With the goal of mastering chakra, Naruto's life became absurdly regular.
He woke at four in the morning, ran around Konoha like a caffeinated squirrel, then returned home to cook under the curious, slightly judgmental eyes of the villagers.
Morning was for studying—the ninja world was complicated, and Naruto wanted to understand every weird trick and deadly punch.
Lunch came around eleven. Half an hour cooking, half an hour nap, then it was time to refine chakra, practice ninjutsu, and work on taijutsu. This schedule continued until five in the afternoon, after which a sweaty, exhausted Naruto went home to rest.
By eight in the evening, after drinking a cup of hot milk, he collapsed into bed, so as not to carry the day's fatigue into tomorrow.
The Third Hokage noticed this routine and was quietly thrilled. He didn't train Naruto as an Anbu—he let him grow like a normal kid.
If he keeps this up, the Third Hokage thought, Naruto could become the next Namikaze Minato, a shining light for Konoha.
The villagers were curious about the daily life of the "demon fox," but curiosity didn't equal courage. Most ignored him entirely; Naruto was treated like air—sometimes even less polite than air.
The only one dissatisfied was the old fox in the sealed space. Kyuubi had been waiting for Naruto to submit, planning to slowly manipulate him and eventually escape. But Naruto refused to yield, and the cold war between them stretched from winter into spring.
At this point, Kyuubi was feeling oddly empty and lonely. Being a tailed beast sealed in a jinchūriki's body could be isolating, but Naruto's presence had made things lively, if chaotic.
Kyuubi, unhappy with the status quo, deliberately controlled his overflowing chakra to interfere with Naruto's cultivation. It seemed to work.
Bang!
A sudden chakra surge caused Naruto's Transformation Jutsu to fail. He squatted on the floor, clutching his head, exasperated and on the verge of collapse.
Kyuubi watched, thrilled, and intensified his interference.
What the fox didn't know: Naruto's mouth curled in a faint, mischievous smile. Kyuubi thought he was disrupting Naruto's training, but in reality, his interference had become part of the training.
Thanks to the "Soft Fist Practice Experience," Naruto had Hinata's decades of Hyūga training in his memory. He hadn't yet mastered it fully, but even at this early stage, his chakra control rivaled a Genin's. Ordinary tasks—walking, climbing, carrying things—were trivial.
To reach Chunin-level control, he needed pressure. Countering Kyuubi's interference? Perfect practice.
After a few more tries, Naruto completed his Sanshenshu training and set his sights on nearby wooden stakes.
These stakes weren't random—they followed the "Key Points of Taijutsu Practice." They helped him train soft boxing moves, while also improving his general taijutsu.
Naruto, equipped with the Soft Fist Experience, had no excuse not to practice. He focused on the basics, skipping the core Baguazhang and the secret 'Zongjia' technique—for now. With the eyes of three Hokages and countless Anbu watching him, going full-out would be… unwise.
Days passed. The cold war between Naruto and Kyuubi continued. Neither liked to speak; a glance was enough to ignite sarcastic tension. It was the normal relationship between a jinchūriki and a Tailed Beast: one part mutual dependence, one part simmering malice.
Kyuubi, perceptive as ever, noticed something: Naruto's small malice and subtle, slightly bitter glances weren't threats—they were deliberate practice.
"Little ghost," Kyuubi finally said, "you're using my chakra to train yourself."
"I… don't understand," Naruto said innocently, though a smirk played on his lips.
"You thought you were hiding it, but the chakra I used to interfere recently is just enough to let you adapt, and eventually succeed in ninjutsu…"
Kyuubi stopped mid-sentence, seeing Naruto's smug expression.
"Big fox," Naruto teased, "you said you weren't intentionally interfering with my ninjutsu… but you just admitted it!"
Kyuubi was slightly embarrassed, though a fox doesn't blush visibly.
"What do you know? This old man is exercising your chakra control. Trash ninjas aren't worthy to be my jinchūriki."
"I get it," Naruto said. "So I'm silently practicing chakra control… right, Nine-Tails-sensei?"
"Teacher Nine-Tails? Who the hell are you calling old man? I have no human disciples."
"You misheard…" Naruto muttered, leaving the sealed space, grinning to himself.
Kyuubi's voice followed him: "Human brat, I won't acknowledge you as a disciple, nor will I interfere arbitrarily anymore. But—every time you go out, ninjas are quietly following you. They're the Hokage's spies. Be careful."
Naruto understood. Anbu surveillance could be tricky to evade, but now he had the fox's advice. One day, maybe, he'd be truly free.
Glancing at some bushes, Naruto suddenly whispered, "Big fox… is a ninja hiding there, watching me?"
Nine-Tails perked up, impressed. "Little ghost… you got it right. Lucky you."
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