*Small A/N, I had to change some of the Nature Transformation Skills work. Not that I've actually shown them, but I felt it important to mention. The main thing that did change was the Affinity perks. (Mostly since there's 2 different skills for Affinity and non Affinity nature transformations now and getting an affinity form of a skill is better. I don't know why I didn't do this in the planning for this fic.)*
(Akari's POV)
In the dead of midnight, I stood in the secluded clearing where I had made my training ground. A secret place, hidden well enough that if I were discovered, I would be caught instantly.
I wasn't naïve. Training like this was a risk. ROOT was always watching. But with Hiruzen on my side, I had a layer of protection. More than likely, he was keeping ROOT off my trail, ensuring Danzo never caught wind of me.
"Status."
A translucent blue screen flickered to life before me.
[Status
Name: Akari Inori
Clan: Uchiha
Title: Trailblazer
Level: 62
EXP: 6100/20,000
HP: 6500
Chakra: 15150
Chakra Control: 75%
STR: 360
DEX: 395
CON: 650
INT: 550
CHA: 3030
Stat Points: 110]
Physically, I was closing in on Jōnin-level, and my Chakra had already surpassed that point. But raw numbers meant nothing without technique.
That much had been clear when I fought that Kumo Jōnin. I'd won, not because I was stronger, but because I was smarter. They had underestimated me. Overconfidence had killed them. That, and the fact that I had deliberately hidden the fact I had a C-rank Jutsu until the final moments. Or rather the fact I had that much Chakra at this age.
Frankly, I had way more than that, but it didn't matter. While I could, I couldn't just rely on deception forever. My Sharingan needed to evolve.
Which brought me here.
I glanced around the clearing. It had served me well, but I would soon need a new training ground—somewhere with water for my next phase of training. Digging a pond was out of the question. An unexplained body of water appearing overnight would send both ROOT and the village's intelligence division into a frenzy. Even if they never traced it back to me, I had promised Hiruzen not to make waves.
For now, this was enough.
I pressed my fingers together into a T-shaped hand seal.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Seven identical copies of myself flickered into existence.
Immediately, they knew their tasks. Four sprinted off to work on my Raiton and Doton nature transformations. Two more moved aside, already beginning drills on Genjutsu: Kai and my only proper Genjutsu so far—Genjutsu: Yume no Kage.
That left one.
I turned to her. She turned to me.
"You will spar with me."
The logic was simple. If I wanted to master my Sharingan, I needed an opponent who would push my perception to its limits. And no one knew my weaknesses better than myself.
The clone nodded—expressionless, mirroring me perfectly.
I rolled my shoulders, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead. I had exactly 20 minutes and 12 seconds before I ran out of chakra at this pace. I didn't know what would happen if I drained myself completely, and I wasn't about to find out.
So I would stop at 20 minutes.
We stood at opposite ends as my Sharingan activated and we both entered into stances. The replica of myself then stated, "Kaimon: Open."
Yes, I was fighting myself using the 1st gate.
My clone looked at me, and we locked eyes. I initially assessed the Clone as it did me, assessing how this fight would turn out before we both rushed at each other. Realising that we knew everything already.
My Sharingan watched them closely. The way the muscles twitched as it closed our distance with 2x my speed. Yet I acted first, swinging my legs and arms in a continuous right to left in the path, called a Ginga but altered, I was keeping the pattern random yet consistent before I went for a series of quick spinning kicks against myself.
The first was aimed at her abdomen, the second was her jaw, the third was for her head. And then I performed a front flip that went into an axe kick, leaving very little room to dodge, yet I knew the me in front of me would dodge them, so I moved away, taking measured steps backward.
My clone followed me, aiming to destabilise my balance and gain an upper hand, but the moment it tried I saw the small muscle twitches and reacted instantly, bringing my palms up to catch a series of punches whilst dodging occasional kicks.
A jab, to a cross, to a hook. All blocked with the palms of my hands, and then it tried a roundhouse. Blocked. It spun back around, and kicked backward, trying to slip past my guard with a spinning back kick. But I moved out of the way, it took the opportunity to try and grab, its palm outstretched, and yet I weaved past the attempted grab.
Its patterns of attack would change, but each movement was countered with the help of my Sharingan tracking it. I knew myself all too well and that's why I was sparring with it. It was faster and had all my moves, yet I had the Sharingan.
