Chapter 69: Unexpected Visitor

Ryu already finished his daily run, his muscles pleasantly aching from the exertion. Sweat glistened on his brow as he paused at the entrance to his home, taking a moment to appreciate the quiet beauty of the early morning.

After a quick shower that washed away the remnants of his workout, Ryu made his way to the dining room with his stomach growling in anticipation.

"Good morning, Grandpa," Ryu called out, spotting his grandfather setting the table with practiced ease.

Dan looked up with a warm smile. "Morning, Ryu. How was your run?"

Ryu stretched his arms above his head, feeling the pleasant pull of his muscles. "Getting easier every day," he replied, taking a seat at the table. "I think I might need to increase the difficulty soon. Perhaps I could look for a more difficult route, increase the distance, or incorporate mountain climbing into the activity." 

Dan chuckled. "Mountain climbing, huh? That's ambitious. Remember that rest is just as vital as training and that progress takes time. Do not go overboard.

Before Ryu could respond, a knock echoed through the house.

"Were we expecting someone?" Ryu asked, rising from his chair.

Dan shook his head. "Not that I know of."

Curious, Ryu made his way to the front door. As he opened it, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Mother Yuki! What a pleasant surprise! How are you doing?" Ryu exclaimed, genuinely pleased to see the doctor who had become like a mother to him.

Dr. Yuki stood at the doorway, her kind eyes crinkling as she returned his smile. "Good morning, Ryu. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd stop by to check on you."

"Not at all," Ryu assured her, stepping aside to let her in. "We were just about to have breakfast. Would you like to join us? Grandpa always makes more than enough."

"That would be lovely, thank you," Dr. Yuki replied, following Ryu into the dining room.

Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the comfortable, lived-in feel of the space. As they settled around the table, Dan served up plates of steaming rice, perfectly grilled fish, and fragrant miso soup. The conversation flowed easily as they began to eat, catching up on recent events and sharing stories.

"I must say, Ryu," Dr. Yuki began, her eyes appraising him, "when I checked your body during your last checkup, I was a bit surprised. You have done a commendable job improving your health. I don't think you'll have any trouble with the physical aspect of the academy entrance test."

Ryu felt a surge of pride at her words, sitting up a little straighter. "Thank you, Mother Yuki. I've been working hard, trying to balance strength training with endurance and flexibility."

Her eyes shifted to his hair, and a curious expression appeared on her face. "I must say, that is quite a unique hairstyle you have there. Dual-tone red and white hair. "Are you trying to start a new trend?" she asked.

Ryu's hand instinctively went to his head; he wasn't wearing his usual cap. He had been so careful about hiding his changing hair colour when he was out, but he'd grown accustomed to not wearing it at home.

He sighed but realised it was fine. He already knew he had to tell her someday. He hadn't told her before due to prying eyes in the hospital. He didn't want his secrets to be heard outside of his private circle.

Taking a deep breath, Ryu decided to be honest. "Actually, Mother Yuki, there's something I wanted to talk to you about." He glanced at his grandfather, who gave him an encouraging nod.

Over the next few minutes, Ryu explained about his hair turning red at the roots and his suspicions about potentially having Uzumaki lineage. He detailed the research he'd done, the clues he'd pieced together, and his theories about how it might relate to his unique healing and recovery abilities. As he spoke, Dr. Yuki's expression grew more serious, her mind clearly processing the information.

When he finished, she was quiet for a moment before speaking. "I see. To be honest, Ryu, I've been looking into your background, trying to find information about your father. But I'm afraid I haven't had much luck. Given what you've told me, it's possible he was a wandering nomad, displaced after the destruction of Uzushiogakure. If that's the case, he might be untraceable now."

Ryu nodded, processing this information. "I appreciate you looking into it, Mother Yuki. But honestly, I don't care too much about finding him. I already have a family, and that's all that matters to me."

Dan and Dr. Yuki exchanged warm smiles at his words.

"That's a mature way of looking at it, Ryu," Dr. Yuki said, reaching out to pat his hand. "But I must warn you, just as your grandfather did, it's crucial that you keep your potential Uzumaki lineage a secret for now. There are still those who might seek to exploit such information."

Ryu nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of her words. "I understand. I'll be careful. I've already been using a cap to hide my hair when I'm out in public. Later on, I'll just say I dyed it."

As the conversation continued, Ryu's mind wandered, contemplating his complex lineage. His grandmother was a descendant of Hamura Otsutsuki, his real grandfather was Ryu Senju, and now it seemed his father might have been from the Uzumaki clan.

He could not help but wonder if his abilities came from this special combination—his visual prowess, [Improved Eyesight], [Peripheral Awareness] and his newly awakened [Infrared Vision] came from the Hamura Otsutsuki lineage, and his life-energy-filled chakra and [Minor Healing] came from the Uzumaki side.

But where was the genetic source of his intelligence and memory? Is it some kind of genetic mutation or 1st generation Kekkei genkai just like First Hokage? Mr. Beginning stated that the body is customised to better fit my abilities, so I assume there has been a genetic mutation or activation of some dormant genes in my blood.

Brought back to the present by a question from his grandfather, Ryu decided to seize the opportunity.

"Mother Yuki," he said with a determined tone, "I was wondering if you might be willing to teach me healing palm jutsu and medical ninjutsu? I've been reading about it, and I think it could be incredibly useful."

Dr. Yuki considered for a moment before responding, her eyes thoughtful. "I'd be happy to teach you, Ryu, but only after you've been selected for the academy. My hospital and orphanage duties keep me quite busy, so I'll only be able to give you guidance when I'm free. The rest will be up to you to study and practice on your own." 

She paused, then added with a smile, "But I believe you won't need much help. Just a little direction, and you'll do fine. Your aptitude for learning is high enough, and your Uzumaki linage will make it easy for you to learn [Healing Palm Jutsu]."

Ryu's face lit up. "That's all I need. Thank you, Mother Yuki."

"Grandpa too," Ryu turned to Dan, "has said that he would teach me Fuinjutsu?"

Dan nodded. "I will, but let's stick to training for the academy exam for now. We'll get to the advanced techniques later."

"Thank you both," Ryu said, feeling a wave of gratitude. "Your support means everything to me."

After helping to clear the table, Ryu excused himself to continue his training.

He said, "Now I don't have difficulties like I did earlier at the start. I need to increase the intensity of my training." 

As he was about to leave, Dr. Yuki called out, "Ryu, if you're thinking about using body weights for training, don't. It could hamper your growth."

Ryu turned back, shaking his head. "Don't worry, I know that already. Actually, I was wondering if there might be a seal to make training harder."

Dr. Yuki raised an eyebrow. "A seal? Not in the Leaf Village. But I've heard rumours that Stone Village has something like that." 

"So there is no such seal in Leaf Village. Alright, I've got another idea." Ryu paused, then added, "How about using a parachute bag to increase air resistance during runs? Or maybe tying a wooden log behind me with a rope. Would those be safe?"

Dr. Yuki's eyes widened slightly, impressed by his innovative thinking. "A parachute bag that increases air resistance to intensify workouts? That's a brilliant idea, Ryu. It would offer resistance without causing your developing body undue strain. As for the log... start with something lighter and gradually increase the weight. And always listen to your body. If you experience any pain, stop right away and come to me.

Ryu nodded, absorbing her advice. "Thank you, Mother Yuki. I'll be careful."

As Ryu headed out to continue his training, his mind buzzed with new ideas for making his training more productive without using weights.

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