Naruto: Ultimate Couchbound System

Chapter 6.

Konoha, Ninja Academy.

After leaving the staff room, Itsuki walked along with Shikaro in silence, his mind racing. The percentage bar floating above Kazuya's head gnawed at him.

"If only this crappy system had a more detailed usage manual." Complained Itsuki inwardly, casually pulling out the system panel next moment.

{Ultimate Couchbound System}

Couchbound Points: 8

"Huh? Weren't they supposed to be 7?"

His daily routine since joining the academy had earned him exactly one point per day, which was already a massive improvement from his time before the academy. It took him a whole year before to just gather 100 couchbound points, but with the speed he was earning them at academy he would end up with minimum 300 in a year.

Just this morning his points had reached 7 but now he had earned another point in a single day, his mind racing and progress bar he had seen earlier couldn't help but come into his mind again, most likely the reason behind this extra point.

Thinking of this he glanced back at the staff room, half-tempted to go back and take another look again but Shikaro's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"You are spacing out more than usual" Shikaro said, yawning. "Lack of sleep?"

"Umm… maybe" Agreed Itsuki absentmindedly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Shikaro just shrugged his shoulders at his response and separated, going toward the restrooms.

As they separated, Itsuki's mind churned. If that percentage increases, do I get more points? How? The system offered no hints. Was it tied to Kazuya's approval? His frustration? His existence?

He complained again. "Why does my system have to be so cryptic!?"

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Hokage Building, Hokage Office.

Second Hokage Senju Tobirama sat behind his desk, his sharp crimson eyes scanning a scroll marked with urgent seals. The room smelled of ink and tension.

"Border Skirmishes between villages have doubled this month," Tobirama said coldly. "Iwagakure and Sunagakure's are attacking at our posts on the border together, the former is even trying to create conflicts with Kumogakure."

Standing before him were Sarutobi Hiruzen, in his twenties but already a seasoned jonin, and Uchiha Kagami, one of the few Uchiha that Tobirama tolerated.

"The daimyo's council is divided," Hiruzen added. "Some say we should strike first. Some fear our attacks might give birth to an even more strong coalition."

Tobirama's fingers drummed rhythmically against the desk. "War became inevitable the moment my brother died. Yet Konoha *cannot* be perceived as the aggressor." He took a deliberate breath before continuing. "Stall. Contain the border clashes for now. Let Iwa's aggression toward Kumo play out—we'll gauge their response before committing to larger action." 

The talk then took a turn to the internal matters of the village, Tobirama turning towards Kagami. "What of the Uchiha?"

Kagami hesitated. "Uchiha Setsuna… he's rallying remnants of Madara's faction. Whispers of Senju monopolizing the power and pushing Uchiha to the margins are increasing within the clan everyday"

Tobirama's expression darkened. "What about Chief Takashi? What's his stance on this?"

"Patriarch has more of a neutral stance which clearly shows he's indecisive at the same time. He fears siding with one faction as that ultimately will anger the other. Although he has good intentions and doesn't want the unity in the clan to be affected but the way things are delaying will only make it worse" Told Kagami his honest opinion, a thoughtful look appearing on Tobirama's face at his words.

After a while of thinking Tobirama finally seemed to have come up with something, narrowing his eyes a little. "Aside from Setsuna himself, is there any other high rank uchiha supporting his cause?" Inquired Tobirama in a chilly tone, having come up with a plan already.

"Aside from some elders who basically have no fighting ability left, no one else" Answered Kagami after giving Tobirama's question a deep thought.

"Then it's simple, Setsuna must be aware that for his plan to succeed he needs someone who at least rivals or is very close to him in terms of personal strength, someone who has a huge say in the clan like him and Takashi"

"If he has someone like that not only he can make up for the gap in lack of top combat force and may even be able to recruit more Uchiha to his cause and we will provide him this person"

There was a momentary silence in the office as both Kagami and Hiruzen tried to understand his plan, Hiruzen after a while breaking the silence. "You mean planting a spy close to Setsuna, But, who aside from Kagami can act as a spy for us and has strength and prestige enough to influence others?"

"Who aside from Kagami that we can trust in Uchiha Clan?" Hiruzen fired a series of questions as this plan had requirements which seemed impossible to meet.

Tobirama didn't immediately satisfy Hiruzen's curiosity as standing from his chair he arrived near the window and overlooked the whole village, his back facing both Kagami and Hiruzen.

"So much blood shed… so many compromises made for this village to rise from chaos, I won't allow Madara's ghost to destroy it!"

Saying that Tobirama took a deep breath and his crimson eyes showed a cold look. "Arrange Chief Takashi's family to be relocated to an untraceable place and then invite him for a cup of tea"