Sunset had arrived, and the sky was painted in the hues of twilight.
Near a lake not far from the Hidden Leaf Village, five-year-old Naraku Hyuga was training alone. A small figure, gripping a katana slightly taller than himself, wove through a cluster of training puppets, his blade flashing as it struck out with precision.
Though the sight of a child wielding such a long sword looked bizarre, there was no clunkiness in Naraku's movements. On the contrary, the long blade seemed like an extension of his own arm—a testament to his terrifying physical strength. The wooden puppets scattered across the ground were already hacked to splinters.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Naraku vanished from the center of the clearing and reappeared on the other side as if he had teleported. He raised his left hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together.
"Hado #4: Byakurai!" (White Lightning).
A bolt of lightning erupted from his fingertip, lancing through the air and striking a nearby puppet. The wood disintegrated instantly.
"Bakudo #9: Geki!" (Strike).
Moving fluidly from offense to restraint, Naraku fired a cord of yellow energy composed of spirit particles. It snaked through the air, binding the remaining puppets into a tight bundle.
"Hado #11: Tsuzuri Raiden!" (Bound Lightning).
A surge of electricity even more powerful than Byakurai sparked from his hand, traveling along the spiritual cord of the Bakudo and surging into the puppets. The huddled wooden targets exploded into fragments.
Tsuzuri Raiden has higher damage than Byakurai, but it requires a medium to conduct the current, Naraku analyzed. Byakurai is only a Level 4 spell, but its piercing power is solid. As a surprise attack, it's enough to take down a Chunin.
Plus, I've mastered Shunpo (Flash Step). All in all, I've finally gained a little bit of survival capability in this world.
It had been three years since Naraku arrived in the Naruto world. He was now five years old. He had waited until six months ago to begin training in earnest, slipping out of the village to practice in secret.
He chose the outskirts over the Hyuga compound because his Soul Reaper powers were fundamentally different from Ninjutsu. More importantly, he knew the Third Hokage liked to "monitor" the village with his crystal ball. If the old man caught him using these powers, there would be no way to explain it.
Over the past three years, Naraku had signed in every single day. However, the rewards from his daily Sign-ins left him speechless.
[Sign-in Successful! Congratulations, Host. You have received: One baby diaper.] [Sign-in Successful! Congratulations, Host. You have received: One baby pacifier.] [Sign-in Successful! Congratulations, Host. You have received: One lollipop.] [Sign-in Successful! Congratulations, Host. You have received: One bottle of 'Sprite' (off-brand).] [Sign-in Successful! Congratulations, Host. You have received: One box of Durex condoms.]
What kind of junk is this?! Naraku fumed. The diapers and pacifiers were at least useful for his little sister, Hinata, but a box of condoms? I'm literally a child, System! Don't corrupt me! By the time I can actually use these, they'll be expired!
The System's response was unapologetic: [Daily Sign-ins mostly yield daily necessities. Don't expect god-tier items every morning. Life isn't that easy! I suggest washing your face before signing in; maybe your luck is just bad.]
Is the System calling me "black-faced" (unlucky)? Naraku decided to ignore the taunt, though he did start bathing before every Sign-in just in case. It didn't change a thing. The System was clearly messing with him.
Still, there were a few gems. Naraku pulled up his status:
Host: Hyuga Naraku Level: Basic Spiritual Pressure (Genin Level) Abilities: Byakugan (Intermediate), Gentle Fist (Grandmaster), Eight Trigrams 32 Palms (Proficient), Hado #1–30, Bakudo #1–30, Basic Flash Step Items: Zanpakuto (Asauchi State)
When he was three and Hiashi began teaching him the clan's secret arts, Naraku had hit the jackpot on a Sign-in, instantly gaining Grandmaster-level Gentle Fist and an Intermediate Byakugan. When he demonstrated his "progress" to Hiashi the next day, he nearly gave the man a heart attack.
I only showed you the stance once and you've mastered it?! You're a freaking genius! Hiashi had shouted.
Naraku didn't disappoint. Three days later, he "unlocked" his Byakugan. A month later, he "reached" the intermediate stage. When a skeptical Hiashi sparred with him using Gentle Fist, the toddler actually fought the Clan Head to a draw.
Hiashi was ecstatic, convinced Naraku was a gift from the gods sent to lead the Hyuga to glory. He immediately classified Naraku's talent as a top-secret clan matter, personally tutoring him and forbidding him from showing his true strength to others. Having survived years of war, Hiashi knew that a genius who stands out too much is often cut down before they can bloom—especially by enemy assassins.
This suited Naraku perfectly. He wanted to stay low-profile. He only showed Hiashi "just enough" talent to be impressive. After all, the Hidden Leaf had its own "Old Shadow," Danzo Shimura, lurking in the dark. If a genius like Shisui Uchiha could be screwed over by Danzo, Naraku knew he wasn't safe yet.
Sitting under a tree and watching the sunset, Naraku began to calculate. I've been here three years. Naruto is three now. There are nine years left until the Chunin Exams. The village will be relatively peaceful until then. After that, the real monsters come out.
I have nine years to grind. I need to reach Kage-level strength by then just to be safe. But... this System is so unreliable.
A Soul Reaper's true strength depends on their Zanpakuto. For three years, Naraku had tried to communicate with his blade, hoping to learn its name and achieve Shikai. But the sword remained as silent as a stone. Without Shikai, it was just a very sturdy piece of steel.
"Forget it. It's getting dark. Time for dinner."
Naraku stretched, stood up, and vanished with a burst of speed. He reappeared on a distant branch, then leaped across the canopy, disappearing into the twilight.