[ Location: Konohagakure - Ichiraku Ramen ][ Date: Day 1 Evening ]
"It's... beautiful."
I stared at the bowl in front of me. Steam curled up, carrying the scent of miso, pork, and dreams.
"It's just noodles," Shikamaru muttered, nursing his own bowl with his good hand. "Eat before it gets cold."
I took a bite. The flavor exploded in my mouth. It was salty, savory, and rich—infinitely better than the cafeteria slop at Hawkins Middle or the pumpkin-heavy diet at Hogwarts.
"This," I pointed my chopsticks at Teuchi, the ramen chef, "is art and you, sir, are an artist."
Teuchi laughed, a hearty, belly-shaking sound. "Glad you like it, young man! Another bowl?"
"Two more," I ordered. "And gyoza."
We ate in silence for a while. The village outside was quiet, uneasy. The failed mission to retrieve Sasuke hung over the streets like a fog.
When we finished, Shikamaru patted his vest pockets. He sighed. "I forgot that I'm broke."
"I got it," I said, reaching into my pocket.
I realized I didn't have Ryo. I had Dollars (useless here) and Wizarding Gold (universally valuable).
I pulled out a single Golden Galleon. It was the size of a hubcap compared to the local currency.
"I don't have local cash," I said, placing the heavy gold coin on the counter. Clink. "Will this cover it?"
Teuchi's eyes bugged out. He picked up the coin, biting it carefully. "Solid gold? Kid, this could buy the whole cart!"
"Keep the change," I stood up, smoothing my suit. "My father is very... generous with his travel expenses. Consider it a tip for the art."
Shikamaru stared at me. "You just tipped him a month's salary for soup."
"It was really good soup, Shika."
[ Location: Konoha Hospital ][ Time: 8:30 PM ]
Shikamaru insisted on checking the others. I tagged along, playing the role of the "Concerned Civilian Friend."
The hospital smelled different than the one in Hawkins. it smelled like medicinal herbs and iron, Blood.
We walked past the rooms.
I saw Neji Hyuga. He was surrounded by a team of medics, a glowing green barrier over his chest. He looked pale. Dead pale.
I saw Choji Akimichi. He was worse. His skin was grey, his breathing shallow. The Akimichi pills had eaten him from the inside out.
And Naruto. The loud kid. He was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, staring at the ceiling, silent.
I stopped in the hallway.
'In the anime, this was dramatic. In person... it's just sad. These are kids. Younger than me. And they've been ground into hamburger meat.'
I felt the Phoenix Tears in my inventory. One drop could fix Choji. Two drops could heal Neji.
My hand drifted to my pocket.
'I could save them right now.'
I stopped.
'No. If I heal them instantly, Tsunade doesn't research the antidote. Sakura doesn't learn. The plot breaks. And worse... if I reveal I have a magic "cure-all," Danzo finds out. Orochimaru finds out. I become a lab rat or Shikamaru could be in danger.'
'Trust the plot. They survive.'
"Vivan?" Shikamaru looked at me. "You coming?"
"Yeah," I said, letting go of the vial. "Just... intense. You guys live a hard life."
"It's the life we chose," Shikamaru said quietly. But he looked at Choji's room, and I saw the guilt eating him alive.
[ Location: Konoha Public Library ][ Time: 9:30 PM ]
I left Shikamaru to report to the Hokage (Tsunade). I told him I wanted to "research trade routes" for my caravan.
The librarian was an old woman who looked like she could kill me with a paperclip. She gave me a guest pass after I flashed Some Ryo (Which I traded for 1 gold coin for 50,000 ryo).
I found a secluded corner in the "Theory" section.
'Okay. Grind time.'
I pulled scrolls off the shelf.
Introduction to Chakra.
Yin and Yang: The Balance.
The History of Ninshu.
I didn't read them. I scanned them.
[ Skill Active: Memory Reading (Self-Target). ][ Skill Active: Speed Reading. ]
I absorbed the information like a sponge.
