"Witnessed and significantly altered a side storyline: Lost Cat Mission.
Witness Points gained: 5 (×8)."
Hidden on a nearby rooftop, Akio allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
"An unexpected bonus. That pushes me to 700."
He hadn't interfered with the cat mission at all. He'd figured he might scrape together a few points just for being around.
Instead, things had shifted on their own.
Team Seven never received the assignment.
The job had gone to an entirely different squad, one that didn't even exist in the original timeline.
Team Eleven.
On paper, they were impressive. In overall strength, they might even edge out Team Seven.
Their lineup:
Ōtsutsuki Toneri, top graduate of the class.
Uchiha Hoshino, ranked fourth.
Sai, ranked fifth.
At first glance, bystanders would just see three strikingly good-looking boys.
Except one of them wasn't a boy at all.
"Uchiha Hoshino," Akio muttered. "Boy's name. Boy's looks. Surprisingly handsome. Except she's a girl. The ninja world never fails to surprise."
He'd seen her around Naruto's class plenty of times and had always assumed she was Uchiha Yun's younger brother.
Turns out?
Younger sister.
If Sai was the embodiment of pale ink, Hoshino was the reverse dark-haired, sharp-eyed, and radiating quiet intensity.
Their jonin instructor made Akio smile faintly.
Nohara Rin.
Well, Uchiha Rin now.
She had married Obito the previous year. After everything they'd endured, the wedding had felt almost surreal. Akio had worn such a nostalgic expression that Obito had nearly cried on the spot, convinced his former mentor was simply overwhelmed with happiness for him.
After marrying, Rin stepped down as head of Konoha's medical division, intending to focus on family life.
Awkwardly enough… a year later, there was still no baby.
She'd spent twelve months effectively on standby. Any longer and she'd start climbing the walls.
Akio had eventually suggested that Obito assign her a graduating team for a while.
Now she strode down the street, holding the mission's captured cat by the scruff with one hand while the three genin followed behind her.
"Twenty-seven," Akio murmured. "Still young. But if she hits thirty with no child…"
He chuckled darkly.
"Obito's getting a 'special tonic.'"
After the cat mission wrapped up, Akio shadowed Team Seven for two more days.
Planting rice.
Pulling weeds.
Hauling lumber.
Not a single Witness Point.
He finally stopped hoping for lucky breaks.
It was time to prepare for the real event.
The Land of Waves mission.
Director Uzumaki had already cast the roles and secured the stage.
All that remained… was for the curtain to rise.
It was early February, Year 60 of Konoha. The Chunin Exams would take place at the end of June, four months away.
Akio decided to give the three rookies breathing room first.
Sakura had three advanced manuals from him and needed time to internalize them.
Sasuke's training required no supervision.
As for Naruto…
It was time to unveil something serious.
Late February, Konoha Year 60.
Training Ground Forty, dense forest terrain.
Akio turned to Naruto.
"Do you know why I brought you here?"
Naruto beamed. "You're finally teaching me a new jutsu, right? This is where I learned Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Akio nodded. "Good. You're not completely hopeless."
Naruto scratched his head. "Wait… was that a compliment?"
Akio extended his right hand.
Blue chakra spiraled into a tight sphere.
"Rasengan."
The compressed energy sphere slammed into a nearby tree.
It exploded apart in a shower of splinters.
Naruto's face cycled rapidly through shock, disbelief, and unfiltered joy.
"You're teaching me that?! A real attack jutsu?!"
Akio nodded calmly.
"I created this in my younger days. It's not perfect. There are stronger evolutions."
He demonstrated:
"Big ball Rasengan."
"Wind Release: Rasengan."
"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken."
A massive vortex of chakra carved through the forest.
"And this, Massive Spiral Vortex ah, better not throw this one."
He dispelled the dense black sphere in his hand before it could obliterate what remained of the training ground.
That final version was the pinnacle, an extreme refinement of wind-nature chakra. Even Naruto would need years to master it.
Naruto was already grinning so hard his face hurt.
"Want to learn?" Akio asked.
He clapped his hands together.
"Wood Style: Forest Restoration."
Saplings burst from the earth, rapidly restoring the devastated clearing.
Naruto nodded so hard it looked painful.
"I want to learn!"
Akio pulled a water balloon from thin air and held it out.
"Then you'll start by bursting this."
Pop.
Akio's face went dark.
"Not with your finger, you idiot!"
"Ohhh."
Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly… then bent down and began taking off his shoe.
Akio sighed in relief.
At least he hadn't reached for his pants.
Yet.
Naruto's progress exceeded expectations.
Akio immediately taught him how to use Shadow Clones to stabilize the chakra rotation and reduce the difficulty. Combined with Naruto's improved chakra control compared to the original timeline, he mastered Rasengan in just half a month.
Witness Points gained: 40.
Another half month to refine it.
Another half month for sparring.
By the end of March, Akio finally declared:
"Action."
Hokage's Office.
Four years into the job, Obito had matured considerably, but around Kakashi, he was still casual.
"Perfect timing, Kakashi. I've got a mission suited for your team."
Naruto muttered under his breath, "We're not suited for weeding fields, that's for sure."
Obito's lips twitched.
"This one's C-rank. Mr. Tazuna."
Kakashi frowned slightly as an elderly man with gray hair and round glasses stepped into the room.
"C-rank?"
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Does that mean actual combat?"
Sasuke and Sakura straightened. Anything beat babysitting and landscaping.
Tazuna adjusted his glasses, looking over the team.
"These are the ninja assigned to my escort?"
"That's right," Obito replied. "The blond one is Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto blinked. "Me?"
Tazuna studied him closely, then suddenly pulled him into a firm hug.
"You're Princess Kushina's boy, aren't you? Just like I thought! A born champion!"
Naruto's brain short-circuited.
"I...I am?"
"I'm Tazuna, a bridge builder from Wave Harbor. I'm counting on you to see me home safely."
"Wave Harbor?" Naruto tilted his head. "I think I've heard of it… maybe?"
Tazuna laughed warmly. "Tiny place. Nothing someone destined for greatness like you needs to worry about."
"Destined for greatness…"
Naruto practically floated.
Sasuke and Sakura both rolled their eyes.
Kakashi scratched his head and glanced at Obito, whose expression had turned subtly strange.
"This mission…?"
Obito waved it off.
"You're good to go. Just be careful."
Tazuna briefly lifted his head and shot Obito a quick, nearly imperceptible glare.