"Hey? Kakashi, what's going on?"
Just as Kakashi was preparing to spend a fortune, a kunoichi suddenly appeared in front of Gu Qi and the others.
"So it's Kurenai and Asuma!" Kakashi looked toward the voice and saw two familiar faces.
"Wasn't Asuma supposed to be protecting the Daimyo? How come you have time to come back?" Kakashi asked.
"It's my turn for leave, so I came back," Asuma said, smoking.
"Ahem!" Gu Qi coughed a few times at the three chatting away, reminding them he was there.
Kurenai looked at Gu Qi and couldn't help hugging him. "He's so cute! Every time I see Gu Qi, it's like seeing Kakashi as a child!"
They were family, after all. If Gu Qi wore a mask, he'd look just like Kakashi.
Feeling the two soft mounds against his face, Gu Qi blushed.
But when he remembered Asuma was standing right beside them, Gu Qi quickly pulled away.
"By the way, what's wrong, little Gu Qi?" Kurenai asked.
"Kakashi's bullying me!" Gu Qi said with an aggrieved expression.
"Kakashi, why are you bullying little Gu Qi?" Kurenai said, displeased, as she looked at him.
Asuma chimed in from the side. "Yeah, Kakashi."
Kakashi looked helpless. Was this one of those times when he couldn't defend himself no matter what he said?
With no other choice, Kakashi took Gu Qi aside and made a few promises before finally coaxing him into a good mood.
"Big Sister Kurenai, Uncle Asuma, are you on a date?"
After successfully getting a few perks out of Kakashi, Gu Qi asked with a cheeky grin.
"Ahem, Gu Qi, why do you call Kurenai 'Big Sister' but me 'Uncle'?" Asuma's face twitched.
"Because Big Sister Kurenai is young and pretty, while Uncle Asuma looks like a total old man!" Gu Qi said matter-of-factly.
"Heh... hehe." With Kurenai right there, Asuma decided not to stoop to arguing with a child.
Kurenai, meanwhile, gazed fondly at Gu Qi. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him.
"Gu Qi is so cute!"
After the two left, Gu Qi glanced at Kakashi. "Judging by how things are going, by the time Kurenai and Asuma have a kid, you might not even have a girlfriend."
Kakashi's face darkened. "You little brat, want me to beat you up?"
"Speaking of which," Gu Qi said, his face full of curiosity, "Kakashi, do you happen to like men?"
"..." Kakashi shot Gu Qi a look and went right back to eating barbecue.
Seeing Kakashi focus on the barbecue, Gu Qi grew anxious. He stopped thinking about Kakashi's sexual orientation and hurried to join the battle.
After finishing the barbecue, Gu Qi and Kakashi strolled along the roads of Konoha.
"Gu Qi, do you want to become a ninja?" Kakashi asked suddenly.
Gu Qi stopped in his tracks!
Ninja—the most glorious and most dangerous profession in this world.
Remembering how powerless he'd felt when facing the Nine-Tails, along with all the enemies that would come in the future, Gu Qi made up his mind. "I want to become a ninja! I want the power to protect my family and friends."
"Protect them, huh? Then I'll teach you," Kakashi said with a squinting smile, patting Gu Qi's head.
Gu Qi looked at Kakashi in delight. "Really?"
Gu Qi had asked Kakashi many times before, but Kakashi had always turned him down.
"Of course!"
"Why? You always refused before," Gu Qi asked, puzzled.
Kakashi explained, "You were too young. Teaching you then would've done you harm. But now you're three, so you can start learning bit by bit."
"That's great!"
When they got home, Kakashi began teaching Gu Qi how to mold chakra.
"You've been training on your own since you were little, so you've built a good foundation. Chakra comes from combining the energy of your body's cells with the spiritual energy you've accumulated over time.
"In theory, the stronger your body and the older you are, the more chakra you'll have," Kakashi explained.
"Chakra has many uses. For example, you need chakra to perform ninjutsu."
After teaching Gu Qi some basic theory, Kakashi showed him how to mold chakra and perform Hand Seals, to Gu Qi's eager delight.
"All right, practice a lot over the next few days. Only with plenty of practice will you get the hang of it," Kakashi reminded Gu Qi before leaving.
After seeing Kakashi off, Gu Qi hurried back to bed and began practicing chakra molding.
