It was noon in Konoha.
The sun hung high in the sky, but the atmosphere inside the hospital corridors felt anything but warm.
Ren stepped out of the medical training classroom alongside Rin Nohara, Uchiha Obito, and an older student, Momogi. The moment they entered the hallway, their expressions subtly changed.
Stretchers rushed past them one after another.
Ninjas lay on them, wrapped in layers of bandages, some unconscious, others groaning faintly in pain. The hurried footsteps of medical staff echoed sharply against the sterile walls.
The air was thick with disinfectant—so strong it almost stung the nose.
Ren's eyes flickered slightly.
Even though he had seen this scene multiple times in recent days, it still carried a weight that was hard to ignore.
Rin tightened her grip on her medical pouch, her fingers unconsciously curling around the strap.
"Lately… there are more and more injured being sent here," she said softly, her voice tinged with worry. "And most of them are seriously hurt…"
Her gaze lingered on one of the stretchers as it passed by.
There was a ninja missing an arm.
For a moment, silence fell over the group.
Momogi exhaled quietly before speaking.
"I heard the situation at the borders is getting worse," he said. "The Land of Lightning has been increasingly aggressive. Skirmishes are happening more often… and in the south, near the Land of Wind, there are unidentified forces attacking outposts."
He paused, his expression darkening.
"It might escalate into something bigger."
Unlike Ren and Rin, Momogi was already a full-fledged ninja. While still attending training, he had been assisting official medical teams.
Which meant…
He had seen far more than them.
These past few weeks, the hospital had been overwhelmed. There were times when he didn't even have the luxury to attend classes.
War.
The word itself wasn't spoken—but it hung heavily in the air.
And then—
"Hmph! What's there to be afraid of?!"
Obito suddenly puffed out his chest, his voice loud enough to cut through the tension.
He clenched his fist, eyes burning with determination.
"It's just war! Once I awaken my Sharingan, I'll wipe out all those enemies myself!"
He pointed dramatically ahead, as if already standing on a battlefield.
"I'll show them how strong Konoha is! How strong the Uchiha are!"
Then, without missing a beat, he turned to Rin.
"Rin! Don't worry! I'll protect you no matter what!"
"…."
Rin blinked.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to respond—but in the end, she simply gave a small, awkward smile.
Obito's words were… comforting, in a way.
But also painfully naive.
Ren, standing beside them, rolled his eyes inwardly.
By the time you awaken your Sharingan… the war will probably already be halfway over.
Not to mention…
The true trigger for awakening the Sharingan was something far darker than Obito realized.
Loss.
Sacrifice.
Pain.
And more often than not… the loss of someone close.
How could someone who needed to lose a teammate to awaken power also promise to protect them?
The logic didn't add up.
But Ren didn't say anything.
Obito was still Obito.
Some truths didn't need to be spoken out loud.
Instead, Ren's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Because compared to Obito's concerns…
His own situation was far more complicated.
---
Survival in the Ninja World
In this world, strength alone wasn't enough.
If you wanted to survive—
You needed three things:
Power
Background
Bloodline
Ren had no bloodline.
But he had something better.
A system.
The "gala system" gave him a path to grow stronger—a cheat-like advantage that could potentially rival even the greatest clans.
But…
That only solved one problem.
The other two?
Background and influence.
Those couldn't be gained overnight.
And the current world situation wasn't going to give him the luxury of time.
The winds of war were already blowing.
If he waited until he was strong enough to stand alone…
He might already be dead.
So—
He needed protection.
More specifically…
He needed to cling to a "big leg."
---
The Best Legs to Hold Onto
During this era, there were only a few individuals in Konoha whose "legs" were thick enough.
The Sannin.
Tsunade.
Jiraiya.
Orochimaru.
Each of them was a powerhouse—standing at the very peak of the ninja world.
Ren's original plan had been simple.
He joined medical training partly because of Rin…
But also because he wanted to get close to Tsunade.
If he could establish a connection with her—even just a faint impression—it would be more than enough to secure his future.
Unfortunately…
Reality didn't cooperate.
After so long attending medical sessions, he hadn't even seen Tsunade once.
Not even a shadow.
So much for that plan…
With a silent sigh, Ren adjusted his strategy.
If Tsunade wasn't available…
Then Jiraiya and Orochimaru were still options.
Jiraiya was straightforward.
Despite his eccentric personality, he was kind-hearted and protective of his students.
As for Orochimaru…
Ren narrowed his eyes slightly.
Yes, Orochimaru was dangerous.
But—
He was also incredibly generous to those he took in.
Anko.
Kabuto.
Sasuke.
All of them had been taught seriously.
