C152

The sun had barely risen, casting a soft golden light over the village as Haruto made his way through the quiet streets of Konoha. His pouch felt heavier than usual, though it wasn't filled with weapons or tools this time. Instead, it held something far more strategic—a carefully written essay about the Will of Fire.

Haruto had been thinking about this for weeks. The system had set a mission, one that would eventually require him to offend someone powerful like Danzo or Orochimaru, but he couldn't just charge in and do something reckless. He needed to build a foundation first. Influence. Support. And to do that, he had to start small, planting the seeds of his perspective throughout the village. He needed people to start seeing things his way, and what better place to start than with his academy instructor, Rika Toriyama? Nobody had said the words Will of Fire in his life than Rika, so many lessons.

The paper he had written it was a calculated move. The Will of Fire was a doctrine that nearly everyone in the village respected, but Haruto had a different view. He wasn't completely against it—he knew the village needed something to unite behind. But he could use it to gain some Brownie Points.

As Haruto stepped into the academy building, the halls were eerily quiet, the only sound coming from his own footsteps. It was still early, long before students would fill the classrooms, and that's exactly how he wanted it. No distractions. No questions.

He made his way to Rika Toriyama's classroom, the place where he had spent so many hours learning. Rika-sensei was sharp, and more importantly, she was respected. If she read his essay and it resonated with her, it could start the chain reaction Haruto needed.

Haruto reached the desk at the front of the room and pulled the folded paper from his pouch. His fingers brushed against the edges as he unfolded it one last time, skimming the lines he had written. It was bold, questioning the idealized version of the Will of Fire. He pointed out that while the philosophy was strong in principle, in practice, it often sacrificed the weak for the sake of the village's strength. He challenged the idea that the village's well-being should come at the expense of those who couldn't keep up, asking whether Konoha's fire truly burned for all its people.

It wasn't a direct attack on the system, but it was a nudge. A small push toward a conversation that could grow into something bigger. Haruto knew he had to be careful, but he also knew that change started with the right words in the right hands.

He placed the paper on Rika-sensei's desk, adjusting it so it would be impossible for her to miss. Haruto knew she would read it. And when she did, maybe she would start to see the cracks too. Maybe she would ask questions. That's all Haruto needed right now—a few questions, a few doubts. The rest would come later.

As he turned to leave the room, Haruto felt a sense of satisfaction settle over him. This was just the beginning. If Rika spread his ideas—if other shinobi started to think critically about the Will of Fire—then, when the time came, Haruto would be in a much better position to drop the real bombshell. The one that would catch the attention of people like Danzo and Orochimaru. The one that would complete his system's mission.

He left the academy quietly, making his way to the mission hall to meet his team.