Like a child who'd just gotten a new toy, Gu Qi was intensely curious about this unfamiliar power.
Minute after minute passed. At last, in the early morning, Gu Qi molded his very first bit of chakra.
Before he could even celebrate, the pitiful amount of chakra in Gu Qi's body suddenly vanished.
At the same time, a mysterious voice appeared in Gu Qi's mind.
[Ping!] [Activation conditions met. System starting.] [Ping! Welcome to the Science and Non-Science System.]
Huh!?
"The system!"
Hearing the voice and seeing the translucent interface appear before him, Gu Qi was overjoyed.
He couldn't believe that, as a transmigrator, he'd actually gotten the legendary cheat—a system.
"A Science and Non-Science System? What does that mean?"
But Gu Qi was now utterly confused by the system.
[It means exactly what it says. Isn't the world you're in one where science and non-science coexist?]
Gu Qi thought about it and realized that the world of Naruto did have technology. But with the unscientific power of chakra thrown into the mix, it was indeed a world where science and non-science coexisted.
"Okay, then what can I get from you? And what do I have to do?" Gu Qi asked.
[You can obtain knowledge from this system. All you need to do is use that knowledge to stay alive.]
"That's all?" Gu Qi asked, skeptical.
[Yes.]
"Then hurry up and teach me some knowledge!" Gu Qi said, impatient.
[As tradition dictates, it's time to hand out your starter pack.]
[Ping! You have an unclaimed gift pack!]
Gu Qi's mouth twitched. For some reason, he felt as if he were playing a cheap online game.
Even so, Gu Qi eagerly opened the starter pack the system had given him.
[Ping! Congratulations! You have obtained the Secret Dried Meat Recipe (Blue), the Secret Brew Recipe (Red), and the Crimson Pill.]
[Ping! System Mall unlocked.]
As the system's notification sounded, a gift pack appeared in front of Gu Qi.
When Gu Qi opened the starter pack, he saw a red and a blue scroll, along with a beautiful bead.
Picking up the two scrolls, Gu Qi asked in confusion, "Um, what do the red and blue labels in parentheses mean?"
[Have you never played a game? Blue means a blue potion, used to replenish chakra. Red means a red potion, used to heal injuries.]
Maybe it was just his imagination, but Gu Qi sensed a hint of disdain in the system's voice.
"I see!" Gu Qi exclaimed, suddenly enlightened.
"Then," Gu Qi asked again, "what's this Crimson Pill?"
[You don't even know about the Crimson Pill, one of the Three Ancient Divine Orbs?]
"...If I knew, why would I ask you?" Gu Qi shouted in exasperation.
[The Crimson Pill, one of the Three Ancient Divine Orbs. Wearing it for a long time can completely transform your body.]
After hearing the system's explanation, Gu Qi was astonished. He'd never expected the system to be so generous.
But one word caught Gu Qi's attention, so he asked, "Wearing it for a long time? I'm curious—how long is 'a long time'?"
[At least ten years.]
"..."
Gu Qi couldn't help rolling his eyes, thinking that this was exactly what he'd expected. He'd known the starter pack wouldn't contain anything outrageously powerful.
"By the way, didn't you say you'd teach me knowledge? What kind of knowledge?" Gu Qi asked again.
[Ping!]
[Quest issued: Complete the Elementary Mathematics, Elementary Chemistry, and Elementary Physics courses.]
[Quest rewards: Science Blueprints and Non-Science Items.]
As the items were issued, Gu Qi saw three thick textbooks appear in front of him.
Looking at the three textbooks, Gu Qi's mouth twitched. "This is an unscientific ninja world. Why do I still have to study all this stuff?"
[Question: An enemy is one hundred meters away from you, standing on a tree ten meters tall. Assume gravity is 9.8 N/kg.
At what angle should you throw a shuriken?]
"...Fine, I'll study!" Gu Qi rolled his eyes.
[Once you've studied this knowledge, you'll understand what it means that knowledge is power.]
Gu Qi ignored the system and opened the two scrolls in his hands.
After writing down the ingredients needed for the Secret Dried Meat and Secret Brew, Gu Qi took some money from home and set out to buy supplies.
Before leaving, Gu Qi didn't forget to put the sign up again.
Much later, when Kakashi arrived at Gu Qi's home and saw that familiar sign, he couldn't help rolling his eyes again.
Before you continue