[Hey, just so you know, this has been inspired by the fanfics I read during the pandemic and all, so essentially, this is a result of some shower thought.]
[WARNING: THIS CHAPTER WILL BE HEAVY WITH SYSTEM SHIT, TO MAKE YOU USED TO IT, DON'T WORRY, IT WON'T BE LIKE THAT IN THE OTHERS, BUT DEAL WITH IT THIS ONE TIME.]
Naruto Uzumaki has never been particularly lucky.
Or smart. Or well-fed. Or respected. Or... okay, you get the idea.
So waking up with a weird blue box floating in his vision wasn't even the weirdest thing that had happened to him that week. The old man gave him expired milk yesterday. He barely survived that. Compared to violent food poisoning, this was chill.
He had passed the Genin Exam a few days ago—barely.
[Welcome, Player.]
[You have awakened the Gamer System.]
[Status Screen unlocked.]
"...Huh?"
Naruto blinked. The blue screen didn't go away. He waved his hand through it. Nothing. It stayed, hovering a few inches from his face like it was mocking him.
"KAI!" He tried to use the genjutsu dispeller they taught in the academy. The screen was still there.
"This genjutsu is too strong!" He shouted as he used the technique again and again... to no avail.
He rubbed his hair in embarrassment as people shot looks at him, disgusted and annoyed, sometimes mixed.
"Kore wa ittai nanidesu ka?" He muttered. [Find it out yourself, motherpucker!]
A tiny ding responded.
[Language Detected: Japanese. Translation Matrix Online.]
[Preferred Language Set: Complete.]
"Wait—what?"
The screen flickered, and suddenly the text changed. The symbols straightened out, looking cleaner, crisper. Like the difference between a ramen menu and a bank statement.
Another box popped up.
[Tutorial Tip #1: You're not crazy. Yet. This system is a metaphysical interface anchored to your soul. You're welcome.]
"That doesn't help..."
Naruto looked around, hoping someone else was seeing this. A woman passing by glanced at him, then picked up her pace like she was speedrunning "Get away from the demon child" percent.
He slumped down.
Another box appeared.
[Passive Skill Gained: Observe (Lv. 1)] See basic information about people, objects, and things that might kill you.]
"...Cool." He shrugged.
He looked at the nearest civilian—an old man selling bruised vegetables—and activated it.
[Shopkeeper – Civilian Lv. 4]
HP: 65/65
Chakra: 2/2
Mood: Irritated.
Thoughts: 'Why is that brat staring at me? Damn, that fox kid's going to steal something again, isn't he?'
Naruto blinked.
"Huh."
He turned away before the man could say anything and shuffled down the street, hands in his pockets, head down—the usual routine. Keep walking, don't engage, and pretend you're not low-key reading people's minds through floating blue boxes.
Normal.
A soft ding echoed in his vision again.
[OBSERVE (LEVEL 1) → LEVEL 2][SKILLS GET STRONGER WHEN YOU USE THEM.]
'Okay, this is really weird.'
He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Still there.
This wasn't like anything they taught at the academy. Even Iruka-sensei's genjutsu went away if you did the release thing enough times. This? This was something else.
The next screen popped up before he could think more about it.
[TUTORIAL TIP #2: COMPLETE TASKS TO GET STRONGER.]
[TASK: "DON'T DIE TODAY!"]
THINGS TO DO:–
Stay alive (0/1)
Eat something (0/1)
REWARDS: EXPERIENCE POINTS, RANDOM STAT BOOST, FOOD ITEM.
Naruto stared at the glowing box.
Then reread it.
"Experience points? Stat boost?" He scratched his head. "What are those things, dattebayo?"
No response.
Naruto frowned and waved at the air. "Hey! Blue box thing! What are experience points?"
Still nothing.
"Come on! You were talking before!"
A single box appeared.
[EXPLANATION NOT AVAILABLE. LEARN BY DOING.]
"That doesn't help!" Naruto complained.
But his stomach growled, and he figured eating something was probably a good idea anyway. Maybe if he did what the box wanted, it would explain more stuff.