I ducked under a high kick and blocked the heel that came down to try and hit my head with both arms before pushing it off and unbalancing her. My right fist flew into its gut, a jab punch yet it hopped back on one leg. Dodging the attack with ease.
I used the opportunity to gather distance stepping backwards a few short metres, and settled my stance again. Putting my feet shoulder-width apart, my left foot slightly more forward than the right with my knees slightly bent distributing weight evenly between them. My arms raised one hand extended slightly more forward the other staying close to my torso. My stance remained low and flexible whilst the centre of my gravity stayed close to the ground.
It would do the same, taking up a stance.
My Kage Bunshin sprang forth leading with a tornado kick, and a series of fast acting kicks and punches, whilst I analysed every move. Dodging the attacks, blocking them, nothing would get done this way, I realised. So I took the initiative, on one of its attacks I ducked beneath the arm, and grabbed it, throwing her above my head and into the ground.
The moment she hit the ground, my clone reacted.
It twisted mid-air, arms snapping out like a cat, feet slamming into the dirt at an impossible angle before pushing off into a vicious counterattack. I barely had a second before it closed the gap again, lashing out with a spinning heel kick aimed straight for my ribs.
I blocked with my forearm. But the sheer momentum still sent me skidding back a foot.
My clone pressed the attack.
A low sweep, forced me to jump. A palm strike, aimed at my solar plexus. I twisted to the side, deflecting the blow with my forearm, but she was already adjusting—pivoting into a follow-up elbow strike. My Sharingan tracked every movement, every shift in her center of gravity, every micro-adjustment.
For a moment, we were a blur of movement.
Strike. Block. Counter. Dodge. React. Adapt.
Each exchange burned itself into my mind, the movements growing clearer, and more predictable with every second. My Sharingan flickered to each part of her. Reacting to movements until...
There.
I had found my opening.
The slightest hitch in her stance. A fraction of a second where her balance was vulnerable. I moved instantly, shifting forward instead of retreating.
My palm slammed into her chin with a force that sent her stumbling back.
She caught herself—but that was the opening I needed.
I surged forward, unleashing a barrage of relentless attacks. Every strike calculated, every move precise—like water flowing around her defences. My fists blurred—a right jab, a left hook, a spinning back fist into a sweep kick.
She dodged the first two. Blocked the third. But the last...
BAMF!
She hit the ground with a dull thud, but before I could capitalize, she twisted—using the momentum to flip back onto her feet instantly.
A skill I remembered being drilled into me from sparring with the Instructors. The first part of Martial Arts training was against the adults after all.
Although I could tell, that my Sharingan had been adapting. The flickers of motion that had blurred together were now distinct, separated into frames my mind could process.
Her next attack came—a blur of motion, twisting into a spinning kick aimed at my temple.
I stepped forward. Not dodging or blocking, but rather driving into her exposed ribs before her kick could even reach me. The counter made it all the easier. My next strike hit her square in the jaw, snapping her head back. Before she could recover, I twisted behind her, locking my arm around her throat in a rear chokehold.
For a second, she struggled—then exploded into a counterattack, shifting her weight and flipping me over her shoulder. I landed hard, the breath knocked from my lungs, but performed twisted, using the momentum to flip onto my feet.
The moment my feet touched the ground, I twisted low, barely avoiding a crushing heel strike that would have landed between my shoulder blades. Instead of retreating, I surged forward—because I knew myself. The clone was expecting me to dodge, to play defensively as I had been up until now.
So I did the opposite.
My left foot slid forward, slipping past her outer guard, and my elbow drove into her ribs. It connected, but the clone twisted with the force, minimizing the damage. I followed up with a sharp knee strike, aimed for her solar plexus—only for her to block with a well-timed downward palm strike.
Our movements blurred together in a deadly rhythm.
Her palm snapped out for my throat—I parried.
A spinning back kick—I sidestepped.
A counter-strike—I ducked and lashed out with a low kick.
Blocked. Countered. Adapted.
The Sharingan in my eyes whirled, tracking every twitch of muscle, every flicker of movement. It was getting easier to read her—each feint, each strike, each transition from offense to defense. What had been instinctive reactions before were now calculated responses.
But she was still faster.
I barely raised my guard in time before she exploded into motion—her hands flashed in a blur, and suddenly I was being driven back.
