MC POV

Today is the entrance exam for the academy.

So I decided to wake up early.

Prior to the appointed time and the recommended time for the tryouts.

However, it was also prior to the time that I would usually wake up due to my training regimen.

But I am used to do it anyway...and I could hardily sleep all night, because of stress but because I also slept the entire afternoon yesterday.

To avoid something like oversleeping or to not be able to rest all night long.

Though since I basically slept for an entire day I couldn't sleep anyway.

So I basically left super early and alone.

Why didn't I wake up the other kids planning to the test?

Well a great man once said, it isn't enough to succeed. Others must fail!

...I couldn't agree more.

Less competition and the higher my chances are!

I wish that was the truth, sadly it is not.

I saw sister Kasumi enter my room many times, watching me and the others sleep before after sometime of watching us sleep she would then leave.

That happened like 2 times.

Wish made alarm bells in mind go ballistic, and I decided to get ready at 5.00 A.M. sharp!

I didn't know what kind of tricks sister Kasumi would try to pull in order to stop me from going through with the tryouts.

I may sound paranoid but this is the shinobi world.

She could easily give me a sleeping drug and make me miss my chance of taking the exam.

After how far she has gone to try to dissuade me, I can't exactly put it past her.

I have been knocked out by her many times, only to wake up in my bed the next day.

Although I doubt that she would actually go through with that... that seems to be a whole different level of psycho.

But stranger things have happened to me.

One of those things includes me crossing into this crazy world, all because I wanted a Sharingan or more likely, the Otsutsukis' abilities to do as they please and cross between the barriers of dimensions and easily gain more power by eating chakra fruits.

I regret nothing, but I was a bit too hasty.

I wanted strong powers, but I didn't really want to train all the time or have to face crazy/absurdly strong monsters like in DBZ...

Sadly, I have very little talent.

In fact, calling me a genius is farfetched.

The only reason that I managed to get by was thanks to supercomputing and the DNA enhancements that I have been going through for the last few years.

But even that has its limits.

Soon, I will be reaching my limit very soon once again.

It's hard to explain but I can feel it, and I have been able to do some calculations with supercomputing and found that my overall progress has slowed down immensely...

Turns out talent is a factor you have to account for in any world.

Those born with it are just built differently and would surpass most in a heartbeat even if they have trained for years.

...I feel ashamed, that I really didn't account for that.

From now on it's going to be hard work, for me in the future. 

Training is a must when you're a ninja and not an Ootsutsuki.

I really didn't take that into account.

I thought I could get by, by taking others' DNA but it's not going to happen.

It must be that my chakra reserves are quite small by nature or my chakra is somehow weaker or something... my only option at this point is to hope that my chakra reserves will be able to increase far larger as I age, but the sad thing is, that I may not have that much time available to me.

In other words, I messed up big time in my previous calculations.

*Sigh*... When I look back on and reflect upon my choices... I can clearly see that I was truly naïve.

There is no such a thing as a free meal, in any world.

Worse is that I really did not understand how this world worked or the concept behind chakra as a mystical power or an energy source in general.

Perhaps it was a good thing that I ended up in this world.

Now that I am here, I was able to learn far more about how chakra works and some overall ideas and principle behind it thanks to interacting with so many people and reading some books.

If I had ended up in some other world it may have taken me a long time to figure things out.

Not only that, but it could have been far worse if ended in another world without getting a good grasp on this body.

A fatal injury, either self-inflicted or not, may have ended most of my plans.

Not only that but some worlds are far more dangerous than the shinobi world.

There are definitely far greater threats/horrifying monstrosities out there.

I've read SCP foundations logs.

Good thing I did not reincarnate on their side of the omniverse.

Otherwise, no matter how much prep time or cheats I could possibly get my greasy hands on; it would have never been enough to survive... maybe if I was Yogiri Takatou and could kill anything that wants to harm me... I'd be ok...but I am not sure if I'd be able to become that monstrosity or if the beings like The Scarlet King would be affected by that guy's power or even if having powers like those, would only put a target on my back.

- whatever, it doesn't matter anymore.- I muttered to myself while looking at the sheer insanity of the number of people that surrounded me.

That's right, I am at the venue near the academy.

As I stood around a crowd of people, I could truly realize how important it is going to be, to get accepted to the academy.

