Two Benchwarmers

"What's wrong, Feng Yao?"

Iruka watched Feng Yao stand motionless for a long time and spoke up to remind him. With no other choice, he had to bite the bullet; Feng Yao stood in the center of the classroom and attempted to weave hand signs.

Yet, he discovered that no matter what he did, whenever he tried to perform a ninjutsu, the chakra within his body simply refused to be successfully refined and mixed.

After five minutes of awkward attempts, the room fell into a deathly silence.

"This System has stated that only Immortal Arts can be used."

"You old geezer, I've lost all my face!"

The people nearby began to whisper among themselves.

"What's wrong with Feng Yao? I remember he had a great grasp of the Transformation Technique."

"Maybe he's been slacking off these past few days."

"Feng Yao, you better pay attention in class from now on! Otherwise, I'll have to call your parents to see me."

Looking at the furious Iruka, Feng Yao had grievances he couldn't voice and could only nod. However, his mind was occupied with how to complete his mission and improve his strength; as for whether he became a genin or not, it didn't really matter to him—strength was the foundation of everything.

Many jonin were not even as good as some genin; so-called ranks were merely for show. Feng Yao comforted himself with this thought.

After class, feeling physically and mentally exhausted, Feng Yao was just about to leave when Naruto scurried up to him, squinting his eyes as he stared at him.

"Feng Yao, what happened to you today? You should have been able to handle that ninjutsu easily. Don't you dare lose to me!"

Looking at Naruto's earnest expression, Feng Yao smiled. This was Naruto's way of showing concern, even if he didn't want to say it directly.

Looking at one of the few people in this world who cared about him, Feng Yao felt a hint of warmth in his heart and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't lose to you."

After saying that, he shouldered his bag and pulled Naruto along as they walked outside. Along the way, Naruto kept recounting his pranks until he was dragged away by Iruka to clean the Hokage Monument, while Feng Yao returned home, where his parents had already prepared a meal and were waiting for him.

"Feng Yao is back. Sit down quickly."

"Alright, Mother."

Feng Yao never felt a particularly deep connection to the parents in this world; being in a foreign land, he missed his own parents more.

However, the parents here had raised him, and Feng Yao decided that if he truly couldn't return to Earth or if he was destined to be a mere genin, he would contentedly provide for them in their old age.

But now that he had the System, the situation was different. He quickly finished the rice in his bowl.

"Mother, I'm finished. I'm going out for a bit, please leave the door unlocked for me."

"Come back early. You have to take your exam tomorrow."

Feng Yao first went to his room, pulled a ceramic piggy bank from the top of the cabinet, and smashed it hard against the floor. Once the ceramic shattered, it revealed paper bills of various denominations and quite a few coins; this was the money he had saved over the past decade, totaling over 1,200 ryo. For a student, this was a massive fortune.

He couldn't use any ninjutsu now, and coupled with the mission issued by the damn System, he had to arm himself with money.

Taking the cash, Feng Yao headed toward the shop that sold ninja tools. Stepping outside, he breathed in the chilly night air and sighed at the unpredictability of life.

Yesterday, he was a trainee capable of using four or five ninjutsu; today, he was an ordinary person who only knew a few punches and kicks. But with the System, his potential was infinitely higher than it had been before. He arrived at the entrance of the ninja tool shop and pushed aside the cloth curtain.

"Welcome! Huh... why is it you, little brat Feng?"

Although the shop looked unremarkable from the outside, the interior was quite well-decorated. Three counters were arranged in the shop, displaying kunai, shuriken, darts, three-section staves, silver needles, and small backpacks and protective gear.

On the walls hung larger ninja tools, such as Fuma Shuriken, kusarigama, and large scythes. What he needed now were small, portable tools; overly large ones would hinder his speed, and he didn't have enough money anyway.

"Uncle Yoshida, I'd like to buy some protective gear, shuriken, darts, and..."

"You want to buy these yourself? You haven't graduated yet, have you? Using these is a bit dangerous."

Seeing that the owner didn't seem very keen on selling to him, Feng Yao spoke up hurriedly.

"It's like this: after the graduation exam, if I become a genin, I'll have to go on missions. I just thought I'd prepare in advance to be safe."

"Pfft, you kid, already preparing for genin missions? You've got plenty of confidence, I'll give you that! You've got guts. Uncle Yoshida will get them for you."

"Heh heh... yes... yes."

