Ryota stood in the center of the Academy's third training ground, his breath even and rhythmic. Around him, the air seemed to hum—not from a visible technique, but from the sheer intensity of his focus. He had spent the last three hours manually oscillating his chakra to stimulate bone density, a process that felt like thousands of tiny needles pricking his marrow. It was exhausting "Work," but he refused to yield.
"You're doing it again," a voice drawled from the fence.
Ryota didn't open his eyes immediately. He finished the current cycle of circulation, locking the progress into his cellular memory before exhaling a thin trail of steam. He turned toward the source of the voice. Shikamaru was watching him, a piece of grass between his teeth and a look of genuine concern hidden behind his usual mask of boredom.
"Doing what, Shikamaru?" Ryota asked. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, his movements precise and economical.
"Looking like you're trying to solve the universe while everyone else is playing tag," Shikamaru replied, hopping down. "The seniors are looking for trouble, Ryota. Mizuki-sensei mentioned your 'theoretical insights' in the teacher's lounge. Now the older students think a civilian brat needs to be taught his place."
Ryota felt a cold spark of amusement. He hadn't sought out a confrontation, but he wasn't afraid of one either. To him, a bully was just another biological variable to be analyzed and neutralized.
"Let them come," Ryota said, his voice calm and devoid of arrogance. "It will be a good test for the [Aura Perception] trait I've been refining."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[NEW TRIAL: THE UNYIELDING PILLAR]
[OBJECTIVE: DEFEAT AN OPPONENT WITH AT LEAST 2X YOUR PHYSICAL STRENGTH WITHOUT SUSTAINING CRITICAL DAMAGE.]
[WORK REQUIRED: UTILIZE ANALYTICAL PREDICTION AND MINIMALIST CHAKRA STRIKES.]
[REWARD: TRAIT - KINETIC DISSIPATION (RANK: BASIC)]
He sensed them before he saw them. Three Academy seniors, twelve-year-olds on the verge of graduation, stepped into the clearing. Their leader, a boy with a jagged scar on his chin, smirked at Ryota.
"So you're the genius orphan," the boy sneered. "Iruka-sensei says you're smarter than the clan kids. Let's see how smart you are when your jaw is broken."
Ryota didn't take a combat stance. He simply stood there, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. He was already mapping the boy's center of gravity, the slight imbalance in his lead foot, and the erratic pulse of his unrefined chakra.
"I have no interest in your jaw," Ryota replied, his eyes locking onto the senior's. "But I have a great interest in why you believe your seniority compensates for your lack of fundamental form. Your left shoulder is drooping. If you swing, you'll leave your ribs exposed for exactly 0.4 seconds."
The bully roared, lunging forward with a haymaker. To the onlookers, it was a blur of speed. To Ryota, it was a slow-motion sequence of errors.
He didn't retreat. He stepped into the strike, moving a mere two inches to the left. As the bully's fist whistled past his ear, Ryota tapped two fingers against the boy's solar plexus—not with strength, but with a precise burst of vibrating chakra.
The effect was instantaneous. The senior's breath left him in a violent gasp, and his legs turned to jelly. He collapsed into the dirt, clutching his chest and gasping for air that wouldn't come.
Ryota looked down at him, his expression one of mild academic interest. "That was 0.3 seconds. You're faster than I calculated, but your recovery is abysmal."
The other two seniors froze, their bravado evaporating as they looked at the six-year-old who had just dropped their leader with a touch.
"Who... what are you?" one of them whispered.
"I am a civilian," Ryota said, his voice carrying a weight that made them flinch. "And I am busy. If you wish to continue this experiment, please bring someone who understands the value of a guard."
He turned his back on them, an act of bold defiance that left them paralyzed. He walked over to Naruto, who had been watching from the sidelines with wide eyes.
"That was awesome, Ryota!" Naruto yelled, jumping up. "Teach me that! Teach me how to do the poke-thing!"
Ryota smiled, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. He felt the boy's massive, untamed energy humming beneath the surface. "First, we work on your focus, Naruto. If you want to be Hokage, you can't just be a hammer. You have to be the one who knows where the nail is."
As the sun set over the training grounds, Ryota felt the integration of his new trait beginning. He was tired, his body ached, and he knew the village elders would soon be asking questions. But as he walked home with Naruto and Shikamaru, he knew the foundation of his design was holding firm.
[TRIAL PROGRESS: 1/1 DEFEATED. INTEGRATION COMMENCING...]