Chapter 16 : Chatter

"Seriously?" Izaya asked with a bewildered expression.

Confronted with Izaya's apathetic gaze, Akeno cleared his throat a few times and assumed a more professional demeanor. "Izaya, I don't think you understand the implications behind my words. To create your own legend, you need strength, of course, but you also need to achieve great things."

"...but why bother? Listen, I don't want to crush your dreams, but I want revenge and freedom. I need power, which aligns with your goals, but creating my own legend..."

It was understandable that not everyone he recruited would share the same enthusiasm for his objectives, and Akeno understood that very well. "I understand your point of view. As for your revenge, I will offer you an opportunity you've never imagined. And as for your freedom, you'll need to reach level 8 of cultivation..."

"And is that difficult?" Izaya asked.

After a moment of contemplation, Akeno wore a less optimistic expression. "From what I know, in our entire Empire, only the Emperor has reached that level... There are probably others, but that's it."

Under the weighty silence between the two comrades, Akeno continued to explain, "And before you even start cultivation, we need to understand how to use both Qi and Chakra simultaneously..."

"Wait, you don't even know how how to do it!?" Izaya exclaimed.

Raising his hands in response to Izaya's pressure, Akeno quickly reassured him, "Don't worry; we'll soon figure it out."

Annoyed with his savior, Izaya felt lost. His instinct had told him to follow Akeno, and while he still trusted him, he couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten himself into. "So how do you plan to do it?"

Pointing a finger at him, Akeno, still smiling, replied frankly, "Thanks to you!"

"Me?"

"Yes, thanks to your Byakugan, you'll be able to see how Chakra circulates in my body and tell me what's wrong. Listen, I have several theories, but I think Chakra can't circulate in the same pathway as Qi. My body must create its own path, a new circulation. That's why I need you; you'll help me direct the flow of Chakra in my body."

Listening to Akeno's ideas, Izaya regained hope in Akeno's plans but quickly returned to his apathetic gaze. "Alright, I understand you regarding creating a new pathway for Chakra, but what about us? What we lack is Qi circulation..."

Caught red-handed, Akeno contented himself with a silly smile and a small chuckle. "Heh."

"What's so 'heh' about it? Admit it, you have no plan!" Izaya, wanting to pounce on Akeno, who continued to smile with his hand rubbing his head, was held back by Chikara, who exerted all his strength.

"It's okay; calm down. I do have a plan, but it's probably going to be risky, and I'd prefer that you're all together to discuss it," reassured Akeno.

Still held by Chikara, Izaya had no faith in it at all. However, Chikara, who remained silent, couldn't help but wonder about what Akeno had said. "What do you mean 'all together'?"

...

After about ten minutes explaining his plan to the others, Akeno was starting to feel tired. Even though he hadn't trained like a madman for once, he had woken up injured, visited the city for the first time, made two interdimensional trips, and had to explain and reassure two ninja children about his future plans.

Entering his room, he spotted his new friends still chatting among themselves.

"Oh, Akeno, you've been outside for quite a while; what were you doing?" asked Yang Jun.

It was already late, and the group in the room had stayed up late to wait for their roommate. Akeno felt a sense of belonging that he hadn't experienced in a long time when greeted with their welcoming smiles.

A feeling of home.

Spent fifteen years in the sect in Glory City, surrounded by numerous members of large clans who isolated him from any sociability, had made him somehow forget the attachment to one place.

Feeling out of place in Glory City, he felt an increasingly strong attachment to this small town on the border of the Empire.

After apologizing for taking so long, Akeno explained, "I met a resourceful young kid in the streets, and I helped him out."

Considering the large number of orphans on the streets, even they, couldn't help everyone, so spending an entire day outside helping a few kids was understandable.

"That's reassuring. I must admit that at first, we were worried you might be like the rumors, you know, the arrogant guy from the big cities who only looks out for himself," said Yang Chengwu.

