Summer of the 58th year of Konoha.
Ninja Academy.
Training ground.
Sasuke Uchiha, who was preparing to continue honing his shuriken skills, found himself delayed once again by a certain persistent blond-haired boy.
"Give it up! As the lowest-ranked student in the class, your challenge to me is meaningless, serving only to increase your defeats."
Sasuke shook his head dismissively.
On the other side, Naruto Uzumaki, the blond-haired boy, was undeterred: "Don't be so arrogant, Sasuke! I will definitely defeat you. I, Uzumaki Naruto, am the man who will become Hokage!"
Naturally, the other ninja students laughed at this bold declaration.
The girls in their class, however, had their eyes mainly on Sasuke, leaving them no time to mock Naruto's overestimation of his abilities.
Sasuke stared into Naruto's blue eyes, feeling a twinge of annoyance. "I really don't have time for this. Are you going to keep pestering me?"
But as he looked into Naruto's clear eyes, a strange electronic voice echoed in Sasuke's ears.
"Name: Uzumaki Naruto, Age: Seven years old, Appearance: Short blond hair, blue eyes, and a distinctive whisker-like birthmark that hints at a life story behind this spirited fool.
Ninjutsu talent: Failing all subjects, terrible at physical skills, consistently at the bottom of his peers, yet possessing bizarre endurance. He is an indestructible cockroach, possibly harboring a sealed terrifying beast within.
Personality: Carefree, rough yet meticulous, a dull but attentive child.
Evaluation: His goal is to become your rival, his deepest desire is to be close to you, his greatest joy is earning your recognition. Whether happy or angry, it's all because of your existence. Is this the legendary bond?"
"Who?" Sasuke turned around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but saw no one.
Naruto, noticing Sasuke's scrutiny, looked around in confusion before focusing back on him. "Is this some new trick of yours? I won't admit defeat..."
"Damn it, why are you bothering me!" Sasuke's expression soured, but the strange electronic voice continued, further irritating him and intensifying his curiosity about its source.
Finally, a peculiar white cloud-like kitten appeared before him, speaking to Sasuke: "Hello, young host. I am your narration system. You can communicate with me through voice alone.
"I am visible only to you!"
The kitten's image gradually solidified, appearing soft and white like a cloud. It was small, with golden eyes, and looked quite beautiful. When it landed lightly on his shoulder, Sasuke didn't even think to dodge.
Yet, the lack of physical contact puzzled him.
"Why can't I feel it?"
"Because this is not a physical entity, just a projection!" the white cat explained. "And only you can see this projection at the moment. If you don't want others to notice anything unusual, you'd better be cautious!"
Reminded by the cat, Sasuke glanced towards Naruto and the other students, then back at the adorable cat. He quickly turned away, saying, "I'm going to take a break."
While he was distracted...
The pure white cat vanished, replaced by a white panel displaying information about each of his peers. A crisp electronic voice detailed their information.
"Name: Yamanaka Ino, age..."
"Name: Haruno Sakura..."
"Name: Uzumaki Naruto, this little blond-haired guy seems very interested in you. Is he challenging you to prove himself, or is it some strange persistence..."
Sasuke found the barrage of explanations overwhelming, irritating him further.
Looking at Naruto, who had challenged him, Sasuke waved dismissively, "If you want to challenge me, wait until you've mastered the basics!"
Afterward, he requested a break from Iruka-sensei.
The sudden influx of unfiltered information overloaded his mind. He needed some private space to process what was happening.
As for this system...
Until he understood it better, he decided not to reveal any unusual behavior.
"Damn it! Sasuke doesn't even see me as a rival," Naruto muttered, frustrated.
The mocking looks were nothing. Even scolding was better than being ignored. That feeling of disdain and alienation... It was like being submerged in a river without buoyancy.
He had hoped Sasuke would be different!
Behind him, Shikamaru Nara, the boy with a pineapple-shaped hairstyle, remarked, "He's the top student in the grade. It's normal for him to ignore someone at the bottom."
Reflecting on his classmates' unreliability, Naruto's eyes lingered on Sasuke's back, his gaze thoughtful.
He couldn't shake the feeling...
Sasuke seemed a bit different today.
Soon, Shikamaru abandoned further thought, choosing instead to continue his lazy antics.
...
In the classroom.
After Sasuke returned to his seat, the strange white cat reappeared, no longer as a bullet screen.
"What exactly are you?" Little Sasuke asked, confusion evident in his eyes.
"I'm the system!" The cat bounced around, curious about everything, before settling back on Sasuke's shoulder. "It's really a headache there should be many stories about the protagonist saving the world in the village's calligraphy and painting shops! Don't you want to read them at your age?
"There are special people in this world, born with abilities beyond ordinary people, destined to change the world, to be the protagonist! I am the system that assists you! With me, you can reach the pinnacle of life, save the world, and become the protagonist everyone notices!"
"Ah?!" Sasuke blinked, focusing on the kitten's delicate fur, trying to touch it but feeling nothing. He thought for a moment and said, "So you're here to help me? With you, I can become very powerful?"
"Yes, yes..." The kitten nodded, "Do you want to be the strongest ninja? Do you want to be the savior of the world? I can help you achieve it!"
"I just want to be an excellent ninja first." The black-haired boy shook his head, showing no ambition to save the world or become Hokage. "But if you're as powerful as you say, I think you can help me grow to the point where my father notices me!"
His eyes lit up with hope once more.
The system claimed... he was the protagonist.
The white cat lazily sprawled on the table, soft as liquid: "A cub is a cub, and its ambitions are not ambitious enough. With the system, there's a way to succeed in everything. It's nothing more than becoming good enough!"
The white kitten promised confidently.
Infected by this confidence, Sasuke's eyes filled with anticipation.
Especially regarding the protagonist and the village's calligraphy and painting shop... He became interested in learning more and planned to visit when he had time to understand his situation better.
But before that, filled with expectation, he mainly inquired about what the system could do.
In response, the white cat said: "As shown before... Everything you see can be analyzed in detail, and later... Even what you hear and touch, all information can be revealed to you. The unknowns of the world can become known in your eyes... You will know everything."
Sasuke: "??"
He imagined a constant electronic voice in his ears and immediately paled.
"If it keeps going like this, it'll be too noisy!"
He raised his hand, contemplating returning the system.