Rina spoke up with concern. "What if the seal doesn't work?"
Ryu met her gaze calmly and confidently. "Then we would simply modify the seal and try again. We could even explore an electronic version of the technique if necessary. As long as Souji is willing to fight for himself and give his all, I will fight alongside him and will not admit defeat."
Ryu leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "The Fuinjutsu was the quickest and most reliable and safe choice, but I had other treatments in mind if it didn't work."
Ryu paused, then enquired, "Do you recall the battle in my genjutsu world, where our future selves fought, and the dark substance that enveloped me?"
Rina nodded, recalling the eerie, shifting material.
"I'm currently training to control that substance as an alternative treatment for someone else," Ryu revealed. "And I can use it on Souji, too. I can control and manipulate some of the carbon atoms in his nerve endings and skin to create more solid connections if the Fuinjutsu fails. There are also electronic alternatives that I plan to develop later.
Rina's eyes widened in surprise at Ryu's revelation, impressed by his dedication to finding a solution for Souji.
"But I must be clear, Rina," his voice was firm, "all doctors should use such invasive treatments only as a last resort. That is why I didn't even discuss those alternatives."
Then Rina's surprise turned into relief, knowing Ryu is not just finding a way but searching for the safest way.
Tsunade, who had been quiet, folded her arms across her chest and let out a small, dry chuckle. "Manipulating nerve endings at the cellular level... It's audacious, even for you." A hint of a smirk touched her lips. "I would've called it madness from anyone else. But I'll admit, it's a brilliant last resort. Just be careful."
Ryu gave a slight, reassuring nod toward Souji. "The damage to his brain was local at a fixed point, and there were many salvageable data inputs and output nerves. The Fuinjutsu brain interface should work." He looked back at Souji, his voice earnest. "Can you keep trying without losing hope?"
Souji's eyes blinked, the message clear and resolute. Yes... I will try...
Ryu turned to the group. "For the first few muscles, someone must physically move the muscle while Souji mentally focuses on the same action."
Before he could finish, Rina's hand shot up. "I'll do it," she said, without a moment's hesitation.
Ryu nodded his approval. "Just focus on one finger first and time it perfectly. If you take a break, both of you take a break at the same time to sync the training. The first steps will be the hardest in this first walk." He gestured to the room. "We'll soundproof and darken this room. The complete isolation will be overwhelming, but it's necessary to speed up the recovery. This synchronised effort will 'kickstart' the seal's learning process, which will then improve exponentially with enough training."
Yuki's eyes welled up a little, and she thought, "That's... a wonderful idea. A way for them to heal, together."
A thoughtful expression crossed Dan's face as he slowly nodded. "Suppressing all other senses in order to enhance focus... I absolutely love that idea. For this kind of training, mental concentration is key."
The immense weight of the task settled over Rina. She briefly hesitated, and Souji, sensing her concern, blinked a new message in Morse code. "I am fine... with the risks..."
Ryu watched the exchange, a faint smile touching his lips. He looked at Rina, his voice softening just a touch. "Are you ready to take your first step with Souji… together this time?"
Souji blinked, and Rina nodded.
"I will have a craftsman remodel your room for sound isolation later," Ryu said. "You can cover your windows and switch off the lights and use darkness for now to enhance his focus."
Over the next week, the room was transformed. A craftsman soundproofed and darkened the space, creating the complete isolation Ryu had described. Rina spent most of her time with Souji, with Shizune helping at times.
The loud ticking clock set a rigid tempo. Souji, lying in bed, focused with immense concentration. Rina held his hand and waited for his mental command. Her movements were precise and deliberate, in perfect sync with the clock's ticks. This simple, repetitive action was an immense challenge. Like Rina's laser-like focus as he attempted to link his will with his body, Souji's eyes blazed with unfiltered resolve.
One week after their initial meeting, Ryu came to see Souji again. He found Shizune working with him this time. Ryu observed the coordinated training session, impressed by the dedication and progress he saw.
Ryu looked at the silent pair, then turned to Shizune. "Has there been any movement?"
Shizune shook her head slowly, a hint of frustration in her expression. "Nothing yet. We kept on monitoring any signs of self-movement or any twitch of fingers, but we did not record any motion."
Shizune then turned to Ryu, her expression serious. "Ryu," she began, her voice gentle yet firm. "You're running too fast for your age. The bounty on your head is getting higher, and you are not being careful enough. You should slow down."
Ryu replied, his mind drifting to a morbid but practical idea. "Time doesn't wait for anyone and never slows down for anyone."
Ryu then thought, "Unless you are dead and inside the preservation storage scroll... I guess I will look into how that works after I am done with my current projects."
Shizune changed the topic and asked, "There's something... I need to tell you. It's about my family."
Ryu met her gaze. "What is it?"
"I... I had an uncle; his name was Dan Kato," she said, her voice soft with a hint of melancholy. "She dedicated her life to saving others after her brother died, but after Uncle Dan died, Tsunade-sama was never the same. He was the one person she truly loved, and after his death, she gave up on the idea of marriage and children. She dedicated her life to saving others, but she never let anyone that close again."
Ryu's eyes widened slightly in surprise, a new piece of the puzzle falling into place. "Your uncle? … I had a feeling there was a connection," he said, a thoughtful look on his face. "He was my grandfather's nephew, which makes us... cousins."
A small, thoughtful smile touched Shizune's lips. "Then our shared connection to Tsunade-sama is even deeper than we realised."
"There is a common trait for all the legendary Sannin," Ryu said with a wry smile. "One is a gambler, one is a pervert, and one is a psychopath, but none are too keen on married life."
Shizune shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "But when it comes to you, she is very motherly. She was caring with me but not to this level."
"Are you jealous?" Ryu asked. "No... I am actually happy," Shizune replied. Ryu's hand went to the First Hokage's necklace, which originally belonged to Nawaki. "Is it because of him?"
"You mean Nawaki?" Shizune clarified.
Ryu nodded. "What was Nawaki like?"
"He was a complete idiot compared to you," Shizune said, her smile turning fond.
Ryu thought, "An idiot, huh? I wonder who would win in an idiocy contest... Nawaki or Naruto? It would probably be a close call. I guess we'll never know for sure."
"But you two shared one thing: he was unafraid and too stubborn, and he also wanted to change the world." She paused. "Nawaki was evaluated to become an S-rank ninja... if he had survived..."
"Maybe that evaluation is what got him killed," Ryu thought grimly. The ugly, emotionless mug of Danzo flashed before his eyes.
Ryu looked at Shizune, his voice resolute. "I will continue that dream and change the world."
Just then, Ryu looked at Souji, who was lying on the bed while Shizune was moving his fingers synchronously by the loud ticking clock. Souji blinked twice, and then a message began to form with another series of blinks.
Shizune, puzzled, asked, "What did he say?"
Ryu smiled. "He said he would help too."
Shortly after, Ryu commended their efforts. "Great job, both of you. I'll return tomorrow to evaluate the progress." He paused, looking at Souji. "Souji's mind also needs to rest. I am instructing BodyGPT to start consolidating all the inputs from this session."
"I'll try not to overdo it," Shizune replied, her voice tinged with a weariness she couldn't hide. "This synchronised training is more mentally taxing than I expected."
Ryu nodded, then turned and left the room.
With a sigh, Shizune stepped away from the bed to stretch her back and look out the window, taking a moment to relax. For that split second, as she averted her gaze from him, Souji's index finger, which was resting on the bed, twitched slightly, a minuscule movement that went entirely unnoticed.
##PoWeR StOnEs##
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