Chapter 385: Extra 3 - Xuan Yue in the Normal Timeline

Chapter 385: Extra 3 - Xuan Yue in the Normal Timeline

Xuan Yue was an average student at the Ninja Academy, but he still managed to gain admission into Konoha's sole ninja school. As long as he stayed diligent after graduation, his life would be far better than that of the average villager, toiling away in the fields day after day.

There was just one caveat: stay as far away from the Great Ninja Wars as possible. Unless, of course, you wanted to end up as collateral damage.

Unfortunately, the ninja world would be plunged into a war of unprecedented scale in just a few short years.

Xuan Yue, currently slumped over his desk with a vacant stare, glanced at his desk partner, Naruto, who was already dozing off to his left. He then turned his head to look a few rows ahead, where Sasuke sat by the window, striking a cool pose with his chin propped up on his hand.

He never expected to be in the same graduating class as those two. Life wasn't easy, and Xuan Yue sighed inwardly.

As a time traveler, he was supposed to be as powerful as his peers, capable of shaping the world with his abilities. But his unique "golden finger" ability had yet to manifest.

Relying solely on his own efforts, he might become an elite jonin ninja in a few years, but that level of strength wouldn't be enough when facing the formidable challenges that lay ahead.

"Naruto, Sasuke... I leave the future of the ninja world to you two!"

Xuan Yue had already made up his mind to step aside and let fate take its course. He decided not to interfere with the original timeline and instead aimed to become a forgettable background character.

To that end, he needed to strive to be a mediocre student who wouldn't attract attention. And he knew just what to do from his past life experiences.

Seeing his desk partner, Naruto, sleeping soundly, Xuan Yue couldn't help but yawn and rest his head on the desk. Within seconds, he, too, drifted off to sleep.

Sleeping in class was undeniably more refreshing than sleeping at home. Moreover, he was doing it for the greater good of the ninja world, not just for himself. And so, he slept soundly and without guilt.

In the classroom, Iruka-sensei passionately lectured about the Will of Fire, while Xuan Yue and Naruto, with their heads tilted to opposite sides, slept peacefully in sync.

Across the room, Hinata fidgeted with her fingers, her eyes anxiously darting between Iruka and the two sleeping boys. She feared that the teacher would notice them any moment now.

Next to Hinata, Ino, who had been fighting sleep, instantly perked up upon seeing the state of Xuan Yue and Naruto. A slight smirk formed on her face.

She hoped that everyone else would fall asleep so that she could be the only one working hard and thus impress the teacher.

So, sleep on, classmates, sleep on with gusto!

Ino picked up her pen and pretended to study diligently, biding her time.

In the front row, Shikamaru, who had been dozing off, was startled awake by the snoring. He turned to see Xuan Yue and Naruto sound asleep. His eyes lit up, and he thought, "I'm not the only one!" before laying his head on his desk to rejoin the land of dreams.

Choji, Shikamaru's desk partner, seeing that Shikamaru had fallen asleep, didn't bother to wake him. Instead, he quietly opened his drawer full of snacks and began munching away.

Sakura and Ino, sitting in the same row, paid no attention to any of this. Their eyes were locked on Sasuke, who sat in front of them. If looks could burn, Sasuke would have been reduced to ashes.

Sasuke never bothered with what went on in the classroom. From the moment he walked in, his gaze remained fixed on the window, his mind a million miles away.

Unlike his carefree demeanor, Sasuke carried a heavy burden.

Sitting next to Sasuke, Shino, ignored by everyone, quietly adjusted his sunglasses. No one knew what lay behind those dark lenses.

This was the typical peaceful scene at the Ninja Academy.

Until one moment, the tranquility was shattered.

"Sleeping in class! Xuan Yue! Naruto! Shikamaru! Get out of the classroom right now and reflect on your actions!"

"And Choji! I've told you countless times not to eat during class! Join them outside!"

Iruka's furious roar startled the four boys.

Xuan Yue, unperturbed, calmly stood up, stretched, and made his way out of the classroom, a path he knew all too well. Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji also obediently followed suit.

Sasuke, who had finally looked away from the window, glanced at their retreating backs and quickly averted his gaze. These people wouldn't factor into his future.

"You are the worst class I've ever taught!" Iruka exclaimed, exasperated.

The familiar hallway, the familiar wall to lean against, and the familiar scolding from the teacher—for a moment, Xuan Yue felt like he had traveled back to his previous life as a student.

