Aki lay stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The faint light of the moon cast shadows across his room, but his mind wasn't on the scenery—it was on his next move.
Over the past months, he had trained, fought, and evolved into something beyond even his wildest expectations. His power had reached a level where even the Sage of Six Paths himself wouldn't be able to stop him. Hell, if he pushed himself, he might even be able to stand on equal ground with Kaguya.
And yet, he was still stuck in Konoha.
The village was home, sure. But at the same time, it felt like a cage—a place that restricted him, keeping him from spreading his wings.
He had outgrown it.
It was time to leave.
---
The next day, he met up with his friends for what they thought was just another casual hangout.
As the evening stretched on and the sun began to set, Aki leaned back, sipping some tea, before casually dropping, "I think I'm gonna leave the village for a while."
The table went silent.
Naruto, mid-bite into his ramen, froze. "Hah?"
Ino frowned. "What do you mean leave?"
Shikamaru sighed. "Tch… This sounds like a pain already."
Hinata's eyes widened, a small hint of panic flashing across them. "Y-You're leaving, Aki-kun?"
Aki shrugged, keeping his tone light. "Yeah, I've got some personal things to handle outside the village. Thought I'd explore a bit, train on my own terms."
Naruto slammed his hand on the table. "Then I'll come with you!"
Aki chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, dumbass, you've got your own stuff to focus on. You wanna be Hokage, right? Can't do that if you're out running around with me."
Naruto grumbled, crossing his arms. "Still doesn't mean I like it."
Ino huffed. "Leaving just like that? You better not forget about us."
Aki smirked. "Please, like I could ever forget you."
Hinata fidgeted, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Aki noticed but didn't push—he already knew how she felt.
---
Before they could question him further, Aki suddenly reached under the table and slid out a stack of old-looking books.
"I figured if I was gonna leave, I should leave you guys something cool." He smirked. "So, I dug these out from a secret stash under my bed."
They stared at him.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "...You're telling me you had some hidden treasure under your bed this whole time?"
Aki grinned. "Yup."
What they didn't know was that these weren't just some random books—they were unique skill manuals he had modified and bought from the System, tailored to each of them.
He handed them out one by one.
Naruto: A book on chakra control techniques to help him master his reserves better, making it easier to use Sage Mode in the future.
Shikamaru: A book containing advanced shadow techniques that let him fuse his chakra nature with his shadows, giving him a combat edge.
Choji: A technique that allowed him to absorb calories from enemies instead of relying on food pills.
Ino: A secret mental invasion technique that let her permanently plant thoughts into enemies without them realizing it.
Hinata: A unique Byakugan enhancement method, allowing her to see chakra flow in 4D, making her gentle fist ten times deadlier.
As they skimmed through the books, their eyes widened.
Ino snapped her head up. "Wait, where the hell did you even GET these?!"
Aki grinned, playing it off. "Like I said—under my bed."
Shikamaru sighed. "You're so full of shit."
Aki just laughed. "Maybe."
---
As they all left for the night, Hinata lingered.
Aki turned, raising an eyebrow. "You good, Hina?"
She hesitated before stepping closer, hands clenched. "A-Are you… ever coming back?"
Aki softened.
He reached out, lightly flicking her forehead. "Of course, dummy. I'm not disappearing forever."
Hinata blushed deeply, nodding as she held onto the book he gave her like it was the most precious thing in the world.
"…Okay. Then… I'll get stronger, Aki-kun. So that next time, I won't be a burden."
Aki smirked. "You were never a burden."
Hinata's face turned redder, and she quickly ran off before he could say anything else.
Aki watched her go, shaking his head. "She's gonna be dangerous when she grows up…"
Then, with one last look at the village he had called home, he took a deep breath.
"Alright. Time to spread my wings."
And with that, Aki left the village under the cover of night.
The cage had been broken.