Black Clover: Nah I'd Lose

The following extract is taken from Naruto: The Crimson Error:

Konoha's grand library stood silent in the early morning light, its doors still locked. But for one small, red-haired boy, locked doors were merely a suggestion. With practised ease, 4-year-old Sora shimmed up a nearby tree, leapt onto the roof, and slipped in through a partially open window.

"Another successful infiltration," Sora whispered to himself, grinning as he dropped silently to the floor. "Now, where did I leave off yesterday?"

Navigating the towering shelves with the familiarity of a seasoned librarian, Sora made his way to the history section. He'd been working his way through the village's chronicles, piecing together the puzzle of Konoha's past – and more importantly, searching for any mention of his own origins.

As an orphan with no knowledge of his parents, Sora had learned early on that information was power. And in a village full of secretive ninjas, the library had become his favourite hunting ground for knowledge.

Settling into his usual hidden nook, Sora cracked open a dusty tome titled "The Founding Clans of Konoha." He was halfway through a particularly juicy chapter about the Senju clan when a strange blue screen flickered to life before his eyes.

[Congratulations! You have been chosen as a Beta Tester for the Ninja Prankster System!]

[Would you like to activate the system? Y/N]

Sora blinked, rubbed his eyes, and looked again. The translucent blue screen remained, hovering innocently in the air.

"What in the name of the First Hokage's wooden underpants is this?" Sora muttered, glancing around to make sure he was alone. "Is this some kind of new security system? A prank? Or have I finally cracked from reading too many dusty old books?"

Curiosity warred with caution as Sora stared at the screen. On the one hand, strange, floating messages generally spelt trouble. On the other hand... Beta Tester? Ninja Prankster System? That sounded way too interesting to pass up.

"Well, as the Second Hokage allegedly said, 'Knowledge is power, but knowing how to use it is true strength,'" Sora quoted to himself. "And I'll never know how to use this if I don't activate it. So... Y!"

The moment Sora thought 'Y', the screen expanded, flooding his vision with information.

[Welcome to the Ninja Prankster System!]

[This system will help you become the ultimate ninja through the art of pranking.]

[Current Stats:]

- Stealth: 5

- Chakra Control: 1

- Ninjutsu: 1

- Taijutsu: 2

- Genjutsu: 1

- Intelligence: 15

- Creativity: 10

- Luck: 3

[Current Rank: Academy Student]

[Prank Points: 0]

[For reference, average stats by ninja rank:]

- Genin: 100-200 in each stat

- Chunin: 200-400 in each stat

- Jounin: 400-600 in each stat

- Elite Jounin: ??? in each stat

- Kage: ??? in each stat

[Would you like a tutorial? Y/N]

Sora's mind reeled. A system that could quantify ninja skills? That would track his progress and help him improve? It seemed too good to be true. But if it was real...

"Y!" Sora thought enthusiastically.

[Tutorial activated!]

[The Ninja Prankster System allows you to gain Prank Points and increase your stats by completing pranks and missions.]

[Your first mission is available now. Would you like to accept?]

"Oh, you bet I do!" Sora grinned, already imagining the possibilities.

[Mission Accepted: Prankster's Debut]

[Objective: Successfully prank a chunin-level ninja]

[Reward: 100 Prank Points, Stealth +2, Creativity +1]

[Time Limit: 24 hours]

Sora's grin widened. A chance to prank a chunin and get rewarded for it? This was turning out to be the best day ever!

But as the initial excitement faded, doubt crept in. "Wait a minute," Sora muttered, frowning at the floating screen. "How do I know this isn't some elaborate genjutsu? I've read about those – ninja techniques that mess with your mind."

Sora had never experienced genjutsu before, having no knowledge of chakra manipulation, but he'd read enough to be cautious. He pinched himself, hard. "Ow! Okay, not a dream. But still..."

He glanced around the library, half-expecting to see a ninja jump out and yell "Gotcha!" But the library remained silent, sunlight now streaming through the windows as morning properly arrived.

"Alright, mysterious system," Sora whispered, a determined glint in his eye. "I'll play along for now. But if this turns out to be some kind of trick, I'll... well, I'll think of something suitably dramatic and vengeful later."

With that decided Sora turned his attention to the mission at hand. Pranking a chunin was no small feat, especially for a 4-year-old with no ninja training. But if there was one thing Sora had in spades, it was creativity.

"First things first," Sora mused, pulling out a small notebook he always carried. "I need to identify a target, assess their weaknesses, and plan accordingly. And for that, I need more information."

Over the next few hours, Sora scoured the library for any books mentioning the current chunin of the village. He compiled a list of potential targets, noting any quirks or habits mentioned. By lunchtime, he had settled on his mark: Iruka Umino, a young chunin who worked at the Ninja Academy.

(A/n- the information in the library is important but not that important and the information on the chunins was spare in that list, so he had to do the information digging by himself)

"Perfect," Sora grinned, reviewing his notes. "He's known for being kind-hearted but easily flustered. Plus, as a teacher, he's got a predictable schedule. Now, for the prank itself..."

As Sora brainstormed ideas, occasionally checking his "system" for any new information (and still half-expecting it to disappear at any moment), he failed to notice the approaching footsteps until it was too late.

"Sora What are you doing here? The library doesn't open for another hour!"

Sora yelped, nearly falling off his chair as he spun to face a stern-looking woman with glasses perched on her nose. The head librarian, Maki-san, stood with her hands on her hips, eyeing the pile of books surrounding Sora suspiciously.

"Ah, Maki-san!" Sora laughed nervously, subtly trying to close his notebook. "I was just, um, doing some early morning studying! You know what they say, 'the early bird catches the historically accurate worm,' or something like that."

Maki-san's eyebrow rose sceptically. "Uh-huh. And I suppose this 'early bird' found a way to slip past our locked doors and security seals, did he?"

Sora's mind raced. He could practically feel his newly acquired 'Stealth' stat dropping. "Would you believe me if I said I sleepwalked here? My subconscious just loves knowledge that much!"

To his surprise, Maki-san's stern expression cracked, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, Sora. What am I going to do with you? Most kids your age are out playing ninja, not breaking into libraries."

Sora puffed out his chest. "Well, I'm not most kids! I'm going to be the greatest ninja ever, and for that, I need to know everything!"

Maki-san chuckled, ruffling Sora's red hair. "I don't doubt it. But perhaps we can arrange some special study hours for you that don't involve breaking and entering, hmm? Now, run along. I'm sure you have other mischiefs to get up to today."

As Sora gathered his things, a new notification popped up.

[Bonus Objective Completed: Impress a Chunin]

[Reward: 50 Prank Points, Intelligence +1]

Sora blinked in surprise. Maki-san was a chunin? And he'd impressed her? Maybe this system wasn't so far-fetched after all.

With a cheerful wave to Maki-san, Sora bounded out of the library, his mind already whirring with plans for his upcoming prank. He had a chunin to impress, a system to test, and a whole village full of unsuspecting targets.

As he ran through the slowly awakening streets of Konoha, Sora couldn't help but feel that this was the start of something big. Something wonderful. Something... delightfully mischievous.

"Watch out, Konoha," he whispered, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "The Crimson Prankster is about to make his debut!"

Little did Sora know, perched on a nearby rooftop, a certain silver-haired jounin watched him with curious amusement. Kakashi Hatake lowered his ever-present book, his visible eye crinkling in a smile.

"Well, well," he murmured to himself. "Looks like things are about to get interesting around here.

As Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves, Sora continued on his way, blissfully unaware of the chaos and adventure that lay ahead. The game was afoot, and Konoha would never be the same again.

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:

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

Result: 3 Prank Points, Stealth +0.05 The Confetti Surprise: Rigging a bucket of confetti above the bakery door.

Result: 4 Prank Points, Creativity +0.1 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.

Chapter 3: The Art of Information Gathering (and Shopping)

Sora stood before the Konoha Library, a determined glint in his eye. Operation "Learn from the Master Prankster" was officially underway. But as he reached for the door handle, a new notification popped up:

[New Feature Unlocked: Prankster's Shop]

[Exchange Prank Points for various ninja knowledge, arts, and abilities!]

[Would you like a tour? Y/N]

Sora's eyes widened. "A shop? Oh, this I've got to see. Y!"

Suddenly, a translucent blue marketplace materialized before him, filled with scrolls, books, and mysterious glowing orbs.

[Welcome to the Prankster's Shop!]

[Current Prank Points: 69]

Sora snickered at the number before perusing the wares:

- Basic Chakra Theory (50 PP)

- Beginner's Guide to Taijutsu (75 PP)

- Chakra Sensing 101 (100 PP)

- Uzumaki Special: Chakra Boost (500 PP) - Increase your chakra reserves by 10%!

"Uzumaki Special?" Sora muttered, confused. "Must be named after that Naruto guy. Weird coincidence."

As tempting as the items were, Sora decided to hold off on purchasing. "Better save up for now. Besides, I've got some good old-fashioned snooping to do!"

Entering the library, Sora made a beeline for the newspaper archives. "If this Naruto guy's pranks were half as epic as people say, they've got to be recorded somewhere."

