At night, Uchiha Hayashi finally heard the mechanical voice echo in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host. System upgrade complete.]
Hayashi quickly opened his system interface, curiosity lighting up his face.
The layout had changed slightly, looking sharper and more detailed than before.
Host: Uchiha Hayashi
Location: Land of Fire
Age: 6 years old
Overall Strength Index: Rookie Chunin level
Chakra: Level 4 (0/4000)
Taijutsu: Level 8 (0/16000)
Shurikenjutsu: Level 5 (0/6000)
Hand Seals: Level 4 (0/4000)
Ninjutsu: Level 4 (0/4000)
Genjutsu: Level 5 (0/6000)
Wind Release: Level 4 (0/4000)
Fire Release: Level 4 (0/4000)
Lightning Release: Level 4 (0/4000)
Water Release: Level 0 (0/100)
Earth Release: Level 0 (0/100)
Fuinjutsu: Level 0 (0/100)
Yang Release: Level 0 (0/100)
Yin Release: Level 0 (0/100)
Attribute Fusion: Not Activated
Sharingan: Not Activated
Remaining Ninja Points: 1500
Hayashi frowned, scanning the new additions. He noticed three fresh attributes had appeared: Fuinjutsu, Attribute Fusion, and Sharingan. But they were all marked Not Activated.
"What is this supposed to mean?" Hayashi muttered.
"System, you're seriously unreliable,] he complained aloud in his room. [You hype me up with new features, and then tell me they're locked? What's the point of showing them if I can't use them?"
His frustration boiled over. "You know what? I'm this close to uninstalling you…"
The system's neutral tone interrupted his rant.
[The condition for activating Attribute Fusion is that at least two attributes must reach Level 11.]
"Level 11? That's Jonin-level mastery!" Hayashi groaned, rubbing his forehead. "My highest skill is Taijutsu, and that's only Level 8. Reaching Level 11 will take years!"
He sighed and asked, "Fine, what about Fuinjutsu then?"
[Fuinjutsu unlocks depending on the host's access to knowledge. Until recently, there were no sealing specialists around you. Now that there are, the attribute is unlocked.]
"Oh, is it because of Kushina?" Hayashi nodded thoughtfully. That explained why Fuinjutsu appeared just now.
"And the Sharingan?" His eyes sharpened as he leaned closer to the glowing interface. "Does that mean I can use points to evolve it, maybe even push it all the way to the Rinnegan?" His voice carried a spark of hope.
After all, every stage of the Sharingan required pain and emotional trauma. Awakening it meant enduring unbearable grief. The idea of bypassing that suffering through the system sounded too good to be true.
But the system immediately crushed his hopes.
[The Sharingan is a reflection of the heart. It cannot be artificially upgraded. Only through emotional stimulation and life experiences can it awaken and evolve. System points cannot assist in this regard.]
Hayashi fell silent, his lips pressed into a thin line. So it had to happen just like in the manga.
Did that mean he'd have to lose someone precious before awakening the Mangekyo?
A bitter thought crossed his mind. If gaining power meant sacrificing those he loved, he'd rather never awaken the Sharingan at all. He still had the system. He still had other paths to strength.
He let out a long breath. "Then why bother listing the Sharingan as an attribute if points are useless for it?"
[Because Attribute Fusion can eventually merge the Sharingan with other abilities, creating new powers. Everything else must be explored by you, Host.]
"Figures…" Hayashi muttered, closing the interface.
---
Time passed quickly. Days at the Ninja Academy blurred together, a routine mix of lectures and training.
For Hayashi, it had become boring.
Point accumulation had slowed to a crawl, making it harder for him to grow stronger. He'd even considered sparring with upperclassmen just to grind points. Uncle Nishimura, the instructor of their class, once suggested he skip grades altogether. But Hayashi refused.
Whether he was in second year or fourth didn't matter to him. What mattered was staying with his friends. Besides, he wasn't in a hurry to graduate.
Though he had lived in the ninja world for six years now, his mindset still carried the echoes of his previous life. A lazy, peaceful attitude lingered. After all, how could someone who had lived peacefully for over twenty years suddenly embrace the bloody, merciless life of a shinobi?
He wasn't like Kakashi, who had an iron will. Hayashi feared the killing that came with being a ninja. That mindset, he knew, would only change after being baptized by bloodshed.
---
Early morning arrived, the sky painted in pale light. The summer heat was already creeping in. Wanting to avoid the sun's glare, Hayashi arrived at the academy earlier than usual. Maybe he could nap a little before class began.
But the moment he slid open the classroom door, a small fist flew at his face.
"What the—?!" Hayashi twisted his head just in time, dodging the strike.
He blinked and saw who it was. Kushina.
The red-haired girl gasped. "Hayashi! Sorry, I thought you were someone else." Her cheeks turned tomato red as she awkwardly stuck out her tongue.
"It's fine," Hayashi said with a small smile, closing the door behind him. He gently guided Kushina back toward his desk.
But the sight that greeted him nearly made him laugh.
The classroom looked like a battlefield. Desks overturned, chairs scattered, books tossed everywhere. Several boys were sprawled on the floor, groaning dramatically. Among them, Uchiha Ryo was clutching his stomach and rolling as if he'd been mortally wounded. His two followers cried beside him like mourners at a funeral.
"Wow," Hayashi muttered, deadpan. "That's… pathetic."
He turned to Kushina. "I'm guessing you're the culprit?"
Her eyes flickered nervously. "It's nothing!" she insisted, refusing to meet his gaze.
Hayashi leaned slightly closer, his calm eyes locking onto hers. "If it's really nothing, why can't you look at me?"
Kushina fidgeted and forced a smile. "Didn't I say? It's nothing at all."
Yeah, definitely something.
Hayashi turned to Minato, who sat quietly at his desk, flipping through notes. "Minato, what happened?"
Minato opened his mouth. "Well, basically—"
But Kushina's fist shot up threateningly. "Don't you dare, Minato!"
Minato wilted, shoulders slumping as he turned his head away in silence.
Hayashi sighed and began tidying his desk. He dragged one of Ryo's groaning followers by the collar and dumped him into a trash bin before sitting down.
From the scene, it wasn't hard to piece things together. This wasn't the first time.
When Kushina first transferred to Konoha, she loudly declared she would become the first female Hokage. Her confidence made her a target. She was clumsy with shuriken, struggled in class, and looked like an easy mark.
Some students mocked her.
But they underestimated her strength. Kushina's taijutsu was no joke. Every time someone pushed too far, she knocked them down with a single punch.
Hayashi could only shake his head.
Suddenly, Kushina turned to him, her eyes faintly red. "Hayashi… are you free this week? I want you to tutor me."
For a moment, Hayashi blinked in surprise. Then a smile spread across his face, and he nodded. "Sure."
---
Advanced chapters are available on Patreon.
Become a patron to gain access.
Patreon.com/Zphyr