"What are you laughing at?"
Tsuchigen Tianxing looked at Naruto with displeasure and asked coldly.
After listening to the explanation given by Senior Brother Tianlang, Naruto had not shown a thoughtful or serious expression. Instead, he had suddenly laughed.
This made Tianxing feel very uncomfortable.
What did that mean?
Was he not taking their words seriously?
Naruto quickly waved his hands and explained,
"Sorry, sorry! I just suddenly remembered something happy from my past."
Tianxing crossed his arms and asked stubbornly,
"What happy thing? Tell us too. Let us be happy as well!"
Tianlang raised his hand and stopped him.
"Hey, Second Brother, don't be like that."
"Maybe something I said reminded him of his past. Don't question him too much."
Naruto looked at Tianlang and felt even more goodwill toward him.
This person really had the temperament of a senior brother.
If he were in Konoha, he would definitely be a very reliable squad leader.
"Thank you for understanding," Naruto said sincerely, clasping his hands.
Tianlang laughed.
"It's fine. Master asked me to teach you well, so I'll naturally be responsible."
"Come on, we're almost there."
The group continued walking along the mountain path.
After a while, they arrived at a relatively flat slope where several wooden and stone houses were built neatly.
Above them, layers of clouds floated, and through the mist, Naruto could vaguely see the peak of the mountain.
That should be where Tsuchigen Tianzang lived.
Tianxing frowned and asked,
"Senior Brother, are you really letting him live here with us?"
Tianlang nodded calmly.
"Of course. Master told me to guide him personally."
"If he lives here, it'll be more convenient."
Tianxing immediately became unhappy.
"No, Senior Brother! This place is only for direct disciples!"
"How can he live here?"
Naruto felt embarrassed and quickly said,
"Senior Brother, this really doesn't seem appropriate. I don't have much strength right now…"
Tianxing snorted.
"What? Are you saying you were very strong before?"
Naruto thought for a moment and replied awkwardly,
"Uh… I guess… I was okay?"
After all, chakra and dark matter were two completely different cultivation systems.
He really couldn't compare them directly.
Seeing Tianxing about to continue, Tianlang stepped in.
"Alright, alright."
"Second Brother, don't argue."
"If you don't like it, you can help me teach him. That way, I'll have less work. How about that?"
Tianxing froze.
"I…?"
Once the master was mentioned, he had nothing more to say.
Tianlang sighed.
"See? You have no choice either."
"Master told us to teach him well. That's what we should do."
"Besides, didn't you hear?"
"Naruto is favored by the clan leader."
"The clan leader wouldn't let a foreigner enter the academy for no reason."
"The dean even gathered all of us to watch his test."
"Use your brain. Is that normal?"
Tianxing fell silent.
When he thought about it carefully, it really wasn't normal.
His gaze toward Naruto subtly changed.
This guy… what kind of secret did he have?
Tianlang patted Tianxing's shoulder, then turned to Naruto and smiled.
"Don't mind him."
"My junior brother has a sharp tongue, but his heart is good."
Naruto smiled and nodded.
"I understand."
Tianlang nodded.
"Good."
"Since you're here, you should know that there's a reason for it."
"I won't ask."
"My job is to teach you well."
"So from now on, you must listen to me completely. Understood?"
Naruto nodded seriously.
"No problem!"
"Good."
"Let's go in."
Tianlang led Naruto into one of the rooms.
It was a spacious study with a bed placed beside a bookshelf.
"Naruto, this is the study."
"All these shelves are filled with books about Fire Release and fire-element dark matter."
"You'll live here. It'll be convenient for reading."
Naruto looked around in amazement.
Compared to his previous small room, this place was like a luxury guest room.
"This is just a study?"
"This is amazing!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Naruto bowed sincerely.
Tianlang nodded.
"You can rest here tonight."
"We're next door."
"If you have any questions, come ask."
"Oh, and if someone knocks, open the door. It might be someone borrowing books."
Naruto nodded.
"Yes!"
"You can move freely here."
After that, Tianlang took Tianxing and left.
Naruto was left alone in the room.
He looked at the rows of books and sighed.
"…I suddenly feel a headache."
Naruto had hated studying when he was young.
But after becoming Hokage, reading documents had become daily life.
He had no choice but to adapt.
"Alright. Let's start."
He placed his sword aside and walked to the bookshelf.
After scanning the titles, he found a thick book.
Fire Magic Encyclopedia
"That's you."
He took it down and placed it heavily on the desk.
Then he began to read seriously.
After Ichiro reconstructed Naruto's body, the clan leader had synchronized him with the local dark matter system.
Because of that, Naruto could understand the language and writing here perfectly.
He read attentively.
This was a completely new cultivation system.
He couldn't afford to be careless.
---
Meanwhile, in the next room.
Tianxing watched Tianlang washing his face and asked,
"Senior Brother, what do you think Master really means?"
Tianlang wiped his face and replied calmly,
"What else could it mean?"
"He's planning to accept a personal disciple."
"What?!"
Tianxing was shocked.
"Really?"
"Master wants to accept him as a direct disciple?"
"A foreigner with common attributes?"
Tianlang wrung out the towel and sighed.
"Don't underestimate him."
"Master has his reasons."
"We just follow orders."
Tianxing said helplessly,
"I know that, but it still feels uncomfortable."
"If word spreads, what will other mountain gates think?"
Tianlang lay down on the bed and looked at the ceiling.
"That's not our concern."
"Besides, I think Naruto is kind-hearted and hardworking."
"He's teachable."
Tianxing walked over and touched Tianlang's forehead.
"Senior Brother, are you sick?"
"Get lost!"
Tianlang slapped his hand away.
---
The door suddenly opened.
"I'm back!"
Tianjian rushed in, grabbed a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.
"Ah! I'm dying of thirst!"
After wiping his mouth, he looked at them.
"Hey, Senior Brother, Second Brother."
"I heard a foreigner joined our mountain gate?"
Tianxing immediately became excited.
"Third Brother, you came at the right time!"
"Let me tell you everything!"
Then he began explaining Naruto's situation in detail.
Tianlang sighed softly, turned over, and closed his eyes.
He decided to rest.
---
Back in the study.
Naruto closed the book and stretched.
"Fire Release… dark matter resonance… elemental compression…"
"This is really similar to ninjutsu."
He clenched his fists slightly.
No matter what—
Common attributes or not…
He would prove himself.
Just like he always had.
In Konoha.
In the ninja world.
And now…
In this new universe.