The sun had barely risen over the horizon, and I was already on my way to the training field. Life in the village had been peaceful since we returned from our mission, but my mind was preoccupied with a single thought: speaking with Dekai-sensei about the technique I had been developing.
I was trying to create something that would make my attacks even more unpredictable. I needed a way to close the experience gap between my opponents and me. No matter how skilled I was, my enemies could still react to my strikes, forcing me to rely on openings created by my teammates to defeat more experienced opponents—like I did with Shuro.
At the end of the day, the intent to attack and a fighter's presence always give away their movements. But if I could erase those factors, making my approach nearly imperceptible, my attacks would become impossible to predict. Combined with my Phantom Step, I could become a ghost—one that appeared with speed and struck unpredictably.
I recalled something I had seen in Jujutsu Kaisen before coming to this world: Muken, the absolute void. A technique where the user's presence seemed to vanish entirely. I wanted to replicate that, but I had no idea how. If I had someone like Momochi Zabuza to teach me, it might have been easier, since he was a master of the silent killing arts.
Unfortunately, I was on my own, trying to figure out how to suppress my killing intent and chakra so perfectly that even the heightened senses of an experienced shinobi would be fooled.
"Kenshin?"
I looked ahead and saw Natsu standing in the middle of the path. Her arm was still bandaged, and she seemed hesitant, as if debating whether or not to continue walking. I approached with a small smile.
"Yo, Natsu. How's your arm?"
She lowered her gaze to the bandages and sighed. "It's better… but it still hurts a little. The med-nin who treated me said the pain would last for a few more days."
"That's a good sign. It means it's still there. If it didn't hurt, now that would be concerning." I tried to make a small joke to lighten the mood.
She chuckled softly but soon averted her eyes, biting her lower lip. Her hands clenched around her bandaged arm, and an awkward silence settled between us. It was as if she was waging an internal battle, struggling to decide whether or not to say what was on her mind.
When she finally raised her eyes to meet mine, her expression was a mix of vulnerability and determination. "Kenshin… do you think I'm weak?"
I paused for a moment. Her gaze was downcast, insecurity evident in every word. Crossing my arms, I tilted my head slightly.
"If you were weak, I wouldn't have survived against that lunatic Shuro. Honestly, without you, I probably wouldn't even be here."
Natsu looked up at me, surprised. "But I… I only…"
"No 'buts.'" I cut her off with a smile. "What you did on that mission was incredible. I trust you completely, and you should trust yourself too."
Her face turned a faint shade of red, and for a moment, she seemed like she wanted to say something, but she just nodded instead. The silence that followed felt heavy, as if unspoken words lingered in the air between us. We walked side by side, our footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestone path.
I could feel her hesitation, almost tangible, but I respected her space, waiting for her to speak when she was ready. We continued in silence for a few minutes until a sudden shout broke through the quiet.
"Hey, lovebirds! What are you whispering about?"
Jimei appeared out of nowhere, jumping beside us with a teasing grin. Maybe I didn't need an instructor to develop my technique—this guy was ridiculously stealthy. Natsu instantly turned red and waved her hands frantically.
"W-We weren't whispering about anything!"
I raised an eyebrow at her flustered reaction. Why was she acting like that?
"Uh-huh, sure." Jimei smirked before turning to me. "Anyway, Kenshin, how are you liking being a Konoha ninja so far?"
"Hm… tiring, but interesting." I replied in a monotone voice.
If I were to say what I really thought, it would be something like, 'This job doesn't pay enough for the amount of danger we face,' but I kept it brief.
"I thought it would be more exciting," Jimei sighed dramatically. "But Dekai-sensei is so serious he might as well be an old grump."
"If grumpiness were a competition, he'd have been Hokage three times already," I joked.
Jimei burst into laughter. "And you, Natsu-chan? What do you think of our dear sensei?"
"He's… intense." She hesitated. "But I think we can learn a lot from him."
"Oh, sure, so much learning! Especially about how not to socialize!" Jimei mocked, making a face, causing us to laugh.
