Chapter Text
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I’m just playing with them.
Betad by Priapus, Malcolm Tent, Marethyu, Priapus, Old man of the mountain, Mike God of Lore
Guild of Gamers: The Challenger
Chapter 01: Kyo
– Kyo –
Expectations kinda suck.
From birth, people had… ideas of how I would turn out. I’d even go as far as to say they had plans for me, but the problem with making plans is that there’s always going to be unexpected variables.
“Genin Kyo, finishing my patrol. Nothing out of the ordinary,” I report, barely getting a glance from the woman at the desk. It’s almost like she has heard me say those exact words a hundred times over at this point. Getting my pay for the day, I head off with a small sigh.
In truth, I don’t especially need to do these patrols. I’ve inherited a decent amount of money, along with a small clan estate, after all. I’d be better off spending my time training, rather than patrolling the forest for the hundredth time.
Stopping on the way home, I grab some dango and just take a slow walk back instead of roof hopping. The whispers have mostly died down at this point, and besides some looks of pity, the civilians are happy to ignore me. A few years ago, it was a different story, but then as I said, people had expectations for me.
Arriving at my clan compound, I push open the large gate, ignoring the symbol carved into it. It’s a decently sized compound, honestly far too big considering it’s currently holding a family of one. Well, two, but my cousin (which feels weird to say given the age difference) is currently very busy running around being extremely drunk. Wandering into the main building of the Senju compound, I toss myself onto the couch with a tired groan.
As I said. Expectations.
You’re the grandson of Hashirama, Kyo. You are bound for greatness. You’ll likely be the Hokage one day. Being a ninja is in your blood.
Yeah, that didn’t quite work out. I think they got the message when I graduated, very much in the middle of the pack of my class. No sign of Wood Release, no Rookie of the Year, just… average. Mediocre.
It’s not that I didn’t try. Fuck, I worked my ass off, but it just didn’t pay off. Neji learnt new jutsu in days when it took me weeks. Lee beat my ass anytime we sparred, even if I trained just as much as him. By the time I became a genin, the ambitions that people, including the Hokage, had for me kinda just… faded. Or maybe they were just too busy throwing them onto the Uchiha heiress instead.
That’s the Senju clan. One diligent disappointment, and one genius running away from her duties.
I don’t even get to be the Clan Head, because Tsunade is out there somewhere, probably losing money and running away the moment staying becomes inconvenient. Technically, I suppose I could try to get myself accepted as the Clan Head of the Uzumaki clan since I’m older than Naruko and my Grandmother was Mito Uzumaki, but what would be the point? Whatever they had, they lost when Uzu fell, and the entire family is made up of two people: the village disappointment and the village pariah. I’ve never even spoken to Naruko, I don’t think she even knows we’re distantly related.
Plus, I doubt the Hokage would go for it. He was one of the people who had merely high hopes for me and while he’s never outright said it, his visits cut down significantly after I failed the Chunin exams last year. It didn’t help that both of my teammates did pass, leaving me behind.
They wanted the second coming of the First Hokage. Instead, they got the second coming of the Eternal Genin. They figured I’d graduate early and be a jounin by sixteen, and here I am as an eighteen-year-old genin.
Sucks to suck, but I didn’t ask for their expectations.
It’s not like I’ve fallen that far behind. Most of my graduating class are still genins, since it’s only been two years. Neji, the legendary Rookie of the Year, is still a genin… though that is because their sensei refused to let them participate in the last exam, claiming they weren’t ready. I remember the Hyuga making a fuss over it. But it is also not what the village expected of a Senju. Tsunade, hopeless alcoholic or not, is the medic-nin. Sure, she doesn’t actually heal anyone anymore, since she’s too busy being a disappointment in her own special way, but she’s still undeniably a genius.
Eh, at the end of the day, being the disappointment isn’t that bad. I mostly get left to my own devices, and I’m too old to give a damn about the few scowls and pitying looks that get thrown my way. Maybe I’m still in my teenage rebellious phase. Nothing good is going to come from whining about it, after all. When it comes down to it, I’m blessed to have Senju blood because it came with a cool house, a decent amount of money (that survived Tsunade) and a lot more leeway to do whatever I want. Sure, being clanless or from one of the other clans would have let me avoid all the stress, but they have their downsides too, and I prefer my current life over any of that nonsense. Besides, few in the village actively try to bully me over it because I am still Hashirama’s grandson, and the ninjas know that I’m trying. If I were slacking off, I expect they would be far harsher, but they’ve seen me training, day in and day out. I’m not lazy, I’m just not one of the geniuses that my clan produces.
Some civilians try to bully me, but… well, they’re civilians and I’m still a ninja. One tried to push me around when I was younger, but again, they’re a civilian. I think he misunderstood ‘weak for a Senju’ as ‘just plain weak’. His broken jaw corrected his misunderstanding. I didn’t even get a slap on the wrist.
