Chapter 27: You Can’t Name a Bear Lunch Box

HISTORIC MOMENT ALERT! 🚨

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While the rest of you are still thinking about it… Archer already secured those early chapters like a boss.

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--

"Your enemy moves fast. Earth moves slow. But when Earth moves… everything else follows."

— Toph Beifong, Avatar: The Last Airbender

--

Location: Otis's River Clearing – Early Morning, a few days later

The wind was crisp. Mist curled along the banks of the river, and there was snow along the edges of training area

Otis sat cross-legged beside a small fire.

It had been a few days since he started practicing Earth Chakra transformation.

It was hard — frustrating, even.

But… it was starting to make sense.

A half-open scroll rested on his knee. His brow furrowed as he re-read the section for the fourth time.

"Earth Release is the element of stability, pressure, and resistance. All forms of Doton require deliberate chakra flow, control of grounding, and tactile connection to the terrain."

He looked down at his palm.

Then at the earth beneath him.

"Tactile connection…?"

He placed both palms on the soil. Focused.

Pushed his chakra downward.

Nothing.

He tried again — this time slowly, letting his breath match the quiet hum in his chest.

Still nothing.

"...So it's not about force."

He closed his eyes.

Let his chakra sink in. Slowly. 

Patiently.

And this time…

He felt it.

The ground trembled — and just slightly.He could feel it,a faint connection with the ground beneath his feet.

But it was a start.

He stood.

Rolled his shoulders.

Then read aloud from the scroll:

"Basic Earth Release Technique: Mud Wall. Redirect chakra to harden soil into a barrier or shield."

He nodded once.

Formed the seal.

"Earth Style… Mud Wall."

He poured chakra into the soil in front of him.

Nothing.

Then — a spit of dust. The dirt shifted. 

A clump of mud, maybe the size of a biscuit, popped up and flopped over.

Otis stared.

"...Okay. That sucked."

A few days later

A half-circle of tiny failed walls surrounded him. Some cracked in the middle. Others tilted sideways like a drunk tower. One just sank back into the ground.

But Otis kept trying.

Each attempt, he adjusted something:

Breathing slower.

Grounding his feet better.

Pulling chakra from his core instead of pushing from his hands.

"Earth doesn't want to move," he muttered. "It wants to stay."

He tried again.

"Earth Release: Mud Wall."

This time, the ground surged upward with a low growl.

A wall rose — uneven and cracked down one side.… but it held.

Four feet tall. Just over a meter wide. Rough as hell.

Otis touched it.

Solid.

His first real jutsu.

"Finally."

He sat down, breathing slow.

Behind him, the bear — who had been watching the entire time while chewing on bark like it was popcorn — snorted in approval..

Otis's River Clearing – Late Afternoon

The clearing smelled of earth and smoke. 

Otis stood in front of a short, lopsided wall of hardened soil — It looked rough. Uneven. But it stood.

His hands were dusty. His sleeves rolled up. Behind him, a scroll lay half-open on a flat rock.

Then—

"You did it."

Otis glanced to his left. Sayuri had appeared, hands in her pockets, eyes scanning the crooked wall. She'd been watching him practice Earth Release for days now.

Hinata followed a few steps behind her, carrying a small basket in both hands.

Otis gave a short nod. "Been working on Earth Release."

Sayuri stopped a few feet away, squinting at the wall.

"Looks like it's trying to fall over and failing."

Otis didn't answer right away. He walked over to the scroll, brushed dirt from it, and sat on a nearby log.

Hinata stepped forward softly.

"It's still impressive," she said softly. "You made it on your own?"

Otis nodded.

"It took a few days to figure out but it is still not stable."

Sayuri crouched down and tapped the base of the wall with her knuckles. "Still solid. Rough, but solid."

Hinata knelt beside the basket, unwrapping a cloth. "We brought something for lunch. Since you usually forget."

Otis's gaze lingered on the food. "Thanks."

Sayuri dropped onto the grass beside him.. "Don't get used to it."

He picked up a rice ball and took a bite without argument.

From the shade of a nearby tree, Yuki-box — the bear — opened one lazy eye.

