Konoha Year 63, summer night.
The chirping of insects filled the air, and the moon hung above the willow branches.
Land of Fire, Konoha Village, Hatake residence.
Kakashi lay sprawled out like a starfish, completely without an image, on his perpetually unchanged single bed, not even bothering to remove his iconic black mask. Only a tired, dead-fish eye was visible, staring blankly at the familiar ceiling.
His mind involuntarily replayed the survival exercise from earlier that day, targeting his three subordinates—Team 7's final test.
The Bell Test.
Such a classic and nostalgic event.
Kakashi twitched the corner of his mouth, a rare hint of relief appearing in his dead-fish eyes.
Although the process was full of twists and turns and plenty of ridiculous moments, these three little ones finally understood the meaning of companionship.
"Well, they're not bad kids," Kakashi muttered to himself, rolling over and casually tossing "Make-Out Paradise" aside.
Mental exhaustion washed over him like a tide. He yawned, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier.
Kakashi slowly closed his eyes, his consciousness gradually sinking into darkness.
…
However, just as his consciousness was about to completely dissipate and he was on the verge of sleep—
Kakashi suddenly jolted awake!
Something was wrong!
He instantly opened his eyes, his lazy dead-fish eye turning as sharp as a hawk's in an instant!
Almost instinctively, he sprang up from the bed with a carp-like flip, his right hand already reaching for the Ninja tool pouch at his waist—
Empty?
His pupils suddenly constricted, and he finally saw his surroundings clearly.
This was not his messy bachelor apartment at all!
This was an extremely bizarre, enormous dark room!
The air was cold, carrying a scent as if it had been sealed away for a long time.
The surrounding walls seemed to be made of some smooth, black material, absorbing all light.
In front of him was a pitch-black screen, like a movie theater curtain. Currently, there was no image on the screen, only an unsettling stillness emanating from it.
And behind him were rows of empty seats, neatly arranged and extending into the depths of the darkness, like the audience seating of a long-abandoned theater.
Where was this?!
Genjutsu?!
Kakashi's mind raced, and he immediately tried to channel the Chakra within his body.
Smoothly.
Not sealed.
Without hesitation, he quickly formed hand signs.
"Body Replacement Technique!"
No reaction.
Like a stone sinking into the sea, the flow of Chakra had no effect, and he remained standing in place.
Kakashi's expression changed.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Still no reaction!
His body seemed to be nailed to the spot, unable to perform Ninjutsu…
"Release!"
The hand sign to dispel Genjutsu also had no effect!
Not Genjutsu?
Nor a conventional sealing Jutsu or barrier?
Kakashi quickly pulled up his forehead protector, his Sharingan observing with full power, but he still found no abnormalities.
What kind of place was this?
Who brought me here?
A strong sense of danger welled up in his heart.
He was Kakashi Hatake, Konoha's elite Jonin, the Copy Ninja, a former Anbu, and battle-hardened.
Yet someone was able to abduct him from his home in the heavily guarded Konoha Village to this bizarre place, completely unnoticed, and even restrict his abilities?
Such methods… were simply unheard of!
Just as Kakashi's mind was racing, and he was vigilantly surveying his surroundings, trying to find any clues.
"Ah! Kakashi-sensei?!"
A familiar female voice, filled with surprise and apprehension, suddenly sounded not far behind him.
Kakashi spun around.
He saw two figures in pajamas, about three or four rows behind him, staring at him in shock.
Sakura Haruno, with pink hair, wearing a pink cotton pajama set with cute rabbit patterns, was now wide-eyed, her small mouth slightly agape.
Beside her, Uchiha Sasuke, with black hair and black eyes, wore a simple dark blue striped pajama set. Although he tried to maintain a cool expression, his slightly furrowed brow and a hint of panic deep in his eyes still betrayed his inner unease.
"Sakura? Sasuke?" Kakashi calmly pulled down his forehead protector. "How are you two here?!"
"I, we don't know!" Sakura looked like she was about to cry, her voice choked with tears. "I was clearly sleeping at home, I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again… I, I was here!"