"Uh... how do I say yes to the task thing?"
[TASK ACCEPTED.]
He was about to try asking more questions when another thought hit him. Maybe this thing had more stuff he could look at.
"Uh... show me more boxes?"
Nothing.
"Please?"
[STATUS SCREEN AVAILABLE.]
A new blue box appeared, much bigger than the others. It had lots of words and numbers that made his head hurt a little.
-------
NARUTO UZUMAKI
LEVEL: 12 (0/463 EXPERIENCE POINTS)
HEALTH: 300/300
CHAKRA: 400/400 [Used for jutsus]
ENERGY: 125/125 [Used for system-related skills]
STRENGTH: 13
DURABILITY: 18
VITALITY: 35
SPEED: 14
SMARTS: 6
WISDOM: 5
CHARM: 3 [Increases exponentially as player progresses in story.]
LUCK: 2 [Increases exponentially as player progresses in story.]
SKILLS:
Academy Fighting – Level 6
Ninjutsu Basics – Level 5
Transformation Jutsu – Level 7
Substitution Jutsu - Level 6
Clone Jutsu - Level 3
Shadow Clone Jutsu - Level 65
Sexy Jutsu – Level 82
Pranking – Level 36
Parkour – Level 14
Stealth – Level 18
Weapon Throwing – Level 3
Flirting – Level 1
Leadership – Level 4
Cooking – Level 1
Chakra Theory – Level 3
Reading Comprehension – Level 2
Cleaning – Level 2
Social Interaction – Level 6
Tactical Thinking – Level 7
Stamina Training – Level 41
Class Clowning – Level 25
Emotional Resilience – Level 88
NEGATIVES: HATED BY THE VILLAGE, HUNGRY, BAD CHAKRA CONTROL, BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH TAILED BEAST, OVERLY LOUD, OVERLY CONFIDENT, JEALOUS, SIMP BEHAVIOUR, MALNUTRITION, LACK OF PARENTAL LOVE, LACK OF RESOURCES, UNSTABLE SLEEP SCHEDULE, EASILY DISTRACTED, NEEDS CONSTANT VALIDATION, UNKNOWN ANCESTRY DEBUFF, KUNOICHI-REPELLENT AURA, FASHIONALLY CHALLENGED, LOW CHARISMA (EARLY GAME), CHAKRA LEAKAGE, SASUKE-OBSESSION DISEASE, HOKAGE DELUSION, ETC.
POSITIVES: HIGH STAMINA, MASSIVE CHAKRA POOL (UNREFINED), STUBBORNLY DETERMINED, STRONG RESISTANCE TO PAIN, STRONG PUNCH (WHEN EMOTIONAL), CREATIVE BATTLE INSTINCTS, NATURAL SHADOW CLONE TALENT, FEARLESS (OFTEN DUE TO IGNORANCE), RESILIENT MINDSET, NEVER GIVES UP (EVEN WHEN HE REALLY SHOULD), FRIENDSHIP POTENTIAL BUFF, FAST HEALING RATE, PROVOKES CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN OTHERS, CLOWN ENERGY (HIGH DISTRACTION VALUE), LOYAL TO A FAULT, IMMUNE TO EMBARRASSMENT, INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM, NATURAL CLASS CLOWN CHAKRA, UNRECOGNIZED HARD WORKER, SECRET PROTAG AURA (HIDDEN), HOKAGE DREAM BOOST (+5 to Motivation).