'Chakra is the fusion of Physical Energy (Yang) and Spiritual Energy (Yin).'
'My problem isn't lack of power. It's imbalance. My Spirit is 120 (Monster Tier). My Body is roughly 40 (High Human).'
'When I use Telekinesis, I'm using 100% Spirit. It overheats the circuit because the physical body can't ground it. It's like running a nuclear powerplant through a toaster.'
The solution wasn't to use less power. It was to coat the Spirit energy in Physical energy. To give the magic a vessel.
[ System Notice: Unified Energy Theory (15%). ][ Insight Gained: To stop the nosebleeds, you must engage your muscles when you use your mind. Physical strain grounds mental strain. ]
"I have to flex to cast spells," I whispered, closing a scroll. "That is the dumbest and most logical thing I've ever heard."
[ Location: Behind the Hotel ][ Time: 11:00 PM ]
I found a nice, sturdy oak tree behind the civilian hotel I'd rented.
"Okay. Theory into practice."
I took off my suit jacket and rolled up my sleeves.
'Focus. Don't just push the energy. Stick it.'
I visualized my Energy Core and my Physical Stamina mixing. Like oil and water at first, but then... emulsifying.
I ran at the tree.
Step. Step. Step.
I walked five feet up the trunk.
I stopped. I was horizontal.
"Ha!" I grinned. "Look at me, I'm a gecko."
My focus wavered. The energy spiked.
BOOM.
The bark exploded under my feet. I fell backward, flailing.
'Telekinesis!'
I caught myself inches from the ground, hovering.
"Okay," I muttered, lowering myself down. "Less gunpowder, more glue."
[ System Notice: Energy Control Level Up! (Level 2). ]
I wiped sweat from my forehead. My nose wasn't bleeding. It worked.
[ Location: Street - Walking back to Hotel ][ Time: 11:45 PM ]
The streets were empty.
The lanterns cast long shadows.
I walked with my hands in my pockets, feeling good. I had a plan. I had a method.
Prickle.
My [ Remote Viewing ] passive sense slammed into my brain.
'I'm being watched.'
I didn't stop. I didn't look around. I kept walking, keeping my pace steady.
'Who is it? Anbu? Root?'
A figure stepped out from behind a telephone pole up ahead. He was reading a small orange book.
Silver hair that defied gravity. A mask covering half his face. A headband covering his left eye.
Kakashi Hatake.
He snapped the book shut. He looked at me with his one visible eye. It was curved into a cheerful crescent, but the intent behind it was sharp as a kunai.
"Yo," Kakashi said.
"Evening," I said, stopping. "You're the... scarecrow guy? Shikamaru mentioned you."
"Did he?" Kakashi put the book in his pouch. "You're the civilian he brought back. Vivan, right?"
"That's me just taking a stroll and digging the nightlife."
"It is a nice night," Kakashi agreed.
He took a step closer.
"You know," Kakashi said, his voice light and conversational. "For a merchant's son, you have an interesting walk and your center of gravity is perfect and your muscle density..."
He tilted his head.
"It's higher than a genin's maybe even a chunin's and you don't move like a civilian, Vivan , you move like a fighter who is trying very hard to look like a civilian."
My heart hammered against my ribs.
'He knows or he suspects. He's the Copy Ninja. He reads body language for a living.'
I kept my face blank and Occlumency shields up.
"I carry a lot of boxes," I lied. "Heavy inventory."
Kakashi stared at me. The cheerful eye opened slightly.
The pressure in the street dropped.
"Right," Kakashi said softly. "Boxes."
He smiled again, the eye curving back into a happy crescent.
"Well, enjoy your stay in Konoha and try not to wander into the restricted sections because accidents happen."
He vanished.
No smoke. No sound. Just gone.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
'He's going to watch me and for every second of the next four days.'
I adjusted my tie.
"Vacation's over," I whispered.
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