Chapter 7: Foundations Beneath Their Feet

The sun hadn't yet reached its peak when Kaizen arrived at the forest clearing—their usual spot. A soft wind rustled the leaves, carrying with it the scent of dew and bark. By the time the sun was high enough to cast golden light through the canopy, both Naruto and Hinata had arrived.

"Yo," Naruto greeted, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You're early, Kaizen!"

"Early bird gets stronger faster," Kaizen replied with a smirk. Hinata offered a small bow, her cheeks tinged pink, as she greeted them quietly.

They began the day's training with renewed focus. Kaizen had already adapted to tree walking like it was second nature. His feet clung to bark as if it were instinct. While Naruto and Hinata struggled, Kaizen never criticized—only guided.

[First 3-Day Time-Skip Begins]

Over the next three days, Kaizen's mastery became the standard to chase. Naruto, with his trademark stubbornness, stumbled and bruised, but eventually stuck to the tree for longer and longer intervals. Hinata made steady progress, silently determined not to fall behind.

Kaizen didn't just train their bodies. As they rested, drinking water and catching their breath, he spoke—softly but with conviction.

"You don't have to be what others say you are," Kaizen once told Naruto as they sat under the trees. "You're not the demon fox. You're you—your choices define that, not your past or what's inside you."

Naruto frowned, mulling it over. "But no one believes that."

"Then prove them wrong by being better. Stronger. Kinder. Not for them. For you."

Hinata, listening quietly, internalized his words. She found her heart stirring—not with infatuation, but inspiration.

Kaizen also introduced the idea of purpose—training not just to win, but to protect, to understand, to live meaningfully. It confused Naruto at first, but he began to grasp it little by little.

On the fourth day, Kaizen raised the stakes. "Alright. You two are ready. Get up there," he said, pointing to the tops of the trees.

Naruto blinked. "On top?"

Hinata hesitated, "Won't… won't we fall?"

Kaizen didn't answer. He tossed a small stone into the air and leapt up. With grace and balance, he landed upside-down on a branch, letting the rock pass by harmlessly. "You won't fall. If you do, you'll learn. Now dodge."

He had Naruto throw rocks at him—soft enough not to injure, but sharp enough to keep him on his toes. "This helps with balance, awareness, and reflex. Imagine enemy kunai instead of pebbles."

Once they understood, Naruto and Hinata agreed—if reluctantly—to the same exercise. It became a brutal, awkward game of keep-dodging-or-fall. Kaizen's aim, honed with the system's assistance, evolved quickly. While he never threw to hurt, it still stung. They both groaned, arms raised to shield themselves.

Their only relief came at lunch.

Each day, Kaizen brought them warm meals in simple boxes—nothing fancy, but undeniably delicious. Hinata began watching Kaizen more closely, quietly admiring the way he packed food with care and balance. She began wondering if she could do the same.

Naruto devoured it eagerly. "This is almost as good as ramen!" he exclaimed with a full mouth.

"Try saying that when you've tasted ramen every day for a year," Kaizen teased. "Your tongue deserves variety."

By the end of the third day, both Naruto and Hinata could walk trees, dodge decently, and smile more.

[Second Time-Skip – One Week]

With tree walking mastered, Kaizen introduced the next challenge: water walking. But before they began, he unveiled something else—a handmade ball.

"This," he said, holding up the round object, "is called football. You kick it. You score. And you train—stamina, coordination, teamwork."

Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. "That sounds awesome! Let's play!"

Hinata smiled shyly. "That sounds... fun."

They agreed to play at the public playground, hoping others might join. Kaizen, knowing this could attract the rest of the Konoha 9, approved. "Only if Hinata agrees."

She nodded, and the plan began.

But no one came.

Children stared from a distance. Some turned away. Others were pulled back by parents. Naruto, after the third day, stared at the ball in silence. "No one's gonna play with us…"

Kaizen placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let them be. We're still going to play."

"Why?"

"Because the best teams are made of those who stay—even when no one else does."

Hinata added gently, "I like playing with you and Kaizen-kun."

Naruto blinked at them, stunned by their sincerity, then broke into a sheepish smile.

During this week, they built routines. Football in the morning, water-walking attempts by the stream in the afternoon, and meals at Kaizen's apartment in the evening. And slowly, Kaizen began new lessons.

He made Naruto read labels, write shopping lists, and learn how to read basic kanji.

Naruto groaned every time. "Why do I gotta learn this stuff?! I'm gonna be Hokage, not a writer!"

"And a Hokage who can't read a report is a puppet," Kaizen replied sternly. "If you want to lead, you need to understand. Not just jutsu—everything."

He also had Naruto learn to cook at least one meal by week's end. "Boiling water is not cooking," Kaizen told him with a deadpan face when Naruto presented instant noodles.

Meanwhile, Hinata quietly asked Kaizen to teach her too. She stayed behind after meals, helping him clean, watching how he seasoned food. Kaizen taught her gently—like a guide, not a commander.

By the seventh day, Naruto could read simple words, fry an egg, and throw a perfect spiral pass with the ball. Hinata could chop vegetables without flinching and had become bolder in conversation, asking questions and offering ideas.

That morning, as they played at the playground again, Naruto finally slumped to the ground.

"No one's coming," he mumbled, tracing circles in the dirt with a stick. "It's just us…"

Kaizen spun the ball on his finger with practiced ease, eyes half-lidded in thought. "That's fine. It only takes one spark to start a blaze."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked up at him.

Before Kaizen could answer, he glanced past Naruto—and smirked.

Naruto followed his gaze toward the park entrance.

A lone figure was approaching—hands tucked in their pockets, posture casual, yet eyes sharp with curiosity. Their hair caught the sunlight just enough to glint, but the shadows obscured the rest. They stopped just a few meters away, head tilted slightly.

"…What are you guys playing?"

The voice was light. Neutral. Calm.

Kaizen's smile didn't fade. "Finally," he murmured under his breath.

Naruto jumped up, confused and wary. "Huh? Who—?"

The breeze stirred the leaves above as the ball rolled to a slow stop at the stranger's feet.