---
The sun had yet to rise, and the village was cloaked in a soft pre-dawn haze when Rinjin landed quietly near Training Ground 7. The air was crisp, dew clung to the grass, and birds were just beginning to stir.
He rubbed sleep from his eyes, stifling a yawn. "What kind of lunatic trains at 4 AM…?"
"YOSH! RINJIN-KUN, YOU HAVE ARRIVED!"
Rinjin jumped slightly as Might Guy appeared before him in a flash of green and white, his perfect teeth sparkling despite the absence of sunlight.
"Guy-senpai," Rinjin greeted, forcing a smile. "You're, uh… really loud in the morning."
"ENERGY IS THE FLAME OF YOUTH, MY YOUNG COMRADE!" Guy declared, striking a dynamic pose. "Now, as promised—TODAY WE COMPETE! WHO CAN CLEAR THE MOST RUBBLE IN ONE HOUR!"
"…I thought we were just doing morning cardio."
Guy gave him a thumbs-up, his brow gleaming with conviction. "Rubble-clearing IS cardio! Come! Let the flames of youth BURN BRIGHT!"
---
Morning – Physical Training
For the next hour and a half, Rinjin sprinted, lifted, dragged, leapt, and nearly puked twice trying to keep up with Guy. They cleared rubble by hurling boulders, carrying support beams, and hauling wreckage from a half-collapsed storage depot still untouched by clean-up crews.
Guy made it a contest.
Rinjin didn't win.
But he didn't collapse either.
And when they finally stopped, Guy clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning. "You've got good bones, Rinjin-kun! A lesser man would have passed out halfway through!"
"Glad I… meet your standards," Rinjin wheezed, hands on his knees. "Do you… do this every day?"
"Yes! With my eternal rival, Kakashi! But he sleeps in sometimes, so you are a worthy stand-in!"
Rinjin groaned.
What have I gotten myself into…
---
Midday – Chakra Control and Jutsu Practice
After a hearty breakfast of rice balls and leftover curry, Rinjin retreated to a secluded area near the western cliffs of Konoha, where a shallow stream ran alongside a grove of trees.
From a scroll delivered by Anbu that morning, he now had access to three B-rank jutsu:
Wind Release: Gale Spike Barrage – a burst of condensed wind blades launched in rapid succession.
Fire Release: Ember Serpent – a stream of fire shaped like a writhing snake that could coil around targets.
Lightning Release: Arc Talon – a close-range burst of electricity that sharpened reflexes and temporarily enhanced striking power.
Before trying the jutsu, he began with chakra control.
He placed a leaf on his forehead and focused.
Five minutes passed. The leaf fluttered.
Ten more minutes. It slipped down his nose.
After nearly twenty minutes, he managed to hold the leaf in place.
Not bad… for someone who didn't attend the Academy properly.
Next, tree climbing. Channeling chakra into his feet, he sprinted toward the nearest trunk—and promptly slid down, face-first.
"Great," he muttered, spitting leaves.
Hours passed. His chakra control improved in tiny increments. By late afternoon, he could scale the tree halfway without slipping and maintain the leaf balance for nearly five minutes straight.
Then came jutsu practice.
His wind and fire jutsu had the most success. Lightning was trickier—he overshot once and shocked himself enough to send a jolt down his spine.
"Note to self," he muttered, "don't cast Arc Talon near water."
---
Evening
By the time the sun dipped below the mountains, Rinjin was trudging back to his apartment like a shinobi zombie. His muscles ached, his chakra reserves were running low, and he'd almost walked into a mailbox twice.
Unlocking his apartment, he barely made it to the futon before face-planting onto it, limbs splayed.
"Tomorrow," he mumbled into the pillow, "I'm not waking up for Guy-senpai. Nope. I'm sleeping in. I don't care if he calls it the flames of youth. He can keep them."
Then, with a final groan, Rinjin let sleep claim him, his breath evening out as the village hummed quietly in the background, still healing from
---
The Hokage Tower still buzzed with the energy of recovery. Rinjin walked its halls with quiet confidence, a scroll tucked under his arm. He'd finished reviewing the B-rank jutsu Hiruzen had allowed him to study and was returning it as promised.
Inside the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't look up immediately, deeply engrossed in paperwork. When he did, he offered a brief nod.
"Efficient," the Third said, gesturing for Rinjin to set the scroll down.
"I aim to please," Rinjin said with a casual shrug.
