"Xiao Zhi, sorry for the trouble, but please go notify all the members to come to the Everything Shop for a meeting tonight."
Bai Lin smiled warmly, but his tone was flat as he said, "While you're at it, tell Yamamoto Toru, A-Li, and Xiao Ya they can come if they want. If they don't—"
"Take back their bracelets. From today on, there's no place for them at the Everything Shop."
His gaze cooled slightly as he finished.
"School should be letting out soon, right?" Bai Lin looked up toward the Konoha Ninja Academy outside the window, the corner of his mouth lifting in a faint smile.
"I'll go pick up Minato. Leave the rest to you."
"Boss..." Xiao Zhi opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something.
"Go," Bai Lin interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument.
But the Ninja Academy had let out ages ago. It was already too late to go now!
Xiao Zhi grumbled inwardly. Seeing that Bai Lin was in a good mood, and assuming he knew what he was doing, Xiao Zhi said no more and hurried out.
After Xiao Zhi left, Bai Lin straightened his clothes and walked out of the Everything Shop with a smile.
I can't believe you chose to betray me when I was at my happiest. Perfect. Your failure will make for a fine show.
Yamamoto Toru, since you're looking to die, I'll grant your wish.
The streets of Konoha were lively at this hour. Children chased each other around, villagers chatted in small groups, and now and then a ninja flashed across the rooftops. The village was filled with Konoha's familiar peace and vitality.
Bai Lin walked through the crowd, his long hair tied up with a wooden hairpin. His strikingly handsome face drew frequent glances from passersby.
"Off to pick up Minato again, little Lin?" The proprietress of the bun shop on the corner leaned out and waved at Bai Lin with a smile. "You must be especially fond of that boy."
Bai Lin paused and returned her smile. "Good to see you, Sister Konghua! Minato's talented and mild-mannered. He's a true heir to the Will of Fire, and I have high hopes for him."
"If little Lin thinks highly of someone, they must be exceptional. He's sure to become an outstanding ninja someday."
"Here, take these freshly steamed buns and share them with Minato."
Bai Lin accepted the buns she held out to him and thanked her.
The members of the Everything Shop had always enjoyed an excellent reputation among the villagers and were well loved by them.
Although Bai Lin taught them never to take so much as a needle or a thread from the villagers, he didn't hold himself to the same rule as their leader.
After all, his system needed money. Every little bit helped.
"Little Lin..."
"Little Lin..."
As Bai Lin walked along Konoha's streets, villagers smiled and greeted him wherever he went.
An old woman selling vegetables pressed a handful of fresh greens into his hands. The flower-shop proprietress teased him with a smile, telling him to find a girlfriend soon so he could take flowers from her shop for free.
Even the patrolling ninjas nodded to him when they saw him. The Everything Shop had earned all this goodwill over the years.
If Bai Lin could rack up a solid record of accomplishments and win the support of most of the jonin on top of his standing with the villagers, he would have a very good chance of competing for the Hokage's seat someday.
"The time is about right. It's time to show what I can do." Bai Lin took a bite of his bun, a glint flashing in his eyes.
"The meager profits the Everything Shop makes each month aren't nearly enough to earn me a large amount of spending money."
Bai Lin had arrived in this world in his own body. He was born unable to mold Chakra, so no amount of effort could make him a ninja.
Aside from relying on the system, he had no other way to become stronger.
Today, he had finally scraped together a million and unlocked the Newbie Value Pack. It had given him the Sasuke Uchiha (Snake Sasuke) template, but his strength was fixed and couldn't improve any further.
Even if he awakened the Sharingan, he wouldn't gain any new ninjutsu or Taijutsu to expand his abilities.
Unless he kept spending money with the system to exchange for draws, he wouldn't be able to advance any further.
"If I want to make money, I'll need power and influence."
"Let's start with a small goal: my game in the Ninja World begins with becoming Hokage."
Just as he set himself that small goal, a red-haired girl suddenly ran toward him through the bustling crowd.
