Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Konoha's Central Streets – A Bustling Afternoon

The central streets of Konoha were always filled with life. Even under the blazing midday sun, the enthusiasm of the villagers remained unshaken. People moved about, their faces lit with smiles as they browsed through various stalls, purchasing whatever caught their interest.

High up in the branches of a sturdy tree, a black cat of different sizes lounged lazily, basking in the sunlight. The air was thick with a relaxed atmosphere, as if the entire town had been infected by the feline's carefree nature.

But for Zixu and his teammates, this leisurely life was something entirely foreign.

Panting under the shade of the tree, they stood gazing upward at the small black cat perched comfortably on a thick branch. Next to them, an elderly woman wearing a straw hat had an expression of pure distress, her eyes locked onto the cat as if her world would collapse if it didn't come down.

"Master Ninja, please, you must save Xiao Hei! He's still so young, yet he's climbed up such a high tree—it's far too dangerous! What if something happens to him?" The old woman clutched Yamato's sleeve, shaking it desperately as her voice grew increasingly frantic.

Yamato blinked, his head spinning slightly from her unceasing tugging.

"I... I don't think the little black cat is in any danger," said Aburame Hatsuizumi, his usually energetic demeanor noticeably subdued. He exhaled tiredly and muttered, "Just look at him—he's sleeping peacefully. Cats aren't that fragile. He'll get hungry soon enough and come down on his own..."

The old woman's expression darkened instantly, as if someone had personally insulted her ancestors.

Her grip on Yamato's sleeve tightened, and she began to wail dramatically—her emotions shifting faster than a shinobi in the middle of a high-speed battle.

"Xiao Hei is my son! How could you ninjas be so cruel?!" she sobbed, her voice rising in pitch. "Would you throw a child onto a tree seven or eight meters high and just wait for them to climb down?! Ninjas are all liars—you take the commission but don't do the work!"

Tears streamed down her weathered face, and her cries were even harsher than the cicadas chirping in the summer heat.

Zixu swore that her voice was more unbearable than any genjutsu he had ever experienced.

At that moment, he silently thanked the Silence Fruit (Seijitsu no Mi - 静実の実) for granting him the ability to block out all sound. With a subtle movement, he formed a soundproof barrier around himself.

And just like that—the world returned to silence.

---

Perhaps unable to endure the old woman's relentless pestering any longer, Hyuga Chinano's brow twitched slightly. Taking a deep breath, she made her decision.

With a flicker, she vanished—reappearing instantly on the tree trunk.

The sleeping black cat twitched, its sharp instincts kicking in. Sensing danger, it abruptly leapt from the branch, its tiny paws outstretched in the air as it attempted to escape toward the rooftops.

But Chinano had no intention of chasing it again.

She moved swiftly—grabbing the cat midair with a firm grip before rolling onto the ground.

"Your 'son' is safe."

Zixu took the still-struggling cat from Chinano's arms and, with practiced ease, handed it to the old woman by the scruff of its neck.

The woman immediately calmed down, embracing the little creature as if it were her long-lost child, showering it with kisses.

Watching the scene unfold, Zixu couldn't help but sigh internally.

"Is this really a ninja's job? This feels more like something the Yorozuya would do."

Once, he had believed that simple, safe missions were a blessing. But after obtaining the Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku no Haki - 覇王色の覇気), he realized that such missions lacked the intensity he craved. He longed to face strong opponents, to push himself beyond his limits—not chase household pets through the village. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

However, his time at Ryūchi Cave (龍地洞) had broadened his perspective.

Take, for example, the Body Flicker Technique (Shunshin no Jutsu - 瞬身の術) that Chinano had just used.

To someone like Yamato, it was an impressive display of speed—but to Zixu, it was full of flaws.

The movement delay before activation, the rigid posture mid-cast, and the noticeable lag after teleporting—all of it was far from perfect.

He immediately began thinking of ways to improve it.

"If I enhance the technique with Senjutsu Chakra (仙術チャクラ), the activation time will be reduced. Then, by leveraging my natural physique, I can eliminate the post-cast delay. If I integrate the Silence Fruit to mute all sound, it would be perfect for assassination maneuvers—instantaneous, undetectable, and lethal."

"If executed correctly, it could be an entirely new combat style."

---

Zixu's blunt observations did not go unnoticed.

The little black snake coiled on his head let out a bored yawn, curling up once again like a salted fish.

Meanwhile, Yamato shook his head, his expression gentle but firm.

"Don't underestimate these missions."

His steady tone carried the weight of experience.

"These tasks exist to hone your will. A shinobi's path is built through constant accumulation. Even if they seem trivial now, every experience—no matter how small—plays a part in shaping you into a stronger ninja."

Yamato's gaze swept over them, his eyes reflecting something deeper—a quiet understanding of the world they were stepping into.

"The D-Rank missions may seem insignificant, but they're designed specifically for newly promoted Genin. Don't aim too high too quickly."

For a moment, Zixu and the others fell silent, taking in his words.

They had never experienced the war-torn era of Yamato's generation—where children were thrown onto the battlefield the moment they became Genin.

Compared to that...

They truly had no idea how fortunate they were.

Zixu leaned against the wooden fence, gazing at the setting sun that painted Konoha's sky in hues of gold and crimson. A faint breeze rustled the leaves, carrying with it the familiar scents of home.

"Yeah, I get it. It'd be nice if we had more missions outside the village," he mused, a seemingly innocent and sincere smile tugging at his lips. "We've been here our whole lives. Never seen the world beyond these walls. It's only natural to feel some longing."

Yamato, arms crossed, let out a thoughtful hum. "You're not wrong," he admitted. "The mission we just completed is done, so when we report back, we can check if there's anything that takes us beyond the village. But don't get your hopes up—those kinds of missions aren't common for Genin."