A jab—blocked. A cross—deflected. An elbow—dodged. Then—
The moment I shifted my weight to pivot into a counterattack, her foot hooked behind my ankle and yanked.
I stumbled. And in that instant—
CRACK!
Her knee slammed into my ribs, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my torso. My vision blurred, my breath hitched, and I felt my feet leave the ground.
But I wasn't about to let myself be thrown.
I twisted mid-air, shifting my centre of gravity to redirect my fall. Instead of landing awkwardly, I tucked in my arms, flipped mid-air, and landed in a crouch, absorbing the impact. The me in front of me didn't hesitate. It rushed me immediately, launching herself into a spinning aerial roundhouse aimed straight for my skull.
Too fast to dodge so I surged forward into the attack, raising my left forearm to absorb the blow while simultaneously driving my opposite fist into her exposed abdomen. The force of her kick sent a jolt through my arm, but my strike landed solidly, making her stagger back.
I launched forward, pressing the attack, throwing everything I had into my strikes.
A right hook feint—she flinched. My real attack, a sweeping kick, connected against her ribs. She countered with a palm thrust—I absorbed the impact and twisted into a back-fist strike to her jaw. She stumbled—just slightly—and I capitalized, stepping in close, grabbing her wrist, and flipping her over my shoulder.
She hit the ground with a thud, and before she could recover I drove my knee down onto her chest, pinning her. For a moment, she struggled, muscles tensing—but my grip was absolute. Then it realised that I had won.
A puff of smoke exploded as my Kage Bunshin dispersed, chakra flowing back into me in an instant. The memories of the fight playing through my head from her perspective. I smiled a bit.
[Sharingan has reached LVL 6, you have gained the 2nd Tomoe]
I immediately steadied my breathing. It was pretty easy for me to just do so. But then an influx of memories hit me. The other clones had dispersed, their experiences rushing into my mind like a tidal wave.
A flood of memories rushed through me as my Kage Bunshin dispersed, their experiences slotting seamlessly into my mind. My breath evened out as I processed them, letting my body recover while my mind absorbed their training.
The first memory came from the clone that had been practicing Genjutsu: Kai. A sharp burst of frustration echoed through me as it struggled to break out of the illusion placed on it by the other. The technique was crude but effective—Genjutsu: Yume no Kage flooded the clone's vision with shifting, distorted shadows, flickering at the edge of its perception like restless ghosts. They weren't dangerous, but the disorientation was real.
The clone's fingers formed the Rat → Dog seals, weaving the illusion again on its opponent before immediately switching its focus to dispelling its own. Chakra surged, disrupting its flow—yet the illusion clung stubbornly for another few seconds before finally breaking apart.
The process had been slow, but the repetition had worked. Breaking out of Genjutsu wasn't just about chakra control—it was about the instinct to disrupt an illusion the moment it took hold. And now, that instinct was sharper.
The second set of memories came from the elemental training clones.
Lightning and Earth. My clones had focused entirely on refining my weaker elements, pushing my chakra through its transformations in bursts of practice.
The Raiton clone had struggled—moulding my chakra into electrical energy felt unnatural, its volatility harder to contain. Flowing Lightning Chakra through a leaf to get it to conduct, making sure it was static in nature was the exercise. This was done using a half-dried-up leaf which had better conductivity.
The science of this was simply because of the more concentrated water and salt particles in the leaf. Yet it was volatile and somewhat uncontrollable. I had similar issues in the past with it, but this didn't stop me from succeeding. I did it more than once of course until chakra ran out.
The Doton clone had more success. It had spent its time forcing my chakra through the earth beneath it, and moving it in small ways. The movements had been sluggish, lacking refinement, but over time it grew better and at some point, the soil looked more solidified.
I had thought about it before, but if I wanted to, could I change the PH scale of the soil beneath me with Earth Chakra? I wanted to test that badly but the tools weren't here. And I didn't want to experiment with that yet as it meant doing something at the molecular level. It was the same reasoning my clone had before it dispersed.
I could still feel the faint hum of residual chakra in my muscles from the spar, but now, armed with these experiences, I felt flickers of satisfaction at the progress of this training.
Of course, the text box appeared.
