Chapter 67: Long hairs

The early morning sun bathed the Hidden Leaf Village in a warm, golden glow as Ryu jogged through the park. His breath came in steady rhythms, his body moving with a newfound ease. He visualised a progress bar rising in his head, akin to a stat screen in a video game that displayed more information than previously.

10-kilometer run (Progress: 5 km)

100 pull-ups (Pending)

100 push-ups (Pending)

100 sit-ups (Pending)

Calories burnt: 2000;

Time: 06:00 AM, Central Fire Nation Time Zone

"Five kilometres down, five more to go," he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. His stamina had improved dramatically over the past few weeks, and he couldn't help but feel proud of how far he'd come.

As he ran, Ryu's thoughts drifted to his training regimen—10 km runs, 100 push-ups, 100 pull-ups, 100 sit-ups. What had once seemed like an impossible challenge was now just another day. The burning determination to improve, to become stronger, fueled every step, every rep, and every moment of his training.

"Still not genin level in terms of physical fitness," he mused, "but getting there." The burning desire to improve, to become stronger, fueled every step.

Finishing his run, Ryu slowed to a stop and began his cool-down stretches. His muscles ached pleasantly, a reminder of the work he'd put in. "Pain is just weakness leaving the body," he muttered to himself, chuckling at the cliché.

He found a quiet spot in the park, sat cross-legged on the grass, and closed his eyes. Time for chakra control exercises. Picking up a leaf, he placed it on his forehead, focussing his chakra to keep it in place. The leaf stuck, unmoving. But after a few minutes, it fell off of his forehead.

"Hmm, I can only manage for a few minutes. No matter, baby steps are fine. Besides, chakra control is not on the test. But still, I should do chakra control exercise in my free time, it will still be beneficial in the short and long term," he thought, but the progress was undeniable.

Just when he was focused on improving his chakra control, a familiar voice called out, breaking his concentration.

"Ryu-sensei! Good morning!" 

Ryu opened his eyes to see Hana, the daughter of Dr. Sato, waving at him. "Morning, Hana-san," he said with a smile. "How's it going?"

"I'm great! The weather's perfect, isn't it?" she said, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, and Dr. Yuki wanted me to remind you about your check-up this afternoon."

Ryu nodded. "Thanks for the reminder. I'll be there. How's the hospital? Still keeping you busy?"

Hana grinned. "Always. But enough about that—what's up with your long hair and the cap?" She pointed at the cap he was wearing, clearly hiding his growing locks. "You're letting it grow out? It looks cool, even if it's... you know, white like a grandma."

Ryu chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess. Thinking of dyeing it red. What do you think?" He added the last part jokingly, though a part of him was curious.

Hana laughed. "Red? You'd look like a red chilli. But honestly, any colour would suit you."

Ryu shrugged. "Maybe. For now, I'm just too focused on training to bother with a haircut."

Hana nodded, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Speaking of training, I heard from Isao-san that you've been making serious progress. He seemed impressed."

"It's going well," Ryu said, trying to sound modest, though he couldn't hide the excitement in his voice. "I'm getting stronger every day. Still a long way to go, though."

Hana raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You know, you could at least pretend to be humble. But hey, I get it. You're on the grind. Just don't forget your check-up, or Dr. Yuki will have both our heads!"

Ryu laughed. "I wouldn't dare. I like my head where it is."

Hana waved as she walked away, leaving Ryu standing there, feeling a wave of gratitude for the people around him.

After finishing his morning routine and freshening up, Ryu made his way to Konoha Central Hospital for his checkup.

"Hey, Hana-san. I'm here for the check-up, as promised," Ryu greeted as he entered.

"Right on time, Ryu-sensei. Dr. Yuki's waiting for you," Hana replied with a wink. "You're lucky she's in a good mood today."

Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Good mood? What's the occasion?"

Hana giggled. "Maybe you should ask her yourself."

In the examination room, Dr. Yuki greeted him with her usual sharp gaze, though her expression softened slightly. "Good morning, Ryu. Ready for your check-up?"

