{A/N: Okay... so we're just five reviews away from getting a rating. I kindly request all of you to please give me honest feedback so I can improve my writing if there are any issues with it.}
"Sigh... learning martial arts is seriously tough," Shin muttered, pulling his hand out of the water bucket, droplets dripping off his fingertips. He stared at the water, still steaming from his recent training.
If the system had a mind of its own, it'd probably cough up a lung from sheer disbelief right now.
Difficult? It was supposed to be impossible, especially for a beginner. The fact that Shin even managed to get his hand engulfed in flames during his first attempt at the Fist of the Phoenix was ridiculous.
Even the Divine Flame Clan, with thousands of years of practice, couldn't produce anyone who could manage that. Well, except the Heavenly Demon—because, of course, he's the Heavenly Demon. Duh.
"This much should be enough for today," Shin muttered again, wiping the remaining water from his hands, which had been burning just moments ago. Strangely, despite all that fiery energy, his skin was perfectly fine—no burns, no scratches.
Almost like nothing had happened. He flexed his fingers for a moment, marveling at the lack of damage.
Today, he'd mostly focused on the Fist of the Phoenix, with a few attempts at the Footstep of the Phoenix, though the latter was way harder. But hey, at least the fist part was coming along—easier to handle, at least for now.
But then there was that minor screw-up.
He'd lost control of the heavenly demonic energy he was channeling from his abdomen, and in a split second, his hand almost turned into a fireball. He winced, remembering how close he came to incinerating himself.
"Guess I still need more practice before I start throwing punches without torching my hands," he thought with a dry smirk.
"I also need to get around to learning those Shonin Clan jutsus... haiyah," Shin groaned internally, as he made his way to the giant gate of the room he'd been practicing in.
The massive doors loomed ahead, the intricate carvings on them hinting at the history and power behind the place.
He could only train here for six hours a day, which was decent enough for his current stage.
Still, with his martial arts taking up most of his time, finding space to cram in those jutsus his father had given him was becoming a problem.
After all, he couldn't exactly go up to his old man and say, "Hey, I'm learning martial arts from another world. No big deal, right?"
'Maybe I should just pretend to be mediocre...' he thought as he reached for the door. If he kept everyone thinking he was barely managing, that would buy him some time.
Nobody would expect anything crazy from a guy who could barely pull off a basic jutsu, right? It was the perfect cover until he was ready to show off his real skills.
With a soft creak, the giant gate swung open, revealing the hall beyond.
"Welcome back, young master!" Two guards, standing at attention in front of the room, greeted him in unison as soon as he stepped out.
Their serious expressions barely wavered as they saluted.
Shin gave them a simple nod, trying not to draw any more attention than necessary.
As he continued down the hall, his mind wandered back to his earlier thought. Below average... yeah, that should keep them off my back for a while.
As Shin continued walking towards his house in the clan's estate, he noticed the servants passing by.
Each one greeted him with polite nods or quiet "good evenings," but there was something off. He could feel it—hostility, hidden behind their smiles and formalities.
Their eyes practically burned with it, though none of them dared to say anything openly. For some strange reason, he was now able to see it so clearly.
'Fucking pests!' Shin's mind snarled suddenly, his jaw clenching as a sharp wave of disdain washed over him. But then he blinked, snapping back to reality.
Wait... What was that? He froze mid-step, feeling a twinge of confusion. Where did that come from?
His brow furrowed as he kept walking, but his mind was elsewhere, trying to understand this unsettling shift.
Lately, he'd noticed a change in his mindset. He'd begun looking down on people—people he used to ignore or simply tolerate. Now, they seemed so... beneath him.
Why am I acting like this? He thought, his lips curling slightly as if tasting something bitter. He couldn't deny it anymore—something inside him was changing.
With a tired sigh, Shin finally reached his father's room. His father had asked him to come by after training, and though Shin wasn't particularly excited, he knew better than to ignore his old man.
Knock, knock.
"Father, may I come in?" Shin asked, rapping lightly on the door. Even if his personality was getting... darker, he was still a psycho with manners, after all.
There was a brief pause before his father's voice came from inside. "Ah! Son, you're al—"
But before his father could finish, a loud voice thundered from inside the room, completely cutting him off.
"YOUTH!" The voice boomed with a bizarre level of enthusiasm.
Shin blinked, his hand frozen on the door handle. His eyes twitched slightly in irritation as he muttered under his breath, "Is this what I think it is?" He let out a small groan, already knowing who was behind that ridiculous outburst.
Only two people in this entire world had the sheer lack of hesitation to shout that embarrassing line with such enthusiasm.