We all stepped outside the classroom. I was nervous. My stats were meager and I assume that pretty much everyone else had Far higher stats than me. Sure my constitution was my highest stat but people like naruto had to have had over 15. And the people who actually trained often had to have been higher than that. I am clanless and I literally just got here like an hour and a half ago. I wouldn't last a minute against everyone as I was.
The glass reached the large open area we were supposed to run a lap around. It was large. I would for sure tire myself out quickly. But I needed to try.
"Alright, class. We will start by running a single lap around this area" Iruka said. Kiba and Naruto grinned excitedly at this. I looked over at the other kids. Most of the clan kids looked confident... Okay, they didn't, most of them just looked blank or lazy. The civilians looked both confident and nervous. And I looked over to Iruka. Mizuki wasn't here yet or he was sick.
"Alright, let's do this!" Howled Kiba after a few seconds of silence. He looked over at Naruto expecting a challenge to be issued it seems.
"I bet I can run faster than you," Naruto boasted. It seems like he accepted.
"Haha, you think you can beat me, loser?" Kiba mocked.
At this point, I just tuned them out. There was no point in listening to them argue. I just wanted to get this over with and save my pride from being completely shattered. Maybe I can try using running. It would be cool to see how it works. Actually, let me check something. Skills' I thought. I called out skills mentally as well
Running level 1(Active)
When activated this skill increases running speed by 5%
Cost: 10 energy points per second)
'Okay, not the most cost-effective skill. I only have 100 energy points so using this for nine seconds seems like the best option. I looked toward Iruka who was making sure Naruto and Kiba wouldn't fight. 'It really sucks that I'm not in the body of someone with high stats or better yet a regular shinobi. I really don't want to be in the academy if this is what I'm going to have to deal with for another two years. ' I thought dejectedly. I always hated loud noises like this. It's why I could tune the noise out easily.
"BE QUIET YOU TWO" Iruka yelled at Naruto and Kiba. They finally shut up and the other kids stopped talking. Sweet silence. Truly a wonderful thing taken for granted. I smiled at this. I then looked at the beginning of the laps. Marked by a black line. It was huge. Large enough for roughly 30 kids.
"Okay now that everyone is quiet, would everyone walk up to the line," Iruka told the class. We all walked up to the line. I walked up to the second to the last area on the left. I would have taken the last slot on the very left but the class emo took it. I breathed in and out a few times. I was nervous. I really didn't know how I would fare against everyone here.
"Alright now that everyone's ready. Start running!" Iruka exclaimed.
Everyone started running. I noticed I was quickly falling behind. Thankfully, I wasn't getting that tired. I was also ahead of a few people. Mainly other civilians. But I was also ahead of Shikamaru. Shocker. I began trying to run faster. I damn well wanted to level up and what better way to do it than by well running? I was slowly gaining on other faster civilians. I had yet to activate running. Currently, I was starting to get tired and fast but I felt alive. The feeling was just like when I ran again for the first time. It felt as freeing and as awesome as last time.
Running has gone up a level.
Running level 2(Active)
When activated this skill increases running speed by 10%
Cost: 10 energy points per second)
'Well, what a nice surprise. No decrease sadly' I thought. Then an idea came to me. I looked to be in the middle of the pack at the moment. Why not activate running and get some more speed? I actually had no idea how to activate skills but I had some ideas.
'Running activate?' It was more of a question than thought but it worked. Suddenly I felt faster. I dragged myself back to reality and noticed I was now ahead of people like sakura Hinata and ino. The rest of the clan kids and naruto were ahead of me still 'holy shit how much faster am I than everyone else now?' I wondered. If running at level two made me this fast I could only imagine what it was like at max level. I looked behind me and noticed the other kids were surprised by my sudden speed boost. I would be too. Hell even the people ahead of me looked behind them to see me trying to catch up to them
Then I started slowing down again. 'No not now' I thought. My energy was probably low now. I started to be overtaken by the better civilian kids and the clan kids I surpassed. I felt saddened watching that. Eventually, I reached the end and counted about 14 kids behind me. I was literally in the middle.
