Naruto: The Crimson Error

Chapter 2: The Scientific Method of Mischief

Sora woke up early the next morning, his mind buzzing with excitement. The events of yesterday still felt like a dream, but a quick mental check confirmed that the mysterious Ninja Prankster System was still active.

"Alright, System," Sora whispered, careful not to wake his fellow orphanage residents. "Let's see what you can do."

[Good morning, Beta Tester. Would you like to review your current stats?]

"Yes, please," Sora thought, grinning at the formal tone.

[Current Stats:]

- Stealth: 5

- Chakra Control: 1

- Ninjutsu: 1

- Taijutsu: 2

- Genjutsu: 1

- Intelligence: 16 (+1)

- Creativity: 10

- Luck: 3

[Prank Points: 50]

Sora nodded, remembering the small boost he'd gotten from impressing Maki-san. "Not bad, but definitely room for improvement. Time for some experimentation!"

Grabbing his trusty notebook, Sora jotted down his first official hypothesis: "Small pranks on civilians will yield minor stat increases and Prank Points."

With a mischievous grin, Sora snuck out of the orphanage and into the slowly awakening streets of Konoha. His first target: was the grumpy fruit vendor who always shooed away the orphans.

Sora carefully tied a nearly invisible string between two stalls, positioning it at ankle height. He found that string and other pranking items in the trash, it seems the saying 'somebody's trash is another person's treasure' held some truth.

Then, he casually strolled past the fruit vendor's stall, "accidentally" knocking over a crate of apples.

"Hey, you little brat!" the vendor yelled, predictably giving chase.

Sora ran, leading the man straight towards the string. Just as planned, the vendor tripped, landing face-first in a conveniently placed mud puddle (courtesy of Sora's well-aimed water balloon).

As Sora ducked into an alley, barely containing his laughter, a notification popped up:

[Prank Successful: Trip and Slip]

[Reward: 5 Prank Points, Stealth +0.1]

Sora's eyes widened. "Only 0.1 for Stealth? And here I thought I was being sneaky." He scribbled in his notebook: "Note to self: Civilian pranks = minimal gains. Need to up the ante."

Over the next few hours, Sora conducted a series of what he liked to call "scientific pranking experiments" across the village:

1. The Sticky Situation: Applying a thin layer of honey to door handles.

Result: 3 Prank Points, Stealth +0.05

2. The Confetti Surprise: Rigging a bucket of confetti above the bakery door.

Result: 4 Prank Points, Creativity +0.1

3. The Phantom Frog: Using a clever pulley system to make a rubber frog "hop" across the street, startling pedestrians.

Result: 7 Prank Points, Intelligence +0.2

By midday, Sora was perched on a rooftop, reviewing his notes with a frown. "Hmm, it seems the more complex and original the prank, the better the rewards. But at this rate, I'll be old and grey before I reach chunin level!"

Just then, a commotion in the street below caught his attention. A group of genin were chasing a cat, presumably on a D-rank mission. Sora watched with amusement as the feline expertly evaded capture, leading the frustrated genin on a wild goose chase.

"Now that's what I call stealth," Sora mused, an idea forming. "Maybe I need to think bigger. Not just pranks, but challenges that actually test ninja skills!"

Energized by this new insight, Sora set off to scout potential targets and locations for more elaborate pranks. He made mental notes as he explored:

- The Hokage Tower: High-risk, high-reward. Lots of Jonin around, but imagine the prestige!

- The Ninja Academy: Plenty of chunin instructors. Plus, it would be hilarious to prank future ninjas.

- Training Grounds: Active ninjas everywhere. Potential for epic, large-scale pranks.

As Sora was contemplating the logistics of filling Training Ground 3 with rainbow-coloured smoke bombs, his stomach growled loudly. "Right, food. Even master pranksters need fuel."

Making his way to a small ramen stand, Sora ordered a bowl of miso ramen, his mind still whirring with prank ideas. He was so engrossed in his planning that he almost missed the conversation at the other end of the counter.

"I'm telling you, someone's been pulling pranks all over the village," a chunin was saying to his friend. "The Hokage's getting concerned. Thinks it might be some kind of test run for enemy ninja."

Sora nearly choked on his noodles. Enemy ninja? Him? He wasn't sure whether to be flattered or terrified.

"Nah, it's probably just some kid," the other chunin replied. "Remember all the trouble Naruto Uzumaki used to cause?"

Sora's ears perked up at the name. Naruto Uzumaki? The infamous troublemaker he'd heard whispers about in the orphanage? Now there was someone he needed to research!

As Sora finished his ramen, a new notification appeared:

[New Quest Available: The Prankster's Apprentice]

[Objective: Learn about Naruto Uzumaki's past pranks and improve upon one]

[Reward: 100 Prank Points, Mystery Skill Unlock]

[Accept? Y/N]

Sora grinned widely. "Oh, it is ON! Y!"

With renewed enthusiasm, Sora headed back to the library. He had research to do, pranks to plan, and a whole village of unsuspecting ninjas to outsmart.

As he walked, Sora couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. He might not know who his parents were or why he had this strange system, but one thing was certain: life in Konoha was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Little did Sora know, his antics had not gone unnoticed. In the shadows, a pair of mismatched eyes watched the red-haired boy with growing interest.

"A new prankster in town, hm?" Kakashi Hatake mused to himself. "I wonder how Naruto will react when he finds out he has competition. This could be... entertaining."

With a chuckle, the jonin disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Sora to his mischievous plotting. The game was afoot, and Konoha would never know what hit it.