[Dream!]
[Optional mission completed. Chakra +0.1]
As Hyūga Bin made his choice, the system promptly credited the reward, not waiting for him to complete the task.
Bin wasn't surprised.
"Bin, let's see who finishes fifty laps first."
After half a lap, Hatake Kakashi slowed down and spoke while running beside him.
Ever since being defeated by Hyūga Bin a year ago, Kakashi had issued several challenges, none of which Bin accepted—something that frustrated Kakashi deeply.
Now, with the annual entrance exam underway, he saw it as a new opportunity to test himself against Bin.
"Forget it," Bin replied, shaking his head as he kept up a steady pace.
"Bin, it's been a year! Why won't you accept my challenge?" Kakashi's face dropped at the rejection. He looked like a heartbroken girl abandoned by her lover.
"Yeah... it's been a year," Bin murmured with a sigh.
Over that year, his system had generated hundreds of optional missions. Most offered tempting rewards—but the truly rewarding ones always came with dangerous or impossible consequences.
He had long since realized the trick: if he selected any option that didn't reward him with a mere random attribute point, it would inevitably unlock a high-risk mission that could easily get him killed.
Once, he chose a task as simple as "helping an old lady cross the street." It turned out the old lady was a disguised enemy spy, and she almost gutted him with a kunai. He'd assumed it was a lucky B-rank reward—but barely escaped with his life.
Then there was the infamous mission to help Tsunade resolve her emotional trauma. Determined to complete it, he even tried acting cute in front of her. But one drunken evening, she accidentally struck him with a punch that left him seriously injured and unconscious.
Although Tsunade came to her senses, healed him, and apologized sincerely, the fact remained—he was nearly beaten to death.
To this day, the mission titled "Untie Tsunade's Emotional Knot" remained incomplete in his system.
There were many such missions. Just thinking about them brought tears to Bin's eyes.
He'd come to understand: the system was full of misleading options. The only safe choice was always the one with a random attribute point increase.
Which meant he couldn't be like the typical isekai protagonists—reaching Kage-level at seven, Super-Kage by nine, Six Paths-tier at ten, defeating Madara, and seducing Princess Kaguya.
He had to proceed carefully, one step at a time.
---
Whether it was due to his strength or the weakness of his competitors, Hyūga Bin held back as much as he could—yet still placed twentieth in the entrance exam.
After receiving his admission letter, he went straight to Food Street to complete his daily system check-in.
The following morning, Bin arrived at the Ninja Academy ten minutes early.
By the time the Third Hokage finished his entrance speech and class assignments were posted, it was already past eleven.
Hyūga Bin was assigned to First Year, Class 1—an elite class. Many of his classmates were familiar faces:
Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, Yuhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, Nohara Rin, and a few others.
Seeing Asuma Sarutobi there confirmed what he already suspected: the class was handpicked. As the Third Hokage's son, Asuma was bound to receive top-tier instruction.
But Uchiha Obito? That seemed… questionable. Had he used connections to get in?
"Bin! We're in the same class!" Obito grinned excitedly.
Unlike Bin's guarded thoughts, Obito was genuinely thrilled. Ever since Bin stood up for him a year ago, he had considered Bin his best friend—and his rival.
He wanted to surpass Bin one day. That way, he could protect him, instead of always being the one protected.
"Yeah," Bin replied with a soft smile.
Standing nearby, Kakashi silently clenched his fists. He looked at Bin and Obito, opened his mouth as if to say something—but ultimately fell silent.
---
Minutes later, the final students arrived, and the classroom quieted as a woman in her late twenties entered.
She wore the standard Konoha flak jacket over a well-fitted uniform that accentuated her elegant form.
The students immediately hushed.
She stepped up to the podium and swept a calm, assessing gaze over them.
This was Ayami Shun Kōgo—an elite Chūnin and devoted follower of the Will of Fire. She had trained personally under the Third Hokage and was now the homeroom teacher of Class 1.
Ayami not only led the class but also taught ideological education, including courses on Konoha history and the Will of Fire.
She adored Konoha. Even on her days off, she would often seek personal instruction from the Third Hokage, her face flushing with excitement whenever she grasped a new insight.
Hiruzen appreciated her dedication and selected her to guide his son's class.
"Welcome to Class 1," she said warmly. "I am Ayami Shun Kōgo, your homeroom teacher. You may call me Teacher Ayami."
"Our first lesson today is introductions. When I call your name, come to the front, introduce yourself, and tell us your hobbies and dreams."
She flipped through the roster and called the first name.
"Uchiha Obito."
Obito nervously walked up. "Hi, my name is Uchiha Obito. I'm five years old. I like eating dango, and my dream is to become Hokage!"
"A great dream," Ayami said with a smile.
"Next, Sarutobi Asuma."
"My name is Sarutobi Asuma. I'm five. I like reading manga. I also want to become Hokage!" Asuma exuded confidence, unsurprising for the son of the Hokage.
"Hatake Kakashi."
"Nohara Rin…"
The names continued.
Eventually—
"Hyūga Bin."
As Ayami called his name, the system flashed options in Bin's mind:
[Option A: Boldly declare your dream to become the Fifth Hokage. Reward: Myōboku Mountain Senjutsu (S-rank)]
[Option B: Set an ambitious goal—become the strongest in the ninja world. Reward: Flying Thunder God Technique (S-rank)]
[Option C: Give a modest, ordinary dream. Reward: Random attribute point +0.1]
The rewards were generous—almost too generous.
"To think I could receive an S-rank technique just by making a bold declaration…" Bin mused.
But he already knew better.
"In that case," Bin decided, stepping forward, "my dream is simple. I want to live a peaceful life and protect my comrades."
[Option C completed. Chakra +0.1]