The sun was setting on the horizon, its last rays filtering through the leaves of the forest trees.
In the heart of the forest, Chen sat on a fallen log, his bare chest glistening with sweat, breathing heavily.
Around him, the forest remained undisturbed, showing no signs of the intense activity that had taken place over the past few hours.
Chen had spent the entire night and day training tirelessly. He had run through the forest, climbed the tallest trees, lifted gigantic rocks, and practiced combat moves against imaginary opponents.
His body, though small, showed the first signs of muscle definition.
His arms and legs were toned, and his abs were beginning to show beneath his pale skin.
'Food,' Chen thought, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
He made his way to his secret hideout and pulled out the prepared bento. Sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, he began to eat heartily. The fresh forest air and the silence around him made the food taste even better.
As he ate the rice and dried fish, his thoughts drifted to his parents in this world.
He barely remembered his father, who died on a mission when he was just a year old. His mother... well, she hadn't survived childbirth.
"I guess I didn't get lucky with parents in this life," Chen murmured, chewing on a piece of vegetable. "But at least the clan gives me enough to survive, even if it's just for show."
A bitter smile played on his lips. Despite the unfair treatment from the main branch of the clan, he still received a small monthly allowance to cover his basic needs. It wasn't much, but it allowed him to live. He knew the clan did it not out of kindness, but to maintain appearances and avoid rumors of mistreatment of a family member.
'Patience,' he thought, looking at the setting sun, 'all I need is time.'
With renewed determination, Chen finished his meal and put on his white shirt. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he walked back home.
The sun had fully set by now, leaving behind a starry night that softly lit the forest path.
As he walked the streets of Konoha, Chen noticed the stares that followed him. A group of mature women whispered while stealing glances at him.
"Look at that handsome boy... and his hair!" one of them exclaimed, her voice intended to be discreet but clearly audible to Chen.
"And those eyes! They're so beautiful!" added another, fanning herself coquettishly.
Chen, used to this kind of attention, simply smiled politely and continued walking. He had no time for flirtations.
A little further ahead, a group of children were playing cards in an alley. As he passed, one of them whistled mockingly.
"Hey, look! It's the pretty boy from the Hyuga!" he exclaimed, provoking laughter from his companions.
Chen ignored them, quickening his pace. It wasn't worth stooping to their level.
Finally, he arrived at the Hyuga residence. Opening the door quickly, he headed straight to the bathroom. Preparing the bath, he immersed himself in the hot water, relieving the tension in his muscles.
"Sigh..." Chen sighed, sinking deeper into the tub. "This is the life."
He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of well-being.
As he relaxed in the bath, his mind wandered to the chakra extraction technique. He knew that children from important clans learned it at the age of four, but he could have mastered it much earlier. However, he hadn't found any scrolls or instructions in the house to teach him how to do it.
"Damn it," he muttered, splashing water with his hand. "My father was a Jōnin; how is it possible he didn't leave me a single technique?"
Chen had hoped to find some legacy from his father, some technique that would help him. But so far, his search had been fruitless.
"I guess I'll have to manage on my own," he thought, stepping out of the bath and wrapping himself in a towel.
He approached the window and looked at the starry sky, the full moon shining like a beacon.
"Who would've thought?" he said aloud, with a melancholic smile. "An orphan from Earth reincarnated in the Naruto universe, with Otsutsuki lineage and the Tenseigan. Fate sure is whimsical, isn't it?"
On Earth, he had been a nobody, a lonely soul without family or close friends. His only solace had been manga, transporting him far from his gray, monotonous reality.
"Compared to Earth, at least here I can see the stars," he thought, gazing at the night sky. "And the moon... who would've thought, the actual Kaguya living up there."
Despite his knowledge of the Naruto world, it was still hard for him to believe he was living in it. And that the rabbit goddess, the progenitor of chakra, was so close, watching him from the moon.
Just as he was about to close the window, a mechanical sound suddenly echoed in his head, a sound he hadn't heard in a long time.
[🎉🎉 System update complete…]
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