Chapter 5

I watch as Iruka called students one after the other to take the test. In all honesty this test is merely a formality for me. I know it. The third hokage knows it.

Our deal was that I would graduate but I would be a one man team. I pick my missions. If I am needed to have someone on my team, they'd be partners...or at least that's what the hokage thinks.

To me they're sidekicks at best. I'm sure no jonin could take me on at this point. I could kill the Hokage...but that would be a lot of stress.

It's not that fighting him is stressful, it's the aftermath of the fight. I'd rather not have to spend the rest of my life moving from village to village. Though I could kill any ninja that comes after me, where would be the fun in that.

After all, I still have plans. My plan...I shouldn't call it a plan. It's more of a game for my amusement. I'm going to put obstacles at every possible turn for Obito or as he likes to call himself, Madara.

I want to see how far I can push this game. If you look closely you'll notice that Obito is simply a spoiled brat with a nice set of eyes.

His 'plans' are simply instructions that Madara left before he died. He's simply following them to the letter. His fighting skills are mediocre at best. He relies on his eye's ability to allow him to shift his body through dimensions.

That's a nice ability to add to my list. But without a doubt Kamui is more important to him. After all, how else can he be around the world to organize his 'plans'.

I'm broken out of my thoughts when I feel someone's gaze on me. I trace it back to the last loyal Uchiha in Konoha. I use the term loyal loosely.

'It seems like I underestimated Itachi.'

When Sasuke first came back from his leave due to the 'trauma' of the massacre, I realized that Itachi did something. At first I had no idea what Itachi did to Sasuke that was different but a quick look into his mind tells me all that I need to know.

Itachi had told him the truth...at least partially. Sasuke was too young to understand all of it but he got one thing that Itachi said.

'At the moment, your hatred should not be aimed at me, though I am also to blame. When he deems you strong enough, then he will guide you towards your real fight.'

Somehow Sasuke figured that it was me that Itachi was talking about. I didn't bother checking how. All I knew was that it made work very easy for me.

It was weird seeing someone act like a jerk to others but respectful to you. Well, not really my problem.

"Izuna!" I hear my name being called. I walked out of the classroom to the other room where the exam is taking place.

As I walk in, I see Iruka and Mizuki sitting behind a table with numerous ninja headband lined up.

"Show us the replication technique." Mizuki said.

Without using hand signs, I perform the jutsu as smoke appears around me. When the smoke cleared there were 6 clones standing behind me. These were the standard clones not the shadow clones. There was no need to go overboard.

"Congratulations. You pass." I took the headband and walked out of the classroom. It was a long time until they called Ino, she obviously passed. Hinata went before me and also passed. As we walked out, I stared at the screen that appeared in front of me.

[Quest Complete]

[Graduate from the academy.]

[Reward]:[Ninja Headband][Gacha ticket]

We walked out of the academy together. Hinata wanted to come with us but a Hyuga came to pick her up. The the same happened for Ino except it was her father, Inoichi, leaving me alone.

I waited outside the academy for Naruto to come out dejected. I didn't wait long until I saw him leave the academy, heading to the swing set. The moment Ino and Hinata left, I had been using [Presence Concealment] to mask my presence. To anyone looking in my direction they would see nothing but in reality I'm just standing there.

The moment he sits on the swing, I used [Forbidden Balor View] to stop time. I quickly put my Hiraishin formula on the soles of his sandals and on the inside of his goggles.

I stop pausing time as I flashed back to my apartment. The reason why I marked him was because I had no idea where he went after stealing the scroll.

I'm not sure if the hokage's crystal ball can see through [Presence Concealment] but I don't want to test it. I flash back to my apartment to wait for him to begin.

[[[Night Time]]]

I waited a few hours until I finally felt that it was time. I was about to flash to the marker there until I remembered something. The hokage was watching Naruto with the scroll so how do I take it without him seeing me.

I thought for a few seconds until a devilish idea came to me. Using [Henge] I transform with a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, in place of my actual body stood the body of Minato Namikaze, the fourth Hokage.

I smirk and activate [Presence Concealment] before flashing to Naruto. Even if Sarutobi sees me, all he'll see is Minato. He won't think otherwise after seeing my flashing beside Naruto.

I appear beside a panting Naruto. It seems like he already started training the shadow clone jutsu. I looked to the scroll on the floor, quickly using [Structural Grasp] on it.

