Skipping school earned him power. Causing trouble would earn him far more.
The Naruto world.
Konohagakure.
Within the Sarutobi clan compound.
"Good heavens—my little ancestor!"
"Why are you still at home?!"
The butler's cry rang out in panic as he finally noticed the boy who was supposed to be at the Ninja Academy—still lounging comfortably inside the residence.
Facing the flustered old man, Alaric remained completely unbothered, calmly chewing on a slice of watermelon, not the least bit rushed.
"Move, move. It's early. You're too loud."
"I'll go if I feel like it. If I don't, I won't."
"Who do you think can tell me otherwise?"
The butler's expression stiffened. Helplessness flashed across his face, yet he didn't dare say another word.
After all, the young master before him was someone even the heavens seemed reluctant to provoke.
The grandson of the current Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The maternal grandson of Konoha's shadow, Danzo Shimura.
Who in the village would dare object?
With noon approaching and classes nearly over, the butler could only retreat awkwardly, careful not to touch Alaric's temper again.
[Ding! Refused to attend school. School rules treated as air.]
[Fusion Rate +0.01]
The moment the butler left, a pleasant chime echoed inside Alaric's mind.
Still… only 0.01 again.
Annoying.
In the end, it all came down to his age. If he were older, he could've pulled off something truly outrageous by now. Instead, he was forced to grind fusion progress one pitiful increment at a time.
Ten years had already passed since his transmigration.
One moment he'd been at home, happily binge-playing through a shinobi war game. The next, he'd woken up in the Naruto world—reborn as the grandson of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the grandson-in-law of Danzo Shimura.
After learning his identity, Alaric had only one thought:
Complicated lineage.
Still, complicated or not, this status made him the undisputed crown prince of Konoha.
At least within this village, he could do whatever he pleased.
Perfectly matched with the cheat he'd awakened upon transmigration—the Homelander Template.
No training required.
No effort demanded.
As long as he lived like a lawless, spoiled young master, the fusion rate would continue to rise.
[Host: Alaric Sarutobi]
[Age: 10]
[Ninjutsu: None]
[Taijutsu: None]
[Genjutsu: None]
[Bloodline: None]
[Template: Homelander]
[Fusion Rate: 20.99%]
[Unlocked Abilities: Super Defense, Super Strength]
[Next Template: Superman (Man of Steel)]
Staring at the panel, Alaric frowned slightly.
Ten full years—and he hadn't even broken past twenty-five percent.
Slow. Far too slow.
As for ninjutsu and the like? Meaningless.
With the Homelander Template, those things were completely unnecessary. The current shinobi world wasn't dangerous enough to warrant concern—and by the time chaos truly erupted, the Superman Template would likely be nearly complete.
Why bother with flashy tricks at all?
The timeline was Konoha Year 58—the year the Twelve Genin would enter the Academy.
Originally, Alaric had been in the same class as Neji Hyuga. But to maximize template progress, he'd deliberately skipped school again and again, successfully repeating a year and dropping into Naruto's generation instead.
At this point in time, Hiruzen's control over Konoha was at its peak.
The only real variable left in the village was the Uchiha clan.
And even that problem would be "resolved" next year.
"Looks like it's finally time to stir things up."
Just as Alaric was considering what kind of trouble to start—
A small figure suddenly charged toward him at full speed.
"Wahahaha! Prepare yourself, brother!"
"Taste the ultimate technique I spent ages developing!"
Alaric's face darkened instantly as he looked at Konohamaru Sarutobi, who had leapt into the air clutching a mop.
Before the mop could come down—
Alaric casually threw a punch.
"Boom!"
A dull thud echoed through the room as silence fell.
"Waaah—! I'm telling Grandpa!"
Konohamaru bolted out the door, clutching explained swelling on his head, tears streaming down his face.
Watching him run off to complain, Alaric felt nothing but irritation.
Whether in this life or back when he'd watched the anime, there was one thing he could never understand.
How did the Hokage's own grandson end up being ignored and bullied by villagers?
Pathetic.
A thought clicked into place.
"Steward! Where the hell did you run off to?!"
"Get some people. I'm heading out."
—
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office.
Staring at the bawling Konohamaru before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a familiar headache coming on.
Between his two grandsons, the one who'd always drawn his attention was Alaric—the unnervingly mature child who never behaved like a normal boy.
More importantly, Alaric was also Danzo's grandson.
With all factors combined, his importance was undeniable.
The only problem was his temperament—it had been awful since childhood.
"Alright, alright. Ebisu, take Konohamaru back."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Sensing Hiruzen's growing impatience, Ebisu quickly escorted Konohamaru out of the office.
The moment they left, a figure emerged from the hidden chamber.
"Hmph. Crying like that—what a disgrace."
"Send him to Root, Hiruzen. I'll straighten him out properly."
Hiruzen nearly rolled his eyes into the ceiling.
No matter what, Konohamaru was still his own grandson. Sending him to Root? He'd be lucky to survive.
"That's enough. The future of the Sarutobi clan belongs to Alaric."
"I don't need you reminding me."
"And keep your hands off Konohamaru."
Hiruzen waved him off irritably.
Having achieved his usual provocation, Danzo said nothing more and turned to leave.
Though the Shimura clan flourished, Danzo's direct bloodline ended with Alaric. As his only grandson, the boy naturally held exceptional importance in his eyes.
Once Danzo departed, Hiruzen's gaze drifted to the crystal ball beside him.
The image within shifted—quickly revealing Alaric's figure.
Hiruzen froze.
"…Hm?"
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