Hiruzen studied the boy for a moment. "Have the ANBU delivered the elemental jutsu you requested?"
"They did. Three scrolls. Fire, wind, and lightning. I appreciate it."
The old man's eyes narrowed slightly in amusement. "Most shinobi politely decline when I offer additional resources. You, however, demand them."
Rinjin gave a half-smile. "You did say I could come to you if I needed help. I'm just… maximizing the offer."
Hiruzen chuckled. "Shameless and cunning. I'll be watching your career closely, Rinjin Takeda."
"I'm honored… I think."
---
4:03 AM – Rinjin's Apartment
Rinjin lay snoring on his futon, an open scroll as his blanket and a half-eaten rice ball balanced precariously on his chest.
BOOM!
The front door exploded off its hinges.
"WAKE UP, RINJIN-KUN! THE MORNING OF YOUTH IS HERE!"
Rinjin jerked awake, hand instinctively reaching for a kunai. He blinked blearily to see a green blur in his doorway, fists on his hips and teeth sparkling.
"…Guy-senpai?" Rinjin croaked. "You kicked down my door."
"I COULDN'T FIND THE DOORBELL!"
"I don't have a doorbell."
"THEN IT WAS FATED FOR ME TO KICK IT IN!"
Rinjin sat up, disoriented. "How did you even find my place?"
Guy grinned. "I asked the scroll delivery ANBU! FRIENDSHIP OPENS ALL DOORS!"
Rinjin sighed, slowly standing. "So… are you replacing Kakashi with me now?"
"YES! YOU ARE MY YOUTHFUL RIVAL!"
"…Great. I've inherited a door-kicking, boulder-lifting, track-star psychopath."
"ONWARD, RINJIN-KUN!"
And then Guy physically dragged him out the door.
---
Training Field 7 – Two Hours Later
The sun still hadn't risen, but Rinjin had done over five hundred pushups, sprinted a mile with a log strapped to his back, and was now racing Guy up a sheer cliff wall—without chakra.
"This is not normal!" he groaned.
"THIS IS YOUTH!"
Despite his whining, Rinjin couldn't deny how effective it was. His body ached, yes—but in a productive, satisfying way.
By the time they finished, Rinjin slumped against a rock, drenched in sweat, pulse thudding.
Guy patted his back like he hadn't just completed a genjutsu-tier torture session. "You did well, Rinjin-kun! You are WORTHY of being my second rival!"
"Second?"
"KAKASHI-SAN IS STILL AHEAD! FOR NOW!"
"…I knew it."
---
Later That Day – D-Rank Clean-Up Mission
Assigned to assist with cleanup on the outskirts of the Uchiha compound, Rinjin found himself clearing rubble from collapsed homes. His mind wandered between chakra control exercises and muscle memory as he lifted shattered beams and tiles.
"Hey! You missed a spot!" someone called.
He turned to see a boy his age with a cocky smirk and dark hair, tossing a broken roof tile from his shoulder.
"I didn't miss it," Rinjin said. "I was ignoring it."
"Typical excuse," the boy replied, planting his shovel dramatically. "Name's Jin Arata. You?"
"Rinjin Takeda."
"You look like you've been put through the wringer."
"I was kidnapped by a green blur this morning."
Jin blinked. "You met Guy?"
"You say that like it's a thing."
"Oh, it's a thing. Trust me."
Rinjin shook his head, already feeling like the village had too many strange characters. "So… wanna turn this into a challenge?"
Jin grinned. "Now you're speaking my language."
---
Evening – Rinjin's Apartment (Door Temporarily Boarded Up)
Rinjin crawled into bed, muscles screaming. Training with Guy at dawn, chakra control drills and jutsu practice mid-day, rubble-clearing race in the afternoon… he was wrecked.
But a small grin tugged at his lips.
He wasn't spiraling into grief.
He wasn't overwhelmed by anger or vengeance.
He was just… moving forward. One day at a Time.
---
Konoha was rebuilding. Streets once filled with smoke and rubble now bustled with activity. Reconstruction had become a rhythm—footsteps of laborers, the occasional rumble of stones being shifted, and laughter ringing out between bursts of hammering. Despite the scars, life moved forward.
Rinjin Takeda, freshly showered and slightly sore from Guy's latest "youthful ambush," walked with his hands in his pockets toward a stall that had somehow survived the chaos: Ichiraku Ramen.
He'd heard the name before.
