In a remote clearing deep within the forest stood a dark-haired boy, surrounded only by towering trees whose dense leaves blocked out most of the sunlight. His body was tense, his gaze focused. He raised his right hand, concentrating on the chakra flowing through him.
"Dismantle," he whispered.
Thin lines of energy formed in the air as if answering his call. With one smooth motion, he swung his hand, and invisible blades cut across the tree, leaving deep grooves in its trunk. Kuro smiled wide — this was progress.
"More," he told himself, this time pouring much more chakra into the technique.
Several parallel slashes appeared in the air and, with a deafening crack, slammed into the tree, splitting it in half.
A tremor ran through Kuro's arm — clearly from overexertion. Sitting down, he exhaled heavily as he looked at the results of his work. A faint smirk appeared on his face, but then the memory of his recent training with Enzo resurfaced.
I've become faster and stronger… he muttered internally, repeating his grandfather's words. That old man notices everything. Well, no surprise — his shinobi career lasted longer than my two lives combined, hah.
Two days before, during one of their sparring sessions, Enzo had watched him very attentively. And by the end, he brought up something unpleasant.
"Kuro," he said, "you've become noticeably stronger and faster. I see the progress. But… it happened too suddenly. And your movements lost their smoothness. They've become sharp and predictable. You're not hiding something from me, are you?"
That question made Kuro tense. His mind raced for an answer.
"Well… the day I skipped training, I wasn't watching clouds. I was practicing with weighted gear. Maybe that's why my body feels a bit unusual," the young Nara said, rubbing the back of his head with fake embarrassment.
Enzo frowned, staring intently at his grandson.
"And how long have you been training like that?"
"A couple of weeks. Maybe a month."
"Then why did you lie?" Enzo asked — and Kuro panicked, scrambling for an excuse. But the old man unexpectedly helped him out:
"It's because of your father, isn't it?"
Kuro instantly grabbed the opportunity. He pretended to be slightly upset, then answered hesitantly:
"…Yeah."
The old man sighed and gave him a serious look. His eyes seemed sharp enough to see right through him.
"Kuro, your dedication is admirable, but you must forget about seeking Ashima's approval. Throw those foolish thoughts away — he made his choice long ago. You, with your talent and determination, can reach incredible heights. I don't want you to become disappointed in yourself or your family because of unreachable expectations. Grow, develop, become stronger for yourself. Only then will you truly achieve something. Understood?"
The speech struck him unexpectedly hard. Something shifted in Kuro's eyes — a spark of determination ignited. He nodded, restrained but confident.
"I understand, old man. Don't worry — I'll reach the top!"
Enzo snorted, then burst out laughing.
"Ha-ha! That's right… wait! How many times have I told you not to call me an old man?! Get over here, brat!"
Kuro smirked boldly, but didn't dodge in time — a sharp smack landed on the back of his head. The brief scuffle restored the warm, familiar atmosphere, but Enzo's words continued echoing in Kuro's mind.
Sitting in the clearing after training, he returned to those thoughts.
For myself… he repeated, looking at his hands, which now felt stronger than ever. That's damn good advice, old man.
He jumped up, brushed off the dirt, and resumed refining Sukuna's power.
After exhausting training, Kuro left the forest. Walking through the village, he smelled fresh pastries and grilled meat carried by the warm breeze. His stomach growled, and he headed straight to Ichiraku Ramen.
"Kuro!" the cook greeted as he entered. "Good to see you again. What'll it be?"
"Pork ramen," Kuro said, taking a seat. Minutes later, a steaming bowl appeared before him. The rich broth instantly lifted his mood.
As he ate, he recalled the last ten days he'd spent in this world. He was slowly getting used to this new life, its rhythm, and the constant training. And yet the feeling of dissatisfaction remained — Sukuna's power was still stuck at 1%, and progress was painfully slow.
Does this mean I need something more… or just more time?
Finishing the meal, he thanked the cook and headed home. Enzo was already waiting.
"Grandpa," Kuro began as he stepped inside, "I need even more practice. This time I want to focus on the Shadow Imitation Technique."
Enzo raised a brow in surprise.
"Oh? Last time you complained nonstop about how hard it was to control your chakra output."
"Absolutely," Kuro replied firmly.
"Alright. Though you likely won't master it before the Academy starts. Let's review the basics — the entire secret lies in synchronizing with your opponent's shadow. You must imagine your own shadow reflecting all of their movements, then seize control. Even the slightest lapse in concentration, and the technique collapses. Let's begin."
If I remember correctly, the most important element is using Yin Release — based on spiritual energy. Maybe after reincarnation, that'll be easier.
Kuro stepped outside. The soft evening light stretched long shadows across the yard. He assumed a stance and focused. His hands formed the seal as he guided chakra through his body and into his shadow. It stretched forward, reaching toward Enzo's.
"A bit more," the old man coached. "Keep your focus!"
Kuro's shadow finally touched Enzo's — but the connection broke instantly. He bit his lip in frustration, but didn't give up. Attempt after attempt followed, until at last he felt a faint click inside his mind — their shadows merged.
"I did it!" he exhaled — but Enzo moved immediately, breaking the connection.
"The moment was short and unstable. Try again."
Kuro gathered his will, this time maintaining unwavering focus. When the shadows merged again, he felt Enzo's movement stop. The old man tried to move — and failed.
"Ha!" Kuro shouted triumphantly.
A moment later, Enzo released a surge of chakra, breaking free. He laughed loudly and patted his grandson on the head.
"Well done, brat! You really are improving. But remember, you still have a long way to go to refine the technique properly."
Tired but satisfied, Kuro sat down. His heart raced, a faint smile playing on his lips. Another step closer to his goal.
Later, when he lay down in his room, he saw the desired message:
Unlocked character power: 2%
The next two days passed the same way.Kuro woke with the first rays of sunlight — though that was the hardest part, damn Nara genes — went for a morning run, returned home for breakfast, and then headed to the forest to train Sukuna's power. To his disappointment, the increase in percentage didn't bring a huge boost, but even so, he was pleased. The clearing thundered for hours with slicing air and crashing trees.
In the evenings, under his grandfather's watchful gaze, he returned to shadow training, trying to sync with his opponent's shadow and maintain control as long as possible. Each attempt brought more understanding, but he knew he was still far from mastery.
Finally, the morning before the Academy arrived.Kuro stood before the mirror, seeing a slender boy with short slicked-back black hair and bright deep green eyes. His outfit consisted of a mesh shirt, a dark kimono with the Nara clan symbol, loose pants, and standard shinobi sandals.
This is me now, he thought, touching his reflection.
Calming his thoughts, he went downstairs. Enzo was already waiting. They left the house and headed toward the Academy, where the Third Hokage would be speaking today.
At the exit of the Nara territory, they encountered two notable figures — their names surfaced instantly: Shikuma Nara, the clan head, and his son Shikaku. They were also heading to the Academy.
Enzo greeted them first.
"Shikuma," he said with a nod.
"Shikuma-san."
"Enzo, Kuro — good to see you," the clan head replied warmly.
"Likewise," Enzo answered calmly.
From Kuro's inherited memories, he knew one thing for certain — his grandfather wasn't always pleased with the political direction Shikuma pushed for.But he respected the man's sharp mind greatly.