The Hidden Leaf Village was slowly stitching itself back together after Kurama's rampage, though the air still carried the faint scent of smoke and uncertainty. For seven-year-old Ren Kisaragi, the world felt both too big and too fragile, like a glass ball he might accidentally shatter. He stood at the gates of the Ninja Academy, his small hands clutching a tattered scroll his mother had thrust at him that morning—a Kisaragi clan heirloom, she'd said, though it looked more like a grocery list with doodles of flames and lightning bolts. His hazel eyes darted nervously, taking in the swarm of kids his age chattering excitedly, their voices a chaotic hum that made his stomach twist. I survived the Nine-Tails, but this might actually kill me, he thought, his heart thudding as memories of his past life—a car crash, a phone screen flashing Naruto clips—flickered like a bad dream.
Ren adjusted his oversized tunic, the Kisaragi flame emblem on his chest slightly crooked, and took a hesitant step forward. That's when he heard her voice—sharp, teasing, and way too close. "Oi, spark boy! You gonna stand there all day looking like a lost puppy, or are you actually gonna come in?" Mika Yuzuka marched up to him, her chestnut ponytail with its red streak bouncing with every step, her green eyes glinting with mischief. She wore a simple navy tunic, her hands on her hips, radiating a confidence Ren could only dream of. She's here. Of course she's here, Ren thought, his face flushing as he remembered her dragging him to safety during Kurama's attack. Why does she have to be so… loud?
"I-I'm coming!" Ren stammered, taking a step—and immediately tripping over a loose stone, his scroll flying out of his hands and unrolling across the ground. Mika snorted, barely stifling a laugh as she scooped it up, her eyes scanning the cryptic symbols. "Wow, spark boy, you're off to a great start. What even is this? Your clan's secret jutsu? 'How to Trip Over Nothing'?" Ren scrambled to his feet, his cheeks burning brighter than his Spark Release ever had. "It's… it's a family thing," he mumbled, snatching the scroll back, though he had no idea what it actually said. Great. She already thinks I'm a mess.
Mika grinned, clearly enjoying his misery. "Well, come on, clumsy. Mizuki-sensei's waiting, and I'm not babysitting you all day." She grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward the Academy courtyard, where their new teacher, Mizuki Tōji, stood with a clipboard, his silver hair tied back neatly and a polite smile plastered on his face. He looked young—barely out of his teens—with sharp features and a glint in his eyes that made Ren uneasy, though he couldn't place why. Mizuki called out names in a smooth, practiced tone, his voice carrying a hint of amusement as he watched the group of new students. Ren followed Mika, his legs still wobbly, but her grip—firm and annoyingly sure—gave him no choice. I'm not cut out for this, he thought, his isekai mind flashing to Naruto's confident grin in a clip, spinning a Rasengan. How am I supposed to survive in a world with that guy?
Inside the classroom, Ren slunk to a seat near the back, hoping to disappear. Mika, of course, plopped down right next to him, her grin never fading. "You're stuck with me, spark boy," she whispered, poking his arm. "No hiding." Ren groaned softly, sinking lower in his seat. Mizuki began the lesson, his tone light but with a subtle edge, as if he were sizing up each student. "Chakra is the lifeblood of a shinobi," he said, holding up a leaf with a flourish. "Today, we'll start with the Leaf-Sticking Exercise. Focus your chakra, feel its flow, and keep the leaf on your forehead. Simple enough, even for beginners." His smile widened slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes, and Ren felt a shiver run down his spine. He's… kind of creepy.
Ren stared at the leaf in his hand, his mind buzzing with both awe and dread. Chakra… I felt it during the attack. It's warm, like a heartbeat. He closed his eyes, trying to summon that feeling again, picturing the warm pulse in his chest. It stirred, sluggish but there, and he pushed it toward his hand, imagining it flowing to his forehead. The leaf twitched… then stuck! Ren's eyes widened, a spark of excitement flickering in his chest. I did it! I'm actually doing it! But then his Spark Release kicked in uninvited—tiny sparks crackled around the leaf, setting it ablaze with a dramatic fwoosh! The leaf turned to ash in seconds, and the sparks jumped to his hair, singeing the tips of his bangs.
The classroom went silent for a heartbeat before Mika burst out laughing, clutching her sides so hard she nearly fell out of her chair. "Oh my gosh, spark boy, you set yourself on fire again! You're a walking campfire!" A few other kids snickered, and Ren's face turned as red as the leaf's ashes, his hands frantically patting his hair. "I-I-I didn't mean to!" he squeaked, his voice cracking for extra humiliation. Mizuki raised an eyebrow, his smile tightening as he crossed his arms. "Well, Ren, that was… creative," he said, his tone dripping with faint sarcasm. "But let's try to keep the flames to a minimum, shall we? Try again. Without the fireworks." His words sounded encouraging, but there was a sharpness to them that made Ren shrink further into his seat.
