[Congratulations on hitting 50 Body. You can select 1 skill to be mastered instantly.]
The notification flared into view as I collapsed onto the training mat, drenched in sweat and panting from my final set of exercises.
"About time," I muttered, a grin pulling at my lips. "I was waiting for this."
Each milestone in the system came with one of the most broken—yet balanced—features in the game: a Mastery Select.
Choose any skill you've learned, and it gets pushed to its absolute limit, instantly. For most players, the choice was obvious—combat-focused ones like swordsmanship, Haki, Devil Fruits, or flashy ninjutsu always took priority.
But I wasn't most players.
Instead, I went for something far more insidious. Something smarter.
[You have selected: Auto Training – Skill Mastered]
[Cooldown reduced: 24 hours → 4 hours]
[Efficiency increased. Task fatigue reduced. Gains increased.]
I chuckled to myself as the system confirmed my choice.
"Game-changer."
As the name implied, Auto Training automated any physical or chakra-based task I assigned to myself. It wasn't just passive grinding—it was adaptive, adjusting pace, form, and resistance in real-time based on my physical and mental capacity.
A built-in trainer, optimizer, and motivator rolled into one.
Before mastery, the cooldown was a full day. But now? Every 4 hours, I could queue up a full training schedule, activate the skill, and let my body push itself to the edge—safely, efficiently, and with no wasted movement. Just progress.
Even better, the fatigue hit me gradually, more like a post-workout buzz than a body-breaking crash. No Naruto-style shadow clone feedback loops, no mental backlash, no puking blood in a training field.
Just pure, optimized growth.
"I'm a genius," I said to no one in particular. "Well, technically I just found the exploit online… but still. Credit where credit's due."
[Kiyu Gunto – Elite Civilian]
[Equipped: Elite Navy Training + Rokushiki Basics]
[Body: 50]
[Haki: 0]
Training Tasks Queued:
• Perform 200 push-ups without rest.
• Run 20 kilometers under 30 minutes.
• Practice Soru footwork for 1 hour.
• Execute 100 perfect Tekkai stances.
• Meditate for 2 hours to regulate energy flow.
As expected, the milestone doubled the daily training tasks.
I smirked. "No problem. With [Auto Training], even the impossible becomes routine."
After a hearty breakfast of grilled Sea King meat—dense with chakra-rich proteins—I grabbed my bag and made my way to the Academy. It had only been a month since I woke up in this world, but my body was already transforming.
I'd grown noticeably taller, faster, and more muscular than most of the kids around me. I wasn't at a shinobi's level yet—not even close—but I was catching up. And fast.
"If everything goes as planned… I'll be at peak Jonin-level by graduation."
Which also meant the Second Shinobi War was right around the corner.
The exact start date was a bit ambiguous in the series. The only indicators were the rise of the Sannin and Hanzo the Salamander's meteoric ascent as a living legend. Neither name had entered common conversation yet—not even in whispered rumors.
That gave me time. Not much, but enough.
Right now, I was focused on getting strong enough to survive what was coming. Strong enough to change things. Strong enough to save people like—
Nawaki.
He trained beside me every day. Laughed with me, sparred with me, pushed me forward without even realizing it. And the longer I spent in this world, the more I realized something simple and cruel:
Just watching from the sidelines wasn't going to cut it.
So many transmigrators cling to the timeline, desperate to avoid changing "canon." They hover in the background, make minimal ripples, and hope that future knowledge will carry them through.
I understood the logic. I did.
But I rejected it.
My presence alone has already changed this world.
Some events will still unfold, sure. But others… others are now in my hands.
And I intend to use them.
________________________________________________
Days passed in a blur of routine. Training sessions with Nawaki consumed most of my time, a cycle of jutsu practice, sparring, and sweat that quickly dulled the days into sameness. Classes were manageable—boring, even. But today? Today broke the mold.
"Hey. Wanna come to my birthday party?"
Nawaki's voice came out of nowhere, snapping me out of my post-training daze. His casual question hit me like a surprise kunai—blunt, unexpected, and oddly personal.
I blinked, momentarily stunned, before offering a crooked smile. "It's your birthday tomorrow?"
October 30. Got it. Mental note saved for future reference. The kind you don't want to forget, especially when the person asking might just be the grandson of the First Hokage.
Nawaki beamed, his usual energy dialed up a notch. "Yup! Big sis wants to throw a small party. Just her, her teammates, and you."
Wait—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru? My brain hiccupped at the thought. All three of the Hokage's pupils under one roof? That's not just a party—that's a historic gathering.
"I'm… honored," I managed, trying to sound cool about it. "Are you inviting anyone else?"
He shook his head with a grin that said this is gonna be awesome.
"So after school tomorrow, we head to your place?" I confirmed.
"Exactly! Big sis said Jiraiya and Orochimaru are working on some crazy gifts for me—and games too. It's gonna be amazing!"
Gifts. Right. That's a birthday tradition I completely forgot about. I gave Nawaki a quick wave and a "See you tomorrow," then made a beeline for home, mind already buzzing.
Once inside, I wasted no time opening my inventory. If Nawaki was about to receive presents from two of the most powerful shinobi in the village, I needed to deliver something that stood out—but without drawing suspicion.
Weapons were too dangerous. Medical items too sketchy. Tsunade would never let him keep anything that smelled remotely like experimental tech.
"It has to be subtle. Useful. Disguised."
My fingers scrolled until they stopped on the perfect item.
[Lady Luck's Band – Grants revival and invisibility upon death. One-time usage.]
It was originally a gift for newbies—a crutch for reckless players who thought they could take on end-game bosses with starter gear. But now? It felt poetic. Fitting.
With a quick flick of my hand, the item materialized: a simple silver bracelet with a polished emerald set in the center. The gem pulsed faintly, as if aware of its purpose.
"This'll do. I'll tell him it's a good-luck charm. Something to keep close—always. Much better than Tsunade's cursed necklace, that's for sure."
I wrapped the bracelet in a neat little box after picking it up from the corner shop. Nothing too flashy. Just enough to make it feel special.
Tomorrow, I'd be stepping into a room with legends in the making. A mad scientist. A perverted sage. And a medic-nin who would one day punch her way into history as the Fifth Hokage.
And Nawaki?
He'll be the kid wearing a resurrection talisman on his wrist—just in case fate tries something stupid.