007 Relearning the Basics - Naruto’s POV

  Naruto sat cross-legged on the dusty concrete floor, his arms resting on his knees as he watched the city skyline through the gaps in the unfinished walls. The distant glow of streetlights and neon signs painted the horizon in hues of orange and blue. He sighed, leaning back slightly.

  He wished he could have helped.

  Hinata had taken care of the Curses without breaking a sweat, while he… Well, he had just stood there. Useless. It was frustrating. His body still felt strong—he knew he should have been able to fight—but something was missing. Every time he tried to grasp at the power that once felt so natural, he came up empty.

  Was it the Kyubi?

  Naruto frowned, rubbing the back of his head. He hadn’t said anything to Hinata, but the thought of being useless gnawed at him.

  Hinata, seemingly unaware of his inner turmoil, had already started setting up their camp for the night. They had decided to rest on the middle floor of the abandoned construction site—it was elevated enough to keep them out of sight, and it had plenty of open space. With Naruto's help, they cleared the place.

  Naruto let out another sigh and turned to her. “Man, I wish I could've helped earlier.”

  Hinata paused in the middle of unpacking and glanced at him. “You helped enough, Naruto-kun,” she said simply.

  “Yeah, by carrying bags,” he muttered, tugging at his sleeve. “You were the one doing all the actual fighting.”

  Hinata didn’t answer right away. Instead, she resumed her work, her movements precise and methodical. Finally, she said, “You will be able to fight. Just… give it time.”

  Naruto wasn’t sure if she was just saying that to make him feel better, but he nodded anyway.

  His stomach growled.

  Loudly.

  Hinata looked at him.

  “…Heh.” Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly. “Guess I’m still hungry.”

  Hinata nodded, standing up. “You must be. We never got to finish our dinner.”

  Right. Naruto had almost forgotten about that. They had left the bowls behind when they fled Hinata’s place, and there had been no time to eat since.

  “…Sorry,” he muttered. He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but Hinata shook her head.

  “It doesn’t matter now,” she said, already reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small gas stove and a pack of instant ramen. “I brought a lot of them just in case.”

  Naruto watched as she set up the stove, a tiny flame flickering to life. The scent of cooking broth soon filled the air, warm and familiar despite their unfamiliar surroundings.

  Naruto’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Ramen!”

  Hinata nodded, pouring water into a small pot and setting it on the stove. “It’s the fastest option,” she said.

  “Fastest and best,” Naruto corrected with a grin.

  They sat in companionable silence as the water began to boil. Hinata added the noodles, stirring gently as they softened. The scent of seasoning filled the air, making Naruto’s stomach grumble again.

  When the ramen was ready, Hinata turned off the stove and carefully lifted the pot.

  Naruto blinked. “Uh… we don’t have bowls.”

  Hinata simply handed him a pair of chopsticks.

  Naruto looked at the pot, then at her. “Wait. We’re just gonna eat straight from the pan?”

  Hinata nodded. “Less cleanup.”

  Naruto considered this for a moment before grinning. “I like the way you think.”

  The two of them leaned over the pot, taking turns picking up the noodles with their chopsticks. The warm broth was comforting, the noodles filling. For a moment, as Naruto slurped up another mouthful, he could almost forget about everything else—the weird modern world, his missing memories, the strange guy who had given them a business card.

  Right now, it was just him and Hinata, sharing a meal under the open night sky.

  And for the first time since waking up, Naruto felt just a little bit at home.

  After finishing their meal, Naruto leaned back, stretching with a satisfied groan. “Ahh, that hit the spot.”

  Hinata nodded, carefully packing away the stove and utensils. The night air was cool against their skin, and the hum of the distant city was a quiet reminder that the world hadn’t stopped moving just because their own had changed so drastically.

  Naruto stood, brushing off his pants, then walked over to the edge of the unfinished building. He sat down, legs dangling over the side, and looked up at the night sky. The moon was bright, casting silver light over the skeletal framework of the construction site.

  Hinata joined him a moment later, sitting just far enough that their shoulders didn’t quite touch.

  Naruto let out a slow breath, watching it mist in the air.

  “So,” he said, swinging his feet absentmindedly, “what’s next?”

