The forest canopy filtered soft sunlight through its dense foliage, casting dappled shadows on the party as they trudged along. Naruto's persistent chatter broke the serene sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird calls.
"Come on, hag!" Naruto whined, bounding up to Frieren like an overeager puppy. "I've already mastered suppressing my mana. Teach me something awesome now!"
Frieren didn't break stride. "Suppressing mana is only the first step. Your mana reserves are too great for even the simplest spells, uncautious experiments can be fatal. You need to mould it properly before attempting spells."
Naruto huffed, throwing his hands behind his head. "I can mould it. You just don't want to admit I'm ready."
Frieren stopped abruptly, causing Stark to nearly bump into her. She turned to face Naruto, her expression blank but her tone sharp. "Show me, then. If you're so sure, prove it. Create something with your mana."
Naruto's lips curled into a cocky grin. "You asked for it!" He extended his hand, and within seconds, a bright neon sphere materialised, spinning rapidly like a vortex. "Behold! The Rasengan!"
Fern froze, her eyes widening as she observed the concentrated sphere of energy. "That's… that's pure mana! And it's so controlled!" she stammered, disbelief lacing her voice. "I've read about raw mana manipulation, but this... this is insane. It took me months to even manage a stable stream!"
Stark scratched his head, his limited understanding of magic making it hard to gauge the significance of the display. "Looks flashy enough. Is it good?"
Before Fern could respond, Frieren raised a hand, her expression unchanged. "It's a decent effort," she said dismissively, "but it's just a simple ball of mana. No finesse, no precision."
Naruto's smug grin faltered. "What are you talking about? This thing could blow a tree clean off the ground!"
"That's power," Frieren countered. "Control is a different matter entirely." She raised her hand, and a tiny deer shimmered into existence on her palm, glowing faintly with blue mana. Its delicate legs moved with an almost lifelike grace, circling her hand in a smooth, fluid motion.
Fern gasped audibly, and even Stark's jaw dropped.
"The smaller and more intricate the creation, the greater the mana control," Frieren explained, her tone instructive. "This is art. What you've created…" She glanced at the Rasengan still spinning in Naruto's hand. "…is a sledgehammer compared to a scalpel."
Naruto looked down at his Rasengan, his pride clearly dented. His shoulders slumped slightly before he glared up at Frieren. "Just say you don't want to teach me."
Frieren arched an eyebrow. "If you're serious about learning, prove me wrong. Create something better than this deer."
"Oh, I will!" Naruto shot back, pointing dramatically at her. "I'll make something bigger, better, and more detailed! And when I do, you'll be begging me to teach you! You'll say, 'Master Naruto, show me your ways!'"
Frieren's lips twitched as if she were suppressing a smile. "We'll see."
"Of course we will, hag!" Naruto stormed ahead, muttering to himself about stubborn mentors and impossible standards.
Frieren resumed walking, her expression unreadable. Stark and Fern exchanged glances before falling into step behind her.
"You think Frieren's being too hard on him?" Stark asked, keeping his voice low.
Fern hesitated, glancing at the Rasengan, which Naruto had dissolved in frustration. "Mr. Naruto's pure mana manipulation is extraordinary," she admitted. "To create something like that without formal training… It's unheard of. But Mistress Frieren's mana control is on an entirely different level. She's right about the intricacy and detail."
"Still," Stark said, frowning, "she didn't make you jump through hoops like this when you started, did she?"
Fern shook her head, her brow furrowed. "No. She just started teaching me spells. There was no prerequisite for precision."
"Then why's she making Naruto work so hard for it?" Stark asked.
"Maybe it's because I already knew magic," Fern suggested, though her tone was uncertain. "Or… maybe she sees something in him that she doesn't see in me."
Stark laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe Uzumaki's just a prodigy."
Fern didn't respond, her gaze lingering on Frieren's back. Why is she pushing him so much?
Ahead of them, Naruto continued muttering under his breath, glancing back occasionally at Frieren. "I'll show her. I'll make a whole zoo out of mana, and she'll have to admit I'm the best!"
