Inspired

Leonel Carthas, the third son of Duke Warwick, sat in the grand library of his family's estate. The Warwick family was known for upholding a strict principle: the strongest is the best. As the child of a noble family, Leonel was raised with strict discipline. His father, Duke Warwick, wanted his children to be tough leaders in all matters—warfare and politics—and there was no room for weakness.

Leonel felt trapped in the shadow of these principles. Since childhood, he had been rigorously trained to be the strongest, better than anyone else, in everything. Every step of his life had been dictated by the family's expectations. His father wanted him to continue the family tradition and become a strong, powerful figure. However, despite being respected as a noble, Leonel felt an emptiness in his life. He didn't know if this was the path he truly wanted to take.

One day, while walking through the family's meeting room, Leonel noticed an old wooden box that had just arrived. Curiosity led him to open the box, where he found several manga pages he had never seen before. Beside them was a small note that mentioned the title Naruto.

"Naruto?" Leonel murmured quietly as he looked at the image of a young boy diligently training. The manga told the story of a young man named Naruto Uzumaki, who aspired to become the leader of a ninja village. But what fascinated Leonel wasn't just the story of physical strength. There was a spirit of struggle, determination, and a much deeper dream within it.

As his curiosity grew, Leonel began reading. Page after page, the story left a lasting impression on him. He was captivated by Naruto's tireless spirit. Not only was he fighting to become strong, but also to be accepted and valued. Sometimes, the courage to keep going, despite doubts from others, was more important than mere physical strength.

Leonel felt something stir deep within him. All this time, he had only been trained to be the strongest, to meet the family's expectations. But the story of Naruto gave him a new perspective—that being the best wasn't the true goal of life. There was something more important: happiness and recognition, not just from others, but from himself.

A few days later, Leonel sat in his father's study. In front of Duke Warwick, Leonel felt awkward. His father always demanded that he be the best—in training, in warfare, and even in daily life. But today, Leonel knew he had to talk about something very important.

"Father, I want to talk about my future," Leonel said, his voice slightly trembling.

Duke Warwick looked at him from behind his large desk, his gaze sharp and authoritative.

"Of course, Leonel. What do you want to discuss?"

Leonel took a deep breath.

"I... I want to try a different path."

Duke Warwick raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"A different path? What do you mean, Leonel? You were raised to be a strong leader and warrior, but now you want to turn away from that?"

Leonel looked down for a moment, trying to steady himself.

"I don't want to be the strongest, Father. I don't want to continue the intense training we've been doing. I want to find a path that suits me more."

Duke Warwick stared at his son intently, and a sense of unease began to settle in Leonel's heart.

"What are you talking about, Leonel? All this time, we've trained you to lead, to be the best. This is the way of our family, and it's the way you must follow."

Leonel looked his father in the eye, determination starting to form within him.

"I know, Father. But I feel empty. All this time, I've been training not for myself. I've been training to make Mother happy. She always smiled whenever I succeeded in the challenges you gave me. But after Mother passed away, everything lost its meaning."

His mother's face suddenly appeared in his mind—her gentle smile and the proud look in her eyes whenever Leonel completed his training. That memory was now just a memory, as his mother had passed away due to an illness she had suffered from. Since then, Leonel had felt empty. All the training now felt purposeless.