[Skills Genjutsu: Kai has reached LVL 5, Genjutsu: Yume no Kage has reached LVL 7, Lightning Chakra Transformation and Earth Nature Transformation has reached LVL 6]
Damn, training Nature Transformations that aren't my affinities was much harder. 3 levels weren't that significant.
"Inventory."
I reached into my Inventory pulling out my Asauchi.
I stared at it, then sat down holding it on my lap. Normally it would be dangerous to meditate after such a session but my breathing had already returned to normal. Thus I deemed this fine. I needed to get my Zanpakuto this year.
Thus, I decided to try meditating with my Asauchi, using the opportunity to try and imprint my essence onto it faster. I couldn't leave it out in the open, and take it with me for obvious reasons so the progress had been slow, but I had to do this.
Getting my Zanpakuto was a more personal goal than mastering my Sharingan. Of course, that too was a personal goal, I awakened my Sharingan due to love, the recognition of my feelings for Shiina triggered it.
But the Zanpakuto... It was something I wanted because I wanted it. I wanted to understand who I was.
I had changed a lot in these last 3 years.
I had fallen in love, which also confirmed the fact I was homosexual, and I had felt emotions I had never felt before. Or had forgotten. Yet I was still pragmatic, I still saw others as chess pieces outside Shiina, and the other 2 I had Social Links with. I was still cold to others, expressionless to those I did not care for, and even around those I cared for, smiling was not common. Although not completely apathetic around them.
I closed my eyes, letting my breathing settle into an easy rhythm. The Asauchi rested on my lap, its dull steel reflecting the faint light of the moon above. It was a blank slate—a blade without a name, without a soul. Not yet.
I pressed my fingers against the cold hilt, feeling the weight of it, the emptiness within. My Zanpakutō was still unawakened, still formless, still waiting.
But I could feel something there.
Faint. Distant. Like a whisper just beyond the edge of my hearing.
I focused.
The memories of the fight played back in my mind—each movement, each exchange of blows, the sensation of my Sharingan processing and adapting to the flow of battle. The thrill of progress, of knowing I was evolving.
The whisper grew louder.
I often meditated. Not with my Asauchi. I did it because I was hoping to earn some kind of meditation skill. Something that would speed up my Chakra recovery speed. Outside of having to rely on the Chakra pills that did not provide me with much. I could craft more, but I had yet to find a reliable source of the mushrooms required to do so. Thus I was stuck with what I had.
I sparingly used them.
As I meditated, I found myself asking myself something that was prominent now.
Who am I? Who was I?
A Machiavellian? A manipulator, a deceiver. A cold, pragmatic girl who uses others around her to achieve victory. The survivor of the Demonic Generation of the White Room.
And yet... there was something else. Something deeper than that.
I had fallen in love.
The thought made my grip tighten ever so slightly around the Asauchi's hilt.
Shiina.
She had been the catalyst—the spark that had awakened my Sharingan. Love, recognition, attachment. The acknowledgment that someone mattered to me in a way no one else had before. It had been illogical, unexpected. And yet, it had happened.
I had always sought control over my own existence. My strength, my intelligence, my ability to dictate the course of battle and manipulate those around me. I moved pieces on the board with careful precision, ensuring my victory. No matter the cost.
But Shiina was the exception... she was the first exception... and over time 2 others joined.
Hinata, Naruto.
What started as me manipulating them, became a true bond. Now, the thought of losing them was… unacceptable.
The whisper grew stronger.
Not words. Not yet.
But a presence.
Something watching.
Something waiting.
I kept my breathing steady, focusing inward. My chakra pulsed faintly in response.
The Asauchi felt heavier in my grasp. Not physically—no, the weight was different. Denser. More real. I wasn't expecting to find anything. Not yet. It was too soon, and yet... For the briefest moment, I saw something. Not just something, but...
Two figures stood amidst an ocean of silver chains, some snapping with an eerie chime, others stretching endlessly into the abyss. Their gazes—golden and black—pierced through the void, watching. Waiting for the day I came to learn their names.
When my eyes opened, I saw not my Asauchi, but rather...
[Your Asauchi has become a Zanpakuto]
A transformed hilt. It had cloth of 2 different colours. An incredibly light yellow and shadowy black cloths. The blade hadn't changed much, it was still a Chokuto in nature, but it curved slightly, not to the point of being anything else, yet was slightly noticeable.
