"Why can't they see you, while I'm the only one who can?" Fox Boy asked Jingchuan, puzzled.
"Maybe it's because I'm an angel! Hahaha!" Jingchuan laughed.
Fox Boy tilted his head and gazed at him with clear blue eyes.
"What's an angel?"
"An angel is a god that only the strongest, kindest children can see!"
"You're the strongest child, so you're the only one who can see me." Jingchuan patted the boy's head, then suddenly heard the notification, [Cuddle Points +10].
Even though it was a dream, Jingchuan subconsciously kept ruffling Fox Boy's golden hair.
Gold was supposed to be a dazzling color, but the boy's hair was dry and tangled, without a hint of shine. He looked malnourished.
Fox Boy's stomach suddenly growled. He scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled.
After learning that Fox Boy hadn't eaten all day, Jingchuan took him fishing and taught him how to catch fish.
Fox Boy followed Jingchuan's instruction and quickly learned how to fish.
The two of them roasted their catch on the riverbank, then lay down on the grass after eating their fill.
"Thank you, Angel Big Brother! I'm so full today!"
"Kid, if anyone bullies you again, fight them. If you win, nobody will dare bully you."
As Jingchuan looked up at the stars, he couldn't help thinking of his past life. If you didn't grow strong, you'd only get bullied even worse.
Jingchuan thought perhaps the boy was just someone he'd imagined, someone created to make up for his own childhood.
After Jingchuan said this, his vision gradually blurred. The dream was ending.
"I understand. Thank you, Angel Big Brother."
"I'll definitely become Hokage! I'll make everyone like me!"
"My name is ****"
The final words were too indistinct, and Jingchuan didn't hear Fox Boy's name.
Even after Jingchuan disappeared, Fox Boy remained lying on the grass. He gazed up at the night sky with blue eyes that shimmered with brilliant starlight.
For several days, Senju Jingchuan couldn't remember what had happened in the dream. But soon, he had no time to think about it.
In this war-torn ninja world, there were no children if you were born into a ninja clan. Every clan member was a ninja.
Though Senju Jingchuan had never been well-liked by the Senju Clan, now that he'd been released, he was expected to shoulder his share of the responsibilities as a Senju ninja.
Senju Jingchuan began training. Of course, although the Senju clan members didn't like him, he was still Senju Butsuma's son, so the training he had to endure was several times more intense than that of the other clan members.
Senju Butsuma personally taught Jingchuan ninjutsu.
But Senju Jingchuan had clearly been locked away like a monster for four years, and he didn't have the stamina to practice ninjutsu. He couldn't even extract chakra.
Though training was grueling, Senju Jingchuan still hoped to learn ninjutsu—not just to look cool or satisfy his curiosity, but to survive in this otherworld.
However, Jingchuan could feel the vast amount of chakra inside him. Whenever he tried to circulate it, though, he felt some force preventing the energy from being released.
It was like someone who had wandered through the desert for half a month finally finding a huge freshwater lake, only to be unable to drink from it.
Senju Jingchuan had never believed that he truly lacked talent for ninjutsu. He kept trying to learn.
But no matter how he circulated his chakra using the method Senju Butsuma taught him, he couldn't make it work—not even for the most basic Clone Technique.
After lunch, Senju Jingchuan lay on the table, utterly hopeless, staring out the door at Senju Kawarama and Itama practicing against each other with great enthusiasm.
Watching his two older brothers use dazzling ninjutsu, Senju Jingchuan wept tears of envy and jealousy.
The warm midday sun spilled across the doorway. Sitting in the shade, Senju Jingchuan fiercely ruffled the little rabbit's fur.
Senju Hashirama came over, rubbed Senju Jingchuan's short white hair, and asked, "Why are you so down, little Jingchuan?"
Hearing the [Cuddle Points +6] system notification, Senju Jingchuan rubbed his head against Senju Hashirama's palm. The ache in his heart eased a little.
"I'm so jealous that Kawarama and Itama can learn ninjutsu. Father said I might not have the talent to be a ninja."
Senju Jingchuan played up his misery for Senju Hashirama, his long eyelashes drooping as he wore such a dejected expression that Hashirama couldn't help feeling sorry for him.
"So what if you can't use ninjutsu? Big Brother will take care of you from now on. Who would dare bully you?" Senju Hashirama declared confidently.
