Chapter 71: I Have Not Tried It, But I Have Experienced Many Battles
If... that's Konoha a few years from now, then where exactly am I?
Ryosuke's Byakugan was still active, allowing him to perceive far beyond the normal range. Yet even with his heightened senses, sothing was off. He couldn't see everything clearly—especially not himself.
His vision of the future had only revealed fragnts. He saw Uchiha Sasuke growing rapidly in strength. Within a few short years, Sasuke might uncover the truth behind the Uchiha clan's massacre. And with a pair of not-yet-fully-evolved Mangekyō Sharingan, he would one day turn the entire village upside down.
But beyond that... nothing.
Ryosuke couldn't see the full picture, and he had no idea what happened to himself. He hadn't mastered the ability to see the future. In fact, he barely understood how to trigger it, let alone control it.
Still, one thing he did understand was the cost.
His chakra reserves remained full, untouched. But his body—his spirit—felt drained. It wasn't chakra being consud by this ability... it was vitality and spiritual energy.
That said, Ryosuke wasn't too worried. This wasn't his old, magic-less world. In this one, there were techniques to prolong life, even achieve immortality. As long as he didn't abuse the ability, he'd be fine. The key was learning how to use it properly.
"Ryosuke, lunch break's over..."
Hinata's soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He blinked, realizing that quite a bit of ti had passed.
Turning to her, he caught the worried look in her eyes. He smiled gently and stood up. "Don't worry. I'm fine, really."
"But..." she hesitated, "That smile just now... it felt really bitter."
She was talking about the way he looked right after snapping out of his daze.
"I saw sothing that made think too much for a mont," Ryosuke said, stretching his arms and then reaching over to gently pinch her cheek. "But after thinking it through, I realized it's not that big of a deal."
"Hey!" Hinata swatted his hand away, puffing up. "And don't just pinch my cheek like that! What are you even saying...?"
"I'm just saying," Ryosuke smirked, "you've put on a little weight. You eat a lot, you know? Maybe slow it down a bit."
"No way!"
She shot up, her face red, clearly flustered. "I do eat a lot, but I burn a lot too! I'm not gaining weight!"
Ryosuke laughed, stepping back just in ti to dodge her swing. "I'm just saying, at this rate, our family's gonna go broke trying to feed you."
"You jerk!"
Hinata lunged at him, but Ryosuke was too quick, already halfway down the stairs.
"Class is about to start. We better hurry," he called out behind him.
Hinata chased after him but slowed down as soon as they reached the hallway. With people around, she held back, instead shooting him a death glare.
"I'm not fat," she muttered to herself, pinching her own cheek once he was out of sight.
Then her fingers froze.
Wait... maybe just a little...?
---
Back in the classroom, Ryosuke noticed soone unexpected had returned—Naruto. He hadn't been around all morning, but now he was back in his seat... and he was wearing a forehead protector.
Clearly, he'd passed the graduation exam.
Whispers filled the room. Students kept glancing toward Naruto, eyes wide with surprise and curiosity. In the past, most treated him like he didn't exist. Even when he ranked first in their year, he'd barely gotten any attention.
But now? Now he was a ninja.
After years with no one succeeding in solo graduation applications, Naruto had done it.
Ryosuke took his seat next to him. "So... how does it feel?"
Naruto grinned. "Not bad at all. Admiration and envy—never felt those directed at before."
He paused, then turned toward Ryosuke. "But what about you? You're not planning to graduate early? I saw Sasuke applying when I left the exam site."
"If he's going up against the sa Genin I did, he should pass too," he added, getting a little excited. "We'll be split into three-man cells, right? If you apply too, we might all be on the sa team!"
He pumped his fist. "With Sasuke and as the main force, and you backing us up, we won't even need a Jonin."
"I'm not graduating early."
Ryosuke shook his head with a helpless smile. "I'm waiting for Hinata."
Naruto blinked, confused. "Huh? Why wait for her?"
Ryosuke sighed inwardly. Because you, Sasuke, and Hinata in the sa squad is a political nightmare waiting to happen. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the last Uchiha, and the Hyuga heiress? No way the higher-ups would put all three on the sa team.
"Let's just say it's a clan thing," Ryosuke said instead. "Besides, Hinata's going to be the Hyuga clan's next head. As her future husband, I should stick by her."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You're already thinking about marriage? Damn, man..."
He leaned in, voice suddenly serious. "Ryosuke, I an this as your friend. Won slow you down. We're still young—we should be focused on getting stronger. All that romance stuff? It just holds you back."
He glanced around the classroom. "You've seen it yourself. The people here who focus on love... they haven't improved at all."
Ryosuke rolled his eyes. If I hadn't shown up, you'd be that guy. Caught up in your feelings, chasing after Sakura, letting emotions screw with your training.
"We Hyuga are built different," Ryosuke said, keeping his tone calm. "And like I said, Hinata's clan heir. I'm just doing my duty."
He and Hinata had already agreed on that excuse. It kept things simple and gave her the social cover she needed.
"...That's a sha," Naruto muttered. "You're seriously strong. Feels like a waste."
To Ryosuke, it just sounded like the complaints of a guy who'd never been in a relationship. He didn't get it—love wasn't a trap. Naruto just didn't know what he was missing.
Before Ryosuke could respond, a sudden shout echoed through the classroom.
"Sasuke's back!"
Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced Chapters
Pâtreon /Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
Discord Link Here:
.gg/MntqcdpRZ9
Reviews
All reviews (0)