However, when he saw the three familiar faces of his new truancy crew, he snapped back to the present.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Shikamaru asked lazily, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Same as always," Xuan Yue replied with a nod. With a wave of his hand, he took off running toward the academy's exit.

There was no point in standing around and wasting time. They might as well do something more enjoyable.

Naruto, Shika, and Choji were all in agreement.

Before long, the four truants skillfully scaled the wall and found themselves on the bustling streets.

"Where to now?"

Naruto, who usually felt ignored and only valued among this group of friends, asked eagerly.

"You guys go on ahead. I'm heading back to catch some more z's."

Xuan Yue waved dismissively and turned to leave.

He had no interest in hanging out with a bunch of kids, nor did he want to associate too closely with Naruto, who was constantly under the village's watchful eye.

After all, he was just an ordinary orphan with a knack for skipping class.

As he watched Xuan Yue walk away, Naruto's expression fell slightly. As his deskmate, Xuan Yue didn't reject or dislike him like the others, but aside from their shared love for sleeping through classes, they didn't interact much.

Unconsciously, Naruto attributed this to his own faults.

Shikamaru, perceptive as always, noticed Naruto's glum mood. "That's just how Xuan Yue is. He likes doing his own thing."

"Let's go! I found a sweet rooftop where we can finish our nap," Shikamaru suggested.

Choji, mouth full of snacks, nodded vigorously.

Naruto wanted to have some fun, but he valued Shikamaru's suggestion and, feeling included for once, readily agreed.

And so, the group of truants parted ways.

Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji headed for the rooftop, while Xuan Yue, instead of going home to sleep as he'd claimed, made his way to an isolated forest for training.

Yes, all this time, Xuan Yue had been secretly putting in effort behind everyone's back.

It wasn't for fame or glory.

It was about survival.

Although the ninja world had placed its hopes on Naruto and Sasuke for salvation, each person was ultimately responsible for their own life.

Having some extra self-protection never hurt.

At the very least, he wouldn't be among the first to fall when the village came under attack.

Besides, who could predict the consequences of a tiny butterfly's wings?

Xuan Yue had expected such changes to occur in a few years.

He never imagined that today would be that day.

【Ding!】

【Host's identity as a traverser detected. System initializing.】

【Name: Xuan Yue】

【Gender: Male】

【Age: 11】

【Identity: Ninja】

【World: Naruto】

Xuan Yue was in the middle of training when a voice, devoid of emotion, suddenly sounded in his head.

Xuan Yue was startled at first, but then his face lit up with delight. "Haha! You're finally here, System!"

After waiting so long, he'd begun to doubt whether this golden opportunity would ever arrive.

But here it was, and it felt fantastic.

"Show me what you got!" Xuan Yue eagerly urged in his mind.

The next second, the system's voice continued.

【This system is the Counterattack System, dedicated to helping the host overcome obstacles of talent, background, resources, and more. I will assist you in defeating all opponents on your path to becoming the strongest in the ninja world!】

【Please accept the Newbie Gift Pack】

"Counterattack! Yes, that's what I need! I'm just a Ninja Academy student, not even graduated and less useful than cannon fodder. A counterattack system is perfect for me."

Full of excitement, Xuan Yue opened the Newbie Gift Pack.

Accompanied by a dazzling display of mental fireworks, the pack opened with a bang, revealing a plethora of gifts.

【Ding! Ding! Ding!】

【Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the Three-Body Technique, Konoha Fluid Style, Kunai Throwing Technique, and Standard Chunin-level Chakra】

Xuan Yue's smile widened as he examined the gifts, his mind filling with new memories and his body undergoing physical changes.

While he hadn't gained anything as legendary as the Sharingan or Sage Mode, the abilities in the Newbie Gift Pack were exactly what he needed right now.

"As expected of the system, always looking out for me."

Although Xuan Yue had already learned the Three-Body Technique, throwing techniques, and taijutsu, his proficiency was only average.

The system's Newbie Gift Pack instantly boosted his skills to a highly proficient level, and the infusion of standard chunin-level chakra significantly enhanced his overall strength.

Xuan Yue was thrilled and eager to take on the system's tasks and earn more rewards.

And the system did not disappoint.

As soon as he finished accepting the Newbie Gift Pack, the first task appeared.

【Newbie Task: Defeat Uzumaki Naruto.】

【Task Description: You are an average student at the Ninja Academy, but you refuse to accept mediocrity. It's time to embark on a path of counterattack. Go, defeat the class clown, Uzumaki Naruto, and take the first step towards your destiny!