I collapsed onto the ground. Every little muscle in my legs were aching. It felt horrible but great. I needed to rest for a little while
"Good job everyone! Even you shikamaru" Iruka said. He seemed proud of us all for even completing the laps. That said a lot about how much we suck. I don't like sucking I need to get better
Kiba looked at me "Hey kukui what was that technique you used to get after?" Kiba asked. He probably wants to learn it. I slightly tensed up which went unnoticed by everyone I hoped. I couldn't really let anyone know what the fuck the gamer was. If I did I would be mind raped and used to see if it could be recreated. That was something I didn't want so I wouldn't give up that info like a smart person
Naruto also looked at me "Yeah tell us what the hell you just did kukui" Naruto said. More like shouted. I saw the slightest bit of hope in his eyes that I would share that information. Everyone's eyes were on me. Just great.
If I had a shell like a turtle I would recede into it. I didn't like this much attention. But yet here I was with 30 people looking at me. "It's not a jutsu or a technique, I was just running," I explained. I wasn't lying just twisting the truth a little bit
"Aw come on, that can't be it, just tell us already!" Kiba howled. He really wanted to know what I did it seems
"Come on kiba leave kukui alone. By the way, great job Kukui, you improved your time by over a minute!" Iruka praised. He seemed genuinely happy I improved
"Thanks, sensei," I said in between breaths. I really was tired from running one lap. I needed to improve my stamina so constitution would be the best way to do that. So running would be the most viable way to level it up. I looked up again at Kiba.
"I will find out what that technique was," Kiba exclaimed. He looked motivated. Yay me.
"Sure you will," I told the inuzuka. Oddly enough Naruto didn't seem like he was going to bother me like kiba. That was good.
I tuned Kiba out again as I looked to Iruka for instructions on what to do next.
"Okay, everyone now that the lap is over take a five-minute break then we can move on to shurikenjutsu. Iruka told the class. I sighed in relief as did many other people. People spread out into the yard to go to the shade or to talk with friends.
I walked over to a bench in a shady area. Perfect for thinking. I actually had time to do it.
Sitting down I needed to decide what to actually do. I had no idea whatsoever what I should do in this world. Obviously, I needed to become a shinobi. I had low chances of survival otherwise. Like what could I do? Sure I had the power of the gamer but if I get too confident with it I would die. I needed to find a way to fight without actually being there or a way to fight whilst far away and protected. But what? Also What was different about the world I was in? So far the world looked to be the same but I didn't know that for sure.
Was there 5 great villages still? Was the Uchiha clan massacred... Actually, I think it was based on Sasuke's attitude and personality. That sucks. Is Obito still evil here? Probably. What about the Akatsuki? There was so much I had to know. So much I needed to know to survive in this world. Also, there was the matter of if this world was just like normal would I want to screw with canon? It's tempting honestly as the lives I could save and the good I could do really sounded nice. But all of the things that could go wrong if I did mess with canon are there too. Just so much I had to account for. I'm not ready for this. I wasn't even an adult before I died. How the hell could I make the world better? Also, I might need to document info. I might forget what went on in canon. Any info I had would be needed to fight people like pain
I just wished it was easier. But no, I had so much that needed to be done. So much to know. There were too many variables to really decide now. I either had to step up and rise to the challenge or fall into the depths of despair.
'No, I won't fall into despair. I will do what I want to do here in this world and I damn well will enjoy my life here' I thought. I had another opportunity at life so I best not throw it away. I would still help people, still, become a shinobi. But Naruto was the protagonist, not me. He will deal with this shit with side characters to aid him along his journey.
An idea came to me. Just because I didn't want to be the protagonist didn't mean I couldn't help the protagonist. Naruto could be even greater than the canon version of him. Although he may not get shadow clones if I interfere. But shadow clones aren't always the answer.
I decided on my next course of action. Befriend protagonist-kun. But how would I do it without arousing suspicion?
Looking up from my position I saw Iruka coming back toward the class. I saw everyone except Shikamaru stand up. I stood up as well. I didn't want to get yelled at. Like Shikamaru inevitably would.
"Alright, class now that our break is over let's move over to the shuriken jutsu practice area," Iruka said." I know my accuracy will suck. I guess I will just have to practice.
Everyone lined up for the shurikenjutsu practice in the order of the first letter of their name
"SHIKAMRU GET YOUR LAZY ASS OVER HERE" Iruka shouted. That really was getting annoying quickly. Shikamaru slowly walked over to the shurikenjutsu area.