Good morning, Mother Yuki, how are you? How's the orphanage?

"The hospital's new initiative with the orphanage! The drug trial was a success, and now they're funding the orphanage!" said Dr. Yuki

Ryu's eyes widened. "Seriously? That's... amazing, Mother Yuki."

Hana nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! They're going to provide resources, medical care, and everything the kids need. It's all thanks to the success of the Yukimira drug. We are also beginning to approach more hospitals and other nations for tie ups with the same conditions."

Ryu felt a surge of emotion. "That's incredible. I can't thank you enough for telling me."

So ready for the examinations ? said Dr. Yuki

"As ready as I'll ever be," Ryu replied with a grin.

The examination was thorough, as always. Dr. Yuki checked everything from his reflexes to his chakra pathways. As she worked, her expression shifted from professional to... intrigued.

"Ryu, this is... remarkable," she said, setting down her clipboard. "Your recovery rate is off the charts. Muscle tone, chakra flow, even cellular regeneration—it's all far beyond what we expected."

Ryu made an effort to appear pleasantly surprised, but he was aware that his [Minor Healing] was in action.

"That's great news, right?" he asked, aiming for innocent enthusiasm.

Dr. Yuki nodded, but her brow furrowed. "It is, but it's also... unusual. Have you been doing anything different? Special techniques? Don't tell me you've developed some new medications and didn't tell us."

Ryu glanced around, noticing the hospital staff nearby. He didn't want to keep this secret from her, but with so many people around, he couldn't reveal the truth.

He said, "II've been following your regimen—rest, good nutrition, light exercise. And I've been practicing some chakra control exercises my grandfather taught me. Could that be it?"

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. He wasn't ready to reveal his Uzumaki lineage or the [Minor Healing] ability he inherited. Not yet, when somebody might be listening.

Dr. Yuki seemed to sense his hesitation. "That could explain it. Chakra control can have a profound effect on health. Still, I'd like to run a few more tests, just to be sure."

Ryu nodded, relieved. "Whatever you think is best, Mother Yuki."

As the check-up concluded, Dr. Yuki called out to him. "Ryu, one more thing. I noticed you are wearing a cap today. If you're trying to hide from someone, this isn't the best disguise. Everything alright?"

Ryu's hand instinctively went to his head. "Oh, this? Just trying out a new look."

Dr. Yuki raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Alright. Take care, Ryu. And if you notice anything unusual, don't hesitate to come see me."

Ryu grinned. "Will do, Mother Yuki. And next time, please bring me some good books."

Dr. Yuki smirked. "Ok."

Weeks passed, and Ryu's training intensified. What had once seemed impossible now felt routine. The 10-kilometre run that used to leave him gasping was now just a warm-up. The push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups that had once pushed him to his limits were now just the beginning of his workout.

But it wasn't just his physical abilities that were improving. His chakra control had grown by leaps and bounds. He began experimenting, sticking leaves to different parts of his body while moving through complex kata. He practiced enforcing his body with chakra, feeling the surge of power it provided.

"If muscles grow stronger when pushed to exhaustion," he reasoned, "then maybe chakra reserves work the same way."

It was a theory, untested but promising. And as the days passed, he could feel his chakra reserves expanding, slowly but surely.

One evening, after a particularly gruelling session, Ryu caught sight of himself in the mirror. His hair, damp with sweat, hung around his face in a mix of red and white, and his eyes—one golden, one green—stared back at him.

"I look like an anime character," he chuckled to himself. "Or maybe a manga protagonist."

He laughed at the absurdity of it all. "Who knows? Maybe someone's reading my story right now, other than Mr. Beginning and Mr. End."

As his laughter faded, a more sobering thought crossed his mind. "Or maybe it's only those two bored gods playing their cosmic game."

Ryu shook his head, amused by his own musing. "Whatever. Back to work."

As he turned away from the mirror, he missed the flicker of a figure that appeared for just a moment—a figure smiling enigmatically. "More than two, dear Ken," the figure seemed to whisper before vanishing.

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