Yesterday, at the training grounds.
Jun's fight with Kuromaru hadn't lasted long.
But he could still clearly recall how different it had felt to be in a real fight.
Like when he slipped past Anko and launched a spinning high kick—the Konoha Whirlwind.
It had been his first time using that move.
Up until then, while training taijutsu under Might Guy, they'd only focused on foundational body training and strengthening through the internal chakra flow in his network—specifically, through the opening of the Eight Gates.
He'd never actually executed a real move in battle.
And back during the academy's graduation assessments, he'd always just gone through the motions and surrendered quickly.
That thought still made Jun grit his teeth.
And yet they still let him graduate.
Where was the justice in that?
"Forget it," Jun muttered, "I'm not using Auto-Practice again."
The benefits were undeniable. Taijutsu, the Great Fireball Technique, chakra extraction and control—they'd all left behind muscle memory. Even the activation of the Sharingan had likely been influenced by the system's intervention.
But...
He remembered losing control of his body, breaking into people's homes—and the women's bath.
"Nope. Never again." Jun resolved, hands clenched.
He couldn't risk it. That last time had only gone over smoothly because of his age and because Captain Tsume vouched for him.
Next time, if something worse happened?
There might not be a next time.
Jun exhaled deeply.
If it meant he had to train slower, so be it. He had the system's panel to track progress, and he wasn't lacking motivation.
That day, Jun stayed in the hospital.
He didn't return to the Uchiha compound.
First off, he'd burned down Tekka's house just the night before, and both Tekka and Iou were probably still out for revenge.
Second, even if he wasn't punished for storming the women's bath, his name had definitely spread all over Konoha.
Going out now? He'd be treated like some sort of exotic beast.
Better to lay low for now.
Besides, he'd be leaving on a mission in a couple days anyway. Might as well let the gossip die down.
The next afternoon, Jun snuck back home.
During the day was safer—Tekka and Iou would be at work at the Police Department.
He packed quickly—just essentials for the trip ahead.
Most importantly, he grabbed the stash of money he'd hidden away.
If he ended up dying on this mission, he wasn't about to leave it behind for nothing.
Not that it was much.
Ever since his parents passed, Jun had barely scraped by on the meager orphan stipend. If not for the help of the elderly Uchiha couple next door, he'd have nothing saved.
He was genuinely grateful to them.
That thought reminded him of someone else—the newborn son of the clan head.
The future...
Time was slipping through his fingers.
Jun tied a battered ninja pouch to his waist and loaded the rest into his pack.
The old pouch was a keepsake from his parents, though it was empty now.
"You heading out of the village, kid?"
One of the compound guards spotted Jun with his full pack and called out.
"Yeah," Jun muttered distractedly as he walked past.
"No manners at all," the man grumbled. "A brat like you, daring to charge into the women's bath—Uchiha disgrace… whatever."
Then he raised his voice. "Doesn't matter what they say, just make sure you come back safe, kid!"
Tap.
Jun stopped mid-step.
He turned around, lifted a fist in the air like a little cheerleader, and said, "Thanks! I will, old man!"
What a good guy.
Even Iou and Tekka… sure, they were bullies, always throwing their weight around.
But were they really evil?
Jun squinted as he waved goodbye with a smile.
Still, deep down, part of him wondered…
If he ever got the chance… could he strangle that little yellow-eyed ferret born to the clan head this year?
Shame.
A guy like Fugaku… someone like him was too far above Jun's status to even approach.
Jun walked through the village streets, his pack on his back.
The stares and whispers followed him like shadows.
He picked up the pace.
Still, he had errands to run—things he needed to survive.
He arrived at the ninja tools shop.
"Give me two kunai. If you've got a short blade, I'll take that too."
"Oh-ho! One of the Uchiha kids, huh?" the shop owner said with a hearty laugh. "You're in luck. I've got just the thing. Finest quality short sword."
Jun looked up from the shelves filled with kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and smoke bombs—
And flinched.
That voice had sounded soft, maybe even feminine.
But the owner? Built like a boulder, with a beard that could shred steel.
"Uh… yeah. I want something this length," Jun said, motioning with his hands.
He'd never trained in weapon throwing seriously, mostly because he couldn't afford it.
The stuff burned through ryo fast.
Even the most basic tools were too pricey for someone like him.
Forget those premium weapons made by the ninja cats the Uchiha had contracts with—those were practically treasures.
"Here," the burly man said, handing over a short blade about the length of Jun's forearm.
Jun unsheathed it with a satisfying shing.
A cold, blue gleam ran along the metal's curve.
He fell in love instantly.
"This blade just came in," the shopkeeper said proudly. "Crafted by smiths from the Land of Iron. Reinforced high-tensile alloy. Unique tempering method, top-notch—"
"Okay, okay," Jun interrupted nervously. "You're making me feel unworthy of it. Just tell me the price."
The man chuckled. "How could you be unworthy, such a fine young man! Tell you what, special discount. Only 40,000 ryo."
He leaned in, lowering his voice. "No—38,000! And I'll throw in 200 high-carbon senbon for free."
Clang.
Jun dropped the blade back onto the counter without expression. "How much for kunai?"
The man didn't take offense. He calmly set the short sword aside and brought out two plain kunai with a grin. "Best price—200 ryo each."
Jun flexed. "I'll take three."
He tucked the three basic kunai into his worn pouch and left under the watchful, puzzled eyes of the shopkeeper.
Basic kunai didn't channel chakra well.
They weren't very durable either.
A single one cost barely more than a bowl of ramen.
That short blade?
Jun really did love it.
But what could he do?
His life savings weren't even enough to cover half the price.