________________________________________
Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was watching the scene unfold through his crystal ball.
He took a deep breath, his face filled with shock.
"Dead Bone Pulse?! Is that little boy from the blacksmith shop part of the Kaguya clan... Hidden so deeply."
Sarutobi didn't have much of an impression of Toshi Ikeno, only knowing him as a quiet, honest child.
But to think he possessed Dead Bone Pulse!
He wasn't sure if this was a benefit or a potential threat to Konoha.
The Third Hokage was deep in thought...
---
The next morning, the sunlight gently opened up the sky. Another fresh day began.
Toshi made his way to the edge of the forest for his practice session.
The easiest way to hone Chakra control is through water walking and tree climbing.
There was a stream at the edge of the forest, and Toshi had already mastered walking on water. Climbing trees posed no challenge either.
Suddenly!
He heard a faint, rhythmic "thud-thud-thud" coming from the distant jungle.
Ever since acquiring infinite Chakra, his physical and mental abilities had greatly improved, and his senses had sharpened.
"Could someone be... doing something early in the morning?"
Curiosity piqued, Toshi channeled Chakra into his feet, leaped onto a tree, and jumped towards the source of the sound.
Just then, the system issued a new check-in task.
[This is a performance art check-in. Host can choose the difficulty level.]
[D-Rank: Hold hands with the next Naruto character you meet.]
[A-Rank: Hug the next Naruto character you meet.]
[S-Rank: Kiss the next Naruto character you meet for fifteen seconds. The more difficult the task, the greater the reward.]
"Can I see who it is before deciding?"
What if it's Zabuza... with those massive fangs...
[Yes.]
The sound got louder, the rhythmic slapping clearer.
The task character was about to appear!
Ikeno silently prayed: "Please be Hinata, Ino, Tenten..."
Then, he spotted a figure in the jungle below.
Thick eyebrows, big round eyes, and a bowl-cut haircut.
It was "Thick Eyebrows" Rock Lee, as little Sakura called him.
Rock Lee, who made a brilliant showing with his taijutsu during the Chūnin Exams.
But after that peak, he didn't do much that was remarkable.
Rock Lee seemed to send the message: no matter how hard you try, you can't win with hard work alone—you need powerful lineage, like his father's.
Still, Toshi liked him.
He had a pure and passionate personality and worked tirelessly to become a great ninja. Plus, back when Toshi was being bullied, Rock Lee had once helped him out.
Toshi approached and greeted him warmly.
The two quickly became friendly, but the entire time, Rock Lee never stopped striking the wooden training dummy.
His bandaged hands were even bleeding.
"Can you teach me some taijutsu techniques?" Toshi asked with a smile.
Rock Lee nodded enthusiastically, his teeth flashing in the sun.
"Meet me here tomorrow morning, and I'll teach you about weighted training."
Toshi was so happy, he took the opportunity to step forward and give Rock Lee a big hug.
A system prompt immediately followed.
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for completing the performance art check-in task. You have been rewarded with the Universal Space.]
"Universal Space? What is that?"
After saying goodbye to Rock Lee, Toshi focused his mind and entered the Universal Space.
It was vast, and he could access various areas using his thoughts.
He chose the library, and in an instant, he was in a grand hall.
There were all sorts of books, even ones on the Eight Gates technique.
Not only were there literary works like Les Misérables, but there was also something like Postpartum Care for Sows...
Toshi flipped through the library for a while and eventually found Icha Icha Paradise and its sequels.
The storage section contained all kinds of supplies, including food, construction materials, tools, seeds, household appliances, and more.
It was such a useful and practical space...
Feeling inspired, he decided to spruce up his simple cabin.
He took out a thick wool carpet and spread it out, then added a few potted plants. Instantly, the place felt much cozier.
Next, he placed some snacks, such as bread, cakes, and chocolate, alongside watermelon, strawberries, and grapes in the refrigerator.
Finally, he pulled out a sofa, TV, DVD player, game console, and air conditioner.
Once his work was done, he relaxed on the sofa, watching Ultraman Tiga, before switching to play Grand Theft Auto 5.
It was a peaceful, leisurely life...
---
After the next morning's training, Toshi planned to visit Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Since his Dead Bone Pulse ability had been exposed, it would inevitably attract the attention of Konoha's upper ranks. Now was the time to build relationships and smooth things over.
As he walked through a quiet alley, he suddenly heard the cruel taunts of several teenagers and the faint sobs of a girl.
"Hey, Hyūga trash! Stop running!"
"White-eyed freak!"
"Your eyes are disgusting!"
Hyūga? White-eyed freak?
Based on his knowledge of Naruto and the sound of the girl's cries, Toshi realized it was likely Hinata!
Hinata's soft, pitiful sobs tugged at his heartstrings.
Toshi's expression hardened, his face turning icy.
"Hinata's from a noble clan, but she's being bullied? This Hyūga ninja could just end these brats with a flick of her wrist!"
"How dare these punks mess with my precious Hinata? They're begging for death!"
Toshi decided to teach these kids a lesson. (Before anyone points out timeline issues, Hinata is a teenager here! Who said she could only be bullied once when she was five or six and never again as a teen?)
He didn't want to seriously hurt them, just scare them a bit.
"Hey! Leave her alone!"
Toshi shouted in anger.
The five or six boys ignored him, tossing stones his way.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Get lost!"
They shoved Hinata to the ground.
Toshi chuckled to himself, "You brats... let me scare you to death!"
With that, he performed a Transformation Jutsu.
When the boys saw Toshi again, their legs trembled in terror.
"The Grim Reaper!"
Toshi had transformed into a black-robed Shinigami, holding a massive scythe.
A skeletal face peeked out from under the hood, eerie and terrifying.
He chuckled and opened his black robe, revealing white ribs underneath.
"Apologize to her."
Toshi's voice was deep and menacing.
"S-sorry, Hinata..."
Fear had taken complete control of the boys.
"You apologized. Now... die!"
He raised his scythe as if to strike.
The kids screamed, their pants wet, and fled in terror.
Toshi laughed and walked over to Hinata.
She was trembling with fear.
Toshi returned to his normal form and gracefully approached.
"My name is Toshi Ikeno."
He extended his hand to help her up.
Hinata, with her short black-blue hair and lavender jacket, looked shy and delicate. Her face flushed, and her eyes were red from crying.
Looking at her chubby, cute face, Toshi had an urge to pinch it.
"T-thank you... m-my name is... Hyūga Hinata."
Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper due to her shy nature.
Tears still lingered at the corners of her eyes, but as she looked at the boy who saved her, she felt an unexpected sense of security.
Toshi stood by her side quietly.
Their eyes met for a moment, and Hinata quickly averted her gaze, blushing deeply.
After a brief bow to show her gratitude, Hinata turned and ran away.
"So cute!"
Toshi smiled, leaving the alley behind.
________________________________________