In a forest near Konoha Village, night had fallen, yet a small child, no older than three, continued training beneath the moonlight.
"Damn it, why is it still not working?"
Kurozawa Ren rose from the ground in frustration. He had been practicing the Shunpo technique that he had acquired months earlier, but progress remained elusive. Despite an entire week of relentless effort, there had been no tangible improvement. The sky was now completely dark.
Ever since he displayed his talent to Uchiha Fugaku, the clan head had stopped intervening in his training and had instead granted him access to a wealth of ninjutsu scrolls. Fugaku's attention toward him had even surpassed that toward Itachi.
"Isn't Shunpo similar to the Body Flicker Technique—using spiritual energy like chakra, channeling it into the feet to achieve high-speed movement? Why can't I execute it?"
Ren followed the system's cultivation guide meticulously, yet he had failed every attempt. He couldn't figure out the problem.
"System! Could there be something wrong with the training method? I can't get Shunpo to work at all!"
"The products of this system are of the highest quality. Failure to learn them is due to host incompetence. The fault does not lie in the provided method," replied the mechanical voice of the system, shirking responsibility.
Ren was about to protest further when a rustling noise echoed from the forest nearby. Instantly on alert, he whispered:
"Bakudō #26: Kyokko (Curving Light)."
A shimmering veil of spirit energy cloaked him, rendering him nearly invisible as he pressed his back against a tree.
From the shadows, several ninjas bearing the Kumogakure (Cloud Village) forehead protectors emerged, leaping among the trees. One of them carried a small girl with dark hair and pale, pupil-less eyes.
Hinata.
Ren immediately recognized her—Hinata Hyūga, heir to the Hyūga Clan. The scene matched a key incident from the original storyline: the delegation from Kumogakure had come to Konoha under the guise of peace talks, but their true intent was to steal the Byakugan. They had infiltrated the Hyūga compound and kidnapped Hinata. Though the kidnappers were ultimately killed, the Cloud envoys accused Konoha of violating the peace, demanding compensation. In the original timeline, the Third Hokage chose to placate them by handing over Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, who was killed in Hiashi's place.
But the Fourth Hokage was still alive at this point. The audacity of Kumogakure to proceed with such a plan astonished Ren.
"If I save Hinata, the Hyūga clan will owe me. That could be valuable…"
Making his decision quickly, he knew that even delaying the kidnappers could be enough.
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō (Red Fire Cannon)!"
With the incantation omitted for speed, a red fireball launched from his palm toward the ninja carrying Hinata.
"Who's there?!"
Startled, the Cloud shinobi turned just as the fireball slammed into the one holding Hinata. With a groan, the ninja was blown backward, and the girl began to fall.
"Bakudō #37: Tsuriboshi (Suspending Star)!"
A glowing net of energy materialized in the air, catching Hinata and slowing her descent. Ren sprinted forward to catch her safely—his cloak of invisibility now dispelled.
The Cloud-nin were stunned at the sight of such a young child standing against them, but they quickly regained composure and launched an assault.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Orbs!"
One of them hurled glowing thunderballs at Ren, while the others followed up with shuriken and kunai.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen (Round Shield Fan)!"
A circular barrier of spirit energy formed before Ren, absorbing the projectiles and lightning blasts. After nearly a year of practice, he had mastered higher-level Kidō spells.
"Bakudō #21: Sekienton (Red Smoke Escape)!"
A dense cloud of red smoke erupted from his form, obscuring the battlefield. Using the confusion, Ren darted off in the direction of the Hyūga compound, hoping to run into Hiashi Hyūga and transfer Hinata to safety.
But without Shunpo or the Body Flicker Technique, Ren's speed wasn't enough. The Cloud shinobi caught up quickly and encircled him.
"I can't believe this—a toddler in Konoha who just intercepted an elite capture team. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd think it was a joke. If you grow up, you might become the next Yellow Flash."
The Cloud-nin Ren had blasted earlier glared in pain and awe.
Ren didn't panic. If Hiashi didn't arrive soon, he was ready to draw Ryūjin Jakka, the Zanpakutō he had forged using the system, and end the threat himself.
"Kill him quickly—before the Hyūga arrive!"
The Cloud-nin prepared to strike, avoiding ninjutsu so as not to risk harming Hinata.
Ren was about to set Hinata down and unsheathe his Zanpakutō when a white-clad figure appeared, fast as lightning.
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
Two air bursts smashed into the closest Cloud-nin, blasting them into trees—lifeless.
"Uncle Hiashi, it's me—Ren! I saved Hinata!"
Ren shouted quickly. He had met Hiashi once before in the village, and the man knew of him as the second son of the Uchiha head.
"Filthy scum! You dare lay hands on my daughter?!"
Hiashi's voice was laced with murderous fury. In mere seconds, he annihilated the remaining Cloud-nin—no mercy given.
Ren gently handed Hinata to him. She remained unconscious, likely due to a sedative administered by her captors.
"Thank you," Hiashi murmured, cradling his daughter. His sharp eyes studied Ren with suspicion. "You're Kurozawa Ren… Fugaku's second son? What are you doing here at this hour?"
Ren could already guess what he was thinking: how could a child not yet four years old repel a trained squad of ninja?
"My parents are at a clan meeting, and my brother is still out on a mission. I didn't want to stay home alone, so I came out to practice. Then I saw these Cloud ninja carrying Hinata. She's my friend, so I acted. I thought if I could delay them long enough, someone from the village would arrive. I'm lucky Uncle Hiashi got here so quickly."
Ren answered sincerely.
Hiashi's face remained skeptical. "You saved her? Alone? How?"
Without hesitation, Ren raised his hand and chanted again.
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō."
A controlled fireball flew into the air and dissipated. "My father knows about my talents. I'm sure Uncle Hiashi does too."
His honest tone and precise Kidō demonstration gave Hiashi pause. The implications of what he'd just seen were enormous.
"…Forgive me. I truly suspected you were an impostor in disguise. I'll bring Hinata to your home personally to express my gratitude. From now on, the Hyūga clan considers you a friend. Should you ever need help, we will be there."
Hiashi was silent for a full thirty seconds before finally speaking—his voice filled with astonishment and sincerity.