Training Ground near Konoha's Border
Ryuku sat on a tall tree branch, leaning his back against the trunk as he read through the scroll he had received from Akimichi Choza—a favor granted after a small request. It contained the complete manual for mastering the Body Flicker Technique.
Carefully studying the contents and applications with a clear and focused mind, Ryuku ignored the squirrels playing nearby and occasionally glancing his way.
The tree buzzed with life, its leaves and thin branches swaying under the heavy yet gentle wind.
Noon approached, but Ryuku's gaze remained glued to the scroll, unbothered by time or place.
After a productive conversation with Choza, he had easily managed to increase the number of installments from four to seven, each now worth a million Ryo—to his surprise.
For a brief moment, he suspected Choza had gained far more from the deal than he let on. After all, the Daimyō's support wasn't something to take lightly.
However, ever cautious, Ryuku paid the thought no mind and accepted the finalized increase—a total of ten million Ryo, with four million already received and the rest to come over the next six months.
Considering he'd also secured the Body Flicker Technique from Choza, it was a massive gain.
And yet, compared to the benefits the Akimichi Clan would reap in the near future, it wasn't such a big deal.
It was, after all, just business.
Shortly after.
Storing the scroll in the ninja pouch attached to his pants, Ryuku gradually stood up, easily sticking to the branch without any support.
"So that's how it was..." he mumbled to himself.
In the next instant, he channeled chakra into his legs and coated them with a thin, stable layer. As for his feet—where just a small amount of chakra was efficiently helping him stay balanced—he suddenly increased the output by half.
Despite the abrupt change, he felt nothing unusual—a testament to the powerful chakra control he had built through effort.
Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his posture and focused his mind.
With a swift thought, all the chakra in his legs surged downward and burst out from his feet with such propelling force that his figure seemed to vanish into thin air.
The branch he had been standing on shattered immediately, leaving nothing behind.
As for Ryuku, he reappeared on the other side of the training ground within a second, landing on his bum, clearly staggered by what he had just experienced.
Fast... Too fast to adjust my posture midway... If used recklessly, it'll do more harm than good...
He had failed to stabilize his landing and fell as a result. Not only that, but the branch had also been destroyed when he flickered. Both were clear signs of poor control—and things that should never happen while using the Body Flicker Technique. It would take time to truly master it.
Activation was successful... All I need now is constant training until it becomes second nature...
Standing up, he dusted off his clothes and decided to continue practicing the Body Flicker Technique. His clone was still active, so he could work on optimizing the technique for his own use in the meantime.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye~
----
Feeling the hot breeze directly on his face and the ruffling of his hair, Ryuku finally drew a few deep, uneven breaths—savoring his massive achievement.
Standing atop Hokage Mountain, he looked down at the entirety of Konoha, stretching over half a mile in radius. On the horizon, all he could see were trees and clouds, painting the panorama in hues of blue and green.
From the right, a narrow river split into two winding creeks that flowed toward Konoha's left boundary, glistening under the intense rays of sunlight.
Ryuku sat down, feeling his soul and mind settle noticeably into a state of stillness. His heart felt as though it were melting—finally breaking the invisible shackle that had held it for so long.
After a few moments of silence, he closed his eyes briefly before making up his mind.
Let's head home...
Standing up, he gazed at the three dome-shaped buildings behind him for a while and guessed, Anbu headquarters? Research facility? Probably... It's a place of importance, that's for sure...
Since it didn't concern him and he had no interest in confirming his doubts, he ignored their existence altogether.
Stretching his full body to ease his tense muscles, he used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished like a shadow. This time, there were no signs of damage on the ground—none at all.
Appearing atop a water tank at the base of the mountain with neither sound nor unstable form, he once again vanished, heading toward the heart of the village. His stepping points were water tanks, each separated by tens of metres.
Some Chūnin on patrol noticed his presence, but once they saw the Konoha forehead protector and his skill, they chose not to interfere.
Especially after realizing it was just a brat who had already progressed so far in the Body Flicker Technique, they could only assume he was simply enjoying the moment.
Since no rule explicitly stated that a Genin couldn't use the Body Flicker on rooftops, there wasn't much they could do. The punishment only applied to running—and even that wasn't serious, just something like plucking weeds or cleaning the streets.
On the other hand, Ryuku had long noticed the presence of the patrolling shinobi. However, he didn't stop. Fully aware of the village's rules, he felt no need to waste breath on useless greetings or explanations.
He was determined to take full advantage of the rules for his own purposes. With both knowledge and awareness of this dangerous world, he had no intention of letting things spiral downhill by wasting his precious time.
It's past noon, I guess...
He wondered, nearly arriving at his house.
Taijutsu and Kenjutsu... How should I proceed with them?
Taijutsu in Konoha has two styles—power-based Strong Fist and precision-based Gentle Fist...
As for Kenjutsu, there are only a few good users... Kakashi, Yugao, and her boyfriend—the coughing corpse...
Hyuga wouldn't teach Gentle Fist to a civilian like me... So that leaves Might Guy, hmm...
Expecting anything from Kakashi is pointless... But I'll try...
Yugao is in Anbu. Even if I asked Hiruzen to let her teach me, I doubt she'd be interested...
Which only leaves her sick boyfriend...
Pondering over these thoughts, Ryuku eventually arrived at his house.
---
Ryuku's clone, immersed in studying the Four Symbols Seal and Flying Thunder God Technique, suddenly looked up.
"What took you so long?" he asked, eyes flicking back to the drawn seals.
A familiar voice replied.
"Does it matter?"
Shrugging, the clone responded while still examining the paper, "We're the same. At least I know you didn't waste time on pointless things..."
Ryuku didn't answer. He simply took out a bottle of mixed juice from the refrigerator and slumped onto the sofa.
After drinking to his heart's content, he asked, "How long can you go on?"
The clone paused a moment before replying, "Forty-five minutes."
Ryuku nodded, relaxing his body after training so hard. Even though his chakra regeneration had improved, that didn't mean he wouldn't feel exhausted after depleting his reserves multiple times.
"Give me that bottle. I'm thirsty," the clone said, pointing at the juice.
Hmm...?
Ryuku handed it over and couldn't help but chuckle.
"You do know it's going to be a waste, right?"
Food and drink consumed by shadow clones didn't return nutrients to the main body after dispelling.
"..."
The clone stared back blankly.