By the time he returned home, it was already dark. Riku casually cooked some noodles and settled for that simple meal.
After eating his fill, Riku quietly made his way to the Forest of Death. Since he was going to practice Ninjutsu, he needed a suitable location. The training grounds within the Hyuga Clan Compound were out of the question, as practicing there could easily expose his talent. Other training areas in the village were equally unsuitable for the same reason. Only the Forest of Death, with its vast expanse and few intruders, met Riku's requirements.
"Tiger – Ram – Monkey – Boar – Horse – Tiger, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Forming six hand seals, a surge of Chakra erupted from Riku's throat, manifesting as a fireball the size of a human head. The fireball struck a small lake, instantly producing a cloud of white steam.
As expected, the system prompts appeared:
Ninjutsu: Great Fireball Technique experience +35
Free experience +12
Ninjutsu: Great Fireball Technique (C): Lv1 (36/400)
Riku's small face lit up with excitement at the extraordinary sight he had created.
"Is this… Ninjutsu? Even the Great Fireball Technique, which is said not to be lethal, has such power! Imagine what higher-level elemental Ninjutsu could do!"
"Moreover, this is only the basic version of the Great Fireball Technique. Once my experience level increases, it will become much stronger than this human-head-sized fireball!"
"Practicing once gives 35 experience points. Raising the Great Fireball Technique to maximum level won't be difficult! And breaking its limit… that would be incredible!"
Riku couldn't help but fantasize about the potential power he could wield.
However, he frowned as he noticed his Chakra had decreased by nearly a tenth.
"My internal Chakra is still too low. I can practice this Ninjutsu at most ten times before I run out of energy. Efficiency is still too low…"
"The Hyuga Clan isn't known for large Chakra reserves. Even compared to the Uchiha Clan, our reserves are limited, not to mention the Chakra beasts of the Senju or Uzumaki Clans. Am I going to be stuck because of this?"
Riku glanced at his small frame and sighed.
To be fair, Riku's Chakra was already stronger than that of an average Hyuga, especially after his Byakugan upgrade had purified his bloodline significantly. But his age remained a fatal flaw: his undeveloped body could only supply a minimal amount of physical energy to synthesize Chakra. Currently, his Chakra reserves were comparable at most to a Genin, and nowhere near a Chunin. Long-term elemental Ninjutsu training was almost impossible under these constraints.
"Never mind. I'm only six years old. Having Genin-level Chakra at my age is already considered genius-level. Practicing elemental Ninjutsu ten times a day will still give me plenty of experience points."
He continued, "I can also practice once in the morning and once in the evening. My Chakra Refining Technique has already surpassed its limits, allowing me to recover my Chakra fully once a day without harming my body. This way, I can double my experience points!"
With that, Riku's mood brightened.
Soon, the silent Forest of Death once again lit up with flames, dispelling the darkness that could swallow one's heart. After exhausting his Chakra, Riku sat cross-legged to recover before leaving.
Not long after he departed, a small, slippery green snake crawled to the spot where Riku had practiced Ninjutsu. Its dark red tongue flickered constantly, and a glint of human-like thought flashed in its cold eyes.
The next day, Riku woke up early as usual, had breakfast, and followed his plan. First, he rushed to the Forest of Death to practice elemental Ninjutsu. Once his Chakra was nearly depleted, he headed to the Ninja Academy, where he practiced Gentle Fist and Body Flicker Technique.
In just two or three hours, Riku had pushed himself almost to his limits. The exertion was worth it, as the rapidly increasing experience points on his panel showed him growing stronger day by day.
As more students gradually arrived at the Ninja Academy, Riku was surprised to see the second person at the training grounds was Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi, in turn, was even more surprised to see Riku's clothes soaked from training. He froze in place, unsure how to react.
"Why are you here so early, Itachi-chan? You're really diligent!" Riku said, standing after recovering some strength. "Do you want to spar with me?"
Itachi glanced at Riku, whose body was visibly exhausted, and shook his head. "Hmph. In your current state, you'd fall over with a gust of wind. And you want to spar? Better rest first."
"Even at full strength, you wouldn't be my opponent. I could take you down with one hand. But I won't take advantage of someone weakened," Itachi added, showcasing the Uchiha's proud, tsundere nature.
Normally, Itachi's assessment would be correct. He was one of the few Uchiha capable of awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, and even as a child, his Genin-level strength could overwhelm multiple inexperienced students.
But against Riku, genius met cheat—there was no comparison. Even without Ninjutsu, relying solely on Taijutsu, Riku was confident he could defeat Itachi.
Riku smiled thoughtfully. "Then don't leave after school. Let's spar!"
Itachi naturally accepted, assuming Riku would fully recover within a day. In truth, he had wanted a chance to beat up Riku for some time.
Riku's request wasn't without purpose. To earn the respect of a proud Uchiha, he had to make Itachi take him seriously. And how does one teach respect to an Uchiha? Simple—show strength.
As for revealing some of his power, Riku wasn't concerned. He knew that requesting a spar would prevent Itachi from exposing any information to others.
Another benefit: Riku could gain a consistent sparring partner. Training solo yielded slower experience growth, but actual combat would accelerate it.
Recalling the days of gaining experience from Hinata Katyu, Riku realized such opportunities might never arise again—he had already disappointed that old man completely.
Riku's training, strategic planning, and early morning determination painted a clear picture: even at six years old, he was not a typical child. His dedication, intelligence, and raw talent set him apart. Every fireball cast, every Chakra manipulation, and every sparring proposal wasn't just practice—it was preparation for a future far beyond that of his peers.
As he left the Ninja Academy, he could already envision the battles ahead, the challenges to overcome, and the allies and rivals he would encounter. Each day brought more strength, more experience, and a step closer to unlocking the true potential within him.