Even as he agreed with Zixu's words, something felt off. That smile... He had seen it before. It reminded him of a certain man—one who had watched him from behind a notebook, observing him as he soaked in a solution-filled chamber.

Zixu's smile resembled that guy's a little too much.

"Great! It'd be amazing to leave the village! I've been wanting to travel for so long!" Aburame Hatsuizumi, who had been almost lifeless with boredom, perked up instantly at the idea. To her, an outside mission meant new insect species to collect.

She had long ago named her spirit beast "Chōchō," but for some reason, the creature remained lazy and unwilling to move, as if it were in some kind of deep recovery. Left with no choice, she had shifted her focus to breeding new insect species instead.

Hyūga Chinano, standing nearby, shared a similar sentiment. Her daily frustrations only worsened when she had to deal with the Main Branch of the Hyūga Clan. Out of sight, out of mind—if she could avoid them, that was for the best.

---

After completing their mission, the team returned to the Mission Hall to report their success. As Yamato handed over their mission details, his gaze casually drifted over the commission board.

At first, he didn't expect much. But then—

His eyes widened slightly.

He blinked, double-checking the request in his hands. A mission to leave the village? And at a reasonable difficulty level?

C to D-rank. Perfectly suitable.

With an almost skeptical expression, Yamato carefully read the details once more before tearing the commission slip from the board.

"Well, would you look at that..." He turned to the team, holding up the paper. "You guys really are lucky. There's a mission outside the village this time."

The group perked up immediately.

"It's been issued by two wandering samurai. They require a small team of shinobi to accompany them to the Hidden Mist Village (Kirigakure - 霧隠れの里)—or at least, to the outskirts. Apparently, they need a sensor-type shinobi for support... It doesn't seem like a problem. I've already notified the receptionist, so we just need to meet them at the agreed location tomorrow."

"Seriously?! We're going out tomorrow?!" Hatsuizumi's eyes sparkled with excitement. "What do I need to pack? I don't know how to use Katon (Fire Release - 火遁), so I should bring matches. And extra food—"

Yamato raised a hand, cutting her off. "Just prepare what you need. I'll go to the Hokage's Office and request clearance for us to leave the village."

With that, he turned and strode off, leaving the three of them behind.

---

As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the training grounds, Hatsuizumi hesitated before speaking.

"It's still early. Why don't we—"

Zixu interrupted, his tone shifting to something far more serious.

"We're not children anymore." His gaze was firm. "As shinobi, we have to be prepared to die on missions. Improving our strength is our top priority."

His words cut through the lingering excitement, grounding them in reality.

"Hatsuizumi, have you made any progress with the insect-combination method I told you about last time?" His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable weight behind it.

Hatsuizumi lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes. "Not... not yet..." she admitted guiltily.

Chinano remained silent, but she could feel it too—a change in Zixu's aura.

He was growing stronger. More focused. More like a leader.

And yet, at the same time, he felt... distant.

"Keep working on it," Zixu said, though his voice had softened slightly.

He turned to Chinano, gesturing subtly. A silent message passed between them.

I have a lead on the Curse Mark.

He wasn't lying. He had a theory—one that involved the Ryū no Haki (Draconic Haki - 竜の覇気). If it worked, it could help counteract the effects of the Curse Mark (Juinjutsu - 呪印術).

For now, it was only a possibility. But one worth exploring.

After dismissing them, Zixu returned to his room, closing the door and windows as he had done the night before.

---

Summoning his silent clone, Zixu adjusted his strategy.

Originally, he had set an ambitious goal: to silence all things. But such an objective was far too vast for his current level.

Instead, he set a smaller goal.

"For now, just focus on using the power of silence to block perception-based abilities," he instructed. "If you succeed, I'll let you slack off for a day."

The Silent Clone—notorious for its lazy nature—perked up slightly at the offer.

Zixu smirked.

When a clone is dispelled, its memories return to the original. He knew just how unmotivated his silent clone could be. It never outright disobeyed him, but it also never put in more effort than necessary.

Thus, he had found a simple solution: use slacking off as a reward.

The Silent Clone's eyes sharpened with determination. A whole day off? That was worth working for.

With that settled, Zixu left his little black snake behind and returned to Ryūchi Cave (Ryūchidō - 龍地洞).

---

This time, there was no hesitation.

He immediately summoned two shadow clones and began practicing Senjutsu (Sage Techniques - 仙術).

The memory transfer from clones was an invaluable tool. Even if they failed, the experience would still benefit his original body. The only downside was the difficulty in regulating natural energy when the chakra returned.

But that flaw was manageable.

More importantly, Sage Mode training opened the door to another skill he desperately wanted—

Observation Haki (Kenbonshoku Haki - 見聞色の覇気).

By sharpening his perception of natural energy, he could more easily develop a sixth sense—one that allowed him to perceive the world around him without relying on sight.

If he succeeded, he wouldn't need to waste precious points to "buy" Observation Haki from the system.

A thud broke his focus.

Two sounds echoed through the cavern—snake scales hitting stone.

One of his clones failed to dodge in time, struck by a tail swipe from Shinki (Divine Serpent - 神機). The clone's form wavered, signs of partial transformation flickering across its skin.

Zixu immediately dispelled it, closing his eyes as he calibrated his chakra balance.

Meanwhile, the Divine Beasts of Ryūchi Cave whispered among themselves.

"Did you see that? His clone is unnaturally tough... Was he training Taijutsu in the womb?"

"Hah, let's not tell him. Let him believe he's normal... then his enemies can have a real surprise."

Zixu, unaware of their conversation, simply sat there—analyzing, adapting, and preparing for the next attempt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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