  That was always the question, wasn’t it?

  Hinata was quiet for a moment, her pale eyes reflecting the moonlight.

  “What do you think?” she asked finally.

  Naruto tilted his head, considering it.

  “Honestly?” He scratched his chin. “I dunno.”

  Hinata gave him a look.

  Naruto grinned sheepishly. “I mean, whatever you decide, I’ll support it.”

  She frowned slightly, shifting her gaze back to the skyline. “Naruto… we have to decide soon. This isn’t something I can decide alone.”

  Naruto leaned back on his palms, staring up at the sky. He supposed she was right. As much as he wanted to just go with the flow, they couldn’t afford to drift aimlessly. Not forever.

  He thought about that Gojo guy. Naruto wasn’t sure if they could trust him, but there was something undeniably intriguing about him. About what he represented.

  “I mean…” Naruto started, watching the clouds pass lazily over the moon. “I’m kinda curious about this ‘Jujutsu’ stuff.”

  Hinata glanced at him.

  “Think about it,” Naruto continued. “We were shinobi, right? At least, you were for sure.” He let out a small chuckle. “And from what that Gojo guy said, these Jujutsu Sorcerers kinda sound like shinobi, yeah? At least that’s the impression I got.”

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “So what’s the difference? Is there a difference? Maybe being a shinobi is like being a Jujutsu Sorcerer, and we just don’t know it yet.”

  The more he thought about it, the more his curiosity grew.

  And then—

  Pain.

  Naruto winced as a sharp, splitting migraine shot through his skull. He shut his eyes, hissing under his breath.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Fragments of memories flickered through his mind—shadows of things he should know but couldn’t grasp. The sensation was maddening, like trying to catch smoke with bare hands. He saw glimpses—an orange glow, a massive beast, voices shouting his name—but nothing solid. Nothing real.

  “Ah, damn it…” He pressed his palms to his forehead, his fingers digging into his temples.

  Hinata tensed beside him. “Naruto-kun?”

  “Ugh. Just—headache,” he muttered, forcing himself to take a slow breath. The pain ebbed, but the frustration remained. His memories were there, lurking in the back of his mind, but every time he reached for them, they slipped away.

  Hinata watched him closely, concern in her gaze.

  Naruto forced a grin. “Guess thinking too hard isn’t my strong suit, huh?”

  Hinata didn’t smile.

  Still, Naruto turned back to the sky, his mind a storm of half-remembered things.

  “Let’s sleep,” interrupted Hinata, “We’ll need our rest, especially you.”

  The tent was small—barely enough space for the two of them to fit comfortably. The fabric was a dull green, patched in some places, but it held firm against the night breeze. The inside was even tighter than it looked from the outside, with just enough room for two sleeping bags side by side.

  Naruto fumbled with the poles, grumbling under his breath as he struggled to piece them together. “How the hell do people do this so easily?”

  Hinata, already familiar with the setup, knelt beside him and adjusted one of the joints. “Here, this part slides in first.”

  Naruto blinked, then gave her a sheepish grin. “Oh.”

  Despite the initial struggle, he caught on quickly. Soon enough, they had the tent standing, though it leaned slightly to one side, giving it a somewhat lopsided appearance.

  Naruto stretched his arms behind his head, admiring their work. “Not bad, huh?”

  Hinata looked at it, then at him, and sighed. “It’ll do.”

  Inside, the space was cramped. Their sleeping bags nearly overlapped, and any movement from one of them would be felt by the other. The air inside was warm, a stark contrast to the cool night outside.

  Hinata pressed her lips together. “Sorry… I should’ve saved up for a bigger one. Or even bought a second tent.” She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “There’s only so much I can earn in a day.”

  Naruto shook his head, settling into his sleeping bag. “It’s fine.” His voice was barely above a whisper, already fading into soft, even breathing.

  In truth, he wasn’t asleep yet. He could sense Hinata’s tension, the way she shifted slightly, as if troubled. If pretending to be asleep would help ease her worries, then he had no problem doing it.

  Slowly, he listened as her breathing steadied, turning calm.

  Only then did he let himself drift off for real.

  Naruto dreamed.