PERKS:
Uzumaki Vitality
Massive stamina pool
Accelerated healing (minor injuries)
Chakra capacity far exceeds peers
Tailed Beast Container (Unstable)
Access to massive chakra reserves (locked behind emotional triggers)
Resistant to mental interference and genjutsu
Chakra leaks unconsciously, impairing control
Passive hostility from villagers and some ninja
Unbreakable Will
Immune to fear-based manipulation
Gains morale instead of losing it when under pressure
Cannot be mentally broken by despair or loneliness
Class Clown Aura
Increased attention in social situations (wanted or not)
Has a chance to distract enemies in combat with unexpected antics
Often underestimated by allies and enemies alike
Street Smart Prankster
Bonus to improvisation, escape, and stealth rolls in urban environments
Can construct distractions or traps from seemingly useless materials
Minor intimidation bonus vs. adults in charge of discipline
Hidden Genius (Dormant)
Tactical brilliance emerges under extreme stress
Bonus to planning when outnumbered or cornered
Inconsistent; unreliable unless stakes are high
Emotional Sponge
Gains minor boosts to abilities when emotionally driven (rage, grief, joy)
Passive empathy with others who have suffered
Prone to emotional outbursts that affect chakra flow
Knucklehead Momentum
The more times he fails, the more likely he is to succeed next time
Receives a stacking buff when stubbornly repeating actions
Can brute-force success through raw willpower
MAIN QUESTS➤ Become the HokageObjective: Well, become the Hokage. It's that simple.Progress: [0.3%] (Only Teuchi and Iruka care… kind of.)
RELATIONSHIPS
Iruka: [Mentor: Trusted Bond] Believed in you when no one else did. Risked his life to protect you. You made him proud.
Hinata: [???: Soft Blushes Detected] She hasn't said a word, but she's thinking it.
Konohamaru: [Follower: Chaos Duo Potential]Younger kid who sees you as a role model.
Teuchi (Ramen Guy): [Unbreakable Bond]May be your only true father figure.
Sasuke: [Obsessed Rivalry: Complicated] You want to beat him and be him.Therapy recommended.
Sakura[Hopeless Crush: -20 Sanity]: She thinks you're a loser who's incomparable to her crush, Sasuke.
CHAKRA AFFINITY
Primary Affinity: Wind
-------
Naruto stared at the massive wall of text until his eyes started watering. Half the words didn't make sense, and the other half made him feel worse about himself.
"What the hell is a 'Kunoichi-Repellent Aura'?!" he shouted, causing a nearby cat to hiss and run away. "And why is my Luck only 1?!"
[TUTORIAL TIP #3: COMPLAINING ABOUT STATS WON'T CHANGE THEM. DOING STUFF WILL.]
"Okay, okay!" He waved his hands. "But seriously, what does Level 100 Sexy Jutsu even mean? That seems... important?"
[THAT'S FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT.]
Naruto groaned. This thing was more stubborn than Iruka-sensei when he was trying to get out of cleaning duty.
He looked at the relationship tab, and his face turned from a smile to a deep frown as he reached the last two people.
Naruto stared at those last two relationship entries until his vision started to blur. The words seemed to mock him, floating there in that annoyingly cheerful blue glow.
Sasuke: [Obsessed Rivalry: Complicated] You want to beat him and be him. Therapy recommended.
Sakura: [Hopeless Crush: -20 Sanity]: She thinks you're a loser who's incomparable to her crush, Sasuke.
"Shut up," he muttered, swiping at the screen. It didn't go away. "I don't want to be Sasuke! I want to beat him, yeah, but I don't want to BE him!"
[DENIAL IS A RIVER IN THE LAND OF WAVES.]
"What does that even mean?!"
[FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF.]
Naruto growled and stomped down the street, ignoring the way people moved away from him like he had some kind of disease. Which, according to his status screen, he apparently did. Multiple diseases.
"'Sasuke-obsession disease,'" he grumbled. "That's not even a real thing!"
His stomach chose that moment to remind him that he had a task to complete. The growl was so loud that a nearby shopkeeper looked around for an angry dog.
"Right. Food. I can do food."
He looked around for his usual spots—the places that would actually sell to him without spitting in it first. There weren't many.
As he walked, he kept the Observe skill active, reading the floating text above people's heads like some kind of weird dream. Most of it was depressing.
[Civilian – Lv. 3]
Thoughts: 'Stay away from the demon brat.'
[Civilian – Lv. 5]
Thoughts: 'Why is that monster allowed to walk around freely?'