This was not Shikai but had been what my Zanpakuto's sealed form would look like. After all, Shikai required a Keigo. Outside of one, but that might be because he has a Bankai, he's just never shown it.
Now that I had it, I came to the realisation of what it was.
I was both.
Cold yet warm. Manipulative yet loving. Chess pieces yet friends. Emotionless yet having emotions. I was... contradictory in nature, yet this was what I was now.
A walking contradiction, huh? Heh, never thought I would be this way.
"Inventory."
I looked at the weapon and placed it back inside my inventory... my Zanpakuto went to the space it occupied before, this time, with an updated description.
[Zanpakutō: ??? (Sealed): This weapon has been forged from the essence of its wielder's soul. It was a Chokuto, with a slightly curved blade not enough to change what it was. Its hilt is covered by cloth with a light yellow and a shadowy black. Though its true name remains unspoken, the presences inside are undeniable—extensions of its wielder's will and identity. Deals 750 damage normally with damage changing on which body part is hit.
Unique Trait Bound: This weapon can only be used by you and you alone.]
That was quite the jump.
From 500 damage to 750, the Bound trait made sense. I suppose the increase in damage made sense too.
I had completed the first part of this goal... but I needed to do more. The next step was unlocking Shikai.
For now, though, I snuck back into my room in the Orphanage.
(The next day)
Walking through the orphanage in the morning, I spotted a familiar platinum-blonde girl around the corner. The wooden floors creaked softly beneath my steps, the scent of sun-warmed tatami lingering in the air. I smiled and moved toward her—until I heard a voice.
"Shi-Chan, you are quite adorable laughing like that."
I had never heard that voice before, and Shiina had never mentioned someone that had given her such a nickname. I hid behind the wall, eavesdropping on the conversation. I had slightly peeked out of the corner. My presence was hidden but this girl I had overheard, I wanted to see what she looked like.
The girl looked around 2 years older than Shiina. It was odd seeing that as most Orphans would go to the academy and train to become Shinobi. Which meant moving into the Dorms. But this girl was not there, which meant she either one came to visit, which wasn't uncommon, or chose another path for herself.
The girl had a striking presence, one that seemed to shine even in the dim morning light filtering through the windows of the orphanage. Her long, silky light silver hair cascaded down her back, stopping just above her waist, with a few loose strands framing her delicate face. Her eyes were an enchanting shade of violet, a colour so deeply warm.
Her features were refined—soft yet undeniably captivating, with a small, upturned nose and full, pink lips that curved into a gentle smile. She wore a traditional kimono-style top, a deep indigo with subtle floral embroidery, paired with fitted black shorts. Her presence felt graceful, almost ethereal yet grounded.
I stayed hidden behind the wall, pressing myself against it as I continued to eavesdrop.
Shiina's voice, bright and melodic, reached my ears. "Hah, you say that all the time, you know? It's embarrassing, Kohane-nee."
Kohane?
I frowned. That name… I had never heard it before. But Shiina said it so naturally like she had known this girl forever. Nee? My mind processed the affectionate term. Older sister? No, not by blood—Shiina didn't have siblings. But the familiarity in her tone, the way she let this girl speak to her so intimately… I found myself gripping the edge of the wall, fingers curling against the rough surface.
Kohane chuckled, a soft, almost lilting sound. "That doesn't make it any less true, Shi-chan." Her voice was warm, fond. It reminded me of how I spoke to Shiina.
Shiina giggled, and I could hear the way she shifted her weight. "Still! You're just saying things to fluster me."
I peeked around the corner again, and my gaze landed on Shiina's expression. She was smiling, cheeks lightly dusted with pink—not in the way she blushed when she was flustered, but in the way she did when she was genuinely happy.
And on the side of her head, securing the soft waves of her platinum hair, was the Tethered Bloom. The one I had given her.
I exhaled slowly, the tension in my chest loosening slightly.
But Kohane reached forward, brushing a loose strand of Shiina's hair behind her ear. My heart clenched.
"That's a pretty pin, Shi-chan." Kohane tilted her head, eyes lingering on the Tethered Bloom. "Someone special gave it to you?"
Shiina brightened instantly. "Mhm!" She lifted a hand to touch it, fingertips tracing the delicate yellow petals. "Akari gave it to me. It's really important."
My breath caught.