  He wasn’t sure where he was, only that the warmth in the air felt like home. The sound of soft laughter filled his ears, blending with the clinking of bowls. Across from him sat a red-haired woman, her expression playful yet gentle as she pushed a bowl toward him. Beside her, a blonde man chuckled, watching the exchange with a fond look in his eyes.

  The words they spoke were muffled, lost to the haze of his dream, but the feeling they left behind lingered. Warmth. Safety. A kind of happiness that felt just out of reach.

  Then, the dream faded.

  Naruto’s eyes fluttered open, and he found himself staring at something soft. Something very close.

  Hinata’s face.

  Naruto froze. Hinata was hugging him in her sleep, her arms wrapped snugly around his torso, her forehead nearly pressed against his neck. Her breath was warm against his skin, slow and steady.

  For a moment, Naruto panicked, his body tensing. ‘How do I get out of this without waking her up?’ he thought, carefully shifting. Unfortunately, Hinata was quite the hugger—her grip tightened as if sensing his attempt to escape.

  Heat rushed to his ears. Okay, okay—calm down. It was just a hug. Nothing to freak out about. At least, he hoped so. As long as the blood was rushing to his face and not… somewhere else, he would be fine.

  Just when he convinced himself to relax, Hinata stirred.

  Her eyelids fluttered open, and for a brief moment, she simply blinked at him sleepily.

  “Good morning, Naruto-kun,” she murmured, her voice still thick with drowsiness.

  Then, realization struck.

  Hinata’s eyes widened. In a blink, she pulled away, scrambling back so quickly she nearly tumbled out of the tent. Naruto could swear her entire face turned as red as a tomato.

  Neither of them said anything.

  Five minutes later, they sat outside the tent, awkwardly sipping on bottles of water.

  They had yet to make eye contact.

  The awkwardness from earlier still lingered, but Hinata seemed determined to move past it. Without a word, she busied herself with preparing breakfast, working efficiently over the small gas stove she had brought. The smell of warm rice and miso soup filled the air, and Naruto’s stomach growled in response.

  As she handed him a bowl, Hinata pointed toward the far end of the construction site.

  “There’s a water tank over there,” she said. “It’s not the cleanest, but it should be fine for a cold shower. If you want to wash up after training, you can use that.”

  Naruto perked up. “Wait, training?”

  Hinata nodded. “I left some clothes you can change into, along with soap and a towel. It’s not much, but it’ll do for now.” She paused, then added, “I’ll try to come back early so I can help you with chakra control.”

  Naruto tilted his head. Chakra. He knew what it was—he was sure of it. But whenever he tried to recall how to use it, his mind hit a wall. Noticing his silence, Hinata hesitated. Then, as if making up her mind, she knelt in front of him and placed her hands over his.

  “Here,” she said softly. “I’ll use Chakra Transfer. Try to feel it.”

  A faint warmth spread from her palms. It was weak—barely noticeable—but it was there. A gentle pulse, like a ripple in still water.

  Hinata frowned. “I’m not very good at this… And your chakra is supposed to be huge, so you probably won’t feel much.”

  Naruto closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation. It was faint, but… familiar. Somewhere in his body, something recognized it.

  Hinata pulled away, sitting back on her heels.

  “Chakra is the energy inside us,” she explained. “It comes from both physical and spiritual sources, and we use it to do all kinds of things—climb walls, walk on water, heal injuries…”

  Naruto blinked. “Walk on water?”

  Hinata nodded. “Yes, though it takes control. The first thing you need to learn is how to channel chakra properly. If you don’t, it’ll be impossible to use techniques.”

  She lifted her hands into a familiar seal. With a small burst of chakra, her form shifted.

  Naruto stared at… himself.

  Hinata—now an exact copy of Naruto—offered a sheepish smile. “This is the Transformation Technique. A basic jutsu.”

  The transformation faded, and she returned to normal.

  “It’s a good way to practice controlling chakra flow,” she continued. “Why don’t you try?”

  Naruto scratched his cheek, unsure. “Uh… yeah. I’ll give it a shot.”

  Hinata smiled. “I’ll check on you when I get back.”

  With that, she stood up, brushing dust from her clothes.

  “Where are you going?” asked Naruto.

  “Work,” answered Hinata. “And then investigate the lead Gojo Satoru gave us.”

