inside on weak knees. The talisman, though, settled beneath Harry's skin, just like the Sowilo rune had.
Trust, but prepare for the worst.
Lily trusted her ancestors more than she did the empty promise of a mortal man.
…
A month later, on Hallowe'en, Lily's life was cut down mercilessly while Voldemort's body crumbled to ashes.
"He'll be protected with Lily's blood," Dumbledore said while leaving Harry on Petunia's doorstep. The moment he was gone, a shadow coalesced out of autumn leaves. A man, with dark hair and moonlight in his eyes.
"Come, my child," he said and smiled.
When morning came, the child was gone.
The hunters had taken their own.The stats faded from view, but the sense of progress remained.
He made his way back home, his muscles aching but his heart lighter. As he opened the door to his apartment, the familiar warm aroma hit his nose.
There it was — his lunch, neatly placed on the table.
Rice. Curry. Grilled chicken. A side of warm miso soup.
Naruto blinked, smiling as he stepped inside.
"Looks like the system's keeping its word."
He sat down, closed his eyes briefly, and whispered:
"Thanks, Kaa-san... Tou-san."
Then he dug in — this time, not just to feed his stomach, but to fuel his future.
After finishing his lunch, Naruto pushed the empty plate aside and sat down cross-legged in the middle of his room. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused.
In an instant, he was back in his mindscape.
The yellow-clouded space greeted him with calm stillness.
Standing before him were his parents.
"So, you finally arrived," said Minato, arms crossed with a small smile.
Naruto gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah… I really don't want to get showered in kunai and shuriken again."
Minato chuckled lightly, while Kushina rolled her eyes playfully. "Then let's make sure it doesn't happen again."
From noon till evening, Naruto sat with his parents in the glowing mental space, absorbing everything he could.
Chakra theory: what it is, how it flows, how to control it. The fundamentals of being a shinobi: discipline, mindset, strategy.
By the time they finished, the invisible clock in the system read 5:00 PM.
"Okay, Naruto," said Kushina, wiping imaginary chalk off her hands, "you've learned enough theory for today. Now it's time for something practical."
"Go to the forest and learn to hunt," she said seriously. "Survival is part of being a shinobi too."
Naruto stood and nodded. "Got it, Kaa-san."
With that, he mentally exited the space and opened his eyes.
There was still daylight as Naruto headed into the nearby forest. He followed the system's step-by-step instructions carefully — how to remain silent, how to observe tracks, and how to approach prey without alerting it.
After an hour of patience and stealth, he finally caught a rabbit.
He followed the next part of the tutorial:
Humanely ended it.
Skinned and cleaned the carcass.
Fried part of the meat for dinner.
Stored the rest using system-suggested preservation techniques.
Disposed of the entrails far away to avoid attracting predators.
The system gave him a quiet ding of approval, and Naruto smiled with pride.
"Not bad for my first time…"
Exhausted but satisfied, Naruto returned to his apartment under the starry night. He slipped into bed, full and content, his body sore but stronger than yesterday.
As he drifted into sleep, the warm, golden mist of his mental world welcomed him back.
His parents were already waiting.
6/6/2025
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