Hours passed as Sora pored over old newspapers, giggling at headlines like "ORANGE MENACE STRIKES AGAIN", "HOKAGE MONUMENT DEFACED: ANBU BAFFLED." and "Uchihas slacking? No Proofs Were Found Yet Again"

"Oh man, painting the Hokage Monument? That's genius!" Sora scribbled furiously in his notebook. "Note to self: Think bigger. Maybe add sparkles next time?"

As Sora delved deeper into Naruto's pranking history, he couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with this mysterious boy. "Looks like we both have a talent for causing chaos," he grinned.

Suddenly, a new idea struck him. "Wait a minute... if Naruto's still in the Academy, that means his pranking career isn't over! I need current intel!"

Sneaking out of the library (and giving a cheeky wave to an exasperated Maki-san), Sora headed towards the Ninja Academy. As he neared the building, he activated his newly-discovered 'Stealth Mode.'

[Stealth Mode Activated]

[Duration: 10 minutes]

[Warning: Still visible to high-level ninja]

"High-level ninja? Pfft, what are the chances of running into one of those?" Sora scoffed, creeping towards an open window.

Inside, he could see a class in session. A young boy with spiky blonde hair was balancing an eraser on top of the slightly-open classroom door.

"Classic," Sora whispered admiringly. "But let's see how he handles the follow-up..."

Sure enough, when the chunin instructor walked in and got a face full of chalk dust, the blonde boy (who Sora assumed must be Naruto) burst out laughing. The instructor, however, merely sighed.

"Naruto, that's the third time this week. At least try to be original."

Sora's eyes gleamed. "Original, huh? Oh, I can work with that."

As he turned to leave, he smacked straight into a solid chest. Looking up, he found himself staring into the mismatched eyes of a silver-haired Jonin.

"Well, well," Kakashi Hatake drawled, eye crinkling in amusement. "What do we have here? A little spy?"

Sora's mind raced. "Um... I'm not a spy! I'm... a... very short Academy student! Yes, that's it. I'm just... really advanced for my age. Prodigy and all that."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And I suppose this 'prodigy' just happens to have the same hair colour as a certain clan known for their... mischievous tendencies?"

Sora blinked, confused. "My hair? What's that got to do with anything?"

Before Kakashi could respond, a loud explosion came from inside the classroom, followed by surprised shrieks and the distinct smell of rotten eggs.

"Naruto!" the instructor's voice bellowed.

Kakashi sighed, momentarily distracted. "Looks like Naruto's upgraded his pranks. I should probably..."

But when he turned back, Sora was gone, a small note left in his place: "Thanks for the chat, Cyclops-san! P.S. You might want to check your pocket."

Kakashi reached into his pocket, only to find his precious Icha Icha book replaced by a crudely drawn picture of a dog reading "Ninja Paw-nography."

Meanwhile, Sora was racing through the streets, heart pounding with excitement. "Okay, that was too close. But so worth it!" He pulled out Kakashi's book, grinning triumphantly. "And hello, new reading material!"

As he ducked into an alley to catch his breath, a notification popped up:

[Quest Completed: Getting Reverse Pranked]

[Reward: 100 Prank Points, New Skill Unlocked: Sleight of Hand]

"Wait what?" He noticed the book in his hand after pinching himself and finding the title " Why Kids Are Annoying "

"Damn it" Sora swore that he will have his revenge soon.

"Now, let's see what this shop has to offer..."

Reopening the Prankster's Shop, Sora browsed the items with newfound appreciation:

- Basic Chakra Theory (50 PP)

- Beginner's Guide to Taijutsu (75 PP)

- Chakra Sensing 101 (100 PP)

- Uzumaki Special: Chakra Boost (500 PP) - Increase your chakra reserves by 10%!

- NEW! Prankster's Toolkit (150 PP) - A collection of handy items for aspiring tricksters!

Sora grinned, making his first purchase: Basic Chakra Theory. Instantly, knowledge flooded his mind, concepts of chakra molding and control becoming clear.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Sora chuckled, already imagining the possibilities. "Watch out, Konoha. The Crimson Prankster is leveling up!"

As Sora headed home, mind whirling with new ideas and knowledge, he failed to notice the amused gaze of a certain Hokage watching from his crystal ball.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, puffing on his pipe. "Another red-haired troublemaker, eh? Kushina would be proud." He glanced at a photo on his desk, showing a grinning red-haired woman. "I wonder... could he be...?"

The Hokage shook his head, smiling. "Well, whatever the case, things are certainly going to get interesting around here. I'd better warn the ANBU to up their game."

Little did anyone know, Sora's pranking adventures were just beginning. With his new knowledge, growing skills, and the mysterious Prankster System at his disposal, Konoha was in for a wild ride.

And somewhere in the village, a certain blonde-haired, whisker-marked boy felt a sudden urge to up his pranking game. The stage was set for an epic prankster showdown, and Konoha would never be the same.

Chapter 4: The Great Infiltration

Time flies when you're having fun, or so they say. For Sora, the self-proclaimed Crimson Prankster of Konoha, the past few months had been a whirlwind of mischief, learning, and increasingly elaborate schemes.

"Let's see," Sora muttered, flipping through his now well-worn notebook. "Basic chakra control? Check. Transformation Jutsu? Double-check. Next on the list... infiltrate the Ninja Academy!"

He grinned, remembering the day he'd first attempted the Transformation Jutsu. It had taken weeks of secret practice, countless failed attempts (including one memorable incident where he'd accidentally given himself elephant ears), and more than a few close calls with curious onlookers. But finally, he'd mastered it.

"Time to put it to good use," Sora chuckled, his mind already whirring with possibilities. "But first, reconnaissance!"

Over the next few months, Sora dedicated himself to gathering intel on his targets: the students of Naruto's class. He focused primarily on the civilian-born students, figuring they'd be easier to impersonate. 

One such student was Hana Tanaka, a bright-eyed girl with a penchant for daydreaming. Sora had spent weeks observing her, noting her habits, quirks, and mannerisms. 

"Let's see," he murmured, reviewing his notes. "Hana Tanaka: always ties her shoelaces three times, has a secret crush on Sasuke (but then again, who doesn't?), and tends to doodle flowers in her notebook during history lessons."

But gathering this information wasn't always easy. Sora had faced numerous challenges in his self-appointed spy mission.

There was the time he'd nearly blown his cover while tailing Kiba Inuzuka. He'd forgotten to account for Akamaru's keen sense of smell, and only a timely distraction involving a stray cat had saved him from discovery.

Then there was the Shikamaru incident. Sora had thought the lazy Nara would be an easy target to follow. He couldn't have been more wrong. Somehow, despite appearing to be asleep most of the time, Shikamaru always seemed to be aware of his surroundings. Sora had barely managed to avoid detection by diving into a conveniently placed trash can.

But perhaps his biggest challenges were Naruto and Sasuke. Despite their vastly different personalities, both boys seemed to have a sixth sense of when they were being watched. 

Naruto, in particular, was frustratingly difficult to track. One moment he'd be loudly proclaiming his future Hokage status, and the next he'd vanish without a trace, only to reappear across the village, usually in the midst of some prank or other.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was just plain paranoid. Sora had lost count of the number of times he'd had to abort his surveillance when those dark, suspicious eyes started scanning the area.

"Note to self," Sora grumbled after another near-miss with Sasuke. "Prodigies and idiots are a pain in the butt to stalk."

Despite these setbacks, Sora persevered. And finally, after months of careful planning and observation, he was ready to put his plan into action.

The opportunity came sooner than expected. While eavesdropping on a conversation between two civilian students, Sora learned that one of them, a boy named Takeshi, would be absent the next day due to a family event.

"Perfect," Sora grinned, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "Time for the Crimson Prankster to make his classroom debut!"

The next morning, Sora woke up early, buzzing with excitement. He carefully applied the Transformation Jutsu, checking his appearance in a mirror. A plain-looking boy with short brown hair and unremarkable features stared back at him.

"Hello, Takeshi," Sora smirked. "Ready for school?"

He made his way to the Academy, intentionally arriving late to avoid too much interaction with "his" classmates. As he slid open the classroom door, he put on his best sheepish expression.

"Takeshi!" Iruka-sensei's voice boomed. "You're late!"

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei," Sora-as-Takeshi mumbled, perfectly mimicking Takeshi's shy demeanour. "It won't happen again."

As he made his way to his seat, Sora fought to keep a straight face. 'If only they knew,' he thought, suppressing a giggle.

Throughout the day, Sora played his part flawlessly. He answered questions with Takeshi's usual hesitancy, fumbled slightly during shuriken practice (though he had to resist the urge to show off), and even managed to maintain the transformation during a surprise taijutsu spar.

But all the while, his real mission was underway. Under the guise of taking notes, Sora was actually mapping out the classroom, noting the positions of each student, and planning the optimal placement for his grand prank.

As the final bell rang, signalling the end of classes, Sora allowed himself a small, triumphant smile. Phase one of his plan was complete. Now for the fun part.

Late that night, long after the Academy had emptied, a small, red-haired figure slipped through the shadows. Sora, now back in his true form, crept into the classroom, a backpack full of supplies clinking softly with each step.

"Let's see how you like this, future ninjas," he chuckled, setting to work.