Guts my foot. He couldn't even use ninjutsu right now and needed these to save his life. There was no hope for the exam; he might as well think of a way to steal the Scroll of Seals.

In a short while, the owner had gathered all the ninja tools Feng Yao needed. After checking them to ensure everything was correct, Feng Yao handed over his savings of over ten years. At that moment, his heart felt as if it were bleeding. Walking out the door, his pockets were completely empty, but he was fully armed.

Walking on the way home, he suddenly heard a commotion inside Ichiraku Ramen and couldn't help but smile.

It was Naruto talking to Iruka. The stubborn Naruto was demanding that Iruka give him a headband.

"Iruka-sensei, just lend me your headband to wear for a bit."

"That won't do. You can only have that once you graduate from the Ninja Academy and become a ninja capable of standing on your own."

"Hmph, stingy!"

Unlike Iruka, Feng Yao knew that Naruto was destined to fail the assessment tomorrow.

After all, the Nine-Tails was sealed within Naruto, causing his chakra to run wild and preventing him from successfully gathering it.

Feng Yao also planned to simply skip the exam tomorrow; since he couldn't succeed anyway, why bother embarrassing himself twice for nothing?

"Naruto, Iruka-sensei,"

"Hey! Feng Yao, are you here to eat ramen too?"

Naruto was the first to speak, greeting Feng Yao. To Naruto, Feng Yao was a precious friend from his childhood and one of the few people in the village who treated him with kindness. Seeing Feng Yao, Iruka also offered a greeting.

"You should head back and get some rest early. You need to be at your absolute best for the graduation exam tomorrow."

"Ah, I don't want to go back. There's no one at home anyway."

Naruto clutched his hair in distress. Iruka, who had been about to give Naruto a flick to the forehead after hearing the first part, froze upon hearing the latter.

His gaze softened. Iruka was an important guide in Naruto's life, acting like a strict father who demanded much from him while simultaneously protecting him. It was fortunate that people like him existed, or Naruto might have turned to darkness long ago.

"Then, Naruto, would you like to walk back with me? It'll be nice to have some company."

"If you put it that way, Feng Yao, then I guess I have no choice. Hehehe, let's go."

Feng Yao and Naruto bid farewell to Iruka, and the two walked along the streets of Konoha, shadows stretching across half the road. Suddenly, the system's voice echoed.

"New mission initiated. Mission: Two Losers. Achieve the title of 'Loser' in tomorrow's Ninja Academy graduation exam to complete the mission. Reward: Lower-grade physical enhancement potion. Slogan: How can you experience the protagonist's state of mind without going through the ups and downs of life? Go, be humiliated, be trampled, and then become strong."

"Are you kidding me? You're clearly doing this on purpose to make me lose face, aren't you? What kind of 'state of mind' am I supposed to experience? And since when is 'Loser' an achievement title? You just made that up on the spot, didn't you?"

"Please show some self-respect, Host. This system is always fair and impartial. Missions are randomly drawn based on the Host's current situation. If you don't want to complete it, just say so; this system doesn't mind changing hosts."

"Never mind then, I do mind. Actually, this title isn't that hard to accept... I guess."

Naruto, standing to the side, saw Feng Yao's expression suddenly sour, as if he had just been slapped across the face.

"Feng Yao, what's been up with you lately? You feel like a completely different person."

"It's nothing, just got played by someone by accident. It's not a big deal."

Seeing Naruto's genuine concern, Feng Yao actually felt a twinge of guilt, as he had approached Naruto with a specific agenda.

This was somewhat cruel to Naruto. Humans are selfish, and Feng Yao was no exception; with the system now in his possession, his horizons were no longer limited to the Konoha Ninja Village.

"Naruto, if one day what I have to do ends up hurting Konoha or you, promise me: use your full strength and don't hold back against me."

Naruto stopped in his tracks, looking at Feng Yao with a puzzled expression. He didn't understand why the other would say such a thing, but he still raised his right thumb toward himself in response.

"If you ever do that, then I, the man who will surpass all the Hokage of the past, will beat you to the ground and drag you back."

"...Hahaha, what a charming thing to say. Actually, I was just joking. Let's head back."

After saying this, Feng Yao left Naruto behind, walked in the opposite direction, and vanished into the night.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye, inside the Ninja Academy.

"The ninjutsu for this graduation assessment is the Clone Technique. When your name is called, proceed to the adjacent classroom for the exam."