  They talked a bit more. About chakra. About Transformation. Etc.

  As Hinata prepared to leave, she gave Naruto a firm look.

  “Don’t show your techniques to civilians… or even Jujutsu Sorcerers,” she warned. “We still don’t know if we can trust them.”

  Naruto tilted his head. “Not even Gojo?”

  Hinata hesitated. “…Especially not Gojo.”

  Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Alright, alright. I won’t go showing off.”

  With a nod, Hinata turned and disappeared into the early morning light, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts.

  Naruto sat cross-legged in front of a broken mirror, its jagged edges barely enough to reflect his full image. He squinted at his own face, concentrating hard as he formed the hand seal for the Transformation Jutsu.

  Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus.

  "Channel your chakra."

  The warmth he had felt from Hinata’s transfer earlier… he tried to call on that same feeling within himself. The flow of energy, the control.

  It was slow going. At first, nothing happened. Then, gradually, he felt something stir—an unfamiliar yet familiar sensation deep within him.

  He clenched his fists.

  "Alright! Let’s try that Transformation thing she did!"

  Naruto formed the seal Hinata had shown him, concentrating hard. The first few attempts were disasters—his form flickered, parts of him shifted randomly, and at one point, he accidentally turned himself half into a tree.

  "Argh! Come on!" He shook his arms, willing the leaves off.

  After multiple failures, his determination only burned brighter. He refused to give up. If his past self could master this, then so could he!

  Besides… if he was really as good as Hinata said, it meant he had to be close to a breakthrough.

  Naruto paused, thinking back to the conversation they had before she left.

  She had mentioned that he’d devised an original jutsu based on the Transformation Technique… something so well-known that people in his village apparently talked about it in hushed whispers.

  When she said it, she had blushed so hard he thought she might combust on the spot.

  It made Naruto very suspicious.

  If it was just a simple transformation, why would Hinata react like that? He tried to think of any hints, but his memories were still a frustrating mess.

  Hinata was the type to get flustered easily, though. Maybe it was just something embarrassing?

  Naruto tapped his chin. "Did I turn into something weird…?"

  The thought made him shudder.

  Well, whatever it was, he'd figure it out soon enough. Right now, he had chakra to master.

  Gritting his teeth, he got back to work.

  "Okay, let’s try one more time… Alright, focus. Just like Hinata showed me. Visualize the form, channel the chakra…"

  He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and willed the change to happen.

  Then, his nose twitched.

  “Aah… aah—CHOO!”

  The moment he sneezed, a puff of chakra smoke exploded around him. When it cleared, he felt… weird. Different.

  His tracksuit felt tighter in some places. A lot tighter.

  He blinked at the mirror. And blinked again.

  A pair of large, round, very much not his assets were staring right back at him.

  “…Huh?” Naruto croaked.

  Long, flowing blonde hair cascaded down his back, his face was delicate and soft, and—oh crap—his figure was dangerously curvy. His hands trembled as he reached up and—oh. Oh, wow. That was… was this as good as the real thing or what?!

  Naruto stared, wide-eyed, as his fingers sunk into the impossibly soft—

  He yelped and recoiled, face burning.

  “What the hell?! What did I just do?!”

  He scrambled backward on his hands and feet, his transformed body moving in ways that made him even more flustered. His head whipped toward the mirror again.

  This… this wasn’t just any transformation. This was—

  His breath hitched.

  Oh no.

  A memory flickered in his mind. An echo of laughter. Of panicked yells. Of angry women chasing after him with brooms.

  His gut twisted.

  "Wait a sec… I invented this jutsu, didn't I?" Naruto whispered to himself in horror.

  Hinata’s deep blush earlier made so much sense now.

  Oh no, no, no, noooooo…

  His gaze drifted lower, down to his pants.

  Curiosity struck.

  …No. No. No. NO!

  He slapped his cheeks hard, willing the thought away.

  "Stop, stop, stop—what the hell am I even thinking?!" He groaned, covering his face.

  With a desperate puff of chakra, the transformation dispelled, and he was back to normal.

  Naruto flopped onto his back, staring at the sky in shame.

  This chakra training thing was going to be way harder than he thought.