Dinner ended, laughter faded, and the warmth of the night slowly dissolved into quiet.
These simple, joyful moments—one day, they would become precious memories.
Kaito glanced at his system interface.
Only one main quest remained:
—Survive until the end of Naruto: Shippuden.
While washing the last few plates, he tapped the flashing reward icon.
[Random reward extraction complete]
[Saiyan Physique](Received)
[All beginner rewards have been delivered. Player may proceed freely]
The moment he accepted it—
A surge of heat exploded through his veins.
His blood burned, his muscles tingled as if electricity crawled beneath his skin.
Crack.
The plate in his hands shattered under a careless squeeze.
Kaito inhaled sharply.
Good thing I wasn't… doing anything questionable when the reward triggered. Otherwise… that could've been tragic.
He gingerly put aside the pieces.
He didn't dare walk too hard, didn't dare lie on the sofa—every move felt dangerously strong.
Instead, at nearly 9 p.m., he slipped outside to "take a walk"
—or rather, digest the Saiyan upgrade before it tore the house apart.
Public Training Grounds, Outside the Village
Even simple push-ups were a hazard.
Every time his hands hit the ground, the earth caved in like soft clay.
He had to add a thin cushion of chakra beneath his palms just to avoid leaving fingerprints shaped like small craters.
Two hours passed.
Kaito was not tired—
No, he felt invigorated.
"So this… is a Saiyan's body?"
Once he was confident he could handle the increase in raw physical power, he tested chakra.
He stood before a massive tree, channeling energy to the soles of his feet.
Crackle—crack…!
The ground beneath him split from uncontrolled chakra pressure.
"Thought so…"
The Saiyan Physique didn't just boost muscle and stamina—it boosted his chakra output and density too.
If he didn't adapt quickly, he'd expose himself the moment he tried to perform even basic chakra control tomorrow.
The Next Morning
Uchiha Mikoto and Yakushi Nonō arrived first at the Hokage building.
Soon after, Might Duy jogged up.
"Duy-uncle, same outfit again~ I'm getting tired of looking at it," Mikoto teased.
For a proud Uchiha, that was practically affection.
"Hahaha! This is the uniform of YOUTH! I'll never take it off!"
Duy flashed his trademark white grin.
"But it's weird—Kaito-sensei has never been late before," Nonō mused.
"Maybe he overslept in the new house?"
She was clearly preparing some mischievous prank.
Just as the trio considered going to check on him—
Kaito arrived.
Dragging his feet.
Dark circles under his eyes.
Expression exhausted.
"Morning… everyone."
"Kaito-sensei, you're suuuper late," Mikoto groaned.
"We almost went to your house to see if you bought some kind of inappropriate toy."
Kaito rolled his eyes.
You're not my mother! And I'm eighteen—or technically twenty-eight in my original world—nearly fifty combined! Mind your own business, brat!
He ignored her jab, walking past with the calm dead-eyed stare of a man who had done the world's hardest leg day.
Nonō noticed his fatigue immediately but said nothing, following him in silence.
A month passed.
D-rank mission after D-rank mission.
Mikoto and Nonō felt they had memorized every cat, dog, and lost chicken in Konoha by name.
Duy remained energetic as ever.
Finally—
"Sensei, enough D-rank missions!
If not C-rank, at least teach us actual training!" Mikoto protested.
But Kaito wasn't listening.
He was too busy counting his remaining money.
From roughly 4.91 million ryō down to about 500,000.
Retirement… feels far away.
Nonō tugged his sleeve.
"Sensei! We're talking to you!"
Kaito blinked and looked around.
He'd walked past their homes by accident.
"The team synergy is decent now.
Tomorrow… let's do a proper survival test."
Both girls froze.
Duy had to blink twice.
This is the same man who forced us into D-rank missions every day?
Kaito waved casually.
"Tell Duy. Tomorrow, 10 a.m. Public Training Ground No. 118.
That's all."
He walked off.
Behind him, the girls exchanged a look—
Who is this man and where is our lazy sensei?
Outside Duy's House
Kaito paced restlessly beneath the cabin.
Upstairs, Rin had already noticed him.
She nudged her husband.
"Duy… I think Kaito needs help.
You should go."
Duy hesitated.
Then nodded firmly.
He gathered half their savings—about 30,000 ryō, all small bills—into a thick envelope and ran downstairs.
"Kaito!"
Kaito blinked.
"Ah, right—about tomorrow's trai—"
"Say no more!" Duy slapped a hand onto his shoulder, shoving the envelope into his arms.
"You're getting married tomorrow, aren't you?! So sudden!
When did you find a girlfriend?
This money—consider it my wedding gift!"
Behind them, Mikoto and Nonō froze mid-step.
Wedding???
When??
HOW?
He's been with us every day!
Kaito sighed deeply.
He gently removed Duy's hand—
Only for Duy to realize Kaito's strength felt… strangely higher than before.
"I'm not getting married," Kaito said flatly.
"I'm single. A lonely dog."
Duy blinked.
Kaito held the envelope out.
"I was coming to remind you: tomorrow at 10 a.m., Training Ground 118.
Squad Eleven's survival test."
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