Hours later, as the first rays of dawn began to peek over the horizon, Sora stepped back to admire his handiwork. Every desk, chair, and even the ceiling was rigged with an intricate network of seals, tripwires, and paint-filled balloons. It was his masterpiece, a prank worthy of the great Naruto Uzumaki himself.

"And now," Sora yawned, exhausted but exhilarated, "we wait."

The next morning, Sora positioned himself on a nearby rooftop, eagerly anticipating the chaos to come. Right on schedule, students began filing into the classroom.

The first victim was Sakura Haruno. As soon as she sat down, a small puff of smoke erupted from her desk, leaving her with bright red hair eerily similar to Sora's own.

"My hair!" she shrieked, causing several of her classmates to turn and stare. In their distraction, they triggered their own traps.

Choji's chips bag exploded in a shower of red powder, coating him from head to toe. Ino's mirror suddenly sprouted cartoon whiskers when she checked her reflection. Shikamaru, in a rare moment of alertness, managed to dodge the first paint balloon, only to trigger a backup trap that left a perfect red handprint on his backside.

Kiba, laughing at his classmates' misfortune, didn't notice Akamaru's tail hitting a tripwire. Suddenly, both boy and dog were sporting matching red polka dots.

Even Shino, usually so composed, couldn't escape unscathed. His high collar, normally a perfect hiding spot for his insects, now resembled a bright red clown ruffle.

Naruto, predictably, thought the whole thing was hilarious – right up until he sat in his chair and was immediately launched into the air by a hidden spring, landing in a perfectly placed bucket of red slime.

Sasuke, ever-vigilant, managed to avoid the first few traps. But as he smugly made his way to his seat, he failed to notice the near-invisible wire at ankle height. One misstep later, and the last Uchiha found himself hanging upside down from the ceiling, his normally pale face as red as a tomato – partly from the paint, partly from embarrassment.

Iruka-sensei, arriving to this scene of chaos, could only gape in shock. "What in the name of the First Hokage...?" he began, before a final trap activated, showering him with a rain of red feathers.

As laughter, shrieks, and indignant yells filled the air, Sora allowed himself a moment of pure, unadulterated glee. "Mission accomplished," he whispered, giving himself a mental pat on the back.

But his celebration was short-lived. As the initial shock wore off, confusion set in among the students.

"Hey, wait a minute," Naruto said, wiping slime from his eyes. "Isn't Takeshi supposed to be absent yesterday? He said that his family event got cancelled, But I found out that it wasn't cancelled.."

A hush fell over the classroom as realization dawned. Iruka, still picking feathers out of his hair, narrowed his eyes. "You're right, Naruto. But I distinctly remember Takeshi being here yesterday..."

Panic gripped Sora as he watched the scene unfold from his hidden vantage point. He hadn't counted on anyone cross-checking as he had made an excuse that the family event had been cancelled

"Someone infiltrated our class?" Sasuke growled, finally managing to cut himself down from the ceiling.

"But how?" Sakura wondered, still trying in vain to return her hair to its natural pink. "And why?"

As theories and accusations flew, Sora decided it was time to make a hasty retreat. But just as he turned to leave, he found his path blocked by a familiar figure.

"Enjoying the show?" Kakashi Hatake asked, his visible eye curved in what might have been amusement or menace – it was hard to tell.

Sora gulped. "I, uh... I was just..."

"Practicing your stealth skills? Gathering intel? Causing general mayhem and chaos?" Kakashi supplied helpfully.

"Would you believe me if I said all of the above?" Sora asked weakly.

Before Kakashi could respond, a new voice joined the conversation. "Well, well. It seems our young friend has been busy."

Sora turned to find himself face to face with none other than the Third Hokage himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hokage-sama!" Sora squeaked, wondering if it was too late to use his Transformation Jutsu to turn into a potted plant.

Hiruzen's eyes twinkled with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "I must say, young man, you've certainly livened things up around here. Though I'm not sure the Academy's janitorial staff will thank you for it."

As Sora stood there, caught between the legendary Copy Ninja and the God of Shinobi himself, he couldn't help but feel a strange mix of terror and exhilaration. Sure, he was probably in more trouble than he'd ever been in his short life, but oh, what a prank it had been!

"So," Hiruzen said, puffing on his pipe, "what do you have to say for yourself, young prankster?"

Sora took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and gave his most winning smile. "Well, Hokage-sama, I was just thinking... has the Academy considered offering an elective in creative problem-solving and covert operations?"

As Kakashi facepalmed and Hiruzen burst into surprised laughter, Sora knew one thing for certain: life in Konoha was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Meanwhile, in his office, Hiruzen's crystal ball continued to show the chaotic scene at the Academy. The old Hokage's eyes softened as he looked at Sora. "Kushina," he murmured, "your legacy lives on. Though I fear for Konoha's sanity with not one, but two Uzumaki pranksters on the loose."

Kakashi, overhearing this, raised an eyebrow. "Uzumaki? You don't mean..."

It seems that shadow clones were with Sora at the moment.

Hiruzen nodded solemnly. "It seems some survivors of Uzuhiko had infiltrated after all. But for now, this information must remain secret. The last thing we need is for Danzo to get his hands on another Uzumaki."

As Sora bounced on his heels, already plotting his next great prank, neither he nor the adults around him realized just how much his presence would change the fate of Konoha. The academy would never be the same due to nobody clearing them about the infiltrator that day.

Chapter 5: Monuments and Mischief

A month had passed since the Great Academy Paint Incident, and Sora, the self-proclaimed Crimson Prankster of Konoha, had been laying low. Well, as low as a mischief-loving redhead with a mysterious pranking system could lay.

"Time to level up," Sora grinned, scrolling through his mental list of potential targets. "Genin, you're next!"

His first victim? A newly promoted genin named Jiro, known for his less-than-subtle appreciation of Jiraiya's literary "masterpieces."

"Let's see how you like this, you little perv," Sora chuckled, carefully applying a genjutsu to Jiro's prized copy of "Icha Icha Paradise."

The next day, Sora perched on a nearby rooftop, barely containing his glee as he watched Jiro settle down for some "light reading" during his lunch break.

Jiro opened his book, a lecherous grin spreading across his face. But as he turned the page, his expression morphed into one of utter confusion.

"What the...?" Jiro muttered, rubbing his eyes.

Instead of the usual scantily clad women, the pages now displayed muscular men posing in frilly lingerie. One particularly burly fellow winked at Jiro from the page, his hairy chest barely contained by a lacy pink bra.

"AAAGH!" Jiro shrieked, flinging the book away as if it had burned him. "My eyes! My beautiful, innocent eyes!"

Sora collapsed into silent giggles, watching as Jiro ran around in circles, trying desperately to unsee what he'd seen.

"Prank successful," Sora wheezed, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "Oh man, I wish I could've recorded that reaction!"

As night fell, Sora was making his way home, still chuckling about Jiro's predicament, when a flash of orange caught his eye.

"Is that... Naruto?" Sora squinted, barely making out a small figure scaling the Hokage Monument in the darkness.

Curiosity piqued, Sora decided to investigate. Using all the stealth skills he'd honed over the past months, he made his way to the monument.

"Yo! Whiskers!" Sora called out softly as he approached. "Whatcha up to?"

Naruto, halfway through painting a comically large moustache on the Second Hokage's face, nearly fell off his perch in surprise.

"Who's there?" Naruto hissed, paintbrush brandished like a weapon. "Show yourself, dattebayo!"

Sora stepped into view, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Whoa, easy there, Picasso. I come in peace. And possibly with better art supplies."

Naruto's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who are you? And why aren't you trying to stop me?"

"Name's Sora," the redhead grinned. "And stop you? Nah, I'm here to help. You're looking at the mastermind behind the Great Academy Paint Incident."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "That was you? That was awesome! The way Sasuke-teme ended up hanging from the ceiling... pure genius!"

Sora bowed dramatically. "Why, thank you. I do try. Now, about this masterpiece you're working on... mind if I add a few touches?"

Naruto's face split into a mischievous grin that mirrored Sora's own. "Pranking is a very complex art, you know. You sure you're up for it?"

"Oh, I think I can manage," Sora smirked, pulling out his own set of paints. "How about we make this a collaboration?"

For the next few hours, the two boys worked in gleeful harmony, transforming the solemn faces of the Hokage Monument into a riot of colour and absurdity.

The First Hokage now sported a flowing purple mohawk and a t-shirt that read "Wood Style: Grow a Sense of Humor."

The Second Hokage, in addition to his new moustache, had been given a pair of googly eyes and a speech bubble proclaiming, "Water Style: Wet T-Shirt Contest Jutsu!"

The Third Hokage's likeness now featured a bald cap and a goatee, with the words "Old Man Sarutobi's Discount Pipe Emporium" carved beneath.

But it was the Fourth Hokage that was their pièce de résistance. His stone face now bore a striking resemblance to a certain blonde prankster, complete with whisker marks and a cheeky grin. Beneath it, they had painted in large, bold letters: "FUTURE HOKAGE NARUTO WAS HERE!"

As they added the finishing touches, Sora had a brilliant (or terrible, depending on your perspective) idea.

"Hey, Naruto," he grinned, "how about we add some... clan-specific decorations?"

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Ooh, like what?"