Ren nodded miserably, grabbing another leaf as Mika leaned over, her laughter finally subsiding. "You're hopeless, you know that?" she said, but her tone was softer now, almost fond. She held up her own leaf, perfectly stuck to her forehead with a faint shimmer of chakra. "Here, watch me. Feel the flow, don't force it. You're thinking too hard, spark boy." Ren glared at her, though there was no real heat in it. Easy for you to say, he thought, but he followed her advice, focusing on the warm pulse again. This time, the leaf stuck without catching fire, and Ren let out a shaky breath of relief. Progress. Small, but progress.
As the lesson continued, Ren's mind wandered to the scroll in his bag. He'd glimpsed a few words that morning—"spark that bends time"—and though he didn't understand it, the phrase sent a shiver down his spine. What does that even mean? His isekai knowledge offered no answers, just flashes of Naruto's Rasengan and Hashirama's towering wood jutsu. I need to get stronger. I can't die again. He glanced at Mika, who was now flicking her leaf up and down with her chakra, grinning like it was a game. She's not scared of anything, he thought, a mix of envy and admiration stirring in his chest.
The bell rang, signaling lunch, and Mika dragged Ren outside to a shaded spot under a tree. She plopped down, pulling out a bento box, and tossed him an onigiri. "Eat, spark boy. You look like you're gonna faint," she said, her tone teasing but her eyes kind. Ren caught the onigiri—barely—and sat beside her, his shoulders relaxing for the first time all day. "Thanks," he mumbled, taking a bite. The rice was warm, comforting, and for a moment, he felt… normal.
That feeling didn't last. As Ren reached for his scroll to study it, a sudden gust of wind—suspiciously shaped like a tiny whirlwind—snatched it from his hands, sending it tumbling across the courtyard. Mika's eyes widened, then narrowed as she turned to a group of older Academy kids snickering nearby, one of them making hand signs for a Wind Style jutsu. "Hey!" she shouted, jumping to her feet. "Give that back, you jerks!" Ren froze, his heart racing as the scroll landed at the older kid's feet—a boy with spiky brown hair and a smug grin.
"Aw, what's this? The Kisaragi kid's secret diary?" the boy taunted, unrolling it. "Let's see—'spark that bends time'? Sounds like nonsense to me." His friends laughed, and Ren's face burned with humiliation. That's mine, he thought, his hands sparking faintly with anger. Before he could move, Mika was already charging forward, her ponytail whipping behind her. "I said give it back!" she yelled, launching a wild punch that the boy dodged—barely.
The boy smirked, tossing the scroll into the air. "Fetch, little girl!" he sneered. Ren's eyes widened as the scroll arced toward a muddy puddle. No! Without thinking, he pushed chakra into his legs, a trick he'd been practicing in secret, and dashed forward, faster than he'd ever moved. He dove, catching the scroll just before it hit the mud—but not before he face-planted into the puddle with a loud splat. The courtyard erupted in laughter, even Mika doubling over as Ren sat up, covered in mud, clutching the scroll like a lifeline.
"You… you look like a drowned rat!" Mika gasped between laughs, tears in her eyes. Ren glared at her, wiping mud from his face, but the sight of her laughing—so carefree, so Mika—made his lips twitch despite himself. "Not funny," he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction. The older kid shrugged, already walking away with his friends. "Keep your weird scroll, Kisaragi," he called over his shoulder. "Not worth the trouble."
Mika helped Ren up, still giggling as she brushed mud off his shoulder. "You're a disaster, spark boy," she said, but there was warmth in her voice. "But… nice catch. Didn't know you could move that fast." Ren blinked, his cheeks warming at the rare compliment. "I… I've been practicing," he admitted, looking down at the scroll in his hands. Chakra can make me faster. Maybe… maybe I can survive this world.
As they sat back down, Mika stealing half his onigiri with a cheeky grin, Ren felt a flicker of hope. The Academy was terrifying, the treat of future servival loomed heavenly on him, and his jutsu attempts were a mess—but with Mika by his side, maybe, just maybe, he could find his place in this world. Even if he had to set himself on fire a few more times to get there.
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Please provide a single power stone per reader as it replenish everyday it will let me know that people are actually reading not just seeing the cover of the story.
Thank you.
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