Before I could use [Creation], the system made itself known.

*Ding!*

[Host has acquired Edited Scroll of Sealing! See in inventory!]

'Huh...,that works too.'

I dropped the one I was holding and Flashed back to my apartment. I, in no way, want to be part of that event. I took out the Scroll of sealing I received from the system.

Opening it, I was greeted with the sight of so many jutsu all in one place. Of course I'm aware that it's edited. If it could be so easily stolen like how Naruto did, then it's obvious that the truly dangerous jutsu were removed, but this was still a lot.

Activating my sharingan, I grinned as jutsu and their respective hand signs were being etched into my memory never to be forgotten.

[[[The Next Day]]]

Everyone was up early the next morning and filled the class as they discussed with one another. I sat on my seat feeling bored and slightly sleepy. I spent all night with that scroll.

I turned to look at Ino and Sakura arguing

and Naruto sitting on the floor. Ino isn't infatuated with Sasuke so I wonder what they're arguing about and how it involves Naruto as he was on the floor.

I kept a chuckle from leaving my mouth as I remember that this was the episode Sasuke and Naruto accidentally kiss.

Lo and behold, Naruto propped himself in Sasuke's desk and stared intently in his eyes. Very closely. My shoulders were slightly shaking as I inwardly chuckled.

I'm not sure what to make of it so I just watch this scene. Not long after, the event played out as I predicted with a slight deviation. The student sitting in front of Naruto leaned back and bumped Naruto forcing his and Sasuke's lips to meet...or at least that was supposed to happen.

The moment Naruto fell towards Sasuke, Sasuke put his hand up catching Naruto's face in his palm. Though, Naruto was a bit heavy causing both Sasuke and Naruto fall to the floor.

My eyes wide at the slight change as I narrowed my eyes at Sasuke.

'It seems that because of what I indirectly changed, Sasuke's head is clearer when training. Right now his goal is to get strong enough to Itachi's and my approval, then get revenge on Danzo. Even if he doesn't know that it's Danzo yet.'

This time Naruto and Sasuke ended up on the floor beside each other. Even though Sasuke escaped the kiss, Naruto could not escape the beating from the females for pushing their precious Sasuke to the ground.

Not long after, Iruka walked in to congratulate us and explain to us what was to come.

"From here on, you'll be in a squad of three and carry out missions with your jonin instructor."

Whispers spread through the room mostly about who would be in either Sasuke's or my team.

'If only they knew.'

I stopped paying attention, remembering what happened yesterday. I thought that I wouldn't be able to get more Gacha tickets unless it was from the ones I get monthly.

[[[Flashback]]]

I just got home after receiving the Gacha ticket for 'graduating'. I was about to use it when-

*Ding!*

[Host has received Monthly Gacha ticket.]

My eye widened slightly. I already got one from the system. I had been so focused on my plans for today that I forgot that I was supposed to get a ticket today.

More importantly, that means that I can get more tickets by doing quests that have it as a reward. But there is a problem with that.

Before I completed the quest, the rewards were simply [Ninja Headband] and [?]. That means that I can't aim for doing the missions that have it as a reward. The '[?]' could be something else.

'Damn! *Sigh* I guess I'll just enjoy this one for now.'

Using the first gacha ticket, I wait in anticipation.

...

...

...

[You have received Telekinesis!]

...

...

[You have received Hyper Regeneration!]

As I read the screen, I felt the cheeks ache a bit. I realized that I was unconscious grinning crazily.

'Hahaha...'

I pulled out a kunai from my inventory before placing it on the ground. Using [Telekinesis], I raise it up before dragging the pointed edge on the surface of my skin, making a thin line.

Slowly but visibly, the wound began to steam and close up. I winced as I repeated the process.

'I'm not a masochist but this is necessary. Damn! I need to work on my pain resistance.'

...

*Ding*

[You have leveled up Telekinesis lv.2!]

*Ding*

[You have leveled up Hyper Regeneration lv.2]

I may not have a tailed beast to heal my injuries but my regeneration easily surpasses theirs.

'But it's not enough.'

While the system says that I'll be immortal by the time I reach 17, the term isn't exactly correct. It'll be more accurate to call me ageless. I don't age but I can be killed.

What I'm aiming for is Ban's kind of immortality. The kind where you can be executed 33 times and still come out smiling. Thankfully with the system, it's possible.

