[Skill Acquired: Phantom Shift ( Kyoka Suigetsu ) ][Transfer all damage received into an illusion, rendering the user immune to physical harm!]
I stared at the notification for a solid ten seconds.
'Isn't this... completely broken?'
Transferring damage to an illusion? That's basically invincibility with extra steps.
[Note: Damage threshold is limited by the user's current Chakra capacity. Attacks exceeding this limit will cause direct harm.]
'Ah. There it is.'
Of course there was a catch. Nothing in this world comes without strings attached. Still, even with limitations, this ability was insane. As long as I didn't pick fights with Kage-level monsters, I'd basically be unkillable.
[Status: Satisfied][Host satisfaction level: Extremely Satisfied]
'Yeah, no shit.'
I had originally planned to max out both my Hand Seals and Chakra Control to level eighty before graduation. Only the Chakra Control made it in time, but honestly? I wasn't complaining. Hand Seals were just a few days behind anyway.
The next morning, I walked into the classroom for what would be our final day as Academy students.
"Saiki!"
Ino waved me over the moment I stepped through the door, patting the seat beside her.
"Ino."
Something felt different today. Maybe it was because we'd all officially become ninja overnight, but everyone seemed... older somehow. More serious.
"I really hope we get assigned to the same squad," she said, her eyes practically sparkling with hope.
'Oh, you sweet summer child.'
"The Ino-Shika-Cho formation has been running since the Warring States era," I said, giving her a sympathetic smile. "They're not going to break tradition for us."
Her face fell. "I know... but still. Being stuck with Shikamaru and Choji? My future looks so bleak."
Behind us, I heard Shikamaru mutter something under his breath. Probably "troublesome" followed by some internal screaming.
'Sorry buddy. She doesn't mean it. Probably.'
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for—and dreading.
The "accidental" kiss.
Naruto and Sasuke's lips met in what would become the most cursed memory of everyone present. The room erupted into chaos. Girls screamed. Boys gagged. I just sat there, watching the chaos unfold with the calm of someone who'd seen this coming from a mile away.
'Canon really is undefeated.'
After the pandemonium settled, Iruka-sensei began announcing the squad assignments.
"This year's Team 7 will be... special," he said, glancing at his clipboard. "There will be four members instead of three."
Four members.
That meant me.
I'd be joining the original trio—Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—under the legendary Copy Ninja himself, Hatake Kakashi.
'So they specifically arranged for Kakashi to train me, huh?'
Made sense. Kakashi was one of the strongest Jonin in the village. If anyone could handle a wildcard like me, it'd be him.
While I was processing this, Ino tugged at my sleeve.
"What?"
She looked at me with an expression so serious you'd think she was about to deliver a death flag.
"Saiki... be careful."
"Careful of what?"
Her eyes darted between Naruto and Sasuke—specifically at their lips.
'Oh for fuck's sake.'
I flicked her forehead without hesitation.
"Ow!"
"What exactly is going on in that head of yours?"
She just giggled, rubbing her forehead. "Just looking out for you!"
'The Naruto-Sasuke rivalry is their business. I have zero intention of becoming the third wheel in that particular trainwreck.'
One by one, the squads were called and led away by their Jonin instructors.
"Team 4, with me!"
"Team 6, let's go!"
The fodder squads left first, followed by the more elite ones.
"Saiki, I'm heading out," Ino said, looking genuinely depressed as a scruffy-looking Jonin waved her team over. "My instructor looks like he just rolled out of bed..."
"Don't worry," I said. "We'll still see each other. Being on different squads doesn't mean we're strangers."
She smiled at that, a little brighter, before following her team out.
Soon, the classroom was empty.
Well, almost empty.
Just me, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
Our instructor was late.
'Classic Kakashi.'
I wasn't surprised. The man would be late to his own funeral. I used the downtime productively, cycling through hand seal practice while the others stewed in their impatience.
[Hand Seals: +12 EXP]
An hour passed.
Naruto finally snapped.
"THAT'S IT!"
He jumped up from his seat, grabbing a blackboard eraser. "If this guy thinks he can just show up whenever he wants, he's got another thing coming!"
"Naruto, don't," Sakura said, though her inner thoughts were probably cheering him on. "He's a Jonin. You can't just—"
"A Jonin who's AN HOUR LATE!"
Sasuke, predictably, couldn't care less. "Boring."
But then he turned to me, and suddenly those dark eyes were burning with intensity.
"Saiki."
"Yeah?"
"Now that we're officially ninja... I'm going to get stronger. Strong enough to defeat you. And then... I'll defeat him."
'Him' being Itachi, obviously. The guy's entire personality was "avenge my clan" at this point.
"Training hard is good," I said calmly. "But maybe don't ignore the people around you while you're at it."
I gestured toward Sakura, who had been hanging on Sasuke's every word since we sat down.
"Saiki..." Sakura looked at me with genuine gratitude.
'Look, I'm not her biggest fan—the whole "cry for Naruto when in danger, simp for Sasuke when safe" thing is rough—but you can't deny her loyalty. She's liked this guy since day one and never wavered.'
Unfortunately, Sasuke being Sasuke...
"Hmph. There's no one around me worth caring about."
Sakura's face crumbled.
The silence that followed was painful.
BANG!
The door slid open.
The eraser fell.
Direct hit.
"HAHAHAHA!" Naruto doubled over laughing. "GOT HIM!"
Standing in the doorway, white chalk dust settling on his silver hair, was Hatake Kakashi. He calmly removed the eraser from his head and surveyed the room with his one visible eye.
"Hmm... how should I put this..."
He paused, letting the tension build.
"My first impression of you all is... I hate you."
'Yeah. This is going to be fun.'
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~ Every 100 PS = Bonus Chapter!