Naruto: Divine Reward System

Upon hearing this, Naruto blurted out, "Tatsuya, what are you thinking?! Why should we stick with that guy? He's always so cold!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but deep down, he was secretly relieved by Tatsuya's decision. Of course, his pride wouldn't let him show it. Instead, he scoffed and crossed his arms. "I don't need your pity."

Kakashi, unfazed, spoke again. "Tatsuya, this isn't a choice I'm giving you. If you refuse to follow the rules, I'll have to disqualify you, and Naruto and Sasuke will move forward without you. Are you really willing to go that far?"

Tatsuya stood his ground, eyes unwavering. "As long as I'm part of this team, my decision won't change. And if Naruto or Sasuke were in my place, they'd do the same."

His words carried a quiet confidence, but in his heart, he already understood Kakashi's test. This was about more than just rules—it was about proving himself as the true leader of Team 7. He needed Naruto and Sasuke to see that.

Kakashi studied him for a long moment before finally nodding. "Then so be it."

Naruto and Sasuke were both stunned. Naruto, always the most expressive, immediately shouted, "Sensei, if Tatsuya isn't moving forward, then I don't want the promotion either!"

Sasuke hesitated before adding, "Me neither. I'm not abandoning my teammates just to pass."

Kakashi's eye crinkled in approval beneath his mask. He had already decided Tatsuya passed—this was just to see how the others would react. Now, he had his answer.

Looking at the three before him, he finally declared, "I officially announce that three of you… pass!"

Tatsuya had expected this outcome—everything had gone exactly as he predicted. But Naruto and Sasuke were completely caught off guard.

"Wait… what?!" Naruto stammered, eyes wide in disbelief. Even Sasuke looked taken aback.

Kakashi explained, "A ninja needs more than just skill. Teamwork is just as important. In the Ninja World, those who break the rules are trash, that's true...but those who abandon their friends are worse than trash!"

After a few more words of wisdom, Kakashi clapped his hands together. "The test is over. All of you pass. Starting tomorrow, Team 7 officially begins taking missions."

It finally sank in—Naruto's face split into a huge grin, and he tackled Tatsuya in a hug. "We did it! Yataaaa!"

Even Sasuke, usually the most reserved, let the smallest smirk flicker across his face. Tatsuya caught it immediately. That tiny smile spoke volumes—Sasuke had acknowledged their bond as teammates.

And something else clicked for him. Without Tatsuya, Naruto and Sasuke might not have passed at all. That realization subtly shifted the way Sasuke looked at him.

—

Later that day, the four of them gathered for lunch. During the meal, Kakashi found himself still puzzled by something and decided to approach Tatsuya privately.

Before Kakashi could even ask, Tatsuya smirked. "Sensei, you're wondering how I knew about your… hobbies, aren't you?"

Kakashi chuckled. "You're definitely the smartest student I've ever taught, Tatsuya. No contest."

Tatsuya shrugged casually. "Knowing your opponent is key to victory. The moment I found out you were our instructor, I did my research. I learned that during every test, you always read a book. So, I focused on that detail."

Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly before he laughed. "I see. Smart thinking."

Of course, what Tatsuya said was complete nonsense, but Kakashi bought it completely. He couldn't think of any other explanation!

Then, after a brief pause, Kakashi leaned in and lowered his voice. "Tatsuya… about that book of yours… Can I have a copy?"

Tatsuya blinked innocently. "Huh? Oh, that? It's just a book. If you like it, you can have it."

Kakashi beamed. "Great! As a teacher, I can't just take something from my student for free. If you ever need anything, come to me. If it's within my power, I'll help."

Tatsuya grinned. "Then I'll be sure to keep that in mind, sensei."

—

After lunch, Kakashi dismissed them for the day. "Go home and rest. Tomorrow, we start real missions."

Back at his residence, Tatsuya replayed the events of the day in his mind, especially Kakashi's battle against Sasuke. He compared it with the techniques he had studied and immediately began training.

With his sharp mind and incredible talent, Tatsuya mastered several techniques in mere minutes. In just half an hour, his physical abilities had improved drastically. He felt confident that, even without activating his [Sharingan], he could now defeat Sasuke in hand-to-hand combat.

Kakashi, however, was still a long way off.

But Tatsuya wasn't worried. As long as he unlocked his "second reward," surpassing Kakashi wouldn't be impossible.

Still, there was one technique that had been on his mind lately—the strongest taijutsu in the entire ninja world:

[The Eight Gates!]

The [Eight Gates] were chakra limiters within the body: [Gate of Opening], [Gate of Healing], [Gate of Life], [Gate of Pain], [Gate of Limit], [Gate of View], [Gate of Wonder], and [Gate of Death]. They existed to protect a ninja's body from overexertion.

However, unlocking these gates unleashed immense power. Only a handful of ninjas had ever mastered it: Might Duy, Might Guy, and Rock Lee.

Tatsuya was determined to join their ranks.

He recalled the legendary feats of the technique—Might Guy nearly kicking Madara Uchiha, the "Ghost of the Uchiha," to death with [Night Guy]. And before him, Might Duy had sacrificed himself using the final gate to defeat four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

[Eight Gates] was not just powerful—it was terrifyingly strong.

But mastering it was another story. It was an extremely difficult art, and it was even labeled as a [forbidden technique] due to the strain it put on the body.

Still, Tatsuya had made up his mind. The first three gates were relatively harmless, only causing strain without permanent damage. The true dangers began after the fourth gate, [Gate of Pain], where the power boost became truly significant.

With his extraordinary talent and potential future upgrades, Tatsuya was confident he could handle the strain. And if he managed to obtain Hashirama's "Senju Healing Body" in the future, then opening the first seven gates would be no problem at all.

The eighth gate… that would require something even greater.

—

Over the next few days, while completing D-rank missions with Team 7, Tatsuya focused on honing his physical abilities. These early missions weren't dangerous, which gave him plenty of time to push himself to his limits.

By the third day, he had successfully unlocked the first three gates. That alone was an astonishing feat—Might Guy and Rock Lee had taken years to reach this level!

If they ever found out Tatsuya did it in three days, they'd probably drop dead from shock.

Even so, the fourth gate remained locked. There were two possible reasons:

1. His body wasn't strong enough yet.

2. He simply hadn't trained long enough to break through.

Considering even Rock Lee took years to master the "fifth gate," Tatsuya wasn't too discouraged. He just had to keep pushing forward.

—

On the fourth day, after Naruto's endless complaints about D-rank missions, the Third Hokage finally assigned them a C-rank mission: escorting a man named Tazuna to the Land of Waves.

Naruto was ecstatic. Sasuke, too, seemed eager for real action. But Tatsuya had an even deeper reason to be excited.

Because he knew what was coming next—

The Demon of the Hidden Mist… Momochi Zabuza!