She pointed to the empty seats around them and the screen in front, continuing tearfully, "Sasuke-kun and I have been here for a while. We checked carefully; there's nothing here, and we can't get out. There are just these chairs and this big screen in front… Waaah… Kakashi-sensei, what exactly is going on? Have we been captured by some terrifying enemy?"
Though Sasuke didn't speak, his face was also grim. He had clearly tried to leave or resist but had failed. He glanced at Kakashi, seemingly hoping to get answers from his experienced Jonin teacher.
Kakashi's expression grew even more serious.
Even Sasuke and Sakura were brought here?
And also while they were sleeping… What kind of Jutsu was this?
So wide in scope, so covert in effect, even I didn't notice…
What was the opponent's goal?
Bringing all of Team 7 here…
Wait, where's Naruto?
Kakashi suddenly noticed the crucial point, his brows furrowing even tighter.
Sakura and Sasuke were just newly graduated Genin, so perhaps they were easy targets.
But he was a genuine Jonin.
To be able to silently transfer him from his heavily guarded home in Konoha Village to this place, and restrict his Ninjutsu…
This was definitely not something an ordinary Ninja could do!
The opponent's strength was probably unfathomable!
Just then, Sasuke, who had been silent, suddenly raised his hand and pointed at the large black screen in front, looking peculiar.
"Kakashi-sensei, look at that screen. It just lit up for a moment, though it quickly went out, but I think… I saw that idiot Naruto's face."
He paused, then added in a more uncertain tone, "It feels like… what's playing on this screen… is Naruto's dream?"
"Naruto's… dream?"
Kakashi was startled, instinctively looking at the large screen in front again.
Just then!
The originally pitch-black screen lit up without warning!
An image appeared!
It was clearly a familiar training ground in Konoha Village!
And in the center of the training ground, two youths, about twelve years old, were fiercely facing each other.
Spiky blonde hair, wearing his iconic orange tracksuit—Uzumaki Naruto!
Spiky black hair, a cool expression, eyes gleaming with an unwillingness to lose—Uchiha Sasuke!
However, both individuals in the image seemed to be in a very strange state.
On the screen, Naruto stood with his hands on his hips, laughing loudly and arrogantly at Sasuke, who was sprawled on the ground!
And around him, densely packed stood… at least a hundred identical Shadow Clones, each looking at Sasuke on the ground with a smug expression.
As for Sasuke, who was on the ground, although he looked a bit disheveled, there was no anger or unwillingness on his face. Instead… he was looking at Naruto with an expression full of admiration and relief?!
Kakashi: "…"
Sakura: "…"
Sasuke: "…"
All three spectators were dumbfounded.
This… What was going on?
Immediately after, the Sasuke on the screen actually spoke, saying to Naruto with sincere admiration:
"Hmph… As expected of you, Uzumaki Naruto!"
"I… I admit defeat wholeheartedly!"
"Your strength is indeed superior to mine. From today on, I, Uchiha Sasuke, declare you the strongest in Team 7!!"
Hearing this, Naruto laughed even more smugly, his nostrils practically flaring skyward. He pointed at Sasuke, laughing wildly as if disowning everyone, "Wahahaha! Sasuke, you're not so great after all, I thought you were so powerful! But you were still easily defeated by me, Young Master Naruto! Wahahaha!"
Pfft!
In the audience, the real Uchiha Sasuke's veins on his forehead instantly bulged.
His handsome face flushed red with anger and shame!
"This, this idiot!!! How could I possibly lose to him? And say such things?" Sasuke trembled with rage. If looks could kill, the Naruto on the screen would have been cut into a thousand pieces by him.
Sakura also covered her face, looking speechless and disgusted: "Naruto… he's truly hopeless…"
Kakashi, meanwhile, maintained his classic dead-fish eye expression, silently watching the screen, his heart completely calm, almost wanting to laugh.
The tense atmosphere was slightly alleviated by the commotion on the screen.
And just as the three of them were experiencing intense emotional fluctuations due to the ridiculous dream on the screen.
In the distant, unobservable shadows of the audience area.
A black-haired youth, wearing a common ramen shop uniform, revealed a satisfied smile.
It was Shigure.
