This Game of Life

Prologue

New Game

I stared.

Name: Haruno Sakura
Class: The Gamer
Level: LV 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
STR: 10
VIT: 5
DEX: 5
INT: 25
WIS: 10
LUK: 10
Points: 0

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?"

After calming down a tad (and getting a stern talking-to from my mother about the use of 'unladylike' words, throughout which Daddy couldn't stop laughing), I looked at this carefully. There seemed to be an entire menu..? Curious, I looked at it, finding a myriad of options and I didn't even know where to start. I selected 'Skills' to begin with. That seemed to make the most sense.

Substitution Technique (Active) LV1 EXP: 93.67%
A technique granted to shinobi long ago, after they won the favour of the Log. Or maybe it was just created, like any other technique.
Replaces user with another object. MP used depends on user's INT, distance from object, and size of object compared with the user's size.

Clone Technique (Active) LV1 EXP: 68.80%
A technique that creates an illusionary clone, that is only useful for diversionary tactics.
Creates a clone of the user (Illusionary). MP used depends on user's INT.

Transformation Technique (Active) LV2 EXP: 32.96%
A technique that casts an illusion over the user, changing their appearance to whatever they desire.
Casts an illusionary veil over the user, transforming them. Can be dispelled by a touch. MP continuously used as long as the technique is active.

Sweet! I have three skills! Wait… is that good or bad? I really have no idea, I need to find out more about this. Looking at each skill, though, all three of them referenced this MP thing. What was that? I saw it on my… description thingy, but what was it? Come to think of it, there was no chakra section there... And what was up with that, too? I only had 5 VIT and DEX! Although, I had no idea what that actually meant, true… But that's not the point! I have 25 INT, why can't I have 25 everything? Shaking my head, I looked again, to make sure I hadn't missed anything, and it turned out I had. There was another skill, called Observe. Using it let me… observe things. More specifically, it gave me some information on whatever I used it on. I used it on a lot of the things in my room, because I like knowing new things. Didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but that's okay, I like reading the little blurby things that popped up. Although, it started to get a little annoying as they filling up my entire field of vision, and they followed me wherever I went. Gotta figure out how to close these… Oh, the red x in the top right corner. In hindsight, that was pretty obvious. I clicked on the other things on the menu, but the only thing that made any sense to me was the 'Status' thing. It brought up my description summary number thing, and also a new thing, called 'Status Effects'. I looked at that tab, and apparently I had two of them.

Gamer's Body (Passive) LV MAX:
Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game.
After sleep in a bed, restore all HP, MP and status effects.

Gamer's Mind (Passive) LV MAX:
Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through.
Allows the user to have a peaceful state of mind.
Grants immunity to psychological status effects.

Wait, Gamer's Mind and Body? …Was someone pulling a prank on me? There's no way I was in a videogame or something like that. Actually, reading the effects again, it said that it lets me live the real world like a game. Cool..? I mean, I've never been one for games, so… It was cool, I guess, but not suited for me. But it's not like I knew how to get rid of it, so… I decided to go read, and I'd go to bed when I felt tired. Maybe it'd go away.

I knew something was wrong when I was on my third book of the night and I could hear birds chirping outside, and I still didn't feel the least bit tired. What? It didn't make any sense to me… Checking my clock, it was only 5:30. I could finish this one up before training.

Training was… weird. It all started out the same, me being the first there, then Sasuke-kun, then Naruto. But, strangely, though I still felt attracted to Sasuke-kun, it wasn't… overshadowing everything else, if that makes any sense. Normally, I'd run over and say hi immediately, but… I didn't. I just clearly thought out how Sasuke would react to that, so I didn't. I knew he wouldn't like it. Just the same with Naruto. He was still kinda annoying… but not as much he had been yesterday, even though he was doing the exact same thing. And I wasn't getting super mad at him over really small things. It was unusual, but I liked it. Naruto being less annoying, and I know how to approach Sasuke-kun better? Score!

The weirdest bit though was the actual training part of it. It was the same as always, running laps and target practice, but as I was throwing kunai and shuriken, a funny little box popped up in front of me.

Continuous work on your aim has caused your DEX to increase by one!

I checked my status thingy, and sure enough, my DEX was now 6. And funnily enough, I hit more targets from then on. This game thing was really persistent. I'm sure it was someone playing a joke… but not getting tired was weird. And now I suddenly was calm around Naruto and… thought things through with Sasuke-kun? I checked the description of Gamer's Mind again, quickly, and it was right there, plain as day. I was definitely exhibiting the signs of it actually affecting me. And if that was real… then that meant all of it was. That was mindblowing, purely because it meant not only did I not have to sleep, but I was healed for it, too! But, thinking of the Gamer's Body, it still confused me. What did living life like a game actually mean? It was irritatingly vague… maybe it only referred to not sleeping. I dunno; I didn't really understand it, and I wouldn't pretend to. It'd clear itself up in time. Probably. And that's if this stuff really was real, and it was permanent! Although… I did think it was pretty cool.

So after all that, I decided to act as if this was real, and that it was to stay. No point going against it if I couldn't see a reason for me to, or a way to get out of it. So I Observed the rest of my team.