Just then, Senju Tobirama came over and said coldly:
"Big Brother can't take care of Jingchuan forever. The fighting is so intense, and we're always preparing to go to the battlefield. If Jingchuan can't protect himself, who can protect him for the rest of his life?"
Hearing Senju Tobirama's words, Senju Hashirama immediately grew dejected, as if all the color had drained from him.
Senju Tobirama was used to Senju Hashirama getting down in the dumps at the drop of a hat. He turned to Senju Jingchuan and said, "Come on. I'll teach you ninjutsu."
Senju Jingchuan jumped up excitedly, and the rabbit finally escaped his clutches and landed lightly on the ground.
Senju Tobirama had Senju Jingchuan circulate his chakra once, then perform the Clone Technique.
As before, the moment Senju Jingchuan tried to circulate his chakra, it felt as though some force had blocked it inside him. The chakra moved with great difficulty, and his pathways felt sluggish and obstructed.
Jingchuan tried to break through the barrier, but the harder he pushed, the stronger it seemed to become. Before long, sweat had gathered on his forehead.
Only after a thin layer of blue chakra barely appeared around him did Jingchuan change his hand positions and form Hand Seals.
A crooked, extremely pale clone appeared, but it vanished in less than two seconds.
Jingchuan was already exhausted. He lowered his hands and said weakly to Tobirama:
"Brother Tobirama, that's what happens. It feels like my chakra pathways are blocked, and even when I manage to perform the technique, the clone can't last long."
Senju Tobirama and Senju Hashirama had been frowning seriously ever since Jingchuan started circulating his chakra, watching him closely.
"Ah, is it because he has too little chakra, Tobirama?" Senju Hashirama turned to ask, hoping Tobirama could give him an answer.
Senju Tobirama had studied ninjutsu and chakra since he was young. Seeing him there, Jingchuan couldn't help placing his hopes in him too.
Senju Tobirama thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "I can't be sure what the cause is, but I don't think it's because he has too little chakra."
"Is there really no way? It looks like I truly can't learn ninjutsu." Senju Jingchuan pulled a long face.
Senju Kawarama and Itama immediately gathered around, comforting the downcast Jingchuan. In unison, they said:
"Don't worry, Jingchuan. We'll protect you."
Hashirama rubbed Senju Jingchuan's head and smiled. "Don't be so serious!"
Senju Tobirama said, "Don't worry too much. I'll look into it."
Hearing his brothers' words, Jingchuan felt a rush of warmth well up inside him.
Ever since he'd come to this world, the vast differences between it and his past life had always made him feel detached, as though he were inside a game. Only when he was with his family did things feel real.
The warm spring breeze swept by, stirring the heart of the soul from another world.
A few days later, Senju Butsuma gradually gave up on teaching Jingchuan ninjutsu. But he clearly couldn't abandon any Senju clan member who might become a fighting force, so he began training Senju Jingchuan's stamina to the brink, hoping Jingchuan would at least make a name for himself in taijutsu.
Fortunately, with Senju blood in his veins, Senju Jingchuan was clearly well suited to the path of taijutsu. Though he was still malnourished, his stamina and physical reflexes surpassed those of most ninjas.
What's more, Senju Jingchuan's naturally powerful recovery ability and the Intermediate Healing Jutsu he'd obtained with Cuddle Points could quickly restore him to peak condition.
Still, being pushed to his limits by Senju Butsuma every day left Senju Jingchuan physically and mentally exhausted.
Even an iron man couldn't take that kind of treatment from Senju Butsuma!
Senju Jingchuan complained about Senju Butsuma to his four older brothers, hoping they'd offer him a little comfort.
"Father thinks highly of you, Jingchuan. You've got to keep it up!" said his fourth older brother, Senju Itama, looking at him with an encouraging expression.
Clearly, his older brothers, all ninjas, couldn't empathize with Jingchuan, who had been an ordinary person in his past life.
Senju Jingchuan felt like crying, but he could only work harder to earn Cuddle Points from his brothers, hoping to draw a skill that would ease his suffering.
With his heart pounding, Senju Jingchuan tapped the draw button.
A flash of golden light passed, and a card appeared in Senju Jingchuan's hand.
--Pain Adjustment Card!
Before you continue