Kohane's expression shifted—just slightly. "Akari?"
Shiina nodded enthusiastically. "She's my best friend! We do pretty much everything together."
Something flickered in Kohane's violet eyes, but it was gone before I could place it. She hummed. "I see… That's good. You look happy, Shi-chan."
Shiina beamed. "Of course! Akari is really special to me."
I should have felt relieved. I should have felt something good at hearing those words. But instead, my stomach twisted in a way I had never experienced before.
Because Kohane was standing so close to her. Because Shiina had never mentioned her before. Because this girl, with her striking presence and effortless affection, had a place in Shiina's life that I hadn't known about.
Perhaps I was being too overzealous in all of this. I shouldn't think that Shiina would tell me everything about her life, but this Kohane. No matter how close she was to Shiina...
I didn't like them at all. Not a single bit.
And I didn't like how close she was with Shiina.
Shiina was mine.
That possessive thought passed through my mind before I ridiculed myself for it.
Shiina could be with anyone she wanted to be with, it didn't matter who it was... so long as she was happy with them. I didn't own her.
To think otherwise would make the love I felt... obsession.
And obsessive love becomes abusive over time if it isn't innately abusive... I didn't want to be that way.
I didn't know why I did, but I knew that I wouldn't want to be that way.
And so, walking away from the scene, I let the feelings go—even though the moment had already settled into the banks of my memory.
I stepped outside the orphanage, following the familiar stone path. The sights around me, unchanged yet brimming with life, provided a comfort I hadn't realized I needed.
The same stores bustled with activity, only now they were already open. Vendors called out to villagers, haggling and chatting, while the occasional shinobi passed through. I remembered walking this path last year—back when I was only level 8.
In just one year, I had climbed from level 8 to 62, from low Genin to high Chunin, and nearly low Jonin in stats. My Jutsu still needed improvement, and I'd have to expand my arsenal. I felt like I could push myself further now. Experiment, even.
The wind stirred gently, carrying the crisp scent of autumn. Leaves in shades of gold, red, and orange drifted down in a lazy dance, crunching beneath my steps. Children played nearby, though fewer than last year—most were in the Academy now. The last time I walked this road, it had been a weekend.
It was peaceful.
And then—
"You brat! Get the fuck out of my store!"
The sharp yell cut through the market noise, snapping my focus toward the scene. A man shoved a small, blonde figure away, and I recognized him instantly. Naruto.
My reaction was immediate. My bloodlust surged, coiling beneath my skin, barely leashed.
I hadn't expected this filler event to happen. But it did.
"What's the big idea, asshole?" My voice was cold, my six-year-old frame unmoving as I stared up at him. Apathy in my expression, but anger laced my words. "Naruto was only looking at your masks, and you throw him out? What kind of shopkeeper scares off customers for no reason? Sounds like bad business to me. Pretty pathetic."
I didn't wait for a response. Just turned, helped Naruto to his feet, and shot the man one last glare before walking off.
Naruto followed silently, steps shuffling beside mine. He hadn't spoken yet.
This was the second time I had stopped a villager from harassing him.
It was also the perfect moment to execute my plan.
Keeping him close—making sure he trusted me—that was important. Naruto was an invaluable player on the chessboard in my mind.
And yet, as I glanced at him, I couldn't deny it. I actually cared.
Maybe these Social Links were making me care more than I should. But for now, I had to proceed.
"You alright, Naruto?" I asked, my tone softer now.
He dusted himself off, lips pulling into a half-hearted smile. "Yeah… Thanks, Akari." His voice was quieter than usual.
I hummed. "You don't sound alright."
He scratched his cheek, hesitating. "It's just… y'know. That kinda thing happens a lot."
Something twisted in my chest. I knew that. Of course, I did. But hearing him say it so casually made something in me bristle.
"How often?" I asked, my voice tinged with something I couldn't quite name.
Naruto shrugged, his hands curling into loose fists. "Whenever I go into shops… restaurants… anywhere. People always stare. Like I don't belong. And Jiji won't tell me why." His voice dipped lower. "He's hiding something from me. Your lessons taught me that much."
I felt a flicker of pride. He was learning.
"I'm proud of you," I told him. "And I think I know why." I paused, watching his reaction. "It's only a theory. Before, I was 20% sure. But since the Sandaime refuses to tell you the truth. I am now I'm 99% sure. Come with me."
