A new me...
~ Hayatou's Pov, 2 weeks later ~
.
.
.
It's been roughly two weeks since I was reincarnated into the world of Naruto. Two weeks since I discovered N.E.O. and started my insane training regimen. In that time, I've worked my ass off tirelessly.
Day in, day out, I've followed every single training regiment without fail. No excuses, no wasted days. I pushed myself to the absolute limit—and then some.
At first, it was manageable, but as I continued getting stronger, progress became harder. We had to start getting creative. Since I couldn't afford proper weights, I had to improvise—using rocks, logs, and anything heavy I could find to add resistance.
I carried them while running, lifted them, and even strapped them to my body just to make things harder. But even that only worked for so long. When you're getting 20% stronger every single day, simple tricks stop working real fast.
Still, the results were undeniable. My taijutsu had improved immensely. Every day, I drilled the katas over and over, refining my movements until they truly became second nature.
At some point, everything I had studied in the library just stuck. Thanks to N.E.O.'s continued mental enhancements, absorbing information had become effortless. I no longer felt that overwhelming mental strain from downloading knowledge into my brain.
In fact... After the tenth time, all I felt was a slight tingle. It was almost scary how quickly I was adapting. My memory had become near-perfect—I could recall anything I studied with zero effort, down to the smallest details.
I could even solve complex problems near instantly, and process information faster, and notice patterns I never would have before. Even the way I viewed the world was changing. I was growing smarter, sharper, and as a result… certain things just didn't affect me anymore.
Now, I was incredibly powerful—at least, relatively speaking. In terms of raw strength and speed, I was confident that I had surpassed the average chunin. But when it came to skill, technique, and battle experience? I still had a long way to go before I could even think about comparing myself to a jonin.
However, where I would definitely outclass most shinobi was in sheer endurance and toughness. I could already run near a thousand laps around the training field before feeling any real fatigue. My body had reached a level where taking a stab from a kunai wouldn't even draw blood—at most, it would leave a small scratch.
And now?
Now, I was just walking to the academy, minding my own business. The air was crisp, the village lively, but despite all the movement around me, there was one glaring difference.
The kids were avoiding me like I was the plague itself.
I didn't blame them.
I was much taller than nearly everyone my age, towering over them in a way that definitely wasn't normal. I didn't look anything like I did a month ago, either. My features were sharper, my body more defined, and my presence—whether I meant it or not—probably felt unnerving to those who even remembered me as just another weak academy student...
As I walked, N.E.O. suddenly chimed in.
[I am now fully synchroniz—]
'That's good, but not now… Just show me my attributes, please.'
[Acknowledged. Displaying updated parameters…]
_____________________
Name: Hayatou Riki
Age: 7 / 135.1 Years Old
Height: 150.1 cm / 185.3 cm
STR: 10 ➡ 24
PHYS: 10 ➡ 24
AGI: 10 ➡ 24
C-C: 853.2 / 853.2 ➡ 14,532.1 / 14,532.1
C-D: 1 ➡ 1.11
______________________
I let out a small breath through my nose, satisfied. Seeing my progress laid out so clearly like this always felt rewarding.
Everything was extremely uniform, balanced, and precise—just the way I liked it. My chakra reserves received a pretty massive boost as well. I was likely at the level of a chuunin, or at the very least am extremely high-end Genin. My chakra density increased as well, but not by much, it isn't at a level where it would cause much change...
Either way, there was another thing I had started noticing after my mind enhancements—a sort of O.C.D when it came to my attributes. Seeing them aligned so perfectly gave me a strange sense of control. Maybe it was a side effect of my cognitive restructuring, or maybe I had just developed a personal preference...
Either way, I liked it.
.
.
.
I stepped into my class, with all of the kids already looking at me with confusion...
"Hey, is he new?"
"Woah, he's so tall..."
That's all they even whispered, and It's either one out of the two... Either way, I'll just sit somewhere where nobody is for now.
After a few minutes of waiting, more students started appearing, giving me the same reaction as the other children did. Then finally, the teacher himself showed up...
"Alright class, I'm glad to see everyone is relatively safe and sound. I hope you rested well on your break; because now we'll delve into deeper topics for the rest of the year."
He looked around the class for a moment, until his eyes caught mine...
"Hmm? I haven't seen you before... Are you a new student?"
I looked up at the teacher, already feeling the weight of the class's stares pressing down on me.
"No, sensei. It's me, Hayatou Riki."
For a moment, he just stared, like he was trying to process what I had just said. The silence stretched, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
Then, his brows furrowed, and I saw the exact moment realization hit.
"Wait… Hayatou?" His voice had that slight disbelief in it, like he wasn't sure if I was messing with him.
I just nodded.
The class immediately erupted into hushed chatter.
"No way, that's Hayatou?"
"What happened to him?"
"He looks like a whole different person!"
I sighed...
The teacher blinked a few times, still looking at me like I had just dropped out of the sky. But after a moment, he shook his head, deciding to just roll with it.
"Well… alright then. Just, uhh—let me know if anything else changed that I should be aware of."
I gave a simple nod.
He clapped his hands together, getting the class's attention back.
"Alright, let's get started. Today, we'll be covering—"
I tuned out for a second, leaning back slightly in my seat.
That could've been worse. At least no one pressed me for answers. I had expected more questions, maybe even some direct accusations, but for now, everyone just seemed confused rather than suspicious.
Still, this whole situation got me thinking.
I had considered trying to graduate early—get out of the Academy as soon as possible and start really making progress. But from what I remember about the story, that almost never ends well. I'd need a much stronger foundation before even attempting something that reckless.
And more importantly? Danzo.
That man had an uncanny ability to sniff out civilian-born kids with unnatural growth, and I was the definition of a red flag right now. If I stood out too much, there was a very real chance I'd end up in Root before I even knew what was happening to me.