[Store]

[Cup from the Fountain of Youth]

[Description]:[A cup of water from the fountain of youth that makes you immortal. Anyone who drinks from this becomes immortal.][Price]:[1,000,000 System points.]

Of course all good things come with a price. If the price was any less, I would accuse it of being fake. This cup is the main reason that I'm graduating from the academy to become a shinobi.

I could become as strong as a shinobi but have nowhere to look to get system points. Becoming a shinobi, I'll be able to fight people and gather points on missions.

What is the point in wandering around searching for opponents when you can have them practically given to you. And if I'm right, missions should count as quests. So there is a possibility of getting points and other rewards.

At least I'll be using able to use my full power anytime I wish. During the time that I was making the deal with the hokage, I was using [Art of the mind] to go through his memories.

He was acting strange. He had been cautious of anything that I did. If you looked too closely, it would seem that he was afraid of offending me. After going through his head, I found out why.

Jiraiya had talked to him about what could be a prophecy. The only difference was that it was seen by all the toad and it came with a foreboding feeling. That's why he's so cautious. My thoughts at the time were how to use it to my advantage.

Those are still my thoughts at the moment. I used his fear of further angering me to get him to back off from bothering me and just allow me to take the test. And I'll still use it to avoid explaining my abilities.

'Hiruzen...You're dancing to my tune now.'

[[]Flashback end]]]

I was brought of my thoughts to hear the team assignments. It was all the same. Team 7, Team 8 and Team 10.

"Iruka-Sensei! You didn't call Izuna's name? What about him?" came Kiba's voice. It was then that people started murmuring.

"That's true!"

"He didn't pass?"

"Serves him right! You can't expect to pass without attending a single class..."

I just stayed silent with my eyes closed throughout. They really needed to learn how to whisper. I opened one eye to peek around. Sasuke looked downright confused. I understand why. He saw me with the headband yesterday.

Naruto then stood up. "Hahaha! You didn't pass! I'm a ninja and you're not~! I'm stronger than you!" He looked so smug that I almost wanted to stick a bomb seal on his forehead. Sakura punched Naruto's head heavily.

Before she could get a word out, Iruka spoke. "Actually, he passed the exams. Due to special circumstances, Izuna will be Konoha's first single man squad."

All of their eyes widened as he said that, especially Sasuke and Naruto, though for different reason. With a quick use of [Art of the mind], I found out why. Naruto was angry that I stole 'his spotlight'. He also wants to be a single man team but he wants to be with Sakura.

Sasuke on the other hand was curious on whether I was so strong that I didn't need a team or if there was something that made it impossible for me to have teammates. And resolved himself to give me...a letter?

I saw the letter in his memories. It was one that Itachi gave him before leaving. He is to give it to me and only when he graduated from the academy. He told him that if he opened it before he graduated that it would self destruct. Being the child he was at that time, he believed.

'I wonder what's in the letter. He's going to give it time me soon, I'll worry about it then.'

When everyone finally settled down he dismissed everyone till afternoon where he would tell us our jonin instructors. Well...their instructors.

I got pulled by Ino and Hinata to have lunch. I halfheartedly listened to what they said as I dug into my lunch. I stopped training with them a long time ago, I wonder how strong they've gotten.

It didn't take long before we had to head back to the classroom. Everyone waited obediently for their Jonin instructor to come pick them up. Soon the only ones left in the classroom were Team 7 and me.

I'm sure I don't have a jonin sensei but Iruka said that I have to wait for Team 7's instructor for something important. Knowing that Kakashi was going to be late, I calmly lowered my head to the desk to sleep.

Before I could doze off, I heard footsteps coming towards me. I looked up, it was Sasuke. He sat down beside me. He was silent for a while before he spoke.

"I need to talk to you." He started off. I shifted my head slightly to face him before asking.

"About...?" I let my question hang. He cautiously replied with a 'Not here'. I smiled a bit. If he spoke about it here in public, I would have called him a fool. We made some light conversation, ignoring the squealing Sakura and the angry Naruto. I later fell asleep.

...

...

My hand moved at high speed, catching the tip of a kunai in between my index and middle finger. It was aimed directly at my head.

I raised my head with an annoyed look. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura looked at me in shock that I caught it. Glancing around the room, I found who I was looking for. I looked at him with a cold smile.

"Is this anyway to greet your old friend..." I started as I looked at the jonin giving me an eye smile.

"...Kakashi." I finished.