Chapter 43: New status

Kana and Shizune had spent the day handling business at Ramen to Ruretto, ensuring everything ran smoothly while Naruto and Karin were at the Academy. It had become a routine for them—keeping Tsunade's reckless gambling under control while maintaining the house's reputation.

But today was different. As they entered the Uzumaki household, expecting the usual chaos of Tsunade complaining about her losses, they were instead greeted with laughter.

Naruto was grinning like an idiot, Karin's face was flushed red, Tsunade was chuckling to herself, and Kushina was watching everything with that knowing smile only a mother could have.

Kana blinked, glancing at Shizune, who looked equally confused.

"What did we miss?" Kana asked, her curiosity piqued.

Karin immediately whipped around, her face still burning. "N-Nothing!" she blurted out, waving her hands frantically.

Naruto, however, grinned deviously. "Oh, just a little confession from our dear Karin-chan."

Kana raised an eyebrow. "Confession?"

Shizune, sensing something juicy, crossed her arms. "Go on…"

Tsunade, still chuckling, took a sip of her sake. "Oh, it's nothing much. Just Karin declaring in class that she's going to marry Naruto."

Kana's jaw dropped.

Shizune's eyes widened.

Karin whined, covering her face with her hands. "Tsunade! Why would you say that?!"

Naruto laughed, throwing an arm around Karin's shoulders. "She said it loud and proud in class! Why hide it now?"

Kana and Shizune exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

"Oh, this is priceless," Kana smirked. "And here I thought you two were just the usual overprotective siblings."

Karin, still red-faced, groaned. "I was just saying what I felt!"

Kushina, now fully enjoying the situation, smiled warmly at her daughter. "There's nothing wrong with that, sweetheart."

Shizune, wiping a tear from her eye, finally sighed. "Well, I can see things are as lively as ever here."

Kana smirked at Naruto. "So, when's the wedding?"

Naruto choked on air. "Wha—Kana-san, don't start!"

The whole room erupted into laughter again.

And in that moment, despite all their teasing, Karin knew one thing for sure—she was home, surrounded by the people she loved.

After changing into their nightwear, the Uzumaki household sat down for dinner. The warmth of family filled the air as laughter and stories were exchanged over steaming bowls of food. It was a heartfelt meal—one filled with joy, nostalgia, and a mix of emotions.

Even Tsunade, despite her earlier antics, found herself cherishing the moment, sipping her sake in contentment as she watched the next generation of her family.

Once dinner ended, one by one, everyone left for bed. The house slowly fell into a comfortable silence, the night embracing them in its peaceful hold.

Despite Karin's bold confession earlier that day, nothing changed between her and Naruto. It wasn't awkward. It wasn't forced. It was just… them.

It had always been like this—Karin, stubborn and unwavering in her attachment to Naruto, and Naruto, patient and accepting of everything she was.

The family had long stopped questioning why she preferred to share a room with him. At first, it was for comfort, but then it became a habit. And now, it was just how things were—a bond that neither of them wished to break.

As they settled into bed, Karin turned to Naruto, her voice soft in the dim light.

"Nii-san, what I said in class… did it make you sad?"

Naruto blinked at her.

'This girl… she puts on such a strong front around others, but when we're alone, she still acts like a soft child.'

He couldn't help but smile.

"You didn't say anything wrong, Karin." He reassured her. "You did what you thought was right, and that's what matters."

Karin hesitated for a moment before whispering, "But… did I embarrass you?"

Naruto chuckled. "Not at all. But, Karin, if you really believe in something—if you really want something—you have to show it through your actions. Words are strong, but actions are stronger. Never waver. And if you ever feel lost… I'll always be here to guide you."

Karin listened carefully, then smiled—a warm, genuine smile that held a world of trust in it.

"Thanks, Nii-san. That's what I needed to hear."

She turned onto her side, staring at the ceiling. "Sometimes, it's strange. We're the same age, but you speak like someone who's already lived a full life. Like you've already seen it all."

Naruto exhaled, closing his eyes.

"Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't. But what I do know, Karin is that I'll always be here for you. That much will never change."

Karin reached out and held his hand for a moment before letting sleep take her.

Naruto lay awake for a while longer, staring at the ceiling, thoughts swirling in his mind.

"Yeah… and I'll protect you all. No matter what."

With that final thought, he closed his eyes.

"Hey, Aurora how is my status", He asked in his mind.

[Here is your status]

Ding!

