Ren stretched slowly after waking up, golden morning light filtering through the curtains of the safe house. For a moment, he simply stared at the wooden ceiling, listening to the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore.
Then he looked down.
Tsunade was once again glued to his side, one arm draped over him possessively.
He sighed.
---
Carefully, Ren slipped out of her hold without waking her. It was a skill he had mastered over the past year. Tsunade stirred slightly but didn't open her eyes.
He headed to wash up, cold water sharpening his mind as the Six Eyes flickered awake.
Another day of growth.
Another day closer to the future he was preparing for.
---
When he stepped into the kitchen, he saw Shizune already cooking.
"Morning, Shizune-nee," Ren said calmly.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Morning, Ren. You're up early again."
---
"I always am," he replied lightly.
He began helping set the table, placing bowls and chopsticks neatly. Shizune brought the breakfast over—grilled fish, rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables.
By the time everything was ready, Tsunade had joined them.
She sat down confidently.
---
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes.
Then Ren's Six Eyes activated fully as he observed both women carefully. He wasn't just looking—he was analyzing chakra density, flow refinement, cellular vitality, and senjutsu integration.
Finally, he spoke.
---
"A month or two more, and Tsunade-nee will awaken a true Sage Body."
Tsunade paused mid-bite.
Shizune looked at him curiously.
---
"Shizune-nee," Ren continued, "your chakra reserves have improved dramatically. But you'll still need a few years before your Sage Body awakens."
Shizune nodded calmly.
"It's already amazing that I can even reach Sage Body. I'm not in a hurry. I'm already a Kage-level medical ninja."
She said it with quiet pride.
---
Tsunade smirked in agreement.
"Yep. No need to rush. We're already strong enough. With Wood Release, there aren't many who can challenge me."
She leaned back slightly.
"And let's not even talk about you."
---
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"You may not officially be Kage-level," Tsunade continued, "but your ninjutsu makes you nearly impossible to kill. You can teleport instantly and slam a massive Rasenshuriken down from the sky."
Shizune nodded enthusiastically.
"Or that apocalyptic jutsu—Lightning Release: Dragon King Festival."
---
"Yeah," Tsunade added dryly, "not many in this world are going to survive that."
Ren laughed softly.
"Still, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and I need time for our bodies to catch up to our strength."
---
He leaned back thoughtfully.
"Our firepower is solid. But physically, we're still kids. We're glass tanks. One direct hit from someone like you could take us out."
Shizune tilted her head.
"But your chakra reserves aren't a problem, right?"
---
Ren smirked.
"With the Byakugō Seal constantly storing chakra? No. That's not the issue."
He paused.
"Unless Hinata uses all her saved chakra to launch Dragon King Festival."
Tsunade snorted.
---
"You kids are cheaters. When we were ten, we weren't even ten percent of your current strength."
Shizune laughed softly.
"It's true. You and Hinata, given time, could destroy a village."
---
"And because Hinata's Byakugan keeps improving," Shizune continued, "her chakra control has reached an absurd level."
Tsunade nodded in agreement.
"She wastes almost nothing now."
---
Ren smiled faintly.
"And her space perception is evolving. Give her time, and she might surpass even me."
Shizune blinked.
"Surpass your perception?"
---
Ren nodded calmly.
"But it seems her Byakugan will need more time to evolve into Tenseigan. And her Sage Body will still take four to five years to awaken fully."
He looked thoughtful.
"Ino and Sakura will need six to seven years—similar to you, Shizune-nee."
---
Tsunade folded her arms.
"So you're basically saying we're all monsters in training."
Ren grinned.
"Something like that."
He stood up and stretched lightly.
"Well then, I'm heading to the Academy. Bye."
---
On the way to the Academy, he met Sakura and Ino near the main street of Konoha.
Before he could greet them, Ino jumped onto his back.
Ren didn't even flinch.
It had become routine.
---
"You're getting heavier," he said casually.
Ino gasped dramatically.
"I'll kill you."
Sakura laughed.
---
Ren activated his Six Eyes subtly, scanning both of them.
"You two are growing perfectly. Chakra reserves are increasing steadily. Physique is improving. No imbalances yet."
Sakura smiled proudly.
"No issues at all?"
"None," Ren confirmed.
---
Ino rubbed her cheek against his.
"And I created a new jutsu."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
---
She grinned.
"Genjutsu: Mind Prison."
Sakura blinked in surprise.
"You finished it?"
---
Ino nodded proudly.
"It's based on the idea you gave me. A genjutsu where the target's own mind generates illusions."
She leaned forward excitedly.
"The more they overthink, the deeper they fall into illusion."
---
Ren's eyes sharpened with interest.
"And?"
Ino's smile widened.
"Some might even forget what's real and what's illusion."
---
Ren and Sakura exchanged impressed looks.
"You completed it," Ren said softly. "That's amazing."
"Hehehe," Ino laughed proudly.
---
Sakura lifted her chin.
"Well… I also improved Monster Strength."
Ino looked at her suspiciously.
"What did you do?"
---
Sakura's eyes gleamed.
"I found a way to cause internal destruction."
Ren froze slightly.
---
"Internal?" he repeated.
She nodded confidently.
"I can bypass external defense and destroy from the inside out."
Ren stared at her for a moment.
Then he gently patted her long pink hair.
---
"As expected of you, Sakura. You're a genius."
Sakura beamed like she had just won the lottery.
Ino looked impressed.
"You have to teach me that."
---
Sakura smirked.
"Sure. But you teach me Genjutsu: Mind Prison."
Ino agreed immediately.
"Of course. I was going to teach Hinata, you, and Shizune-nee anyway."
She pointed at Ren.
"And this cheat can copy it just by watching."
---
Ren shrugged innocently.
"Not my fault my eyes are superior."
Sakura crossed her arms.
"Well, I was also going to teach everyone. Monster Strength is something we all use."
They continued chatting as they approached the Academy.
---
Hinata was already there.
She was sitting beside Naruto, trying her best to help him with theory.
Naruto, however, was staring out the window.
---
"Focus, Naruto-kun," Hinata said patiently.
Naruto grinned.
"I am focusing!"
He was not focusing.
---
Ren, Ino, and Sakura watched with amusement from the doorway.
Hinata's eyebrow twitched slightly.
That tiny twitch was enough for them to understand.
She was losing patience.
---
After several more attempts, Hinata sighed.
Just like Iruka-sensei.
Just like everyone else.
She gave up.
---
She walked back to her seat beside Ren and sat down.
Ren gently stroked her long black hair.
Her tension faded almost immediately.
---
"Well," Ren said softly, "you're not the first to try, Hina."
She looked at him.
"Even I couldn't help him."
---
"I told him he wouldn't become Hokage if he stayed bad at theory," Ren continued.
Ino laughed.
"And?"
---
"He shouted, 'Then I'll just become stronger so I don't have to worry about theory!'"
Sakura facepalmed.
"Of course he did."
---
Ren sighed.
"After that, me, Tsunade-nee, Shizune-nee, Iruka-sensei, and even the Third Hokage gave up."
Hinata covered her mouth as she giggled.
Naruto turned around suspiciously.
"Why are you guys laughing?"
---
Ren smiled faintly.
"Nothing."
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"I feel insulted."
---
"You should feel motivated," Sakura replied dryly.
Naruto puffed his cheeks.
"I'll prove you all wrong!"
---
Ren watched him quietly.
Despite everything, Naruto's resolve was unshakable.
And perhaps—
That was its own kind of genius.