Naruto : a hero's journey

At the end of the party, everyone gathered around Miku, handing him gifts to congratulate him on his promotion to chunin. Tatsuo was the first, giving him a membership card to his favorite barbecue restaurant.

"For all the hard training days," he said with a grin.

Next came Dai, who had saved up his money and proudly presented Miku with the heaviest training weights he could find. "So you can stay strong," Dai said, beaming with excitement.

Several relatives and family friends also gave their gifts—various items like shinobi gear, protective vests, and scrolls. It was a collection of practical gifts for his new rank.

Then, Satoru stepped forward. He handed Miku a long, thin box that was somewhat heavy. Miku looked at him curiously. "What's this?" he asked.

Satoru simply replied, "Something special."

Miku opened the box, and his eyes widened in shock. Inside was a beautifully crafted katana, but not just any katana—it was a chakra-conducting sword made from special chakra alloys.

The blade shimmered with an aura that only high-grade shinobi equipment could give off.

Miku immediately shook his head. "No, I can't take this! These types of swords are worth millions! This is too much."

The other shinobi in the room, including Miku's relatives, exchanged understanding glances. They knew exactly why Miku hesitated. Even kunai or short swords made of chakra metal were incredibly expensive, let alone a full katana.

"How did you afford this?" Miku asked, looking at Satoru with genuine confusion. "Where did you get that kind of money?"

Satoru, explained, "I saved up for years so I could gift you this when you became a chunin. It was something you always talked about."

Tatsuo and Dai chimed in, backing Satoru's story. "He really did," Tatsuo said. "Satoru barely spent any money on himself. This was all for you."

Dai nodded enthusiastically. "He's been planning this for ages."

Satoru continued, "Every time you mentioned something about your dream sword, I wrote it down. I gave all the details to a weaponsmith and made sure it was exactly how you wanted it."

Miku was speechless. For a moment, he just stared at the katana, then at Satoru. Overwhelmed, he set the sword down and pulled Satoru into a tight hug.

"Thank you," Miku whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

As the party wound down and everyone began heading home, Miku turned to Satoru, his expression still mixed with awe and guilt over the extravagant gift. "Satoru... seriously, how much did this cost you?" he asked, glancing at the chakra-conducting katana.

Satoru, in his usual manner, replied, "About 1.5 million... without taxes."

Miku's face fell. He couldn't believe an 8-year-old had spent that much, especially on him. "How can I ever pay you back for this?" Miku asked, feeling guilty about accepting such an expensive gift.

Satoru, with a small smile, waved off the concern. "Honestly, a lot of that money got wasted on taxes. You can pay me back by becoming the Hokage and refunding me when you get there."

Miku chuckled, his guilt easing slightly. "Alright, alright. I'll become Hokage and pay back every ryo. It's a deal."

With that, Satoru, Tatsuo, and Dai left the house, walking together into the night. Tatsuo, who had been quiet for a bit, finally broke the silence. "So, Satoru... how much money do you have left?"

Satoru shrugged, his tone flat. "I'm broke now."

Without missing a beat, Tatsuo pulled out his wallet, taking out a small stack of cash. He handed it to Satoru with a grin. "Here. Let's go grab something to eat. You can't be broke on an empty stomach."

Dai chimed in, "Yeah, you definitely need some fuel after all that generosity."

Satoru took the money with a nod of appreciation. "Thanks. Let's go."

Satoru was reading quietly, his attention focused on the book in front of him when Keiko sat down beside him. Glancing at her, he noticed her expression was a little more serious than usual.

"What do you want to talk about?" Satoru asked, curious about her visit.

Keiko shifted in her seat, then said, "I wanted to talk to you about the exams coming up for the sixth grade."

Satoru raised an eyebrow. "What about the exam?"

She leaned in slightly, her tone lowering with a hint of excitement. "It's not going to be like the usual exams. This time, it's going to be a tournament. Physical ability, chakra control, and ninja tools will all be tested at the same time."

Hearing this, Satoru was intrigued. He didn't expect such a shift in how the exams would be conducted. A tournament would allow him to observe various styles, particularly in ninjutsu if it was allowed.

His mind raced with thoughts of learning from other students' techniques, and secretly, he was looking forward to seeing Keiko fight.

'If ninjutsu is involved, it might be interesting to watch and watching you fight would be fun too,' Satoru thought, his eyes lighting up slightly. "When is it happening ?"

Keiko smiled, clearly happy with his response. "It's happening a month from now, and it'll last four days with several rounds each day."

Satoru nodded. "I'll be cheering for you the loudest when you fight."

She gave him a warm smile, then suddenly leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Satoru froze, his hand instinctively moving to the spot where her lips had touched his skin. His heart skipped a beat as he looked at her, still trying to comprehend what just happened.

"You've always made me proud of you," Keiko said softly. "Now it's my turn." With that, she waved and walked away, leaving Satoru sitting there, stunned.

He was still processing the moment when a sharp pat on his back nearly made him jump out of his seat. He turned around to see Mitsuki-sensei standing there with an exaggerated grin on her face.

"You've got my blessings!" she said, giving him a thumbs-up. "Go score that baddie and make me proud!"

Satoru's face turned bright red. "W-what? Sensei, what are you even talking about?"

Mitsuki just laughed heartily. "Don't pretend you don't know, Satoru. You've got some game!"

