Naruto coughed up blood as he glared at the floating image of the new Juubi jinchuriki, Madara, as he hovered in the air triumphantly.

"This is the end, you troublesome child." Madara said as he summoned Nunoboku from his Truth-Seeking Orb.

Naruto struggled to stand himself upright as blood trailed from his body, with him literally standing in a pool of his own blood.

Madara sighed, "You know, if you weren't so adamant about standing in my way, I would've trained you after this war if you so chose."

Naruto grit his teeth as he wobbled from side to side. Then he opened his mouth and said, "That... is not... my ninja way!" He then started coughing blood up violently and collapsed to the ground.

This time, Naruto had no Kurama to save him, no biju to call for help, and no Sage powers that he could use.

He had nothing beside his sheer will keeping him alive right now.

Naruto glared up at Madara and swore in his heart to never let this happen again if he was given a second chance.

{Congratulations! You've completed the necessary requirements for the Quest 'Courage of the True Hero'!}

{Requirements:

Be born in unfair circumstances.

Become the rival to the greatest prodigy from the greatest clan of your generation.

Become friends with and accept your inner demons.

Lose all "cheat" abilities once.

Die with regrets.}

Naruto's eyes slowly closed as he thought to himself, What... the hell... Are you all... mocking me?

...

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings and realized that he was in his old body. Or rather... the one he had when he was four. What happened? Didn't I die?

Naruto stood up and looked around at where he was and realized he was on the street in Konoha. He patted himself down and sighed as he could easily feel the glares sent his way or how others actively ignored him. So I'm back to the past, huh.

Naruto grinned and looked up at the sky, "If I really did come back... then I know what I should do first!" He said excitedly as he ran off.

...

After some time of running around the village, he came to the training ground that he was taken to when he was being tested by Kakashi. However, before arriving there he came to a scary revelation. Kurama's gone! Why can't I feel my chakra?!!

He was still moving his body like he used to, it just wasn't with the use of chakra, which confused him.

If I don't possess chakra anymore, how am I able to move so fast and accurately? Naruto thought as he stood on the training ground. He held out his hand and focused, closing his eyes. Then something within him felt... unique. Instinctually, instead of trying to form a Rasengan, he pulled upon some energy within himself. Something he never knew about.

Magic.

He pulled upon his reserves and instinctively made a ball of suspended water in midair.

"Water Ball!" Naruto declared before he realized what he was doing. "Ah! What the hell?" The ball of suspended water suddenly dropped to the ground from his lapse in concentration. What... what just happened?

Naruto looked at his palms. I don't possess chakra anymore, that much I know at the very least. Naruto then summoned the water ball again. What is this energy? It's something too innate considering I feel it flow through me so it comes from something within me. But it isn't like how I'm used to. Just... what is this?

Naruto held out his hands in front of himself once more and this time focused on creating something different. Something he used to be intrinsically able to do.

He closed his eyes and focused his mana through these new pathways he wasn't used to and called forth the wind. Much to his surprise, the wind he called forth wasn't deadly. It didn't come blazing forth, striking out like a blade. It came out as a powerful gust of wind that carried. In fact, it sent him flying backwards, crashing into a tree from the sheer force of the blast of wind.

"Ow..." Naruto said before he realized he wasn't actually hurt. Wait... I'm not feeling any pain. Hm... this is pretty odd.

{The System}

{Menu}{Locked}{Locked}{Status(Opened)}{Skills}{Locked}{Help}{Quests}

{Status}

{Name: Naruto Uzumaki Level: 1

HP: 100/100 MP: 100,000/100,000

Fatigue: 0

Class: Locked

Titles: None

Job(s): Locked

Strength: 10 Perception: 10

Endurance: 10 Charisma: 10

Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 10

Agility: 10 Luck: 10

Status Points: 0pts

Coins: Locked

Status Effects: Locked}

Naruto looked at the screen in confusion. What the hell is this? Are these my abilities now? Why is my MP so high?! Wait, calm down... Naruto sat down and began thinking. I died, and then found myself back as I was when I was four... except I'm not like how I was when I was four. I don't have chakra, I don't have Kurama, and my Sage Arts are all gone. Now all I know is that I have this thing called magic and this screen here. Urgh... well! It's time figure this thing out! Let's see...

"Let's try this Help thingy..." Naruto said, about to press on where it showed Help, only for the screen to automatically shift to a new one.

{Help}

{What is your query?}

{Query:_?}

Naruto blinked. "Do I just ask it?"

{Help}

{What is your query?}

{Query: Do I just ask it?}

{Answer: I'm sorry, ask what?}

Naruto's eyes widened astronomically, "Uh... Query, how can I get stronger?" Naruto asked nervously.