Standing on the podium, Iruka addressed the students with his roster in hand. The students reacted with a mix of joy and sorrow as they filed into the next room one by one.

Almost everyone who came out wore the forehead protector that symbolized Konoha—the proof that a ninja could stand on their own. Unfortunately, Naruto failed. He sat in the classroom, looking dejected.

"Next, Feng Yao."

Entering the adjacent classroom, Feng Yao looked at the two Chunin in charge of the assessment: Iruka and Mizuki. Mizuki was the first villain in the story of the Hokage, a man of cruel and jealous nature, and the mastermind who would eventually trick Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals.

"Please begin, student Feng Yao."

"Understood, Mizuki-sensei."

Feng Yao began to weave the hand signs, though it was merely for show. Having tried many times, he knew he couldn't perform any ninjutsu. After several failed attempts, Iruka called a halt.

"Stop, Feng Yao. You fail. If you can't even perform the most basic clone, there is no way I can let you graduate. Have your parents come see me later."

Iruka's voice was filled with intense disappointment. Feng Yao had been a student he held in high regard, and he hadn't expected such a lack of practice during this period.

Mizuki, standing to the side, gave a silent nod of approval. Feng Yao could only respond with a bitter smile. He had truly become a "loser" this time, performing even worse than Naruto by failing to produce a single clone. However, as he left, he cast a glance at Mizuki.

Returning to the classroom, he watched his classmates excitedly discussing their futures. He sat alone to the side, leaning against Naruto.

"Hey, hey, no way. Even that Feng Yao didn't pass the exam?"

"Two losers sitting together, haha."

"Feng Yao is always with that... guy. As expected, that brat only brings bad luck to others."

Naruto also looked at Feng Yao's empty forehead, realizing he hadn't passed the graduation exam either. He opened his mouth to speak.

The surrounding voices seemed to choke him, and he couldn't make a sound. He lowered his head silently, but then he heard Feng Yao's voice.

"Keep your chin up, Naruto. The road ahead will be spectacular."

The mocking laughter around them grew even louder. Did people who couldn't even pass the graduation exam have a future?

Naruto couldn't help but open his mouth in surprise, his eyes meeting Feng Yao's. The people around them couldn't see Feng Yao's eyes, but Naruto could. There was only calmness in them, and perhaps a hint of a profound smile at the corners of his mouth. This encouraged Naruto. Feng Yao didn't say anything more; he patted Naruto on the back and turned to leave.

"Congratulations to the Host for completing the mission: Two Losers. Reward: Lower-grade potion. Do you wish to use it now?"

"Use it."

As a surge of violent energy poured into his body, Feng Yao felt his bones and muscles trembling. With a few muffled thuds from within his body, the strengthening finally came to an end. At that moment, he felt his mind and body were much lighter, and he felt stronger. Perhaps it wasn't just his imagination, but Feng Yao felt he had grown a little taller.

"Well done, as expected of my child."

"From now on, we are ninjas who can stand on our own."

The area outside the school was crowded with all sorts of people; parents were busy praising their children, leaving only Naruto sitting alone on that familiar swing.

Feng Yao had also arrived beside his father, as his parents placed great importance on an event as significant as the graduation exam.

"Did you hear? Only two kids failed, and he's one of them."

"Hmph, it's only natural to fail when you hang around that demon fox."

"Hey, don't go talking nonsense here."

"Feng Yao, what's wrong with you? Have you had something on your mind lately? I thought your training had been going quite well."

Seeing that his son hadn't passed, Feng Yao's father furrowed his brows and let out a silent sigh.

"I'm sorry, Father."

Feng Yao offered a solemn and sincere apology to the father of this world, not just for failing the exam, but for what he was about to do next.

His father was taken aback as he looked at Feng Yao; his son had always been far more mature than his peers, and in all his memories, he had never seen such an expression on Feng Yao's face before. He patted Feng Yao on the shoulder.

"Forget it, try harder next time. Father believes in you."

The swing nearby was now empty; Naruto had already left. At this moment, he would encounter Mizuki and, under Mizuki's manipulation, be led to steal the Scroll of Seals. Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for him to steal the Scroll of Seals on his own, but if the scroll were brought out by Naruto, things might be different.

"Father, I have some business to attend to. Please... take care."

With those words, Feng Yao leaped away several times and vanished. He was now going to track Mizuki and Naruto.