Chương 76

I spent the next few hours lying quietly on the floor, my eyes fixed on the ceiling mural. I was lost in its beauty, its meaning, and all the emotions I'd poured into creating something so vivid. Maybe chaos could eventually look nice. Maybe I wasn't destined to disappear, but instead to move forward with a clear purpose and path in mind. Reinforce my resolve, strengthen it, and use it to stabilize the pillars holding up my psyche. My gaze drifted toward the door, and I smiled.

A moment later, I sensed someone standing outside. Shizuru had already arrived, but she wasn't knocking. She just stood there in silence, not making a move. I furrowed my eyebrows. Was she hesitating? My thoughts shifted to her chakra. It had been increasing steadily lately, and with her newfound excitement for physical training, she was quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. A few more seconds of hesitation passed before she finally knocked on the door.

I sighed, pushing myself up from the floor and opening the door. Shizuru stood there, a complicated expression clouding her usually calm features. I rolled my eyes gently and stepped aside.

"Come in. Give me a few minutes to get ready, then we'll go out." She nodded absentmindedly and walked in slowly, seemingly lost in her thoughts. I quickly changed from Orphan Uniform Number Two into the slightly less worn-out Orphan Uniform Number Three, then guided her distracted self out of the flat for our usual walk. The setting sun bathed Konoha's streets in soft, golden hues, shadows stretching lazily across the bustling road as villagers chatted warmly among themselves.

Delicious aromas drifted from food stalls, mingling pleasantly with the cool evening breeze. After a long silence, Shizuru finally spoke.

"You're too strong," she said quietly, almost whispering. I recoiled slightly, raising an eyebrow.

"Didn't you already know that?" She looked down, her voice softer now, tinged with resignation.

"I knew you were strong, but I didn't realize the extent of it. The difference, it's just…" She trailed off, and I finished for her.

"Ridiculous, isn't it?" Then I started laughing. Her expression darkened slightly, clearly annoyed, but I kept laughing anyway. Still, I softened my tone.

"Look, I won't apologize for who I am or the strength I've worked so hard to achieve, but I get it. I felt something similar from Kaen's words after I beat him." She nodded slowly, speaking in a subdued voice.

"We clan kids have our pride. Contrary to what people might think, we actually work very hard. Having resources and expectations pushes us even harder, so we don't disappoint or waste our families' efforts." I smiled gently, understanding her thoughts, and was about to respond when she continued, "Then you show up. I told my parents about what happened, and they looked amazed. My father even smiled, he almost never does that." A sad look crossed her face, and I realized what was troubling her.

Deciding to remain silent, I waited for her to say what she needed to.

"You did all that by yourself," she whispered.

"I'm not sad you're strong. I'm sad that I'm not as strong. Did I do something wrong? Are my efforts useless? When we graduate, will we even be on the same team? Given your strength, they might recruit you directly into ANBU, and I'll be left behind." Her uncertainty and sadness were palpable, shaking her from within. I gently placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She glanced at me with eyes full of barely contained tears, and it made my chest ache slightly. I sighed softly, trying to comfort her.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"You're doing an amazing job, Shizuru. You're by far the strongest Nara kid, and easily the smartest." She perked up slightly as I continued, "Talent isn't equal. Some people are born with incredible gifts, while others have to work twice as hard to achieve the same results. That's not anyone's fault. It's just how the world works." I couldn't exactly tell her that I had knowledge of this world's power system before I ever stepped into it.

Or how I took reckless, borderline insane risks and sprinkled in a bit of innovation to turn that knowledge into actual strength. Knowing what was possible was one thing. But forcing it into reality was something else entirely. That's why I brought up the old talent versus effort concept. It helped steer the conversation away from the truth. However she began to look discouraged again after I raised this point, so I quickly added, "But as daiken sensi once said talent can be a trap.

It makes you complacent and lazy, causes you to underestimate your opponents. Remember how the start of my fight with Kaen went?" Understanding dawned on her face as she nodded. I smiled warmly.

"Work hard. Find something you excel at and master it. Everyone has at least one thing they're great at, so find yours, push it to an unmatched level, and make sure no one can compete with you." Her eyes widened with realization. Determination flared visibly in her gaze, and after giving me a firm nod, she suddenly dashed away toward her compound, leaving me wide-eyed and stunned. I sighed deeply a moment later, a bit saddened that she'd forgotten to give me the snacks she'd brought.

Deciding to continue my walk, I welcomed the calming break as I wandered deeper into the village. The streets grew quieter, and the colors of the day softened into a gentle amber. Lanterns flickered to life one by one, casting warm light against walls worn smooth by time. The breeze carried the soft sound of sandals on stone and the low murmur of shops closing for the night. It wasn't silence, but it felt like the village was lowering its voice, settling into something slower and more peaceful.

People smiled warmly as I passed, and I paused to greet a small orange dog that stopped directly in front of me, wagging its tail with unfiltered joy. It barked happily and rubbed against my legs. I smiled, crouching slightly to give it a quick pat. Then, without any warning, the little monster raised its leg and relieved itself directly onto one of my only two pairs of pants. I immediately jumped back, cursing loudly and comically hopping around in distress.

Apparently misunderstanding my reaction as playful excitement, the dog started jumping around alongside me, enthusiastically attempting to continue its mission on my other leg. People around us laughed openly, making the situation even more mortifying. After a frantic escape, I finally returned home, mournfully inspecting my ruined pants. At the entrance, my attention shifted to something unusual. A beautiful envelope, carefully placed by the door. I picked it up gently, feeling the rich texture under my fingers.

It was exquisite, decorated with intricate floral patterns that shimmered with delicate gold leaf, it caught the light from the lamps near the flat's entrance. Even the faint fragrance of expensive paper and ink hinted at luxury. It looked like something royalty would casually send without a second thought. Curiously opening the envelope, I discovered it was an invitation from Sena's household, requesting my presence for lunch at their home within the Yamanaka clan compound one week from now.

My eyes lingered greedily on the beautiful paper, calculating how much money I could possibly get by selling this impressive piece after the visit. Stepping inside my flat, I dropped onto my single chair, considering my next steps. Soon, a clear plan emerged.

I'd master the Lightning Release: Pulse Chain, it had the potential to be incredibly effective for crowd control or to deal with multiple enemies at once, if I could train it well enough to reach its full strength, especially with my chakra reserves growing stronger. Then I'd continue refining my Stormdrive, Squeeze in more Shadow Clone practice, and finally, check with Genta about fitting our planned taijutsu training into the summer vacation.

Satisfied with my newly outlined goals, I stood up energetically from the chair, already preparing the colossal meal required to maintain my lightning chakra circulation. I smiled widely, already looking forward to the lavish feast waiting for me at Sena's house. If I played it right, I could save a good chunk of money by eating until I physically couldn't anymore. A slightly sinister grin crept onto my face at the thought. It would be rude not to fully enjoy the generosity of my host, after all.

That's when the evil laughter kicked in.