Pushing Beyond Limits

Haruto and Daichi made their way back to their apartment, the quiet of the evening settling in after an exhausting day of training. Sakumo had told them to be back at the training grounds early in the morning for a workout, and the thought lingered in Haruto's mind as they walked.

I don't remember Kakashi ever really working out his team like this, Haruto thought to himself. In the anime, it always felt like Kakashi was more focused on tests and missions. Sometimes, it felt like he wasn't the greatest mentor… but then again, that was the anime. This world is different. More real.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Sakumo's approach was not just stricter but more intense, like everything here carried a heavier weight. It wasn't just about completing a mission or training for some test—Sakumo was preparing them for something much bigger. Haruto knew the workout wouldn't be easy, but he couldn't help but wonder how far Sakumo was planning to push them.

Beside him, Daichi was grumbling under his breath, drawing Haruto out of his thoughts.

"What's up with you?" Haruto asked, noticing the annoyed expression on Daichi's face.

Daichi let out an exaggerated sigh, clearly frustrated. "Kushina, my cousin. She's all about continuing the Uzumaki legacy and now wants me to make this bomb seal for her. She's got it in her head that I've gotta help carry the family's sealing arts forward. Like I don't already have enough on my plate."

Haruto raised an eyebrow at that, though he couldn't help but chuckle. "A bomb seal? That sounds like something Kushina would push for. I could help out if you want."

Daichi stopped walking and stared at Haruto for a moment, his eyebrow raised in surprise. "You know fūinjutsu?"

"Only the basics," Haruto replied, keeping it casual as they resumed walking.

Daichi blinked, clearly surprised. "Wait, between the hospital work, our insane training schedule, and everything else going on, you've still managed to learn fūinjutsu basics?"

Haruto shrugged, his smirk barely visible in the dim light. "Yeah, I figured it'd be useful. If you've got a solid foundation in fūinjutsu, it opens up a lot of possibilities. Plus, you never know when it'll come in handy."

Daichi let out an exaggerated groan. "Man, I can barely keep up with what we're already doing, and you're learning new jutsu on the side? I feel like I'm falling behind!"

Haruto laughed, the sound of it cutting through the quiet. "You just need to get better at multitasking."

Daichi rolled his eyes. "Easy for you to say. But fine, if you're offering to help, I'll take it. Kushina's not exactly known for her patience."

As they reached the door to their apartment, Haruto couldn't shake the looming thought of the next morning's workout. Sakumo was already pushing them hard, but he had a feeling that whatever lay ahead would test them even further.

I guess I'll find out how much real work Kakashi's dad expects us to put in, he thought, knowing full well that this world was far from the version he remembered watching as a fan. Here, every action, every bit of training, mattered more than ever.