"Well," Sora said, trying to keep a straight face, "I've heard some interesting rumours about the Hyuga clan..."

And so, as the first light of dawn began to creep over Konoha, the Hokage Monument bore one final addition: a giant, gaudy neon sign pointing at the Hyuga compound that read "BYAKUGAN PEEPERS ANONYMOUS MEETS HERE!"

As the sun rose fully, illuminating their handiwork, chaos erupted across Konoha.

In the Hyuga compound, Hiashi Hyuga's usually stoic face turned an interesting shade of purple as he stared at the defaced monument.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" he roared, causing several branch family members to cower in fear. "WHO DARES IMPUGN THE HONOR OF THE HYUGA?"

As his rage built, a small part of Hiashi's mind couldn't help but flash to an image of his shy, gentle daughter Hinata, blushing furiously as she stared at a certain blonde troublemaker. The thought of a future where that boy might become his son-in-law made Hiashi's eye twitch uncontrollably.

"No," he muttered, shaking his head violently. "I refuse to accept such a possibility. NEVER!"

Meanwhile, in the Inuzuka compound, Tsume Inuzuka was howling with laughter at the sight of the Inuzuka clan symbol reimagined as a chihuahua in a tutu.

"Oh, this is too good," she wheezed, leaning on her nin-dog for support. "Kiba! Get out here and see this!"

Across the village, similar scenes of outrage, amusement, and disbelief played out as each clan discovered their new "improvements" on their clan walls or on the Hokage monument.

The Aburame clan symbol now featured cartoon bugs wearing sunglasses and carrying tiny "Bug Rights Now!" protest signs.

The Yamanaka flower shop logo had been replaced with a daisy wearing a blonde wig and thought bubble reading "Mind Transfer Jutsu: Because who doesn't want to be me?"

Even the Uchiha clan hadn't been spared. Their fan symbol now resembled a handheld fan with "Cool Story, Bro" written across it.

As ANBU scrambled to clean up the monument and track down the culprits, two boys sat atop the Hokage Tower, admiring their work.

"I wish we had set up some camera to record all clan head's reaction," Sora said, munching on a victory Dango

Naruto nodded enthusiastically, his face split into a massive grin. "Let's do that next time, Believe it!"

As they fist-bumped, neither boy noticed the amused gaze of the Third Hokage watching them from his office window.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, a mix of exasperation and fondness in his eyes. "Minato, Kushina," he murmured, "your son has found quite the accomplice. I fear Konoha may never know peace again."

He turned to his ANBU guard. "Double the patrols around the monument. And perhaps... invest in some prank-proof paint."

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, bathing the colourful monument in its warm light, one thing was certain: life in Konoha was about to get a whole lot more interesting. And a whole lot more colourful.

Chapter 6: A Day in the Life of a Prankster Prodigy

The sun had barely peeked over the horizon when Sora, the self-proclaimed Crimson Prankster of Konoha, began his daily training regimen. To an outside observer, it might have looked like pure chaos. To Sora, it was a finely tuned orchestra of mischief and skill-building.

"Alright, System," Sora grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see how much we can level up today!"

[Daily Training Initiated]

[Current Objectives: Improve Stealth, Chakra Control, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu]

[Bonus Objective: Multitask like a boss]

Sora's first stop was a clearing he'd rigged with more traps than a paranoid Chunin's apartment. Water balloons hung from trip wires, paint-filled seals were hidden under leaves, and the occasional rubber chicken was strategically placed for maximum comedic effect.

"Time for some blindfolded dodging," Sora declared, tying a bandana over his eyes. "And... go!"

What followed was a display that would have made even the most acrobatic ninja raise an eyebrow. Sora flipped, twisted, and contorted his body in ways that seemed to defy physics, all while avoiding the barrage of traps.

"Ha! You'll have to do better than that!" Sora taunted his imaginary opponents, just as he stepped on a particularly sneaky seal.

SPLAT!

A balloon filled with glitter exploded at his feet, covering him from head to toe in sparkly pink dust.

"Okay," Sora sputtered, spitting out glitter. "Note to self: less trash-talking, more focusing."

[Stealth Training Complete]

[Stealth +2]

[Fabulousness +100]

Next on the agenda was Ninjutsu practice. Sora created a group of illusionary clones, each armed with an array of equally illusionary projectiles.

"Alright, me's," Sora grinned at his doppelgangers. "Let's see how good I am at dodging... myself!"

The clones began hurling their weapons, and Sora launched into a series of rapid-fire transformations. One moment he was a pebble, the next a butterfly, then a rubber duck (complete with a little 'quack' for dramatic effect).

"I am the Konoha Leaf!" Sora declared, transforming into a swirling green leaf to avoid a barrage of senbon. "Fear my... uh... photosynthesis!"

[ Yang Transformation Jutsu Mastery Increased]

[Shape-shifting Puns Need Work]

As he practised, keen observers might have noticed the leaves stuck to Sora's body beneath his shirt, evidence of his ongoing chakra control exercise. 

"Multitasking for the win!" Sora cheered, doing a little victory dance that caused several leaves to fall off. "Oops. Uh, I meant to do that. Yeah."

[Chakra Control +1]

[Dance Skills -1]

After dispelling his clones (and apologizing to a nearby squirrel he'd accidentally transformed into an acorn during the chaos), Sora moved on to his stealth practice.

"Chameleon Jutsu, don't fail me now," he whispered, forming the hand seals. His body shimmered and seemed to melt into the background as he made his way into the village.

Sora crept through the streets, observing the local genin teams as they went about their daily routines. He watched as one team struggled with D-rank missions, barely containing his laughter as a genin chased after Tora the cat, only to end up face-first in a mud puddle.

"Ah, the joys of being invisible," Sora mused, casually sidestepping a distracted villager. "Now, time for some genjutsu practice!"

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Sora began casting subtle genjutsu on unsuspecting genin. Suddenly, a Hyuga was convinced his white robes had turned neon pink. An Inuzuka girl found herself unable to distinguish between the scent of beef and broccoli. And one particularly unlucky Aburame discovered that all his insects were now singing "It's a Small World" in perfect harmony.

"I am the phantom menace of minor inconveniences!" Sora declared dramatically, striking a pose that no one could see. "Fear my— oof!"

In his theatrical moment, Sora had forgotten to pay attention to his surroundings and walked straight into a lamppost.

[Genjutsu Skills +2]

[Situational Awareness -5]

[Dramatic Monologuing While Invisible: Still Needs Work]

Rubbing his sore nose, Sora decided it was time for a change of scenery. He made his way to the training grounds, where he spotted a familiar silver-haired jounin putting a genin team through their paces.

"Ooh, Kakashi-sensei in action," Sora grinned, settling in to watch. "This ought to be good."

He observed as Kakashi explained the bell test to the eager genin, his visible eye curved in that enigmatic smile that always made Sora wonder what was going on behind that mask.

As the test progressed, Sora's eyes widened as Kakashi created a Shadow Clone to confuse the genin. "Now that's a neat trick," he mumbled, mentally taking notes. "I've got to try that!"

The test ended with the genin team failing spectacularly, much to Sora's amusement. As Kakashi dismissed the dejected team, his eye seemed to flick briefly in Sora's direction.

"Uh-oh," Sora gulped. "Time to make like a tree and leaf!" He paused. "Get it? Because I'm in Konoha? No? Tough crowd."

[Pun Quality: Questionable]

[Escape Plan: Advised]

Sora hightailed it to his secret training spot, a small clearing hidden deep in the woods. "Alright," he panted, dropping his Chameleon Jutsu. "Shadow Clone time!"

He'd read about the jutsu in an old article, but the specific instructions were frustratingly vague. Still, after weeks of covert research (including some, ahem, "creative" information gathering methods that may or may not have involved impersonating genin), he felt ready to give it a shot.

"Okay, focus the chakra, form the seal, and..." Sora screwed up his face in concentration. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

POOF!

When the smoke cleared, Sora found himself face to face with... a very sad-looking, two-dimensional version of himself.

"Well," Sora sighed, poking his 'clone' and watching it wobble like a piece of cardboard. "At least I made... something?"

[Shadow Clone Attempt: Failed]

[Paper Doll Creation: Surprisingly Successful]

Undeterred, Sora spent the next few hours attempting the jutsu, with increasingly hilarious results. By sunset, he had managed to create:

A clone that was perfect, except it was only six inches tall and spoke in a high-pitched squeak.

2. A clone that looked exactly like him, but could only move backwards.

3. A clone that was invisible... but wouldn't stop giggling.

4. And finally, a clone that was perfect in every way... except it thought it was a chicken and kept trying to lay eggs.

Exhausted but still grinning, Sora flopped onto the grass, surrounded by his menagerie of failed clones. "Well, guys," he addressed his creations, "I'd say today was a success!"

The tiny clone squeaked in agreement, the backwards clone gave a thumbs up (while walking into a tree), the invisible clone giggled, and the chicken clone... laid an egg.

Sora blinked. "Okay, that last one is a little concerning. Maybe I should see a medic-nin about that."

As the sun set on another day of chaotic training, Sora couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Sure, his Shadow Clone Jutsu needed work, but he'd improved in so many other areas. Plus, he now had a small army of weird clones to help with future pranks. What could possibly go wrong?

