As the sun began to set, I finally made my way back to my cozy apartment.
I thought about going out to eat for dinner, but I changed my mind and decided to whip up something at home instead.
With that plan in mind, I headed to the local store to pick up some fresh ingredients and vegetables.
Once I returned, I got straight to work in the kitchen, preparing a delicious meal.
As I chopped and stirred, one nagging thought wouldn't leave my mind: should we have focused on capturing Kabuto instead of chasing Sasuke? With Kabuto in custody, we could have extracted valuable information for the village.
But what's done is done. There's no use dwelling on the past. Now, I need to concentrate on myself and my training, just like Sasuke is doing.
After our battle, I knew he'd be feeling frustrated and more determined than ever to get stronger. That's why I can't afford to slack off either.
I have to grow stronger, not just for myself, but to protect the village and defend the people I care about from any threats.
Anyway, I finished cooking dinner and served myself a hearty plate. As I ate, I couldn't help but praise my own culinary skills—it was just that good! Once I was done, I cleaned up and headed to bed, ready to rest up for the next day.
The next morning...
I woke up bright and early, feeling refreshed. I started my day with some yoga, a solid workout, and a bit of meditation. This routine always makes me feel centered and ready to tackle whatever comes my way.
After my morning exercises, I whipped up a nutritious breakfast. Once I was done eating, I left my apartment, feeling energized and ready for a day of intense training.
As I stepped out onto the bustling streets of Konoha, I spotted Ino and Choji walking down the road together.
"Hey! Naruto!" Ino called out, waving enthusiastically.
"Hey, you two," I replied, making my way over to them.
"Ino asked, "Where have you been? We just came from the hospital, and we didn't see you with Sakura and your new teammate, Sai."
"Oh, I was just at home," I explained. "But where are you guys headed? And where's Shikamaru?"
"We're on our way to the BBQ restaurant! Asuma-sensei is treating us to a meal to celebrate a successful mission," Ino said with a big smile.
"Yeah, you should come with us, Naruto. Sakura and Sai are going to join too," Choji added, looking hopeful.
I shook my head. "Thanks for the invite, but I just had breakfast. So I'll have to pass this time!"
"But how about next time? Your treat?" Choji suggested with a grin.
"Alright, it'll definitely be my treat next time!" I replied, waving goodbye as they headed off to the BBQ restaurant.
With that, I turned and made my way toward the training ground.
Granny Tsunade had mentioned she would contact our team if any missions came up, so I figured I might as well spend my time training and improving my skills.
As I arrived at the training ground, I began to ponder what I should focus on first. There were so many possibilities!
I already had the Rasengan mastered, along with a variant called Wind Style: Rasengan. Plus, I had the Limitless Curse Technique—Blue and the Limitless Reverse Curse Technique—Red in my arsenal. Each one had its own unique potential, and I wanted to make sure I used this time wisely to sharpen my abilities.
Pervy Sage once told me that I could combine the Blue Curse Technique with the Red Reverse Curse Technique, just like mixing negative energy with positive energy to create something entirely new.
I hadn't tried it yet, but now seemed like the perfect time to give it a shot.
All I needed to do was activate both techniques at the same time, and that should do it.
I focused intently, channeling the Blue Curse Technique in one hand and the Red Reverse Curse Technique in the other.
Now came the hard part: I had to concentrate on merging both energies together.
On my first attempt, I felt a surge of energy, but it didn't work out. *Failed.*
The second attempt was just as unsuccessful. *Failed.*
The third attempt? Another failure. *Failed.*
But on the fourth try, I could feel something different. The energies started to swirl together, and I felt a powerful connection between them.
Finally, I opened my eyes to see the glowing purple energy in my hand. I had done it! I successfully combined the Blue and Red Curse Techniques, creating the new Purple Curse Technique.
"Naruto!" a familiar voice called out, and I turned to see Sakura running toward me.
"What are you doing here? I was looking for you..." she said, slightly out of breath.
"I was just... training some new ninjutsu. Do you need something?" I asked, curious about her sudden appearance.
"No, it's just that I couldn't find you, and you didn't even visit Kakashi-sensei at the hospital this morning," she replied, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Well, I was a bit busy this morning. After that, I came straight here to train," I explained.
"Good! Kakashi-sensei said he would train me today. He mentioned he would teach me a new technique that will help me in fights," Sakura said, her excitement evident.
"That sounds awesome, Sakura! I can't wait to see what you learn!" I replied.
"Thanks a lot!" she said with a smile. "So, what were you practicing all by yourself?" she asked curiously.
"I was just trying to mix my own techniques to create new ones," I replied.
"New techniques, huh?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep. By the way, where's Sai?" I asked.
"Oh, he's hanging out with Ino and Choji. For some reason, they've become good friends," Sakura explained.
"You don't sound too thrilled about that. What's bothering you?" I asked.
"Eh, it's nothing. Anyway, are you done with your training for today?" she asked.
"Not yet. I still have some things to work on," I said.
"Alright then, I'll leave you to it," she said as she turned and walked away.
She seemed to be feeling both happy and upset at the same time. It was a strange mix of emotions, but that was just how she was—nothing surprising about it.
I turned around and began my practice again.
After a while of training, I noticed it was already noon. I wrapped up my session and headed back to my apartment.
It had been a productive training day, even though I only mastered one new technique: the Hollow Purple technique. Besides that, I focused on refining the techniques I already knew, polishing them to make them even better if I could.
As I made my way home, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, Naruto!"
"Hey, Shika!" I replied, walking over to him.
"What have you been up to?" he asked, looking curious.
"I was training at the training ground, and now I'm heading home," I said. "What about you? What brings you here?"
"I'm just on my way to see Lady Fifth," he said with a sigh. "She's supposed to give my team and me a new mission. It's such a drag, if you ask me. What about you? Don't you have a new mission coming up?"
"Nope," I replied. "Granny Tsunade told me she would let us know if there were any new missions after we got back from the last one."
"Speaking of your last mission, I heard you totally outperformed Sasuke! It sounds like you've really leveled up and surpassed everyone else now!" he said, sounding impressed.
"I wouldn't say that," I shrugged. "I still have a long way to go before I can really think that way."
After chatting for a while, I made my way back to my apartment
After taking a refreshing bath, I got busy preparing lunch for myself.
Once I finished eating, I started putting my dishes in the basin to wash them.
[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]