"Jiraiya-bro, now that you mention it, we can't forget the legendary 'golden-scaled dragon destined to soar' scene... And that cold, cold morning in Konoha..." Kazuki muttered, spinning another bit of plot while Jiraiya's eyes lit up like fireworks. He looked about ready to drag Kazuki off for sake on the spot.
But then Jiraiya suddenly turned his head.
Minato Namikaze stood nearby, his expression one of exasperation as he looked between Jiraiya and Kazuki, the latter clearly an accomplice.
At that moment, Minato began to wonder if encouraging Kakashi to befriend Kazuki had been a good idea after all.
Still, he remembered Kushina's high opinion of Kazuki—and the positive changes in Kakashi recently—so Minato ultimately said nothing.
Sure, Kazuki might have a few questionable literary talents, but as long as he didn't corrupt Kakashi too much, it was fine.
"You've come a long way, Minato," Jiraiya said, flashing his usual wide, hearty grin. He'd sensed Minato's approach ages ago—after all, his student wasn't even trying to hide his presence—but Kazuki had just hit a crucial scene in his pitch, and Jiraiya couldn't bear to interrupt.
Kazuki remained totally calm.
What, getting caught discussing smutty novel plots with Jiraiya by the Hokage?
Minato was a guy. It didn't count.
Kazuki thought back to his previous life—every male dorm room after lights-out was a den of debauchery. If you'd recorded their conversations, at least half the group would've ended up eating government-provided meals for public indecency.
It was during those moments, when someone shared their "secret stash," that male bonding hit its peak.
"Sensei, it's really great to see you again," Minato said seriously. "There's something urgent I need to discuss—"
Kazuki understood immediately and gave a polite goodbye to Jiraiya, heading off to leave the two alone.
He had a pretty good guess as to what Minato wanted to talk about.
There weren't many things that could make the Fourth Hokage anxious.
Uzumaki Kushina being pregnant was definitely one of them.
"So Jiraiya really came back because of that... Man, no matter what world you're in, it's always the lustful sages keeping civilization going, huh?" Kazuki sighed.
In the original timeline, Jiraiya hadn't returned to Konoha until the Chūnin Exams arc. He'd been tailing Orochimaru for years by then.
Back at the Nara clan compound, Kazuki found it as quiet as ever. Uncle Suzaku wasn't home, and no one else in the clan really acknowledged him. But Kazuki was used to it by now.
After all, he'd inherited a body that wasn't exactly beloved.
Not bullied—just distant.
And Kazuki didn't mind. He always believed that a few true friends were more important than a crowd of acquaintances.
Besides, peace and quiet meant more time to train.
A flash of white fire lit up the Nara compound sky.
"Hey, is that the Great Fireball Technique again?"
"Must be Kazuki. He's the only one in the clan who loves using that jutsu every day."
Voices from the clan drifted on the wind. At some point, Nara Kazuki had become synonymous with Great Fireball Jutsu.
"That kid works hard," murmured Shikaku Nara, sipping tea with his wife Yoshino.
"He made Chūnin already. Honestly, I used to think being a Genin for life was his ceiling," Shikaku said, nodding.
The war had quieted. Though Konoha had signed some peace treaties, what the village really needed now was time—to breathe and let the next generation grow.
They had to carry the torch someday.
"I hear Suzaku likes him a lot too," Yoshino added, serving her husband another bite. "Says he trains harder than anyone."
Shikaku nodded. Kazuki being accepted into ANBU, even if just as Kakashi's partner, was no small feat. Earning the Hokage's approval was a big deal.
He'd been worried that no new prodigies were rising from the Nara clan, but Kazuki's emergence had eased some of those fears.
Whether Kazuki would receive special support from the clan would depend on how he grew.
Shikaku was very pleased.
Meanwhile, Kazuki had no idea he'd been placed under observation. He was too focused on refining his chakra.
Chakra—the foundation of a shinobi's strength.
When he'd first started cultivating it, Kazuki had chosen auto-refinement, and the system had continued tracking his progress in the background.
Each time he burned through a certain amount of chakra, it counted toward his mastery.
He was satisfied with his pace.
"My overall reserves are still a bit low."
He'd noticed a small increase recently, and after thinking about it, he realized the reason:
Thanks to all the hell Might Guy had put him through, his body was stronger, and thus, his chakra pool had grown.
After all, chakra was a blend of physical energy and mental focus.
Still, that only took him so far.
To reach truly absurd levels—like those of the Tailed Beast Jinchūriki—you needed either a Bijū sealed inside you or a powerful bloodline.
For all the talk of "Will of Fire" and "hard work triumphs all," at the end of the day, bloodlines mattered.
That was the truth of most shōnen manga.
Even the loud guy next door—Monkey D. Luffy—had turned out to be some reincarnated savior destined to upend the World Government. Everyone else was just background noise.
In Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto being the Fourth Hokage's son, and the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths' son, had pissed off a fair number of fans.
But the worldbuilding made it clear—your clan could determine your ceiling.
If you were born a Hyūga, you had Byakugan by default. Sure, you might get slapped with a Caged Bird Seal, but that bloodline still put you ahead of the average Genin.
Kazuki himself had inherited the Nara Clan's Secret Techniques, like the Shadow Possession Jutsu—something other ninja could only dream of learning.
"Whatever. Complaining doesn't help. Just gotta keep grinding."
He shook his head and returned to his training.
Every drop of sweat needed to become progress.
His chakra refinement meter had crept up again. Based on past experience, the second upgrade would bring an even bigger leap.