A memory from his past life echoed—"Ichiraku Ramen is the best place in Konoha!" Naruto had said that countless times. Rinjin had always dismissed it as just nostalgia goggles from the blonde knucklehead. But now, with some time to kill, he figured: Might as well see if it lives up to the hype.
---
Ichiraku Ramen Stall
The smell hit him first—savory broth simmered with garlic, pork, and spices. His stomach grumbled audibly as he pulled back the curtain.
Inside sat a handful of shinobi, chatting over steaming bowls of ramen. Teuchi nodded politely as Rinjin slid onto one of the stools.
Before he could speak, he heard it—
"RINJIN-KUN!!!"
A heavy hand slapped his back like a hammer. Rinjin nearly fell off his seat.
"Guy-senpai… please… not in public."
"Ahaha! You are always so modest!" Guy beamed before turning to the group.
"EVERYONE! THIS IS RINJIN TAKEDA! MY FATED SECOND RIVAL!"
Six sets of eyes turned toward him.
Kakashi Hatake looked up from his bowl, his face half-covered by his mask and an orange book in hand. His lone visible eye crinkled.
"Hm. Another one?"
Asuma Sarutobi chuckled, puffing a cigarette. "You just collect them now, huh, Guy?"
Kurenai Yuhi offered a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Rinjin."
Anko Mitarashi raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't look suicidal enough to be your rival."
Yugao Uzuki gave a polite nod, silently sipping from a teacup.
Rinjin bowed slightly. "Uh… pleasure to meet you all. I didn't expect such a crowd."
"It's rare to catch us all off duty," Asuma explained. "But with the clean-up pace slowing down, we finally got a breather."
"I came for the ramen," Rinjin said, trying not to draw too much attention. "Wanted to see what all the fuss was about."
"You won't be disappointed," Kakashi said lazily. "Naruto's right about one thing—Teuchi-san's ramen is worth the hype."
A bowl was placed in front of Rinjin. He stared at the golden broth, thin noodles, roasted pork slices, scallions, and half an egg resting perfectly on top.
One bite, he told himself.
Three minutes later, the bowl was empty.
"…Damn," Rinjin muttered. "It is that good."
Guy clapped him on the back again. "OF COURSE! RAMEN IS THE FUEL OF YOUTH!"
"I'll definitely be back," Rinjin said, standing. "But I've got more training to do. It was good meeting you all."
"Keep an eye on this one," Kurenai murmured to Kakashi as Rinjin left. "He's sharp."
"He's got drive," Asuma added.
Guy nodded with pride. "He's just getting started."
---
Konoha Shinobi Library – Restricted Wing
Rinjin's sandals clicked softly against polished wood as he browsed the shelves. He had already secured permission from the librarian—a tired-looking chunin named Mori—to review entry-level scrolls for kenjutsu and sealing arts.
His reasoning had been simple:
I inherited a weapons shop full of deadly tools. I should learn how to use them well.
He pulled three scrolls from the shelves:
1. "Kenjutsu Fundamentals: Blade Balance and Footwork"
2. "Tanto and Wakizashi Tactics in Close Quarters"
3. "Intro to Sealing: Script, Chakra Ink, and Containment Circles"
With these tucked under his arm, he signed them out and left.
---
Forest of Death – Late Afternoon
Training ground 44 was restricted to qualified shinobi. Luckily, Rinjin's rank and temporary leave approval gave him access. The giant trees and ominous atmosphere suited him—it meant no nosy villagers and plenty of space.
He spent the next hour practicing his kunai accuracy. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't prodigious either. His goal was consistency—ten out of ten hits on moving targets.
Afterward, he drilled the three B-rank jutsu he had received from Hiruzen:
Fire Style: Flame Bullet
Wind Style: Gale Palm
Lightning Style: Arc Needle
He cycled between them until his chakra reserves dipped below half, then turned to chakra control—climbing trees, walking on water, and drawing precise ink scripts for basic sealing formulas.
He worked until sunset, covered in sweat, a smear of ink on his cheek, and satisfied.
---
Night – Rinjin's Apartment
His body collapsed onto the futon like a sack of rice.
He stared at the ceiling in silence for a moment, then murmured to himself:
"Not a bad day."
Between ramen, rivals, research, and relentless training—he was building a foundation.
One day, Rinjin Takeda would become someone strong enough to change things.
Not out of vengeance, or pride… but because he could.
---