In the woods at the edge of Konoha...
The air crackled with the sound of thunder.
Within a wide stretch of forest, trees had been leveled, and flames flickered fiercely, scorching the ground.
After unleashing the final sword form of the Thunder Breathing technique, Shiranui Riku stood frozen in place.
He had endured intense pain and relentless exhaustion, but now—for the first time in what felt like an eternity—he could hear the sounds of nature again.
[Thunder Breathing simulation complete. Rewards distributed. System disengaging control.]
As the system released control of his body, Riku collapsed violently to the ground. He curled up, his muscles spasming uncontrollably.
Agony.Pain consumed every inch of his body.So severe was the torment that he couldn't even muster the strength to scream.
Riku now deeply regretted choosing the forest as the place to allow the system to take over.Because now, he couldn't move—not even a finger—and the flames around him grew wilder by the second.
If he didn't act, he would burn alive right there.
After a long moment of lying motionless, he began to feel the rising heat licking at his skin.Survival instincts kicked in, and he started to move—painfully, slowly.
Fortunately, there was a small river nearby. If he could just crawl into it, he might survive.
But his movements were sluggish and clumsy. His body screamed in protest, and it felt like his backside was literally on fire.
Just as he was about to reach the riverbank, several figures appeared before him.
Riku raised his head with immense effort—and his eyes widened sharply.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage.
Riku had guessed that someone from Konoha would eventually notice the commotion—but he hadn't expected the Hokage himself to show up.
Still, at least he'd be rescued. Everything else could be dealt with later.
The moment Riku let down his guard and relaxed, he passed out cold.
Sarutobi Hiruzen furrowed his brow as he examined Shiranui Riku, confusion heavy in his gaze.
The destruction here was unmistakably the work of a Lightning Release user.And Riku—burnt hands, singed clothing—was the only person present.
But this level of devastation? It was far beyond what any average Chunin could do.
How could a mere student from the ninja academy be responsible?
To say Hiruzen was puzzled would be an understatement.
His opinion of Riku was complicated, but not outright negative.
Yes, Riku's parents had once defected from Konoha. But to be fair, it hadn't been a political betrayal—it was more like an elopement.
Their conflict wasn't with Konoha, but with the Uchiha clan.
Unfortunately, the Uchihas never acknowledged Riku's existence. And the villagers, bitter toward the Uchiha, redirected their resentment onto the child.
The tension between the village and the Uchiha was growing by the day.And while war loomed on the horizon, Konoha still needed the Uchiha's strength.
So, Hiruzen couldn't afford to act against the Uchiha clan for now.
Caught between public sentiment and the strategic importance of the clan, the Hokage had simply chosen to ignore Riku's existence altogether.
But now, he wasn't so sure.
If this devastation had truly been caused by Shiranui Riku, it meant the boy had far more potential than anyone had realized.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed as he stared at the unconscious student.
There were very few Lightning Release ninjutsu techniques known in Konoha.
If Riku was the source of this damage, then he had clearly mastered a powerful and unfamiliar Lightning Release technique.
Since Riku had never left the village after returning with his mother, the conclusion was clear—he had learned this technique before arriving in Konoha.
And if this technique could be passed on to the village's Lightning Release users, Konoha's strength would rise significantly.
Hiruzen finally spoke to the Anbu surrounding him:
"Extinguish the flames. Then take him to the Ninja Hospital for treatment."
The Anbu nodded and began performing Water Style ninjutsu to douse the fire.
One of them gently picked up Riku's charred, unconscious body and vanished toward the hospital.
At the Uzumaki Residence...
After being rejected by Riku, Uzumaki Kushina returned to Uzumaki Mito's mansion in a daze.
As a newcomer to Konoha, Kushina was staying under Mito's care.
Mito greeted her with a warm smile. "Kushina, how was your first day at the academy? Everything go well?"
Kushina pouted, her face full of grievance. "Grandma Mito…"
Seeing her expression, Mito walked over, scooped her up into her arms, and sat on the couch."What happened?" she asked gently.
Kushina explained how her classmates had nicknamed her "Tomato," how she had fought back against the bullies, and how she had tried to befriend Riku—only to be rejected.
"Shiranui Riku, huh?" Mito murmured softly.
Kushina looked up. "Grandma Mito, do you know him?"
Mito's voice was low. "Yes… I've heard of him."
How could she not?
Riku's father had been a member of the Senju clan—the same clan as her late husband, Senju Hashirama.
After Konoha's founding, Hashirama had disbanded the formal clan structure, encouraging the Senju to blend into the village through marriage and integration.
But when Riku's parents eloped, Mito had personally pleaded with Sarutobi Hiruzen to grant them mercy.
Her request had been denied.
Because Riku's mother was an Uchiha.
And the Uchiha, being Konoha's most powerful clan, demanded respect. As Hokage, Hiruzen had to honor that.
Later, when Riku returned to the village, Mito had offered to adopt him—but once again, she had been turned down.
Hiruzen's reasoning?That Riku was the child of traitor ninjas, disowned by the Uchiha.And Mito, as the First Hokage's widow, was too high-profile to adopt such a child.
At the time, Mito had quietly lamented how much her former student, now the Third Hokage, had changed.
She stroked Kushina's hair and asked gently,"Do you know why Riku refused to be friends with you?"
Kushina sulked. "He said, 'I'm isolated by the whole village. If you become my friend, they'll isolate you too.' Then he told me to change seats when I go back to class... and left."
Mito's eyes dimmed.
"Isolated by the entire village..."
She let out a long sigh. "Oh Monkey… Riku has done nothing wrong."
Her heart ached for the boy, but there was nothing more she could do.
As she looked at the downcast Kushina in her lap, Uzumaki Mito fell deep into thought.