area51novel Chapter 17 Each on Their Own Path
Chapter 17 Each on Their Own Path
At the wooden dock, Satsuki took a deep breath and began forming hand seals. She closed her eyes and, based on her afternoon training experience, slowly guided her chakra from her dantian to her chest, then gently gathered it in her throat. She performed each step with utmost care.
As the final Tiger Seal was completed, Zuo Yue suddenly opened her eyes. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"boom--!"
A massive fireball, ten meters in diameter, erupted from her mouth, its intense flames illuminating the entire lake and turning the surrounding trees a vibrant orange-red. A wave of heat washed over them, and plumes of steam rose from the lake's surface.
After the ninjutsu ended, Satsuki stared blankly at the scene before her, a look of unbelievable joy gradually spreading across her small face. I... can do this too!
Her heart raced. This way...this way she would have a chance to gain her father's approval!
"Wow, that's amazing," came Naruto's admiring voice from behind. "It seems the training method really works."
Satsuki turned around and looked at Naruto's sincere smile. In addition to the shyness she had felt earlier, Satsuki felt an indescribable gratitude.
Naruto's selfless help touched her deeply, yet she felt overwhelmed. How could she possibly repay him...?
Unbeknownst to her, Naruto had already received the reward he most desired. A crisp system notification sounded in his mind.
【Ding! 】
[Congratulations, host! You have established a bond with the original character "Uchiha Sasuke" (Level 2)!]
Points earned: 500!
Naruto suppressed his almost overflowing joy; he knew he should enjoy this gacha moment at home!
As expected of the original male lead... no, now she's the female lead, gaining 500 points for each level she advances!
Naruto decided to strike while the iron was hot and try to win her over again. He pulled a carefully prepared bento box from his backpack and said in a deliberately relaxed tone, "You must be exhausted after training all afternoon, right? I made something delicious, let's eat some together."
Upon hearing this, Zuo Yue's face flushed even more. It was the same last time; she had eaten someone else's bento but hadn't been able to repay them... But seeing that Naruto had already skillfully pulled out two pairs of chopsticks, it was clear that he had been prepared for her to freeload.
"I made some really delicious tomato dishes this time~" Naruto said as he opened the bento box. "There are also three kinds of rice balls. Which one do you want? There's seaweed rice ball, plum rice ball..." He deliberately dragged out the words, "and bonito rice ball."
Satsuki's ears perked up. Tomato dishes?! And bonito flakes?! In her heart, the only thing that could rival her beloved tomatoes was bonito flakes. Naruto actually made both of these dishes?!
Little Satsuki had no idea that Naruto had specially prepared this dish according to her tastes. Instead, she naively thought that this person's cooking preferences... were so similar to hers!
Satsuki's initial attempt to decline dwindled to a whispered, barely audible, "Um... I want a bonito rice ball..."
She kept her head down, looking incredibly cute as she tried to appear calm despite her obvious craving.
The two sat side by side on the wooden dock. Naruto took a round bonito rice ball from his lunchbox and handed it to Satsuki. Satsuki blushed as she took it and carefully took a bite.
The delicious aroma of bonito instantly filled her mouth, the sweetness of the rice blending perfectly with the savory flavor of the bonito flakes. Satsuki unconsciously narrowed her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips, revealing a blissful expression.
"The food tastes especially good after all that hard training, doesn't it?" Naruto mumbled, chewing on his rice ball. "You're really something else. I'm so lucky to be able to train with a genius from the Uchiha clan."
Upon hearing this, Zuo Yue turned her head, the afterglow of the setting sun illuminating her delicate profile. The joy of being praised had just surfaced, but it was quickly replaced by a trace of disappointment.
At home... there's an even more brilliant genius... She recalled the admiring look in her father's eyes when he looked at her sister, and a pang of bitterness rose in her heart.
I've always called myself a genius in front of Naruto, but if Naruto ever sees Itachi's terrifying talent, will he be as disappointed in me as my father was?
"You..." Satsuki's voice suddenly became very soft, "Do you really think I'm a genius?"
This question startled Naruto. Didn't this guy always call himself a genius? He glanced at Satsuki's lowered eyelashes and noticed that his once bright black eyes were now somewhat downcast.
Naruto put down his rice ball and thought for a moment. His voice was firm as he replied, "Of course. Among our peers, we're probably the first to start striving to become excellent ninjas."
Naruto pointed to the lake. "That ninjutsu just now, I'm afraid even some genin couldn't use it."
As the last rays of the setting sun faded, Zuo Yue remained silent for a moment before finally speaking again. Her voice carried a clear sense of resentment, yet it was also tinged with longing.
"...Actually, there is someone in the Uchiha clan who is far more powerful than me." Her long black hair fell down, covering half of her face.
"When she was my age, she executed a Fire Release ninjutsu perfectly on her first try. Now, she's only a few years older than me, and she already helps with so many things at home... I want to surpass her, but... can I really do it?"
Do they doubt themselves? Why are the children in the ninja world so psychologically complex...?