When I first arrived at the center of the village, there was nobody in the streets besides some uncles and aunties setting up shops and some random shinobis walking around.

But as I got closer to the academy, more people with kids started to show up...I should have come with the others I feel outnumbered...

-(No I can't think that... especially not when I tried to sabotage them...)

That's right.

I tried to sabotage them... more like a test before the real test; I am ultimately just looking out for them.

For their own sake.

The life of a shinobi can be quite tragic.

I want them to avoid that; if I can help.

Definitely not payback for yesterday.

...But if I am being honest, I don't want them to go to the academy or at least not in the same class as me.

It would ultimately be as if nothing changed.

I refuse to go through the sh*tshow that I was forced to endure at the orphanage one more year, let alone several.

Besides, the less competition the better.

A great man once said it's not enough to succeed, others must fail!

A tad bit extreme... but I couldn't agree more.

So, I left the orphanage as early as I could so as to not oversleep and turned off the alarm clock as I left the room, now let's see those brats waking up without a clock on time!

Simple but genius.

By the time they get here, it would probably be too late... but I could not take care of that other monster... Let's just hope she minds her own business for once.

However, sabota-I mean tough love, is not the only reason why I chose to wake up ahead of time.

It has to do with Guy-san.

Guy-san's training regiment has turned me into a beast of a machine.

I had been so well-tuned to exercising and waking up early, especially in the last year; that my body starts to feel weird about not having something to do... eh?

-....- I was left stunned by the realization, that I may have chosen to deliberately ignore that particular fact all this time.

(...My god... What has that evil man done to me?)

No, no, no, no.

I-it has to be something else.

... Guy-san isn't like that...

R-right, I also think that has to do with my supercomputing skill.

My mind is oddly sharp/calm at times and recovers too fast... a bit too fast if you'd ask me. (But Naruto seems the same too)

I seem to make decisions more easily like some damn character in an action movie.

Like when I decided to start jumping off large trees for shurikenjutsu practice.

This type of daring decision-making and fast thinking is not something I am used to.

That kind of thing is not something the old me would have ever done.

Not just because training in shurikenjutsu was a useless skill and waste of, well, anyone's time really in that world with the invention of guns. But also because I am pretty sure the old me was not too fond of high altitude, to put it mildly.

However, since I am far past that at this point... I choose to ignore it. Or at least turn a blind eye.

After all, I have other problems.

Especially, ever since learned that injecting stuff into my body may not be good for me, or in this case my mind.

But at this point, I am simply too scared to ask and I already know that integrating other people's DNA can have weird effects on my mind... not sure if it is permanent or not though... I could not for the love of Kaguya, handle if I start imitating Sasuke or worse, Naruto, in the future.

Just thinking about it, is enough to make me shudder.

Sadly, there's nothing I can do.

Simply put, I am far too deep in.

Can't stop now.

Would not stop anyways.

Getting an answer on that matter would change almost nothing at this point.

So why even bother?

Besides, I am not a very deep person or a person who cares about the small stuff.

If I can get my desired prize... I am willing to go through almost anything.

A part of me got seduced by the little strength that I managed to already gain.

Although, it is still far from enough... I think I could beat my old self up already; it's going to be a bit of a tough fight because of my size but the current me would win most likely (well, I am pretty sure that I could kill my old self if I had a shuriken or two, that's for sure).

Not only that, but I have sacrificed and suffered too much already to turn back now... otherwise I'd simply be a masochist who enjoys exercising a bit too much and drinking the blood of children.

...it all just seems a bit too counterproductive... plus, I've told everyone that I'd be a shinobi... I refuse to live in shame... at least not without a good reason.

So... screw it!

I am already here anyway.

Gotta do whatever I can to elevate myself from a bad situation.

If being a shinobi in a world filled with interdimensional aliens is the only way to live a somewhat protected and fun life, then, so be it!

That is why had arrived at the academy about an hour ahead of the given time.

They did say that we had to come earlier than the specified time, as they so very well specified several times in the papers I read (that I somewhat read...).

I didn't know that shinobis were so hung up about punctuality... Really, who knew?

Not that it bothered me anyway, I have nothing else going on in my life.

Rather come early and wait here than do nothing and possibly get caught in some other nonsense like it so often happens to me.

At least being here early, there is zero chance of being late and missing my shot... also, I get to take a good look at the competition.