Brainwashed. Indoctrinated. Turned into one of his mindless operators.
Yeah… No thanks.
For now, I just needed to lay low for as long as I could. Keep my head down. Make progress quietly until I was strong enough to deal with whatever came my way.
Because one thing was clear—If I wasn't careful, someone would come for me... And probably in the way I'd least expect it...
And so, class ended quickly with the teacher going over tactics we might need. Something I haven't taken up as yet. I'll need to head to the library to see how far I can get in that aspect.
.
.
.
As I walked down the hallway, that now familiar ringing echoed in my mind.
[Host… I have some news to share. You might want to listen keenly.]
I frowned slightly. 'Hmm? Alright, go ahead, it looks like it'll sound pretty important…'
[I wanted to inform you that you are nearing the maximum threshold of your current neural capacity. While your body is still capable of further enhancement through the third and final level of reconstruction, your mental faculties are approaching their natural limit.]
I slowed my pace slightly. 'Wait… So you're telling me my brain has a cap? Since when?'
[From the moment you were born. Your genetic framework imposes an upper limit on your cognitive potential, just as it does for your physical attributes... While I have optimized your neural processing speeds and memory retention, I cannot create new pathways beyond what your biology allows.]
I exhaled, rubbing the back of my head.
'So what's my max?' I never thought that I would actually encounter something like this...
[I have estimated your current intelligence ceiling to be an IQ of approximately 147. At present, you are functioning at 132.]
I blinked. There's a max level to intelligence now?
That was… a weird thing to process. I had assumed with all these upgrades, my brain would keep getting sharper indefinitely. But apparently, that wasn't the case. To be honest, it was disappointing.
Still, 147 was far above average, at least I think so. Though, I needed clarity on this, I roughly understood what N.E.O was getting at, that essentially my genetics had hit a limit. One which I didn't think I even had...
"Could you explain it with more clarity?"
There was a brief pause before N.E.O. responded.
[Consider this analogy: If you were born with an intellectual disposition of 100, you can never study or train your mind to surpass 100 and reach a hypothetical 200. What you can do is access more information, store more data, and recall it with greater precision. However, that does not equate to an actual increase in actual intelligence—it simply means you possess more raw knowledge.]
I absorbed that for a second.
So basically, I wasn't actually getting smarter anymore—I was just becoming more efficient at using the intelligence I already had. My memory, recall speed, and ability to process information had all improved drastically, but my actual mental ceiling was fixed.
I wasn't limitless after all... That sucks...
In fact, it was a weird realization overall. I had been so used to constant progress that hearing there was a cap on something like this felt… strange.
'So, in simpler terms, I'm stuck at 147, and the only thing I can do now is learn more and apply it better?'
[Correct. Your intelligence is at its natural limit, but your ability to store, access, and utilize information is near-flawless.]
I exhaled through my nose.
Not the worst news, but still something I'd have to keep in mind. At the very least, I wasn't dumb, and I had N.E.O. to make sure I could keep learning efficiently.
I mulled over the information for a moment before another thought crossed my mind.
"Alright… so then what's the difference between someone with a higher IQ than me? What exactly can they do that I can't?"
[Higher IQ individuals possess greater natural cognitive elasticity, meaning they can: Process complex patterns faster; Form abstract connections more efficiently; Adapt to new information at a heightened rate; Develop original theories and solutions beyond pre-existing knowledge... Essentially, a higher IQ grants the ability to create new and more impactful knowledge, rather than just applying what is already known.]
I frowned slightly, 'So someone smarter than me would be able to come up with new techniques, strategies, or ideas that I wouldn't even think of?'
[Correct. While you can analyze, refine, and optimize existing data at an already exceptional rate, you will never surpass the threshold of true innovation and comprehension that a higher intellect would allow.]
That... made sense. No matter how well I could process what already existed, someone with a much higher IQ would have a natural advantage in breaking past those barriers and inventing completely new methods.
"So if I ever ran into a genius… I'd just be outmatched in terms of sheer creativity?"
[Not necessarily. Your advantage lies in your ability to adapt, memorize, and execute with absolute precision. Intelligence is a factor, but application is what defines true skill in combat.]
I exhaled, rolling my shoulders. That was good to know, at least. I wasn't about to start panicking just because I wasn't the smartest person in the world.
But still…
'If I ever hit a wall because of this, you better have a workaround for me, N.E.O.'
[I already do, host…]
I practically froze mid-step.
'What?'
[You heard correctly. I have already identified a solution.]
I felt my heartbeat pick up slightly. 'You... You do?'
[Yes. Do you recall when I informed you that additional features would become available upon full synchronization? Among those functions is the ability to clone and deconstruct genetic structures. Previously, I lacked a viable sync-rate to enhance your intelligence beyond its natural limit. However, that is no longer the case.]
I narrowed my eyes. 'Wait... Are you saying—'
[Yes. I would no longer be limited by a lack of available genetic material. Instead, I could analyze, replicate, and integrate select traits from external sources—assuming we obtain them.]
My breath hitched.
He was essentially talking about stealing someone's intelligence.
Not in a mind-reading way, but in a biological sense. If we ever found someone smarter than me, someone with an IQ far beyond 147, N.E.O. could extract and integrate that genetic trait into my body.
I would no longer be bound by my own limits...
'But… it just wouldn't be mine, huh?'
[Yes. The intelligence would be artificially introduced rather than naturally developed. It would be fully functional, but it would not be an organic part of your original cognitive evolution...]
I inhaled deeply, running a hand through my hair.
This was a definite game changer...
"So... you're telling me… if I find a genius, I can become a genius?"
[Precisely.]
'And what would I need?'
[Either their blood, or saliva.]
.
.
.
.
.
.
END