----------

Status

[Name: Naruto Uzumaki (Leo Solace)

Clan: Uzumaki clan (100 %)

Age: 6 years

Rank: Academy Student

Affiliation: Konohagakure

Chakra Nature: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Yang, Yin

Physique: Perfect Sage Body

[Physical Attributes (Cap 100)]

Strength:60

Agility:65

Stamina:85

Chakra Reserves:85

Intelligence:75

Perception:70

Endurance:80

[Skill Mastery(10)]

Ninjutsu:6

Taijutsu:5

Genjutsu:4

Kenjutsu:2

Fuinjutsu:4

Medical Ninjutsu:4

Sensory Abilities:7

Chakra Control: 7

Stealth:2

[Abilities & Techniques]

Bushin no Jutsu, Kawamiri no Jutsu, Henge no Jutsu, Shunshin no Jutsu, Tachinemuri no Jutsu, Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu, Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu, Futon: Reppusho, Doton: Doryūheki, Raiton: Inazuma, Shōsen Jutsu, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu

Uzumaki-ryū Taijutsu, Uchiha-ryū Kenjutsu

[Skills]

Copycat(Perfect), Gambling(Elite), Cooking(Intermediate), Medicine(Beginner).

[Titles]

Gambling King, Prince of Uzumaki Clan ]

----------

Naruto sighed, staring at the floating status screen in his mind, the glowing text shifting slightly as if it had a mind of its own. He had long since gotten used to Aurora's experiments, but this time… this time it was ridiculous.

"Aurora, what's this? You changed the template again," he muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.

A soft, amused voice echoed in his mind.

[What's the problem with that? I'm just experimenting to see which format works best.]

Naruto groaned, throwing his hands up—even if no one could see him. "Do you know how many times you've done this? I think this is already the 200th template… No, maybe even more! I lost count ages ago! And this one has so much detail, it's overkill!"

A small chuckle rang in his head.

[It's exactly the 2000th one, actually.]

Naruto nearly choked. "2000?!" He could already feel the headache forming.

[Better details make it easier to understand, don't you think?] Aurora replied casually, as if she hadn't just revealed the absurdity of her actions.

Naruto took a deep breath, "Okay, but why not just show this one from the start? Why experiment so many times?"

There was a brief pause before Aurora answered, her voice tinged with amusement and a hint of smugness.

[Don't you remember what you asked the god before coming here? You wanted a system that could adapt to anything. So, I'm adapting.]

Naruto blinked. His lips twitched, but no words came out.

'Damn… she got me there.'

He sighed again, rubbing the back of his head. "Fair enough. But how does the scaling even work in this one?"

Aurora's voice softened, but there was a playful edge to it. [Oh? Are you finally taking an interest in my hard work?]

Naruto rolled his eyes. "More like I'm trying to make sense of your madness."

Aurora giggled, but before she could respond, Naruto muttered under his breath, "Not like I could ever win an argument against a woman anyway."

A chilling silence followed.

[Oh? What was that, dear host?]

Naruto stiffened. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. "N-Nothing! I was just… appreciating your hard work!"

Aurora didn't reply immediately, but he could feel her smirking inside his head.

[Good answer.]

Naruto sighed in relief, shaking his head. Even if she was an AI, she was still a woman.

And if there was one universal truth across all worlds, it was this—arguing with a woman was a battle you were doomed to lose.

Aurora's voice rang through his mind, a mix of pride and mischief.

[Here it becomes interesting.]

A glowing chart materialized in Naruto's thoughts, neatly categorizing power levels and mastery into clear-cut stages.

[

For Physical Attributes

Civilian - 1- 5

Academy Student - 5-10

Genin - 10- 25

Chunin - 25-40

Tokubetsu Jonin - 40-55

Jonin - 55-70

Elite Jonin - 70-80

Kage - 80-90

Super Kage - 90 -100

Shibai Otsutsuki - 100+

For Skill Mastery

Novice - 1-2

Beginner - 3-4

Intermediate - 5-6

Advance(Pro) - 7-8

Elite - 9

Perfect -10

How is it? Isn't it a good breakdown?]

Naruto stared at the glowing breakdown, his eyes wide. "That was a hell of a breakdown. This is the result of all your experiments, huh? Don't worry… the results are actually very good," he admitted, a small grin forming on his lips.

He might have teased Aurora about her constant tinkering, but deep down, he was impressed. She really did put thought into everything.

Aurora's voice practically beamed with satisfaction. [You're amazed, right? Where are all those complaints and sarcastic comments now?] she teased.

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't dig up the past. Live in the present and wait for the future," he said smoothly, his voice filled with quiet wisdom.

For a moment, there was only silence. Then Aurora let out a soft laugh, warm and almost fond. [Hmph. Well played, host. Well played.]