Frieren, seemingly oblivious, walked on, her thoughts as inscrutable as ever.
Õ—T—Õ
The roar of the waterfall filled the forest, an unrelenting cacophony that seemed to mock Naruto as he sat cross-legged by its edge. His hand was outstretched, trembling with effort, as he tried to mold the raw energy of his mana into something tangible. The glow of neon light flickered weakly in his palm before vanishing entirely.
"Damn it!" Naruto growled, slamming his fist onto the damp grass. He leaned forward, beads of sweat mixing with the spray from the falls. He focused again, summoning the energy from within him. The sphere of mana flickered to life, spinning for a moment before collapsing into nothingness.
"This is impossible," he muttered to himself, his frustration building. "How the heck does that hag make it look so easy?"
For what felt like hours, Naruto continued to try. The mana sphere would form, falter, and disappear every single time. His arms ached, his head throbbed, and his spirit wavered. He began to doubt himself. Maybe I really am just a dead-last.
"Mr. Naruto?"
The soft voice startled him, and he turned to see Fern standing a few steps away, her expression a mixture of concern and curiosity.
"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, a little more curtly than he intended.
Fern hesitated but stepped closer. "I noticed you hadn't come back… so I thought I'd check on you."
Naruto let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his damp red hair. "I'm trying to mold this stupid mana into something. Frieren said I need to do it to learn any spells, but—" He paused, showing her his empty palm. "It's not working."
Fern crouched beside him, observing his tired expression. "You're trying too hard."
"Trying too hard?" Naruto repeated, glaring at her. "How am I supposed to not try? If I don't push myself, nothing's gonna happen!"
Fern shook her head gently. "Mana doesn't work like that. It's not something you can force. It flows naturally when you're calm and focused."
Naruto let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, great. Another lecture. Got any tips, Miss Mana Expert?"
Fern flushed slightly, averting her eyes. "I… can't give you any tips."
"What?!" Naruto shot up to his knees, staring at her in disbelief. "You're joking, right? You're the hag's apprentice! Aren't you supposed to know this stuff?"
Fern's cheeks turned pink as she looked away, embarrassed. "Mistress Frieren is the expert, not me. I'm still learning. Compared to her, I'm just a novice."
Naruto flopped back onto the grass, groaning dramatically. "Wonderful. So if you're a novice, I guess that makes me the dead-last."
Fern frowned, her voice gentle but firm. "No, Mr. Naruto. You're not a dead-last. In fact, what you're already doing… I don't think I could do that. Not without my staff, at least."
"Huh?" Naruto sat up again, staring at her.
"I mean…" Fern hesitated, trying to find the right words. "You've been molding your mana with just your hands, right? Without any tools or spells. That's… incredible. I don't think I could manage that at all."
Naruto blinked, her words sinking in. "So… you're saying I'm good at this?"
Fern smiled faintly. "What I'm saying is that you have a gift for magic. You just need to calm yourself and let it flow naturally. Stop trying to force it."
Naruto tilted his head, pondering her words. "A gift, huh?"
Fern stood, brushing off her robes. "Just don't overthink it, Mr. Naruto. You'll figure it out."
As she walked away, Naruto remained seated, staring at his open palm. He clenched it into a fist, Fern's words echoing in his mind. A gift.
He turned his gaze toward the waterfall, the crashing water drawing his attention. An idea struck him. Rising to his feet, he moved closer to the falls, stepping carefully over the slick rocks. The spray of water grew heavier, drenching him entirely as he positioned himself beneath the powerful cascade.
The force of the water was almost unbearable, pounding against his shoulders and back, but he grit his teeth and sat down, crossing his legs. He let the cold water envelop him, drowning out all other sensations.
Closing his eyes, Naruto focused inward, shutting out the pain, the cold, and the roar of the falls. He reached deep into himself, feeling for the spark of energy that was his mana. At first, it was faint, like trying to grasp smoke. But gradually, as he calmed his breathing, he began to sense it more clearly—a warm, vibrant presence within him.
He visualized the mana flowing like a river, weaving through his body. Slowly, he tried to guide it toward his palm, imagining it gathering there. He felt a faint flicker of energy in his hand.