[Daily Training Complete]

[Overall Progress: Substantial]

[Weirdness Level: Off the Charts]

Somewhere in Konoha, Kakashi Hatake sneezed, feeling a sudden chill run down his spine. "Why do I get the feeling things are about to get a lot more interesting around here?" he mused, turning a page in his Icha Icha book. "Maa, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

Little did he know, Konoha's Crimson Prankster had put him on his To-do list.

Chapter 7: Shadow Shenanigans and Clone Confusion

Sora, the self-proclaimed Crimson Prankster of Konoha, stood in his secret training ground, a look of intense concentration on his face. After weeks of hilarious failures and questionable successes (he still couldn't explain the chicken-laying incident), he had finally cracked the code of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

"Alright, System," Sora grinned, cracking his knuckles dramatically. "Let's see what this bad boy can do!"

[Shadow Clone Jutsu Unlocked]

[Current Limit: 5 Clones]

[Warning: Excessive use may result in headaches, memory overload, and spontaneous dad jokes]

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Sora called out, his hands forming the seal. With a series of satisfying 'poofs', five identical redheads appeared, each sporting the same mischievous grin as the original.

"Gentlemen," Sora addressed his clones, pacing back and forth like a general before his troops, "Today we embark on Operation: Abuse the System!"

The clones saluted, barely containing their giggles.

"You," Sora pointed to the first clone, "will be our intel gatherer. Go forth and eavesdrop on unsuspecting chunin! But remember, if anyone offers you candy, just say no!"

The intel clone nodded seriously before disappearing in a blur of speed (and a faint cry of "But what if it's really good candy?").

"You two," Sora turned to the next pair, "will practice genjutsu on each other. And no cheating by pretending the other guy's illusions worked just to be nice!"

The genjutsu clones high-fived before settling into a fierce staring contest, occasionally giggling as they tried to convince each other that the sky was actually made of jello.

"You," Sora pointed to the fourth clone, "get to be our medical expert and memory master. Study those scrolls as your existence depends on them... which, technically, it does!"

The medical clone saluted before diving into a pile of scrolls, muttering something about "stupid expensive prank point prices" and "Who needs sleep anyway?"

"And you," Sora grinned at the last clone, "lucky number five, you get to spar with me!"

The sparring clone cracked its knuckles, mirroring Sora's grin. "Bring it on, handsome!"

As the other clones set about their tasks, Sora and his sparring partner squared off. "Remember," Sora warned, "no hitting the face. I've got a reputation as the village's most dashing prankster to maintain!"

The clone rolled its eyes. "You do realize we have the same face, right?"

"Details, details," Sora waved dismissively. "Now, let's dance!"

What followed was less of a sparring match and more of an elaborate game of "Ninja Twister." Sora ducked and weaved, his body contorting in ways that would make a Yoga master jealous.

The clone aimed a kick at Sora's head, which he dodged with a Matrix-worthy backbend. "Ha!" Sora taunted, grabbing the clone's leg. "You'll have to do better than—"

His victory speech was cut short as the clone hurled a barrage of rubber ducks at point-blank range.

"Seriously?" Sora sputtered, spitting out a mouthful of feathers. "Rubber ducks? That's just fowl play!"

[Pun Quality: Improving]

[Duck Dodging Skills: Needs Work]

Determined to end the match, Sora tensed his arm and hurled the clone into the air. "Time for some aerial acrobatics!"

The clone, however, had other ideas. It pulled a storage scroll from its bracer, summoning a conveniently placed log to use as a shield against Sora's kunai barrage.

"Oh, come on!" Sora groaned. "Since when do I carry around emergency logs?"

The clone landed gracefully, using the log as a springboard. "Since always, duh! Don't you remember packing them this morning?"

Before Sora could argue about the logistics of log storage, the clone hurled the wood at him. Sora leapt back, just in time to avoid the log's sudden and explosive transformation into a glitter bomb.

"Glitter?" Sora coughed, trying to blink the sparkles out of his eyes. "That's just... that's just evil. I'm so proud of me!"

As the glitter settled, Sora noticed the clone had vanished. His eyes narrowed. "Oh no, you don't. I know all your tricks because they're my tricks!"

Remembering his training, Sora leapt into the air, hurling a kunai at the ground beneath him. "Beneath!"

Sure enough, a hand erupted from the earth, only to be dispelled by the well-aimed kunai.

Sora landed with a triumphant grin. "Ha! Take that, me! I win!"

His victory was short-lived, however, as he felt the cold press of metal against the back of his neck.

"You were saying?" his own voice quipped from behind him.

Sora's jaw dropped as the memories from the dispelled clone flooded his mind. The hand he'd hit wasn't his sparring partner at all, but a shadow clone of the shadow clone. The real clone had been using the Chameleon Jutsu to hide in plain sight.

"I... but... you..." Sora sputtered, before finally managing a coherent thought. "Okay, that was pretty awesome."

The victorious clone beamed before dispelling itself, leaving Sora alone with his thoughts and a hefty dose of humility.

"Well," Sora sighed, brushing glitter off his clothes, "at least no one else saw that."

Little did he know, two very interested parties who really have are a lot of time to spy on a kid, had been observing his training session.

From his crystal ball in the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, puffing on his pipe. "My, my. It seems our young friend is full of surprises. Kakashi, what do you make of this?"

Perched in a nearby tree, Kakashi Hatake lowered his ever-present Icha Icha book, his visible eye crinkled in amusement. "Maa, Hokage-sama, I'd say we have a prodigy on our hands. A very... unconventional prodigy."

"Indeed," Hiruzen nodded. "His use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu is impressive for one so young. And that Chameleon Jutsu... I don't recall that being in the Academy curriculum."

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Oh, I'm sure he just... picked it up somewhere."

Back in the clearing, blissfully unaware of his audience, Sora was interrogating his remaining clones.

"Okay, intel team, report!" he demanded of the first clone, who had just returned looking suspiciously sticky.

"Well," the clone began, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, I gathered lots of valuable information on village security. The bad news is, I may have accidentally started a village-wide rumour that the Hokage Monument is actually cake."

Sora blinked. "How did you... you know what? I don't want to know. Genjutsu team?"

The two genjutsu clones were still locked in their staring contest, one convinced the other had turned into a talking pineapple, while the other was trying to explain that no, the ground wasn't actually lava.

"Right," Sora sighed. "Moving on. Medical team?"

The medical clone looked up from its scrolls, dark circles under its eyes. "Did you know that the human body contains enough bones to make an entire skeleton?"

Sora facepalmed. "That's... technically correct, I guess. Anything useful?"

The clone nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes! I've developed a foolproof method for memorizing large amounts of information quickly!"

"Great!" Sora perked up. "What is it?"

"No idea," the clone shrugged. "I forgot."

As Sora contemplated the logistics of banging his head against a tree without dispelling his clones, a new notification popped up:

[Shadow Clone Training Complete]

[Intelligence +2]

[Chaos +100]

[New Skill Unlocked: Accidental Misinformation Spreading]

"Well," Sora sighed, looking at his ragtag group of clones, "I guess that's progress. Sort of."

As he dispelled his clones, absorbing their memories (and developing a sudden craving for pineapple), Sora couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Sure, things hadn't gone exactly as planned, but when did they ever?

As the sun set on another day of chaotic training, Sora headed home, already planning his next great prank.

Chapter 8: The Great Prank War Starts

The sun was setting over Konoha, painting the sky in vibrant hues of orange and pink. In a secluded training ground, two young boys stood facing each other, their eyes gleaming with mischief and excitement.

"Alright, Naruto," Sora grinned, cracking his knuckles dramatically. "Prepare to have your mind blown!"

Naruto Uzumaki, the village's number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja, crossed his arms sceptically. "Oh yeah? What's so special about this jutsu of yours, dattebayo?"

Sora's grin widened. "Oh, nothing much. Just a little something called... Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

With a puff of smoke, an exact replica of Sora appeared beside him, sporting the same fiery red hair and mischievous smirk.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Whoa! How did you do that? That's not the regular Clone Jutsu they teach at the Academy!"

"Nope," Sora agreed, looking mighty pleased with himself. "This, my whisker-faced friend, is the Shadow Clone Jutsu. It's way cooler than those lame illusions they teach in the academy."

"But where did you learn it?" Naruto asked, his eyes wide with wonder and a hint of jealousy.

Sora chuckled, launching into his tale. "Well, you see, it all started when I was out for a late-night pranking session. I stumbled upon this weird scarecrow in one of the training grounds. At first, I thought it'd be fun to give it a makeover – you know, maybe a nice hat or a moustache."

Naruto nodded sagely, clearly appreciating the artistic merit of scarecrow vandalism.

"But as I got closer," Sora continued, lowering his voice dramatically, "I realized it wasn't a scarecrow at all! It was a real ninja, just standing there reading some orange book!"

"No way!" Naruto gasped. "Who reads in the middle of the night?"

"Exactly!" Sora exclaimed. "So naturally, I decided to investigate. I hid in a nearby bush and watched. And that's when I saw it – he made a shadow clone to hold his book while he practised some fancy jutsu!"

