That night, Naruto slept silently.
The room was dim except for the faint silver light filtering through the window.
Outside, the village settled into its usual nighttime quiet—occasional footsteps from late-patrolling shinobi, the distant bark of a dog, and the soft rustle of leaves swaying with the night breeze.
Inside, Naruto lay still on the thin mattress, eyes half-open for a moment as thoughts drifted.
There was too little time before the academy began.
He wanted to make a strong entrance—something with tension and presence, the kind where people glanced over and thought, Who is he? A cool, composed vibe.
But with the current strength of the body he possessed, that was easier imagined than done. Especially since Sasuke already had training from his clan. No matter how many monster-like leaps Naruto planned for the future, right now Sasuke was absolutely ahead.
And then there was the Uchiha massacre.
His intel—memories merging, newspaper snippets, whispered discussions in the streets—told him the massacre had already taken place.
That was different from where he remembered it in the anime's timeline. But not drastically different, considering he had already spotted Sasuke walking alone one afternoon, that same cold, distant gaze untouched by age or canon changes.
Nothing about Sasuke's expression screamed that the world had changed.
It only screamed loss.
'So Itachi still did it,' Naruto thought. 'Same as the story. Probably same reason too.'
He also knew something else: Danzo's fingerprints were everywhere. The way the news trickled out, the subtle blaming of the Uchiha, the little hints that framed the clan as hateful rebels—those things didn't appear naturally. If a single glance at a newspaper made the story so clear, then it was likely intentional.
Probably Danzo making sure the public stayed against the Uchiha, securing support in case he was ever linked to the massacre.
'A snake in a hole,' Naruto thought with irritation tightening inside his chest.
He had no good impression of the man. Danzo wasn't the kind of person who saw people. He saw assets. Tools. Naruto knew well that if Danzo had his way, he'd drag him underground, mould him into a perfect weapon, and throw him into the darkest missions without hesitation.
And Naruto? He wasn't about to let that happen.
As soon as he gained enough confidence—enough power—he'd take action if needed. Unlike the gentle, ageing Hiruzen, Naruto wasn't the type to let a snake curl at his side. Still, he understood why Hiruzen tolerated Danzo: the man was an inconvenient necessity. ROOT, as rotten as many parts were, kept tabs on foreign villages in ways normal shinobi never could.
Understanding didn't mean approval.
But for now, it was a war he couldn't fight.
Naruto exhaled slowly, letting the night lull him. Eventually, sleep took him completely.
The next morning, he woke refreshed and oddly energised. Sunlight spilt across the wooden floorboards, warm and gold. Birds chirped by the window. A new day.
He washed his face and moved to the small kitchen area. It was cramped but functional enough for simple cooking. He cracked an egg into a pan, toasted some bread, heated a slice of meat, and poured himself a full glass of milk. The smell of cooking filled the room in a comforting, homey way.
A decent breakfast—simple but nutritious.
He sat down, ready to eat—when a sudden knock echoed from the door.
"Huh? This early?" he muttered.
He stood and opened the door.
There, with a gentle smile and that iconic pipe hanging loosely from his fingers, stood Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage.
"Old gramps!" Naruto blurted automatically, the habit so deeply rooted in this body that he didn't even need to fake it.
Hiruzen laughed warmly, patting Naruto's head with the same affectionate gesture he always used. "Good morning, Naruto. I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Not at all," Naruto said, stepping aside.
The old man stepped into the room, his eyes drifting toward the breakfast on the table. His brows lifted slightly in pleasant surprise. "Oh? Having a proper meal today, I see."
Naruto scratched his cheek lightly. "Haha, yeah. I heard eating like this can make me stronger, so I wanted to try it out."
Hiruzen's eyes softened. The Third Hokage didn't doubt him; instead, he let out a hearty, relieved laugh. To him, Naruto making even small, positive changes was something worth celebrating. Children who grew stronger—not just physically but mentally—always made him happy.
"Well, I'm glad to see you taking such good care of yourself," Hiruzen said, settling into a chair. "It suits you." Naruto smiled back, something warm and genuine flickering in his chest.
"Just fish is left out… If I could have bought some fish," Naruto said quietly as he sat finishing his breakfast. The soft words carried a hint of longing, and Hiruzen paused mid-step, his expression softening.
For a moment, the Third Hokage didn't speak.
Then he smiled gently.
"I see. Don't worry," Hiruzen said in a warm, reassuring tone. "I'll ask the others to help you get proper food. Just promise me you'll keep working hard like this."
Naruto blinked before a grin spread across his face. Hokage-gramps really was generous. With this, he wouldn't need to beg vendors or hunt for scraps. Fresh food delivered daily? That was practically VIP treatment.