Sayuri flicked a piece of dried meat in its direction.

"I swear, that bear's got it better than most civilians." 

Yes. they named the bear

***

A few days ago

Location: Otis's Broken Hut – Morning

The bear was curled near the firepit, steam rising gently off its thick white fur. 

Otis tossed a log onto the flames, then stretched his arms as he leaned over a scroll. His shirt was only half-on. Hair still wet from the river.

Sayuri crouched beside the bear, poking it gently.

"He's kind of… adorable. In a murder-you-in-your-sleep way."

Hinata stood beside her, arms tucked behind her back, a soft smile on her lips.

"What's her name?"

Otis didn't look up from the scroll he was reading.

"Lunch Box."

The girls blinked in unison.

Hinata squeaked. "Eh?!"

Sayuri narrowed her eyes. "That's not a name"

Otis shrugged. "He tried to eat me. Now he's waiting to be eaten. It's fair."

Sayuri dragged her hand down her face

"You can't name a living thing Lunch Box!."

The bear yawned and rolled onto its side, exposing its soft belly.

Hinata stepped closer, kneeling beside the bear and softly ran her fingers through its fur.

"She's too gentle for a name like that…"

Otis scoffed. "It bit through my door."

Sayuri leaned over the bear's side. "You really need to stop naming things after your trauma, big guy."

Hinata giggled, still petting. "She should be Yuki-chan. Because of her white fur... and she came during the snow…"

Sayuri gave her a dramatic thumbs up. "That's it. Officially canon. Her name is Yuki-chan."

Otis rolled his eyes. "Yuki-chan sounds like someone's neighbor. Not a beast that tried to end me."

He paused, brow twitching slightly as he remembered a few too many anime from his old life… Cough', cough'.

Sayuri nodded approvingly. "Yuki. It suits her."

Otis raised a brow. "It's a him."

Paused.

Eyes widened.

"Oh. Oh-ho... Otis…"

Sayuri turned her head toward him, smirking like a fox who found gossip gold.

"Your Lunch Box is a lady."

Otis looked up.

"…What?"

Sayuri grinned wider. "Female. Girl. Definitely."

Otis blinked. 

Looked at the bear. Then at them.

…

"So she's a female bear... That doesn't change the name."

"It absolutely changes the name," Sayuri fired back.

"It's Lunch Box," Otis said firmly.

Hinata: "Yuki-chan."

Sayuri agreed: "Yuki-chan."

The bear let out a sleepy grunt.

Otis exhaled.

"…Fine. Yuki-Box."

Sayuri facepalmed.

"No."

Hinata giggled harder.

"That's worse."

***

Present

Hinata sat cross-legged in the grass, quietly watching Otis as he chewed.

"Have you... used earth chakra with your throwing yet?"

Otis shook his head. "Still working on stability. Earth Release takes more control than I expected."

They sat in silence for a bit — the kind that wasn't awkward, just settled.

--

(A/N)

Hey everyone, I just wanted to share something important.

Today, I got my very first review on Scribble Hub — and honestly, it stung a bit. The review said this novel was made entirely by AI, that it was a waste of time, and so on. Since it's my first review, it hit harder than I expected.

But don't worry — I'm not giving up. I'm going to keep writing this story because I love it.

Now, about the AI part:

English isn't my first language.

I first write the story in my native language, then translate it using AI. After that, I go through it, fix grammar, edit scenes, and make sure the emotions and flow are right. That's how I use AI — as a tool, not a replacement for creativity. If after all that, someone still feels it isn't worth reading, then… I really don't know what else to say.

But for those of you who enjoy this story, I have one request:

Please leave a review.

It helps a lot. After that one review, I know some new readers might skip this novel thinking it's just another generic AI-generated thing. But you all know I put heart into this.

NOW..

POLL TIME – BOLD TEXT OR NO BOLD?

This chapter had no bold words. Do you prefer it this way or should I bring the bold formatting back?

1. Yes, bring back the bold text!

2. No bold needed, keep it clean and smooth.

3. I don't mind either way — just keep the chapters coming!

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