"And you learned it just by watching?" Naruto asked, incredulous.

Sora puffed out his chest. "Well, not exactly. It took weeks of practice and more than a few... mishaps." He shuddered, remembering the incident where he'd accidentally created a clone with his head on backwards. "But eventually, I cracked the code!"

Naruto's eyes sparkled with determination. "That's so cool! You've gotta teach me, dattebayo!"

"Well," Sora stroked his chin thoughtfully, "I suppose I could impart my wisdom. But first, you need to understand the pros and cons of this jutsu."

For the next few minutes, Sora explained the intricacies of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, occasionally referencing a small notebook he pulled from his pocket.

"The biggest advantage," he said, flipping through his notes, "is that these clones are solid. They can interact with the environment and even fight. Plus, when they dispel, you get all their memories and experiences."

Naruto nodded eagerly, soaking up every word or so it seemed.

"But," Sora continued, his voice taking on a serious tone, "it's not without risks. Creating too many clones can drain your chakra dangerously fast. And if you're not careful with the memory feedback, you could end up with one massive headache... or worse."

"Worse?" Naruto gulped.

Sora nodded gravely. "I once made the mistake of having a clone eat nothing but ramen for a whole day. When it dispelled, I had the worst stomachache of my life – and I hadn't even eaten anything!"

(A/n- any idea what happens to food when the shadow clone is dispelled? other than the food dropping on the ground, can anybody propose an interesting theory)

Naruto's eyes widened in horror at the thought of ramen betraying him like that.

"But don't worry," Sora reassured him. "With proper training and moderation, it's an incredibly useful jutsu. So, want to give it a try?"

Naruto nodded enthusiastically, forming the hand seal Sora had shown him. "Alright, here goes nothing! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

What happened next would be forever etched in Sora's memory as one of the most shocking moments of his young life. Instead of the single clone he expected, the training ground was suddenly filled with a sea of orange-clad Narutos.

"I... what... how?" Sora sputtered, his eyes darting from one identical grinning face to another.

Naruto, looking just as surprised but considerably more pleased, scratched the back of his head. "Hehe, I guess I just divided my chakra into a bunch of parts instead of just two. Is that okay?"

Sora's jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before he managed to squeak out, "Okay? OKAY? Naruto, do you have any idea what you just did? That's... that's incredible!"

Unknown to the boys, they had an audience. Perched in a nearby tree, hidden by a clever genjutsu, Kakashi Hatake's visible eye widened in surprise. In the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly dropped his pipe as he watched the scene unfold in his crystal ball.

"Well," Kakashi murmured to himself, "this should be interesting."

Back in the training ground, Naruto was busy high-fiving his numerous clones while Sora tried to wrap his head around what he'd just witnessed.

"Naruto," Sora said slowly, "I think you might be some kind of chakra monster. There's no way a normal person should be able to make that many clones on their first try!"

Before Naruto could respond, one of his clones piped up with a mischievous grin. "Hey, boss! Now that we've got this awesome jutsu, why don't we have a prank war with Sora?"

The original Naruto's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea, dattebayo!"

Sora, never one to back down from a challenge (especially one involving pranks), quickly regained his composure. "Oh, you're on, whiskers! But we need some ground rules."

After a brief negotiation (during which several Naruto clones got into an argument with each other over the definition of a "fair prank"), they settled on the rules:

Each prankster would have 24 hours to prank the other.

2. During that time, the target couldn't retaliate.

3. Each successful prank would earn one point.

4. After two days (one day for each prankster), they'd tally the points to determine the winner.

"Alright," Sora grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Since I'm clearly the senior prankster here, I'll go first. Your 24 hours start... now!"

With lightning speed, Sora reached into his pocket and hurled a balloon filled with red paint straight at Naruto's face. However, he'd underestimated Naruto's newfound clone-based reflexes. One of the nearby Naruto clones shoved the original out of the way, taking the hit and dispelling it in a puff of red smoke.

"Ha!" Naruto crowed triumphantly. "Missed me!"

But Sora wasn't done. His own clone, left over from his earlier demonstration, launched another paint-filled balloon at Naruto, who was still sprawled on the ground.

For a moment, it looked like a direct hit. But in a move that left Sora both impressed and frustrated, one of Naruto's clones substituted with the original at the last second, taking the hit and dispelling in another explosion of red.

"Oh, come on!" Sora groaned. "Since when are you this coordinated?"

Naruto just grinned, already backing away towards the exit of the training ground. "Sorry, Sora! Gotta run! Good luck catching me now!"

With that, Naruto created a veritable army of clones, all scattering in different directions. Sora, who could now manage six shadow clones of his own, found himself hopelessly outnumbered.

"This... might be harder than I thought," Sora muttered as he watched the sea of orange disappear into the village.

Realizing he had no idea where Naruto lived (and suspecting the crafty blonde would be laying low anyway), Sora decided to focus his efforts on the one place he knew Naruto would have to show up: the Academy.

As evening fell, Sora snuck into the classroom, a backpack full of pranking supplies clinking softly with each step. "Alright," he muttered to himself, "time for some multi-layered mayhem."

Over the next few hours, Sora rigged each desk with an intricate series of pranks, each one designed to trigger if the previous one was avoided. By the time he finished, every seat in the classroom was a veritable minefield of mischief, with no less than nine separate traps for each waiting to be sprung.

"Let's see you dodge this, Naruto," Sora grinned as he admired his handiwork. "And hey, if I happen to catch a few other victims in the crossfire... well, that's just a bonus!"

The next morning, Sora arrived at the Academy early, practically vibrating with anticipation. As his classmates filed in, he kept a sharp eye out for a certain spiky-haired blonde.

To only his surprise, Naruto was actually one of the last to arrive, shuffling in just as Iruka-sensei was about to start the lesson. Even more surprising were the dark bags under Naruto's eyes, a stark contrast to his usually boundless energy.

"Naruto," Iruka frowned, concern evident in his voice, "are you alright? You look exhausted."

Naruto yawned widely before answering. "Sorry, Iruka-sensei. I was doing some ninjutsu experiments last night and lost track of time."

Sora's eyebrows shot up. Ninjutsu experiments? What exactly had Naruto been up to?

As Naruto made his way to an empty seat (notably not his usual one), Sora tensed, ready to activate his elaborate prank system. But to his frustration, Naruto moved with an uncharacteristic caution, carefully inspecting the chair and desk before finally sitting down.

Around the classroom, Sora could see his other classmates reacting to Naruto's strange behaviour. Shikamaru, usually half-asleep by this point, had one eye cracked open in curiosity. Sakura and Ino had paused their usual bickering to watch Naruto's careful movements. Even Sasuke seemed to be paying more attention than usual, his dark eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Sora gritted his teeth. His pranks were well-hidden, utilizing storage seals and clever positioning to avoid detection. But if Naruto remained this vigilant, he might never get a chance to spring them!

As the lesson dragged on, Sora found himself only half-listening to Iruka-sensei's lecture on chakra theory. His mind raced, trying to figure out the best moment to strike. Finally, as Iruka turned to write something on the blackboard, Sora decided it was now or never.

With a subtle hand sign, he activated the pranks – not just for Naruto's desk, but for the entire classroom. After all, why let all that hard work go to waste?

What followed was a scene of utter chaos that would go down in Academy history.

The first layer of pranks was relatively simple – spring-loaded cushions that launched their victims into the air. Most of the class was caught completely off-guard, with yelps and shrieks filling the air as students suddenly found themselves airborne.

Naruto, however, was ready. In a move that left Sora grudgingly impressed, he created a shadow clone mid-air, using it as a springboard to launch himself clear of the desk entirely.

But Sora had anticipated some evasive manoeuvres. The second layer activated immediately, releasing a cloud of brightly coloured powder into the air. Several students, including a very disgruntled Sasuke, found themselves coated in neon pink and green.

Naruto, still in mid-air, substituted with one of his textbooks, narrowly avoiding the powder cloud. But this put him right in the path of the third trap – a series of paint-filled balloons that launched from hidden compartments in the walls.

With a speed that would have made Sora and Iruka if he witnessed proud if it wasn't so frustrating, Naruto created another shadow clone, using it as a human shield. The clone took the full brunt of the paint barrage before dispelling in a very colourful puff of smoke.

Layers four through eight were a blur of activity. Rubber chickens flew through the air, desks suddenly sprouted cartoon arms that tried to grab their occupants, and at one point, Iruka-sensei found himself suspended from the ceiling by a net that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Through it all, Naruto dodged and weaved with an agility that seemed almost supernatural. Shadow clones popped in and out of existence, each one taking a hit meant for the original. Substitution jutsus were performed with dizzying frequency, leaving Naruto's classmates (and Sora) struggling to keep track of where he actually was at any given moment.

By the time the ninth and final layer activated – a truly inspired combination of whipped cream, feathers, and what appeared to be live ducks – most of the class looked like they'd been through a very festive war zone. Choji was licking whipped cream off his fingers with a bemused expression. Ino was trying desperately to get feathers out of her carefully styled hair. Shikamaru, true to form, had somehow managed to sleep through the entire ordeal and was now blinking confusedly at the chaos around him.

And Naruto? He stood in the middle of it all, grinning from ear to ear, without so much as a speck of paint or a single feather on him.

