In the afternoons, it was time for swordsmanship training.
From any angle, Paul wasn't exactly a suitable tutor. He hadn't even noticed that Rudy was completely incapable of wrapping his body with fighting energy, much less executing techniques like the 'Step,' which required powerful momentum.
Yet, Rudy wasn't relying solely on pure magic, thanks to the demon god Laplace's factor in his body. To avoid damage, he had other methods. He combined chakra and magic power, adjusting the balance after several experiments.
One part chakra to three parts magic.
With a shout, Rudy swung the wooden sword in his hand with astonishing speed—remarkable, considering he was only three years old. It was clear he had some talent.
"Haha, my son is a genius at swordsmanship too!" Paul declared, but his smile seemed a little forced.
He was both proud and slightly worried. Just a moment ago, he had noticed Rudy's eyes flash with a faint purple glow—circular patterns forming. There was no mistake. With Paul's sharp eyesight, he couldn't have imagined it.
But was this a good thing or a bad thing?
Roxy never asked Rudy about how he differed from ordinary people. After all, she hated when people treated her like a child due to her appearance.
In addition to teaching him magic, she also taught Rudy various general knowledge about the world—what she referred to as "cultural classes."
This included topics like the classification of monsters, an introduction to demons, and various bits of historical knowledge. For instance, why people despised demons with green hair.
Of course, Rudy already knew all of this, thanks to his knowledge from the novel. He refrained from correcting Roxy when she said things that didn't match what he knew. Instead, he played the role of a serious student.
"Rudy, you seem very interested in demons," Roxy observed one day.
"That's because the teacher is a demon too," Rudy replied.
"Don't you find that scary? They say the green-haired Speluds are known for eating children," Roxy teased.
Rudy's learning pace was impressive, which hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Hair color doesn't define someone's nature. Good and bad are not absolute, and personally, I think the teacher's hair is beautiful." Rudy didn't hesitate to shower her with compliments.
"Thank you. But you should save that line for a girl you like in the future," Roxy said, though there was a glimmer of happiness in her eyes.
"I like the teacher," Rudy replied smoothly, seizing the moment.
"Well then, if you still feel that way in over ten years, you can tell me again," Roxy responded, her tone light.
"Okay, teacher," Rudy said, smiling to himself.
He'd often wondered why he didn't have a cheat ability (a "golden finger") like the typical protagonist. But then again, his understanding of the plot was a kind of advantage. At least he wasn't wasting time being a lazy slacker; instead, he actively sought out ways to improve himself.
Roxy was one of those rare legal loli characters—adorable, and self-sufficient. She was the kind of person Rudy had never encountered, even in the Ninja World. He couldn't let her slip away.
After emphasizing the danger of the Spelud tribe several times, Roxy ended the night's lesson.
Once back in his room, Rudy once again heard the familiar sound of laughter and voices through the wall. It seemed that young couples like Paul and Zenith had boundless energy.
Rudy had intended to refine his chakra once more before going to bed to replenish his energy. But then a thought crossed his mind. He slipped into the hallway and, sure enough, caught sight of Roxy secretly using magic to generate electricity in her own way.
Tsk, youth has its perks, but sometimes it's just too much, Rudy mused before returning to his room.
Calming himself down, he emptied his mind and let his thoughts relax. This was his trick—not only did it help him enter a focused state for cultivation, but it also blocked out distractions, allowing him to study more efficiently.
His current chakra reserves were roughly on par with that of a student in the Ninja Academy. Beyond the basic Three Academy Techniques, casting a few low-level ninjutsu might cause his chakra to run out.
However, if he mixed chakra with magic and didn't worry about the cost, Rudy was confident he could pull off a B-rank Fire Release ninjutsu. Of course, he would likely collapse afterward from the strain, and might even lose consciousness.
Fortunately, his body was growing quickly, so this limitation would improve over time.
Then there was his pupil power.
Rudy lightly touched his forehead, feeling the surge of energy beneath the purple markings of his Rinnegan. The power contained in his eyes could destroy almost anything. Unlike his chakra, this ocular power, residing in his soul, had not diminished in the slightest.
From his research, he knew that the essence of ocular power came from the soul. The Sharingan was often called the "Eye that Reflects the Soul," meaning his own soul was extremely powerful.
But his body couldn't keep up.
It was like trying to fit thousands of cubic meters of material into a one-cubic-meter box. While his soul remained restrained, if he were to release that restraint, his body might not survive the overwhelming power.
If he died again, Rudy wasn't sure he'd get another chance at reincarnation. So, he had no intention of using his ocular power until his body was strong enough to handle it.
"I'm not like Nagato, who got Madara Uchiha's transplanted Rinnegan," Rudy thought to himself. "I've evolved mine naturally, from the one-tomoe Sharingan all the way to the Rinnegan. I still remember the feeling of using the Sharingan."
"I should be fine using lower-level ocular techniques," he reasoned.
"It would be great if I had some supplements to help strengthen my body, though. This is one of the few times I miss Orochimaru—he'd definitely be able to provide all the resources I need."
Rudy knew of some herbal concoctions that could temper the body. The sooner he could use them, the better. But unfortunately, some of the materials didn't seem to exist in this world, and even if they did, he didn't have the money to buy them.
"It's a bit early, but making money should be on my to-do list. I'll have to make sure Paul and Zenith don't notice though. I can't afford to mess things up with Alice—she's key to changing this world's fate."
"Then there's the big transfer," Rudy mused. "Since magic and chakra seem to interact, the magic power involved in the big transfer is crucial."
"If I can manage to absorb it with the help of the Gedo Statue, I won't need to spend time collecting chakra manually. It'll push me to the level of the Six Paths in no time. After all, the essence of that magic power is connected to the Seven Stars, but it's stuck between two worlds. It's like fighting the forces of two universes at once."
"Dangerous, sure, but I'm already up against three worlds—the Ninja World, this world, and the Immortal of the Six Paths. How could I not be confident?"
While contemplating, Rudy casually traced the Flying Thunder God seal on the ground with a wooden stick, practicing hand seals with his other hand. He needed his body to memorize the movements, so when the time came, he could shorten the casting time.
"I wonder if magic can affect matter in this world? There's no alchemy here, after all. If I could turn stone into gold, making money would be the least of my worries."
After finishing his bedtime practice, Rudy lay down on his bed, his mind still racing. He picked up the small figurine he had sculpted using magic earlier.
It had become a habit of his to mold figurines to exercise his magic control, and it also helped relax his fingers.
The figurine in his hand wasn't just of anyone—it was of Hinata.
At first, Rudy's interest in Hinata was to prove that he, too, had the potential of a protagonist. His bond with Naruto couldn't be summed up in a single sentence. He had even studied ways to revive the Jinchuriki after they died, just to be prepared.
But after spending more time with her, he genuinely fell for Hinata.
She's so beautiful.
What man wouldn't be tempted by a stunning woman? Once you fall for someone, it's hard to stop at just once.
After all, there's no in-between—it's either zero or countless times. As long as your heart is big enough, there's room for everyone.
Even if you have to pay a price for it, it's worth it. Otherwise, what's the point of all the power you've worked so hard to gain?
To get compliments from others?
What's the value in that?