{Help}

{What is your query?}

{Query: How can I get stronger?}

{Answer: There are many to get stronger, as that is the purpose of 'The System' to 'The Player'. For now, the easiest way to get stronger is to perform 'Quests', found in the 'Quests' section of your Hub. To improve your Status, perform your 'Daily Quests' which will be found in your 'Quests' section.}

Naruto brought a hand to his chin. Quests... Let's see... "Open Hub."

{Menu}{Locked}{Locked}{Status}{Skills}{Locked}{Help}{Quests}

"Open Quests."

{Quests}

{Daily Quests}{SubQuests}{Minor Quests}{Main Quests}

Naruto's eyes sparkled. Woah! This so cool! Wait, no. Focus Naruto! It said that Daily Quests would help me get stronger with my Status. It makes me curious as to what those Skills will be. "Open Daily Quests."

{Quests}

{Daily Quests}

{1st}{2nd}{3rd}

{1st Daily Quest:

Getting Ready to Become Powerful

Goal:

(0/100) Push Ups

(0/100) Curl Ups

(0/100) Squats

(0km/10km) Running

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

{2nd Daily Quest:

Yer a Wizard, Naruto!

Goal:

(0hrs/3hrs) Mana Absorption

(0.2hrs/2hrs) Mana Manipulation

(0.2hrs/6hrs) Mana Practice

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

{3rd Daily Quest:

You're just a Cheap Fucking Knockoff

(0/1) Power Awakening

(0hrs/2hrs) Power Training

(0/10) Power Moves?

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

{WARNING: Failure to complete more than one Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be sent to another reality for more training as a PENALTY MARK.}

Naruto blinked a few times. "Fuck." He mumbled before getting up. He sighed before saying, "Well, might as well knock out that physical training. Shouldn't be too hard since I've been through worse before. Still, this System thingy has some weird... tastes."

...

Huff... huff... wheeze... huff... wheeze

What... the.... Hell? What happened? Naruto thought as he gasped for air on the hard dirt beneath him, sweat dripping off of him in droves. His clothes were drenched in sweat, just as he was, from head to toe.

{1st Daily Quest:

Getting Ready to Become Powerful

Goal:

(100/100) Push Ups COMPLETED

(100/100) Curl Ups COMPLETED

(100/100) Squats COMPLETED

(10km/10km) Running COMPLETED

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

{2nd Daily Quest:

Yer a Wizard, Naruto!

Goal:

(0hrs/3hrs) Mana Absorption

(0.2hrs/2hrs) Mana Manipulation

(0.2hrs/6hrs) Mana Practice

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

{3rd Daily Quest:

You're just a Cheap Fucking Knockoff

(0/1) Power Awakening

(0hrs/2hrs) Power Training

(0/10) Power Moves?

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

Ugh... I still haven't done the other two yet! How am I supposed to do other Quests if these take forever?! Naruto shouted in his mind in frustration as he sat up. Then his eyes grew somber as he remembered all the people who sacrificed themselves for his sake, so he could take down Madara, only to fail in the end. "No... this is for the better. In fact, this isn't even remotely hard compared to seeing them all die." Naruto picked himself and sighed. "Let's get to it!"

{Quest Rewards!}

{Choose Your Rewards:

Reward #1: Status Recovery

Reward #2: Experience Points +100

Reward #3: Status Points +40

Reward #4: Active Skill: Sprint

Reward #5: Intrinsic Skill: Shinsoo Control

Reward #6: Intrinsic Skill: Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

(Bonus Rewards for First Completion)}

Naruto's eyes widened in shock and alarm as he jumped to his feet. "O-Open Status!"

{Status}

{Name: Naruto Uzumaki Level: 2

HP: 200/200 MP: 150,000/150,000

Fatigue: 0

Class: Locked

Titles: None

Job(s): Locked

Strength: 15 Perception: 15

Endurance: 15 Charisma: 15

Intelligence: 15 Wisdom: 15

Agility: 15 Luck: 15

Status Points: 0pts

Coins: Locked

Status Effects: Locked}

It changed! Naruto thought with awe and happiness. "Ok... Accept Reward #1." He said tiredly. Almost immediately, he was bathed in a heavenly glow and all of the sweat on his body and clothes, as well as the fatigue he was feeling, was gone immediately. "Woah... this is insane... it's like whenever I use Kurama's chakra to heal myself." He said before bracing himself and speaking up once more.

