---
The morning sun cut through the trees as I stood in the training field, wiping sweat from my forehead.
ROOT had retreated, but their threat lingered like a shadow in the back of my mind.
I pulled up the System interface:
"Three hundred… are you kidding me?" I muttered, glaring at the glowing text.
"Talking to yourself again?" Kushina's voice rang out, cheerful but laced with mockery. She stepped into the field, her red hair tied back, chains rattling faintly.
"You're early," I said.
"I heard you're training again after nearly dying yesterday." She grinned, hands on hips. "So I came to make sure you don't collapse like an idiot."
---
A moment later, Mikoto appeared, expression calm but eyes sharp as always. "Or maybe she came to show off again," she said dryly.
Kushina spun on her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Means you talk too much and fight too little." Mikoto smirked.
I groaned. "Can we train instead of arguing?"
---
Training Begins
"Alright," I said, forming the seal. "Shadow Blink!"
My body vanished, reappearing three meters away. Easy.
One down, 299 to go.
"You know," Kushina said, watching, "you could just run like a normal person."
"And waste potential?" I shot back.
She grinned mischievously and released her golden chains. "Fine. Then dodge this!"
---
Suddenly, chains whipped toward me like living vipers.
"Hey—this isn't part of the training!" I yelped, triggering another Blink just as one chain smacked the log post where I'd been standing.
"That's the point, dattebane!" she shouted. "If you can dodge these, ROOT's nothing!"
Mikoto just sighed, drawing a kunai. "And if he survives that, I'll spar him properly."
I stared at them, deadpan. "So I'm the training dummy now?"
Both girls smiled. "Yup."
---
For the next hour, I dodged chains, kunai, and one very aggressive redhead yelling things like "Too slow!" and "You blink like a baby deer!"
At one point, I miscalculated and reappeared upside down in a tree, dangling awkwardly.
Kushina laughed so hard she fell over.
Mikoto covered her mouth, trying not to laugh, but her shoulders shook.
"Glad I'm entertaining," I muttered, dropping down.
---
Mini Break
We sat on the grass, passing around water bottles.
"You did good," Mikoto said softly. "Your movement's sharper."
"Still needs work," Kushina added, smirking. "I hit you twice."
"Only because you cheated and summoned six chains at once."
"That's called talent."
The playful banter felt… normal. Something I hadn't had in a while.
---
System Notification
Finally. Progress.
But then, pain stabbed behind my eyes again—sharp, quick, gone.
The System flashed briefly:
I hid it, forcing a smile at the girls. "Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you two trying to kill me."
Kushina smirked. "You're welcome."
Mikoto, as usual, just gave that small, knowing smile.
---
Far away, deep underground, Danzo frowned at the latest ROOT report.
"He's adapting again… faster than expected. Prepare contingency plan Beta."
---
To Be Continued…
---