I had lied, of course.
Naruto's expression turned serious. "Okay."
He didn't ask questions. He had learned when to be serious, and this was one of those moments. I led him away, weaving through the village until we reached a secluded spot—the same secluded spot I had been brought to last month for my birthday. The place Shiina had dragged me to.
We sat on the grass, the air still, as if holding its breath.
"Let's start with the facts," I began. "You live alone. You receive a monthly stipend directly from the Hokage. No ordinary kid gets that kind of treatment. That alone is suspicious. But then there's how people treat you. And your birthday—October 10th. The night the Kyubi attacked."
Naruto stiffened beside me.
"I did some research," I continued, voice steady. "I snuck into the restricted sections of the Konoha Library. That's where I learned about the Bijū."
"Bijū?" Naruto echoed, his brow furrowing.
"The Tailed Beasts. Massive creatures made of pure chakra. The Kyubi is one of nine, each possessing immense power. Since they're chakra entities, they can't truly die—they reform after death. And because of that power, humans started sealing them inside people, turning them into weapons for war." I met his gaze. "Those people are called Jinchuriki."
His fingers dug into the fabric of his shorts. "...No…"
I pressed on. "The Yondaime couldn't have killed the Kyubi. If he had, it would have just reformed later, right here in Konoha." I let the weight of my words settle before finishing, "Which means…"
Naruto's breathing hitch. His hands clenched in his lap.
"...It's sealed in me." His voice trembled. "That's why—why they all—"
"Naruto." My tone sharpened, cutting through his rising panic. I reached out, wrapping my arms around him, grounding him before he spiraled. "You are not a monster."
He froze.
"You're Naruto Uzumaki," I murmured. "The future Hokage of Konoha. If the Kyubi is inside you, that means the Yondaime believed in you—even as a newborn."
Naruto's shoulders trembled beneath my hold. I knew he was processing everything, struggling against the weight of it.
"Hinata would say the same," I added because I knew how much she mattered to him. "So would Shiina. But especially Hinata."
He let out a shaky breath. A hollow chuckle. "...You always say things so confidently. Like you know for sure."
I pulled back slightly to meet his eyes. "Because I do know," I said simply. "I've seen you. You never give up. You keep smiling, even when people treat you like you don't belong. That's strength, Naruto. Not some beast inside you. You."
He swallowed hard, wiping at his eyes. "...You really think I can be Hokage?"
A small smile tugged at my lips. "I don't think so, Naruto. I know."
His grin was wobbly, but real. "Heh… When I become Hokage, I'll make sure everyone sees it too. Just you wait!"
I chuckled. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
Silence stretched between us, not awkward, but comfortable.
Then, Naruto's voice turned quiet, hesitant. "...Should I hate him?"
I knew what he meant.
"I don't think so," I said. "Hating the Kyubi won't change anything. And honestly… I don't think the Bijū are the monsters people say they are. Think about it. Chakra is partly spiritual energy—knowledge. That means they should be sentient, right? If they hate humans, maybe it's because humans hurt them first. Maybe we took something from them. Or it might be because we saw them as Weapons to wage our wars."
I had articulated to him, keeping the key facts, yet hid the full truth playing it off as theory and one that played into the belief the humans of this world currently held. Which is that they are Youkai, except I also played into how Youkai in mythology was seen. Which is as spirits who can be good, evil, or neutral.
Since they viewed the Tailed Beasts as mindless Youkai, I challenged that perception whilst keeping the core themes intact.
Part of that was because, when Naruto in the future will wield Kurama's power, it will potentially be—
[Quest Generated: Have Naruto befriend the Kyubi earlier than in Canon.
Objective: Have Naruto befriend the solitary, and hateful beast that attacked Konoha years ago.
Requirements:
1. Have Naruto and the Kyubi meet.
2. Have Naruto do his "Talk no Jutsu" on the Kyubi to start such a connection. This is a starting point.
3. Wait. The 2 will talk more and slowly grow closer or further apart, in ways Naruto's and Kurama's bond must be natural. There will be ups and downs.