But little did I know that I would be far from the only person to come here ahead of the given time. (The fact that I am quite small when compared to the adults here, doesn't help either)

By the time I arrived here, it was already somewhat packed.

...My guess is that this being a ninja village and all (AKA most are used to waking up early to train), also the prospect of getting the somewhat equivalent of a good education ( even if it may kill their children in the long run) was reason enough for most people to want to come here ahead of time.

This may be why the venue is full of kids and their parents that were here about an hour ahead of the appointed time.

Poor bastards, some of them are probably freaking out.

Not me though, I've got this in the bag!

- !?

While I was analyzing the competition.

I happened to catch sight of a few distinct parties nearby.

I saw an old/loud dude with an ugly haircut and pink hair, but it's not that fact that took me by surprise; I live in an anime world, after all. I am used to weird hair colors and hair that defies physics, but his terrible jokes are what took me off guard. 

Not only that, but the person next to him, who I assume is his wife laughed, to each of his stupid jokes.

What a pain in the ass.

I hope I don't grow up to be like that.

Urgh... that guy's kid must be so embarrassed to be related to such a loud guy.

However, since I'd never seen him in my life, I decided to simply move my gaze toward some other parties around my right.

Most of them were just your round-of-the-mill families, with nothing special about them.

Until I happen to catch a glimpse of a father and son, talking about some nonsense.

- you hear me, son? You have to do a good job and impress your teachers.(random father)

- yes, I know father. I will do my best or something... Tch!- said the boy, in a somewhat calm demeanor, and only raised his voice slightly more than his normal voice.

Although there was almost no difference in the intensity of the boy's voice, I could tell the boy was somewhat psyched but at the same time, it also seemed that it was a pain in the ass.

Still, he did not break his calm demeanor and that almost expressionless face of his.

I can't tell if he is playing it cool or if something else is going on there.

-(...Or is it just that he is lazy? He has...the face of a lazy guy? But not lazy and b*tchy like Shikamaru...but more like someone who did not sleep or really stayed up late at night to watch the end of his favorite show and was finally at peace but also somewhat serious?... I don't know how to explain it. I've never been very good at putting words into a coherent sentence or writing, but that's the look and vibe that I am getting from that guy... He just seems like a troublesome weirdo.)

-.....good son. I'm proud of you.-said the man looked a bit strained at first as if he wanted to say something, but accepted his son's answer without breaking his natural composure. (random father)

-(Judging by that liberal pause in his father's answer, I can say that was not exactly the answer his father was looking for... He probably was not looking for his son to do his best or answer the way he did... but answer something like "Leave it to me father, I will definitely show them!" or something a protagonist would say, and not that wimpy answer his son just gave... If my son were to end up like that; I'd be a bit disappointed too. )

Whatever let's move on.

I switched my gaze a bit more around until I found someone who may be a threat.

-(Him, huh?)

...Right in front of me, I saw another very peculiar scene as I was looking around.

I saw the figure of a young boy carrying 2 large wooden shurikens on his back, and talking to his father. Or was it the opposite?

Anyway, the 2 duos of father and son, were probably freaking out about getting to the academy.

When watching that scene I thought it was strange since the father was wearing something with a symbol on his back indicating that he belonged to a clan.

Although, it was very unlikely for the boy to fail the entrance exam; he'd surely pass somehow pass... then why be stressed about the entrance exam?

I'd probably have said that it was a normal thing.

Like something between the lines that it was simply a clan thing...but they are not the first clan parent and child combo I have seen around and having a similar conversation today of all days.

They seem to be too serious for their own good if you ask me.

Talking about honor and clan pride.

I'm not the only one to think that, probably.

Next to the father and son, there is a woman, who seemed to find the entire situation funny and was smiling hear to hear.

...that's probably the mother.

She definitely found the whole exchange funny and was content to see the awkward duo of father and son.

-....(those guys are weird...but I thought only the Uchiha clan and their less savvy/failure cousins in the Fuma clan, liked to parade around with shuriken for some reason... Are there more clans obsessed with shuriken like that around?)

Not wasting more time on those losers with a shuriken fetish, I began to look around the area again.

But as I thought, similar scenes from the one I just recently witnessed were happening everywhere.

Kids and their parents having variations of the same conversation, I just heard.

Must be hard to have people putting all their expectations on your shoulder at this young age.