He didn't hoard knowledge.
He gave it freely.
Of course… there was the small issue of the Cursed Seal.
But as long as you didn't lose control—
It was actually a powerful tool.
Even helpful for… weight loss, Ren joked inwardly.
Still—
Both of them were equally hard to find.
Jiraiya wandered the world.
Orochimaru buried himself in research.
Trying to locate either of them was like chasing smoke.
Which left only one option.
---
The Hokage
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
If Ren couldn't find the Sannin…
Then he would make the Sannin come to him.
His plan was clear.
In the upcoming graduation exam—
He would display overwhelming talent.
Not just strength.
But intelligence.
Discipline.
Potential.
Combined with the essays he had been subtly spreading—his interpretations of the Will of Fire—
He aimed to catch the Hokage's attention.
If Hiruzen took interest in him…
Everything else would follow naturally.
A strong mentor.
A clear path.
Protection.
Influence.
It was the safest and most stable route.
But—
There was a risk.
A hidden danger lurking in the shadows of Konoha.
Ren's expression darkened slightly.
Shimura Danzo.
Or as he liked to call him—
The 5.5th Hokage.
If he showed too much talent…
There was a chance he would be targeted.
After all, Kakashi had already been "noticed."
And Danzo had a habit of collecting "talents" for ROOT.
I'm not interested in becoming a brainwashed tool…
So—
He needed contingency plans.
Multiple.
Because in this world—
Planning ahead wasn't optional.
It was survival.
---
Ichiraku Ramen
"I'm full."
Ren placed his empty bowl down on the counter.
Beside him, Rin and Obito did the same, letting out satisfied breaths.
The warm, rich aroma of ramen still lingered in the air.
For a brief moment—
Everything felt normal.
Peaceful.
Like the war outside didn't exist.
Teuchi wiped the counter with a smile, watching the young ninjas.
"Come again," he said warmly.
"Definitely!" Obito replied enthusiastically.
After leaving the shop, the group split up.
Rin headed toward the Konoha Library to continue her studies.
Obito returned to the Uchiha compound to train.
And Ren—
Turned toward the western training grounds.
---
Daily Routine: Grinding for Power
The moment he arrived—
Ren got to work.
His current focus had shifted.
Since maxing out the Transformation Technique's favorability, he had reduced the time spent on it. Now, it was just a formality—ten minutes a day, nothing more.
His main priorities were now:
Clone Technique
Substitution Jutsu
Healing Technique
And then—
Water Release: Water Chaos Wave
In the upcoming graduation exam—
His biggest rival was clear.
Sarutobi Asuma.
Fire and Wind nature.
Which meant—
Water was the perfect counter.
But that wasn't the only reason.
Efficiency mattered.
Water Chaos Wave required only 16 favorability points to rank up.
Meanwhile, the Great Fireball Technique needed 21 points.
Both were C-rank.
Similar difficulty.
So the choice was obvious.
Prioritize the one with better returns.
---
The Problem with the Eight Gates
Ren paused.
His gaze shifted slightly.
There was one technique he had been… avoiding.
The Eight Gates.
Every time he thought about it—
His scalp tingled.
Training under Might Guy wasn't training.
It was torture.
A hundred laps around Konoha.
Short break.
Then a twenty-kilometer run.
Who in their right mind could endure that?
Only someone like Guy—
A man who would literally train until he died… and then keep going.
Ren had briefly considered cheating.
Using the Transformation Technique to turn into Guy…
Then practicing the Eight Gates.
But—
The chakra consumption alone made it inefficient.
It was like adding extra weights to an already brutal workout.
Not worth it.
So for now—
He chose to avoid it.
At least until his physique improved.
---
Understanding the System
As Ren continued training, his thoughts turned inward.
The gala system wasn't simple.
Each technique had different difficulty levels.
The Transformation Technique had been easy.
It only took about a month to reach full favorability.
But the Great Fireball Technique—
Was progressing much slower.
Barely halfway.
And then there was the Eight Gates.
An A-rank forbidden technique.
A "super-target."
Its favorability barely moved.
Sometimes—
He would go through multiple rounds of Dialogue and Practice…
Just to gain one point.
But it made sense.
If max favorability meant mastering all Eight Gates—
Then it was equivalent to achieving something that took others decades.
The Might father and son had spent years—no, decades—perfecting it.
Expecting to master it in a month?
That would be absurd.
Ren exhaled slowly.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
Fortunately—
Favorability never decreased.
Which meant—
No matter how slow the progress was…
It would always accumulate.
Step by step.
Bit by bit.
Until one day—
He would stand at the very peak of this world.
--------------------------------
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