That doesn’t mean I’m content to remain a genin forever; otherwise, why would I bother training at all? I’ve just accepted that I am no genius, nor am I blessed with great power. Sure, I have a load of chakra thanks to my Uzumaki heritage, but that’s the only real stand-out thing I have going for me. So, I’ve acknowledged the fact that it’s going to take me longer to get up the ranks.
I’ll get to Chunin in my own time. Will I get to Jounin? Maybe. We’ll see. One step at a time. We’ll get there when we get there. I will claw my way to the top (okay fine, to the middle of the pack) and show the world that I don’t need to be a genius or have some super cool element or power to get there! Behold, the will of the most average motherfucker in Konoha.
The Challenger System Online!
Worlds Available: Local, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: Legend of Korra.
Motherfucker-
Okay, as my head stops aching from the influx of knowledge, I come up with a new plan. I will claw my way to the top (maybe actually, this time), and show the world that fuck diligence, all you need is a superpower. Hard work? What is that? I only need handouts.
System Tip: The User will still need to earn the rewards from the Challenger system. This isn’t the freebies system.
Damn it.
Well, worth a shot. I should be panicking, but I also live in a world where children are taught to breathe fire, and honestly, this is mid-tier weird. More importantly, it’s weird that benefits me and for that, I will ignore any strangeness with a shameless smile on my face. Neji and his Byakugan can get fucked. Who’s the Rookie of the Year now, dickhead?
‘You were fated for mediocrity.’
Bitch, I’m fated to beat your ass. Chunin exams, here I fucking come!
And Lee-
Actually, I like Lee. He always helped me with my taijutsu training and never held it against me that it took me longer to learn. I still don’t know if his name is Rock or Lee, though. Also, I saw him training without his weights once and he scares me.
Still, the System wasn’t lying as I reach out to the… thing I feel in the back of my mind. If I want to get anything out of this, I’m going to need to work for it. I don’t know what ‘Avatar’ is, exactly, but as I access The Last Airbender, I feel a list of options appear in my mind. Images of people I’ve never seen before, along with a small amount of information about them.
I don’t really understand what is going on, but as I skim through them, I land on one called ‘Azula’, staring into the mental image of an admittedly beautiful teenage girl with blazing golden eyes. She seems pretty powerful, so maybe I should start with her?
Princess Azula Challenged!
Tier One: Azula.
Difficulty: Hard.
Objective: Win the Agni Kai!
The Agni what?
I feel myself pulled out of my comfy chair, suddenly standing in the middle of some kind of ring, surrounded by a wall of fire-
Wait, why do I hear slightly crazed laughter?
– Five Minutes Later –
Challenge Failed!
System Tip: Azula is one of the top firebenders in the Fire Nation and a genius combatant, so maybe don’t challenge her until you’ve got a way to not be burnt to death instantly.
…oww.
I, umm, maybe underestimated Azula. But, this isn’t a complete loss! I’ve learnt some valuable information today. Firstly, when I ‘challenge’ someone, I get reverse summoned into some stage to fight them. I don’t think time passes in my world while I’m there, but the fight was so short that I can’t really say for certain. Secondly, injuries in the challenge don’t carry over once the fight is over. Which is very good; otherwise, the Hokage would be wondering why he found the charred corpse of his one-time potential successor in the Senju Compound’s living room.
System Notice: Difficulty will now be revealed prior to the challenge being selected.
…thanks.
My body hurts, but it is just phantom pains from a body that thinks it was just burnt to a crisp.
Going through the menu again, I review the choices more meticulously this time. If I ever needed a reminder that I am not a genius, that was probably it. Fire Lord Ozai, difficulty impossible. Avatar Aang, difficulty extreme. ‘Uncle’ Iroh, difficulty impossible. Let's… go a bit further down the list.
Ooh, I could probably take this Sokka guy, but… why is the reward for beating him just a boomerang? That’s… let's keep looking.
Huh.
Challenge: Katara
Tier One: Young Katara
Objective: Defeat Katara in a death match.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Rewards: Water Bending, Water Bending (Healing), Waterskin of Spirit Water, Southern Water Tribe Outfit.
This seems more doable, as I look at the tanned girl. She’s younger than me, probably. I’d say maybe around fourteen which makes me feel a little weird but I remind myself that what happens in the challenge, stays in the challenge. It’s not like I’m actually hurting the real Katara.
…assuming there even is a real Katara since I’ve never heard of the Fire Nation or Southern Water Tribe. This is the Land of Fire, but we have no Princess named Azula. If I can shrug off being burnt to death, I figure there’s no harm in fighting a girl who doesn’t even look old enough to graduate from the Academy.
Right?
System Tip: Challenges have no effect on the real version of the challenged individual.
See, it’s fiiiiine.
Katara Challenged!
