Naruto : The Bloodied Spider

Renkai sat on the rooftop of a Sarutobi training hall, his back resting against the wooden railing as he watched the sun sink below the horizon. The fight with Akira had been an eye-opener. Not because he had won—but because he had almost lost.

His fingers idly traced the fabric of his wrist wraps, feeling the storage seals inked beneath. He replayed the fight in his mind, analyzing every moment.

Akira was stronger than Shigeru. His fire jutsu made him a direct counter to Renkai's lightning-infused weapons. If that fight had lasted longer, if Renkai hadn't baited him into the fūinjutsu trap… he might not have won at all.

While his understanding of fūinjutsu was extremely advanced, it was because it was so similar in structure to the magic in his old life. However, despite his deep knowledge, his fūinjutsu arsenal was limited—something he needed to change. His basics, understanding, and application were leagues ahead of anyone his age or even older, but that meant little if he didn't expand his options.

His reliance on fūinjutsu had given him the edge, but it wasn't enough at its current state. He needed more.

And that meant pushing his Lightning Release beyond just basic kunai enhancement.

A shift in movement caught his attention below. From his vantage point, he could see Sarutobi elders gathered in a shaded pavilion. They murmured among themselves, their expressions thoughtful—some concerned.

They were discussing him.

Renkai narrowed his eyes. His instincts told him that this wasn't just casual observation. This was scrutiny.

The village was starting to take notice of him.

The thought sent a chill down his spine. He had spent over a year carefully growing stronger without drawing too much attention. He needed Konoha's resources, its knowledge, and its training opportunities—but not its control.

Now? He could feel the weight of their interest.

And it didn't feel like admiration.

Footsteps approached from behind.

"You feel it too, don't you?"

Renkai didn't turn. He already knew who it was.

Shigeru walked up, arms crossed, looking out over the compound. His expression was unreadable, but his tone was serious.

"The elders," Renkai murmured.

Shigeru nodded. "They don't usually watch fights like that. Not unless they think someone is… worth watching."

Renkai remained silent.

Shigeru sighed. "Look, I don't know what their angle is, but you should be careful. My clan values strength, but it also values loyalty."

The unspoken meaning was clear.

Renkai wasn't a Sarutobi. He wasn't born into a major clan. He was an orphan with dangerous potential. And Konoha didn't ignore potential—it either claimed it or controlled it.

Shigeru hesitated before adding, "I think the Hokage's watching you too."

That made Renkai pause.

Hiruzen Sarutobi… the man was elusive. His presence in the training fields earlier hadn't been casual. He had observed. Listened. Judged.

And then he had left.

Renkai had no way of knowing what conclusions the Hokage had drawn about him.

But he needed to be prepared for whatever came next.

The next day, Renkai stood in the Academy training grounds alone. The morning sun cast long shadows as he held a kunai in his hand, its metal cold against his fingers.

Lightning Release.

Up until now, he had only used it passively—letting the natural electricity in his chakra enhance his weapons. But that wasn't enough. He needed control.

Takeda Genji had admitted that he wasn't experienced with Lightning techniques, meaning Renkai would have to figure this out on his own.

He focused, channeling chakra into the kunai. Sparks flickered along the blade, crackling weakly before fading.

Not enough.

After a few tries, he was able to stabilize the charge. The metal hummed, the energy buzzing beneath his grip.

Then—

Crack!

The kunai snapped forward, launching out of his grasp faster than usual. It wasn't much, but the burst of speed was noticeable.

Renkai's mind raced. What if I apply this to my chakra threads?

He retrieved another kunai and extended a thin chakra thread to its handle. This time, he pulsed Lightning Release into the thread itself.

Snap!

The kunai jerked forward unnaturally fast, covering twice the distance in half the time.

A grin pulled at his lips.

This was the beginning of something useful.

But as he continued training, trying different applications—charging the threads, his hands, even his own body—he realized something:

Lightning was unstable.

Unlike chakra threads, which followed precise control, Lightning Release was erratic, volatile, and reactive. Too much, and the kunai flew out of control. Too little, and it barely made a difference.

He needed balance.

He spent the next few hours adjusting his approach, learning to pulse rather than flood chakra—using bursts of electricity rather than a continuous charge.

By the time the sun began to set, he had made progress.

His kunai were faster. His chakra threads carried a slight static charge and his body…

He clenched his fist.

If I can apply the same concept I used on my threads to my body… then—

A faint crackle of energy ran through his muscles. If he could apply this properly, he might be able to speed up his reflexes as well.

But that was for another time.

For now, he had taken the first step.

The next morning at the Academy, an announcement was made.

The instructors had planned a practical test—one that would simulate a real mission scenario.

"We'll be splitting you into teams," the proctor explained, "and assigning you a retrieval objective. Your goal is to work together, avoid enemy interference, and secure the target. The enemy… will be us."

Some students tensed at that. The proctors weren't going to hold back.

Renkai's fingers curled slightly.

A real challenge. A real test.

This was the perfect chance to see how far he had come.

And how much further he needed to go.