Bab 12: Chapter 12: Strategist Among Shinobi
The forest grew quieter as the early light of dawn spread across the sky. Zaky sat cross-legged beneath the canopy, the cool morning breeze stirring his pale cloak. Chibi, nestled on his lap, gave a sleepy chirp before dozing off again. But Zaky was wide awake, his mind already buzzing with possibilities.
He was no longer the same person who had stumbled into this world. Each day, the legacy of Urashiki Otsutsuki embedded itself deeper into his mind. And with it came an understanding—a truth that neither his former life nor this new one could ignore: Power alone was not enough. Victory belonged to those who knew how to wield it at the right moment.
In this world of shinobi, strength was common. Intelligence, however, was a rarer commodity.
And Zaky intended to use every bit of it.
As he gathered his thoughts, memories from his past life swirled to the surface. All those years of watching Naruto, memorizing characters' weaknesses, abilities, and strategies—it had felt like a hobby back then, just something to pass the time. But now, every bit of that knowledge was a weapon.
He knew how battles in this world unfolded: how even the strongest opponents could be outwitted, how the right maneuver at the right moment could shift the tide. And unlike Urashiki, whose arrogance had led to his downfall, Zaky was determined not to make the same mistake.
"Power without strategy is wasted. That's where I'll be different."
He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath, allowing his chakra to settle. If he wanted to succeed, he couldn't just rely on raw force or even illusions. He had to become a strategist—someone who saw every move and countermove long before the opponent did.
The path forward began to take shape in his mind. His immediate goal was clear: reach the Hidden Leaf Village, blend in, and learn the landscape from the inside. The shinobi there were strong—some of the most powerful in the world. But they were also predictable in their ideals. That was where Zaky saw his opening.
"They'll be so focused on protecting each other, they won't notice the real threat until it's too late."
The first step was to disguise himself. He couldn't exactly walk into the village with Otsutsuki chakra radiating off him—he'd be exposed within moments. That was where illusions would come in. If he could craft a convincing enough identity, he might be able to pass as a wandering shinobi or a displaced traveler.
But that wasn't enough. He needed a long-term plan—a way to insert himself into the story without drawing suspicion. Zaky knew that rushing things would only get him killed. Patience was essential. He needed to understand how the village functioned: who held power, who could be manipulated, and who posed the greatest threat to his plans.
He smirked at the thought.
"I already know who's dangerous. Naruto, Sasuke… the usual heroes."
But even they had their weaknesses. Everyone did. And the beauty of the shinobi world was that no one truly knew when a friend might become an enemy—or when an enemy might become an ally. It was a game of shifting alliances, trust, and betrayal. And Zaky intended to play it better than anyone.
"Chibi," Zaky whispered, gently waking the little creature. "We've got work to do."
Chibi stretched and blinked up at him, its fluffy tail swaying in lazy circles. Zaky smiled softly—there was something disarming about the creature's innocence, a rare light in the dark path he was treading.
But sentiment wouldn't protect him here. He needed to stay sharp.
"We're heading toward the village," Zaky murmured, more to himself than to Chibi. "We'll keep our distance for now—watch and learn."
The first rule of strategy was simple: know your battlefield. And in the world of shinobi, the battlefield was everywhere—hidden behind friendly faces, lurking in quiet alleyways, or lying dormant in the hearts of those who claimed to fight for peace.
Zaky stood and adjusted his cloak, the pale fabric trailing behind him. The light morning mist still clung to the ground, veiling the path ahead. It was the perfect cover for reconnaissance.
As they moved through the forest, Zaky's mind raced with plans. He needed to figure out where he could make his first move—an opportunity to slip into the village unnoticed. Perhaps he could pretend to be a rogue genin, or an injured traveler seeking refuge.
The illusion had to be flawless. He couldn't afford any mistakes.
The Villain System chimed softly in his mind.
"Reminder: Strategic choices increase alignment and reward progression."
Zaky chuckled under his breath. The system seemed eager to push him further down the villain's path, but that was fine. He had already made peace with the fact that survival would require sacrifices—and some compromises with morality.
As long as he stayed a step ahead of his enemies, he would be fine.
"I'll be a villain hidden in plain sight, a ghost among them."
They reached the edge of a hill overlooking a dirt road that wound toward the Hidden Leaf Village. From this vantage point, Zaky could see travelers in the distance—merchants, civilians, and a handful of shinobi patrolling the road. He studied their movements carefully, noting the patterns in how they interacted.
It wasn't just the patrols that interested him—it was the little things: the way some of the merchants greeted the guards with familiarity, the way a few shinobi slacked off once they thought no one was looking.
"Everyone lets their guard down eventually," Zaky thought. "Even here."
He crouched low, hiding in the shadows of a tree, and waited. Observing. Calculating. This was what strategy was about—seeing things others overlooked, finding patterns that no one thought to notice.
He could already see how the village operated, how the cracks in its defenses might be exploited.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Zaky continued to watch, unmoving. The patience came naturally to him—he had spent years in his previous life sitting through boring office hours, waiting for the clock to tick down. Compared to that, this was easy.
The road became busier as the day wore on, and Zaky began piecing together the structure of the patrols. He noticed shifts in their routines, small gaps in their vigilance. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
"This is where I'll slip through," he decided. "When the time is right."
He could almost hear the Villain System humming in approval, as if it knew exactly what he was thinking.
But Zaky wasn't ready to make his move just yet. There was still more to learn, more pieces to gather before he could craft the perfect plan. The road ahead required patience, precision, and subtlety.
And that was fine.
Because if there was one thing Zaky had learned from the villains he admired, it was this: The best moves are the ones no one sees coming until it's too late.
As dusk began to settle over the forest, Zaky stood, brushing dirt from his cloak. Chibi gave a quiet chirp beside him, ready to follow wherever he led.
"Soon," Zaky whispered, his gaze fixed on the distant road. "Soon, we'll make our move."
And when they did, the shinobi wouldn't know what hit them.
The art of strategy wasn't just about planning. It was about waiting—waiting for the perfect moment to strike, when every piece was in place and the enemy never saw it coming.
Zaky smiled to himself. He wasn't just learning how to survive in this world.
He was learning how to win.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone