Once back in his small apartment, he shut the door behind him and sat down heavily on the floor. The blue panel still hovered faintly in the corner of his vision, waiting.
He started to look more deeply into the system. To understand what it does.
"Status?" He called out, but nothing happened.
"Inventory?" Nothing.
"Observe." Nothing.
He tried many key words but the system didn't give him any reply.
Eventually, he cursed to himself. "Fuck. I don't even know the name of my own system."
As if understanding his frustration, the blue panel immediately changed. Excited, he looked at the new panel, only for his excitement to die down the very next instant. Because there was only a single line on it.
Ideal Growth System
What's that supposed to mean?
He had never read a webnovel or fan fiction with that kind of name before. Ideal Growth. Did it mean the best kind of growth, or did it mean lazy. No, Idle meant lazy. The meaning of Ideal should be perfect. So… perfect growth system…?
"Hey, System? Can you elaborate on what you can do?" He asked, and wasn't really surprised when he got no answer from it.
He'd realised by now that his system wasn't the smartest cookie in the jar. Which was a bit disappointing. But having a stupid system was better than having no system at all.
It still didn't explain why he'd never learned about his system before today. His mind drifted back to the fight. And he quickly realised that the only reason the system had revealed itself was because of that kobold's death. Because of which the system had granted him experience points.
That had to be the key.
He also realised that in past thirteen years of his life, he had never really killed anything before. Well… aside from a few bugs and what not. If he had, perhaps he would've discovered the system much earlier.
He was annoyed at himself for this. But it's not like he could go back in time and change the past. The only think he could do now is move forward with better choices.
Determined to test his system and take full advantage of it, he decided to go on a killing spree.
He began small.
He swatted a fly. Nothing.
He crushed a cockroach in the corner of his room. Still nothing.
His brow furrowed. But he wasn't surprised. If crushing bugs gave experience points, then he would've learned about his system's existence a long time ago.
He left the apartment and wandered into the alleys behind the market, where a rat darted across his path. A quick strike with his kunai ended its life, but again—no panel, no message, no points.
Hours slipped by as his experiments grew more elaborate. He caught a fish from the river and slit it open. He hunted down a pigeon resting on the rooftops. Later, he managed to snare a rabbit in the woods beyond the village. Each time, he watched closely for that faint blue glow.
Nothing.
At least the meat wouldn't go to waste, he consoled himself as he cleaned and stored it in his fridge. But the truth gnawed at him. None of it had counted. None of it had given him even a single point of experience.
The disappointment was sharp, but he wasn't ready to give up yet. There was still one gamble left. One dangerous, reckless, perhaps even suicidal gamble.
He pulled on his sandals, tightened his kunai pouch, and set off.
His destination: Training Ground 44.
The Forest of Death.
—————
Not to toot his own horn, but he wasn't weak. No, he couldn't be compared to a genius like Neji—but then, few could. He had still worked relentlessly to reach this level of strength, and it showed in the exam.
His performance might not have dazzled like Neji's had, but he had still managed to kill the beast in under ten seconds without taking a single injury.
That was why he felt confident about surviving a trip to the Forest of Death.
From what he knew, the forest had been created by the village's founder, Hashirama Senju, back when he was still experimenting with Sage Mode. His control back then hadn't been perfect, which was why the forest had grown so strange and sinister.
The nature chakra there was thick, but warped—corrupted. That corruption had given rise to twisted lifeforms. Trees with bark that looked more like scales than wood. Vines that pulsed faintly, like veins carrying blood. Flowers that reeked of rot but glimmered with colors too vivid to be natural. And everywhere, insects the size of a fist buzzed in swarms, their wings producing a low, constant drone that made the skin crawl.
The deeper one went, the worse it became. Shadows stretched too long beneath the canopy, roots shifted underfoot like restless serpents, and the air carried a constant pressure of predatory intent. It wasn't just a forest—it was a place that wanted you dead.
He was a newly minted genin, yes. But he was far better than most of his peers, and that confidence pushed him forward despite the risk.
It didn't take long for his first adversary to find him. Branches cracked like thunder, and a massive boar burst through the underbrush.
It was grotesque—its body swollen and corded with muscle, patches of stone-like growths jutting from its hide, eyes glowing faintly red. Each snort was a hot gust of foul-smelling air, and its tusks were as long as spears.
The ground trembled as the beast thundered toward him. Roots splintered beneath its hooves, earth sprayed up in clumps, and the sheer weight of it sent shockwaves through the twisted forest floor.
He darted to the side, chakra surging into his legs, and rolled just as a tusk swept past him. The strike smashed into a tree trunk behind him with a boom, splintering the massive thing into chunks of wood that rained down around them.
Landing lightly, he spun his kunai into a reverse grip and launched forward. He slashed at its flank, the blade biting deep enough to draw a gush of hot, steaming blood. The forest floor hissed where the blood touched it, carrying the faint stench of iron mixed with something acrid.
The boar shrieked, and spun far faster than something that size should. Its tusk scythed across the air, forcing him to leap backward or risk being gored. Bark and moss shredded where the tusk grazed past.
He landed on the thick root of a gnarled tree, crouched, then pushed off with chakra-enhanced force. He flew forward, and landed squarely on the beast's broad back. The boar bellowed in rage, thrashing violently, crashing into trees in an effort to shake him loose.
