Looking at the lively Monferno before him, Uchiha Hayato's eyes widened in disbelief.
[Name: Monferno]
[Gender: Male]
[Ability: Blaze (Fire-type move power increases when health is low)]
[Type: Fire]
[Held Item: None]
[Moves: Scratch, Leer, Double Kick, Fire Punch, Fake Out]
This… This can't be real! It's actually a Pokémon!
Hayato touched his forehead—his temperature was normal, and he wasn't feverish. Slowly, an uncontrollable smile crept onto his face.
This incredible change had its roots in the sparring matches between Hayato and Namikaze Minato. That day, Hayato achieved his 100th victory against Minato.
"Huff… Huff… As expected of you, Hayato. But I'm not giving up," said Minato, collapsed on the ground, still wearing his sunny smile despite being out of breath.
Hayato, also nearly spent, leaned against a tree, maintaining his composure. "Oh? I won't let you surpass me. The one who's going to be Hokage is me!"
Hayato wasn't just any ninja; he was a reincarnator. Learning he was part of the Uchiha Clan and the same age as Namikaze Minato had nearly driven him to despair. With three ninja wars looming in the future, he wasn't sure he'd even survive that long.
As an orphan of the Uchiha Clan, his main goal upon entering the ninja academy was to graduate safely, become a ninja, and then "accidentally" die on a mission—hiding away in a quiet corner of the ninja world to avoid any danger.
The plot? Redemption arcs? None of it mattered to him.
What a joke. He didn't have any cheats, and while the Uchiha Clan's prized Sharingan was powerful, it came at a cost. It required intense emotional trauma to awaken, and in the original story, everyone who unlocked it paid a steep price.
Overuse could even lead to blindness at the Mangekyō level. Uchiha Itachi was a perfect example, constantly weakened by the Uchiha Curse.
So, on the surface, Hayato played the role of a dedicated believer in the Will of Fire, living an ordinary life at school. But in secret, he planned for a safer future.
Still, there was no harm in bullying a yet-to-mature Namikaze Minato a little.
The blond boy was also a war orphan and had loudly declared his dream of becoming Hokage during introductions.
"Anyone can talk big, but without results, it just makes you an outcast," Hayato thought, even as he realized that people's opinions of Minato would eventually change.
Gradually, the two became friends. They sparred frequently, with Hayato often winning due to his current physical advantage. But as time passed, Minato's win rate steadily increased.
"Should I start avoiding matches with Minato?" Hayato wondered. Even if he didn't want to admit it, Minato's future as the Fourth Hokage was undeniable. As Minato grew stronger, Hayato's chances of winning would shrink.
"Hayato, even though you're my friend, I won't let you take the Hokage position from me," Minato said warmly, dusting himself off as he stood.
"Let's grab some ramen. I'm starving. Or… are you planning to cook instead?" Minato scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Hayato's cooking skills—carried over from his past life—were impressive, even if he wasn't making legendary dishes like glowing golden fried rice. Minato often found excuses to eat at Hayato's house.
But Hayato, leaning against the tree, didn't respond. He stared intently at Minato, as if discovering some hidden truth.
"Hayato? Hayato?" Minato waved his hand, startled by Hayato's unwavering gaze.
Snapping out of it, Hayato quickly apologized. "Sorry, Minato. Something urgent came up. You go ahead!"
With that, he bolted, leaving Minato standing there, bewildered.
"Not wanting to share food doesn't mean you have to run off," Minato muttered, shaking his head as he headed to the ramen shop alone.
What Minato didn't know was that Hayato was overwhelmed with excitement.
The cheat he waited for has finally arrived! Arceus- thanks you have been promoted!
After his 100th victory, Hayato suddenly heard a familiar melody in his mind:
"Dun-dun… dun-dun… dun!"
He recognized it instantly—it was the Pokémon Center healing sound from the games!
[Pokémon System Activated]
Congratulations! You are now a rookie trainer. Strive to become a Pokémon Master!
Complete tasks to earn rewards. Use the draw system for random items.
Show the world the charm of Pokémon, expand your influence, and rise to the pinnacle of the world!
A semi-transparent interface appeared before Hayato. It displayed various panels, including Pokémon, his attributes, tasks, and a draw option. For now, only his attribute panel held any information:
[Name: Uchiha Hayato]
[Egg Group: Humanoid, Land]
[Ability: ???]
[Type: Fire, Lightning, Water, Dark]
[Skills: Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, Substitution Technique]
[Pokémon: None]
[Inventory: Potion ×1]
[World Influence: 0.1%]
While thrilled, Hayato couldn't help but notice some oddities in the system. Why did he have an Egg Group? Humans were mammals, not Pokémon!
A strange expression crossed his face. This golden finger was clearly a compensation from Arceus.
In his past life, Hayato had been playing the latest Pokémon game late at night when a sudden burst of light blinded him. He vaguely remembered a voice speaking to him, and when he regained consciousness, he was a baby in the ninja world.
"Arceus, what the heck? I hadn't even gotten on the ride yet!"
Like the protagonists of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Hayato was meant to be transported to the Pokémon world. But somewhere along the way, things went awry, and he ended up in the Naruto universe instead.
It seemed Arceus, with its timeless perspective, had only just realized the error and decided to make amends by gifting him this system.
"Gee, thanks," Hayato muttered with a wry smile.
While the Pokémon world had its dark corners, most regions were peaceful, and any crises were usually resolved by game protagonists. Compared to that, the ninja world was far more dangerous, with countless lives lost in its wars.
But with this golden finger, Hayato saw a chance to avoid becoming cannon fodder. By completing system tasks and reshaping the ninja world, he could acquire powerful Pokémon and items from the Pokémon universe to grow stronger.
As Hayato's gaze fell on the glowing Ten-Draw button, his heart raced.
"Let's begin!"