The cold night breeze and the moon's gentle light cast a romantic glow over Konoha's darkened streets, making it a perfect time for couples to wander. In the cover of darkness, the late-night market and red-light district thrived, their shimmering lights and lively buzz surpassing even the daytime hustle.
In one of the backstreets near the bustling market stood Ryuku's house.
Inside, in the dimly lit living room, a boy sat calmly, his body covered in tree leaves. His slow, steady breaths were the only signs of movement as he remained deeply focused. Chakra flowed like a silent stream through his inner pathways, perfectly adhering to the leaves on his body—proof of his vastly improved control since the morning.
Since he wasn't expelling chakra externally in the form of a jutsu, his consumption was minimal, barely even one percent. This exercise had given him a clearer understanding of how to generate, circulate, and manipulate chakra within his body.
But this wasn't true chakra control—this was merely the foundation. Real control lay in using the exact amount of chakra needed for a jutsu, with no excess wasted. The less chakra squandered, the greater one's mastery.
After a few minutes of continuous practice, Ryuku finally cut off his chakra flow. The moment he did, the tree leaves lost their adhesion and immediately fell to the ground.
"To improve my chakra control further, I'll have to practice tree and water walking. Those exercises are much more effective than this one. Hm… the hardest should be walking on that hot spring. Let's check that out tomorrow too," he muttered to himself.
As he stood up, his entire body creaked like a worn-out machine, making him grimace in pain.
For the past few hours, he had pushed his body to the limit, doing full-body exercises from his past life on Earth. He needed a strong physique for his future plans, so a little suffering only strengthened his unshakable resolve rather than turning him into a coward.
Not only had he trained his body, but he had also taken a long bath with premium shampoo and completely changed his appearance. His messy ash-gray hair was now neatly tied back, revealing his forehead and violet eyes. Without his usual bangs, he looked like an entirely different person.
Now then, shall we have a look at those scrolls…
Deciding to clean up the mess in the morning, Ryuku headed straight to his room on the second floor.
His room wasn't anything impressive—just a simple setup with a bed, a table, and a dresser.
Walking over to the dresser, he took out the scrolls from the drawer. As for his storage scroll and weapons, he had locked them away safely in his grand-uncle's locker.
Moving onto the bed, Ryuku adjusted his aching body on the soft mattress, groaning in comfort for a moment.
Despite his exhaustion, he forced himself to stay awake through sheer willpower. He had a long day ahead tomorrow, so for now, he only intended to get a general grasp of the scrolls' contents before finally getting some rest.
After a brief five-minute rest, Ryuku turned his attention to studying the basics of Fūinjutsu. As he unrolled the scroll, his eyes scanned the intricate kanji script, which he had no trouble understanding. Even back on Earth, he had possessed a solid grasp of the language, and with the original Ryuku's memories reinforcing his knowledge, deciphering the complex text felt almost effortless.
He began reading, and the deeper he delved into the content, the faster his pace became. His mind processed the intricate details of sealing techniques with remarkable clarity.
Minutes passed, and soon, he was fully immersed in the scroll's teachings. The once lively streets outside gradually quieted, their sounds fading into the stillness of the night. The only light flickering in the darkness came from his room, casting shadows that danced faintly across the walls.
Ryuku lost himself in the passage of time.
By the time he realized it, his grip on the scroll loosened, and it slipped from his fingers onto the bed. A single thought echoed in his mind: I read the whole thing...
Then, without another moment of resistance, his head hit the pillow, and he drifted into sleep.
...
Morning.
The air was crisp, carrying a refreshing chill. Though the sun had already cast its first rays, the clock showed the exact time to be 7:30 AM. Shops in the market were just beginning to open, while the once-bustling streets of the red-light district had quieted after last night's lively chaos.
Early risers roamed the streets, some jogging, while birds chirped a sweet melody, as if welcoming the new day.
Meanwhile, Ryuku had woken up exactly an hour ago. Through his window, he had caught a glimpse of Konoha's noble green beast dashing through the streets, shouting about youth—a sight that, for some odd reason, remained stuck in his memory.
In the time since, he had already completed his morning routine—cleaning, bathing, and eating breakfast.
All in preparation for the glorious purpose of his training!
As for his Fūinjutsu progress? First, he needed empty papers and ink. Beginners, as mentioned in the scroll, had to start practicing with ink before moving on to the real thing. Once they gained enough experience and knowledge, they could directly use Spiritual Energy (chakra) to draw seals on any surface, as long as there was physical contact between them and the target. If successful, that person would be recognized as a Fūinjutsu expert—a title reserved for powerful masters.
For now, he made his way to Konoha's hospital. Since it was the only proper hospital in the village, aside from a few small clinics, it was the largest building around.
The hospital was running a Medical Campaign, promoted by high-ranking medical-nin to spread awareness about the importance of medical skills and encourage more people to learn them.
That was the whole purpose of the campaign.
Without wasting any time, Ryuku stepped inside and easily got the details from a beautiful lady at the front desk.
"To sign up for the campaign, you need to fill out this form accurately. Once you're done, submit it to me. Registration closes in three days, so make sure to turn it in early," the lady explained.
"Onesan, can I get a pen or pencil? I'll submit it right now."
The black-haired woman smiled and handed him a pencil. "Here, take it."
Ryuku took the pencil and quickly started filling out the form.
Some of the questions asked why he wanted to learn medical techniques, and he answered them as effectively as his 17-year-old mind could.
Once he was done, he submitted the form and was about to leave for his chakra control training when the lady's voice called out behind him.
"Oh, and the fee for the campaign is 100,000 Ryo! Don't forget to pay it on the first day of the program!"
"..."
Of course... there's a fee