"Accept Reward #2." From that, he felt his body grow significantly stronger. The grin wouldn't leave his face even if he tried to. "Accept Reward #3." Although he didn't feel anything different, he knew that it had changed something about his Status just like the last one.

"Accept Reward #4." Naruto felt a jolt in his body as a thought came to his head, telling him exactly what he needed to know about this new skill he just gained.

{Skills}

{Active Skills}{Passive Skills}{Intrinsic Skills}

{Active Skills}

{Active Skill: Sprint Lv. 1

Increases 'The Player's' speed by 30% for 10 minutes. Beyond that, 1 mana will be consumed every 60 seconds.}

Naruto smirked. This is good. After all... Naruto blurred from one edge to the other of the training ground. He broke the sound barrier as he went. He leaped in the air. "That was awesome. I wish I had this last time. Would've come in handy in so many situations..." Naruto thought before shaking his head. "Right. Next up... Accept Reward #5."

Again, a shock went through his body and the thoughts came to his head, explaining how to use it.

{Intrinsic Skill}

{Intrinsic Skill: Shinsoo Control Lv. 1

Grants 'The Player' the ability to manipulate and control Shinsoo. Shinsoo will cost SP until the user is proficient enough to use it.}

Even now, Naruto could feel a strange force flowing throughout the world, calling to him to be used. It also came from within as well, like sparks of light. This strange force felt far more powerful than whatever chakra or magic was capable of. While those forces could bend it, Shinsoo was those forces. To control proficiently enough would mean the ability to even revive the dead or bend the Universal Forces to your will.

Naruto stood still and sighed as he focused. Let's see what I can get out of it right now.

After a few moments of concentration, he held out his hand and a small orb of shinsoo appeared. Naruto opened his eyes and a bright smile immediately accompanied it. "I did it! I manipulated shinsoo!" He proclaimed, bouncing up and down like the kid he physically was.

But as soon as he had, the shinsoo faded away and so did the orb. "Damn! Well... I still have something else to open up, now don't I?" Naruto said to himself as he looked back at the screen. "Accept Reward #6."

After the initial feelings and thoughts, Naruto's eyes widened as a new screen popped up.

{Intrinsic Skill}

{Intrinsic Skill: Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Lv.1

As this skill is now, it will protect 'The Player' from any and all mental attacks towards them. More Information will be revealed as the skill's level increases.}

Naruto's eyes widened dramatically, as well as his jaw. He smacked himself in the face really hard, thinking it to be a dream. Holy... holy shit! This is like the hardest counter to the Sharingan ever! All those times I got hit by genjutsu or the fear of Itachi's Tsukuyomi... it's all rendered useless by this one Skill!

Naruto sat down and furrowed his brows, "Now I don't have to worry about the genjutsu of the world, but... that doesn't mean I should advertise that. Someone might try to brutally murder me because of it or Orochimaru could try coming after me because of it." Naruto looked up at the sky. He sighed. "I still have a really long way to go, huh. Well, let's check out my Status for now. Open Status."

{Status}

{Name: Naruto Uzumaki Level: 2

HP: 200/200 MP: 150,000/150,000 SP: 200,000/200,000

Fatigue: 0

Class: Locked

Titles: None

Job(s): Locked

Strength: 15 Perception: 15

Endurance: 15 Charisma: 15

Intelligence: 15 Wisdom: 15

Agility: 15 Luck: 15

Status Points: 40pts

Coins: Locked

Status Effects: Locked}

Naruto narrowed his eyes. ...I'm gonna need Help with this.

"Open Help." Naruto said.

{Help}

{{What is your query?}

{Query:_?}

"Query, what do my Stats do?"

{Help}

{What is your query?}

{Query: What do my Stats do?}

{Answer: Starting from the top, your Strength Stat determines your physical abilities. Your speed, strength, agility, durability, all of your natural physical abilities are determined by your Strength Stat. Your Perception Stat increases your base five senses and creates two more that increase with time. One of which acts as a 'danger sense' and the other as a sort of barrier that allows you to detect something. Similar to the Byakugan with the added effect of there being no weak spot and you can detect the thoughts and feelings of others once it gets high enough. Endurance is essentially your health and resistance to other effects like radiation, poisons, etc. It also determines how high your HP is. Charisma determines how well you can get others on your side, look up to you, or in your case, how the opposite gender feels about you romantically and sexually. It also opens up conversations you normally wouldn't be privy to. It also affects how high your SP is. Intelligence is the main contributor, along with Wisdom, towards your MP and SP. It also increases your overall ability to understand things when it comes to knowledge and sorting them. Wisdom is one of the main contributors to your MP and SP and determines how well you take actions in certain conditions. Where Intelligence gives you knowledge and a way to process them easier, Wisdom sorts it out to allow for the best actions to take place with that knowledge. The Agility Stat is essentially a time dilation that affects your movement. In other words, the higher that the Agility Stat becomes, the greater the difference in strength between you and your opponent. It also means that if an opponent is overwhelmingly stronger than you, your Agility Stat will reduce the gap. Finally, the Luck Stat is the most versatile amongst your Stats. It affects how much of an increase the rest of the Stats get, how high your HP, MP, and SP are, as well as what kind of loot you get and how quickly your skills upgrade or how quickly you get new ones.}

