The orange sunset had barely faded when Kakashi Hatake, veteran shinobi of countless battles, realized he had encountered an enemy he could never defeat: Naruto Uzumaki's appetite.
Outside Ichiraku Ramen, Kakashi leaned against the wall with a distant, broken look in his eye.
His mask remained in place, but no amount of cloth could hide the tears of regret sliding down his cheeks.
"How… how can a human child eat so much?" he whispered to no one, staring into the abyss of his empty wallet.
He had only meant to reward Naruto and Sakura for passing the bell test. A small treat. A friendly gesture.
But Naruto had turned the meal into a full-blown invasion. Bowl after bowl. Plate after plate. The ramen stall owner was thrilled. Kakashi was devastated.
"If I had known… if I could have predicted this… I never would've taken them here," Kakashi murmured bitterly.
After waving off the satisfied Genin with the last shreds of his dignity, he trudged toward the Hokage's Tower, nursing the pain in his heart—and his wallet.
---
Upstairs, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was sipping his tea and finishing paperwork. The smell of burning tobacco lingered faintly in the air. Despite the late hour, he looked to be in good spirits.
"Kakashi, you're here. Come in," Hiruzen greeted warmly.
Kakashi stepped inside and offered a lazy salute. "Mission complete. The bell test was successful… though I regret my choice of celebration."
Hiruzen raised an amused brow. "Naruto, I assume?"
"You have no idea."
The Hokage chuckled but quickly returned to business. "Let's talk about the Uchiha boy. I trust you saw something interesting?"
Kakashi's demeanour shifted. He straightened up, the casual attitude giving way to something more serious.
"Yes. Sasuke is… exceptional. Among this year's Genin, I'd say he has the highest potential by far. Possibly even among the top in the last decade."
Hiruzen's expression became thoughtful. "Do you truly believe he surpasses Itachi at that age?"
Kakashi paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "In some areas, yes. He's colder and more focused. His chakra control, his fire affinity, and now even his early understanding of Lightning Style… He's growing fast. Too fast."
The Hokage nodded. "Then he must be watched closely. Guided properly. A boy like that could become a symbol of strength—or a weapon of destruction."
Kakashi agreed. "With the right training, he could become a protector of the village."
"Will of Fire," Hiruzen said with meaning. "That's what we need to cultivate in him."
Kakashi resisted the urge to grimace. The Will of Fire was noble in theory—but for many in Konoha, especially the Uchiha, it had become a tool for control.
Still, he nodded. "Understood. I won't let him stray from the right path."
As Kakashi left the office, he felt a strange sense of relief. Hiruzen's attitude toward the Uchiha had softened. Not long ago, the Third had openly said that if Sasuke ever showed signs of rebellion, he could be eliminated.
Now, he was talking about guidance. Protection.
It was progress.
---
Back at the Uchiha compound, Sasuke sat quietly in the candle-lit corner of his training room. The silence was thick, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves outside his window.
He took a deep breath and summoned his system menu.
---
[Host: Uchiha Sasuke]
[Age: 12 Years]
[Bloodline Limit: Sharingan – Two Tomoe]
[Mastered Ninjutsu:]
Three Body Technique – Grandmaster
Fire Style: Great Fireball – Grandmaster
Fire Style: Phoenix Fire – Grandmaster
Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet – Grandmaster
Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon – Skilled
Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation – Skilled
Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction – Grandmaster
Lightning Style: Chidori – Beginner
Lightning Style: Super Speed – Beginner
[Taijutsu:]
Basic Physical Combat – Proficient
[Special Techniques:]
Uchiha Throwing Technique – Moderate Mastery
One-Handed Seals – Beginner
Chakra Control – Grandmaster
[Chakra Reserves: Limited]
[Special Chakra: Indra's Chakra – Dormant]
[Combat Evaluation: Weak Genin]
---
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The stats were frustratingly low in some areas—especially his chakra pool.
"Still barely a fifth of my energy remains after one decent spar," he muttered. "Too inefficient."
But before anything else, he had a reward to claim. The system offered one upgrade to any ninjutsu control.
The logical choice? Lightning Style: Super Speed.
The tempting one? Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation—Madara's technique. A jutsu so massive and devastating that it once took an entire platoon of Water Style shinobi to suppress it.
The image was tempting. The image of himself, standing on a battlefield, releasing a torrent of flame that could scorch the sky. It was legendary. Iconic.
But he shook his head. "Cool isn't enough. Efficiency first."
He selected Super Speed. The system processed the change.
---
[Lightning Style: Super Speed – Proficient]
---
Sasuke closed his eyes—and felt it. His limbs tingled. His chakra pathways seemed more open, his breathing more efficient.
He hadn't moved yet, but his body already understood how to. The movements were clearer in his mind. His legs flexed instinctively, already adjusting for greater bursts of acceleration.
More than that, the chakra cost had decreased. He could now hold the technique for over a minute—triple the time from before.
"Perfect," he murmured, stretching. "This will give me the edge in close combat."
But he didn't let the success go to his head.
"This reward system is useful… but I can't depend on it. I could train on my own. I should. With talent like mine, I will become stronger, even without shortcuts."
A sudden determination flashed in his eyes.
He stood and reached for a chakra expansion scroll. It was time to train. If he wanted to fight at higher levels—if he wanted to surpass even Kakashi—he would need more than flashy jutsu.
He would need stamina. Precision. Power.
And most of all—he would need control.
Beneath the glow of the moonlight, Sasuke stepped into the courtyard and began his chakra exercises.
Not for glory. Not for revenge.
But for something far greater—power on his own terms.
---