Chapter 25: Final teammate
"You were able to finish the training faster than I thought." Guy said, as he saw the devastation around him.
With all the buffs I had by training in the village, Guy being an amazing sensei, Lee being a good sparring partner and the Shadow Clones, I was able to master the usage of 3 of the gates and the basic fighting styles.
But it seems like from here it is an uphill battle.
Yet with just the 3 Gates, I basically boosted myself to an average Jounins speed.
It is still not at Lee's level, where he can move at the level of Elite-jounins, but it was definitely a step up.
It took me 3 weeks, but Guy deemed that I had finished the requirements to be deemed competent with his taijutsu.
"Thank you for all your help, Guy-sensei." I thanked him sincerely.
He gave me a flashy smile and a massive thumbs up, "This was all you kiddoo, ahhhhh youth! Come Lee, tonight we shall walk across the Village on our thumbs !" "Yes, Guy Sensei!" As the Spandex couple left, Shikomu stood at his spot and clenched his fist slightly.
The rest of the world was slowly catching up, and a handful of competitive players not a part of the competitive guilds were also reaching the Personal Missions.
While it seemed like I was being cucked by the system, I realize this is very important in the long term.
The Aspects made by the system had to have a heavy impact on the game, if not it would not stop someone from advancing like this.
And I realize I would probably need all the help I can get.
Considering that even my sensei, Naido, was a character that could literally dismantle Jutsu, there had to be other overpowered Shinobi like that.
And that was only the Elite-Jounins.
Did that mean the Kage level Shinobi, like Jiraya, were buffed?
Was Madara fucking Uchiha buffed more? Even if he wasn't, just as a Nara with their Jutsu, it would be nearly impossible to stop an Uchiha who has awakened their Mangekyo Sharingan.
These exams will definitely be interesting for sure.
"I hope they never change," Naido sensei said as he landed near me.
I nodded at his statement, Lee and Guy brought hope to the world in their own unique way.
Lee was a character with untapped potential in my opinion, especially in Shippuden and Boruto.
Someone who can take on an enraged Jinchuriki, albeit in their base state, as a 14 year old deserves praise.
And the way he never let failure get to him, was something the world should take inspiration from.
"Let us go, it is time to meet your teammate." He told me as he led me to my teammates.
"You will be the team leader for the exams, I have already told the reach of the team. Also, the other team mate is someone who faced the same disease as Ayumi, his name is Yuki. He doesn't have a family name." Naido sensei informed me.
Another person with the 'disease,' just meant the player.
"Alright sensei…also, why are you wearing so many more beads than usual?" I asked him in an apprehensive tone. Usually, the monk only had 1 pair of beads, but now he had one set hanging from his neck, both hands, over his waist and even his feet.
He was covered in Buddhist accessories.
"Well, I was hoping to convert Yuki to Buddhism since you are so against it. You think it's too much?"
"No. You look amazing."
"HAHAHAHAHA, what a good student I have." He said, as he blushed and turned to the side.
-
"Hey now that sensei has left, why don't you give us a bit of tips." A young kid around my height, with black hair and an angular face asked as he leaned towards me a bit.
"What?" "Like, how are you advancing so fast? Why do all the NPCs like you so much more?" He asked.
Before this Yuki explained how at the introduction of the game, he had failed his Genin test and got sent to the Genin Corps.
There, he had worked his ass off, but eventually got on the bad side of the shinobi after pestering them too much.
He stopped logging in due to that, which made him get the system warning.
After that he had to grind a lot more in the corps, until Naido Sensei spotted him.
"Well I don't really treat this completely like a game…the Npcs are too life like for me to do that. And if in real life you asked someone to go away and they still stayed with you, wouldn't you hate it too?" "I didn't really think about it that way…alright now about those tips!" He asked with a slightly goofy smile.
"Don't worry, pass these exams and you can easily get a lot of EXP. From what I understand for normal players the fastest way to train is to become a chunin and grind missions. Then just dump them onto your stats." He nodded at my explanation.
"Is that how you trained?" "Well, something like that. How about you share with me your stats first, Ayumi you too so I know how prepared we are."
Ayumi moved up front a bit and her eyes went and gazed towards an empty spot.
"I barely reached Chunin level in both Physique and Chakra."
"Same here." Yuki said as he too looked at his status page.
"How about you Shikomu. It is only fair that you share as well." Ayumi inquired.
"I am reaching a High-Chunin level." I lied to her. I did not need them to be spreading my information to the guilds.
I didn't know if the guilds already knew who I was or not but it was definitely better for me to be safe than sorry.
"I need you guys to learn survival skills, how to hunt, butcher animals, set up tents and traps. These were all something academy students should know and we should learn them as well." I told them.
The first exam was not something we needed to prepare for, since we could pass without answering the questions, but the second was a survival challenge.
I could solo the challenge, but I am sure some players and other characters like Temari and the sound ninja would be a hassle to me.
"Got it." Yuki said as he did a mock salute to me.
[Ghost: So how about it man, have you thought over my proposal?]
I dismissed my squad and properly looked over my notification from Ghost.
About 1 month ago, he had recommended me to join his Guild, and upon doing so we would trade information and he could potentially give me money also, but I denied it.
Sure my living conditions in the real world makes me be suicidal, but I still wanted to see how this game would allow us to make money.
And I also was not a true asset yet. If I truly want to be valued and get the best contract in a Guild possible, I need to be able to become a known force in this world.
I then went back to my housing to have dinner with just Shikaku this time, since his wife went to meet some friends and Shikamaru was training with his squad.
"Right, Shikomu, what do you think about joining the Anbu if you become a Chunin?" He asked.
"I don't know yet, I haven't really thought about what will happen when I become a Chunin." I replied to him honestly.
There was still a long road for me.
I had 2 weeks until the first written exams.
Right after that is the survival test.
Following that, depending on if we follow cannon, is the extra elimination exam.
And then we have a 1 month break before the final selection exams, and when Orochimaru will invade with Jounin level Ninja.
I still don't know how I am going to survive if I am not a Jounin, but I do know that during that 1 month I will need to learn many different jutsu to survive.
Then I will finally get my 'aspect,' and see what will happen from there.
"I see. Well, let me know if you are ever interested in it. Due to how highly Naido-san and Guy-san talk of you, Lord Hokage has kept an eye on you and is interested in your development." He told me with a smile.
[System announcement: A MONUMENTAL event has occurred, causing a massive change in the Elemental Nations]
[All on-going quests have been canceled] [Every player is to report back to your factions, within 24 hours, the first World Main Quest will be initiated]
My eyes widened in shock at the system announcement, but luckily Shikaku wasn't paying attention to me to realise that.
A small toad hopped its way into the compound and it vomited out a scroll before dissipating.
"Stay here." He said in a cold tone and immediately disappeared from where he was sitting.
I was still in shock, digesting what was going on.
Wait, my Personal Quest! Did this mean I am hard stuck as a Chunin?
{Player Shikomu, we apolosigse for the inconvenience, please wait 24 hours before your Personal Quest is updated} I was personally sent a special message by the system asking me to wait for a day.
I decided to 'sleep' in game, log out and look at the world forums right now, and everything I read just brought me immense shock.
"Oh I am screwed."