4. Over time this bond is either solidified fully or never given the hope to be as close as they were in the original.
Rewards:
+ 10,000,000 EXP (Per year skipped)
+ 15,000 Ryo
X2 A Ranked Jutsu scrolls aligned with Affinities
X2 A Ranked Jutsu Scrolls unaligned with Affinities
S Ranked Jutsu Creation Scroll
Bonuses:
If the quest is completed before the Genin Graduation:
Sage Mode (Instantly unlocked)
Legendary Summoning Contract
+ 100 to STR, DEX, INT
+ 200 to CHA, CON
If the quest is completed between the Genin Graduation to the Chunin Exams:
Legendary Summoning Contract
+ 100 to all stats
If the quest is completed after the Chunin Exams but before the 3-year time skip (in Canon):
Legendary Summoning Contract
+ 50 to all stats
If the quest is completed between the 3 years between the 2 parts:
+ 25 to all Stats]
The system had interrupted my train of thought.
I did not read the details yet. That could wait. Even if I knew what it probably was about.
For now, I focused on Naruto's reaction to my words.
My ability to read others' emotions, allowing me to peer into his thoughts slightly.
Naruto's mind was a storm—his thoughts clashing against each other, struggling to settle into something he could understand. I could feel it, the way his emotions fluctuated wildly. Shock. Confusion. Anger. Fear. But more than anything… doubt.
Was this real? Could it be?
I saw the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers twitched, like he wanted to claw at something—to pull apart the world and demand answers from it. He had spent years wondering why people looked at him that way. Why no one ever told him. Why he was always alone.
And now… now, he knew.
His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. "They—took something from them? From the Kyubi?" He swallowed hard, his eyes searching mine for something, anything, to make sense of this. "But—but it killed so many people!" His breath hitched, and his hands curled into fists in his lap.
"It did," I acknowledged, my tone steady. "But let me ask you this—if someone locked you in a cage your whole life, never letting you be free, always using you for their own gain… what would you do the second you got out?"
Naruto flinched. His lips parted, then closed. His fingers twitched.
"I…" His voice was barely a whisper. "I don't know…"
"But you can imagine, can't you?" I pressed. "You'd be angry. You'd lash out. You'd want to make the people who hurt you pay for it."
Naruto's breathing was shaky. I could feel the conflict tearing through him.
"But—does that mean… does that mean I should just forgive it?" His voice cracked. "All those people, all those lives… am I just supposed to forget that?"
"No," I said simply. "You don't have to forgive it. You don't have to forget anything. But hating it for something it might not even have had a choice in? What does that do?"
He fell silent.
I watched his face, saw the way his thoughts churned. Naruto wasn't dumb—not in the ways that mattered. He was perceptive, even if people rarely saw it. And right now, he was trying to see.
"Then… what do I do?" His voice was small.
I let out a slow breath. "You talk to it."
His head snapped up, eyes wide. "What?"
"You have a Tailed Beast inside you, Naruto," I said. "That means, one way or another, you can communicate with it. Maybe not now, but eventually. If you want answers, you have to go to the source."
His fingers tightened around the fabric of his shorts. His emotions wavered between hesitant hope and lingering fear.
"...Would it even listen?"
I smirked slightly. "That's up to you, isn't it? You've got a way with words, Naruto. You always have."
A dry, disbelieving chuckle left him. "I dunno… That thing's not like people."
"No, it's not," I admitted. "But if it's sentient, if it thinks, if it feels, then maybe it's not as different as you think."
Naruto stared at me, searching for something. Then, slowly, his expression shifted.
Determination.
"...Alright," he said at last. "I'll do it."
[The Sun has reached ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Social Link Abilities gained: Radiant Endurance
Naruto's boundless energy fuels his resilience. When training or fighting alongside him, your stamina drains at a slower rate, allowing for extended exertion before fatigue sets in.
Unyielding Heart
When sparring or fighting alongside Naruto, you feel a surge of motivation, making it easier to push past your limits. You can recover 5% of your max Chakra once per battle so long as Naruto is on your side.]
Huh, why did it jump up 2 ranks? Was this such a monumental moment that I ended up creating a much stronger bond by accident? If so... how do I replicate this effect in the future?
Oh well, it didn't matter much.
"Good." I stood up from the grass stretching a bit, "You know what, want me to teach you a bit more right now?"
His eyes lit up, the idea of sparring with me getting him fired up. He knew he would lose, but each time he went against me he saw the holes in his strategy thus his reaction was immediate.
"Let's get going."