"Deal," Naruto said cheerfully.
Hiruzen chuckled, patting Naruto's shoulder before heading out of the apartment.
Not even half an hour passed before an ANBU appeared at Naruto's door—mask of a hawk, posture straight, arms full of fresh groceries and neatly prepared food supplies. Naruto accepted them with a polite bow.
"Thank you."
The ANBU stiffened slightly at the unexpected courtesy. "...You're welcome," he replied, somewhat unsure, before disappearing in a flicker of leaves.
Naruto couldn't help but laugh softly. Even the ANBU weren't prepared for polite Naruto.
With lunch and dinner secured, Naruto finally had the time he needed to begin the real training plan—no need to go fishing, bargain for vegetables, or waste hours running errands. Everything was set.
After a fresh bath and brushing his teeth, he stepped outside with an unusual burst of energy. His body buzzed with motivation, almost like someone had pumped chakra directly into his bloodstream.
'Alright. Let's get started.'
He began with the basics: running around Konoha to build foundational stamina. The morning air was crisp, carrying hints of warm bread from a nearby bakery and the earthy smell of dew-damp ground. As Naruto jogged, he noticed a blur of green up ahead.
A man in a tight, unmistakably shiny green jumpsuit. Black bowl-cut hair. Eyebrows that could rival a calligraphy brush.
Might Guy.
The man wasn't just running—he was gliding, his strides smooth, rhythmic, and absurdly fast. And he was smiling like running was the highlight of his entire week.
Naruto's competitive spark lit up instantly.
'Goal: catch him.'
Naruto pushed his legs harder. Faster. Harder. He broke into a full sprint, the wind rushing past his ears, breath punching out in short bursts.
But no matter how much he poured into it, Might Guy remained ahead, effortlessly maintaining the same pace, like Naruto's effort was nothing more than a polite breeze behind him.
By the time Naruto reached the second full round around Konoha, he was drenched in sweat and nearly collapsing from sheer exhaustion.
'What kind of character is that guy…?'
He knew Guy was a taijutsu monster—someone who could go toe-to-toe with Madara in pure physical combat—but seeing it up close was another level of terrifying.
Just as Naruto was about to drop to the ground, he felt a presence slow beside him.
"Calm down, young man," a booming but friendly voice said. "Rest for today."
Naruto looked up to find Might Guy slowing his run to match Naruto's shaky pace. That iconic, blinding smile of enthusiasm was pointed straight at him.
"You did your best with that run! Very youthful! Very passionate!" Guy announced proudly, giving him a thumbs-up that sparkled in the sunlight.
Naruto let out a half-laugh, half-wheeze. "Well… you slowed down on purpose, didn't you? Letting me stay in the run."
Guy blinked before laughing loudly. "Ahahaha! You noticed! Indeed! I could not let a young flame of youth burn out too quickly!"
Naruto nodded. He knew Guy's true speed. After Naruto's first burst to catch him, Guy could've left him in the dust without even trying. Instead, he deliberately matched Naruto's pace—encouraging him, pushing him, motivating him without smothering him.
And strangely… Naruto felt good. Even with fatigue weighing on his limbs, his breathing stabilized faster than expected. A wave of energy rolled through him—a natural Uzumaki vitality.
'Yup… definitely a cheat code. Uzumaki vitality is basically infinite stamina from a gamer's point of view,' he mused internally.
Of course, it wasn't actually endless. His legs still trembled, his lungs still burned. But the recovery speed? Absolutely broken.
"Hahaha! It was nothing," Guy said, patting Naruto's back. The slap nearly sent Naruto face-first into the dirt, but he steadied himself with a grin. "I simply wished to help a burning youth like you!"
Naruto took the opportunity and asked earnestly, "With this kind of training… can I keep pushing my body? Anything you recommend?"
After all, if Guy was the encyclopedia of taijutsu, Naruto might as well grab some knowledge straight from the source.
And Might Guy… was never stingy.
He crouched beside Naruto and started explaining different routines—warm-ups, stretches, beginner-level strength training, running intervals, proper breathing, diet recommendations. He laid out a small but effective monthly routine specifically designed for Naruto's age and physical build.
Finally, with a proud pose and a thumbs-up, Guy declared:
"If you follow this routine for one month with full youthfulness, I shall personally begin training you in taijutsu!"
Naruto's eyes widened.
That wasn't just good.
That was a jackpot.
Before Naruto could express more gratitude, Guy shot forward again—racing down the path like a green bullet—leaving only a breeze, enthusiasm, and a very shocked but excited Naruto behind.