The world was hazy, bathed in a soft, ethereal glow. Ryuga found himself standing in an unfamiliar place—a vast, moonlit field that stretched endlessly into the distance. A silhouette stood before him, just out of reach, their form obscured by the mist. Despite not being able to see her clearly, there was an undeniable warmth in her presence.
Before he could move closer, the figure reached out and flicked his forehead with gentle strength. A soft, melodic voice echoed in the air, the words just barely slipping through his consciousness.
"Grow wonderfully… child."
Ryuga's eyes snapped open, his breath hitching in his throat. His heart pounded as he sat up in bed, feeling an odd sense of longing. He reached up, touching his forehead where the figure had flicked him. A strange warmth still lingered.
Something felt… different.
He closed his eyes for a moment, reaching inward toward his chakra. It was stronger, more refined—like a river that had suddenly broken free of its constraints. Not only that, but there was something new, something unidentifiable stirring deep within him. His body felt lighter, yet more powerful, as if he had unlocked a dormant part of himself.
Shaking off the remnants of sleep, he jumped out of bed, eager to see what had changed. His first thought was Naruto, but when he checked his room, he found it empty.
"Naruto's already gone?" Ryuga murmured to himself before making his way downstairs.
In the kitchen, he found his mother, Kushina, busy preparing breakfast. She looked up with a warm smile.
"Morning, sleepyhead. Naruto already left early this morning," she informed him, setting a plate on the table.
Ryuga blinked. "Already? Where did he go?"
"His new teacher picked him up," Kushina replied. "Minato said this was a good opportunity for him, so I let him go."
Ryuga sighed. "I wanted to see what kind of training he's getting."
Kushina chuckled. "You'll have your own training to focus on, Ryuga. Your father already left for the Hokage office, but he arranged for someone else to help you today."
Ryuga tilted his head. "Who?"
Kushina smirked. "Go to the training area and see for yourself."
Ryuga, curious but eager, finished his meal quickly and set out. As he approached the training grounds, he noticed a figure standing in the clearing, arms crossed with a confident yet relaxed demeanor.
Shisui Uchiha.
Ryuga's eyes widened slightly before he broke into a grin. "Shisui-nii-san."
Shisui turned, his sharp eyes meeting Ryuga's before softening. "Yo, Ryuga. Looks like I'll be training you today."
Ryuga inclined his head respectfully. "I appreciate it, Shisui-nii-san."
Shisui chuckled. "No need for formalities. Your old man asked me to teach you a special technique of mine—the Body Flicker in its most advanced form. But before that, let's see where you stand right now."
Ryuga clenched his fists, excitement bubbling within him. "A spar?"
Shisui nodded. "Exactly. Come at me with everything you've got."
The moment those words left his mouth, Ryuga moved. He rushed forward, throwing a swift punch aimed at Shisui's midsection. Shisui, ever the seasoned warrior, sidestepped effortlessly, countering with a palm strike toward Ryuga's shoulder.
Ryuga twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the strike before launching a roundhouse kick. Shisui blocked it with ease, the impact barely making him budge.
"Not bad," Shisui mused. "But let's speed it up."
Suddenly, his body flickered—disappearing and reappearing behind Ryuga in the blink of an eye. Ryuga barely had time to react before a hand tapped his shoulder.
"Too slow," Shisui whispered before sweeping Ryuga's legs out from under him.
Ryuga flipped mid-air, landing on his feet and immediately retaliated with a flurry of strikes. Shisui parried each one, his movements almost lazy, as if he was holding back significantly.
Frustration simmered in Ryuga. He's too fast!
Deciding to change tactics, Ryuga formed hand seals rapidly. "Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
A concentrated blast of wind surged toward Shisui. He leaped back to avoid it, but Ryuga had anticipated this. Forming another set of seals, he followed up with a Water Release technique.
"Water Release: Raging Torrent!"
A spiraling jet of water shot forward, catching Shisui in mid-air. However, the moment the attack struck, Shisui's form flickered—only for Ryuga to realize it was merely an afterimage.
From behind, a voice spoke casually, "You need to be more unpredictable."
Before Ryuga could react, a wave of heat washed over him. He turned just in time to see Shisui forming a single-hand seal.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flame Dance."
A cluster of fireballs erupted toward him. Ryuga barely managed to weave through them, but Shisui wasn't finished. The moment he evaded the attack, Shisui flickered again, reappearing in multiple locations almost simultaneously.
Ryuga gritted his teeth. His eyes strained to follow Shisui's movements, but he couldn't keep up. He's everywhere at once!
A sharp impact struck his side as Shisui's elbow connected with his ribs. Ryuga staggered but quickly regained his footing, his mind racing.
He's using the Body Flicker in a way that lets him switch places with his clones…
His chakra stirred, an instinctual feeling rising within him. His breath steadied as he focused on the sensation. The air around him grew colder.
"Froze Drive…" he murmured under his breath.