】

【Mission Reminder: Each time a mission is completed, the host will receive a corresponding reward. So, take the missions seriously, Host.】

"Defeat Uzumaki Naruto?"

Xuan Yue was a little taken aback but soon wore a confident smile.

"Easy!"

Even without the newbie gift package, Xuan Yue was sure he could take on Naruto.

He had merely been lazy up until now, rarely bothering with competitions, which was why the system assessed his performance as average.

"Who knew being lazy would have its perks. But from now on, it won't be so easy to fly under the radar."

Xuan Yue's thoughts turned to the system.

Since this was a counterattack, he'd undoubtedly have to defeat one opponent after another.

This went against his initial plan of keeping a low profile.

But so be it.

The only reason he'd kept a low profile was that he saw no hope before.

Now that the system had brought him hope, he would give it his all.

Xuan Yue couldn't wait to find Naruto and complete the newbie mission.

However, he had no idea where Naruto had run off to.

Fortunately, he had a backup plan.

Xuan Yue rushed back to the Ninja Academy, and Iruka-sensei's class was still in session.

He paused to catch his breath and put on a worried expression before rushing back into the classroom and exclaiming, "Iruka-sensei, it's terrible! Naruto, Shikaimaru, and Choji didn't listen to me, and they skipped school!"

"What?!"

Iruka's face turned grim, and he quickly rushed into the corridor to check. Indeed, the three troublemakers were nowhere to be seen.

"They dared to skip school?!"

Iruka quickly instructed the remaining students to begin self-study, praised Xuan Yue for his responsibility, and asked him to take his seat. Then, with a stern expression, he rushed out of the school, intent on tracking down the trio.

Xuan Yue casually returned to the classroom and watched Iruka's retreating figure through the window, a mischievous smirk on his face.

If he couldn't find Naruto, Iruka-sensei, a Chunin and the students' formidable teacher, would surely be able to.

It wouldn't take long.

Sure enough, in less than half an hour, Xuan Yue saw Iruka dragging Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji back by their ears.

He could hear Iruka's angry lecture from a distance.

Soon, Naruto was punished to stand on the podium in the schoolyard, where the Third Hokage often gave speeches, facing the passing teachers and students and reflecting on his actions.

When Xuan Yue approached them, the three boys hung their heads low, looking dejected.

"Hey, guys!"

Xuan Yue greeted them casually.

"Xuan Yue! You rat! You ratted us out to Iruka-sensei?!" Naruto glared up at him, furious.

He had learned from Iruka-sensei that it was Xuan Yue who had reported their truancy.

"Sorry, but I had an epiphany. As students of the Ninja Academy, bearing the hopes of the village and the Hokage, skipping school is not something we should do. I, who reflect on my mistakes and correct them, am back on the right path, and I've brought you guys back with me."

Xuan Yue explained earnestly, with a straight face.

"You...you..." Naruto sputtered, pointing at Xuan Yue, at a loss for words.

Shikamaru eyed Xuan Yue strangely, as if seeing this classmate who had instigated their truancy in a new light.

Xuan Yue shrugged nonchalantly.

No one could understand his true motives.

Might as well get to the point.

Xuan Yue gestured to Naruto, challenging him:

"If you want payback, let's settle it with a match."

"Bring it on!"

Naruto, always up for a challenge, rubbed his hands together eagerly.

And so, Naruto charged forward; Naruto swung with confidence; Naruto winced in pain, bewildered; Naruto fell to the ground in disbelief.

"I lost?"

Naruto, usually evenly matched with Xuan Yue, couldn't believe he had been defeated so quickly.

Shikamaru was equally surprised, once again finding himself underestimating Xuan Yue.

Only Choji remained unfazed, pulling out his hidden stash of snacks and munching away.

【Ding!】

【Newbie Mission Complete.】

【Congratulations, Host, on defeating the Ninja Academy's notorious slacker. The first step of your Ninja Academy comeback is complete.】

【Mission Reward: Charisma Technique】

【Reward Description:】

Before the group could recover from their surprise, Xuan Yue had already received his newbie mission reward.

Although the Charisma Technique was unusual, it also granted him the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, which he could now learn. Not a bad reward at all.

If the newbie mission was this interesting, he couldn't wait to see what the subsequent missions had in store.

Soon, Xuan Yue eagerly reviewed the system's next set of counterattack missions involving Shikamaru and the others, a mischievous glint in his eye.

With such a powerful system, his rise to the top had truly begun.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end