Good thing that nobody expects anything from me, in fact, most have lost all hope.

-(Oh! Is that 1 also from a clan? Let's get a bit closer.)

I walk my way past the sea of families and finally get close enough to a family of some random clan I've never heard of.

-Listen well, son! You cannot shame the clan by failing or performing poorly, understood?!(overly serious father)

- Yes, father! -said the boy.

I saw a father and a young boy holding a wooden sword talking to each other, their conversation was also pretty much the same but the boy's look in his eyes was beyond serious.

Like one of a madman willing to do anything for his boss or a very nationalistic overachiever.

(Whoa~~~, that guy responded to his father's inquiry without a shred of hesitation. That's probably what the other dude wanted from his son. But if the other boy seemed somewhat lazy, this one seems like a pain in the ass. Actually, he is outright weird!)

-Good answer. Do the Gekkou clan proud my son.(overly serious gekkou father)

The father's mention of his clan took me by surprise.

-(Gekkou clan? I think I have heard of it before... Ah! That jounin who seems to have pneumonia at all times... his name was...Haya-Haya...Hayame!?...No...that's a girl's name...His name was Haya...Hayaze? Hayazo? Hayato? Hayate? !!! Hayate! Right! That was his name! He died by the hand of that half-faced covered weirdo from that weak sand village... So in other words, it's not a great clan. Though, it seems that pneumonia doesn't run in the family since they seem fine. Also, isn't Hayate, the name of a certain combat butler?)

- Can I help you, little girl?... Little girl? (overly serious gekkou father)

Before I knew the man from the pneumonia clan had approached me.

-Huh?! Who?! What?!

- You seemed to have been in some sort of trance. (overly serious gekkou father)

- Me?!!*Ore* (Sh*t! I need to seriously stop freezing when trying to remember things.)

-...Are you a boy? (overly serious gekkou father)

Seemingly the man was confused by my answer.

Immediately after I saw him trying to analyze me all over with his eyes.

-What?! The hell you! Y-You creep! (Who asks that the second moment they see someone for the first time? I-I need an adult!)

So, I ran away as far as I could.

Not to look for an adult but it was a good way to feign distress and escape from that weird guy.

His eyes are too serious, they scare-I mean they're just too ugly.

.....

....

...

-Gekkou member POV-

-... What a weird child...(Gekkou clansmen)

- fufufu. Honey, that was clearly a boy. (Gekkou clanswoman)

I suddenly heard the voice of Fumiko, my wife, coming from behind me as she made her way towards my location.

-A cute and lively one but a boy nonetheless. (Fumiko)

-still calling me a creep...isn't that a bit too much? (Gekkou clansmen)

- you had such a serious face when asking that question, that he probably became scared. *giggle* (Fumiko)

-...(I've been told that my face can be quite intimidating before. But this is the first time I saw the full effects of it. That boy's face turned from apathy to outright surprise for a brief moment...*sigh*)(Gekkou clansmen)

- don't worry father. I will make sure to make him pay, for insulting you, and defend the clan's honor! (overly serious gekkou son)

Just as my wife came to my side prior, my son soon followed her and commented about swearing revenge(?) Or at least is it about getting some sort of payback?

My son's extreme predisposition to revenge or avenging what he considers to be an affront is something that I've tried very hard to suppress.

But it doesn't seem that my efforts are being rewarded.

-(This boy... seems to be more focused on this stupid matter than on taking the exam...)(Gekkou clansmen)

I looked at my son, in his overly serious face, and delivered my answer.

-...just focus on passing.(Gekkou clansmen)

Yes, that should be enough.

I don't that boy is being sidetracked by something inconsequent.

I will be a laughing stock in the village or the clan if he pulls some shenanigans during the exam; due to some ridiculous reason or a misguided attempt at avenging our honor.

- Huh?! (overly serious gekkou son)

My son looked at me with a bewildered expression as if he was not expecting such an answer coming from me. ... Just, what does he take me for?

- he truly is like his father. *giggle* (Fumiko)

My wife seemed to be having fun comparing me to my son once again.

-....(Huh? Really?)(Gekkou clansmen)

...I want this day to end already...

Chapter end

*Although the entirety of the exam has already been written, heck, most of the chunin exams outline has already been completed I still would appreciate ideas to make it more fun. ;p*