Once more, I feel myself summoned and this time, I’m not going to stand around scratching my balls trying to work out what the hell happened. Appearing in… a frozen wasteland, I shudder from the cold and quietly curse. I’m on ice, which is all well and good but… I mostly use Earth Release. Well, I have Water Release as well, and not all Earth Jutsu actually need me to have earth around me to work with.
There’s a lot of water around, but I get the feeling that’s not a great thing for me as I spot her. Her eyes narrow, dropping into a taijutsu stance that I don’t recognise.
“I don’t suppose you want to talk about it?” I try, holding up my hands pacifyingly. For a moment, I see confusion on her face.
“I don’t have anything to say to a Fire Nation lackey like you,” Katara responds, anger in her tone.
System Tip: Katara thinks you murdered her tribe. Good luck!
Oh, come on!
“Hey, no need for the name-calling. I’m not a lackey,” I lie. I’m a Genin, I am absolutely a lackey of the Hokage and by extension, the Fire Daimyo.
“Then a monster,” Katara grits out, but unlike Azula, she doesn’t attack instantly. “I couldn’t save them, but I will avenge my tribe.”
“You’ve got the wrong man, I’ve not killed anyone!” I lie again. A bandit named Takeo, four months after I graduated. He tried to stab me in the back. I panicked and slit his throat with a kunai. It didn’t kill him immediately, and he tried to beg for his life through a ruined throat. I puked. “We’re being set up. I’ve got no love for the Fire Nation, or their crazy bitch of a princess. Azula’s already tried to kill me.”
Katara pauses at that, her stance lowering as I take a hesitant step forward. So, they can respond and react to my words? Interesting.
“You’ve fought Azula?” Katara asks, suspicion clear in her tone.
“If you can call running around in circles and trying not to get burnt to death a ‘fight’, sure,” I agree, lowering my hands. “If we’re being honest, she fought me, and that’s still being too generous.”
“Are you armed?” Katara asks, and I shake my head, patting myself down.
“No, I don’t use weapons,” I bullshit, well aware of the set of senbon, shuriken, and kunai I have hidden away in my clothes. Katara, unlike Azula, doesn’t seem to be enjoying this and she approaches slowly. I put my hands together, interlacing my fingers with my left thumb on the outside. She gives me a funny look, but I get the feeling she’s quite a nice girl all things considered. “I really don’t want to fight, I don’t even know where I am.”
She doesn’t trust me, but she’s not bloodthirsty. She really is a sweet girl, huh?
Man, I’m a fucking asshole as I quickly move my hands from the Snake seal to the Rat, our eyes connected as I place her under one of the only Genjutsu I know.
“Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique,” I whisper beneath my breath, seeing her eyes widen as she lets out a cry.
“Sokka! Aang!” Katara cries, focused on something beyond me. “Where- where did you go?! What is this?”
Katara spins around, looking around desperately as I flick my wrist and the kunai hidden in my sleeve falls into my hands, tossing it at her. She catches me by surprise, waving her hands as she moves back, water flying up into a dome around her and catching my kunai. It doesn’t stop it entirely, but slows it massively, and it falls to the floor as it gets through to the other side.
“You bastard! Come out!” Katara shouts, hatred in her tone. I’m still hiding myself with the Genjutsu, but I know the downsides to it. I’m not good enough to vanish myself entirely. If I move, then she’ll see my footsteps in the snow.
Well, I am not entirely useless as I fly through a series of handsigns, using my genjutsu to show her the image of her village being slaughtered. Hey, look, Kurenai-sensei, I did learn some things from you.
“Katara!” I shout, running toward her as she looks at me in confusion.
“S-Sokka?” Katara asks, clearly mixed between hope and bewilderment.
“We have to get out of here, Azula is coming,” I say, grabbing her arm and looking around desperately.
“I thought you-” Katara starts, her words cut off as my hand lashes out. And that’s why I carry a kunai in each sleeve and train with my off hand, as she stumbles back grabbing her bleeding throat.
“Sorry,” I say with a small shrug, not feeling great about slitting a teenage girl’s throat. This isn’t real, the real Katara is somewhere else, just fine. She waves her hand, sending the water flying at me but I get out of the way easily enough. I know a fatal blow when I see one and-
Looking back, I watch her moving her hands desperately, water rising from a necklace and rushing to her throat.
Riiiight. Spirit Water. Water Bending Healing.
Rushing forward, I toss a handful of senbon at her. I’m not the best shot, and I don’t have access to any poisons, but I don’t need them all to hit, as two of them stab into her. She can’t heal herself and fight me, and even as I see her throat mending, I pick up the kunai from the ground and lunge forward, dodging under a desperate kick as she tries to make space. Instead, she gets her legs sliced and lets out a cry of pain as I tackle her, using my superior size and muscles to simply take her down, bringing my kunai down on her head. She moves it to the side, barely dodging before she bites my arm hard enough to tear off a chunk of flesh as I let out a grunt of pain and let go of my kunai, now sticking out of the ice. Well, I tried the easy way as I slam my fist into her face, then again and again.
