Haruto had spent a great deal of time reflecting on the choices he had made over the past two years, particularly when it came to the system's rewards. He knew the power of chakra—it was the lifeblood of the world he now lived in, the key to mastering any skill as a shinobi. So, why hadn't he chosen Chakra Sensitivity the first time the system offered him a reward?
It wasn't that Haruto didn't understand the importance of chakra; he did. But the answer was simpler than that—it came down to strategy and practicality. When he had first received the system's offer six months into his new life, he had been an infant. His body, fragile and untrained, wasn't yet ready to handle the flow of chakra. Even if he could sense it, he wouldn't have been able to do much with it. More importantly, Haruto had known that chakra control required not just sensitivity, but physical strength and mastery over one's own body.
The Importance of Control
In the beginning, Haruto's focus had been simple: survive and gain control over his infant body. He had struggled with the limitations of being a newborn, a frustrating reality for someone with the mind of an adult. His first six months had been spent learning how to move, how to adapt to the weakness of his muscles, how to make even the simplest tasks bearable.
When the system had presented him with his first set of rewards, Haruto had immediately known that Improved Physical Control was the right choice. Chakra wouldn't mean anything if he couldn't control his own body. What good was chakra if he couldn't even crawl properly or grip objects with any strength?
He had chosen control because, at that time, mastering his physical movements was his most pressing need. And it had paid off. After receiving that first reward, Haruto had felt a significant change in his coordination. He could move more freely, more precisely, and that had given him the freedom to start refining his other skills in secret.
It had been a step-by-step process. Haruto didn't want to rush things. He knew that this world was full of dangerous shinobi who could sense when someone was different, someone who had an edge. If he had chosen Chakra Sensitivity too early, he risked drawing attention to himself. He wasn't ready to handle that kind of scrutiny, and he certainly wasn't prepared to control chakra if he could barely control his own limbs.
Building a Foundation
By the time the system had offered him his second reward six months later, Haruto had made great strides in mastering his physical form. But he knew that there was still more work to be done. His control over his body had improved, but it wasn't enough. He needed more finesse, more precision. He had watched the other children fumble around with their toys, their movements clumsy and uncoordinated. He had imitated them when necessary, hiding his true progress, but in secret, he had been pushing himself harder and harder.
That was why he chose Dexterity Increase for his second reward. With improved dexterity, he could handle more delicate tasks, strengthen his grip, and enhance his coordination even further. This was the foundation he needed—before he could even consider mastering chakra, he had to make sure his body was fully under his control.
Haruto knew that the rewards the system offered weren't shortcuts. They were tools, enhancements that helped him improve, but they wouldn't make him powerful overnight. He had to be strategic, patient. First, he had to master his body, then he could move on to chakra.
Timing Is Everything
It wasn't until his third reward that Haruto finally chose Chakra Sensitivity. By then, he had gained enough physical control to feel confident that he could handle the next step in his development. Sensing chakra was crucial, but Haruto knew that it required a certain level of discipline and focus, both of which were easier to achieve when his body was already under control.
Had he chosen chakra sensitivity first, Haruto believed he would have wasted the potential of the reward. Without a solid foundation of physical strength and dexterity, even the ability to sense chakra wouldn't have advanced him much. The choice to wait, to build his body and mind first, had been the right one.
When the time came for his third reward, Haruto knew he was ready. His body had grown stronger, his movements more precise. Now, he could focus on the internal—on the energy that flowed through his chakra pathways. It had taken months of patience and hard work, but when he finally sensed that faint flicker of chakra, he knew it was because he had laid the proper groundwork.
Comrades, Trust, and Strategy
Haruto's approach to the system's rewards mirrored his views on comradeship and trust. He understood the importance of having people you could rely on—comrades, as the shinobi of the village called them. But Haruto also knew that trust was a fragile thing, something that had to be earned over time. He had seen it in his previous life and had come to believe that for every one person you could trust, there were ninety-nine you couldn't.
This belief had shaped how he interacted with the world. He was cautious, careful not to reveal too much too soon. Just as he had been strategic in choosing his rewards from the system, he would be equally strategic in choosing the people he could rely on.
He had heard stories of the Will of Fire, the philosophy that bound the village together, encouraging its people to protect one another. But Haruto had his doubts. The Will of Fire was a noble ideal, but it was often fulfilled at the expense of the weak. The strong could afford to believe in the ideal of protecting the village, but how many lives were sacrificed in its name? How many people were left behind, their lives deemed less important than the village's future?
Haruto wasn't bitter. He understood the necessity of strength in this world, but he wasn't blind to its cost. The system had given him tools, but it was his mind that would navigate the complexities of this world. He would use everything he had—his rewards, his strategy, his understanding of people—to survive. And he would choose wisely when it came to trust.
Looking Forward
As Haruto reflected on the past two years, he felt a sense of pride in his decisions. He had chosen control and dexterity before chakra because he knew it was the smarter, long-term approach. And now, with each reward stacking on the next, he was becoming stronger, sharper, and more prepared for what lay ahead.
He didn't know when the system would next offer him another reward, but when it did, he would be ready. He would choose wisely, just as he had before, and continue building the skills he needed to survive in this world.
Haruto smiled faintly to himself, the flicker of chakra within him pulsing softly as he sat in quiet contemplation. He had come a long way in just three years, and he knew the path ahead was only going to get more difficult. But that was fine. He had the patience, the strategy, and the will to see it through.
And in this world, that was more powerful than any reward.