We continued laughing as we passed a park when a cheerful voice called out my name.
"Kenshin-nii!"
I turned toward the sound, and a smile immediately formed on my face. Naruto was there, holding the same ball he had the last time I saw him. He ran toward me, grinning from ear to ear.
"Kenshin-nii! Look at this! I learned how to juggle the ball just as well as you!" His voice was filled with excitement, and he was practically bouncing in place, like he was hyped up on Red Bull.
At that moment, I wanted to laugh, imagining the Kyūbi being used as a marketing mascot for the energy drink. Something like, 'Tired of running from Madara? Nine-Tails Chakra gives you wings and the energy to face any Uchiha!'
But I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh yeah? Let's see it."
Naruto tossed the ball into the air and started juggling it with his feet. One, two, three… he had really gotten the hang of it. He even managed to use his head a few times, all while wearing the goggles I had given him. I crossed my arms, impressed.
"Naruto… you learn fast, huh?"
I watched him for a moment, reflecting. Naruto was always seen as a terrible student, someone who struggled with theory, but when it came to practical learning, it was a different story. He mastered the Shadow Clone Jutsu in a single day—something most ninjas would take weeks to perfect.
Naruto had a natural talent for learning through experience, and that was one of his greatest strengths. Of course, aside from his infamous Talk no Jutsu.
His smile grew even wider, full of pride. "I'm amazing! I'm gonna be stronger than you, Kenshin-nii!"
I chuckled and ruffled his spiky blond hair. "Yeah, you're pretty amazing. As a reward, tonight, I'll treat you to as much ramen as you want."
His eyes sparkled at the mention of his favorite food. "Really?! You won't take it back, right?"
"Pinky promise." I hooked my pinky around his, sealing the deal.
Normally, that would be an expense I couldn't afford, but fortunately, C-rank missions paid significantly more than D-rank ones. With the Hokage's bonus, I had earned 40,000 ryo, enough to handle Naruto's ramen cravings for at least one day.
Naruto cheered, but then he finally seemed to notice Natsu and Jimei standing beside me. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Who are they?"
I smiled and gestured for them to come closer. "This is Jimei, and this is Natsu. They're my teammates."
Jimei was the first to react, looking more surprised than anything. "Oh, so you're Naruto? I've heard about you."
Naruto crossed his arms. "Heard what?"
Jimei grinned. "That you're Kenshin's second-best friend."
Naruto blinked, taken aback, and his face turned red. "F-friend?! Are we friends, Kenshin-nii?"
He looked at me with those bright blue eyes, genuinely surprised, as if the idea of actually having a friend was completely new to him. That made me realize—before joining the academy, Naruto really hadn't had any friends.
A gentle smile formed on my face. "Of course, you're my friend, Naruto."
His eyes sparkled so brightly it was like staring into the sun. I had to resist the urge to pinch his chubby cheeks. Man, kid Naruto was seriously adorable.
Jimei laughed and puffed out his chest. "Anyway, I'm his best friend!"
Naruto frowned, giving Jimei a piercing stare, as if considering something.
"Oh yeah? Then are you as strong as him?"
"Stronger!" Jimei declared with exaggerated confidence, crossing his arms.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Hmm?"
Naruto glanced at Jimei, then at me, and shook his head. "I don't believe it! Kenshin-nii is super strong! One day, only I'll be stronger than him!"
Jimei put his hands on his hips. "Oh, come on, kid! Are you doubting me?"
Naruto nodded vigorously. "Yep! Kenshin-nii is invincible!"
Jimei's eyes widened in disbelief. "Invincible, my foot! If it weren't for me and Natsu, he wouldn't get anything done!"
Naruto crossed his arms and looked at me, clearly expecting me to confirm his version of reality.
"That's not true, right, Kenshin-nii? You're super strong! I bet you could beat anyone all by yourself!"
The whole situation was hilarious. Jimei looked absolutely indignant, while Naruto was completely convinced that I was invincible. Well, I believed Naruto was right. While Jimei was getting stronger, his greatest asset was his genjutsu, and I had become really good at escaping them during training. When it came to physical combat, I simply outmatched him.
