The sun hung high over Konoha, casting long, sharp shadows through the slats of the blinds. In his small, quiet room, Evan Kamiyo sat cross-legged on the floor.
At this moment, Evan's mind was a flurry of sensory feedback. He had just dispersed his newest Shadow Clone. The sensation was jarring—a sudden rush of memories, muscle fatigue, and sensory data flooding his brain all at once. It was like living an entire day in the span of a single heartbeat.
What he had mastered was the standard Shadow Clone Technique, a B-rank kinjutsu, not the Multi-Shadow Clone variant used by Naruto. However, that didn't mean he was restricted to a single double. Through trial and error the previous night, Evan discovered that his Sage Body and massive chakra reserves allowed him to maintain two or three clones simultaneously without any noticeable physical strain or mental "lag."
"Your mission remains the same," Evan muttered to the fresh clone that materialized in a puff of white smoke. "Hunt beasts in the forest. Contribute to the stability of the village outskirts. And for heaven's sake, don't get spotted by the Aburame patrols."
The clone gave a serious, almost solemn nod—a trait Evan found slightly irritating. It was like looking into a mirror that only reflected his most mature, stoic qualities.
"Go," Evan commanded.
As the clone flickered away, Evan rubbed his temples. He reached for a piece of No. 2 leaf-salted fish—a local delicacy he'd grown fond of—and chewed slowly. The salt and protein helped ground his mind, pushing him into a state of crystalline mental clarity.
Yet, as he stared at the wall, a wave of self-criticism washed over him.
"I've become too soft lately," he whispered to the empty room. "Lying around, enjoying Hinata's lunches, playing the part of the 'Little Genius Doctor'... I'm losing my edge."
He had spent the entire morning in a state of uncharacteristic lethargy, but he couldn't take it anymore. The "salted fish" lifestyle—the desire to just drift and be comfortable—was a dangerous trap in a world where thirteen-year-olds slaughtered their entire clans.
Moreover, his social circle was changing. Hinata had recently begun formal, high-intensity training within the Hyuga compound. Her daily schedule was now a grueling marathon of Gentle Fist katas and meditation. She rarely had the time to sneak away to see him anymore.
This was the cold reality of the ninja world. Children of the Great Clans were forged in fire long before they ever stepped into the Academy. Evan felt a twinge of frustration thinking about it. He knew the strict, almost suffocating pressure Hinata's father, Hiashi, placed on her. In the original timeline, that pressure had nearly broken her spirit.
If I rush into the Hyuga estate now to protest her treatment, I'll be kicked out before I hit the front door, Evan reasoned. I'm a medical prodigy, but to the Hyuga, I'm still just a commoner orphan with no lineage.
The only way to protect her—to change the "method" of her growth—was to become a variable they couldn't ignore.
He stood up, his eyes hardening. No more resting. He changed into his reinforced training outfit, strapped his medical pouch and kunai holster to his thigh, and headed toward the village's public training grounds.
Konoha maintained dozens of specialized training zones, ranging from simple target ranges to complex topographical simulations equipped with barriers and safety arrays. As Evan walked, he opened his internal status panel to perform a clinical audit of his own strength.
Character: Evan Kamiyo Age: 5 years old Constitution: 35.5 (Sage Body awakening: 32%) Spirit: 20.3 (Yin affinity awakened; Eyes dormant) Chakra: 4.7 "Cards" (1 Card = 1 Kakashi Unit)
Skills:
Chakra Refinement: (Lv.5 | 56/500)
Throwing: (Lv.4 | 65/400)
Great Fireball Technique: (Lv.4 | 185/400)
Chakra Attributes: Wind (4), Thunder (5), Earth (2), Fire (2), Water (2), Yin (1), Yang (4)
System Points: 3265 Evaluation: You possess the engine of a tank but the transmission of a bicycle. Your raw output is impressive, but your application is inefficient. In a high-speed battle, a veteran Chunin could still outmaneuver and kill you before you finish a seal.
The evaluation was a slap in the face.
Gorgeous panel. Appalling reviews, Evan thought bitterly.
He understood the problem perfectly. Ninja combat wasn't just about the "size of the bucket"—it was about the "flow of the tap." Evan had more chakra than most adults, but his output per second was still limited by his age and his undeveloped chakra pathways. He was suffering from "Chakra Leakage"—the "Bucket with Holes" problem where energy dissipates during circulation because the control isn't refined enough.
There were no shortcuts here. The System didn't grant "Instant Casting" until a skill reached Level 10. Until then, he had to grind the old-fashioned way.
He arrived at the training ground management office—a small kiosk manned by a weary-looking Chunin.
"Hello. Which training ground is empty now?" Evan asked.
The staff member looked down, surprised to see a five-year-old wanting to rent a high-spec zone. Usually, kids this age used the public parks for tag. But he saw the look in Evan's eyes—the look of a professional—and checked his clipboard.
"No. 22 is empty. It's a wooded terrain with a small water feature. You can have it until six this evening. Cost is one thousand taels."
Evan paid without flinching. One thousand taels was a small price for the privacy and the safety arrays that would prevent him from accidentally burning down a city block.
Standing in the center of Ground 22, Evan took a deep breath. He began the hand signs for the Great Fireball Technique. He didn't rush. He focused on the sensation of the chakra churning in his gut, moving it through his lungs, and igniting it at the back of his throat.
Tiger!
"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"
He exhaled. A massive sphere of roaring orange flame, nearly five meters in diameter, erupted from his mouth. It scorched the air, the heat so intense that the grass beneath the path of the flame instantly turned to ash and the nearby pond began to hiss with steam.
Evan watched the flames dissipate. According to the System's logic, the power of a jutsu relied on three pillars:
Ninjutsu Level: The structural stability of the technique.
Nature Transformation: The "burn" or "cut" bonus provided by the element itself.
Chakra Input: The raw volume of energy pushed into the frame.
"Chakra control is the real core," Evan realized. "If I can't control the flow, I'm just wasting 40% of my energy every time I breathe."
After clarifying these points, Evan set a new training hierarchy.
Priority One: Finer Chakra Control (Internal circulation speed).
Priority Two: Nature Transformation (The "feel" of the element).
Tree-climbing and water-walking were elementary now. He could literally dance across the surface of a lake without disturbing a ripple. Now, he needed to move to the next level: Affinity Mastery.
Among all his attributes, Evan felt the strongest, most violent resonance with Thunder.
Lightning Style (Raiton) would be his foundation. It was the fastest, most destructive element, and it suited his need for efficiency. He thought of the future legends—Sasuke's Chidori, Kakashi's Raikiri, and the Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode.
"Everything starts with Lightning," Evan murmured.
He raised his hand, closing his eyes. He didn't try to release a bolt. Instead, he tried to make his chakra "vibrate." He wanted to feel the high-frequency friction that turned raw energy into electricity.
This path would be gorgeous in its execution and terrifying in its destruction. And most importantly—it would be his own.