The healing power granted by the Nine-Tails and his Uzumaki lineage meant that Amano Ren could recover almost perfectly after even a brief rest, as long as he hadn't died. Such a talent was practically begging to be used for physical training—it would be a waste not to.
"Going outside to train now would be too conspicuous," Amano Ren muttered. "Even though Hiruzen removed the ANBU and Root members, there's no telling if he or Danzo might change their minds someday. And more importantly, I don't even have the money to buy any weighted equipment."
Though Hiruzen had given him 1,000 ryō, it barely covered a month's meals if he was extremely frugal. Buying training equipment? That was a pipe dream.
Amano Ren shook his head and said, "Looks like I'll have to rely on my old-world training methods. I can do them right here in my room—at least I can start training."
With that decided, he began a new round of exercises.
Push-ups, sit-ups, and other simple exercises from his previous life were now his only means to increase strength and stamina.
He had to be extremely careful—any reckless display might alert Hiruzen's suspicion. Coupled with Danzo's constant interest in him, one wrong move could be dangerous. If the slightest rumor reached them, Hiruzen might even agree with whatever scheme Danzo cooked up—after all, the old man had made plenty of questionable decisions in the past.
And so, Amano Ren's routine settled into a disciplined rhythm: morning meditation for innate energy, physical training in the late morning and afternoon, and talisman practice along with further innate energy cultivation in the evenings. Gradually, almost imperceptibly, his strength increased.
Time passed like flowing water. Two years flew by in the blink of an eye.
"Am I… five now?"
Standing before the mirror, Amano Ren whispered to himself. Two full years in this world had passed. There were no phones, no computers, no games—no entertainment at all. In those two years, apart from occasionally disguising himself to buy groceries or fishing by the river, he had never gone anywhere.
And yet, those two years had been extraordinarily fulfilling.
He finally understood why Daoist cultivators never felt lonely during their training. Living alone for ten or even fifty years wasn't lonely for them—they communicated with nature itself. All living things were their companions.
Though Amano Ren had yet to reach the heights of such masters, through innate energy cultivation, he increasingly felt attuned to the natural world. This practice captivated him, and he never found it boring.
"Guess this is the result of being the child of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki? Even compared to Sasuke Uchiha, my looks aren't bad… maybe even better. After all, the aura of a cultivator adds extra charm."
Looking into the mirror, Amano Ren smiled. Over these two years, good nutrition and regular meals had restored much of what he had lost. His height had reached 115 cm, above average for a five-year-old.
As for clothing, he had kept the original mustard-yellow outfit from the story, neatly stored as a memento. Now, his current outfit was provided free by the system—probably to prevent such a handsome face from going to waste. Amano Ren shook his head with a wry smile.
What pleased him most, however, were the six whisker-like markings on his face. He wasn't sure whether the original Naruto had them because of the Nine-Tails, Asura chakra, or being the child of prophecy, and he'd been slightly worried. Sure, looks weren't everything, but who wouldn't want to look a bit better?
The system had told him he could hide the whisker marks automatically. He tried it once. Without them, he looked like a miniature Minato Namikaze—handsome and radiant.
But he quickly restored the markings. Walking around with that face might draw unwanted attention—better to stay cautious.
"Today's probably the two-year anniversary since I crossed over… time for a little celebration. Maybe buy some groceries."
He reached for his disguise—hat, glasses, and so on—but paused mid-motion.
"Do I really need to hide anymore? I've been in hiding for two years! Time to break the habit."
Grinning, Amano Ren decided to step outside directly.
On the streets, he walked calmly. At first, the townspeople stared, puzzled. But soon, they remembered his identity and began muttering, pointing fingers: "Wasn't he dead?" "Why is he still alive?" "This guy should die!" The usual insults.
Amano Ren's expression remained serene, and internally he felt the same. This level of harassment was nothing—he had spent enough time in online brawls in his previous life to handle it with ease. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, thinking of something amusing.
Of course, reality had a way of keeping him grounded.
Suddenly, a few children appeared from nowhere. Despite him not leaving his home for two years, they immediately recognized his Nine-Tails heritage. Their first move? Pick up stones from the ground and throw them at him.
Amano Ren squinted. He could have dodged easily—but should he?
Dodging too smoothly might alert hidden ANBU operatives, sending reports to Hiruzen, making them suspicious of his strength, and resuming surveillance.
Besides, dodging stones convincingly required acting skill. He could fake a "good kid" act in front of Hiruzen, but dodging as a normal five-year-old? Not his forte—and he had a better plan anyway.
"Bang!"
A stone struck his forehead. Blood trickled for a moment, but within seconds it had completely healed.
Ignoring the children, Amano Ren continued walking.
"Get out of here, monster!"
The kids, emboldened by his lack of reaction, shouted again.
"Get out of here, monster!"