"By the way, we were wondering, how did you end up in this city? You must have done something serious to be banished to such a remote place," added Xu Jié.

Taking a seat on his bed, Akeno understood their thoughts. It was unheard of for someone from the big cities to voluntarily go to a small, poverty-stricken town on the outskirts of a Empire.

Sitting up in a lotus position on his bed, Akeno responded with confidence, "You've got it wrong; I chose to come here. To be honest, they didn't really want me to leave..."

Faced with his roommates' inquisitive looks, Akeno realized what they were thinking and displayed his level of cultivation to the others with pride. Suddenly, the three youths in the room stood up in shock, sensing the powerful energy emanating from Akeno.

"Wait, wait, wait, you're at the fifth level, Organ Fortification!" Xu Jié exclaimed.

As part of the best group of students in their age group, the small group felt a mixture of frustration and amazement.

"Damn, to think we're still at the Physical Awakening stage, and you're already halfway to the Body Forging stage! It's understandable that the sect wouldn't want to send such talent so far from home," Yang Chengwu added.

Listening to the praises of his companions, Akeno, although not an egotist seeking attention from others, sincerely appreciated receiving some shocked looks and compliments. It didn't hurt to receive them from time to time.

"Akeno, I don't understand, with this talent of yours, why did you leave of your own accord? It would have been more beneficial for you to continue living there with all the resources at your disposal," Yang Chengwu continued.

Anticipating this question, Akeno wasted no time in responding, "Well, the answer is simple. I'm not really talented." Taking a moment to show his seriousness, he continued, "What I am today didn't come from talent's ease. It all comes from hard and continuous work. While I appreciated the sect's resources, to reach higher levels, I need much more than what the sect can provide. I'm not aiming to reach just the stage of rebirth; I want to be at the peak of Dao, at the pinnacle of martial arts. And for that, I need to chart my own path."

Ironically, in worlds where powers exist, for those who have the opportunity to achieve it, progressing in cultivation is sometimes likened to the pursuit of wealth in our modern world. Attaining such a status demands tremendous effort and sacrifices, but very few are willing to embark on this path, much like in our world where few people are willing to dedicate their lives to make the necessary efforts to become rich.

Coming from another world, Akeno, who had no means of reaching this summit in his previous life, wanted and was ready to persevere to the best of his abilities to achieve his dreams.

Seeing the complex emotions in his comrades' eyes, Akeno, happy to have at least fascinated someone that day, lay down quietly in his bed.

"Do you know that with your level, you're as strong as our instructors? If your martial arts techniques are on par with your cultivation level, you could be a teacher and teach us," said Yang Jun.

Piquing Akeno's curiosity, Yang Jun's suggestion deserved further consideration. When coming to Hope City, Akeno aimed to build his own strength, improve, and have the freedom to act as he pleased. Becoming an instructor could indeed allow him to get closer to more people and perhaps become someone truly significant within the sect's branch.

He was recruiting members from the major Naruto clans to create his own force under his authority, intending to introduce the most prominent Naruto clans into this world of cultivation. Although he could also recruit members from outside the Naruto world, he didn't think he could introduce the Chakra system to this world's population. Even though he had no control over them, he trusted the members he recruited from the Naruto world more than those he met in this world.

Akeno knew he couldn't conceal Chakra from the rest of the world indefinitely, but the longer he could, the better. What if the people he recruited in this world betrayed him and leaked the information? Furthermore, becoming an instructor could make his life more demanding and take away the freedom he needed for everything else.

Faced with the pros and cons of this possibility, Akeno still had to think it over. Closing his eyes to end this long day, Akeno took a deep breath and, informing the others, prepared to sleep. "Come on, guys, we need to be ready for tomorrow. I'm not sure what you have planned for hunting, but I'm sure we'll make a great team."

While the others were still in shock over Akeno's revelation, one question dominated their minds: "How can there be teamwork with such a difference in power?"