Linked to Naruto, Gained the Uzumaki Bloodline

Night fell quickly.

The darkness was ink-black, and moonlight was scarce.

In the forest on Konoha's back mountain, an orange figure crept through the trees, clutching a huge scroll to his chest as he ran, panting.

Naruto Uzumaki.

"Heh, Mizuki-sensei said that if I learn a Ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals, I can graduate!"

He stopped in a clearing and eagerly opened the scroll, reading the first Ninjutsu by moonlight.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique... This is the first one? It looks amazing!"

Less than ten meters away, Zuo Hao leaned against the trunk of a large tree, arms folded and one foot planted on a branch. He had almost vanished into the shadows.

Through a gap in the leaves, Zuo Hao watched Naruto, a faint, unreadable smile on his lips.

Option three: help Naruto obtain the Scroll of Seals and protect him from the shadows.

The reward was one Bond Link opportunity.

That was a good deal.

Bond Link opportunities were far too rare. In five years, the system had given him only two: one when he first bonded with Obito, and one as a reward for the Graduation Exam just now.

Now a third opportunity was right in front of him. He had no reason to pass it up.

As for a ten percent increase in chakra reserves and the Konoha High Command's goodwill... honestly, he didn't care much for either.

He could build up his chakra through training. The higher-ups' goodwill was worth even less than nothing. Where had it been when the Uchiha Clan was wiped out?

Zuo Hao exhaled softly. A cold glint flashed through his eyes and vanished.

In the clearing below, Naruto had already sat cross-legged and begun clumsily forming Hand Seals according to the diagrams on the scroll.

"Ram, snake, tiger... No, that's wrong. Is it like this?"

Watching Naruto concentrate, Zuo Hao felt a rare touch of warmth.

The kid might be slow, but there was something endearing about his refusal to give up.

Besides, he was the Fourth Hokage's son, the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, and the only person in the original story who had never given up on Sasuke.

For that alone, Zuo Hao would make sure he got through tonight unharmed.

Time ticked by.

Naruto's talent wasn't much to speak of, but the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique might as well have been made for him.

Drawing on the Nine-Tails' immense chakra within him, he managed to get the hang of it in just over an hour.

Then Zuo Hao sensed someone else approaching.

Here he comes.

Silver hair, round glasses, a gentle smile.

Mizuki emerged from the far side of the forest, wearing a false smile Zuo Hao saw through at once. "Naruto, did you find it?"

"Mizuki-sensei!" Naruto held up the scroll excitedly. "I did it! I learned the first Ninjutsu!"

"Did you? That's wonderful." Mizuki came closer, glancing at the scroll as his hand slipped toward the ninja-tool pouch behind his back. "But Naruto, it's time to hand that scroll over to me."

"Huh? But I wanted to learn a few more..."

Before Naruto could finish, Mizuki's expression changed.

His gentle look twisted into a snarl, and the hand reaching for the scroll drew a Kunai instead.

"You idiot! You're a worthless dead-last! Did you really think you could graduate? Hand over the Scroll of Seals!"

The Kunai flashed coldly in the moonlight.

Naruto froze, shock and confusion filling his eyes. "Mizuki-sensei... you..."

"He lied to you."

A cool voice came from the treetop above them.

Mizuki jerked his head up and saw a pair of crimson eyes shining in the darkness.

The Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

The power of Indra's Chakra had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in him outright.

Zuo Hao leaped down from the tree, landing almost soundlessly.

He stood in front of Naruto and looked Mizuki straight in the eye.

"He never intended to let you graduate. He only wanted to use you to steal the Scroll of Seals, then kill you to cover his tracks."

Mizuki's pupils contracted sharply. He took an instinctive half-step back. "Sa... Sahiro Uchiha? What are you doing here?!"

"Passing by." Zuo Hao tilted his head, the corner of his mouth lifting. "And watching an idiot put on a show."

"You—!"

"Hold on." Zuo Hao raised a hand, cutting him off. "If I were you, I'd run. Iruka-sensei should be here soon, and the Third Hokage's people won't be far behind."

Mizuki's face went deathly pale.

He stared at Zuo Hao. Murderous intent, fear, and resentment flickered through his eyes, but reason won out in the end.

"Sahiro Uchiha... I'll remember this!" Mizuki gritted his teeth, turned, and vanished into the depths of the forest.

Only then did Naruto come to his senses. He opened his mouth. "Zuo Hao? You... how did you..."

"Don't ask." Zuo Hao turned and flicked Naruto on the forehead. "Remember two things. First, Mizuki lied to you from the start. Second, Iruka-sensei truly believes in you."

Footsteps sounded in the distance. Iruka was arriving with the Search Team.

Zuo Hao stepped back, merging into the shadows once more.

"Give the Scroll of Seals back to Iruka. He'll help you sort out the aftermath."

"You're leaving?" Naruto turned quickly, but all he saw was Zuo Hao walking away.

"Yeah." Zuo Hao waved without looking back. "See you at the team assignments tomorrow, dead-last."

Naruto stood there, gripping the enormous Scroll of Seals against his chest, and shouted after the fading figure, "I'm not a dead-last! I'm going to become Hokage!!!"

Zuo Hao didn't turn around.

But the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

A blue screen appeared before his eyes once more.

[Mission complete.]

[Helped Naruto obtain the Scroll of Seals and protected him from the shadows.]

[Reward issued: Bond Link opportunity ×1.]

Zuo Hao didn't go straight home.

He skirted the outskirts of the ruined Uchiha Clan Compound and stopped beneath an old camphor tree.

The night wind rustled through the leaves. Clouds covered half the moon, leaving the light dim and mottled—just enough for him to see.

He raised his right hand and spread his fingers slightly.

The system's blue screen unfolded before his eyes.

[Bond Link opportunities: 1]

[Scanning for eligible targets...]

[Highly compatible target detected within scan range: Naruto Uzumaki.]

[Link reward: Uzumaki Clan bloodline (enhanced physique, greatly increased chakra reserves, greater vitality, increased Nine-Tails Chakra Affinity)]

[Establish Bond Link?]

The Uzumaki Clan's bloodline. They were distant relatives of the Senju Clan.

Born with vast chakra reserves and extraordinary vitality, they were masters of Sealing Jutsu and widely considered to have the ideal constitution for becoming Jinchūriki.

And now the key to that bloodline was in his hands.

"Establish the link."

Zuo Hao didn't hesitate.

[Confirming Bond Link with Naruto Uzumaki.]

[Establishing link... Link successful!]

[Current Bond Level: Lv. 1]

[Obtained: Uzumaki Clan bloodline]

Warmth burst from his chest, and his chakra began growing rapidly. It continued for about ten minutes.

He looked down at his hands and murmured, "My chakra keeps growing. With the Uzumaki Clan bloodline, Indra's Chakra, and the chakra I've cultivated myself, it won't be long before I have Kage Level chakra..."

Zuo Hao slowly clenched his fist, feeling power surge through his chakra pathways. A smile curved his lips.

Worth it! So worth it!!!