"Dō, happy birthday."
Sasame placed a small cake in front of the young boy and said, "The director is too busy to see you right now. She asked me to apologize on her behalf."
"Thank you."
Yakushi Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his expression displaying a calmness beyond his years. "The recent chaos in Konoha affected many people. The director is a medical ninja—it's only natural she's busy."
"Go ahead and eat."
Sasame sat across from him, eyeing his white hair. A thought crossed his mind:
Switch the gender, and you'd have thousands of fans.
White hair plus a little girl was many people's preference.
Maybe white hair plus a young boy was also someone's taste.
After all, humanity could never be underestimated.
Even if it was… legally questionable.
"You're seven years old now, right?" Sasame asked.
"Yeah." Kabuto swallowed a bite of cake before answering.
Sasame's eyes flickered as he calculated silently.
Though it was never explicitly stated, Kabuto should have met Shimura Danzō and Orochimaru around this age. His exceptional medical talent would have drawn their attention, leading to his recruitment and training as a spy.
But now, Sasame had transmigrated into this world and had been warning Kabuto to keep his medical abilities hidden.
The flow of fate had already changed.
So why hadn't the reward come yet?
Sasame instinctively glanced at his wrist.
There, visible only to him, was a divine artifact called the Ring of Fate.
By altering the pivotal moments in a character's destiny, Sasame could earn rewards.
These pivotal moments referred to the most critical turning points in a person's life.
For Kabuto, his first turning point was encountering Danzō and Orochimaru.
"I'm done!"
Kabuto wiped his mouth and stood up. "I'm going to train in medical ninjutsu. What about you?"
Though Sasame had told him to hide his talent, Kabuto hadn't neglected his medical training.
His aptitude was simply too great to waste.
If he never met Orochimaru, Kabuto might have become the next Tsunade through steady growth.
In contrast, Sasame had no talent whatsoever.
No medical aptitude, no ninja potential—just a double dose of blessings.
[Due to your actions, Yakushi Kabuto's fate has been altered. You have earned 100 Fate Points.]
Sasame froze—then burst into silent elation.
Hahaha! The golden finger has finally arrived!
"Go train. Don't worry about me."
Sasame watched Kabuto leave before retreating to his room.
A hundred Fate Points might seem small, but it was actually a significant amount.
According to the Ring of Fate's rules, each pivotal moment for a character could yield a maximum of 100 points.
The exact amount depended on the character's importance in the original story.
But since characters had multiple turning points, it was possible to farm points from the same person repeatedly.
At seven years old, Sasame was a war orphan taken in by Yakushi Nonō.
In the orphanage, the only character whose fate he could influence was Kabuto.
Through deliberate effort over three years, they had become close friends.
Otherwise, Kabuto wouldn't have listened to him and hidden his medical talent.
Sasame twisted the Ring of Fate, and a translucent screen unfolded before his eyes.
[Current Fate Points: 100.]
[Fate Point Store unlocked.]
[New Player Discount (90% off): Due to your Senju lineage, you can awaken Wood Release talent at a tenth of the cost.]
Without hesitation, Sasame purchased the discount.
Ninety Fate Points vanished.
A warm current surged through his body.
Ahhh… so comfortable.
Sasame exhaled, feeling refreshed.
With Wood Release talent, he now had a foothold in the ninja world.
But talent alone wasn't enough—he needed techniques.
The Fate Point Store did offer Wood Release jutsu, but points were hard to come by.
Sasame set his sights on Konoha.
The simplest method was to reveal his Wood Release ability outright.
In Konoha, Wood Release held a special status—it symbolized the invincible First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
Most likely, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, would take him under his wing for training.
There was also a small chance he'd be snatched by Danzō and brainwashed in Root.
But Sasame believed there was a third path—
Tsunade.
As the princess of the Senju clan, she wouldn't ignore the second Wood Release user since her grandfather.
Under the protection of one of the Legendary Sannin, Sasame would be safe for a long time. Plus, he could learn Wood Release techniques from her for free.
A win-win situation.
No—a double win.
After the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade had left Konoha and wandered the world.
But she wasn't a missing-nin.
Her love for the village remained strong—otherwise, she wouldn't have returned to become the Fifth Hokage later.
The original story didn't mention whether she ever visited Konoha during her absence.
But now, right after the Nine-Tails' attack, the funerals of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and the jinchūriki Uzumaki Kushina were about to be held.
Tsunade would most likely return.
Sasame was willing to bet on it.
As an orphan, he had no way to approach Tsunade directly—but Yakushi Nonō did.
Thanks to Tsunade's efforts, Konoha had developed a robust medical system, including a medical corps and hospital.
Tsunade had once taught in the medical division.
Nonō had been one of her students, and the two had a decent relationship.
Sasame's plan was to reveal his Wood Release to Nonō, who would then contact Tsunade.
Of course, this required careful execution.
Now, it was time for his performance.
Nightfall.
Exhausted after a long day, Yakushi Nonō returned to the orphanage.
Due to the Nine-Tails' rampage, Konoha's hospital was overwhelmed, and medical ninja were in short supply.
She had been forced to assist.
Though drained, Nonō couldn't rest yet—she still had to check on the children.
Her first stop was Kabuto's room.
The light was still on.
Knocking gently, she asked, "Reading again?"
"Director, you're back!"
Kabuto smiled brightly. "I'm reviewing Basic Medical Case Analysis—the one you gave me."
"Get some sleep."
Nonō couldn't help but smile.
Though Kabuto learned slowly, his dedication was undeniable.
Obedient and sensible—he was her favorite among all the children.
"Just one more chapter. Half an hour, I promise!"
Kabuto held up a finger, bargaining playfully.
Nonō sighed in mock exasperation. "Fine, but I'm coming back to check on you."
Closing the door, she moved to the next room.
If Kabuto was the model child, then Sasame was the too-mature-for-his-age type.
At just seven, he spoke and acted like an adult.
Yet this very trait made him the de facto leader among the orphans, saving Nonō a lot of trouble.
But when she opened his door, her eyebrows shot up.
His face was pale, hair disheveled. His clean clothes were smeared with dirt, and his sleeves bore two ragged slits, revealing reddened skin beneath.
"Director!"
Sasame forced a sheepish grin. "I… tripped."
"I want the truth."
Nonō's gaze sharpened as she knelt, gripping his arm.
"Ow—ah!" Sasame hissed.
"Now it hurts?"
Nonō pressed her palm to the wound, a faint green glow emanating from her hand.
Warm chakra soothed the injury, and Sasame relaxed slightly.
Medical ninjutsu really is convenient.
"Alright, be more careful next time."
Nonō's gray-black eyes locked onto his. "Now—what really happened?"
Sasame hesitated before speaking. "Director… I think I've awakened a special ability."
"Awakened? An ability?"
As a seasoned ninja, Nonō immediately thought of Kekkei Genkai—bloodline abilities that could manifest naturally.
"Show me." Her voice was urgent.
If he truly had a Kekkei Genkai, Sasame could become a ninja—a rare opportunity for an orphan.
Sasame extended his right hand.
Chakra surged, and thorny vines sprouted from his palm.
But his control was still weak—within seconds, the vines scattered, their sharp edges leaving fresh scratches on his arm.
"Wood Release?!"
Nonō's eyes widened, her voice trembling with disbelief.