Chapter 28: Destiny
Unlike the Naruto from the original timeline, the Naruto in Ryosuke's world was a lot more reserved and well-behaved. He hadn't been shaped by the influence of those loud, extroverted, and endlessly optimistic people.
Though he didn't yet know how to win over the villagers, Naruto understood one thing very clearly—if someone wanted to become Hokage, they needed to be strong, respected, and undeniably great. So, he didn't bother fighting Uchiha Sasuke for top rankings. He didn't challenge his classmates to pointless duels either.
Ryosuke had noticed something important about him—Naruto could recognize his own weaknesses, and he actively searched for ways to overcome them.
And that made Ryosuke admire him even more. In Naruto, he saw traces of his past self.
They were both orphans. Both quietly grinding their way forward, refusing to break no matter how heavy the weight.
"Ryosuke," Naruto asked suddenly, his voice full of curiosity and a hint of frustration, "do you know how to control the chakra in my body?"
It was as if he could sense Ryosuke's silent attention, and the two had gradually grown closer—even if Ryosuke didn't exactly act all friendly on the surface.
"Chakra control? That's actually covered in the ninja training manual," Ryosuke replied with a small smile. "I'm guessing you've already gone through it."
Naruto let out a sigh, clearly irritated. "I know that much. But I still don't get how to actually control it. You all seem to have it down, so why can't I?"
He scratched his head, visibly frustrated.
"I mean, I can refine chakra just fine. It even feels like I've got more chakra than most of the class—but every time I try to use it, it just... leaks away. Like, it disappears somewhere deeper inside me."
He held out his palm and instinctively touched his abdomen.
"Right around here… it's like most of the chakra just vanishes every time I use it. I can feel it, but I don't know where it goes."
Ryosuke kept his smile calm and casual. "There's nothing about that in the manual. But if you're really that confused, maybe ask the Third Hokage. He might be able to explain it better."
He kept his tone light, but his words subtly nudged Naruto toward Sarutobi Hiruzen—again.
There were truths Ryosuke couldn't tell him. Not yet.
Naruto's existence was complicated—too sensitive for open discussion.
He was a living weapon, yet allowed to roam freely thanks only to the decisions of Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Third had always kept a close eye on him, sending ANBU to monitor him and even using the Telescope Technique to spy on Naruto's daily life.
So, as much as Ryosuke liked and admired Naruto, he couldn't afford to be seen guiding him. Not openly. Not yet.
Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted Naruto under his control, molded into a symbol of the Will of Fire. A second Namikaze Minato.
Ryosuke? He intended to push Naruto forward—but not down that path.
Generally speaking, the Third wouldn't hurt Naruto—at least not before he officially became a ninja. But whether Naruto could hold on to his own judgment and sense of self under that constant influence… well, that was up to him.
"Third Hokage might mean well," Ryosuke said softly after class, catching Naruto before he left, "but if you really want to become Hokage—your kind of Hokage—you can't follow his path completely."
Naruto blinked, stunned by the seriousness in his voice.
"If you do… the people in the village will only respect what he did for you. Not what you did for yourself."
"…Ryosuke," Naruto murmured, staring at him in a daze.
Ryosuke flashed him a gentle smile. "See you tomorrow."
He turned and left with Hinata walking quietly beside him.
As soon as he was gone, the ANBU surveillance resumed, reappearing near Naruto just like they always did during school hours.
Thanks to his powerful Byakugan, Ryosuke always sensed when they were around. Whenever the Third Hokage used the Telescope Technique or another ninja came to monitor Naruto, Ryosuke would slip away before being noticed.
---
On the walk home, it was just Ryosuke and Hinata.
She looked up at him, her soft voice carrying a bit of concern. "You seem really invested in Uzumaki Naruto. But... Father said we shouldn't get too close to him."
Ryosuke replied casually, "I'm not really that close. We sit next to each other in class, sure, but we've barely spoken twenty times in the last month."
He waved his hands absentmindedly through the air, his fingertips moving as if playing an invisible piano.
"But still…"
Hinata hesitated. She had a strange feeling about the way Ryosuke acted around Naruto—like there was more going on than he let on.
"You know, Hinata," Ryosuke suddenly said, cutting her off before she could voice her doubts, "there's this concept called the 'theory of destiny.'"
He looked straight ahead as he spoke, his tone strangely detached.
"It says that everyone's fate is already set—from birth to death. What do you think of that?"
Hinata blinked, surprised by the sudden change in his tone. It wasn't warm or calm like usual. There was a weight to it, like he was speaking from somewhere far above.
"I… I don't think I can accept that," she said honestly, after a moment's thought.
"That's normal. Most people don't want their whole life decided for them."
As Ryosuke continued walking, his fingers were still tapping the air—but now, something had changed.
A massive chessboard materialized before him, and his fingers began to press down on the floating pieces, shifting them across the board.
Hinata instantly recognized it as an illusion. It appeared far too suddenly to be anything else.
But she didn't resist. She didn't break free with chakra.
She was curious.
"If this board is what I call fate," Ryosuke said softly, his eyes focused on the illusion, "then these pieces are the people."
"Every time one of them shifts direction, every time someone strays from their predetermined path, I get curious."
"I want to see where they end up. And sometimes... I don't mind giving them a little push."
"…Ryosuke," Hinata whispered, eyes wide.
Suddenly, she felt a crushing pressure. Like she was standing alone on a beach, staring down a massive, unstoppable wave.
Her breath caught. Her body trembled. Even with how much stronger she'd grown, she couldn't shake the fear rising in her chest.
This wasn't the gentle Ryosuke she knew.
"Ah… crap—sorry. My bad."
Snapping out of it, Ryosuke quickly suppressed the chakra that had unconsciously started to swirl around him.
He reached out, gently grabbing her hand to calm her.
Just now… something had shifted.
It was like he had entered a strange mental state where he could see the future—not just predict it, but truly see everything in motion, from the smallest action to the fate of the entire world.
But now that the moment had passed, it was like waking from a dream.
He couldn't remember any of it.
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