Naruto: Blacksmith

The sun was setting, slowly disappearing over the horizon.

When Kuro and Naruto arrived at Yakiniku Q, the place was already packed.

Most of the diners were families with five- or six-year-old children celebrating an important achievement: passing the entrance exam for the Ninja Academy.

Becoming an Academy student marked the first step on the ninja path. While it didn't guarantee becoming an official ninja, it represented a valuable opportunity worth celebrating.

For parents, this was a special occasion to motivate their children, celebrate their success, and encourage their dreams.

Luckily, despite the restaurant being full, there were still a few empty seats. Kuro and Naruto found an available spot and sat down. After ordering their food, Naruto wasted no time bragging.

Naruto talked non-stop, daydreaming. He was convinced that entering the Ninja Academy was the first step toward becoming Hokage, and he was sure his school days would be glorious.

He even patted his chest, promising Kuro that he would back him up at the Academy.

Kuro, for his part, just looked at him without saying anything. He didn't want to be the one to burst Naruto's bubble.

Although Naruto had a bright future as a ninja, his time at school… well, that would be another story.

Reality would be much harsher than Naruto imagined.

---

The moon was already high in the sky when they finished dinner. Its silver light bathed the village in a soft glow.

At the restaurant's entrance, Kuro said goodbye to Naruto.

"Tomorrow is the first day of classes. Don't be late again."

"Don't worry! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I don't break my promises." Naruto pounded his chest.

Precisely because you're Naruto Uzumaki, I'm telling you this!

Kuro rolled his eyes but said nothing more. He simply waved his hand and turned to leave.

Instead of heading straight home, he decided to walk for a bit. He had eaten a lot of meat and wanted to help digest the food.

The shopping streets were lively, filled with people coming and going. In contrast, the more remote alleys remained quiet.

As he walked, Kuro observed the laughter and joy of the people. He felt an inner peace he rarely experienced.

The death of Danzo and the dissolution of Root hadn't brought visible changes to the village.

At least, not on the surface. But changes were happening.

The Uchiha, for example, now seemed to get along better with others.

Their attitudes were more relaxed, and they had stopped displaying the excessive pride that had previously characterized them.

Even the police, managed by the Uchiha clan, had received positive feedback from the villagers. However, it would still take time to fully earn everyone's trust.

---

After walking for a while, Kuro felt his stomach was lighter. He decided to return home.

He opened the gate to the courtyard, and as he entered, he threw three shuriken at a target without pausing.

Tac

Tac

Tac

In the darkness of the night, the sounds confirmed that all three shuriken hit their mark, embedding precisely in the center of the target.

Smiling, he continued to the dojo without bothering to retrieve the shuriken.

Inside the dojo, he drew his longsword and began practicing basic movements. Gradually, his movements became more complex, creating fluid patterns as he walked and swung the sword.

Under the dim light, the sword's flashes illuminated the dojo, and the sound of the air being cut filled the house.

Ten minutes later, Kuro executed a final movement, spinning the sword like a fan before stopping it precisely.

Calmly, he slid the blade back into its sheath.

In the next instant, a sharp sound broke the silence.

Shrrk!

A meter away, the tatami split open, leaving a long, clean cut.

Kuro maintained a calm expression.

"A three-meter mark… I still have a long way to go to fully control the technique," he murmured, somewhat frustrated.

After consuming that black pill, he had advanced significantly in weapon handling.

In just one month, he had managed to throw a hundred shuriken with precision at a target five meters away. Additionally, in close combat, his movements with the sword felt almost instinctive, as if his body remembered something he didn't fully understand yet.

However, despite his rapid progress with swordsmanship, he was never completely satisfied.

He kept learning, practicing, and pushing himself, but he had yet to reach the level he desired.

Kuro decided to completely abandon kunai practice and drastically reduce the time spent on shuriken. Now, all his attention was focused on the sword.

But it still wasn't enough.

The reason he placed so much importance on swordsmanship was simple: he had learned from Itachi about an advanced technique called "Chakra Flow."

This skill involved combining chakra form and nature transformation, infusing it into weapons to enhance their power and effectiveness in combat.

Many characters could use this technique: Shisui, Sasuke, Danzo, Asuma…

However, even they faced limitations. Some didn't have enough chakra to keep the technique active for long, or they could only apply it to small weapons.

But Kuro was different.

Thanks to his physique and the Kurama Ring, his chakra reserves increased daily. Over time, the growth rate became even greater. He was now barely using one percent of the ring's power.

Kuro was convinced that, in the future, his chakra reserves would rival those of Hashirama. This would allow him to maintain chakra flow constantly in his weapons, greatly enhancing his combat power.

But there was a problem:

Having a powerful technique is useless if you can't land a hit.

His swordsmanship had to be exceptional, or facing high-level enemies would be suicide. He knew his skill couldn't be mediocre if he wanted to survive the battles the future held.

After reflecting, he sat cross-legged on the tatami.

He pulled out a scroll and a pen, along with some items from his system space, which he placed to one side.

With the start of classes, much of his time would be spent studying at the Ninja Academy, significantly reducing his practice time. Without proper planning, his growth would be affected.

Training must be efficient.

Although the training plan Itachi had given him was excellent, Kuro hadn't expected his talent with weapons to develop so quickly. According to that plan, he wouldn't begin practicing basic ninjutsu until he graduated from the Academy, something he wasn't willing to accept.

Kuro began reviewing the items he had collected over the past few days and adjusted his training plan accordingly.

He had many things: crystals and contact lenses, in abundance.

These were thanks to the hair and blood samples Itachi had sent him, belonging to various members of the Uchiha clan.

It had taken him an entire month to forge all that material.

Initially, Kuro thought the system had no limits. But after creating dozens of crystals, his body collapsed from exhaustion.

That's when he understood that forging consumed his physical strength. Before, he only forged one or two items at a time, and thanks to his Sage Body, he recovered quickly. But that time, he had exceeded his limit.

However, something caught his attention after finishing the forging: the tissues of three key people in the Uchiha clan were missing. There were no traces of Fugaku, Mikoto, or Sasuke.

________

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