Sora, covered head to toe in a rainbow of colours and looking like he'd been tarred and feathered, could only stare in disbelief. "How?" he managed to sputter. "How did you dodge all of that?"

Naruto's grin, if possible, grew even wider. "Shadow clones, baby! I had them working in shifts all night to improve my reflexes. Pretty cool, huh?" 

Before Sora could respond (or consider the implications of training via sleep-deprived shadow clones), he felt a menacing presence behind him. Slowly, he turned to find Iruka-sensei, still hanging from the ceiling net, his face a mask of barely contained fury.

"Sora," Iruka said, his voice dangerously calm, "would you care to explain what exactly is going on here?"

Sora gulped. He opened his mouth, ready to launch into one of his patented excuses when suddenly, inspiration struck. With a quick hand sign, he activated one last seal he'd hidden for just such an emergency.

The entire classroom was suddenly flooded with red paint, pouring from hidden compartments in the ceiling, walls, and even the floorboards. In the ensuing chaos, even Naruto, caught off guard by this final assault, found himself drenched in crimson.

"Ha!" Sora crowed triumphantly, spitting out a mouthful of paint. "That's one point for me!"

The classroom erupted into a cacophony of shouts, complaints, and what sounded suspiciously like Kiba barking in surprise. Amidst the chaos, Sora could have sworn he heard a faint chuckle from outside the window, but when he turned to look, there was nothing there but a single rust-coloured leaf drifting in the breeze.

Iruka, now a vibrant shade of red that had nothing to do with the paint, declared the classroom uninhabitable for the foreseeable future. The rest of the day's lessons were moved to the training grounds, focusing on physical exercises (partly because all their textbooks were now illegible, and partly, Sora suspected, as punishment).

As they filed out of the ruined classroom, leaving a trail of red footprints behind them, Naruto sidled up to Sora. "Not bad," he admitted grudgingly. "But you know this means war, right?"

Sora grinned, already planning his next move. "Bring it on, whiskers. Your 24 hours start as soon as the clock strikes 6!"

The rest of the school day passed in a blur of physical drills and half-hearted attempts to clean up. As soon as the final bell rang, Sora sprang into action. He knew Naruto's love for ramen was legendary, which made Ichiraku the perfect place for his next prank.

While his shadow clone tailed Naruto to ensure he didn't give him the slip, Sora made his way to the beloved ramen stand.

With a combination of charm, bribery (in the form of promises to clean the entire stand for a week), and perhaps a touch of pity from Teuchi and Ayame (who had heard about the classroom incident), Sora managed to set up a series of pranks in and around Ichiraku Ramen.

As the sun began to set, painting Konoha in shades of orange that rivalled Naruto's jumpsuit, Sora's clone reported back: Naruto was on his way, still covered in red paint despite what appeared to have been several attempts to wash it off.

Sora grinned, hiding behind a nearby fence. "Perfect," he muttered. "Let's see you dodge these, ramen boy."

Naruto, looking like a walking tomato in his paint-stained clothes, practically bounced down the street towards Ichiraku. His nose twitched as he caught the scent of his favourite food, and a dreamy expression crossed his face.

"Ramen, ramen, ra-" Naruto's happy chant was cut short as he stepped on a carefully disguised panel in front of the stand. With a 'sproing' sound, he was suddenly launched into the air by a hidden spring mechanism.

"Whoa!" Naruto yelped, flailing his arms. For a moment, it looked like he might crash headfirst into a nearby building. But at the last second, he twisted in mid-air, landing on his feet with surprising grace.

"Ha!" Naruto grinned triumphantly. "Nice try, Sora, but you'll have to do better than-"

His boast was cut short as a barrage of water balloons, triggered by his landing, pelted him from all sides. In seconds, Naruto was drenched from head to toe, the red paint running in rivulets down his face and clothes.

"That's two points for me!" Sora crowed, popping out from his hiding spot.

Naruto spluttered, spitting out a mouthful of water. "Okay, okay, you got me. But it'll take more than that to keep me from my ramen!"

Determined, Naruto marched towards Ichiraku, unaware that he was walking right into Sora's third trap. As he pushed aside the noren curtains to enter the stand, he triggered a hidden seal. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet turned slick as ice.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Naruto windmilled his arms, trying to keep his balance. He slid comically across the floor of the ramen stand, narrowly avoiding collision with stools and customers.

Just as it seemed he might regain his footing, Naruto's flailing hand caught the edge of a bowl on the counter. The bowl tipped, spilling its contents... directly onto Naruto's head.

For a moment, everything was silent. Then, Naruto slowly reached up, peeling a noodle off his face. He stared at it for a second before popping it into his mouth.

"Mmm," he mumbled around the noodle. "Still delicious."

Sora, who had followed Naruto into the stand, couldn't help but laugh. "That's three points for me, Naruto! Ready to give up yet?"

Naruto, now sporting an impromptu ramen toupee, grinned defiantly. "No way! Just you wait until evening. I'll show you what a real prank looks like, dattebayo!"

As Teuchi helped Naruto to his feet (and discreetly handed him a towel), Sora couldn't help but feel a mix of triumph and anticipation. He'd scored three solid points, but something about the glint in Naruto's eye told him that tomorrow or technically tonight was going to be... interesting.

"Well," Sora said, stretching dramatically, "I think I'll head home for the night. After all, I need my beauty sleep if I'm going to keep outsmarting you tomorrow."

Naruto, who had managed to salvage most of the ramen from his makeshift hair accessory, narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah? Well... well... I hope you sleep with one eye open, Sora! Because starting at midnight, it's my turn!"

As Sora made his way home, he couldn't shake the feeling that he might have bitten off more than he could chew. Sure, he'd managed to prank Naruto a few times, but the blonde's Shadow Clone Jutsu and surprising agility had made it much harder than he'd anticipated.

"No," Sora shook his head, psyching himself up. "I'm the Crimson Prankster of Konoha. There's no way some hyperactive ramen addict is going to outprank me!"

With that thought bolstering his confidence, Sora began to plan his defences for the next day. He rigged his apartment with a series of tripwires, prepared several decoy shadow clones to sleep in different locations, and even considered setting up some kind of ramen-scented distraction field.

As he finally settled into bed (after checking for whoopee cushions, itching powder, and any other potential pranks), Sora found himself both excited and nervous about what the next day would bring.

Little did he know, that across the village, Naruto was hard at work. Surrounded by a small army of shadow clones, each poring over scrolls or practising hand signs, the blonde prankster's eyes gleamed with mischievous determination.

"Alright, guys," Naruto addressed his clones. "We've got one shot at this. Let's show Sora what happens when you challenge Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja!"

As the clock struck midnight, signalling the start of Naruto's 24 hours, both boys were wide awake, each convinced that they would emerge victorious in this grand battle of wits and pranks.

Little did they know, their antics had caught the attention of more than just their classmates and long-suffering teachers. In the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed into his crystal ball, a mix of amusement and concern on his weathered face.

"It seems," he murmured to himself, "that we may need to increase the budget for property damage this month."

Across the village, perched on a rooftop with his ever-present orange book in hand, Kakashi Hatake gazed up at the full moon. A small smile played across his masked face as he sensed the building chaos.

"Well," he chuckled softly, "tomorrow should be interesting."

As the village of Konoha slept peacefully, unaware of the prankster storm brewing, two young boys lay awake in their beds, minds racing with plans and counter-plans. The Great Prank War was about to begin in earnest, and only time would tell who would emerge victorious.

To be continued…

Chapter 9: The Great Orange Deluge

As the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, Sora found himself wide awake, eyes darting nervously around his room. He'd spent the entire night on high alert, jumping at every creak and shadow, expecting Naruto to burst through his window with some elaborate prank at any moment. But as the night had stretched on, nothing had happened. No water balloons, no itching powder, not even a measly whoopee cushion.

Sora yawned, stretching his arms above his head and wincing at the popping sounds his joints made. He felt like he'd gone ten rounds with Might Guy without the benefit of actually getting any exercise. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and his normally vibrant red hair looked distinctly lacklustre.

"Maybe," Sora mumbled to himself as he sluggishly got dressed, "Naruto forgot about the whole thing. Yeah, that's it. He probably got distracted by a ramen sale or something."

Even as he said it, Sora knew it was wishful thinking. Naruto forgetting about a prank war was about as likely as Kakashi showing up on time for anything.

Deciding that his usual training ground was probably booby-trapped six ways to Sunday, Sora opted for a different location. He made his way through the still-quiet streets of Konoha, eyeing every pebble and leaf with suspicion. A cat meowed, and Sora nearly jumped out of his skin, whirling around with a kunai in hand only to find a very unimpressed feline staring at him.

"Right," Sora muttered, sheepishly pocketing his weapon. "Get it together, man. You're the Crimson Prankster of Konoha, not some jumpy genin on their first C-rank mission."

As he rounded a corner, lost in thought about how he could possibly avoid Naruto's pranks for the next... he checked his watch... 12 hours and 43 minutes, Sora nearly collided with someone. He stumbled back, an apology on his lips, only for the words to die in his throat as he realized who was standing before him.

