It was a bright day. The morning had long since passed, and the time was nearing nine.
Ryuku, who had only slept for two hours, was making his way toward the Hokage Building.
Last night, he had deliberately revealed the Shadow Clone Jutsu to Iruka. Since he had only created a single clone, Iruka wasn't nearly as shocked as he had been when witnessing Naruto's hundreds of clones. Though Iruka's delight was evident, he merely congratulated him without much fuss.
After arriving at the village and consulting with Hiruzen, both Naruto and Ryuku were finally granted permission to graduate from the Academy.
Ryuku now wore the Konoha headband on his left arm, just above the bicep.
He yawned, his eyes heavy with exhaustion, but his mind was sharper than ever.
Shinobi registration, huh... Let's get this over with quickly.
Every year, newly graduated Academy students were required to register their photo and abilities in the Shinobi Registration Book. It was a standard procedure for all aspiring ninja. Additionally, a copy of this data would be sent to the Fire Country's government for the Daimyō to officially recognize their status as Konoha's shinobi.
Utilizing the perfect amount of chakra in his feet to enhance his movements, Ryuku quickly arrived at the rooftop of a building adjacent to the Hokage's residence, where he spotted the cameraman—a short man with glasses and an almost bald head—calmly reading a newspaper behind the camera setup.
"Genzo-san?" Ryuku asked politely.
He intended to maintain the persona of a kind and gentle child to deceive the higher-ups for as long as he remained in the village. After all, where else could he find a place as safe and "normal" as Konoha in this Shinobi World? Pain's invasion was an entirely different matter. For now, what Ryuku needed was stability and uninterrupted time to develop himself.
Genzo glanced at Ryuku, nodded, and checked his wristwatch. "On time. Good." Then, looking around, he asked, "Where's the other one?"
He was obviously referring to Naruto.
Ryuku simply shrugged and replied calmly, "He must have overslept."
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Genzo pointed at the chair in front of the camera setup. "Sit down. Let's get yours done first."
Ryuku nodded. Having his photo taken was something he had never liked, not even in his past life when he was the one taking them. But since it was necessary this time, he had no choice.
Dressing appropriately for the occasion, he wore a white shirt under a black jacket paired with gray ninja pants. He looked more refined than most noble children, especially with his neatly tied-back hair and striking violet eyes.
Even Genzo couldn't help but admire the boy sitting before him.
A few seconds later, the photo was taken, looking just as authentic as those from his past life.
"Thanks, Genzo-san," Ryuku said.
Genzo gave a nod of appreciation. "The photo turned out well, that's all. No need to thank me."
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.
"Uzumaki Naruto is here!!"
Ryuku and Genzo turned to look, and both were momentarily stunned.
"What the heck are you wearing, you idiot?" Ryuku asked, barely holding back his laughter. However, a more serious thought surfaced in his mind: The butterfly effect…?
Naruto beamed proudly and patted the crimson samurai armor covering his chest. But it wasn't just his chest—he was wearing a full-body suit of armor, leaving only his face exposed.
"Hey, I look super cool, right?" he said enthusiastically.
Genzo, unimpressed, simply clicked his tongue and returned to his spot, clearly unwilling to entertain Naruto's antics.
Ryuku shook his head and walked up to him. "You can't take the photo with that thing on… even though it's fake." He had caught on early that the armor wasn't real. Then, with a raised brow, he asked, "And where's your headband?"
Pouting, Naruto grumbled, "At home…"
So, leaving his headband at home didn't change… hmm. Even if my presence causes minor changes in the plot, it won't alter Akatsuki's or Obito's final goal. And then there's that black shìt playing the long game… As long as their ideals remain, Kaguya's revival is inevitable… no need to worry...
"Listen, Naruto," Ryuku said seriously. "That headband became part of your identity the moment Iruka-sensei gave it to you. It's proof that you're a ninja devoted to Konoha. Make sure to wear it at all times, understood?"
Hearing his friend's words, Naruto's eyes widened, as if he had just experienced a sudden revelation. Without hesitation, he stripped off the fake armor and tossed it onto the rooftop.
"Wait! I'll go fetch it right now!" he said, nodding firmly before dashing off without another word.
Ryuku silently sat down on the roof and closed his eyes, not minding the delay at all.
Because why not?
If not for Naruto stealing the Forbidden Scroll, he wouldn't have gotten his hands on so many forbidden jutsu. From his perspective, helping Naruto deal with his loneliness was simply a way of paying him back. Nothing too big, really.
Tomorrow's the orientation day, huh... I wonder which Jonin sensei Hiruzen will assign to me? Or will my presence change the original teams' destinies?
After thinking it over for a while, Ryuku dismissed the speculation. It didn't matter who his Jonin sensei would be. What mattered was staying low-key and continuing his training.
While he managed to learn a few forbidden jutsu with ease last night, there were others he could only partially recall. Techniques like the Life-Draining Curse Seal and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags were among those he barely remembered—only fragments and vague applications.
On the other hand, jutsu like the Shadow Clone Technique, Eight Inner Gates, and Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique were nothing special to him; he had memorized them at a single glance. Actually learning and using them in public, though—that could wait.
The best part? He had completely grasped the Four Symbol Seals and the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Though far more difficult and mentally draining than the rest, he had already made significant progress in both.
But there was another, even more astonishing occurrence that had kept him awake late into the night—something completely unexpected.
His chakra regeneration speed had once again skyrocketed. It now took only half an hour to fully replenish his (still low) reserves.
From this, Ryuku came to a realization.
While his physical energy continued to grow through constant training, could his spiritual energy be increasing through the consumption of knowledge?
If spiritual energy—comprising knowledge, mental strength, and experience—could be enhanced that way, then his chakra regeneration might climb to even greater heights.
Now all I need to focus on... is how to increase my total chakra reserves...
Shortly after, Naruto arrived, now wearing his forehead protector in place of the blue goggles he used to wear.
Genzo snapped the photo in seconds, and with everything done, the two boys set off to meet the Third Hokage.
-----
Patreon.com/lordazathoth