After purchasing the Sage Mode practice method, Chen closed the system store with a sigh of satisfaction.
"Now, let's see what it gave me," he mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes.
He opened the system backpack and selected the special package granted by the system.
His eyes widened as he saw the contents: the Amaterasu ocular technique and a Kekkei Genkai fusion scroll.
"Well," a smile of satisfaction spreading across his face. "This is quite a decent compensation." His only regret was that the system would be temporarily out of service.
Upon exiting the system space, he found himself back in his room, the dawn light beginning to filter through the curtains.
In his hands, he held a round fruit, the size of a giant berry, of an intense red color. The heat emanating from it was subtle but undeniable.
"The Magu Magu fruit," Chen murmured, turning the fruit in his hands. "Akainu's power... incredible."
This fruit wasn't for him.
"I hope Kushina likes it," he thought, imagining her reaction.
Chen stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles after spending all night focused on the system.
The aroma of food was beginning to seep under the door.
As he went out, he encountered a familiar scene. Mikoto was in the kitchen, moving gracefully, while Kushina was sprawled on the couch, watching the morning news on television.
"Good morning," Chen greeted, noticing Tsunade's absence. "Has Tsunade already left?"
Mikoto nodded, turning to him with a warm smile. "Yes, she left at dawn. She said she didn't want to wake you."
Chen nodded.
"Well, well, look who decided to honor us with his presence," Kushina said with a mocking smile, her eyes shining with amusement as she observed Chen. "The great lazy pig has finally risen."
Far from being offended, Chen returned her smile. "Good morning to you too, Kushina. I have something for you," he added mysteriously. With a theatrical scene, he pulled out the huge red berry from behind his back.
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Chen? You think you can fool me with that? That 'fruit' screams 'I'm not normal' all over."
Sitting next to Kushina on the sofa, the leather creaking softly under his weight. "You're right," Chen admitted, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "It's not a normal fruit, and I'll be honest: it doesn't taste good. But Kushina..." he paused, "this fruit can give you incredible power. You could even reach Mikoto's level."
He knows Kushina very well. He knows she's very competitive and always wants to be the best.
Before, she was stronger than Mikoto. But with recent events, Mikoto surpassed her. Still, Kushina hasn't given up. She's been training hard every day to catch up to Mikoto.
That's why he gave her the Magu Magu.
He believes that if Kushina eats this devil fruit and learns sage mode, she'll be able to match Mikoto. Moreover, he thinks that if this happens, Kushina will be very grateful to him and will owe him a favor, which he'll collect in a few years.
Kushina's eyes widened, a flash of longing crossing her face before suspicion settled back in. "Are you serious? You're not pulling my leg?"
Chen gently placed a hand on her knee. "I would never lie to you about something like this, silly," he said with love. "Remember how I can turn into light? It was thanks to a fruit like this. But yours... yours will turn you into a magma woman."
Hearing this, Kushina looked at the fruit hungrily, saliva coming out of her mouth.
Suddenly, remembering something, Chen slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand, startling Kushina. "Wait! I almost forgot. We have to go out before you eat it. If you activate that power in here, you'll turn the house into a giant oven."
Without waiting for a response, Chen jumped to his feet. "Mikoto!" he called towards the kitchen. "We're going out for a moment! We'll be back for breakfast!"
Before Mikoto could respond, Chen took Kushina's hand and, in a blink, both disappeared.
Moments later, Mikoto emerged from the kitchen, a wooden spoon in hand and a confused expression on her face. The aroma of freshly prepared breakfast filled the living room.
"These two..." she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation.
A sinister smile formed on her lips as she looked at the sofa. "You'll see when you return. I'll teach you what happens when you leave an Uchiha standing in front of her kitchen."
_____
The fresh morning air hit their faces as Chen and Kushina suddenly appeared on top of a desolate mountain.
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, painting the sky in pink and golden hues. Around them, wild vegetation swayed gently in the breeze, and in the distance, the soft murmur of a stream could be heard.
Still holding Kushina's hand, he handed her the Magu Magu fruit. "Here you go," he said. "Your ticket to power."
Kushina, with excitement, took the fruit. Without thinking twice, she took a big bite.
Almost instantly, her face contorted into a grimace of disgust. Involuntary tears sprang from her eyes as she struggled to swallow.
Chen, trying to contain a laugh, quickly offered her a water bottle. "Here, this will help."
After several gulps and minutes of recovery, Kushina looked at Chen reproachfully. "You're a bastard, Chen! That was horrible," she exclaimed, with tears.
"I warned you," Chen defended himself, laughing. "But trust me, it's worth it. Try to feel your body now."
Kushina closed her eyes, concentrating.
Suddenly, she gasped, her eyes opening wide. "It's... incredible," she whispered. With a movement of her hand, her arm transformed into liquid magma, bright and burning.
Excited, she turned towards a nearby hill. With a shout, she threw a punch into the air.
WHOOSH!
To her amazement, her magma fist extended, flying towards the hill.
The impact was devastating. The rock melted on contact, and half of the hill collapsed in an avalanche of debris and lava. The roar echoed throughout the valley, causing a flock of birds to take flight with alarmed squawks.
"This is incredible!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. "I'll call it Lava Fist, did you see that Chen?!"
Chen nodded, impressed. "Not bad for your first attempt."
Emboldened by her success, Kushina decided to try something more ambitious. She extended both hands towards the ground and concentrated.
"Volcanic Eruption!" she shouted.
RUMBLE! CRACK!
The ground beneath their feet began to shake and crack.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, a column of lava erupted from the earth, rising several meters into the air before falling in a burning rain.
"How original~" said Chen, quickly creating a chakra shield to protect himself from the lava splashes.
The nearby vegetation withered and burned on contact with the magma, filling the air with an acrid smell.
Kushina, exultant with power, didn't stop there. With a fluid movement, she extended her arms and spun on herself. "Magma Whirlwind!"
WHOOSH!
Her entire body transformed into a spinning vortex of lava. Rocks and trees were uprooted, caught in the burning whirlwind.
A series of explosions resonated as the rocks, overheated, burst in the air.
Finally, Kushina stopped her spin, panting but smiling from ear to ear. The landscape around her was unrecognizable: where there was once a forested mountain, now stretched a smoking volcanic wasteland.
"That... was... AWESOME!" she exclaimed between pants.
Chen, observing from a safe distance, whistled impressed. "Remind me never to make you angry," he joked.
Kushina laughed, but her laughter was abruptly cut off when she tried to take a step. Her legs trembled, and for a moment it seemed like she was going to fall.
WHOOSH!
In an instant, Chen was by her side, holding her.
"I think that's enough for today," he said softly. "You've spent a lot of chakra."
Kushina nodded, leaning on Chen. As they observed the transformed landscape, she couldn't help but feel proud.
"Chen," she murmured, "thank you. This is... more than I ever imagined."
Chen smiled, hugging her tighter. "And this is just the beginning, Kushina. Just wait to see what you can do with a little more practice."
As they observed the transformed landscape, he noticed that the sun was already high in the sky. "I think we should head back," he suggested. "Mikoto is probably worried... or angry."
With those words, both disappeared from the place, reappearing in the living room of their home, right on the sofa where they had been sitting hours before.
To their surprise and dismay, Mikoto was standing in front of them, arms crossed and an expression that mixed concern and annoyance.
"Uh... surprise?" Chen offered weakly, while Kushina quickly got out of the embrace and tried to hide behind him.
Mikoto stared at them for a moment before sighing. "I'll heat up the food," she finally said. "But if you disappear like that again, without saying anything, you'll manage on your own."
________
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