"Ten'gan—activate."
The faint ripple of chakra spread through Naruto's eyes. Standing in his usual training field, he scanned the area with divine precision.
Empty.
Just to be sure, he closed his eyes again, sinking into his mental link—a delicate connection he'd learned to manipulate through trial and a lot of accidental nosebleeds. His Fate Link let him sense chakra signatures and even detect if anyone was spying on him.
[Rikudō Shingon]: Host, you are alone. Tragic, yet unsurprising.
"Thanks for the reassurance, you celestial smartass," Naruto muttered.
When he finally opened his eyes, his mind felt a little drained. Mental energy down to ten percent. Still, no danger of hitting Kyōmetsu—not yet.
He inhaled deeply and began forming hand signs. The motions were smoother now, instinctive. Chakra coiled through his meridians, converging at his throat. Heat built up, a living flame begging to be unleashed.
"Fire Style—Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A sphere of flame burst forward, lighting up the dusk. It wasn't massive—half a meter across—but it burned fiercely before dissipating into smoke.
Naruto grinned, sweat trickling down his chin. "I knew it. It really works!"
That fight with Sasuke had been worth it. When his Ten'gan opened during their duel, he'd seen everything—Sasuke's chakra flow, his hand seals, even the way his energy gathered before releasing the fireball. Every detail had imprinted itself in Naruto's mind.
Now, he'd copied it perfectly.
[Rikudō Shingon]: Stealing an Uchiha's signature move? Truly blasphemous. I approve.
Naruto smirked. "Guess I'm a prodigy now."
He wasn't supposed to have fire affinity—wind was his natural type—but after merging with whatever cosmic weirdness the system brought, his chakra nature seemed to have expanded. Maybe it was the Nine-Tails' influence. Maybe it was just him breaking all the rules.
Either way, it worked.
"It's decided. I'll sneak into the jōnin and chūnin training fields tomorrow," he said to himself, stretching his arms. "If I can just watch more jutsu…"
He didn't even finish the thought. The grin spreading on his face said enough.
[Rikudō Shingon]: Host, attempting to spy on elite shinobi. How heroic. Shall I reserve a hospital bed in advance?
Ignoring the voice, Naruto jogged to the wooden post nearby. His knuckles were already bruised from earlier training, but he kept punching anyway.
"One… two… three…"
The rhythm continued until the sun turned orange and dipped low.
"…nine hundred ninety-seven, nine hundred ninety-eight, nine hundred ninety-nine, one thousand!"
He gasped, hands trembling, sweat soaking his shirt. That was his limit for the day.
Morning classes forced him to save some stamina, but afternoon sessions? Different story. If he collapsed, he'd just nap on the training post.
The Nine-Tails' regeneration saw to the rest.
He looked toward the sunset, catching his breath. "If I can save enough, I'll buy weights soon. Otherwise, this'll stop working."
Carrying weights, punching posts, mimicking elite jutsu—none of it looked glamorous, but it was his way to rise from the bottom.
He started home, muttering, "Tomorrow, I'll 'borrow' a few more jutsu from those jōnin."
[Rikudō Shingon]: Such a polite euphemism. Theft sounds holier when called research.
Naruto chuckled. "You talk too much for a floating prayer."
As he disappeared down the dirt path, another figure peeked out from behind the trees—Hinata Hyūga.
"Naruto-kun…" she whispered, cheeks pink. She hesitated, clutching her hands, wanting to say something—but couldn't. When Naruto's silhouette finally vanished, she sighed and turned back toward the village.
Not far away, Naruto glanced over his shoulder with a teasing grin. "Still hiding, huh? Guess I'll have to tease her tomorrow."
The dying light stretched their shadows long across the field—two small figures frozen in the amber glow, as if the world itself had paused to watch them grow.
[Rikudō Shingon]: A fragile moment of peace. Pity it won't last, Host.
Naruto smiled faintly. "Yeah… but I'll make it last as long as I can."