Jimei scoffed. "You're kidding, right? I save his skin all the time! Without me, he'd be doomed!"
Naruto stared at him with an unusual seriousness. "Hmph! You're just jealous because Kenshin-nii is amazing! I bet he could beat you with one hand tied behind his back!"
"WHAT?!" Jimei threw his hands up, looking absolutely offended. "This kid's crazy!"
I just watched, trying to hold back my laughter. Jimei turned to Natsu, pointing at Naruto like he was some lunatic. "Natsu, are you hearing this?! Back me up here! What do you think of this nonsense?"
I turned my gaze to her, expecting a playful jab or some sarcastic remark. But what I saw instead made my stomach drop.
Her face carried that same expression I had seen countless times from the villagers of Konoha when they looked at Naruto. Fear. Contempt.
"We should go!" She said with a cold tone on her voice. "We can't waste time with that boy."
The shift in atmosphere was immediate. Jimei, who rarely got serious, fell silent. Naruto took a small step back, his uncertain smile fading. My fist clenched involuntarily, anger bubbling inside me.
But arguing here wouldn't be worth it. Instead, I crouched in front of Naruto, trying to ignore the tension in the air.
"Hey, I'll tell you about the mission at Ichiraku later, okay?"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small necklace, placing it in his hand. The pendant was a tiny metal flame.
I had promised to bring Naruto a souvenir from the Craftsmen Village. In the end, I hadn't even come close to going there, so I bought the necklace at some random shop in Konoha. But that didn't matter. What mattered was keeping my promise.
"This is for you." I said, forcing a smile. "To keep the Will of Fire burning strong."
There is another reason behind my words. After my encounter with Danzō at the administration building, I had decided to double down on playing the part of a Will of Fire advocate. I knew the Third Hokage's Anbu were always watching Naruto, and this would definitely reach the old man's ears. That is exactly what I want.
Naruto stared at the necklace, eyes wide with surprise. "This is really for me?"
"Of course. You deserve it."
A huge smile spread across his face, his eyes shining with pure happiness. And that made me feel a little better.
"Now go on!" I said, ruffling his hair.
Naruto nodded eagerly and ran off, holding the necklace like it was the greatest treasure in the world.
The moment he disappeared from view, Natsu spoke up again, her tone impatient as if she couldn't wait to leave. The way she talked, her indifference—it only made me angrier.
I glanced at Jimei, who had been silently watching everything. He didn't seem eager to step into this mess, which was rare for him.
We walked in tense silence for a while before Natsu finally spoke, her expression unreadable.
"Why were you talking to that boy?"
I let out a slow breath, trying to keep my composure. "Because he's my friend."
"He's not just a boy, Kenshin." She stopped walking, crossing her arms. "He's… a demon child."
The frustration I had been holding in boiled over. I stopped as well, turning to face her directly.
"Do you really believe that nonsense?"
She held my gaze, brow furrowed. "Everyone knows what he is. I just don't understand why you insist on getting close to him."
Everyone knows. Those words grated on me more than they should have. I had heard them so many times before, but coming from Natsu...
She had always been kind. She always treated people with care, helping others without hesitation. But with Naruto, it was like all of that vanished. Like he wasn't a person—just a problem.
And that disgusted me.
I stayed quiet for a moment before exhaling heavily.
"You know, Natsu… right now, Naruto is far more important to me than you are."
The impact was immediate. Her eyes widened in shock, and for the first time, I saw real insecurity in them. Jimei also stiffened, glancing between the two of us, clearly uncomfortable.
I didn't wait for a response. I just kept walking.
I knew this conversation wasn't over. But for now, I just wanted to be far away from that kind of mindset.
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Hey guys! I'm updating earlier than I thought because... I'm drunk lol. 😅Just a quick heads-up: make sure to check out my Patreon for some free character art from the story, or just swing by to see my new update schedule.We're just a few chapters away from wrapping up the first arc and jumping into the Chuunin Exams arc!patreon.com/KuroVixen