Naruto: Power in Play

Chapter 2

I opened up my status screen one more time to see if I had missed anything. And I effectively did miss something.

For one, I was not five years old. I vividly remembered the status screen I opened in the white expanse, and it clearly stated that I was five years old. But now, I somehow turned eight. Somehow, I felt like it was related to my rocky entrance into this world.

Secondly, after the memory integration, the previous host's skills were passed on to me and listed on the system's skill tab. The skills themselves were nothing special, but they were essential for my survival. Without the memories or the skills, I wouldn't know how to communicate with the people of this world. After all, I was not a native. Furthermore, without the host's skills, I wouldn't know how to perform the tasks assigned to me as an orphan, which could lead to potential problems.

I heaved a small sigh of relief after seeing the language, calligraphy, and reading skills listed in my skill tab. Anything else could be ignored, but not these. I needed to deepen my knowledge of this world. And without those skills, I might as well give up.

Feeling slightly refreshed by this realization, I moved on to my next plan: What could I do now to get a head start?

From the memories I inherited, I learned that the Hokage would be visiting the orphanage this month. If I'm correct, he usually makes an annual visit to give the children a speech, followed by less frequent visits every three months. This was a significant event for the orphanage, and the matrons were enthusiastically preparing the kids for it. So, it made me think.

What could I get from the Hokage exactly? Honestly, instead of feeling excited about the potential gains, I was more scared of him finding out about me and my unique circumstances. Actually, I wouldn't even try to get anything from the old man. Aside from getting a look at how strong someone at the top of the village is, I will make sure not to attract any unwanted attention or suspicion. My best bet would be to lay low and grow on my own.

I found myself pondering whether I could hide from him, but I swiftly pushed those thoughts aside. While it was a valid concern, it was beyond my control.

I decided to just sit on my bed for a moment, my eyes drifting towards the other sleeping kids. They looked peaceful. I also wanted to relax. But I was afraid of overthinking—about my past life, about how I would live, about everything. I knew I had to face these feelings one way or another. But for now, I just didn't have it in me. It would just make a mess out of me. Considering the fact that I had just transmigrated, it was just not safe.

I needed to find a distraction.

On impulse, I got off the bed, folded my blanket, and tidied up the sheets. Then, without a second thought, I removed my shirt and dropped to the ground to do push-ups. I didn't know why, but I felt like exercising would be a good idea.

As I began to move, the physical exertion of the exercise took over and I found myself lost in the rhythm of the movements. With each repetition, I felt the tension in my body start to ease and my mind begin to clear. It was as if the act of pushing myself physically was helping me to push past my mental blockades as well.

With my current stats, I only managed to do fifteen push-ups before my arms started shaking. My body heated up, and I started to sweat. My breathing became heavy, but I held strong. I gritted my teeth and pushed on. Sixteen, seventeen... eighteen—

My left arm suddenly gave out, no longer able to bear the exertion. I started to fall face-first onto the wooden floor. Fortunately, the impact was cushioned by the planks, sparing me any injury. After a moment of disorientation, I rolled onto my back and gazed up at the ceiling, my mind targeting the system now that I was temporarily unable to exercise.