[Shopkeeper – Lv. 6]
Thoughts: 'If that thing comes near my store, I'm closing early.'
Each one hit like a punch to the gut, but Naruto kept walking. He'd gotten used to it over the years—or at least, he'd gotten good at pretending he had.
Then he spotted a different kind of text floating over someone's head.
[Konohamaru – Academy Student Lv. 2]
HP: 45/45
Chakra: 15/15
Mood: Determined
Thoughts: 'Today's the day I challenge Grandpa! Boss is gonna be so proud when I tell him!'
Naruto blinked. The little brat was sitting on a bench, practicing what looked like the worst transformation jutsu in history. His "adult" form looked like someone had inflated a balloon and stuck a fake mustache on it.
"Hey, Konohamaru!" Naruto called out, jogging over.
The kid's face lit up like New Year's fireworks. "Boss! Perfect timing! Watch this!"
[SOCIAL INTERACTION SKILL ACTIVATED]
Konohamaru performed his jutsu again, and Naruto watched as a small notification appeared:
[OBSERVE LEVEL 2 → LEVEL 3] [NEW INFORMATION UNLOCKED: TECHNIQUE ANALYSIS]
Now when he looked at Konohamaru's transformation, he could see additional details:
[Transformation Jutsu – Failed Attempt]Chakra Control: PoorForm Stability: 12%Recommended Fix: Less chakra, more focus on details
"Uh..." Naruto scratched his head. "It's... getting better?"
"Really?!" Konohamaru bounced excitedly.
"Yeah, but maybe try using less chakra? And focus on one part at a time instead of trying to do everything at once."
The words came out before Naruto really thought about them. Where had that advice come from?
[TUTORIAL TIP #4: YOUR SYSTEM ANALYZES INFORMATION AND PROVIDES INSIGHTS. YOU'RE SMARTER THAN YOU THINK.]
Konohamaru tried again, this time with visible concentration. The result was... actually not terrible.
[TRANSFORMATION JUTSU – IMPROVED ATTEMPT]Form Stability: 31%Chakra Control: Acceptable
"Whoa! Boss, that's way better! How'd you know that would work?"
Naruto stared at the kid, then at his own hands. Had he actually given good advice? Him?
A soft ding echoed in his head.
[SKILL GAINED: TEACHING (LV. 1)] [SKILL LEVEL: LEADERSHIP (LV. 4 → LV. 5)]
"I... I don't know," Naruto admitted. "It just seemed obvious?"
[HIDDEN GENIUS PERK ACTIVATED: +2 TO TACTICAL THINKING WHEN HELPING OTHERS]
"Boss, you're amazing!" Konohamaru declared. "No wonder you're gonna be Hokage someday!"
That meant a lot more than Konohamaru knew. Naruto flashed a bright smile at him.
[HOKAGE DREAM BOOST ACTIVATED: +1 TO ALL STATS FOR THE NEXT HOUR]
Suddenly, Naruto felt... different. Like the world was a little clearer, his body a little stronger. Even his empty stomach didn't hurt as much.
"Thanks, Konohamaru," he said. "I'll see you later, I have to go to the academy, today they're gonna sort the teams!" he told him excitedly.
"See you later!" Konohamaru shouted before running off.
Naruto walked toward the academy.
[TASK PROGRESS UPDATE]
Stay alive (1/1) ✓
Eat something (0/1) - Still hungry
"Right, food first," he muttered, patting his growling stomach.
He headed toward Ichiraku Ramen, the one place in the village where he was always welcome. As he walked, he kept the Observe skill active, and that's when he noticed something weird.
[Chunin – Lv. 25]
HP: 220/220
Chakra: 225/225
Mood: Alert
Thoughts: 'Kid seems different today. Less... chaotic. Weird.'
Wait. Someone thought he seemed different? In a good way?
[OBSERVE LEVEL 3 → LEVEL 4] [NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: EMOTION DETECTION]
Now tiny colored auras appeared around people - red for anger, blue for sadness, green for contentment. Most people still had the usual mix of orange (annoyance) and brown (disgust) when they looked at him, but that chunin had a faint yellow glow. Curiosity.