I sat back and watched the people in front of me throw their shuriken and kunai. The only ones I really could take note of were Chouji who got 5/10 on shuriken and kunai, Ino who got 7/10 on shuriken and 6/10 kunai, Hinata who got 8/10 on both shuriken and kunai and kiba is just about to throw his shuriken and kunai. I took note of how everyone threw the kunai
"Watch this, I'm going to get 10 out of 10 on both of them!" Kiba boasted cockily. I was already getting tired of him. He threw the kunai quickly and with precision. well as much precision as a 10-year-old had
12 thunks were heard as the shuriken and kunai dug into the wood. 8 missed. 5 shurikens and 7 kunai hit their target.
"What the hell? Thats dumb they all should have hit" Kiba said after seeing his boast couldn't be backed up. I clapped slowly with a smirk on my face. I really enjoyed that sight. I was already enjoying myself
"You think you can do better kukui?" Kiba asked, hearing my slow clapping. The mutt probably wanted me to make a boast about how I could do better. I wouldn't fall into his trap. I really didn't want to embarrass myself on my first day of the academy... well the first day alive again. But still, I wanted to at least make myself unnoticeable for the first few weeks here. Although with my plans that was unlikely. Sadly
"Nope!" I responded cheerfully. This only served to make Kiba mad.
"Really? You don't think you could do better than me?" Kiba asked, although it sounded like a statement. He looked really confused at this. Akamaru also looked confused. I finally noticed him.
Nope if I could do better than you I wouldn't be talking. Actions speak louder than words mutt" I insulted. I think this would become one of my favorite pastimes. Kiba had a short enough fuse to just explode after the smallest insult or blow to his ego it seemed.
"Oh come on you really need to man up and try to do better then. Or are you just going to suck?" Kiba asked rhetorically. He was starting to get pissed
"Yep. But I don't care because I don't have a fragile ego" I started. " Now it's my turn," I finished walking in front of Kiba. He looked pissed but he couldn't do anything otherwise I would make him look worse than he already did. I had paid attention to how the clan heirs threw the kunai. I needed to learn somehow and so I just observed them.
I replicated how they held the kunai and shuriken. I threw them all at once.
New skill unlocked: Shurikenjutsu level 1
Increases the accuracy of shuriken/kunai thrown at stationary targets by 10%
'Neat' I thought, looking at what the skill did. A guaranteed hit would be useful no matter what. I heard 6 thunks hit the wood targets. I heard Kiba laughing
"Haha, I knew you couldn't do better than me, loser" the inuzuka howled. I elected to ignore him before I got my ass handed to me by him. I simply walked away to wait until the other kids were done. I wanted to watch the other kids to see how I compared. So far I would be about 19th best. Or the 11th worst in class. Kiba went to go bother his friends.
I saw a certain blond walk up to me. Naruto Uzumaki. I wondered what he wanted
"Hey, kukui, that was cool!" Naruto said. He seemed impressed by something I did. I don't know what it was. Maybe it was how I just made Kiba look stupid for a few seconds. Or he was still amazed by my running skill. Either way, this would be a great opportunity. One I would for sure take.
"What was cool?" I asked.
"You made Kiba look like a complete idiot! That was awesome!" Naruto exclaimed.
"I just told him the truth," I said, trying to be humble. Honestly, it was the truth. If I could do better than Kiba I would have just shown him that I was better. Eventually, I could be better than Kiba. That would take time though. Hell, I'm surprised with my current performance. I thought I would suck far more than I actually did But I managed to not be last place in everything
"Damn right it was the truth. Kiba is a mutt" Naruto said. I do agree but still, that wasn't the point. My point is Kiba is cocky and what I said just proved he had a fragile ego.
"Not my point but you're right," I told the blond. He seemed fine. Happy even. I really wish I could tell myself that but he probably was longing for friends.
"Aw damn you really were right about Kiba being a mutt though," Naruto said surprised that his guess wasn't right.
"It was just a really educated guess. Now Naruto any idea how strong Kiba is?" I asked because I wanted to gather info on a potential opponent. This was my best bet for now. Hopefully, Naruto had accurate information. It would really suck otherwise
"Yeah, he seems strong, why do ya ask?" Naruto asked me. Probably didn't see what I saw. Kiba would most likely want to fight me.
