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Naruto found himself torn between two legendary shinobi—Uchiha Izuna and Hatake Sakumo.
Both were formidable in their own right, but as side characters in the grand scheme of things, their full potential was never fully explored. Naruto had to rely on what little information he had from the original story to make his choice.
Hatake Sakumo – The White Fang of Konoha
Sakumo was said to surpass even the Sannin during the Second Shinobi War. His most notable feat was defeating Sasori's parents, but beyond that, his legend was shrouded in mystery.
At the time, the Sannin were still young, having been humbled by Hanzo of the Salamander. Their true peak came decades later. If Sakumo truly outshone them during that era, his strength must have been extraordinary.
Uchiha Izuna – The Flawless Shinobi
Izuna, on the other hand, had even fewer appearances in history. But as Uchiha Madara's younger brother, his reputation was undeniable.
Known as a genius of the Uchiha clan, a master of the Mangekyō Sharingan, and a swordsman of unparalleled skill, Izuna was considered second only to Madara himself. His title—"The Shinobi Without Flaws"—spoke volumes.
His only recorded defeat was at the hands of Senju Tobirama, but even that was no small feat. Some even speculated that Tobirama developed the Flying Thunder God Technique specifically to counter Izuna.
The problem was, Izuna was an Uchiha—his power was tied to his bloodline. Naruto, as a civilian, didn't have that advantage. Sakumo, being a non-clan shinobi, was a more natural fit.
But the idea of a flawless shinobi was too tempting to ignore.
"If I strip away the Uchiha bloodline, how far can pure talent take me?" Naruto wondered.
In the end, he made his choice.
"System, select Uchiha Izuna."
[Extracting Attributes]
Now came the next step—building the rest of the character.
[1. Health: Kurama Yakumo (frail, weak constitution), Kimimaro (fatally ill), Uchiha Itachi (terminal illness), Moonlight Hayate (chronically sick.]
Naruto's eye twitched. "Are you kidding me?"
But then, two better options appeared:
[Uzumaki Nagato (emaciated, barely surviving), Inuzuka Kiba (peak physical condition)]
The choice was obvious.
"Inuzuka Kiba."
[2. Intelligence: ]
The next selection was… questionable.
[Hidan (fanatical, not the brightest), Gamabunta (a toad, not exactly a scholar), Rock Lee (dedicated but not book-smart), Might Guy (passionate but not known for strategy).]
Naruto sighed. "Well, at least Guy isn't an idiot."
"Might Guy."
[3. Personality]
The options were a mixed bag:
[Sasuke Uchiha (Rebellious Phase) – Too difficult to work with, Kisame Hoshigaki – Brutally honest, easy to manipulate, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki – Naïve and easily deceived, Shisui Uchiha– Self-sacrificing to a fault, Naruto Uzumaki – Too trusting, Sakura Haruno – Surprisingly balanced.]
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Sakura? Actually… not bad."
"Haruno Sakura."
[4. Social Skills: Madara Uchiha– No friends, Danzo Shimura – Few allies, many enemies, Tobirama Senju – Pragmatic but polarizing, Sakumo Hatake – Ostracized by the village, Uzumaki Clan – Only a handful of connections, Namikaze Minato – Charismatic, well-liked.]
"Namikaze Minato."
[5. Appearance: Kisame Hoshigaki – Shark-like features, Chōji Akimichi– Heavy-set, Kakashi Hatake– Mysterious, handsome, Obito Uchiha– Rugged but decent-looking, Hinata Hyuga– Beautiful, but would the character become female?, Kiba Inuzuka– Fierce, wild look.]
Naruto shrugged. "Kakashi it is."
[6. Hobbies & Skills]
[Hobbies: Gambling (Tsunade-style) – Too risky, Taijutsu (Guy-style) – Already covered, Research (Tobirama-style) – Not enough chakra for experiments, Surgery (Kabuto-style) – Too extreme, Strategy (Shikaku-style) – Perfect.]
"Nara Shikaku."
[Skills: Danzo's scheming – Too manipulative, Tsunade's medical ninjutsu – Useful but not a priority, Hashirama's leadership – Overkill, Shikamaru's intelligence – Synergizes with Shikaku's hobby, Assassination (Touya-style) – Too niche, Betrayal (Kabuto-style) – No thanks.]
"Nara Shikamaru."
[Final Character Sheet
[Surname: Aoi
Talent: Uchiha Izuna (Flawless Shinobi)
Health: Inuzuka Kiba (Peak Physical Condition)
Intelligence: Might Guy (Determined, Hardworking)
Personality: Haruno Sakura (Balanced, Strong-Willed)
Social Skills: Namikaze Minato (Charismatic, Well-Liked)
Appearance: Hatake Kakashi (Mysterious, Handsome)
Hobby: Nara Shikaku (Strategic Thinking)
Specialty: Nara Shikamaru (Tactical Genius)]
Naruto grinned. "Now, let's see what a flawless shinobi without the Uchiha bloodline can achieve."
The stage was set.
The game was on.
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