System quest and the Great Fireball

After the trouble with the elder blew over, Uchiha Rìtiān's ice cream business not only remained unaffected but grew even more popular.

After all, even an elder hadn't been able to do anything to him. What did that mean? It meant Uchiha Rìtiān had powerful backing!

As for who was backing him... everyone had their own guesses. Some said he was the clan head's illegitimate son, while others said he was some important figure's last personal disciple. The rumors grew more outlandish with every telling.

Uchiha Rìtiān nearly burst out laughing when he heard these rumors. An illegitimate son? You people have way too much imagination.

Still, he was happy to let things stay that way. The more famous he became, the better business would be.

That evening, Uchiha Rìtiān lay in bed counting his money—mentally, of course. He had already hidden all his silver in a secret spot only he knew about.

Just as he was calculating how long it would take him to become Konoha's richest man at this rate, the system notification he hadn't heard in so long suddenly sounded.

Ding! Host's current status detected. New quest triggered!

Uchiha Rìtiān's eyes lit up. A quest? Finally, a new quest!

Quest name: Fire Release Basics.

Quest requirement: Learn Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique within one month and successfully cast it.

Quest rewards: Optimized Chakra Extraction Technique, Fire Release affinity +1.

Failure penalty: Confiscation of all current assets.

Uchiha Rìtiān: "..."

Confiscate all my assets? System, are you the devil?

Learn the Great Fireball in a month? That's a C-rank ninjutsu! Most ninja apprentices have to practice with chakra for three to five years before they can start learning ninjutsu. For a C-rank technique like the Great Fireball, even a genius couldn't hope to master it without six months to a year.

Wait... Something suddenly occurred to Uchiha Rìtiān, and his eyes lit up.

That's not right. I'm a man with a system! Can't I buy skills from it?

"System, system, can I buy the Great Fireball Technique?"

Host's request received. Issuing temporary options now-

Option one: Spend five hundred ryo of silver to purchase Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique (proficient level).

Option two: Decline the purchase and train slowly on your own.

Uchiha Rìtiān: "..." Five hundred ryo? Why don't you just rob me!

His entire fortune only amounted to a little over three hundred ryo. Five hundred? Where was he supposed to get that?

Forget it. Five hundred it is. It's better than failing the quest and losing everything. Besides, a proficient-level Great Fireball is an absolute steal!

"I choose option one!" Uchiha Rìtiān said through gritted teeth.

Ding! Deducting five hundred ryo of silver from the host... insufficient balance detected. The remaining amount will be deducted from future income until fully paid.

Uchiha Rìtiān: "..." You even offer installment payments? How considerate of you, system.

The next moment, an enormous flood of information poured into Uchiha Rìtiān's mind.

Every technique, trick, and precaution involved in Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique was imprinted in his mind, as though he had already practiced it for over a decade.

Uchiha Rìtiān felt as if he could open his mouth right now and spit out a massive fireball whose power would definitely rival an ordinary Chunin's.

Awesome! This is so awesome!

But despite his excitement, Uchiha Rìtiān soon calmed down.

There was a problem-although he had now mastered the Great Fireball at the proficient level, he couldn't show it!

He was only five! A five-year-old who hadn't even attended the Ninja Academy suddenly knowing the Great Fireball Technique, at the proficient level no less-wasn't that asking to die?

Forget the elders; even the Third Hokage would probably come to study him personally.

No, no. I absolutely can't expose this.

Uchiha Rìtiān rubbed his chin and thought it over. The quest required him to learn the Great Fireball within a month. In other words, he had to find a suitable opportunity during that month to "learn" it.

Not too early-that would be too startling. But not too late either, or he would fail the quest.

The ideal situation would be for a suitable teacher to teach him, and then he would learn exceptionally quickly thanks to his "extraordinary talent." That would make sense.

A teacher... Itachi immediately came to Uchiha Rìtiān's mind.

Right! Isn't Itachi the perfect teacher?

Itachi was seven now and already a renowned genius among the Uchiha. Having him teach Rìtiān Fire Release couldn't be more reasonable.

