Golden eyes stared at Ren through a curtain of flames.
The image lasted for only a second before collapsing into a chibi portrait on the system interface. The new icon depicted a red-haired girl dressed in crimson, her arms folded and her chin raised with unmistakable arrogance.
Ren's eyelid twitched.
The system opened a dialogue menu without waiting for his permission.
[Potential Target: Fire Release — Great Fireball Technique]
[Limited-Time Dialogue Opportunity]
[A: "Hello. My name is Ren. It's a pleasure to meet you."]
[B: "Your flames are a breathtaking work of art."]
[C: "You may command fire, but you have already ignited my interest. Become my ninjutsu, and I will make you the strongest Fire Release in the world!"]
Ren stared at Option C.
Even by the system's questionable standards, it was unbearable. It sounded like something an arrogant villain from a cheap romance novel would say before being slapped in the face.
Who introduced themselves to a fireball by demanding that it belong to them?
"Absolutely not."
Option B sounded like obvious flattery, while Option A was at least normal.
Ren selected it.
A fiery red dialogue box appeared. Tiny embers drifted from its borders before disappearing into the night.
[Ren: "Hello. My name is Ren. It's a pleasure to meet you."]
The chibi Great Fireball Technique looked him up and down. Her golden eyes narrowed, and a dismissive sneer appeared on her face.
[Great Fireball Technique: "Ren? Never heard of you."]
[Great Fireball Technique: "What makes an unknown brat think he can approach me so casually? Move aside before your presence ruins my mood."]
The dialogue ended.
Her portrait immediately turned gray.
Ren blinked.
"That's it?"
He tapped the icon again, but the system offered no response. The brief encounter had ended after a single exchange.
Apparently, politeness was the wrong approach.
While Ren studied the inactive portrait, the last remnants of Obito's fireball dispersed across the clearing. Smoke curled from a scorched patch of earth, and several nearby branches had been blackened by the heat.
Obito stood with both hands planted on his hips, doing his best to look like an experienced shinobi rather than a boy desperately awaiting praise.
"Well, Rin?" he asked. "What did you think? Pretty incredible, wasn't it?"
Rin lowered the arm she had used to shield her face. Her eyes were wide with genuine amazement.
"That was incredible, Obito! I didn't know you had already started learning Fire Release."
Obito's chest expanded.
"Hmph! Of course I have. I'm an Uchiha, after all. A technique like this is nothing once I get serious."
His voice cracked slightly on the last word.
Ren joined Rin in applauding. Obito's grin grew wider—until he noticed Ren watching him. He immediately tried to force his expression back into one of dignified indifference.
Ren glanced at the grayed-out icon.
If the first encounter had ended, he needed to create another.
"The fireball was impressive," Ren said. "It just disappeared so quickly that I couldn't study it properly. Could you perform it again?"
Obito's eyes narrowed. "Why should I perform my secret weapon for you?"
Ren turned toward Rin instead.
"You wanted another look, didn't you?"
Rin hesitated. "Well… I would like to see it one more time."
Obito's resistance vanished.
He rushed back into position and raised his hands. "If Rin wants to see it again, then watch closely! I'll make this one even stronger!"
Ren almost felt guilty.
Almost.
Obito formed the seals with greater confidence than before.
Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A second stream of flame exploded from his mouth. It expanded into another blazing sphere, illuminating the clearing in scarlet light before slamming into the already scorched ground.
The technique was slightly smaller than the first, but its shape was more stable.
The heat washed over Ren again.
He immediately checked the system.
The Great Fireball Technique's portrait remained gray.
No new dialogue appeared.
"Still not enough?"
Obito turned toward Rin, visibly pleased with himself. "That one was better, wasn't it?"
Rin nodded. "Your control looked more stable."
Obito beamed.
Ren waited until the flames faded before speaking. "I think the first fireball was larger."
Obito stiffened.
"What?"
"The second had better control, but the first was definitely bigger."
"That was because I was holding back!"
"Were you?"
Obito's eye twitched. "Of course I was!"
Ren looked toward the scorched earth, deliberately appearing unconvinced.
Obito took the bait.
"I'll prove it! This time, I'll use my full strength."
"Obito," Rin warned gently, "you've already used the technique twice."
"I'm fine! An Uchiha wouldn't become tired from something like this."
The sweat running down the side of his face suggested otherwise.
Obito spread his feet again and began forming seals. His fingers were slower now, and his breathing had become noticeably heavier.
