's direction.
This was the future hope of Konoha, Team 7.
Crane's arrival was like a stone dropped into a pond… that didn't cause a single ripple.
It was Sakura who noticed him first, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion.
"Kakashi-sensei, who's that?"
Naruto scratched his head, his messy blond hair sticking out in all directions.
"Hmm… Looks kinda familiar?"
Sasuke didn't even bother turning his head. Just a brief glance from the corner of his eye, and then nothing. Crane might as well have been a rock on the side of the road.
Kakashi finally looked up from his book. His dead-fish eye swept over Crane with about as much interest as one would give the weather.
"Temporary stand-in. Just here to fill space," he said flatly, snapping his book shut.
"Let's move out."
That short exchange completely defined Crane's current existence.
He lowered his head and silently followed behind the group, but his heart, was burning with anticipation.
Stand-in? Background filler?
Perfect.
He whispered mentally:
"Open newbie gift pack."
The cold blue system panel unfolded before him, golden light flashing twice across its surface.
[Congratulations. You have received passive skill: "Invisibility" (Beginner)]
[Effect: Automatically lowers the attention of surrounding lifeforms. Weakens your presence. Your actions will be more likely ignored, rationalized, or forgotten.]
[Congratulations. You have received active skill: "Ability Copy" (Beginner)]
[Effect: Through physical contact within 1 meter, you can copy a weakened version of one ability from the target. Usable once per day. Note: The stronger the target, the lower the success rate and the higher the degradation.]
Crane stopped breathing for a second.
These skills… were tailor-made for him!
Invisibility would further diminish his already negligible presence, completing his "NPC camouflage" to perfection.
Ability Copy, meanwhile, would allow him to silently collect strength from behind the curtain, stealing power while remaining unseen!
The team advanced along a woodland trail toward their mission site.
Today's task? Catching Lady Daimyo's lost pet cat, "Tiger."
A D-rank mission so classic it had become a meme.
Crane stayed true to his role, trailing at the very back, watching Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura scramble after the cat under Kakashi's lazy supervision.
"There's Tiger!"
"You scared it, you idiot, Naruto!"
"Sasuke-kun is so cool!"
In the midst of the chaos, Naruto dove through a bush like an orange cannonball, only to slam straight into Crane, who hadn't had time to dodge.
Thud!
They both stumbled from the collision.
Crane's eyes lit up.
Now!
[Physical contact with target "Naruto Uzumaki" detected…]
[Available abilities for copy:]
Uzumaki Clan Physique (Degraded)
Shadow Clone Jutsu (Incomplete Version)
Without hesitation, Crane made his choice.
Ninjutsu could be learned. But physical attributes and chakra reserves? That was a foundation.
"Option 1."
In the next moment, a faint, pure stream of life force seeped into his limbs like a trickle of spring water.
He could clearly feel it, his pitiful chakra reserves had permanently increased. Even his fatigue began to fade.
And not a single soul noticed.
Naruto just patted the dirt off his clothes, annoyed.
"Watch it, old man. You're in the way!"
Then he dashed off again like a whirlwind.
That feeling, of growing stronger in the shadows, right under everyone's noses, made Crane's soul tremble with delight.
Eventually, the team cornered the cat in a dead end alley. Back arched, fur bristling, "Tiger" let out a defiant hiss.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, crouching slightly to make his move.
Crane's eyes lit up.
Opportunity.
He deliberately stumbled, pretending to trip over a tree root, and let out a perfectly timed yelp.
"Whoa!"
He fell straight into Sasuke's path, crashing into him chest-first.
At the moment of contact, the system's cold prompt rang out again.
[Physical contact with target "Sasuke Uchiha" detected…]
[Available abilities for copy:]
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu (Degraded)
Sharingan (Single Tomoe, Trial Version, Duration: 10 Minutes)
Crane gasped.
Even Kekkei Genkai could be copied?!
"Useless."
Sasuke shoved him aside with a grimace, annoyance written all over his face.
Sakura glared at him with pure disdain, as if he were garbage.
"You trying to mess everything up?!"
Crane scrambled up, brushing dirt off his clothes while bowing over and over.
"S-Sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"
On the surface, he looked terrified, almost groveling.
But deep down, he was ecstatic.
This was the result he wanted.
The more others disdained or ignored him, the more complete his "nobody" disguise became, and the safer he was.
In the end, Kakashi casually grabbed the cat without even trying.
Mission complete. Team dismissed.
Crane turned to slip away quietly.
But just then, he felt a heavy gaze fall on his back.
It landed like physical weight, freezing him in place.
He turned, and met the one visible eye of Kakashi Hatake.
For an instant, that lazy eye was clear and sharp. Deep. Piercing. Like it wanted to see through every inch of him.
Crane's heart skipped a beat.
But after just a second, Kakashi looked away again and waved at Naruto's group like nothing had happened. That strange look, maybe it was just Crane's imagination.
Crane exhaled in relief and quickly walked off.
Back in his cramped Japanese-style room, he bolted the door and rushed to the mirror, heart pounding.
"Select Option 2: Sharingan, trial version!"
He focused.
In the next moment, crimson spread across his pupils, and a single black tomoe spun slowly in his eye, radiating a bewitching, eerie power.
This was it…
The Sharingan.
Before he could savor it further, the system panel flickered again.
[Side Quest Triggered: Survive the upcoming "Land of Waves" mission.]
[Reward: Increased Nobody Level. 'Invisibility' skill will be upgraded.]
Crane's elation froze.
Land of Waves…?
That so-called C-rank mission with an A-rank death rate?
He was just a temporary stand-in for D-rank chores, how the hell was he being dragged into that?!
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter