174

Haruto woke up early, the excitement from the previous day's success still buzzing in his mind. He immediately created a shadow clone, instructing it to continue refining his directional explosive tags. "Strike while the iron's hot," he thought. The clone set to work, diving into further experimentation as Haruto moved into his usual morning routine.

His conditioning workout was intense, pushing his body to the limits with sprints, push-ups, and core exercises. He then headed to meet up with his team for their daily training. Shisui and Daichi were already waiting when he arrived, the air buzzing with the usual energy that accompanied their sessions. As they stretched, Haruto couldn't hold back any longer.

"So," Haruto started, the excitement clear in his voice, "I've been working on something new."

Shisui looked over, intrigued, while Daichi, mid-stretch, raised an eyebrow. "What now, Haruto? Another jutsu?" Daichi asked with a grin.

Haruto smiled and pulled out one of his newly crafted directional explosive tags. "Not quite a jutsu, but something just as useful. This is a directional explosive tag. It blows up in only one direction—wherever the seal is facing."

Shisui's eyes lit up as he examined the tag. "You mean it's controlled? No more wild blasts everywhere?"

Haruto nodded. "Exactly. The explosion only goes forward, so you don't have to worry about what's behind it."

Daichi's grin widened. "That's genius! You got a few extras? I could use these."

Shisui chuckled, equally impressed. "That could change the way we fight, Haruto. Mind if I take a few too?"

Haruto handed each of them a couple of the tags. "Be careful with them. Just make sure the seal faces the right way when you place it."

The training session that followed was as challenging as ever, but the excitement about the new tags lingered. Shisui and Daichi were eager to test them, and Haruto was happy to see his teammates embrace his invention. After sparring until midday, they decided to call it a day. Haruto headed to Kushina's house for his afternoon training.

When he arrived, he noticed Minato sitting in the garden next to Kushina. It was rare to see them both relaxing, and Haruto felt a little more excited knowing they'd both be there to look over his work.

"Haruto!" Kushina called out, waving him over. "Come on in! Minato's here too. What's new?"

Grinning, Haruto approached and pulled out one of his directional tags. "I've been working on something special. I wanted to show you both."

Kushina took the tag, her eyes narrowing as she studied the intricate seal work. "Is this a new type of explosive tag?"

"Not just any explosive tag," Haruto replied. "This one only blows up in the direction it's facing. No more chaotic blasts—it's all about precision."

Minato, who had been quietly observing, stood and walked over to examine the tag. "A directional explosion? That's impressive, Haruto. You've managed to control the blast radius. This could be incredibly useful on missions where precision is crucial."

Kushina's grin widened as she looked from the tag to Haruto. "You've outdone yourself. I can see how this could give you a big advantage. It's smart, focused work."

Haruto felt a surge of pride. Compliments from both Minato and Kushina carried weight. "Thanks! I'm trying to refine it even further, maybe make the blast more concentrated."

Minato nodded thoughtfully. "That's a great direction to go in. A more concentrated blast could increase the destructive power while keeping the control. You've got something good here, Haruto."

Kushina clapped him on the back, her usual enthusiasm in full force. "You're really coming into your own, Haruto. Always thinking ahead, always improving. That's the sign of a great shinobi. Keep it up."

As they continued to talk about the potential improvements for the tags, Haruto noticed that Daichi, who had reluctantly joined him for the visit, had disappeared. A glance toward the neighboring house revealed why. Daichi was talking to a cute, energetic ten-year-old girl who lived next door to Kushina. Haruto couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Daichi was turning into quite the ladies' man, and it seemed like his charm was starting to develop early.

Kushina followed Haruto's gaze and laughed. "Looks like Daichi found something more interesting than seal work. He's a charmer, isn't he?"

Minato smiled too. "Well, it's good to know he's keeping himself busy."

Haruto shook his head, amused. "He's going to have half the village following him around in a few years."

Kushina laughed harder. "Good for him. Daichi trains hard, but it's nice to see him enjoying himself outside of missions."

They spent the next few hours together, Minato and Kushina offering valuable insights into the tags and Haruto soaking up their knowledge. Both were seasoned with fuinjutsu, and Haruto was eager to learn as much as possible. Minato's calm, measured advice paired perfectly with Kushina's enthusiastic energy, and Haruto found himself leaving with more ideas than he could've hoped for.

As the evening set in, Kushina invited both boys to stay for dinner, and they happily accepted. The meal was hearty and full of laughter, with Kushina's lively personality lighting up the room. Even Minato, usually more reserved, joined in the fun. Haruto felt at ease, like he was part of a larger family, sharing stories and enjoying the rare moment of peace.

After dinner, Kushina and Minato offered to walk the boys home. The night air was cool, and as they made their way through the quiet streets of Konoha, Haruto felt a sense of contentment wash over him. Kushina and Minato chatted casually, and Daichi lagged slightly behind, still clearly thinking about his earlier encounter with the girl next door.

By the time they reached their homes, Haruto felt more inspired than ever. With the guidance of Kushina and Minato, his ideas for improving the directional tags had expanded. He thanked them both as they parted ways, his mind buzzing with possibilities for the next steps.

Tomorrow, there would be more training, more refinement, and more progress. Haruto smiled as he headed into his apartment. He had a powerful new tool in his arsenal, and with each passing day, he was growing stronger and sharper. The future held endless possibilities, and he was ready to embrace them.