Rin looked concerned, but Ren focused on the system. He would stop Obito if the boy's chakra became dangerously low. For now, one more controlled attempt should be safe.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The third fireball roared into existence.
It was not larger than the first.
The sphere trembled at its edges, and sparks broke away as it traveled, but the burst of light was still fierce enough to turn the surrounding trees into black silhouettes.
As the flames crossed the clearing, the system chimed.
[The Great Fireball Technique has returned.]
The red-haired chibi girl appeared once more. This time, surprise flashed across her proud face before she concealed it beneath a dismissive expression.
[You remained in the forest and waited patiently. Upon seeing you again, the Great Fireball Technique is surprised by your persistence. Although she still regards you with suspicion, she has agreed to hear a few words.]
[Great Fireball Technique: "You again? Did you truly remain here just for another chance to speak with me?"]
[Great Fireball Technique: "Hmph. Don't misunderstand. Your patience means nothing to me. Still… since you're already here, I suppose I can spare a moment."]
The original three choices returned.
Ren ignored Option A. He had already discovered where that led.
Option C remained intolerable.
That left only one choice.
He selected B.
[Ren: "Your flames are a breathtaking work of art."]
The Great Fireball Technique's eyes widened. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, but her expression quickly hardened.
[Great Fireball Technique: "A work of art? What shallow praise!"]
[Great Fireball Technique: "Beauty means nothing without power. Only overwhelming heat—the kind capable of reducing everything in its path to ash—is worthy of admiration."]
She leaned closer within the portrait, her golden eyes glowing.
[Great Fireball Technique: "Come back when you can produce so much as a spark. Until then, your words are meaningless."]
The dialogue box vanished.
Ren sighed.
Wrong again.
Perhaps Option C really had been the correct response. Judging by her personality, the Great Fireball Technique might only respect someone arrogant enough to challenge her directly.
Then another notification appeared.
[Great Fireball Technique favorability +1]
[The Great Fireball Technique has been added to the Target List.]
[Great Fireball Technique — Favorability: 1/100 — Stranger]
[New options unlocked: Dialogue / Practice]
Ren stared at the message.
Then he looked at the grayed-out portrait, where the Great Fireball Technique had turned her face away while secretly glancing back at him.
"I see."
She had insulted his praise, called it shallow, and told him to leave.
Yet her favorability had increased.
The proud Great Fireball Technique was far less indifferent than she pretended to be.
Ren finally began to understand how the system assigned personalities to ninjutsu.
The Three Basic Techniques were abilities he had already learned and practiced for years, so they had been connected to him immediately when the system awakened.
Their personalities also appeared to reflect their nature and how shinobi treated them.
The Transformation Technique acted like a playful older sister. It was flexible, expressive, and closely associated with appearances, deception, and identity. She teased Ren freely but responded warmly to honesty and effort.
The Clone Technique was sharp-tongued and deeply suspicious. As an illusionary E-rank technique, she was often abandoned the moment shinobi learned the Shadow Clone Technique or another superior alternative. Her resentment likely came from generations of students treating her as disposable.
The Substitution Technique was quiet and difficult to approach. She remained hidden, watched from a distance, and revealed herself only through subtle actions—fitting for a technique based on evasion and misdirection.
Together, the Three Basic Techniques resembled three very different sisters who had lived beside Ren for years.
The Great Fireball Technique was nothing like them.
She was proud, dramatic, and obsessed with power. As the signature Fire Release technique of the Uchiha clan, she carried herself with the same confidence and isolation that characterized many Uchiha.
She mocked outsiders but secretly appreciated recognition.
In other words, she was extraordinarily difficult—and surprisingly easy to understand.
"This ridiculous system might actually be entertaining," Ren admitted.
The Great Fireball Technique's portrait flashed red, as if she had heard him.
Before Ren could examine the newly unlocked [Practice] option, Rin's voice pulled him back to reality.
"Obito!"
The third fireball had vanished. Obito remained standing in the center of the clearing, but his shoulders rose and fell with each breath. His face was pale, and sweat covered his forehead.
"I'm fine," he insisted before anyone could ask.
His knees trembled.
Rin hurried forward, ready to catch him if he fell. "You used too much chakra. Sit down before you collapse."
"I said I'm fine. That was barely a warm-up."
Obito attempted to puff out his chest, only to sway slightly.
Ren stepped forward and offered his shoulder. "A powerful shinobi knows when to recover."
Obito gave him a suspicious look. "You're only saying that because you want me to stop."
"No, I'm saying it because falling face-first in front of Rin would destroy the dignity you're desperately trying to protect."
