The morning sun cast long shadows across Konohagakure's training grounds, the air buzzing with the nervous energy of newly assigned genin teams. I stood among my peers, my hood pulled low, my hands loose at my sides. At twelve, I was taller and broader than most, my chakra-enhanced physique a silent testament to my ongoing experiments—muscle reinforcement, bone elongation, and the faint pulse of a second heart forming in my chest. My goals—power, control, freedom—drove every move, every choice. Today, that drive had landed me in an unexpected position: a member of Team Seven, replacing Sakura Haruno.
Iruka's announcement had caused a stir. Sakura's protests echoed through the classroom, her voice shrill as she demanded an explanation. I didn't care for her complaints; the Hokage's decision was final, and I suspected Hiruzen's hand behind it. His late-night visit to my shack, probing my character and the Will of Fire, had left me wary. This reassignment was no accident—it was a test, a way to keep me close, under watch. Fine. I'd play their game, but on my terms.
Team Seven consisted of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and now me, Archon, under the leadership of Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja. Naruto's grin was wide as he slapped my shoulder, oblivious to the tension. "Hell yeah, Archon! This is gonna be awesome! Right, Sasuke?"
Sasuke, leaning against a tree, gave me a cold glance. "Just don't slow us down," he muttered, his eyes sharp with distrust.
I shrugged, unfazed. "Worry about yourself, Uchiha."
Kakashi arrived late, his silver hair glinting in the sunlight, his nose buried in a book. He eyed us over the pages, his single visible eye unreadable. "Well, this is an interesting group," he said, his tone lazy but laced with curiosity. "Let's see what you're made of. Meet me at Training Ground Three tomorrow at dawn. Don't eat breakfast—you'll regret it."
Naruto groaned, but I was already analyzing. Kakashi was a legend, his Sharingan and thousands of copied techniques a puzzle straight out of my gamer days playing Baldur's Gate. He'd be a challenge, but also a resource. If I could learn from him, adapt his methods, my arsenal would grow stronger.
The next day, we gathered at Training Ground Three, a clearing surrounded by dense forest. Kakashi stood before two bells tied to his belt, explaining the test: we had until noon to take a bell from him. Failure meant being sent back to the Academy. Naruto charged immediately, predictably, and Kakashi vanished, leaving him sprawled in the dirt. Sasuke slipped into the trees, his movements calculated. I stayed put, my mind racing like it did when planning a build in Warhammer 40,000. This wasn't about brute force—it was about strategy.
I'd been inspired by Sukuna's form in Jujutsu Kaisen—four eyes, four arms, two mouths, a towering, muscular frame that amplified his cursed energy. My own modifications, though incomplete, gave me an edge: enhanced stamina from my strengthened lungs, steady chakra flow from my developing second heart, and a slightly taller frame that made my movements more imposing. Chakra, like cursed energy, scaled with physical prowess, and I intended to use that.
I wove a Mirror Mirage Technique, summoning three illusory clones that mimicked my movements, their faint footsteps—my Baldur's Gate-inspired tweak—echoing in the clearing. Kakashi's chakra was faint, his presence masked, but my senses, sharpened by my modifications, picked up a flicker in the trees. I moved, silent and swift, my chakra-enhanced speed carrying me faster than any genin should manage. Sasuke was already engaging Kakashi, his fireball jutsu lighting up the forest, but the jounin dodged effortlessly
I flanked, using my clones to draw Kakashi's attention. He countered with a substitution, but I was ready, tapping the ground with a restrained Cleave. The contact-based technique cracked the earth, forcing him to leap back. His eye widened slightly—surprise, maybe respect. "Not bad," he said, vanishing again.
Naruto, meanwhile, was caught in a trap, dangling upside down from a rope. I ignored him, focusing on Kakashi. Sasuke launched another attack, kunai flying, but I saw an opening. I channeled chakra into a shadow-based genjutsu, inspired by Shikamaru's technique, making Kakashi's shadow seem to writhe, slowing his movements for a split second. I lunged, fingers grazing his belt, but he twisted away, the bell just out of reach.
Time ran out. None of us got a bell, but Kakashi's next words surprised me. "You three… you're not thinking like a team. Archon, your illusions and speed are impressive, but you're holding back. Sasuke, you're too focused on yourself. Naruto, well…" He sighed. "You need to think before you act. But you all have potential. You pass."
Naruto whooped, Sasuke scowled, and I stayed silent, processing. Kakashi saw through my restraint—dangerous, but useful. He'd be watching me closely, just like Hiruzen and Danzo. I'd need to balance showing enough skill to stay on the team while hiding my true power: Dismantle's invisible blades, Cleave's deadly precision, and the Malevolent Shrine I hadn't yet dared to unleash.
That night, in my shack, I reflected on Team Seven. Naruto was a wildcard, his Nine-Tails chakra a potential asset if I could steer him. Sasuke was a rival, his ambition a mirror to my own, but his arrogance a weakness. Kakashi was the real threat—his experience and Sharingan could unravel my secrets if I wasn't careful. But they were also a resource. In Warhammer 40,000, a squad of Astartes was stronger together, their synergy amplifying each warrior's strength. Team Seven could be my crucible, sharpening my skills while I worked on my body.
I resumed my modifications, channeling chakra to my developing second heart. The faint thump was stronger now, boosting my stamina. My lungs, enhanced over weeks, let me train longer, my breaths deep and steady. I pushed my bone elongation, my height creeping upward, my frame broadening. Sukuna's four arms, four eyes, and two mouths were still a distant goal, but I visualized them—his muscular, towering form a beacon of power. My medical ninjutsu let me dull the pain, reinforcing muscles to match my growing skeleton.
I tested my progress, lifting a boulder that should've taken two men to move. My chakra reinforcement felt sharper, my Dismantle slicing through a tree with surgical precision. Cleave, requiring contact, split a rock with a single touch. My genjutsu, inspired by Ino-Shika-Cho and my gamer roots, grew subtler, my Mirror Mirage clones now dodging and weaving like living shadows.
Team Seven was a new variable, a challenge and an opportunity. Hiruzen had placed me here to watch me, to test my loyalty to Konoha's Will of Fire. But I wasn't here for loyalty. I was Archon, forging a body and a destiny to rival Sukuna's, drawing on the Astartes' relentless strength. This team, this village, was a stepping stone. I'd use them, learn from them, and when the time came, I'd rise above them all.