Leaving behind his thoughts about Tsunade, Satoru pushed his mother from his mind and focused all his attention on the object he held between his fingers.
A small chess piece.
The King.
He turned it gently between his fingers, as if he could unravel its secrets just by staring at it.
And as if in response to his focus, the system projected a clear description of the object before his eyes.
[Nobility System]
[Object Description:
• All pieces, except for the King, grant access to other worlds.
• When a piece is given to a character, it becomes permanently linked to them, officially integrating them into your nobility.
• Grants instant comprehension of any language, accelerated growth, extended lifespan, and increased growth rate depending on the piece assigned.
• Total protection against external influences: mind control, manipulation, possession, and other forms of corruption.
• Free access to the summoned character's world, along with exclusive energy sources.
Currently available: --
• Automatic funds allocated to the King and his nobility during interdimensional travel.]
Satoru stared at the small piece with a mix of curiosity and fascination.
The system had activated just a few hours earlier, before his meeting with the Hokage, gifting him a complete set of chess pieces that resembled the Evil Pieces from High School DXD. At the time, he hadn't understood their meaning… but after reading the description, everything made sense.
Since then, he hadn't taken his eyes off the King.
And now, without hesitation, he brought the piece toward his chest.
Without looking away, he pressed the piece against his skin… and without a moment's doubt, he pushed it in.
The King piece slowly sank into his chest, dissolving into a soft golden light that was fully absorbed into his body.
[From this moment forward, the Host, Satoru Senju, has been designated as the King of the Nobility System.]
[World of "Naruto" unlocked for travel.]
[Chakra usage now enabled for all members of the nobility.]
Satoru closed his eyes for a moment.
He felt a slight tingling sensation course through his body. It wasn't painful, not even uncomfortable… but he knew, without a doubt, that something inside him had changed.
...
A few days later, Satoru was calmly walking toward the Third Training Ground, a secluded area on the outskirts of Konoha where ninjas often practiced far from the village.
But as usual, someone was watching him from the shadows.
"Fox mask and silver hair?" he murmured with an amused smile. "Looks like it's Kakashi Hatake this time."
It was inevitable. Itachi couldn't follow him around every day, twenty-four hours a day. Even ANBU needed rest.
Yesterday, for example, he'd been watched by a cat-masked ANBU. From the purple hair, Satoru had guessed it was Yugao Uzuki.
But now it was Kakashi. And that amused him.
Satoru smirked mischievously as he spun on his heels and walked directly toward the tree where his new observer was hiding.
Kakashi, concealed in the shadows, raised an eyebrow beneath his mask when he saw the child approaching.
"He found me...?" he thought in disbelief.
Itachi had already warned him: "Satoru possesses a talent beyond ours, Kakashi. He'll find you. No matter how well you hide."
At the time, Kakashi had been surprised by Itachi's assessment of Satoru.
Of course, Kakashi hadn't taken it seriously. A six-year-old detecting an ANBU? Even with his training, he wouldn't have been capable of that at that age.
He thought Itachi was exaggerating.
And yet...
Satoru stopped right in front of the tree where Kakashi was hidden using the Transformation Technique. He looked up and stared directly into his eyes.
"You must be Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja," he said in a calm voice with a half-arrogant smile.
Kakashi tensed.
Satoru's eyes sent a chill down his spine. So light blue they seemed to reflect the sky itself... his eyes were hard to describe.
He instantly recalled another of Itachi's warnings: "His eyes... there's something in them. I don't know if it's a new dōjutsu, but when he looked at me... I felt like he could see right through me."
Now he understood.
Kakashi released the technique and landed in front of the boy. He watched him closely, saying nothing.
The Hokage's orders were simple: observe, don't interfere… unless the child was in danger. But no one—not even Hiruzen—had considered the possibility that the kid would detect his presence.
"Looks like you know who I am," Kakashi finally said, breaking the silence in his usual laid-back tone.
Satoru shrugged, keeping his hands in the pockets of his hoodie.
"Did you really think that mask was enough? That hair screams 'Hatake' from miles away. There's only one member of the Hatake Clan, after all..."
Kakashi frowned beneath his mask as he briefly recalled the death of his father, the legendary White Fang of Konoha.
He removed the ANBU mask. Underneath, he wore his usual mask that covered the lower half of his face.
Satoru rolled his eyes.
"Another mask? You're like an onion. So many layers."
"You're very observant for a kid," Kakashi replied, somewhat amused.
"The old bastard sent you to watch me," Satoru said calmly.
Kakashi tilted his head, feigning confusion.
"Huh? No, no. I was just passing by. I… got lost."
"That excuse is an insult to my intelligence," Satoru frowned. "That wasn't a question. It was a statement. And it's fine. If the old man wants me watched, I have no problem… but on one condition."
Kakashi looked at him curiously. Most kids would've panicked or thrown a tantrum if they were being followed. But not him…
"I'm listening," Kakashi said, crossing his arms.
"I want you to train me," Satoru said bluntly, pointing at him firmly.
Kakashi blinked, stunned.
"Me...? Why me?"
"You ask too many questions. That's annoying," Satoru replied with a sigh, scratching the back of his neck.
Kakashi sighed. The kid was already getting on his nerves.
"To answer your question…" Satoru added, "I'm not going to the Ninja Academy. But I still need a qualified teacher. You graduated at five, became a Chūnin at six, and you're known as the Copy Ninja. They also call you the Man Who Has Copied Over a Thousand Techniques."
"I don't think there's a more qualified teacher than you…"
Kakashi sighed again, but a faint smile formed beneath his mask.
"I'll inform Hokage-sama of your proposal."
"Hm. I'm sure you're hoping he'll say no."
Kakashi said nothing, but his silence was answer enough.