"Kabuto, happy birthday."
Haruya set a palm-sized cake in front of the small boy. "The director's swamped today and can't stop by. She asked me to apologize on her behalf."
"Thanks."Kabuto Yakushi pushed up his glasses, his expression far too calm for someone his age. "There was a riot in the village not long ago. Lots of people were injured. The director's a medical-ninja—it's normal she's busy."
"Eat," Haruya said, taking the seat across from him.
He stared at Kabuto's snow-white hair and couldn't help thinking:If Kabuto were a girl, fandom numbers would be breaking five figures.White hair and cute aesthetics—people ate that up.And for some folks… white-haired shota boys were apparently just as appealing.Never underestimate humanity.
Not that any of that was appropriate, of course.
"You're seven this year, right?" Haruya asked.
"Mm." Kabuto answered mid-bite.
Haruya rolled his eyes and started calculating dates.
It wasn't spelled out in the original timeline, but Kabuto should be meeting Danzo Shimura and Orochimaru around this age—pulled in for his exceptional medical talent, then shaped into a spy.
But now Haruya had been reincarnated into this world, spending three years quietly nudging Kabuto not to show off his medical skills.
Fate's flow had definitely changed.
So why hadn't the reward shown up yet?
Haruya glanced at his wrist.
Only he could see the artifact there: the Holy Ring of Destiny.
Any time he altered a key "destiny node" in someone's life, he earned Fate Points.A destiny node being one of those major turning points—like Kabuto's first big divergence: meeting Danzo and Orochimaru.
"I'm done!" Kabuto wiped his mouth, hopped up, and asked, "I'm gonna practice medical ninjutsu. You coming?"
Even though Haruya told him to hide his talent, Kabuto still practiced. His talent was too good to waste—honestly, if he never met Orochimaru, the kid might've grown into the next Tsunade.
Meanwhile, Haruya had no skill.No medical talent.Terrible chakra control.Peak double-threat mediocrity.
∗∗Becauseofyouractions,KabutoYakushi'sfatehaschanged.Youhavegained100FatePoints.∗∗∗∗Becauseofyouractions,KabutoYakushi'sfatehaschanged.Youhavegained100FatePoints.∗∗
Haruya froze—then burst into silent laughter.
Finally! The golden finger activates!
"You go practice. Don't worry about me," he said, waving Kabuto off.
One hundred points might not sound like much, but according to the Ring's rules, each person could only give a max of one hundred points per destiny node. The more important the character, the better the payoff.
And best of all—characters had multiple destiny nodes.
Haruya was seven this year, an orphan of the Third Great Ninja War, raised by Nonou Yakushi.
In this orphanage, the only person with a major plot-fate to influence was Kabuto. After three years of deliberate friendship-building, Kabuto trusted him enough to hide his talent.
Haruya tapped the Holy Ring, and a light-film unfolded before his eyes:
CurrentFateValue:100PointsCurrentFateValue:100PointsFate−StoreUnlockedFate−StoreUnlockedNewcomerDiscount:BecauseyoucarrydilutedSenjublood,youmayawakenWoodReleaseatadiscount.NewcomerDiscount:BecauseyoucarrydilutedSenjublood,youmayawakenWoodReleaseatadiscount.
Haruya didn't hesitate. He purchased it immediately.
Ninety points vanished.
Warmth surged through his body—like sunlight spreading through his bones.He breathed out, relieved.
With Wood Release talent, he finally had a foothold in the ninja world.
But redeeming techniques wouldn't be easy. Wood Release jutsu were expensive, and Fate Points were hard to farm.
He stared toward the window—toward the village.
The simplest option was to reveal his power.Wood Release had a sacred status in Konoha—linked directly to the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
If he revealed it, the Third Hokage would almost certainly take him in.
…Or Danzo would drag him into Root and brainwash him.
Haruya preferred a third path:
Tsunade.
Princess of the Senju clan.Granddaughter of Hashirama.She would never ignore a second Wood Release user appearing in the world.
If she took him under her wing, he'd be safe for years—and could learn Wood Release for free.
A perfect win-win.Mostly for him.
Tsunade had left Konoha after the Second Great War, wandering, but she wasn't a rogue. She still loved the village—she wouldn't have become Fifth Hokage otherwise.
And right now?The Nine-Tails attack had just ended.The funerals for Minato and Kushina were imminent.
Tsunade would almost certainly come home.
Haruya would have to gamble.
He couldn't contact her himself—but Nonou could. She had once studied under Tsunade in Konoha's medical program.
If he showed Nonou his Wood Release, she would definitely reach out.
It just needed careful acting.
Night fell.
Nonou returned to the orphanage, exhausted. The hospital was overflowing with casualties; every available medic had been called to help.
Despite her fatigue, she still checked on the children before bed.
First, Kabuto's room.
The lights were still on.
Nonou knocked. "Still reading?"
"Director, you're back!" Kabuto beamed. "I'm reading Basic Case Studies for Young Ninja, the one you gave me."
"Sleep soon," she said, smiling softly.
Kabuto wasn't the quickest learner, but he worked incredibly hard—obedient, thoughtful. Out of all the children, he was her favorite.
"I'll read one more chapter—just half an hour," Kabuto bargained, holding up a finger.
"You always say that," she sighed, helpless but fond. "Fine. I'll come check in a bit."
She closed the door and moved to the next room.
If Kabuto was the polite, studious type, then Haruya was the overly mature "big brother" figure. Only seven, but he talked like a little adult—and because of that, he kept the orphanage kids in line, saving her endless trouble.
Nonou opened the door—
—and her expression sharpened immediately.
Haruya's face was pale, his hair a mess, his clean shirt streaked with mud. His sleeves were torn as if ripped by thorns, revealing red, swollen skin beneath.
"Director," Haruya said quickly, pasting on an innocent smile. "I, uh… tripped."
"I want the truth."
Nonou knelt, took his right arm—
"Hiss—! That hurts," Haruya yelped.
"Oh, now you know it hurts?"
Her hand glowed faint green. Warm chakra seeped into his skin, easing the pain. Haruya sighed inwardly. Medical ninjutsu really is brokenly convenient.
"Alright. You're healed," she said, eyes narrowing. "Explain."
Haruya hesitated—just enough to sell it. "Director… I think I awakened some kind of special talent."
Awakened?Nonou's breath caught. As an elite medic-ninja, she immediately thought of Bloodline Limits—abilities inherited through clan blood, sometimes awakening spontaneously.
"Show me," she said, unable to hide her urgency.
If Haruya had awakened a Kekkei Genkai, he had a real future—a path beyond the orphanage.
Haruya lifted his hand. Chakra surged.
Several wooden thorns sprouted from his palm.
His control was terrible—they shattered a few seconds later, scraping his arm again.
Nonou froze.
"Wood Release…?"
Her eyes widened, shock and emotion crashing together.