He dug his knees into its hide, clung tight, and drove his kunai down at the base of its neck. The blade sank in, but only shallowly—its skin was tough. Gritting his teeth, he poured chakra into the weapon, reinforcing the edge, and forced it deeper inch by inch.
The boar went berserk, ramming itself against trees. His grip almost slipped when a tusk tore through a boulder, sending shards flying past his face. A scrape of stone cut his cheek, warm blood dripping down—but he didn't let go.
"Fall," he hissed under his breath.
He twisted the blade, angling it into the thick cord of muscle along its neck, and shoved with everything he had.
He must've cut something vital because the next thing he knew, blood gushed out of the wound in a spray, showering him with red. The beast roared one last time, a bone-shaking sound that made birds erupt into the sky, and its legs buckled.
With a ground-shaking crash, the massive boar collapsed onto its side. Its eyes dimmed, its breaths slowed… then, eventually, stopped.
The forest grew quiet again—save for the buzzing of insects, and the thrum of his own racing heartbeat.
He let out a sigh of relief.
Compared to the Kobold he had faced in the exam, the boar was neither as fast nor as durable. But it had been strong enough to remind him that this forest was no place for the weak.
And with its death, the system stirred once more.
1 chakra mutated boar killed!
You've gained 4 experience points!
Level 0 (Next level up: 12/100)
A grin spread across his face. Finally. It had worked.
He tightened his grip on the kunai, glancing at the dark, oppressive, forest around him.
And he pressed on.
—————
The sun had long dipped below the horizon, and the Forest of Death was bathed in a suffocating twilight.
He sat slumped atop the massive corpse of a bear-like beast, chest heaving as his system panel flickered before him.
1 chakra mutated bear killed!
You've gained 5 experience points!
Level 0 (Next level up: 43/100)
His entire body screamed with exhaustion. He was drenched in sweat and blood—most of it not his own—but the shallow cuts crisscrossing his skin stung with every movement.
Almost all of his kunai were broken or dulled, his shuriken pouch nearly empty. And he wasn't even halfway to Level 1.
A guttural growl rolled through the darkness. His head snapped up.
From between the trees, another bear emerged. It was larger, and more monstrous than the one beneath him. Its eyes glowed faintly red, saliva dripping from fanged jaws. The ground shook with each step it took toward him.
His smile faded. This wasn't good.
The beast charged, faster than something that massive had any right to be.
Even in his prime, this would've been a deadly fight. But now, chakra reserves nearly spent, weapons dulled or broken, and his body screaming in protest, he knew he couldn't win.
He forced his trembling fingers into a seal. A puff of smoke—his illusion clone appeared, leaping in the opposite direction. The beast tore into it instantly, scattering chakra smoke. That was his chance. He turned and ran, sprinting through roots as thick as his waist and ducking under branches that clawed like skeletal hands.
But the beast was relentless. It ripped through obstacles as if they were nothing, closing the distance with terrifying speed. His breath came ragged, panic clawing at the edges of his mind. For the first time that day, true fear jolted through him.
There was no escaping this. He could either die running or he could stand his ground and fight.
He was just about to whirl around and make a desperate final stand when—
Fwish!
A single kunai streaked through the air, glowing faintly with chakra. It buried itself cleanly into the bear's skull. The beast collapsed mid-charge with a resounding boom, the ground trembling from the impact.
Before he could even process it, a boot slammed into his ribs and sent him sprawling. Pain flared as he hit the dirt. Groaning, he clutched his side and looked up—
And froze.
A woman stood over him in fishnet and trench coat, a sadistic smirk curling her lips. Purple hair, and short skirt. He recognised instantly.
Mitarashi Anko.
Spoiler: Anko
She didn't look amused.
Her foot pressed harder into his side. "Care to explain why a fresh brat is slaughtering my animals?"
He coughed from the pain. "Y-your animals?"
She raised a single eyebrow. "This training ground falls under my jurisdiction so yes, they're mine for all intent and purposes. So… wanna explain yourself brat? Do you even have the permission to be here?"
It clicked instantly—these chakra-mutated beasts were important for Konoha's Chunin Exams. Of course someone oversaw them. And of course, it just had to be her.
"P–permission?" he managed weakly.
Anko's brow twitched. "You didn't even know you needed one?" Her voice dripped with incredulity. "Where's your forehead protector, brat? Who let you in here?"
Heat rushed to his cheeks despite the cold. "…I, uh, just graduated today. I'll… get it tomorrow."
For a moment, she just stared at him. Then she sighed, annoyed more than anything else.
"Idiot."
Another sharp kick knocked the wind out of him. Before he could catch his breath, she grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up like a sack of rice. With effortless strength, she flung him into a nearby pond.
The freezing water swallowed him whole. He surfaced spluttering, blood and grime washing off in dark clouds. He tried to speak, but another sharp tug yanked him out by the scruff.
"Good enough." She said as she carried him out of the Forest of Death and tossed him onto the muddy ground outside the forest walls like trash, brushing her hands clean. "Next time I catch you in there, brat, I won't be so nice."
With that, she turned and left, vanishing into the dark, twisted forest.
Wet. Cold. Injured. Nearly chakra-dry. He lay there on the dirt, staring up at the stars. Then a laugh bubbled up from his chest despite the pain.
He opened his system and saw the numbers once again. His entire day of hard work.
43/100
Worth it.
Now, he just has to collect 57 more points and reach Level 1 to see what the system actually did.
A pity that he can't go back to the forest of death for more experience points. He doubted Anko would be nearly as forgiving the next time she caught him.