Naruto sighed inwardly, but maintained a gentle expression. He looked intently at Satsuki's lowered profile.
"Are you afraid of not being able to catch up with that person? Satsuki, your current feeling of resentment precisely shows that you care about that person very much, doesn't it?"
Zuo Yue paused for a moment, hesitated, and finally nodded slowly.
Naruto continued, "You said that person could perfectly execute a Fire Release ninjutsu on their first try? But there's a very important misconception here."
"That person is a few years older than you, which means you were never on the same starting line. No matter how hard you try, that person has always had a few more years of experience—so how can you be so sure your talent is inferior to hers?"
Zuo Yue hurriedly said, "Didn't I just say! When my sister was my age, she perfectly executed a Fire Release ninjutsu on her first try!"
Satsuki didn't realize that in her excitement she had accidentally revealed the person's identity.
Naruto shook his head. "It's too early to deny yourself just because of this."
"Ninjas have never been limited to fighting with just one type of ninjutsu. The path of a ninja is wider than you can imagine—ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, sealing techniques, summoning techniques, puppet techniques, and even medical ninjutsu are all stages for geniuses to showcase their talents."
He paused for a moment to let Zuoyue process his words, and then gave an example.
"Just like Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, who became a renowned powerhouse in the ninja world solely through medical ninjutsu and taijutsu. Would you say that Tsunade's talent is inferior to others simply because she isn't skilled in fire-style ninjutsu?"
Satsuki's eyes widened slightly, and Naruto, seeing that she was moved, continued to delve deeper.
"Isn't it too one-sided to conclude that one's talent is inferior to hers simply because one's fire release technique is not as good?"
Seeing Satsuki deep in thought, Naruto posed the most crucial question.
"Zuoyue, you need to think this through—is what you truly want to surpass that person's 'current strength,' or their 'future self'?"
A gentle night breeze stirred, ruffling their hair. Naruto's voice sounded exceptionally clear in the twilight.
"Everyone in this world has their own talents. There's a saying that goes, 'A king has the talent of a king, and a chef has the talent of a chef.'"
"If you were to pit the king against the chef in a culinary contest, the king would undoubtedly lose. Similarly, if you only focus on someone's back, you might miss your own path."
"Like a ninja with exceptional taijutsu skills, if they insist on practicing genjutsu (illusionary techniques) because they care about certain things, that's a true waste of talent. You are undoubtedly a genius, so why rush to doubt yourself before your talent is fully revealed?"
Naruto looked at Satsuki's profile and suddenly revealed a sly smile, deliberately speaking in a relaxed tone.
"Satsuki, do you believe it? According to that logic, perhaps there are ninjas in this world who can defeat the Hokage using only taijutsu."
This half-joking remark successfully broke the serious atmosphere. Satsuki was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Idiot, how could such a thing be..."
Only Naruto knew that this was no joke—and the ninja used as an example was in Konoha. Seeing Sasuke's smile return, Naruto felt a little relieved.
"Alright, alright, I understand!" Zuo Yue stood up, her long black hair fluttering in the evening breeze, her small face regaining its confident glow. "You're right, I'm a genius of the Uchiha clan! I will definitely find my own path!"
Naruto looked up at the little girl who had regained her spirits, his eyes gentle. "Yes! Let's do our best together then. Perhaps we're the same kind of people—to surpass those prodigies, we must become 'geniuses of hard work'!"
Upon hearing this, Zuo Yue looked down at Naruto, her eyes flashing with a complex light. After a moment's hesitation, she finally spoke softly, "I...I'm really grateful to you for telling me all this...and for helping me train...but..."
Her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes. "...How should I thank you?" Seemingly realizing her words were too direct, she immediately turned her face away. "Let me make this clear! I just don't want to owe you a favor!"
Naruto looked at the little girl who was using her tsundere attitude to hide her shyness. "You...you're really cute."
These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. Zuo Yue's face flushed crimson to her ears, and she took a hasty half-step back. "W-what did you just say?!"
Naruto stood up, his blue eyes meeting Sasuke's. "Have you forgotten? We're friends. You know that? You were my first friend."
"I'm helping you not only because I don't want you to be lonely cultivating alone, but also because I genuinely want to see you become stronger."
In the twilight, blue eyes and black eyes gazed at each other silently, their reflections mirrored.
Naruto continued, "Also, the passion someone has when they're focused on something is really cool." He pointed to Satsuki's eyes, "The look in your eyes when you said you wanted to surpass that person was truly dazzling."
Ripples spread across the lake, and moonlight shattered into countless silver specks on the water. Satsuki stared blankly at Naruto, a warmth she had never felt before welling up in her chest. She opened her mouth, but said nothing, only softly humming in agreement, a genuine smile unconsciously spreading across her lips.
Right in Naruto's heart, a pleasant voice appeared once again.
【Ding! 】
[Congratulations, host! You have established a bond with the original character "Uchiha Sasuke" (Level 4)!]
Points earned: 1000!