Chapter 3: The Art of Information Gathering (and Shopping)
Sora stood before the Konoha Library, a determined glint in his eye. Operation "Learn from the Master Prankster" was officially underway. But as he reached for the door handle, a new notification popped up:
[New Feature Unlocked: Prankster's Shop]
[Exchange Prank Points for various ninja knowledge, arts, and abilities!]
[Would you like a tour? Y/N]
Sora's eyes widened. "A shop? Oh, this I've got to see. Y!"
Suddenly, a translucent blue marketplace materialized before him, filled with scrolls, books, and mysterious glowing orbs.
[Welcome to the Prankster's Shop!]
[Current Prank Points: 69]
Sora snickered at the number before perusing the wares:
- Basic Chakra Theory (50 PP)
- Beginner's Guide to Taijutsu (75 PP)
- Chakra Sensing 101 (100 PP)
- Uzumaki Special: Chakra Boost (500 PP) - Increase your chakra reserves by 10%!
"Uzumaki Special?" Sora muttered, confused. "Must be named after that Naruto guy. Weird coincidence."
As tempting as the items were, Sora decided to hold off on purchasing. "Better save up for now. Besides, I've got some good old-fashioned snooping to do!"
Entering the library, Sora made a beeline for the newspaper archives. "If this Naruto guy's pranks were half as epic as people say, they've got to be recorded somewhere."
Hours passed as Sora pored over old newspapers, giggling at headlines like "ORANGE MENACE STRIKES AGAIN", "HOKAGE MONUMENT DEFACED: ANBU BAFFLED." and "Uchihas slacking? No Proofs Were Found Yet Again"
"Oh man, painting the Hokage Monument? That's genius!" Sora scribbled furiously in his notebook. "Note to self: Think bigger. Maybe add sparkles next time?"
As Sora delved deeper into Naruto's pranking history, he couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with this mysterious boy. "Looks like we both have a talent for causing chaos," he grinned.
Suddenly, a new idea struck him. "Wait a minute... if Naruto's still in the Academy, that means his pranking career isn't over! I need current intel!"
Sneaking out of the library (and giving a cheeky wave to an exasperated Maki-san), Sora headed towards the Ninja Academy. As he neared the building, he activated his newly-discovered 'Stealth Mode.'
[Stealth Mode Activated]
[Duration: 10 minutes]
[Warning: Still visible to high-level ninja]
"High-level ninja? Pfft, what are the chances of running into one of those?" Sora scoffed, creeping towards an open window.
Inside, he could see a class in session. A young boy with spiky blonde hair was balancing an eraser on top of the slightly-open classroom door.
"Classic," Sora whispered admiringly. "But let's see how he handles the follow-up..."
Sure enough, when the chunin instructor walked in and got a face full of chalk dust, the blonde boy (who Sora assumed must be Naruto) burst out laughing. The instructor, however, merely sighed.
"Naruto, that's the third time this week. At least try to be original."
Sora's eyes gleamed. "Original, huh? Oh, I can work with that."
As he turned to leave, he smacked straight into a solid chest. Looking up, he found himself staring into the mismatched eyes of a silver-haired Jonin.
"Well, well," Kakashi Hatake drawled, eye crinkling in amusement. "What do we have here? A little spy?"
Sora's mind raced. "Um... I'm not a spy! I'm... a... very short Academy student! Yes, that's it. I'm just... really advanced for my age. Prodigy and all that."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And I suppose this 'prodigy' just happens to have the same hair colour as a certain clan known for their... mischievous tendencies?"
Sora blinked, confused. "My hair? What's that got to do with anything?"
Before Kakashi could respond, a loud explosion came from inside the classroom, followed by surprised shrieks and the distinct smell of rotten eggs.
"Naruto!" the instructor's voice bellowed.
Kakashi sighed, momentarily distracted. "Looks like Naruto's upgraded his pranks. I should probably..."
But when he turned back, Sora was gone, a small note left in his place: "Thanks for the chat, Cyclops-san! P.S. You might want to check your pocket."
Kakashi reached into his pocket, only to find his precious Icha Icha book replaced by a crudely drawn picture of a dog reading "Ninja Paw-nography."
Meanwhile, Sora was racing through the streets, heart pounding with excitement. "Okay, that was too close. But so worth it!" He pulled out Kakashi's book, grinning triumphantly. "And hello, new reading material!"
As he ducked into an alley to catch his breath, a notification popped up:
[Quest Completed: Getting Reverse Pranked]
[Reward: 100 Prank Points, New Skill Unlocked: Sleight of Hand]
"Wait what?" He noticed the book in his hand after pinching himself and finding the title " Why Kids Are Annoying "
"Damn it" Sora swore that he will have his revenge soon.
"Now, let's see what this shop has to offer..."
Reopening the Prankster's Shop, Sora browsed the items with newfound appreciation:
- Basic Chakra Theory (50 PP)
- Beginner's Guide to Taijutsu (75 PP)
- Chakra Sensing 101 (100 PP)
- Uzumaki Special: Chakra Boost (500 PP) - Increase your chakra reserves by 10%!
- NEW! Prankster's Toolkit (150 PP) - A collection of handy items for aspiring tricksters!
Sora grinned, making his first purchase: Basic Chakra Theory. Instantly, knowledge flooded his mind, concepts of chakra molding and control becoming clear.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," Sora chuckled, already imagining the possibilities. "Watch out, Konoha. The Crimson Prankster is leveling up!"
As Sora headed home, mind whirling with new ideas and knowledge, he failed to notice the amused gaze of a certain Hokage watching from his crystal ball.
Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, puffing on his pipe. "Another red-haired troublemaker, eh? Kushina would be proud." He glanced at a photo on his desk, showing a grinning red-haired woman. "I wonder... could he be...?"
The Hokage shook his head, smiling. "Well, whatever the case, things are certainly going to get interesting around here. I'd better warn the ANBU to up their game."
Little did anyone know, Sora's pranking adventures were just beginning. With his new knowledge, growing skills, and the mysterious Prankster System at his disposal, Konoha was in for a wild ride.
And somewhere in the village, a certain blonde-haired, whisker-marked boy felt a sudden urge to up his pranking game. The stage was set for an epic prankster showdown, and Konoha would never be the same.