Pain is a creditor that never forgives a debt.
I hung from a thick branch two meters off the ground, fingers dug into the bark until splinters pierced my skin. Sweat dripped from my nose, falling to the forest floor.
"Nine…" I growled, biceps trembling. "Ten."
My arms gave out.
I hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, the air rushing from my lungs. I lay there, staring at the leaves filtering the sunlight.
My legs still burned from the morning run. Five kilometers along the forest perimeter, pushing my lungs to their limit. Then push-ups. Then this.
"Status," I panted.
The blue panel appeared in my vision.
[USER INTERFACE]
Name: Kael
Age: 20
Affiliation: Konoha Civilian
Strength: 0.84 ➔ 0.88
Speed: 0.91 ➔ 0.94
Stamina: 0.75 ➔ 0.79
Defense: 0.82 ➔ 0.85
Chakra: Inaccessible (Calcified Channels)
Skills: None
I punched the dirt in frustration.
"Still blocked," I muttered. "Not even a hint."
It was maddening. In games you know how much you need to level up. Here I was punching a wall in the dark. But I had no other choice. The old Kael had let this body rot for twenty years. If I wanted to survive Pain's invasion or the Fourth War, I had to turn this scrap into steel.
I stood, shaking leaves from my hair. My muscles burned, but my mind was elsewhere.
Today was the day.
According to my calculations and the rumors at the dango shop, today was Genin team assignment day.
I needed to see it. I needed to confirm my knowledge of the future was still intact. If Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto formed Team 7, I could breathe. I could predict Zabuza, Orochimaru, Madara. I could prepare.
I headed toward the Academy, keeping to the shadows of alleyways. With 0.94 Speed I wasn't fast, but the previous owner of this body had perfected the art of being invisible. That insignificance was now my best camouflage.
I found a decent spot: the roof of a laundry two streets from the Academy, hidden behind sheets flapping in the wind. From there I had a perfect view of the yard.
The midday sun blazed overhead. I waited, ignoring the hunger.
Finally, the bell rang.
They poured out in a herd. Loud kids with shiny forehead protectors, believing themselves immortal because they now had permission to carry weapons.
I identified the extras first.
Kiba Inuzuka, with Akamaru on his head. Check.
Shino Aburame, ignored by everyone. Check.
Choji Akimichi, opening a bag of chips. Check.
I smiled in relief. Canon was intact.
And then, the main trio.
I saw Sakura Haruno first. Pink hair, running after someone while shouting about "true love." Check.
I saw Sasuke Uchiha. Hands in his pockets, frown fixed in place. Check.
"Good," I whispered. "Just the protagonist left."
I searched for the orange jumpsuit. It wasn't hard to find.
But when my eyes focused on the figure bouncing out behind Sasuke, the air froze in my lungs.
It wasn't him.
Orange, yes. Blond, yes.
But she had two long pigtails that bounced with every step. A finer, sharper face, more delicate whisker marks. And though the orange jumpsuit was loose, the way she moved—the tilt of her hips when she turned to yell at Sasuke…
"That's not possible…" I whispered.
The figure turned, pointing at Sasuke. I saw her profile clearly. Long lashes. Soft neck.
[TARGET ANALYSIS]
Name: Naruko Uzumaki
Race: Human (Jinchuriki)
Status: High Emotional Agitation
I slid down to sit, back against the chimney. My heart pounded so hard it hurt my ears.
"Naruko…"
It wasn't Naruto. It was a girl.
Panic flooded me. If the protagonist was female, what else had changed? Was she weaker? Stronger? Was her relationship with Sasuke different? And Hinata?
My knowledge of the future—my only real advantage—had just developed a massive crack.
I leaned forward for one more look.
Below, Naruko was shouting furiously. But there was something in her body language… she leaned too close to Sasuke. And when Sakura tried to shove her, Naruko growled. Literally.
Her blue eyes swept the yard, restless. For a second her gaze passed near where I was hiding.
I ducked instinctively.
"Shit," I breathed. "This changes everything."
I looked at my trembling hands.
0.88 Strength. Chakra Locked.
The desperation I had kept at bay with the promise that "I know what's going to happen" crashed back in full force. Now, more than ever, I needed power. If the original script was broken, I was the only one who could save myself.
"I have to train harder," I said, standing. "I have to unlock my chakra. No matter how much it hurts."
I cast one last glance at the yard. Naruko was still there, a bright point in the middle of my uncertainty. Then I turned and leapt down into the alley, back to my routine, back to the only truth I had left: the pain of growth.