The sun dipped below the mountains, painting the sky in shades of amber and crimson.
Naruto completed his final set of exercises, then moved through his cooldown stretches. His muscles no longer screamed in protest like they had a year ago. The ache was familiar now, almost comforting. Proof of work done.
A smile tugged at his lips.
[Naruto, starting tomorrow morning, you won't need this basic physical training anymore.]
Naruto froze mid-stretch. His heart leaped into his throat. "Really? Does that mean I can finally learn the real techniques? The ones from the projection?"
[No.]
The word landed like a stone in still water.
[Your body has improved significantly, but it's still not ready for advanced techniques. Attempting them now would kill you. Your blood vessels would rupture from the internal pressure.]
Naruto's shoulders sagged.
[Patience, Naruto. You're building a foundation. Think of it like constructing a building. If the foundation is weak, the entire structure collapses. But if you take the time to build it properly, everything that comes after will be stronger and faster to develop.]
[Physical training was only the first stage. Tomorrow, you begin stage two.]
Something in the system's tone shifted when it mentioned stage two. A hint of... amusement? Anticipation?
A chill ran down Naruto's spine.
[You'll do fine, Naruto. Trust the process.]
Naruto swallowed hard. For his future friends, he could handle anything. "Okay. I trust you."
His internal clock woke him before dawn.
Naruto moved through his morning routine with practiced efficiency: wash face, brush teeth, eat, get dressed. The system had given him specific instructions last night. Bring all the money from home. All of it.
Naruto stared at the small pile of coins and crumpled bills on his table.
It's for training. It's important.
He tied the pouch to his belt and headed for the village streets.
A year had passed since he'd walked through Konoha during daylight. His last visit had ended with tears and a desperate run to the back mountain.
This time, he left the mask at home.
The morning market was already bustling. Vendors arranged their wares, calling out to early customers. Children chased each other between stalls, shrieking with laughter.
Naruto stepped into the flow of traffic.
The laughter died.
A woman carrying a basket of vegetables saw him first. Her eyes widened. She grabbed her daughter's hand and yanked the girl behind her.
"It's the demon brat," someone muttered. "Haven't seen him in a year. Where's he been hiding?"
"Probably off causing trouble." A man crossed his arms, glaring. "Look how tall he's gotten. Six years old and already that size? He must be stealing food."
"Stealing?" An elderly woman's face lit up with vindication. "That explains it! My neighbor said her chickens kept disappearing. I bet it was him."
Laughter rippled through the crowd. "The fox brat eating chickens? That's perfect!"
Naruto's fingernails bit into his palms. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. Every part of him wanted to scream, to shout that he hadn't stolen anything, that he'd caught rabbits in the forest and earned every bite of food he'd eaten.
But his voice stayed locked in his throat.
He kept walking, eyes fixed straight ahead.
[Stay calm, Naruto. Remember, these people will all be your friends eventually.]
The words felt hollow, but Naruto grabbed onto them anyway. His fists unclenched slightly. Right. They'll be my friends. I can't get angry at future friends.
He forced his breathing to steady. System, what am I buying with all this money?
His heart ached at the thought of spending his entire savings.
[Medicine. Herbs, specifically.]
Medicine? But I'm not hurt.
[You will be soon.]
The system's tone carried an edge of excitement that made Naruto's stomach flip.
What do you mean I'll be hurt? Who's going to hurt me?
He glanced at the villagers shooting him dirty looks. They'd never actually attacked him physically. Just words. Always words.
Was he supposed to hurt himself? That seemed ridiculous.
A piece of paper materialized in his hand.
Naruto jumped, nearly dropping it. He looked around quickly, but no one seemed to notice. The paper listed various herbs in neat handwriting. He recognized the characters individually, but strung together as herb names, they meant nothing to him.
What are all these for?
[You'll see. For now, just purchase everything on that list.]
Naruto approached the nearest pharmacy.
A bell chimed as he pushed open the door. The shop was cramped and dim, shelves packed with jars and dried bundles of plants. Behind a wooden counter sat a middle-aged man with a thick beard and permanent scowl. He was waving lazily at flies buzzing near his face.
"Excuse me, sir. I need to buy medicine."
"Welcome! What can I—" The man looked up. His greeting died mid-sentence. His expression hardened into something ugly. "We're closed."
"But the sign says you're open," Naruto said quietly. "I have money. I just need—"
"I said we're closed." The man stood, looming over the counter. "Get out."
"Please, I just—"
"OUT!" The man's hand moved toward something under the counter.
Naruto backed toward the door, the paper crumpling in his fist. The bell chimed again as he stumbled outside.
His chest felt tight. His eyes burned, but he blinked hard, refusing to let tears fall.
The next pharmacy was larger, cleaner. A woman stood behind the counter, organizing bottles. She looked kind, gentle. Hope flickered in Naruto's chest.
"Hello, ma'am. Could you help me? I need to buy some herbs." He held out the list with trembling fingers.
The woman glanced at the paper, then at his face.
Her expression went cold. "I don't serve your kind here."
"My kind?" Naruto's voice cracked. "I'm just a kid who needs medicine!"
"Leave. Now." She turned her back on him, returning to her bottles.
Naruto tried three more pharmacies.
The responses varied, but the result was always the same. Doors closed in his face. Harsh words. Disgusted glares.
By the time he trudged home, the sun had climbed high in the sky. His pouch of money sat heavy at his belt, untouched and useless.
He collapsed onto his bed, face buried in his pillow.
"I'm sorry, System. I couldn't do it. Such a simple thing, and I failed."
[You didn't fail, Naruto.]
"I came home empty-handed!"
[You went to the first pharmacy. They rejected you. Did you give up?]
"No, but—"
[You went to the second. Rejected again. Did you stop trying?]
"No..."
[You visited every pharmacy in this village. You faced rejection after rejection, and you kept trying. That's not failure, Naruto. That's perseverance. A year ago, you would have quit after the first rejection. You've grown stronger. Not just your body, but your spirit.]
Heat rose to Naruto's cheeks. He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. "Really? You think I did well?"
[You're going to be a master of Ultimate Taijutsu someday. Someone who could stand toe-to-toe with the Hokage himself. This is exactly the kind of determination you need.]
Despite everything, a small smile found its way onto Naruto's face.
"But I still don't have the medicine."
[We don't need to buy it. We'll gather the herbs ourselves.]
Naruto's head snapped up. "Ourselves? But I don't know what any of these plants look like!"
Something heavy landed in his lap with a soft thump.
A book. Thick and bound in dark leather, its pages yellowed with age. Gold lettering decorated the cover in elegant script.
He traced the title with his finger. "The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs."
[A medical encyclopedia from another world. It contains detailed information on thousands of medicinal plants, many of which grow in the forests around Konoha. The author spent decades traveling and compiling this knowledge.]
Naruto opened the cover carefully. Inside, detailed botanical illustrations filled the pages alongside dense text describing each plant's properties, where to find it, and how to prepare it. The writing was clear and methodical, organized by categories.
"This is amazing." He flipped through pages showing roots, flowers, bark, and fungi. "But there's so much information. How will I know which ones I need?"
[Start with the herbs on your list. I'll guide you. Each entry shows the plant's appearance, its growing conditions, and harvesting methods. Study them tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go gathering.]
Naruto squinted at the first entry matching his list. A plant with serrated leaves and small purple flowers, typically found near streams. The illustration was so detailed he felt like he could reach out and touch it.
This would take time to learn, but he'd mastered reading through determination and practice. He could learn this too.
He settled against his headboard, book open on his knees, and began to study.
For his future friends, he'd learn whatever it took.