The man's posture radiated authority, his presence demanding attention even in the early morning quiet. The wide-brimmed hat adorned with the symbol of fire cast a shadow over weathered features, but there was no mistaking the keen intelligence in those eyes.

It was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage himself.

Sora's brain short-circuited for a moment. What was the Hokage doing out here at this hour? Was this some kind of test? Had his pranks finally landed him in hot water with the village leader?

"L-Lord Hokage!" Sora stammered, bowing so low he nearly toppled over. "Good morning! I mean, it's an honour! I mean... uh... nice weather we're having?"

Hiruzen chuckled, a sound that somehow managed to be both grandfatherly and slightly intimidating at the same time. "At ease, young man. There's no need for such formality."

Sora straightened up, trying (and failing) to look nonchalant. "Of course, Lord Hokage. Is there... um... something I can help you with?"

The Hokage's eyes twinkled with an emotion Sora couldn't quite place. Was it amusement? Mischief? Whatever it was, it made Sora distinctly nervous.

"As a matter of fact, there is," Hiruzen said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I've heard some interesting reports about you, young Sora. Particularly concerning your... shall we say, extracurricular activities?"

Sora gulped. This was it. He was going to be exiled from the village. Or worse, banned from Ichiraku Ramen. He briefly considered making a break for it but quickly dismissed the idea. There was no outrunning the God of Shinobi.

"You mean... my pranks?" Sora asked hesitantly.

Hiruzen nodded. "Indeed. Your most recent escapade was particularly impressive. Flooding an entire classroom with red paint? That takes quite a bit of planning and skill."

Was... was the Hokage complimenting him on his prank?

"However," Hiruzen continued, his tone growing slightly sterner, "such actions cannot go without consequences. Property damage aside, you disrupted an entire day of lessons. That's not behaviour befitting a future shinobi of Konoha."

Sora hung his head, shame colouring his cheeks nearly as red as his hair. "I understand, Lord Hokage. I'll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."

To Sora's surprise, Hiruzen's expression softened. "Now, now, let's not be too hasty. I have a... proposition for you."

The Hokage reached into his robes and produced a scroll, holding it out to Sora. "This contains a series of tasks. Complete them all before 6 PM today, and I'll consider your transgression repaid. Moreover, if you succeed, I may even consider recommending you for early enrollment in the Academy."

Sora's eyes widened. Early enrollment in the Academy? That was practically unheard of! He reached out, taking the scroll with trembling hands.

"R-really? You'd do that for me?"

Hiruzen nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Consider it both punishment and opportunity. Now, I suggest you get started. You have quite a day ahead of you."

With that, the Hokage turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Sora clutching the scroll like a lifeline.

It took a few moments for Sora's brain to reboot. When it did, he quickly unrolled the scroll, eager to see what tasks lay ahead. His eyes scanned the parchment, widening with each line:

Examine the Village Gates

2. Pull weeds from Training Ground 7

3. Arrange supplies in the Konoha Library

4. Monitor the receptionist at the Hokage Tower

5. Walk the Inuzuka Clan's ninja dogs

6. Help deliver ramen at Ichiraku

7. Write a report on all completed tasks and deliver it to Training Ground 3

Sora let out a low whistle. It was quite the list, but nothing he couldn't handle. And with the promise of early Academy enrollment on the line, he was more than motivated.

"Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles dramatically (and immediately regretting it because ow, that actually kind of hurt). "Let's do this!"

As Sora made his way towards the village gates, a small part of his brain couldn't help but wonder why these tasks seemed oddly... convenient. Almost as if they were designed to keep him moving around the village all day. But he quickly shook off the thought. After all, this was a mission from the Hokage himself! There couldn't possibly be any ulterior motive, right?

Right?

The sun was climbing higher in the sky as Sora approached the massive gates of Konoha. He'd always found them impressive, a symbol of the village's strength and the first line of defence against outside threats. Today, however, they looked suspiciously... normal.

Sora narrowed his eyes, scanning for any signs of orange paint, trip wires, or suspiciously placed banana peels. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which only made him more paranoid.

"Oi, kid!" a voice called out, making Sora jump. He turned to see two chunin lounging in the gatehouse, eyeing him curiously. "What are you doing out here?"

Sora recognized them as Izumo and Kotetsu, the eternal gate guards of Konoha. He'd pranked them once or twice before, usually with relatively harmless stuff like water balloons or stink bombs. They seemed to have forgiven him, though, judging by their relaxed postures.

"Good morning, Izumo-san, Kotetsu-san," Sora said, trying to sound as official as possible. "I've been tasked by Lord Hokage himself to examine the village gates."

Kotetsu raised an eyebrow. "The Hokage sent you? No offence, kid, but aren't you a bit... short for a gate inspector?"

Sora puffed out his chest indignantly. "I'll have you know I'm perfectly average height for my age! And besides, the Hokage must have recognized my superior observational skills and unparalleled attention to detail."

Izumo snorted. "Right, because those are definitely the traits that come to mind when we think of you, oh Crimson Prankster of Konoha."

"Hey!" Sora protested. "I'll have you know that pranking requires a keen eye and meticulous planning!"

"Uh-huh," Kotetsu said, clearly unconvinced. "Well, if the Hokage sent you, who are we to argue? Go ahead and... examine away."

Sora nodded, approaching the gates with exaggerated caution. He circled the massive structures, running his hands along the wood, peering at the hinges, and even sniffing suspiciously at a few spots.

"Hmm, yes," he muttered loudly, stroking his chin as if he had a beard. "The wood grain appears to be within acceptable parameters. Hinges show signs of recent oiling - good work on the maintenance, gentlemen. And the smell... ah yes, classic Konoha oak with just a hint of... is that pine?"

Izumo and Kotetsu exchanged bemused glances. "Kid, are you sure you're not just making this up as you go along?" Izumo asked.

Sora waved a hand dismissively. "Please, leave the expert gate analysis to the professionals. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check the upper portions."

Before either chunin could protest, Sora was scaling the gate with the agility of a squirrel on caffeine. He clambered up the wood, muttering to himself about "structural integrity" and "wind resistance coefficients" - terms he was pretty sure he'd heard somewhere but had no idea what they actually meant.

As he reached the top of the gate, Sora allowed himself a small grin. He'd made it this far without encountering any of Naruto's pranks. Maybe the blonde prankster had overslept or-

SPLASH!

A torrent of orange paint suddenly cascaded over Sora, coating him from head to toe in vivid, garish colour. He spluttered, wiping paint from his eyes just in time to see a puff of smoke materialize next to him.

"Gotcha!" Naruto's voice crowed as the smoke cleared, revealing one of his signature shadow clones. "That's one point for me! Your red hair really sticks out, you know? Made you way too easy to spot!"

Before Sora could retaliate, the clone dispelled with a cheeky grin and another puff of smoke.

For a moment, Sora just sat there, dripping orange paint and wondering where exactly his life had taken such a bizarre turn. Then, with as much dignity as one can muster while covered in neon orange, he climbed back down the gate.

Izumo and Kotetsu were doubled over with laughter by the time he reached the ground.

"Oh man," Kotetsu wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes. "I haven't seen a prank that good since Naruto painted the Hokage Monument!"

Sora glowered at them, which only seemed to set off another round of laughter. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. You try avoiding pranks when your opponent can make hundreds of clones!"

"Hundreds?" Izumo asked, his laughter dying down slightly. "Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"

Sora shook his head, sending droplets of orange paint flying. "Nope. Trust me, Naruto's got clones all over Konoha by now. It's going to be impossible to avoid getting spotted!"

As if to punctuate his point, a distant shout of "Believe it!" echoed from somewhere in the village, followed by the sound of something exploding and a chorus of surprised yelps.

Sora sighed, resigning himself to a very long, very orange day. "Well, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I have more tasks to complete. And possibly a shower to take, if I can find one that won't be booby-trapped."

As he trudged away from the gates, leaving a trail of orange footprints behind him, Sora couldn't help but wonder if early Academy enrollment was really worth all this. Then again, he mused, at least life was never boring in Konoha.

With the gate inspection (and impromptu paint job) behind him, Sora made his way to Training Ground 7 for his next task: weed pulling. It was a tedious job on the best of days, but now, with the constant threat of Naruto's pranks looming over him, it seemed downright daunting.

"Right," Sora muttered to himself as he surveyed the field. "Time to fight fire with fire. Or in this case, clones with clones."

Forming the hand signs, Sora concentrated his chakra. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In a series of small pops, six identical copies of Sora appeared, each sporting the same vibrant orange hue as the original.

"Alright, team," Sora addressed his clones. "We've got a job to do. You two," he pointed at the first two clones, "are on lookout duty. Keep an eye out for any sign of Naruto or his clones. The rest of us will tackle these weeds."

The clones nodded, two taking up positions around the perimeter while the others spread out across the field. Sora himself knelt down and began the monotonous task of pulling weeds.

For a while, everything seemed to go smoothly. The lookout clones reported no signs of Naruto, and the weeding was progressing at a steady pace. Sora was just starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he might get through this task unscathed.

That's when things went sideways.

It started with a faint 'poof' sound from the direction of one of his lookout clones. Sora's head snapped up, eyes scanning the area, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just as he was about to call out to his clone, he felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over him.