But he couldn't just go up and ask Itachi to teach him, could he? That would look far too deliberate. He needed to find a way to make Itachi offer to teach him.

Early the next morning, Uchiha Rìtiān brought two ice creams and ran to the place where Itachi usually trained.

Sure enough, Itachi was already training there. Despite his young age, every movement was precise and disciplined. It was clear he took it very seriously.

When Itachi took a break, Uchiha Rìtiān immediately ran over and offered him an ice cream. "Big Brother Itachi, take a break and have some ice cream!"

Itachi glanced at him, accepted the ice cream, and said evenly, "Thank you."

Uchiha Rìtiān chuckled and sat nearby, eating his ice cream as he watched Itachi train.

After watching for a while, Uchiha Rìtiān feigned curiosity and asked, "Big Brother Itachi, was that ninjutsu you just used? It was amazing!"

Itachi nodded. "It was Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

Uchiha Rìtiān's eyes lit up as he put on a yearning expression. "Wow! The Great Fireball Technique? Even the name sounds amazing! I want to learn it too!"

Itachi glanced at him. "You're still too young. You might not even be able to extract chakra properly. You can't learn ninjutsu yet."

"I can extract chakra!" Uchiha Rìtiān immediately replied. "My dad taught me! Look if you don't believe me!"

As he spoke, Uchiha Rìtiān began extracting chakra, letting a small, faint stream flow around his fingertips. Of course, he was deliberately controlling it.

Itachi looked a little surprised. "You really can extract chakra? And... you have quite a bit of it."

Uchiha Rìtiān raised his chin proudly. "Of course! I'm a genius!"

The corner of Itachi's mouth twitched slightly. A genius... who calls themselves a genius?

Uchiha Rìtiān pressed his advantage. "Big Brother Itachi, please teach me! I promise I'll study hard!"

Itachi hesitated and was just about to speak when a shout suddenly came from the distance. "Itachi! Uchiha Rìtiān! So this is where you are!"

Uchiha Rìtiān turned to look. It was Shisui Uchiha.

Shisui strode over and said with a smile, "You're really something, Uchiha Rìtiān. Everyone in the clan is talking about you. They say you even talked Elder Zen into leaving."

Uchiha Rìtiān chuckled. "Just luck. Just luck."

Shisui ruffled his hair, then said to Itachi, "Itachi, the clan head wants to see you. It seems to be about next month's Youth Competition."

Itachi nodded. "Understood."

Then Itachi glanced at Uchiha Rìtiān. "If you want to learn the Great Fireball... come find me here at this time tomorrow."

Uchiha Rìtiān froze, then lit up with delight. "Really? That's great! Thank you, Big Brother Itachi!"

Itachi said nothing more and turned to leave with Shisui.

Uchiha Rìtiān watched Itachi walk away, inwardly overjoyed. Plan successful!

With Itachi as his "teacher," it would only make sense for him to learn the Great Fireball. He would have to make his performance convincing, though.

As Uchiha Rìtiān was thinking this over, the system notification sounded again.

Ding! Host detected to be about to begin Fire Release training. Choice triggered-

Option one: Dutifully study under Itachi and learn the Great Fireball after ten days. Reward: Itachi's favorability +10.

Option two: Sneak off to train alone and become "self-taught" after three days. Reward: Fire Release proficiency +1.

Uchiha Rìtiān: "..." Is that even a choice? Option one, obviously!

Itachi's favorability was a rare resource, worth far more than some Fire Release proficiency.

"I choose option one!"

Ding! Selection successful. The reward will be issued upon quest completion.

Uchiha Rìtiān nodded in satisfaction, then headed home humming a little tune.

What he didn't know, however, was that after he left, a masked figure slowly emerged from the grove where he had just been speaking with Itachi.

"Wanting to learn the Great Fireball at five... and already able to extract chakra..."

The voice beneath the mask carried a hint of amusement.

"Uchiha Retsu's son... what a surprise."

The wind rustled through the grove, and the Masked Man's figure soon vanished from the spot.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Rìtiān was lying on his stomach on his bed, happily planning his future, completely unaware that someone off-the-charts dangerous had already set his sights on him.