Naruto looked at the massive wall of text and read it over a few times before nodding his head. "I see... well, in that case, let's go with 20 points in Luck, 2 points in all except Strength and Perception. I'll put 3 points in both of them."

{Status}

{Name: Naruto Uzumaki Level: 2

HP: 200/200 MP: 150,000/150,000 SP: 200,000/200,000

Fatigue: 0

Class: Locked

Titles: None

Job(s): Locked

Strength: 18 Perception: 18

Endurance: 17 Charisma: 17

Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 17

Agility: 17 Luck: 35

Status Points: 0pts

Coins: Locked

Status Effects: Locked}

Naruto nodded, "Yup! Looks good! Now..."

{2nd Daily Quest:

Yer a Wizard, Naruto!

Goal:

(0hrs/3hrs) Mana Absorption

(0.2hrs/2hrs) Mana Manipulation

(0.2hrs/6hrs) Mana Practice

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

{3rd Daily Quest:

You're just a Cheap Fucking Knockoff

(1/1) Power Awakening COMPLETED

(0.2hrs/2hrs) Power Training

(0.2hrs/4hrs) Shinsoo Training

WARNING: Failure to complete a Daily Quest within 24hrs will result in 'The Player' to be forced to go through a PENALTY QUEST}

Naruto sighed, "It changed because I awakened my shinsoo and that Skill, huh. Well, let's get to work."

Naruto sat down and closed his eyes. Let's start by absorbing some Mana. Naruto thought. Feeling for the particles of mana in the air and the mana flowing through his veins. Calm... steady...

...

Naruto opened his eyes and looked up at the Sun as it started hanging low in the sky.

"I need to pick up the pace." Naruto said as he stood up.

"What are you in the rush for, hm?" Asked a voice.

Naruto stopped mid step and looked over his shoulder. Shit. I didn't expect to meet someone so soon. Let alone him!

"Well? Are you going to answer me, child?" The man said before blinking as he looked closer at Naruto. Then he leaned back and smiled softly.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto barely mouthed before looking up at the man. "I was training! That's why I need to hurry!" Naruto said loudly. On the inside, his ears were red from embarrassment. By the Sage I was an annoying brat back then.

Kakashi sighed and said, "I already told you Naruto, you don't have any chakra. I know you want to be a shinobi but..."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, Knowing him, he'll probably get in my way because it's a hopeless situation. My situation is even worse than Bushy Brows, after all. He at least had pathways to use the Eight Gates. I don't have anything. But... if I show him something more amazing...

Naruto closed his eyes and held out his hands, I just need to gather it and collect it together and form... something... Naruto opened his eyes and grinned. A water ball had formed in his palms, hovering patiently there. He looked up at the shocked look on Kakashi's face.

Kakashi sighed and sat his hand on Naruto's head, ruffing up his hair as he smiled at him.

I still have a long way to go but... there's a future that I want. And I will achieve it.

A/N: Hey! I'm alive! For the most part. Well, as much as it matters! Regardless, tell me what you think! I noticed that the other story that I'm putting my all into isn't getting much popularity so while I'm busy patching things up there, I'll try pumping this out when I can. I'm a very busy guy tho, so I can't promise anything beyond a chapter biweekly. There are some authors that are able to push out chapters for dozens of stories while sick daily. And being busy. I honestly don't even know how it's humanly possible, but ah... yeah. I'm not built like that. I'm not some supergenius with some time hacking powers to allow myself to write like that. I genuinely enjoy writing, but I'm not remotely capable of that. I got a life of my own. I have a job, a really good one mind you that I worked really hard for, friends and family to care for, and media to go through like anime and videogames (Although the latter I just don't have the time to play anymore because it requires me to be at home to play) and other things. But I still love writing so this will be my main focus, as well as reading other fanfictions. There's a few good ones I'm reading right now like Shed No Grace On Me by NeonZangetsu and Son of Thor by windstorm16 and more. If you want, I can send y'all a whole list of goodies. Well, I gotta go. So until next time!

Ja Ne!