"Kiba, right , wants to fight me sometime for my little wordplay. I want to know if I should stay and fight or go and run" I explained looking at naruto. The gears shifted in Naruto's head; it looked like it made sense to the blonde. Hopefully, I really wasn't good at explaining things to people.
"Oh yeah, that sorta makes sense. But why Dontcha just get stronger?" Naruto asked. He probably thought it was that simple. To be fair it kinda was to me and a few others like him but to most people, they actually had to take loads of time to train. Granted we would too but with our unique abilities, it would be far easier. The gamer even nerfed should be overpowered
"That's the plan. But it will take time to be strong enough to beat Kiba. At the moment I'm pretty weak" I admitted although it hurt. But admitting I was weak was a greater sign of strength than anything Kiba tries to do to prove he is "Top Dog"
"Ah don't put yourself down like that. You never know until you try" Naruto said. It seemed like he was trying to cheer me up.
I smiled. Naruto truly was a great person. "Maybe so but I want to be prepared just in case. Can't let him be better than me for much longer. That'd be bad. You should try to kick his ass too. Don't want him to be right about us being losers" I told naruto. I hated the word loser. It was just mean and Kiba called both me and Naruto a loser and I didn't like that. I would be training hard for a while though.
"Damn your right we can't let that cocky bastard beat us. He barely beat me in the laps I need to train more. Hey, Kukui could ya help me get stronger?" Naruto asked hopefully. By his reaction, it seemed like nobody would train with him. Well time to change that!
"Gladly. I would love to have a taijutsu partner. We should also practice other stuff too" I agreed to help Naruto for two reasons. 1 Another person to train with would help increase stats significantly. 2 I wanted to befriend Naruto anyway and I need a friend as well. It would be mutually beneficial to everyone involved.
"Yatta! How about after the academy we go practice?" Naruto asked excitedly.
I thought about it for a second. Sure I had other things to do that should take priority. But I didn't want to have 0 friends and Naruto needed friends too. I could write everything down later. "Sure we would need to find a training ground first though," I said. We did need to find a training ground for sure. I had zero ideas where one would even be so naruto would need to guide me.
"I know a place! I train there quite a bit!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Great! We can go there after today's over. I think it's time for your turn" I pointed out. We looked over to see one of our classmates throwing the shuriken very poorly. He was last in line and naruto was the actual last person that needed to throw.
"Oh, thanks, kukui! I almost forgot about that. Talk to ya later" Naruto said before running to the targets. Iruka told Naruto what needed to be done. Naruto grabbed all the shuriken and kunai and threw them one by one. like the civilian kids. 7 thunks were heard. Naruto fucking did better than me. That sucked
"Yatta!" Naruto looked happy at getting 7. 3 kunai and 4 shuriken. Iruka looked proud too. This must have been an improvement.
Good for him though. No point in being jealous about it. I would get better one day.
"Now that everyone has thrown their shuriken and kunai we can finally move on to physical conditioning," Iruka said after Naruto finished. Why did it have to be physical conditioning? Oh yeah, it was important to make sure we could actually run around and shit. *Sigh* Why did this already have to be so hard?
Iruka gave us instructions on what to do.
New skill acquired: Physical conditioning(passive)
Increases the rate at which your strength and constitution improved by 5%
At the end of the physical conditioning, I was exhausted. I could run but fucking push-ups really sucked. Hopefully, they would get easier soon. Of course, the other stuff sucked but push-ups were always the worst to me. Even when I was healthy I still hated them. I looked over to the screen that had appeared. At least I got that. Maybe if I leveled it up enough it would reach 100% improvement.
I looked up at the rest of the class and Iruka. I walked over to them
"Okay everyone class is over for the day. Your parents have come to pick you up from school" Iruka said." I saw some hurt in the eyes of the orphaned kids. Poor kids. They never got to know their families because of one reason or another(Mainly Obito) It just wasn't fair. Damn this world is pretty cruel.
"Hey, kukui! c'mon! Let's go" Naruto appeared in front of me like he teleported.
I remembered I agreed to train with him and regret slowly started to seep in. But I won't back down now. Naruto grabbed my arm and began dragging me away. I felt a shiver run down my spine. A sign of things to come today.