C1 Russell

In the rundown courtyard of Konoha, beneath the branches of a withering tree, Russell carefully stowed away his shuriken and gazed upon the hurried, grief-stricken passersby with a heavy heart. "It's been ten days since I arrived in this world."

Indeed, Russell was no ordinary individual—he was a transmigrator, blessed with a system! This system, known as 'card picking,' allowed him to randomly collect attribute cards dropped by others. The more powerful the individual, the higher the level of card he could obtain, enhancing Russell's own attributes in turn. These cards ranged from strength to speed, to ninjutsu, each with its own unique properties, and were categorized by color: white, blue, purple, red, and the most coveted, gold.

Regrettably, ten days since activating the system, Russell had yet to glimpse even the shadow of a golden card, let alone collect any card at all. His arrival coincided with the end of the Third Shinobi World War, a conflict that claimed the lives of his parents, leaving five-year-old Russell alone in the world. Overwhelmed by the shock of transmigration and the uncertainty of his future, he hadn't ventured beyond the courtyard, depriving him of any chance to encounter people and collect cards.

"The time has come," he murmured, glancing at the sky before slipping into black attire and making his way to Konoha's cemetery. Today, the village would lay to rest the heroes fallen in battle, an event attended by all.

As he walked, the desolate streets painted a picture of the world's harsh realities. The war had left thousands of families in Konoha broken. Children had been orphaned, mothers bereft of husbands and offspring. Indeed, in the waning days of the war, Konoha had resorted to sending even its children into the fray.

"I must grow stronger, strong enough to master my own destiny!" With this silent vow, Russell reached the cemetery. There, leading the procession, stood the formidable Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, still in the prime of his life.

He scanned the crowd, his eyes passing over the ashen-faced Orochimaru and the gentle-smiling Namikaze Minato among others.

Yet, they all shared a somber expression, standing silently before the memorial stone.

Unnoticed as just another child, Russell casually found a secluded corner to stand in.

The memorial bore the names of this body's parents, but Russell felt little grief.

He had never met the parents of this body.

The war had kept the original soul from seeing his parents more than a few times.

All Russell could glean from the memories was that they visited once a year at most.

Had it not been for a caretaker, the original soul might have died of hunger before Russell's arrival.

But once the parents were lost in battle, the caretaker left too.

Overwhelmed by grief, the original soul succumbed, allowing Russell to take his place.

Emotionally detached, Russell still knew he had to honor his parents' memory.

Lost in thought, he was jolted back to reality by a white card at the feet of the person before him.

It was the size of a playing card, bathed in a pearly glow, its beauty captivating.

Curious about the card's content, Russell found it impossible to discern anything.

The ninja ahead, a stranger to Russell, was clearly a Genin from the Uchiha Clan by his attire.

Torn between curiosity and respect, Russell feigned sorrow and slowly crouched down.

He couldn't help himself; it was his first encounter with such a card, and he feared it might vanish if ignored.

The majority of onlookers were ninjas, and Russell's movements didn't escape their notice.

Yet, seeing only a five-year-old overcome with grief, they didn't dwell on it.

Minato, usually so radiant, cast a shadow of concern upon noticing Russell.

But Russell was oblivious to Minato's reaction, his focus solely on reaching for the mysterious white card.

Because the card was within easy reach, Russell effortlessly slipped it into his pocket. He then rubbed his eyes, trying to hold back tears, and stood up with a heavy heart. Glancing at a nearby tombstone, Russell eagerly began to examine the white card in his mind.

He had been training relentlessly from dawn to dusk, but to no avail. His natural talent was average at best, and the system was his only path to gaining strength.

Ding! The white card grants a +1 strength attribute. Would you like to absorb it?

"Absorb!"

Instantly, a warm surge flowed through him, the sensation causing Russell to slightly narrow his eyes. He could distinctly feel his strength increasing significantly.

"Display my body's attribute panel!"

Host: Russell

Strength: 5

Speed: 4

Physique: 4

Spirit: 22

Skill: Basic Shuriken Level 1

Note: An average adult's attributes are all at 10.

Russell reviewed his attributes; aside from his Spirit, which was high due to his transmigration, his other stats were disappointingly low. His only skill was the Basic Shuriken technique he had learned over the last ten days.

To the onlookers, Russell's dazed expression clearly indicated a child overwhelmed by grief. Namikaze Minato, witnessing this, clenched his jaw and quietly said to Uzumaki Kushina at his side, "Kushina, that's Haru and Asa's boy. I want to adopt him."

Asa and Haru, Russell's parents, were commoners and neighbors to Minato. They had grown up together. However, as Minato's talents were recognized by one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, and he became his apprentice, their paths diverged.

Now, amidst the war, Asa and Haru, serving as special Jonin, were assigned under Minato once again. Tragically, they both fell in battle and never returned.

"Of course, we'll speak to Sandaime once the war ends," Kushina replied, casting a brief, decisive look at Russell before nodding in agreement.

Haru was just as familiar with Russell, and they had become best friends.

As the host of the Nine-Tails, she was bound to Konoha and couldn't leave.

So, whenever Haru was mission-free, they'd hit the shops together.

But once the war kicked off, their meet-ups were few and far between.

Watching Russell's absent-minded face, Kushina's maternal instincts flared, impossible to hold back.

Unbeknownst to Russell, his destiny had already been mapped out by others. He kept searching, hoping to stumble upon more cards.

Sadly, he came up empty-handed.

"As long as there are leaves dancing in the wind, the will of fire will never die..."

Following Sarutobi Hiruzen's lengthy discourse, the crowd dispersed, and Russell headed for his own little nest.

The house, with its courtyard, was the sole legacy of his parents.

"I'm no good at training alone, and I can't even harness Chakra. Looks like I'll need to scout around for some useful finds."

"Besides, getting into Ninja School would be ideal. There's a wealth of abilities to learn from the other students and teachers."

On his way home, Russell mulled over his future.

Just a regular orphan, he had no chance of rubbing shoulders with elite ninjas.

That's why Ninja School was his best bet for a stable and gradual path to strength!

But for an orphan, it wasn't a walk in the park to get in. He'd need a solid plan.

With that in mind, Russell walked on, deep in thought, drawing closer to his modest home.