It’s not real, it’s not real. Ignore the bones crunching, ignore the blood, it’s not real.
Challenge Succeeded!
Rewards: Water Bending, Water Bending (Healing), Waterskin of Spirit Water and Southern Water Tribe Outfit.
Panting, I look down at the pulp that was once a rather cute teenage girl and let out a triumphant roar as I raise my bloodied fist to the sky. Sorry, Katara, but a ninja should use whatever means he has available.
She fades, leaving me in a void for a moment as I bask in the new knowledge I have in my mind.
Challenge Tier Two: Sozen’s Comet Katara?
Rewards: Bloodbending, Katara Summon and Infinite Flask of Spirit Water.
Yes! I have tasted blood, and I want more.
Wait, what’s the difficulty?
Summoned again, I find myself face to face with Katara under a blood-red sky.
“Wait!” I cry out, holding out my hands pacifyingly. “I don’t suppose you want to talk about it?”
“Oh, not this shit again,” Katara growls, hate in her tone as she moves, far faster than before, extending two fingers toward me as I feel my limbs freeze and my heart begin to pound faster and faster as I gasp.
Before I can say anything else, I feel something in my chest burst and fall flat on my face on the ground, blood pouring out of my mouth.
Challenge Failed!
System Tip: During the Challenge, Katara has full access to her Bloodbending, and unlike the real Katara, has no qualms about using it to explode your heart. Try to not let that happen!
…Thanks.
Once more in my living room, I pant and clutch at my chest. My head is swimming, my vision blurring.
System Tip: While damage is not carried over, the mental damage of being killed can have a negative impact on your mind. To counter this, try not to die too many times in quick succession!
What wonderful advice you have for me. I’ll be sure to take that into consideration going forward. That said, I can’t be too angry as I rise up with a quiet groan of pain, my chest still pounding as I take several steadying breaths and smile.
[Waterbending]
Waterbending's strength is its great versatility. Rather than supporting a separate set of offensive methods, waterbending employs defensive techniques that can be transformed into attacks and counters, defense into offense. Instead of simply deflecting an attack, waterbending's defensive maneuvers focus on control, achieved through turning an opponent's own strength against them, rather than directly harming the opponent.
[Water Bending (Healing)]
You have learnt how to use Water Bending to heal by redirecting energy paths, or chi, throughout the body, using water as a catalyst. Waterbenders can use their abilities to heal by surrounding a sick or injured person with water, which glows during the process.
Oh yeah, I can work with this. Even my Taijutsu has improved since Waterbending’s movements are similar to a martial art, and they came along with the rest of Katara’s knowledge.
[Waterskin of Spirit Water]
Spirit water is water imbued with spiritual energy, providing it with special healing properties. It is often taken from sources where spiritual energy is considered to be particularly strong. This can be refilled by repeating the Tier One: Katara challenge.
[Southern Water Tribe Outfit]
A male version of Katara’s Water Tribe outfit, made from furs and hide to keep you warm in the frigid south, and dyed blue for camouflage and style. Comes with Katara’s choker/necklace.
Hey, I might not need it for the Konoha weather but… it does look pretty nice. Plus, I actually get to refill my consumable prize. I’d rather avoid having to use it over and over again but I can confirm that I can actually beat Katara, and that was before I borrowed her powers.
In the yard, I focus on the water in the small pond, moving my body in the same way I saw Katara move. I’m moving slower, not in a battle and also with less experience than her, but even still, the water responds without any hand seals. For the first time in my eighteen years on this plane, I actually feel like I deserve to call myself Senju.
Now, the important question.
…what the fuck am I going to tell people?
Author’s Note: This is the biweekly (once every two weeks) quest that will be replacing Inquisitor, and by poll, Naruto won as the world (after I removed Worm because it was winning and I didn’t really want another Worm story on further thought). Avatar drew so I made that the first world he could challenge.
Anyway, this fic is heavily inspired by Duellist, the Greg Veder fic on QQ by Tamzar. I asked him for permission to use my own take on the system and he agreed. Nice guy. As you can already tell, my system allows multiversal challenges instead of just fighting whoever is in front of you. I’ve also got some ideas for other changes to the system going forward.
Since this fic is going to have a lot of characters from different media fighting, let me cut in now and say that yes, I know that most of my power scaling is probably wrong. I also don’t care. Yes, Naruto shinobi are so fast that Katara should have died instantly, but that’s not very interesting writing.
If I get something wrong, assume that either I know and changed it or don't know and will ignore any corrections. If nothing else, assume the Challenger System is buffing or debuffing people for plot reasons.
Written: 24/09/2025