[Sora's POV]
Later that day, I bid goodbye to Amai and found myself training yet again, my mind still buzzing with the intensity of the earlier shuriken practice. I still have to prepare for when I actually have to take her musical exam, but... I couldn't help but keep thinking about what we did today.
It was satisfying, yes. To land all those shots, except... Something simmered beneath all of that—an urgency. A drive I couldn't just ignore.
It wasn't about improving anymore, or impressing anyone for that matter. I just wanted to be better than anyone else.
Call it egoistic, selfish, self-centered, conceited or whatever you want. I don't give a crap.
What I wanted, what I needed, was more. More than just "decent", or "good." It was about dominating, every single person in my path. It didn't matter what it was or how simple it was. Sports, techniques, physical prowess, intellect, hell, even music—It was a need that stuck with me ever since I was a child.
The moment I stepped into something, I had to be the best at it. No half measures. No "almost there." If I wasn't the best, then what the hell was the point? Why should I settle for being "good," when I could be "great"? Or even redefine what "greatness" was?
This was the reason I picked up so many things in my past life. If I sucked and had no talent for it, why bother? Art, football, basketball, instruments, languages, you name it—I threw myself into them, only to find that if I wasn't good at it, I just didn't have the patience to keep going. What the hell was the point of sticking around if I wasn't going to be the best?
Right now, things were different. I wasn't in my old life anymore, with the same constraints, with the same time limits. I had almost all the time in the world. Time to get better at everything, to push past the boundaries I never bothered to break before.
That was especially true, since this world—this ninja world—had a power that could be bent to my will as long as I put in the effort. There were no limits to what one could achieve. Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Fuinjutsu, Bukijutsu, Kenjutsu, Senjutsu, and so much more techniques that could bend the very fabric of reality.
Even if I was civilian-born, with no Kekkei Genkai, no tailed beast sealed inside me, no overpowered ability handed down by fate—that didn't mean I would just give up. Fuck no. Instead, the lack of those advantages fueled me, drove me further to prove that I didn't need anything handed to me on a silver plate in order to thrive. If anything, I'd take what this world offered—and what it didn't—by force, with my own sweat, blood, and tears.
I'd seen a lot of people back then, born into privilege, coasting through life without ever needing to fight for what they had. Wealth, connections, opportunities handed to them simply because of where they were born or who their parents were. Opportunities most of us never got to have. They took it all for granted, acting like the world owed them more.
It made me sick.
And the worst part? It wasn't just them. It was the system that enabled it. Your worth was measured by your starting point. Those born at the top stayed there, and those at the bottom had to fight tooth and nail just to climb an inch.
Naturally, anomalies like Cristiano Ronaldo exist—people who defy the odds, who claw their way to the top despite starting from the bottom. But the key word here is anomaly. He wasn't the rule; he was the exception.
Ronaldo wasn't just a product of talent or hard work. This man was the result of a rare combination of circumstances: the drive to break out of poverty, sheer determination and willpower, and, yes, even a bit of luck—being spotted at the right time by the right people. Without that, would we even know who he was?
That's the problem with the system, goddamn it. It loves to parade people like him as proof that anyone, ANYONE can make it. That the playing field is equal if you "try hard enough," but that's bullshit. For every talent, there's millions of people just as hungry to devour and dominate, just as desperate, who never even get the chance.
'If he could do it, why can't you?' 'If they can make it, so can you.' 'Success isn't reserved for the lucky, it's for the determined.'
These phrases are the kind of rubbish those at the top love to throw around, ignoring the barriers that prevent us from rising. They make it sound so simple, like success is just a matter of trying hard enough. But they conveniently leave out the part about opportunity, about the circumstances you were born into, and about the hurdles you have to overcome that they never even have to think about.
Thunk.
It didn't sink into the tree very deep. Not good enough. I need to put in more force behind the kunai when I throw.
As I was saying... This world. It took me a while to finally accept that it's real. The weight of it, the gravity of everything here, the people around me... it was hard to grasp. I accepted that I wouldn't come back, that I wasn't going to wake up in my old life again.
I wasn't alone, either. Amai... She would be the one to accompany me on this journey. She was there, just like I was, trying to carve out her place in this world. We may be best friends—crack a few jokes, share secrets, and understand each other's struggles. Hell, we had knowledge that would make even the Otsutsuki tremble.
But, as much as I cared about her, I couldn't ignore this bright fire inside of me. We were friends, yeah, but that didn't mean I wouldn't go for the top. I wanted to be better than everyone, and that included her as well.
I hadn't even realized it, but it already turned dark from how much time I had spent trying to improve. I was lacking. It's not enough.
"Damn it!" I slammed my fist on the cold, grassy ground.
Lightning was really difficult to control, even if it was just a D-rank jutsu. Lightning Pulse... It was supposed to be simple—a jolt of chakra that strikes with the speed of a bolt. But it wasn't. Not for me. I did learn it, but it's not good. I needed to master it.
My reserves were almost exhausted, but I knew they'd improve in due time. Tch... I glanced at my bag, my fingers brushing against a small bundle of Goraku fruit. They weren't Soldier Pills, but at least they were something. Grabbing a handful, I shoved them into my mouth. They taste like crap... Better than nothing. The stupidly bitter flavor hit my tongue, but soon, I felt a small surge of energy.
Good. The surge of energy wasn't much, but it was enough to clear the fog in my head for a moment. Just enough to focus again. Focus was the key.
I couldn't let myself get distracted, couldn't let the frustrations weigh me down. The taste of failure was familiar. Fuck, I'd tasted it for years back in my old life. Sleepless nights, half-empty coffee mugs, in front of my laptop, writing down countless essays, doing research papers, analyzing and studying economic models—none of it was easy. Just a relentless cycle of trying to get ahead, always feeling like I was one step behind, and constantly pushing myself to do more, to be more.
Which is why, I'm going to push through. No excuses. No stopping. Who the fuck is going to stop me from being the strongest? Madara Uchiha? Sasuke? Hagoromo? Motherfucking Kaguya Otsutsuki?
To me, they're all just milestones that I have to reach. No, not reach. Surpass.
I will not waste this opportunity that I've been given, and I will exploit every single technique, every resource, every ounce of energy. Shadow Clones, Chakra Control techniques, knowledge, Dojutsu...
I don't know if I'm fucked up enough to go and try stealing a pair of Sharingan for myself, or if I'd even be able to do it when the massacre happens. I have no way of countering the Kamui, or fighting a Mangekyō user if I encounter... Them.
No, shake those thoughts away. You're not like this, and besides, it's too risky.
I don't need a Sharingan or to lose my morality and humanity, and I sure as hell don't need to rely on shortcuts that could end up destroying me.
I looked at the scorched mark on the tree in front of me, and smirked. I'm making good progress in mastering Lightning Pulse. Precision, power, aim, control... all these elements were coming together, slowly but surely.
No one will be better than me, damn it.
I'll make sure of it.