Itsuki POV
I could feel it… something was around my hands, but I couldn't see it.
So Armament Haki really is invisible. Or maybe it's just because I'm still too low-level. As the layer gets denser, it'll probably turn black like in the anime. I guess I'll find out as the assimilation progresses.
I opened the system interface to check my current status.
ASSIMILATED: NONE
IN PROGRESS:
[Kouzuki Oden — 7%]
[Chōjūrō — 23%]
Maybe it's because Chōjūrō is a shinobi like me, someone who uses chakra. That's probably why his assimilation is way faster than Oden's, who comes from a completely different world with a different power system.
Yeah… that makes sense.
[Points — 30]
Peeking at the gacha points, I felt a little proud of my self-control. I actually managed not to use them till now.
It was literally the hardest month to live through if I don't count the first time I went to the frontline, or the moment I realised this was the Naruto world, or when I found out I was an Uchiha.
Now that I thought about it… compared to what I went through over the last decade specially last five years, this wasn't that bad. I'd basically been living like I always did, deluding myself into believing I didn't have a system at all.
I was also busy training. Between the jutsu I got from Chōjūrō and the kenjutsu from Oden, I barely had time to sit around and think.
Well, no reason to hold back anymore.
With a grin, I spent all my collected points in one go.
Let's see what I got this time.
1. Anime Ticket (Low Tier / One Month)
2. Black Pearl (Pirates of the Caribbean)
3. Shizune (Naruto)
4. Lander (Interstellar)
5. Alihotsy Draught x1 (Harry Potter)
6. Reiner Braun (Attack on Titan)
7. Comic Book Body (Marvel: Age of Krakoa)
8. Weakness Removal Card ×1
9. 100 Kunai (Naruto)
10. Minecraft Inventory
Two characters c—
Knock. Knock.
Someone was at the door.
I closed the interface and opened the window.
Huh? Senior Tatsuya?
Why was he here? At this time shouldn't he be at the gate ?
I jumped out and landed with a thud, which finally got his attention.
"Itsuki, ANBU came to the gate. You've been summoned to the Hokage's office."
"Now?" I asked.
He nodded, then raised an eyebrow at me, clearly asking without words, What the hell did you do?
I frowned.
From the day I arrived, I hadn't done anything that should've drawn attention. Even after saving Kakashi, I kept my distance. No getting close, no obvious attempt at building connections.
…Wait.
Kakashi.
That mission.
The reason clicked immediately.
So that's why I'm being called.
"Thanks for informing me," I said, focusing back on him.
He waved a hand dismissively and left.
Since there was nothing valuable in my place worth locking up, I headed out immediately.
As I walked through the streets, the reality of the war was visible clearly.
People were crying, cursing the war as they clutched the cold bodies of their loved ones. The number of amputees had increased drastically, shinobi missing eyes, ears, fingers, arms, legs can be seen walking around.
The casualties this time were far worse than in the last two wars. So bad that early graduation had been forced in the Academy years ahead of schedule.
During the First Shinobi War, many clans had joined the fight, and hostility between villages weren't very high. By the time the Second War happened, the villages still had plenty of high-level combatants. But the gap between the end of the Second War and the start of the Third was too short.
Most villages hadn't recovered.
Konoha, especially.
Right now, the village only had the Sannin, Minato, Kushina, Fugaku, the Third Hokage, and Danzō. No other true Kage-level combatants.
And even among them, two old bastards stayed inside the village most of the time, working from behind their desks. Unlike other villages, our village's jinchūriki never joined the frontline.
On top of that, we were fighting on four fronts.
Well, considering we had the most resources, it was only natural that most plunderers came for us.
Entering the Hokage Building, I didn't have to explain anything. Getting a nod from a guard shinobi I just headed straight upstairs.
It was my first time here.
Normally, a newly promoted chūnin receives their first mission directly from the Hokage. But since my promotion happened on the frontline, I'd never met the old man personally aside from seeing him give speeches on the first day at the Academy.
Knocking on the door, I said, "Hokage-sama, it's Itsuki Uchiha."
"Come in."
After getting permission, I entered and found the old man sitting alone in the office. Still, I knew ANBU were hidden around the room, ready to move the moment they sensed something wrong.
And more than that… I could feel it.
The old man was strong. Way stronger than anyone I'd met face-to-face before.
"Itsuki, you're here," he said with a gentle smile on face,"Shinku told me how you risked your life to save him."
"It was just my duty," I said. "Between me and Captain Shinku, he's clearly stronger and more experienced. He can do a lot more for the village than I can. I knew that, so I made the call."
I paused, then added carefully, "I believe in the Will of Fire… and I love this village."
The effect was immediate.
For a moment, Hiruzen just stared at me, genuine surprise flashing across his face. Even the pipe in his hand slipped and fell onto the desk.
…Yeah. He definitely didn't expect to hear something like that from an Uchiha.
"Good, good, good."
Is this Chinese?
"I wasn't wrong in choosing you," he continued, the smile on his face growing warmer.
"As you may already know," he continued, "there are two ways for a chūnin to advance to the rank of jōnin. The first is to pass the jōnin exams. The second is to complete a mission of sufficiently high difficulty."
He tapped his pipe against the desk.
"Due to the ongoing war, the villages don't have the luxury of organising formal exams. Because of that, most promotions are being handled through battlefield performance and mission evaluations."
His eyes met mine.
"Since you've been personally recommended by Captain Shinku, you are now qualified to undergo the assessment."
Just like I thought. This was about my promotion.
***************
Low tier anime to travel