Deep within the ruins, Fujimoto Tōma lay back in the lake ford by the exposed mineral vein, his body subrged in pale green light.
The lake level had clearly dropped since his first visit.
That was... frustrating.
The mineral vein contained a form of natural energy, but it wasn’t pure. Before he could absorb it, he had to refine and convert it. His absorption speed had increased dramatically, yet the overall progress of his body’s transformation still felt painfully distant.
At one point, Tōma had genuinely wondered how people before the age of chakra had even trained. If the process was this slow, how did they survive?
Now he understood.
This wasn’t really "modification" at all. It was training. A form of cultivation that predated chakra systems. The only problem was that he had no clear tric to asure growth.
Still, the results were real.
His physique had strengthened significantly. His chakra capacity had grown alongside it. At this rate, once the process was complete, he was confident he could open several Gates of the Eight Inner Gates without injury. How many, he wouldn’t know until the end.
And if he converted all the natural energy currently stored in his body into chakra, his reserves would already far exceed what they once were.
So no, this wasn’t wasted ti.
That day, however, before his training cycle could finish, Tōma felt sothing wrong.
The mineral vein was leaking energy.
The surrounding rock trembled faintly.
He opened his senses.
"...Naruto?"
Tōma’s expression turned strange.
If Naruto was here, then this ruin really had appeared in the original story. He must have skipped this part back then.
That wasn’t the real issue.
The real issue was Naruto’s track record.
Once Naruto finished "handling things," would this ruin still exist?
More importantly... would the mineral vein survive?
That was unacceptable.
This place was critical to Tōma’s training.
Observing from below, he sensed Naruto’s opponent drawing power directly from the leaked energy. Crude usage. No technique. No ninjutsu. Just raw force.
Tōma watched the energy spill outward, then calmly moved to the source and sat down.
The mont he did, every trace of leaking power was absorbed into him.
"Such a pain..."
Nara Shikamaru stared up at the bat-like enemy darting through the air, irritation written all over his face.
This was supposed to be a simple D-rank mission. Find a missing snow ferret. That was it.
Instead, they’d been ambushed by a black-armored knight, drawn into a mobile fortress, dragged into a massive ruin, and sohow even involved the Sand Village.
It was ridiculous.
But complaints wouldn’t fix anything.
He could only hope Naruto was holding up.
Naruto, anwhile, was furious.
He glared at the true mastermind, Hyde, his fists clenched.
An old man lay collapsed nearby. Timsy, the blond boy, was unconscious on the ground. Used. Betrayed. Stripped of the Grell Stone that sustained him.
Worst of all, Hyde had revealed the truth.
He was the one who murdered Timsy’s parents.
The person Timsy had served all this ti... was his greatest enemy.
Naruto felt his chest burn.
He had almost beaten Hyde already, but that wild surge of energy had suppressed him at the last mont. Still, Naruto could tell. Hyde didn’t know how to use it. Given ti, Naruto could win.
Then, suddenly, the energy vanished.
Silence fell.
"What?!" Hyde scread. "Why is it gone?! Grell Stone, give power!"
Nothing happened.
"Impossible! Has the Grell vein run dry?!"
The old man, watching from the ground, frowned in confusion.
That shouldn’t have happened... but if it had, maybe this was for the best.
Naruto didn’t hesitate.
"Looks like even fate’s done with you."
Red chakra flared as he ford a vividly glowing Rasengan.
"Don’t co any closer!" Hyde panicked.
"You don’t get forgiveness."
Naruto slamd the Rasengan into Hyde’s chest.
The impact crushed him into the wall. The Grell Stone shattered. His chest caved in completely.
Even Tsunade couldn’t have saved him.
Naruto rushed to Timsy’s side.
Above them, the old man sighed. With the ritual platform destroyed and the power gone, there was no need for further sacrifices.
This was over.
Deep below, Tōma sensed Naruto’s group leaving and the entrance to the ruin being sealed by an explosion.
He exhaled quietly.
Good. The mineral vein was safe.
He leaned back and let himself sink into the glowing lake again.
The next day, Tōma made a rare visit to the Hokage’s office.
He requested Naruto’s mission report.
"Since when are you interested in Naruto’s missions?" Tsunade asked, puzzled, but handed him Shikamaru’s report.
"Ran into it by coincidence," Tōma replied.
He read through it, then paused at the mission description.
A missing snow ferret.
...Of course.
"Naruto really does attract trouble," Tsunade muttered. "Every mission turns weird."
"It’s Naruto," Tōma said with a small smile.
At that mont, the door opened.
Jiraiya walked in.
"Oh? Tōma’s here too. Perfect," Jiraiya said casually.
Tsunade pinched her temple.
"What do you want now?"
"I’m heading out to investigate the Akatsuki," Jiraiya said. "And I’m taking Naruto with . His basics need work."
Tōma and Tsunade both stiffened.
"You told him?" Tsunade asked.
"Not yet."
She considered it, then nodded. "Fine. But gather intel. Don’t get reckless."
Jiraiya laughed.
"Since when do you worry about ?"
"Get out," Tsunade snapped, throwing a scroll.
As Jiraiya turned to leave, Tōma glanced at him.
"...Sensei, did you gain weight?"
Jiraiya froze.
Tsunade looked him over. "He’s right. Older and heavier."
Jiraiya fled imdiately.
A few days later, at Konoha’s gate, Tōma, Sakura, and Hinata watched Naruto and Jiraiya depart.
Naruto waved enthusiastically.
Sakura searched the crowd, her eyes dimming when she didn’t find who she was looking for.
She never noticed the ANBU figure standing atop the gate, wearing a plain white mask.
Sasuke t Naruto’s gaze.
They exchanged a silent smile.
Then Sasuke vanished.
Tōma watched Naruto’s retreating back, his eyes distant.
The curtain was rising.
...
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