She was running so fast that her vivid red hair streamed behind her like octopus tentacles, making her hard to miss.
"Is she... from the Uzumaki Clan?"
Bai Lin narrowed his eyes as he looked at the girl's red hair.
"I've lived in Konoha for years, but I've never seen anyone from the Uzumaki Clan. With hair that distinctive, could it be her?"
He had arrived in this world long before Naruto's era. The Second Shinobi World War hadn't yet fully erupted in Konoha.
Hanzo of the Salamander hadn't declared war on Sunagakure, Konoha, and the Land of Iron all at once, but the signals coming from the village now and then made Bai Lin think the Second Shinobi World War wasn't far off.
"Since Kushina has already been brought to Konoha, Uzushio Village must have been destroyed by now. She must be one of the last few Uzumaki orphans Konoha found."
Bai Lin quickly ran through the possibilities, his eyes unconsciously brightening with amusement.
He wasn't happy that Uzushio Village had been destroyed. It had nothing to do with him, so he didn't care whether it was destroyed or not.
He'd heard in his previous life that Kushina owned an entire street's worth of property. He wondered if it was true.
If it was, Bai Lin wasn't about to let a little rich girl like her slip away.
Kushina charged straight toward Bai Lin. Now that his Sasuke Uchiha (Snake Sasuke) template had enhanced his abilities, Bai Lin felt his dynamic vision was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
He could see traces of tears in Kushina's reddened eyes.
Understanding flickered across his face. She'd probably been picked on during her first day at the Ninja Academy.
Just before they collided, Kushina turned slightly to dodge him.
Bai Lin saw what she was doing and deliberately stepped into her path to stop her.
"Ow! What are you doing?"
He let the impact knock him backward on purpose. His back slammed hard against the stone road, and the bun in his hand rolled away.
Clutching his arm, he furrowed his brow and cried out in pain.
Kushina stumbled and fell onto the ground. Her red hair spilled messily over her shoulders, and her eyes grew even redder, but she held back her tears and bit her lip. She didn't even look at him. "I... I didn't mean to!"
Her voice quavered with tears, but she stubbornly got back to her feet and turned to run again.
She didn't want anyone to see her in such a sorry state. She just wanted to hide somewhere alone.
"Minato, go stop her. It's bad enough that she ran into me in such a hurry. It'd be worse if she hit another villager."
Bai Lin had already spotted Minato Namikaze, who had been following Kushina all the way there.
He stood on a rooftop, his blond hair shining in the sunset, like someone born to stand on the moral high ground.
At Bai Lin's shout, Minato immediately leaped down, landing neatly a few steps in front of him.
"Boss, she's the new transfer student in our class. Her name is Kushina Uzumaki."
"I'm sorry on her behalf for what just happened. Please forgive her."
He scratched his head, his tone carrying a hint of mischief. "But, Boss, you let her run into you on purpose, didn't you? I saw the whole thing."
"So what if I did?"
Bai Lin brushed the dust from his back and looked up at Minato, his eyes full of amusement. "Now go stop her. It looks like she was mistreated at the Ninja Academy. You didn't do much to help your classmate, did you?"
"You watched a classmate get bullied and just stood by. Is that the Will of Fire you believe in?"
"Looks like you didn't take a word of what I taught you to heart, did you?"
Minato scratched his head. Under Bai Lin's direct gaze, he felt a strange pressure.
"I'm sorry, Boss. Actually, I..." Minato tried to explain.
"Don't explain yourself to me yet. Save it for later. Go stop her first."
Bai Lin still had a cheerful smile on his face, but his tone was flat.
"Got it!" Minato answered at once. Chakra gathered at his feet, and he vanished from Bai Lin's sight.
"Honestly, is my Will of Phosphorus really not as good as the Will of Fire?" Bai Lin shook his head and ambled in the direction Minato had gone.
(Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki: Year 27 of Konoha. They are eight years old this year and will graduate at ten.)
(Nawaki: Year 23 of Konoha. He is twelve years old and will die in the Second Shinobi World War this year.)