Lightning coiled over my body as I prepared to act. However, I immediately dispersed the concentrated bolt that had materialized instantly on my fingertip the moment I recognized the familiar chakra signatures outside. The tension in my muscles vanished, replaced by amusement as their voices drifted through the front door.
"Big brother Genta, the last time I touched the barrier, I was sent flying and it hurt for a whole day. Why don't you try it this time, please?"
Genta laughed sagely, clearly trying to sound profound. "I am teaching you wisdom, young Naruto. The more hardship you go through, the tougher you get, and the clearer your ninja way becomes."
I facepalmed. Even through my sensory perception, I could practically picture Genta shaking his head, attempting to act wise but just looking like a complete idiot instead.
"Really?" Naruto asked, doubt thick in his tone.
Genta grunted, realizing his philosophical approach was failing. "Also, I will give you some of my share of the next meal."
Naruto replied, sheer panic now lacing his words. "That is like a punishment! Takemura-ojisan's cooking is..." He then trailed off into a frightened silence, unwilling to finish that dangerous thought.
Genta then stepped forward, his pride clearly on the line. "Fine. I will show you my resolve as a ninja." He extended his hand to touch the barrier.
I was about to dispel the formation completely so they could enter, but a devious grin crept onto my face. I dampened the defensive effect for just a second as Genta finally laid his hand on the invisible wall.
Absolutely nothing happened.
"See, Naruto? All you need is brav..."
Before he could even finish the word, I surged the barrier back to its maximum output. A loud crack echoed outside as Genta was launched away, while Naruto burst into hysterical laughter at his older brother's misfortune.
Taking a moment to compose myself, I used a puff of smoke from a storage scroll to unseal a long shirt and pants combo. I had purchased them on a huge discount for when I eventually got taller, saving money since inflation was definitely a thing. Now, thanks to my recent growth spurt, my newly lengthened limbs actually fit the fabric perfectly.
Outside, a humiliated Genta came sprinting back and immediately started chasing after Naruto, who was laughing so hard he practically stopped breathing. In the end, the blonde kid was caught. He received a swift knuckle to the head before Genta forcefully dragged him back toward the house to test the barrier again.
"This will teach you to respect your elders!" Genta declared, holding a violently squirming Naruto up like a human sacrifice while laughing evilly.
Naruto was in absolute panic mode, thrashing against the tight grip. That desperate plea did not stop Genta from pushing the terrified boy directly against the humming barrier.
While I was genuinely eager to test the limits of my new power and understand my body better, I refused to let poor, concerned Naruto and Genta suffer any longer. With a single hand seal, I disabled the barrier just as Naruto collided with the door. It swung open, revealing the blonde kid with his eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the pain. However, to his immense surprise, nothing happened.
Behind him, Genta's crazed expression vanished, instantly replaced by sheer awe as he took in my new build. I was significantly taller than my height from seventy-five days ago. I was clearly more muscular, with literal electricity almost visible under my skin, coursing through my coiled muscles. The fuinjutsu symbols on my body shone one last time before I powered them down completely. I stood in the middle of the room with leftover static fading and arcing across my flesh, a huge grin spreading across my face.
Naruto opened his eyes and stared in shock. Breaking out of his stupor, he immediately jumped from Genta's suddenly loose grip and sprinted towards me.
"Noa!" He shot forward with incredible speed.
While the movement felt incredibly slow to my heightened perception, I simply stood still and dropped to one knee just as he hit me with a flying hug.
"I was so worried about you," he cried, loud sobs clear in his voice. "I like it here. I didn't want to lose anything that makes this place so good. Also..." He stayed silent for a moment, burying his face in my shoulder. "Takemura-ojisan's food is so horrible."
I laughed out loud and warmly ruffled his hair. "Sorry for worrying you, Naruto. There shouldn't be any more seclusions anytime soon," I assured him.
I was quietly surprised at how light he felt against my new strength as he continued to cry into my freshly unsealed shirt. I unexpectedly did not mind it at all. I owed him more than just a shirt for making him worry that much. For a kid his age, the sudden disappearance must have been deeply impactful.
Genta then started walking towards me. "You... are you really awake?"
I nodded just as he threw his arms around me, practically squashing Naruto in the process. Tears were welling up in the older boy's eyes. I was genuinely touched by how much Genta had missed his best friend.
Then, he completely ruined the moment.
"I am so hungry! I haven't eaten anything but half-cooked rice with raw eggs for more than two months!" He leaned back, looking at me with genuine horror. "How can someone mess up cooking white rice?" he asked, utter despair making his eyes grow dark.
He sighed, shaking the bad memories off, and light returned to his eyes as he looked up. "How did you get so much taller? You are almost as tall as my father. This is not fair," he grumbled.
I scratched my chin. "I think it is due to the nutritional IVs that Ayaka gave me. They must have been incredibly potent, because they probably saved my life and caused this growth spurt in combination with my seal formation. You can think of it as a fortunate coincidence," I explained.
He tightened his hand around my arm. "These muscles... I feel like they are vibrating with energy."
With a smug smile, I simply said, "They are."
I released a small current of energy from the seals on my arm, causing Genta to gasp. "Woah," he breathed, retreating a step as tiny arcs of static danced across my skin.
"Okay, now we definitely have to fight," Genta declared, stepping back. "I want to see the results of that stupid, risky seal of yours to determine if it is worth the pain coming your way, both physically and financially. I cannot even count the times my father promised to beat you to death if you survived, all while Ayaka kept muttering about how much more she has to charge you for the specialized medical supplies she had to spend her life's savings on."
I immediately gulped, a drop of cold sweat running down my forehead. I slowly sat down, still holding Naruto, who was clinging tightly to my arm.
"Did the brat fall asleep?" I asked, looking down at the blonde boy.
However, I narrowed my eyes when I noticed a black marker firmly gripped in his hand. He had been drawing something on the back of my new secondhand shirt.
"Hey!" I yelled in panic, grabbing Naruto by the wrist. I hoisted him up, leaving the rest of his body dangling in the air as he tried to escape my judging glare. But before I could stop him, he raised the marker once more. Without any hesitation, and with an incredible amount of misplaced bravery, he reached out and started drawing a ridiculous, curly mustache directly onto my face.
My eyebrows twitched in annoyance.
"Now you look better," Naruto said with a cheeky grin.
I suddenly heard Genta exploding into laughter from behind me. "He wrote 'dead man walking' on your back!" Genta managed to wheeze out, giving the dangling kid a thumbs-up.
Naruto grinned with immense pride before I sent a mild, static shock through his arm, causing him to yelp in mock pain.
"Big brother Genta, help me!" Naruto yelled.
Genta immediately settled into a dramatic battle stance. "Leave my young brother alone, you monster!"
I tossed Naruto away lightly, fully expecting him to just tumble harmlessly onto the ground. However, to my surprise, he clumsily but effectively rolled through the air, landing smoothly and skidding across the floor with a clear challenge shining in his eyes.
"We suffered a lot because Takemura-ojisan took his anger out on us since he could not take it out on you!" Naruto shouted. "He trained us non-stop. I am going to show you the results of that training! Big brother Genta, let's use the combo that we planned and practiced just to punish him!"
Genta spoke, his voice dripping with theatrical resentment. "Prepare for pain! You will pay for our suffering!" he screamed.
Without another word, the two of them launched themselves straight toward me.