The Last Uchiha
LV 9
Uchiha Sasuke

Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja
LV 5
Uzumaki Naruto

?
LV ?
Hatake Kakashi

Whoa. They were that level, and I was only at level one! Naruto, Naruto, the guy who almost didn't even become a ninja, was 5 times my level! I couldn't even see Kakashi-sensei's level, he was that much stronger than me. And they had cool titles, too – well, except for Naruto, and I guess Kakashi-sensei too, given I couldn't, y'know, see it – while I was just stuck with 'The Gamer'. I've never played a videogame in my life, goddammit. But, uh. I could clearly see where the weak link in the team was, at least right now. And as much as I didn't like training, I didn't like being twelve times weaker than Naruto of all people even more. I had some work to do. So I went up to Kakashi-sensei.

"So, sensei? Um, I was thinking about how I could become stronger? And I was wondering if you had any ideas about what I could do."

Kakashi-sensei looked at me, and did that little eye-smiley thingy he does, before responding. "You're actually in a very unique position, Sakura. You have excellent chakra control, and while you have a small chakra pool, that can easily be fixed. You could become a master genjutsu mistress, or a ninjutsu specialist, or a wonderful field medic. But you're also on the cusp of puberty, which means it's the perfect time for your muscles to truly develop. Of course, you'll be at a disadvantage against those who have been at it for longer than you, but you could easily move into the more physical arts of taijutsu and kenjutsu. I can help you with all of them, but… there are better teachers than me in Konoha. My advice to you? Don't overspecialise. Become a jounin genjutsu mistress that can match one of the Seven Swordsmen in kenjutsu. Be a master taijutsu specialist that uses defensive ninjutsu to defend against long range fighters. Make sure you always have an option, no matter who you come up against."

Wow. That was… a lot. I should've expected something like that, though, considering he is meant to be one of the Leaf's best ninja. "Well… can you help me with all four?"

"I can give you a scroll for genjutsu, and exercises to help with your chakra capacity for ninjutsu. The academy style doesn't really suit you, and before you learn kenjutsu, you'll need to pick a weapon that you want to learn first. But Might Guy is our premier taijutsu expert. He can help you. And there are many kenjutsu masters, like Uzuki Yuugao, and Gekko Hayate. I would ask around."

"But you're my sensei."

"So? That doesn't mean I'm the only one allowed to teach you. I have the final say in what you are taught, yes, but you can go and seek out other instruction."

"Okay." I smiled. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

Sitting on my bed, I sighed, staring out the window. Kakashi-sensei made it sound easy! I found Might Guy just fine, but he refused to teach me formally, unless I would like to join his personal training with one of his students. After seeing what they were doing, I vehemently refused – that stuff was insane! He agreed to give me a few pointers, and once I was 'ready', to help me pick out a style for me to use, but that was it. Gekko-san was apparently on a long-term mission, and I couldn't find any records whatsoever on Uzuki Yuugao's whereabouts, only that she was a kenjutsu mistress, like Kakashi-sensei had said. And there was no way I could afford anything even resembling a practical weapon, let alone one made out of chakra conducting materials, which I would definitely need if I was gonna be serious with my kenjutsu. It was frustrating. But, I suppose, I have that scroll Kakashi-sensei gave me. I pulled it out, unrolling it to begin reading the contents, when a window popped up.

Would you like to learn the skill 'Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings'? Y/N

That was… actually to be expected, considering how the game-thingy already treated my skills. I of course tapped yes, and watched, as the scroll dissolved into blue light, and information suddenly flooded into my brain.

Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings (Active) LV1 EXP: 0.00%

Casts a veil over a defined area, changing its appearance. Anyone who steps into the area of effect falls under the genjutsu, and it cannot be disrupted from an outside source. However, those with sufficient skill can see through the illusion.
Casts an illusionary veil over a defined area. Area of effect is variable. Maximum area of effect radius: 25 meters.

Interesting. Seems like it could be useful, but… it wasn't really a battle technique. I suppose Kakashi-sensei wanted me to get used to genjutsu as a whole first, before giving me an actual fighting technique to learn. I can understand that. One… slight problem, however. No handseals were listed in that description, and with the scroll gone, I certainly couldn't use that to learn them… Dammit. But the ability clearly saw it as being learnt… On a whim, under my breath, I whispered the name of the technique, staring at the street outside my house, and visualising a bench in one of the bare spots beside the road. I was far outside the listed maximum radius, but, somehow, a ghostly, translucent image of the wooden bench appeared, right where I wanted it. And, as I saw a civilian come puffing down the road, look at it, and sit, only to fall through it completely, I shut off the technique.

I could use a technique I never had even used before without handseals, without any trouble. Was that just because I was good at genjutsu? Or… was it another part of the ability? Quickly, I tested out the other skills I had access to, achieving the same result. It was… insane. I'd never have to spend time learning or practicing handseals! And that may sound like it would have little to no effect, but considering that that is what ninja, on average, spend the most time on? It propelled me forward in ways that my raw stats couldn't express. It meant I could respond instantly with any technique I knew without even thinking about it. It was amazing. …Of course, though, for it to be any use, I'd need skills that could actually make a difference in most fights… I still had a long way to go.

AN: And here it is, folks. The first chapter of the rewrite. Oh, man, do I have plans for this story. Let's hope that we reach them this time.