Yuji woke up slowly, like he was dragging himself out of deep mud. The first thing he felt was pain—sharp, heavy, and everywhere. His body ached so badly it was hard to tell where one wound ended and the next began.
Breathing hurt. Every inhale made his ribs burn, like something inside had cracked. He tried to move—just a little—but a jolt of pain shot through his side, freezing him in place.
His right eye was swollen shut. His lips were dry and split, the taste of blood still strong on his tongue. One arm was completely numb, useless, while the other pulsed with a dull, constant ache. Even blinking hurt.
A weak groan slipped from his throat. Just making a sound sent a wave of pain through his chest. His muscles were stiff and sore, like they'd been torn apart and stitched back together wrong.
He didn't know where he was. He didn't care. All he could feel was pain—thick, inescapable, suffocating.
But he was alive.
Barely.
"You're finally awake, boy," came a heavy voice. It was hard to tell who it was at first, but Yuji only knew one person with a voice that rough.
As he slowly opened his good eye, he noticed a woman leaning over him, her hands glowing softly over his chest.
What is she doing? he wondered.
"She's a medical ninja," the voice said again.
Yuji turned his head to the right—every movement slow, painful—and saw Uncle sitting on a nearby table, arms crossed, watching him carefully.
"I'm sorry," Yuji said quietly. "For losing."
"You don't need to beat yourself up over it," Uncle replied. "The one you fought was older, more skilled, more experienced. You held your own, and that means something. If you keep training with me, you'll surpass him one day."
"I see…" It was all Yuji could manage.
His chest tightened—not from injury, but from the shame and helplessness sinking in. This was his first real loss since arriving in this world. He had thought he was growing stronger. But now he saw the truth.
He was still just a small fish in a vast ocean. And he had no idea where the edges were.
Tears slid down his cheeks—some from the physical pain, but most from the weight in his heart.
"I'll kill him next time," Yuji whispered, more to himself than anyone else. A fragile promise. A small spark in the dark.
Half an hour later, the medical ninja had healed him completely. Even his broken wrist felt brand new. It was almost unbelievable.
But even with his body healed, his mind wasn't. On the walk back home, his thoughts circled only one thing: losing.
It was a habit of his—beating himself up over every mistake, every misstep, even the small ones.
He barely spoke during dinner. Just sat in silence, eyes down, the weight still in his chest.
Later, in his room, he lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. And then the tears came again, silent and steady.
Crying was all he could do.
———————————————————————
My eyes opened to the soft glow of early dawn. I glanced at the clock—it was 4 a.m. Again.
It had become a habit.
But today, I didn't feel like training.
Maybe it was because I felt… lost.
Still, before those thoughts could drag me down deeper, I forced myself out of bed and got moving. If I let myself sit still, I knew I'd sink.
I threw on my gear and headed out for my usual routine—running laps around the village with weighted gear strapped to my body. It wasn't much, but it helped keep my mind busy.
After that, I moved through my usual drills—push-ups, squats, footwork, chakra control. Basic, repetitive, but grounding. I kept going until my body started to feel just a little lighter.
That's when Uncle appeared out of nowhere—probably using some kind of jutsu, as usual.
"Come at me boy " he said
What was all needed to hear before he could finish i was already in front of him punch ready to throw