Obito sat down immediately.
Rin covered a smile.
They rested in the clearing while Obito's breathing gradually returned to normal. Ren used the opportunity to praise the Great Fireball from every possible angle.
He described its size, intensity, control, speed, color, pressure, and dramatic appearance. He even complimented the way the flames had illuminated the clearing.
Most of those observations were genuine. The technique truly was far more frightening in person than it had ever appeared on a screen.
Obito absorbed every word.
At first, he responded with dismissive hums and comments such as, "Naturally," or, "That should be obvious."
Soon, however, he was grinning so broadly that he forgot to maintain his act.
"I didn't expect you to understand Fire Release so well," Obito said. "You might have better judgment than I thought."
"I simply recognize talent when I see it."
Obito scratched the back of his head, visibly pleased. "Well, it's good that someone else at the academy finally understands."
Then his expression became serious.
"Tell me honestly, Ren. Who do you think is stronger—me or Kakashi?"
Rin glanced between them.
Ren answered without hesitation. "You."
Obito froze. "R-Really?"
"Did Kakashi produce a fireball large enough to light up an entire clearing tonight?"
"No."
"Then tonight's victory belongs to you."
Ren carefully avoided discussing every other category.
Obito, however, heard only what he wanted.
His face brightened, and he stood despite Rin's protests. "You have excellent judgment, Ren! When I become Hokage, I'll appoint you as one of my advisers."
"I'm honored."
"You should be! Not everyone receives an offer like that from the future Hokage."
Rin smiled at the two of them, her earlier concern easing.
By the time Obito had recovered enough to walk, the moon was high above the trees. The three children left the clearing and returned to the road.
At the entrance to the training ground, they separated.
Obito headed toward the Uchiha district, walking with exaggerated confidence despite his exhaustion. Rin and Ren continued toward the civilian neighborhood together.
For a while, only the sound of their footsteps disturbed the quiet street.
Rin held her medical pouch against her chest. Her earlier smile had faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
"Ever since Kakashi became a Chūnin, everyone has been training harder," she said. "Obito is learning Fire Release. Guy pushes himself every day. You've started practicing until you can barely stand."
Ren looked at her.
Rin lowered her gaze. "If this continues, I'm afraid all of you will move so far ahead that I won't even be able to see your backs."
There was no jealousy in her voice.
Only fear.
Ren understood it better than she realized.
Civilian students faced limits that clan heirs rarely noticed. The academy taught fundamental taijutsu, weapons training, survival knowledge, and the Three Basic Techniques. For many civilians, that was all they possessed when they graduated.
Some reached Chūnin rank without learning more than one or two C-rank techniques. Without family scrolls, private instructors, or inherited knowledge, they had to risk missions merely to earn access to better abilities.
Ren's system had opened another path for him.
Rin had no such advantage.
But she possessed excellent chakra control, patience, empathy, and an instinctive concern for others. Even tonight, she had recognized Obito's chakra exhaustion before he admitted it.
In the future Ren remembered, Rin would become a medical-nin.
What he did not know was when her training began—or who first encouraged her to follow that path.
Perhaps the answer had never been recorded.
Perhaps it did not need to remain that way.
"Rin, you're not falling behind."
She looked up.
"Your Transformation, Clone, and Substitution Techniques are more stable than Obito's. Your chakra control is also among the best in our class, and you notice injuries before anyone else does."
Rin listened silently.
Ren chose his next words with care.
"You don't have to compete with Guy's body, Obito's Fire Release, or Kakashi's talent. Their paths belong to them. You should choose one that suits you."
"What kind of path would suit me?"
"Medical ninjutsu."
Rin stopped walking.
The winter breeze moved through her short brown hair. For a moment, surprise was the only emotion visible on her face.
"Medical… ninjutsu?"
"You're calm, careful, and naturally precise with chakra. More importantly, you genuinely want to protect people." Ren met her eyes. "I think you could become an exceptional medical-nin."
Rin's fingers tightened around her pouch.
No one had ever spoken about her future with such certainty.
"Do you really believe I could do it?"
Before Ren could answer, the system chimed.
A new message unfolded before his eyes.
[A seemingly ordinary suggestion has caused destiny to shift.]
[A path once hidden in darkness has begun to open.]
Then crimson letters appeared beneath it.
[Warning: The choice made tonight may one day determine who survives—and who dies.]
Ren's expression changed.
Rin remained beneath the moonlight, waiting for his answer.
This time, Ren did not hesitate.
"I don't just believe it," he said. "I'm certain."