Still flustered, Satoru could only sit there, wondering how he went from discussing a tournament to being in the middle of a bizarre conversation about "scoring a baddie." He sighed, realizing his life was about to become a lot more complicated.

Satoru sat in the packed stadium, surrounded by the buzz of students and teachers who had gathered to watch the sixth-grade tournament. The atmosphere was lively, and he could feel the excitement building as the event was about to begin.

He turned to his left and saw Tatsuo coming back with snacks, carrying a bag of chips and a drink.

Tatsuo plopped down beside him and handed him the chips. "These are amazing, man. You should try them."

Satoru took a chip, his attention drawn toward the arena as the first two participants walked in. It was an Uchiha girl and a kid he didn't recognize.

As the fight began, the Uchiha girl dodged every attack effortlessly, moving with precision and skill that caught the eye of many in the crowd.

Satoru glanced to his right and noticed another Uchiha seated nearby. He looked older, probably around 13 or 14, and seemed especially focused on the girl in the arena. His posture radiated pride as he watched her fight.

Acting innocent, Satoru leaned over and said, "Yo, big bro! She's so cool! She's dodging all those attacks like it's nothing! Do you know her?"

The boy turned to Satoru, smiling proudly. "Yeah, she's my friend. She's able to dodge so well because of the Sharingan."

Satoru's eyes widened, "Whoa, her eyes glow red when she fights! That's incredible!"

The boy puffed out his chest, eager to explain. "The Sharingan is what makes the Uchiha clan so powerful. It gives us enhanced perception and allows us to see and predict enemy movements."

Satoru nodded along, playing up his amazement. "That's insane! So, do you have it too?"

The boy's proud expression faltered a little, and he looked down for a moment before answering. "Not yet... but I hope to manifest it soon. It usually happens when we experience something really emotional, like during battle."

Satoru gave him an encouraging smile. "I'm sure you will. You've got that same Uchiha vibe."

After a few rounds had ended, Keiko stepped into the arena.

She was holding a wooden sword, while her opponent, a boy gripping kunai, looked equally determined. Before the fight began, Keiko turned to the audience, scanning for someone specific, and her eyes landed on Satoru.

There he was, standing out from the crowd, holding a massive cardboard sign with her name written boldly on it.

True to his word, Satoru was cheering the loudest, his voice amplified slightly with chakra—a trick Mitsuki-sensei had taught him specifically for this moment. His enthusiastic shout rang through the stadium.

"Go, Keiko! You've got this! Show them what you're made of!"

Keiko smiled, visibly encouraged by his support. The Uchiha boy beside Satoru couldn't help but notice. He recognized that look—Satoru's gaze toward Keiko was filled with love and admiration, much like his.

He patted Satoru on the back, a smile forming on his lips.

"You really care about her, don't you?"

Satoru nodded without breaking his focus on Keiko. The Uchiha boy, feeling the energy, joined in.

Soon, others around them, moved by Satoru's enthusiasm, began cheering for Keiko too.

Keiko waved briefly to Satoru, feeling the crowd's energy flow into her. She unsheathed her wooden sword, her eyes narrowing as she faced her opponent. The match was about to begin.

The fight between Keiko and the boy escalated quickly, their movements fluid and fast. Keiko's wooden katana glowed faintly, her chakra flowing through it, enhancing her strikes.

The boy responded by launching kunai and shuriken at her, trying to create distance and find an opening. Keiko, however, was too fast.

She deflected the kunai with swift slashes of her sword, sending the shuriken spinning harmlessly into the ground.

Satoru watched in awe as Keiko dashed forward, closing the gap between her and her opponent in a blur of motion. The Uchiha boy sitting next to him leaned forward, clearly impressed by her skill. Satoru noticed his interest, and after a moment of thought, turned his gaze toward the boy.

"She's pretty good, huh?" Satoru asked casually, keeping his tone light.

The Uchiha boy nodded, eyes glued to the match. "Yeah, my friend sees her as a rival. She's been wanting to fight her for a while now."

As the boy's attention stayed locked on the arena, Satoru's sharp eyes caught something—the Uchiha boy's wallet was sticking out of his pocket.

With a quick glance around, Satoru stealthily swiped it, sliding the wallet into his own pocket without making a sound. The boy remained none the wiser, too engrossed in the fight.

Back in the arena, Keiko moved with increasing speed, dodging a barrage of shuriken before launching into a spinning slash. The boy barely blocked the attack with a kunai, but the force of Keiko's chakra-empowered strike sent him skidding backward. His breathing grew heavier as he tried to keep up with her relentless assault.

Satoru smirked, proud of Keiko's display. She was clearly gaining the upper hand.

Keiko took advantage of her opponent's momentary hesitation, darting in with a burst of speed that left the boy no time to react. Her wooden katana struck his side, forcing him to drop his remaining kunai.

With a final sweep of her leg, she knocked him off balance, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The referee signaled the end of the match, declaring Keiko the winner. The crowd erupted into cheers, and Keiko raised her sword triumphantly.

As the lunch break was called, Satoru and the Uchiha boy made their way out of the stadium with the rest of the audience. Satoru, decided to introduce himself.

"I'm Satoru," he said, holding out his hand.

The Uchiha boy, still buzzing with excitement from the fight, shook his hand. "Hiten. Nice to meet you."