Before him, prompts that only he could see constantly popped up:
"Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uzumaki Naruto have been captured! Emotion Value +300!"
"Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been captured! Emotion Value +200!"
"Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Sakura Haruno have been captured! Emotion Value +50!"
"Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Kakashi Hatake have been captured! Emotion Value +50!"
"Hehehe…" Shigure looked at the rapidly increasing numbers on the panel, the corners of his mouth harder to suppress than an AK.
"It worked! This Dream Master System is awesome! Not only can it pull the dreamer in, but it can also package their close relations as an audience! And the Emotion Value generated by the audience can also be collected by me! Double the happiness, so satisfying!"
Shigure licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He was a Transmigrator.
Three years ago, he was just an ordinary person on Earth, striving for a living… well, a psychological counselor specializing in providing psychological guidance to various troubled teenagers.
Then he woke up and found himself transmigrated into the dangerous Ninja World.
What was even more frustrating was that he didn't transmigrate into someone like the Uchiha or Hyuga, or even an Ino–Shika–Chō.
He transmigrated as a complete war orphan, without any Bloodline Limit, no background, and even his Ninja talent was practically zero.
His only stroke of luck was that he was adopted by Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, becoming his youngest son?
Currently, he was working as a helper in the ramen shop, living a fulfilling life of kneading dough, cooking noodles, and washing dishes every day.
For three years, he had tried various methods, wanting to defy fate like other Transmigrator predecessors, such as secretly learning Chakra refinement techniques and attempting physical training. The effects were minimal, not even as strong as Teuchi's strength.
Ultimately, he had to despairingly admit a fact.
He was a good-for-nothing without Ninja talent.
As time passed day by day, Konoha Year 63 arrived, and Naruto, Sasuke, and the other rookie Ninja graduated from the Ninja Academy, which meant…
The plot was about to begin!
Thinking about how Orochimaru would soon conspire with the Hidden Sand Village to carry out the "Konoha Crush Plan," the Third Hokage would die in battle, and Konoha Village would suffer heavy losses…
And later, there would be the Akatsuki Organization capturing Tailed Beasts, Pain's invasion, the Fourth Great Ninja War…
Shigure felt his scalp tingle!
In his current defenseless state, even a casual battle aftermath could probably crush him into dust.
Just as he was almost giving up in despair, preparing to pack his bags and run, or simply lie flat and pray he could live until Boruto: Naruto Next Generations…
His golden finger finally activated last night, albeit late!
"Dream Master System"
"Current Dream Master Level: 1 (700 / 100000)"
"Dream Target Number: 1"
"Audience Count: 3"
"Can pull specified target characters into a specific dream space (target's exclusive dream / or system-constructed 'Dream Theater')"
"Can read, weave, and even modify the dream content of target characters"
"Emotional fluctuations generated by target characters and their close relations in the dream space will all be converted into 'Emotion Value' and collected by the system"
"Emotion Value can be exchanged in the system store for various abilities, Bloodlines, items, Ninjutsu, etc., from all worlds…"
In simple terms, it was about "creating dreams" and "broadcasting dreams" for others, collecting their joys, angers, sorrows, and delights, and then using these Emotion Values to improve himself.
And the first "Dream Master" target he chose was naturally—
Uzumaki Naruto, who possessed the Nine-Tailed, Uzumaki Bloodline, was the reincarnation of Asura, the future Seventh Hokage, a master of talk-no-Jutsu, and the Prince of Konoha…!
This young master, having lacked love since childhood, yearned for recognition, and deep within his heart, he had too many dreams and obsessions that he wanted to achieve but couldn't.
He was simply a walking treasure trove of Emotion Value.
And pulling Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura, the three people closest to him, in as "audience" was a stroke of genius.
After all, the Emotion Value from Naruto alone might not be enough.
Bringing in his teacher and companions, letting them watch Naruto's dream together, and generating all sorts of "speechlessness," "anger," "disgust," "sympathy," "shock," "bewilderment," and even "happiness"… there were simply too many.
Shigure silently calculated in his mind, while his gaze once again turned to the big screen.
His carefully designed dream was not over yet.
The show had just begun!