Amid the enthusiastic greetings of fellow ninja, Kusunoki Naraku quickly made his way home.
His thoughts were completely occupied by the system that had suddenly appeared. He couldn't wait a second longer to understand everything about it.
Returning to his residence, Naraku entered a quiet room, sat down cross-legged, and spoke softly:
"System?"
[The Promotion System is at your service!]
Hearing the voice echo once more in his mind, Naraku finally relaxed.
So it wasn't an auditory hallucination.
From that moment on, he devoted his full attention to the system, quickly grasping its fundamentals.
As its name suggested, the Promotion System revolved entirely around rank advancement.
As long as Naraku's official position within Konoha changed, the system would grant him lottery chances.
Demotion: 1 guaranteed draw
Lateral transfer: 2 draws
Promotion: the highest reward
Depending on the rank involved, a promotion granted at least three draws, and up to five.
With lottery chances in hand, Naraku could randomly obtain powerful items, abilities, and treasures drawn from countless worlds.
"Now, let's see what kind of treasures you have to offer!"
The moment he finished speaking, an enormous lottery wheel materialized in his mind, dazzling items filling his vision.
"What even are these things…"
"Ninjutsu… genjutsu… the Byakugan? The Sharingan?"
"Tailed Beast chakra? That's even included? The Ten-Tails?!"
"This is absurd. If you're going that far, why not just throw Ōtsutsuki Kaguya in too…"
Naraku's gaze swept rapidly across the prizes, muttering under his breath.
"Wait—these aren't just from the Naruto world?"
"Devil Fruits? Is that… a Zanpakutō (Chakra blade)?"
"Dragon Slayer Magic… hold on, chakra enhancement technique?"
"Soldier Pills? A Flying Nimbus (Summoning contract with a swift creature)?!"
His eyes widened in astonishment. There were simply too many incredible items to take in at once.
"I want everything…"
Naraku admitted he had lost his composure.
The system's scale far exceeded his expectations.
As a KonohaJōnin, and Tsunade's direct disciple, Naraku already possessed top-tier medical ninjutsu and considerable combat strength.
Even so, he knew his limits.
At best, he ranked among the upper echelon of Konoha'sJōnin—but he still fell short of the very strongest.
After all, the Kusunoki clan possessed no powerful kekkei genkai.
That ceiling had always been clear to him.
But now, everything had changed.
The system offered him a chance to break through that limit—to truly contend with the apex figures of the shinobi world.
A genuine smile spread across his face as he stared at the spinning wheel.
"System, how many lottery draws do I have right now?"
[Host has a total of twelve remaining lottery draws.]
[Friendly Reminder: Ten consecutive draws greatly increase the chance of rare items!]
Seven draws came from his two new appointments, plus five from the beginner gift pack—twelve in total.
"If ten draws are better, then let's do it."
"ten consecutive draws. Start!"
[Ding! Confirm activation of first ten consecutive draw?]
"Confirm!"
The instant Naraku answered, the massive wheel began to spin.
The pointer swept across prize after prize, each one making his heart pound harder. He didn't dare blink.
So many treasures blurred together that his vision nearly spun.
[Ding…]
[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the following rewards:]
High-quality Shuriken ×5
Delicious Soldier Pills ×5
1,000 ryō in paper currency
Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique (Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu)
Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction (Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku)
100 Ryō (coins)
Lightning Release: Thunder Roar
Complete Seven Chakra Natures (Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Yin, Yang)
Flame-Flame Fruit
Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have mastered four ninjutsu!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, all seven chakra natures are now unlocked!]
…
Naraku remained seated in the quiet room.
On the low table before him, items began appearing out of thin air.
Loose banknotes and coins, clinking shuriken, neatly wrapped soldier pills—
And most importantly, a strangely shaped fruit.
"So this is a Devil Fruit… the Flame-Flame Fruit."
Ignoring everything else, Naraku immediately picked it up.
[Flame-Flame Fruit: After consumption, grants the ability to control flames. Any part of the body may transform into fire.]
[Note: The seas of the Naruto world lack the special suppressive properties found elsewhere. No adverse effects will occur.]
"Excellent."
That explanation alone made Naraku even more satisfied.
What he valued most wasn't raw power—but elemental transformation.
In the shinobi world, most ninja were powerful, yet physically fragile.
Sometimes, even a single concealed weapon could end the life of an elite ninja.
Naraku had personally witnessed powerful shinobi fall that way during the Great Ninja Wars.
Elemental intangibility was priceless.
"Ugh—!"
He bit into the Flame-Flame Fruit.
An indescribably foul taste flooded his mouth, making him gag.
"This taste… ugh… absolutely disgusting!"
Even prepared, he was overwhelmed by the Devil Fruit's infamous flavor.
After recovering slightly, Naraku opened his palm.
Fwoosh.
A flame ignited in his hand, dancing vividly atop his skin.
Watching the fire leap and sway, Naraku nodded in satisfaction.
"To get the Flame-Flame Fruit on the first try… then in the future…"
In that moment, he made a decision.
He would get promoted.
Relentlessly.
No one would be allowed to stand in his way.
With his strength surging, Naraku immediately went out to test his new abilities—certainly not inside his house.
BOOM!!!
Flames erupted as rocks shattered, firelight exploding outward with terrifying force.
Scorching heat flooded the area.
Only after a long while did the experimental site deep within the forest fall silent again.
Naraku clenched his fist, surveying the devastated ground around him, and nodded in satisfaction.
"At this level… even if I'm not quite Kage-level yet, I'm close."
"More importantly—the power of my Fire Release…"
At this moment, Naraku could say with absolute confidence—
There was no one in the shinobi world more proficient in Fire Release than him.
Even before obtaining the Flame-Flame Fruit, his strongest affinities—aside from medical ninjutsu—had been Fire and Water Release.
Within Konoha, only a handful could rival him in Fire Release.
Now?
Not only was his Fire Release vastly stronger—
He no longer needed hand seals to use it.
Just like the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—
Clap your hands, call it out, and it manifests.
Of course, Hashirama summoned Wood Release.
Naraku summoned fire.
For the rest of the day, Naraku focused on adapting to his rapidly growing power.
Because in this world—
Strength was the foundation of everything.