"Old man Teuchi!" Naruto called out as he approached the ramen stand.
[Teuchi – Ramen Chef Lv. 7]
HP: 95/95
Mood: Pleased
Thoughts: 'There's my favorite customer! Kid looks happier today.'
Emotion: Warm gold - paternal affection
The sight of that golden glow around Teuchi hit Naruto like a punch to the chest, but in a good way. Someone actually cared about him. Really cared.
"The usual, Naruto?" Teuchi asked with a genuine smile.
"Yeah! But uh..." Naruto checked his pockets. Three coins. Barely enough for half a bowl. "Actually, maybe just—"
"On the house today," Teuchi interrupted. "You look like you've got something important to do."
[RELATIONSHIP UPDATE: Teuchi (Unbreakable Bond → Unbreakable Bond: Father Figure Confirmed)] [EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE LEVEL 88 → LEVEL 89]
"Thanks, old man," Naruto said quietly, his voice catching slightly.
As Teuchi prepared the ramen, Naruto noticed his daughter Ayame approaching.
[Ayame – Civilian Lv. 8]
HP: 110/110
Mood: Friendly
Thoughts: 'Naruto's been coming here since he was tiny. He's a good kid, no matter what people say.'
Emotion: Light blue - genuine kindness
"Team assignments today?" she asked, setting down chopsticks.
"Yeah! I'm gonna be on the same team as Sasuke for sure! Then I'll show everyone how awesome I am!"
[TUTORIAL TIP #5: THE SYSTEM CAN CALCULATE PROBABILITY OF EVENTS BASED ON AVAILABLE DATA.]
A new box appeared:
[PROBABILITY ANALYSIS]
Chance of being on Sasuke's team: 73%
Chance of being with Sakura: 74%
Chance of getting Kakashi as sensei: 85%
Chance of passing the real test: 12%
"Wait, what real test?" Naruto asked out loud.
"Hmm?" Ayame tilted her head.
"Nothing! Just... thinking out loud!"
[TUTORIAL TIP #6: OTHER PEOPLE CANNOT SEE OR HEAR THE SYSTEM. TRY NOT TO LOOK CRAZY.]
"Right. Got it," he muttered, then louder: "Thanks for the ramen!"
[TASK PROGRESS UPDATE]
Stay alive (1/1) ✓
Eat something (1/1) ✓
[TASK COMPLETED!] [REWARDS DISTRIBUTED] [+50 EXPERIENCE POINTS] [RANDOM STAT BOOST: +1 WISDOM] [ITEM RECEIVED: SOLDIER PILL x1]
A small wrapped pill appeared in Naruto's pocket. He pulled it out, confused.
[SOLDIER PILL - CONSUMABLE]
Effect: Restores 50 Chakra, +20% physical performance for 2 hours
Warning: Military rations taste terrible.
Note: Better than expired milk
"Huh. Thanks, I guess?"
With his stomach finally full, Naruto headed to the academy. The building came into view, and he could see other recently graduated genin gathering outside, all looking nervous and excited.
He spotted a familiar head of pink hair and felt his heart do that stupid flutter thing it always did.
[Sakura Haruno – Genin Lv. 15]
HP: 130/130
Chakra: 150/150
Mood: Anxious/Hopeful
Thoughts: 'Please let me be on Sasuke-kun's team. Please, please, please.' Emotion: Pink - romantic infatuation mixed with orange - nervous energy
And there, leaning against a tree with his usual "I'm too cool for this" attitude:
[Sasuke Uchiha – Genin Lv. 20]
HP: 165/165 Chakra: 200/200
Mood: Indifferent/Secretly nervous
Thoughts: 'Whatever team I get, they'll just slow me down. I need to get stronger faster.'
Emotion: Dark blue - suppressed anxiety, red edges - buried anger
For the first time, Naruto could see past Sasuke's cool exterior. The guy was just as nervous as everyone else, maybe more so. And that anger... it was deep. Really deep.
