Konoha Village, behind the Hokage Monument.
A black-haired boy was climbing the cliff with everything he had.
Sweat had already soaked through his clothes, clinging heavily to his skin.
He raised his head, his dark eyes locking onto the cliff’s edge just above him.
Almost there.
His fingers dug into the stone.
Then, with one final burst of strength, he pulled himself up.
At last, he reached the top.
Ding!
Congratulations to the Host for completing the physical training task.
Reward: 0.2 points.
Current Limiter Unlock Progress: Not unlocked.
99.8%.
Yujiro sat quietly at the edge of the cliff, breathing steadily as he waited for his strength to return.
At that moment, on the other side of the cliff, a young boy stood silently, watching him with curious eyes.
He had been there for two hours.
From the moment Yujiro began climbing, he had watched the entire thing from beginning to end.
Five-year-old Uchiha Itachi.
After returning from the battlefield with his father, Itachi had begun thinking about something.
What was the meaning of life?
He could not understand why people who had never met each other would fight with everything they had on the battlefield.
Why they killed.
Why they died.
Why adults spoke of duty and sacrifice as if those words could explain everything.
That was why he had come to this cliff.
He wanted to understand why shinobi were willing to risk their lives.
But just as he was about to step forward… He saw Yujiro climbing below.
Across the cliff, Yujiro also noticed the boy standing there.
It was his first time meeting Uchiha Itachi.
Looking at that small, serious face, Yujiro shook his head slightly.
This kid really was troublesome.
At this age, he was already staring at the world like he wanted to understand every answer hidden inside it.
Searching for the meaning of life every day… And later, for the sake of the Will of Fire he believed in, he would personally slaughter his own clan.
Thinking about that, a faint trace of twitch appeared at the corner of Yujiro’s mouth.
Still, that had nothing to do with him right now.
What he needed to focus on was unlocking his own limiter first.
Strength was everything.
Especially now.
Konoha Year 47.
Ten minutes later, once his body had recovered a little, Yujiro stood up and left the cliff.
In the distance, Itachi watched him go.
This time, he simply stayed where he was.
He simply stood there for a while longer before turning away as well.
…
Yujiro returned to his small yard.
“Yujiro, you really don’t have to push yourself like this every single day.” Kurenai stood in front of him, her brows drawn together in worry.
“If you won’t worry about your own body, at least think about how your nee-san feels watching you come back like this.” Yujiro looked at Kurenai and smiled faintly.
Five years had already passed since he came to this world.
His parents had died on the battlefield.
Because they had been close friends with Kurenai’s father, Yuhi Shinku, Yujiro had been taken into the Yuhi household.
Naturally, Kurenai became like an older sister to him.
Yujiro grabbed a fresh black training outfit and changed quickly.
“Yujiro!
At least be a little more careful!” Kurenai snapped, her face turning red as she quickly looked away.
She was already old enough to feel awkward about things like that “I’m going to train a little more,” Yujiro said casually.
Then he turned and walked away.
“Hey!
It’s already evening!
Where are you going now?” Kurenai watched his back disappear into the distance, puffing her cheeks in frustration.
Her foolish little brother had always been like this.
Ever since he was three years old, he had trained with an intensity far beyond his age.
Every time, Kurenai worried his body would break before his will did.
But after training with him a few times, she had already realized something.
This little monster’s stamina was ridiculous.
No matter how exhausted he became, as long as he rested for a short while, he would recover almost completely.
…
When Yujiro arrived at Training Ground Seven, he began training again.
With his current physical condition, he could push his body to its absolute limit twice a day.
The cliff climb earlier had already forced him once.
His progress toward the first stage of Limiter Unlocking had reached 99.8%.
As long as he pushed himself one more time today, he could finally break through.
The Limiter Unlocking, as the name suggested, released the dormant potential hidden inside the body.
After opening the first stage, his physical potential would increase tenfold.
It would also grant danger perception and near-perfect body control.
However, the final step was the hardest.
To break through, he needed a genuine challenge.
A real one.
Yujiro suddenly stopped moving.
Then he turned his gaze toward a large tree beside the training ground.
“You’ve been watching me for a week, Kakashi.” His voice was calm.
“Are you planning to keep hiding up there?” Above the tree, a young shinobi crouched silently on a branch.
His visible eye widened slightly.
He had indeed been observing Yujiro for almost a week.
At first, Kakashi had only passed by by chance.
But after seeing the boy’s insane training routine, curiosity had taken root in his heart.
Later, he had also heard from Kurenai that Yujiro was a complete training maniac.
Now that he had been discovered, Kakashi did not bother pretending anymore.
He jumped down from the tree and landed lightly in front of Yujiro.
Silver hair.
ANBU uniform.
A mask covering his face.
His forehead protector was tilted low, hiding the Sharingan beneath it.
Hatake Kakashi.
Yujiro looked at him with mild curiosity.
At this point in time, Kakashi should have been assigned to ANBU duties around Kushina, right?
Why did he have time to linger here?
But Yujiro did not care too much about that.
Right now, Kakashi was exactly what he needed.
An opportunity.
A twelve-year-old jōnin.
A genuine genius of Konoha.
After the battle of Kannabi Bridge, his best friend had died, leaving behind his most precious gift… and the girl he wanted to protect.
Then, only half a year later, Rin chose to die by Kakashi’s hand.
Since then, Kakashi had been trapped between Rin’s lifeless face and Obito’s furious one every single night.
A Sharingan that could not be turned off.
Blood that could not be washed away.
That was Kakashi.
He was someone who should have sunk into darkness.
And yet, in the end, he would become one of Konoha’s brightest lights.
Thinking of that, Yujiro let out a quiet breath.
If there was a chance to help, he would help.
But first— “Fight me,” Yujiro said.
Kakashi looked at him for a moment.
There was no mockery in Yujiro’s eyes.
No childish excitement either.
Only focus.
A focus so sharp it almost felt uncomfortable.
Kakashi slowly reached for the short sword on his back.
“…Fine.” He drew the blade.
“I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a kid.” Yujiro smiled.
“That’s exactly what I need.” The next instant, Yujiro kicked off the ground.
His body shot forward like an arrow.
Kakashi’s visible eye narrowed sharply.
Fast!
He had already guessed that Yujiro was strong.
But this speed— Was this really a five-year-old child?
Yujiro closed the distance instantly and, in one smooth motion, snatched two kunai from Kakashi’s ninja pouch.
The chance was right in front of him.
This time, Yujiro would seize it.
He would unlock the Limiter in one breath.
Power it up!!!