The final bell of the day had rung, signaling liberation. The highly anticipated spar between Might Guy and Ren concluded, as most had expected, with Ren emerging victorious.
Perhaps Guy hadn't yet unlocked the Eight Gates, or perhaps his young body wasn't robust enough to withstand their strain. Whatever the reason, that legendary trump card remained unseen in his matches against both Kakashi and Ren.
That said, Might Guy's current combat prowess was nothing to scoff at. In any arena that didn't involve written tests or complex ninjutsu, Guy was formidable. His body was already undergoing punishing, self-imposed training regimens, and his raw physicality was only a shade inferior to Ren's own cheat-enhanced physique.
The only pity was that Guy, granted a single "challenge" opportunity after the main tournament, had chosen Ren. His subsequent defeat left him with arguably the lowest overall practical score in the class—even Uchiha Obito had managed to fare slightly better.
Though, Ren mused internally, Obito's 'dead-last' status feels like a core part of his character arc. If he weren't perpetually struggling, would he still be primed to become a future world-ending BOSS? The thought was amusing. Probably. Given that 'old lady' was almost certainly a White Zetsu in disguise… Uchiha Madara's machinations are terrifyingly thorough.
Class dismissed. School was out. Tomorrow was Sunday—a blessed, official holiday.
A wave of unbridled joy swept through the student body as they streamed out of the academy gates, with only the few at the very bottom of the rankings looking less than thrilled. But such was fate. Who could they blame?
Ren, for one, was in excellent spirits. No academy tomorrow. In any given month, only those four precious Sundays made him feel truly, humanely happy. It was the one day he didn't feel like a beast of burden hitched to the plow of self-improvement.
Walking beside him, Kurenai Yuhi tilted her head, her large eyes curious. "Ren, what are your plans for tomorrow? More training?"
Ren offered a nonchalant shrug. "What else? It's not like there's anywhere else to go."
His agenda for the next day was already set: a deep dive into the system rewards acquired today. These weren't skills that integrated seamlessly upon receipt; they required study and adaptation.
This wasn't the Soul Society.
While Kidō and ninjutsu shared conceptual overlaps, their underlying mechanics differed. Ren needed to experiment, to reverse-engineer the principles and see if he could replicate the effects in this world's framework… He didn't find this process tedious. On the contrary, he relished it. It was the same focused fascination that had sustained him through nearly two months of deconstructing the Chakra-enhanced Fist.
Kurenai let out a soft, almost weary sigh. "Is there really nothing else besides training? You're already so strong, and you're still this diligent. Being your sister is honestly kind of pressure."
'Because a world war is brewing…' Ren thought, the words staying locked behind a calm smile. There were no overt signs yet, but he knew the timeline.
"I never asked you to keep up with me," he said aloud, his tone light. "But isn't there a saying? Slack off today, cry tomorrow. Kurenai, you can't afford to be lazy either."
Kurenai still couldn't grasp the urgency driving him. She sensed his relentless pace but couldn't fathom the reason.
"Do you really have to be in such a hurry?" she pressed. "The academy curriculum is six years long. We've barely started our first…"
"It's not necessarily six years," Ren interjected, his voice calm but definitive.
In the original narrative, Kakashi had shattered records by graduating at five. But Ren had a vague recollection that others in their cohort hadn't lingered for the full term either. They'd likely become genin around eight or nine—roughly three years from now. If it wasn't a formal shortening of the academy due to wartime pressures, then some major, catalyzing event must have accelerated the process, compressing six years' worth of training into three.
Kurenai blinked, confused. "Huh?"
"It's nothing. Just keep working hard," Ren replied, dismissing the topic with another shrug. Then, his expression softened into a genuine smile. "But you're right about balance. So, tomorrow is a real day off. I'll take you out somewhere fun."
The little girl was clearly worried about him burning out, too tactful to say it directly. How considerate. One day wouldn't derail his plans. It was time for a proper break; even a workhorse needed to graze.
Hearing this, Kurenai's face lit up with a delighted, relieved smile. "Really? Hehe, okay! A good rest might even help… you know, get your brain back to normal…"
Her unspoken concern was palpable. Since enrolling, Ren hadn't taken a single day to truly unwind. That kind of sustained intensity couldn't be healthy. She privately theorized his recent "eccentricities" were symptoms of mental fatigue. A day of fun might be just the cure!
Ren: "..."
Thump!
He rapped his knuckles lightly against the top of her head. "Keep talking like that, Kurenai Yuhi, and I will make you cry."
"Ow!" she yelped, clutching her head with both hands and shooting him a look of pure, theatrical betrayal. "Hmph! I'm telling Dad you hit me again! That hurt!"
"Serves you right for having such a reckless mouth. Consider it a character-building lesson."
"Wah! I take it back! I'll be good!"
"..."
Their bickering continued amiably as they made their way home. Passing the beloved dango shop, Ren, flush with his recent earnings, treated Kurenai to a generous serving. Her ensuing happiness was pure and unguarded, transforming her into a delightfully silly, sugar-happy fool—an utterly cute one.
After Dinner. The Yūhi Backyard.
With the evening meal settled, Ren retreated to the quiet of the backyard to begin his research. The subjects: the newly acquired Shunpo technique and the two Kidō—Hadō #4: Byakurai and Bakudō #1: Sai.
Both Kidō, like Bakudō #1: Sai before them, came without accompanying incantations. Perhaps low-level Kidō were simple enough not to require verbal components? The system-provided information was frustratingly silent on the matter.
"Hadō #4: Byakurai!" Ren intoned, focusing his intent and channeling chakra through his extended fingertip.
Nothing. Not even a spark.
The first attempt failed, just as his initial tries with Sai had. That technique had only yielded to him after rigorous analysis, blending his own understanding of chakra manipulation with the Kidō's core principle. Success had required time and iteration.
Undaunted, Ren made several more attempts with Byakurai, each ending in the same silent failure. Instead of frustration, a thoughtful frown settled on his features. He ceased casting and began to pace slowly.
"Does it require Chakra Nature Transformation?" he murmured to himself. "Of course. I haven't even begun studying that yet…"
The realization was obvious in hindsight. In this world, advanced techniques were built upon the seven foundational chakra natures. The five basic Nature Transformations—Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water—could be detected with special chakra paper. The two advanced natures, Yin and Yang, were subtler, often discerned only through the specific ninjutsu one could learn.
Hadō #4: Byakurai, a technique of piercing pale lightning from the Bleach universe, would logically correlate to Lightning Release ninjutsu here. The connection was inescapable.
The thought of chakra natures triggered a more pressing concern. A slight tension entered Ren's posture as he muttered aloud, "Wait. This reminds me… I really hope I'm not lacking a natural affinity for Lightning Release, am I?"
Generally, every individual was born with an innate affinity for one chakra nature, making it significantly easier to learn and master. This was a matter of innate talent, separate from the arduous training required to learn additional natures later. While secondary affinities could be acquired, the process was slower and less intuitive.
Ren had never actually tested his natural affinity. The thought was a sudden, glaring oversight. If he lacked a natural predisposition for Lightning Release, mastering a technique like Byakurai—or any lightning-based ninjutsu in the future—would become a much steeper, more time-consuming climb.
That… would be a significant setback.