Morning sunlight spilled across the training grounds of Konoha, painting long shadows from the wooden posts and worn targets scattered across the field. Birds called overhead, the village slowly stirring to life. For most, it was a normal day. For him, normalcy had long since become a performance.
He stood with a kunai balanced loosely in his hand, eyes fixed on the training dummy before him. His breath moved evenly, controlled, not from calmness but from habit. The system hummed at the edge of his senses, a constant reminder of the shadows that followed.
Obito's Arrival
A clatter of footsteps broke the stillness.
"I—I'm not late! Not that late!" Obito skidded into view, half out of breath, hair sticking up in every direction, his goggles askew. He straightened quickly, grinning wide as though his enthusiasm could make up for the tardiness.
Kakashi's voice cut across the field like a blade. "You're late again, idiot."
Obito bristled, pointing a finger. "I overslept, that's all! Don't act like you're perfect!"
Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed. "Unlike you, I actually show up prepared."
Obito sputtered, words failing, before finally turning to the MC as though seeking backup. "See? He's always like this!"
The MC forced a small smile, kunai still twirling in his hand. "At least you showed up."
"Ha! Exactly!" Obito puffed up, though the effect was ruined when he tripped over a root and nearly faceplanted. Rin hurried forward with a sigh, steadying him before he toppled.
"You're both impossible," she muttered, though her lips curved with the hint of a smile.
The MC's Precision
The MC turned back to the target, raising the kunai. His throw was smooth, the blade slicing through the air and embedding itself dead-center. Another kunai followed. And another. Each struck with cold precision.
Obito whistled low. "Whoa… you've been training like crazy."
The MC shrugged. "Just staying sharp."
But inwardly, a voice whispered: Steel meeting flesh. The silence after the kill. Don't miss. Never miss.
His hand tightened.
System Interference
The system flickered before his eyes.
[Observation: Kunai trajectory – 97% accuracy.]
[Note: Inefficient correction detected. Adjust angle by 0.4 degrees.]
His jaw tensed. Even here?
Another kunai left his fingers, perfectly adjusted. It buried itself dead-center once more. Kakashi noticed, eye narrowing.
"You've been practicing," Kakashi said flatly.
The MC forced casualness into his tone. "Practice makes perfect."
Kakashi didn't reply, but the weight of his gaze lingered a fraction longer before he turned away.
Sparring
Minato hadn't yet arrived, so Kakashi stepped forward. "You. Spar me."
Obito spluttered. "What about me?!"
"You'd just fall on your face," Kakashi shot back.
Obito grumbled but stepped aside as the MC readied himself. Kakashi rushed in with precise strikes. The MC countered each one with mechanical efficiency, no wasted movements, no hesitation. It wasn't a fight. It was an execution of patterns.
Kakashi's frown deepened. He pushed harder, speeding up. The MC flowed with it, blocking, parrying, redirecting. When an opening came, his kunai touched Kakashi's throat—clean, efficient, without hesitation.
The spar ended in silence.
Kakashi stepped back slowly, gaze sharp. "You're not fighting like before."
Obito blinked. "He just kicked your butt, that's all!"
But Rin's expression mirrored Kakashi's unease. "No… he's different. Sharper. Like… a weapon."
The MC sheathed his kunai calmly. "Isn't that the point?"
Minato's Arrival
The tension broke when Minato appeared, scrolls in hand, his presence warm like sunlight. "Good work, everyone. That's enough for now."
Obito dropped onto the grass dramatically. "Finally! I thought I was going to die."
Rin crouched, laughing as she wrapped a bandage around his arm where he'd scraped it. "You trip more than you train."
"I do not trip! I… I test gravity!"
Minato chuckled softly, but his eyes drifted toward the MC. Too sharp. Too long. "You alright?"
The MC held his gaze, expression neutral. "Fine."
"You've been sharper lately," Minato said gently. "That's good… but too sharp can cut the wielder."
The MC said nothing. He only nodded once. Minato let the silence linger before moving to check Obito's exaggerated complaints about "battle wounds."
But the words sank deep. Too sharp can cut the wielder.
Rin's Concern
Later, after training ended, Rin lingered behind to pack supplies. She glanced up to see him sitting apart, gaze lost toward the horizon.
"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked softly.
He looked at her, at the genuine concern in her eyes. For a moment, he almost spoke the truth. Almost told her about the shadows, the system, the kill that still lingered on his hands.
Instead, he forced a small chuckle. "Maybe I'm just tired of listening to Obito yell all the time."
That earned a laugh, bright and soft. "That I can understand."
The weight lifted, just for a moment. Her smile reminded him why he couldn't let Root win. Why he couldn't let go.
But another thought crept in like a knife: If Root knew how much I valued this warmth, they'd use it against me.
Closing Shadows
By evening, the training ground was empty. He stayed a while longer, watching the sky bleed into dusk.
The system pulsed.
[Root Observation Status: Active.]
[Note: No current directives.]
The treeline stood quiet. No masks, no movements. Yet the silence pressed heavier than words. Root didn't need to appear. They were always there.
He clenched his fists, forcing his breath even. You won't take this from me.
When he finally left, his mask was firmly back in place. To the world, he was calm, steady, unchanged. Only he knew the truth: every day, the cracks grew deeper.
Author's Note
Chapter 21 slows the pace, letting us breathe with Team Minato—Obito's clumsiness, Rin's warmth, Kakashi's sharp eye, and Minato's wisdom. But under that slice of normalcy, the MC is slipping.
The system doesn't let him relax. Root's silence weighs heavier than their words. And now, both Kakashi and Rin have started to notice—he isn't the same.