[OBSERVE LEVEL 4 → LEVEL 5] [NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: PERSONALITY INSIGHTS]
[SASUKE UCHIHA - PERSONALITY PROFILE]
Core Drive: Revenge against Itachi
Primary Fear: Being weak/helpless
Hidden Trait: Desperately wants bonds but pushes people away
Weakness: Pride, tunnel vision
Strength: Incredible determination, natural talent
Compatibility with Naruto: 67% (High potential for mutual growth through rivalry)
"Huh," Naruto said softly. "So that's why you're such a bastard."
"What did you say, loser?"
Naruto jumped. Sasuke had appeared right in front of him, dark eyes narrowed.
"Nothing! Just... uh..." Naruto's brain scrambled for words. "You ready to be on a team?"
"A team?" Sasuke scoffed. "I'm not going to be held back by whoever they are—"
"SASUKE-KUN!"
Both boys turned as Sakura practically materialized between them, her face flushed with excitement and determination.
[SOCIAL SITUATION DETECTED] [MULTIPLE CONVERSATION PATHS AVAILABLE] [WARNING: HIGH PROBABILITY OF EMBARRASSMENT]
"Morning, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned.
"Not now, Naruto." Sakura snapped without even looking at him. "Sasuke-kun, I just wanted to say that I hope we're on the same team! I know we'd work really well together!"
Naruto felt that sting of jealousy and rejection, but this time he could actually see it happening in real-time through his Observe skill.
[Sakura Haruno - Current Thoughts: 'Why can't Naruto just disappear? He's ruining my moment with Sasuke-kun!']
The words hit harder when he could see them spelled out like that.
"Teams get announced in ten minutes," Sasuke said flatly, then walked away without acknowledging either of them.
Sakura sighed dreamily. "He's so cool..."
Naruto watched her chase after Sasuke and felt something shift inside him. For the first time, he could see exactly how one-sided his crush was. How much energy he was wasting on someone who would never see him as anything more than an annoyance.
[WISDOM +1 → +2 BONUS FROM RECENT EXPERIENCES] [SELF-AWARENESS SKILL GAINED (LEVEL 1)] [HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "MAYBE I SHOULD FOCUS ON PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIKE ME"]
A new notification popped up:
[RELATIONSHIP ANALYSIS AVAILABLE] [WOULD YOU LIKE TO VIEW COMPATIBILITY RATINGS WITH ALL KNOWN INDIVIDUALS?]
"...Yes," Naruto whispered.
The list that appeared made his eyes widen:
COMPATIBILITY RATINGS:
Hinata Hyuga: 95% (Mutual respect potential, shared determination, complementary skills)
Shikamaru Nara: 72% (Balance of energy levels, strategic partnership potential)
Choji Akimichi: 78% (Similar backgrounds, food bonding, loyal friendship)
Kiba Inuzuka: 71% (Shared competitive nature, both underestimated)
Lee Rock: 85% (Matching enthusiasm, hard work ethics, mutual inspiration)
Tenten: 65% (Respect for determination, weapon expertise appreciation)
Neji Hyuga: 23% (Personality clash, opposing worldviews)
Ino Yamanaka: 45% (Potential friendship if rivalry with Sakura resolved)
Sasuke Uchiha: 67% (High growth potential through rivalry, but requires mutual effort)
Sakura Haruno: 34% (Fundamental incompatibility, one-sideddynamic)
Naruto stared at that last number. 34%. His "great love" was only 34% compatible with him.
But Hinata... 95%?
He looked around and spotted her sitting quietly by herself, fidgeting with her jacket. When their eyes met for a brief second, she immediately looked away, her face turning red.
[Hinata Hyuga – Genin Lv. 14]
HP: 140/140
Chakra: 180/180
Mood: Nervous/Hopeful
Thoughts: 'N-Naruto-kun looked at me! Wait, is he coming this way? What do I do?!'
Emotion: Deep pink - strong romantic feelings mixed with pale yellow - overwhelming shyness
...
Huh?