Before following clues and finding out more about Itachi and my new mission, I had to return ho. Not only to "et" my parents, but also because it was where I could truly have ti to test my skills and explore the system further. So I left the dango shop and headed there.
As I made my way ho, I began to notice the streets of Konoha, which were already growing emptier as the sun set. Every corner, every rooftop, and even the distant sound of children playing were pieces of a world that, as incredible as it was, I had to accept as my new reality.
As I turned onto a less busy street, silence began to settle in, and I felt almost instant relief. After a very intense day, my mind finally began to process everything.
"Itachi Uchiha," I muttered, replaying our conversation at the dango shop. His posture, his words... everything about him seed to carry an invisible weight.
'He's really sothing else. Man, can you imagine going through everything he's going through? No wonder he has those huge dark circles under his eyes.'
"Well, all I can do is explore and try to find a way to solve this big problem, but it's not worth thinking too much about it right now," I said aloud as I stretched.
After a few minutes of walking, I finally arrived near Senju Park. So dry leaves were being blown by the wind that seed to swirl in from every direction, and more of them fell from the trees of the large forest reserve. This image seed to be recurring in my mory — arriving ho at sunset and Senju Park always silent, with few people here and there walking around.
It was funny to think that a place so closely linked to the na of Hashirama, the man who founded Konoha, was treated like this... as sothing so easily overlooked by most people.
That's when my house ca into view. It was a simple building, surrounded by a small, well-kept garden. A swing attached to an old tree swayed gently in the wind. The sight brought a sense of belonging that, for a mont, dispelled my doubts.
As I opened the door, the sll of fresh tea and steaming rice filled the air. My mother was in the kitchen, stirring pots with a concentrated expression, while my father sat at the table with several scrolls open in front of him. He looked like he was studying sothing important.
"Welco back, Riku!" said my mother with a warm smile. "How was your day at the academy?"
mories flooded my mind again. I felt as if they were my real parents — the monts we had lived together felt so real that I couldn't question their truth.
'So this really is my new life... I need to get used to it soon,' I thought, before answering her.
"Hi, Mom, it was really cool, actually. We're reviewing the jutsus now that it's the last week of class," I said as I took off my sandals to enter the house and sit down at the table.
"That's great, son!" she replied, with that sa smile on her face.
"But I also had an unexpected encounter," I ended up saying without even thinking—it ca out so naturally that I couldn't hold it back.
"Unexpected encounter?" My father looked up from his scrolls, curious.
"Yes, I t Itachi Uchiha," I replied. "He even stopped to talk to ."
My father's eyes narrowed slightly, as if analyzing every word. "That Uchiha prodigy everyone talks about? Did he say anything that caught your attention?"
"He talked about continuing to train and asked what I want to do after I graduate," I said, shrugging. "But I feel like he was... analyzing , you know?"
My mother laughed softly as she placed a bowl of rice on the table.
"You've always been observant, Riku. Maybe he saw sothing in you."
"Maybe," I replied, unsure.
After dinner, I retired to the backyard. The night was calm, with a light breeze and the moon illuminating the garden. It was the perfect mont to test my Mokuton skills. I sat on the dirt and closed my eyes.
I rembered the few tis I had managed to manifest sothing with Mokuton. Small branches, nothing more than that. It was ti to attempt sothing more solid.
The silence of the backyard was broken only by the distant sound of the wind in the leaves. Seated on the ground, I took a deep breath, trying to connect with the chakra of the earth and nearby trees.
I closed my eyes again and channeled my chakra, as I had done many tis before.
Then, sothing unexpected happened. A faint light appeared before . I opened my eyes instinctively, and there was the system screen floating in the air, translucent with golden letters glowing softly against the darkness of the night.
*
[Shinobi System Activated]
[Loading Available Skills...]
Mokuton: Basic Wood Control
(Allows the creation of small branches and limited manipulation of existing wood.)
Amplified Chakra: Earth and Water Fusion (Passive)
(Allows you to manipulate both elents as a basis for Mokuton. Efficiency varies depending on chakra control.)
[Secondary Skills]
Enhanced Chakra Control
(Improves jutsu accuracy and reduces chakra consumption.)
Physical Resistance
(Increases the body's overall resistance to physical attacks and mild fatigue.)
[Current Missions]
Find out more about Itachi Uchiha
(Progress: 5%)
*
"Mission, skills... I really like this," I whispered, almost to myself.
I turned my attention back to the skill Mokuton: Basic Wood Control. I tapped the description with my finger, and the screen changed, showing additional details:
*
[Training]
Training skills allows you to evolve them to beco stronger. The strength of Mokuton lies in the user's connection with nature.
Evolve your mokuton level to discover more.
*
"All right. Let's begin with the basics."
I closed my eyes again and focused on the skill. Chakra flowed into my hands, and soon I felt the ground vibrate slightly beneath my fingers.
A small branch, no thicker than a finger, sprouted from the ground in front of .
I opened my eyes slowly, and there it was. It wasn't much, but I could feel a strong connection.
"Not much... but it's a start."
I spent a few minutes repeating the process, creating more small branches around . Each ti I did, my control seed to improve a little. Then I heard a soft "ding" and the system screen returned.
*
[Current Progress: Basic Wood Control - 25%]
[Your control with Mokuton has increased! 12 EXP]
*
"Interesting... progress is tracked, and I even gain EXP just from training!" I thought, excitent building.
After a few more attempts, I decided to explore the system a little more. I tapped the [Technique Evolution] icon, and new information appeared.
*
[Technique Evolution]
Technique Points are used to unlock or improve jutsu in the [Technique Tree] nu. Each jutsu has minimum requirents, such as Level, Intelligence, or Chakra Control. The player can open the nu and spend a point by clicking on the desired technique. So techniques require prior narrative training to beco available. Techniques can evolve after continuous use or creative application in combat.
[Available Technique Points: 1]
*
"Hmm, so this is how I'll unlock more techniques, huh? I guess I earn more points by leveling up. Let's take a look at this [Technique Tree]."
...
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