Focus.
The flicker grew stronger, taking form as a faint glow of neon light. It trembled and wavered, but this time, it didn't vanish. Naruto smiled faintly, his determination renewed.
Under the relentless waterfall, Naruto continued to meditate, shaping the mana bit by bit, step by step. The path to mastery was long, but he wouldn't give up. Not now, not ever.
Stark trudged through the forest, his arms full of firewood, when his eyes landed on Naruto sitting cross-legged under the pounding waterfall. Water crashed over him relentlessly, yet he didn't move, his focus unwavering.
Frowning, Stark made his way to where Frieren sat, her nose buried in a book. "Hey, don't you think you're pushing him too hard? He's no expert in magic, and this… this seems a bit extreme for a beginner."
Frieren didn't glance up. "He's the one who insisted on finding a spell that doesn't exist to return home. If he doesn't find it, he's vowed to create it. I'm merely preparing him for the challenge he's taken upon himself."
Stark blinked, caught off guard. "Creating a spell…? Isn't that something only the best of the best can do?"
Frieren turned a page, her expression calm. "It is. And if he truly intends to succeed, he'll need to push beyond his limits. This is nothing compared to the obstacles he'll face."
"Huh," Stark said, scratching the back of his head. He glanced toward Naruto again, watching him endure the waterfall's onslaught. "You gotta admit, though… the guy's stubborn."
Frieren's lips twitched, almost forming a smile. "Stubbornness can be a virtue, Stark. When wielded correctly."
"Yeah, if it doesn't break him first." Stark shook his head, resuming his task. "Better hope he's as tough as he thinks he is."
Frieren didn't respond, but her gaze briefly flicked toward Naruto. She closed her book with a soft snap, her expression unreadable.
Õ—T—Õ
The night fell, casting a soft glow from the bonfire that flickered in their camp. The group sat around it, their shadows stretching into the surrounding forest. Stark leaned against a log, chewing lazily, while Fern quietly picked at her meal.
Naruto, however, glared daggers at Frieren from across the fire, his jade-green eyes glinting in the light. He huffed loudly, stabbing his food with unnecessary force.
Frieren, entirely unfazed, continued eating with her usual detached calmness. She didn't even glance up, her aloof demeanor only intensifying Naruto's frustration.
The tension was palpable, the silence heavy. Stark looked between them, raising an eyebrow. "Well, this is cozy," he muttered under his breath.
Naruto finally snapped, slamming his bowl onto the ground. "I tried, okay?! I tried all day under that stupid waterfall, and I got nothing! But no, you can't even teach me anything useful, can you, 'Master' Frieren?"
Fern winced, shrinking into herself, while Stark sighed, shaking his head.
Frieren set her bowl down slowly and looked at Naruto with an almost imperceptible tilt of her head. "Are you finished?"
"No! I'm not finished!" Naruto shot back, his voice echoing through the quiet forest. "You're supposed to be my mentor, but all you do is sit there, read your stupid books, and make me figure everything out on my own!"
Frieren's expression didn't change. "And yet, figuring things out on your own is the essence of magic."
"That's just an excuse for you to be lazy!"
Fern gasped softly, her eyes wide. Stark stifled a laugh, quickly disguising it as a cough.
Frieren finally let out a faint sigh. "Naruto, if you cannot master the basics of control, then what hope do you have for advanced magic? Would you prefer I teach you something flashy that you'll only fail at?"
Naruto's fists clenched. "I'm not asking for shortcuts! I'm asking for guidance!"
They locked eyes for a long moment, the tension crackling like the fire between them. Finally, Frieren leaned back slightly, her tone cool but not unkind. "If you truly wish to prove me wrong, then do so. Show me that your determination can overcome your frustration."
Naruto's glare softened slightly as her words sunk in. He crossed his arms, leaning back against a rock with a huff. "Fine. I will."
The rest of the meal passed in tense silence, save for Stark quietly chuckling to himself. "You two are like an old married couple," he muttered, earning a sharp glare from both Naruto and Frieren.
He grinned, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Just saying."
TBC