Naruto: Heaven Rewards Diligence

Among the students he was training, what surprised Kakashi most was that Sasuke and Neji, despite their prodigious talent, were still within the bounds of what he considered "normal genius."

From his observations, it was clear all of them had already seen blood.

When explaining battle experience, Kakashi only hoped they could absorb even a fraction of what he taught, because there was always a stark difference between those who had truly fought and those who hadn't—especially in life-and-death struggles.

But Naruto…

Not only did he fully absorb everything Kakashi taught, he carried himself as though he had genuinely fought on countless battlefields. His aura was heavy, oppressive—something forged through years of combat.

If he didn't restrain himself, others would truly believe Naruto had survived countless battles.

Even Naruto himself felt as if he had been fighting on real frontlines for years, something he hadn't expected to gain simply from Kakashi's explanations. Of course, this was all thanks to his unique ability—Heaven Rewards Diligence.

Time passed slowly. The Shadow Clone Naruto had sent to the Land of Wind had long since returned.

That clone had spent a month teaching Gaara, and in the process of helping him develop his Magnetic Release, Naruto gained vast knowledge about magnetism and electricity.

The shinobi of this world only had a shallow understanding of Magnet Release, using it merely to manipulate iron sand or metals. But if Gaara could combine magnetism with electricity to form electromagnetism, that was one of the four fundamental forces of the universe itself.

If mastered to its peak, it could become an overwhelming power.

Even something like generating an electromagnetic field to achieve flight would be trivial!

The first step was simple: Gaara needed to master generating electricity from magnetism, and from there, form true electromagnetism.

If successful, Gaara's potential could surpass even the level of a Kage—perhaps reaching a realm beyond, a "Super Kage."

Meanwhile, Neji had quietly brought in two branch family members from the Hyūga Clan. Both were already elite Chūnin at their young age, and had the potential to become jōnin in the future. In other words—they were geniuses in their own right.

And because of their talent, they resented even more deeply the fate forced upon them as branch family members, treated like little more than servants.

This was the opening Neji had been waiting for.

So he sent them to Naruto.

"Lord Naruto! As long as you can remove the Caged Bird seal, we are willing to do anything you ask!"

The two young Hyūga knelt before Naruto, their bodies trembling, excitement overflowing in their eyes. Their desire to be freed from the Caged Bird curse had already reached an almost fanatical level.

And now, Naruto had given them hope.

"I can release you from the Caged Bird's control," Naruto said calmly, "but not without a price. You will serve me for three years. The seal I apply will only last one year at a time—if you betray me or reveal my existence, you will return to being Caged Birds."

He paused, then added, "But after three years, you will gain true freedom."

It was a perfect balance of carrot and stick.

The two barely hesitated. To trade three years of service for lifelong freedom was a bargain they would gladly take.

"What are your names? Introduce yourselves."

"My name is Hyūga Asahi. My chakra nature is Earth, and I specialize in the Gentle Fist."

"My name is Hyūga Ayaka. My chakra natures are Water and Wind. I also specialize in the Gentle Fist, and I've learned some Medical Ninjutsu."

The second introduction caught Naruto's attention. His eyes lit up—medical ninja were already rare, but a Hyūga medical ninja was almost unheard of.

In Naruto's eyes, the Hyūga were perfectly suited for Medical Ninjutsu. Their Byakugan allowed them to see the body's chakra pathways and internal structures in incredible detail, making them natural healers if properly trained.

"Let me make this clear," Naruto said, his tone steady. "The seal I'll use will only cut off the main family's control over you. To truly erase the Caged Bird mark will take me time—at least a year of research. After three years, I will remove it completely. And if you serve with true dedication, I may even do it earlier."

Without hesitation, Naruto began inscribing the sealing technique, severing the Caged Bird's hold on them. Once the seal was complete, he sent them to Shisui's location with codes for communication before letting them go.

Afterward, Neji frowned slightly. "Naruto… are you sure it's safe to send them to the main base?"

Naruto smirked. "I understand your worry—I feel the same. That's why I altered the seal. If they betray us, it will transform into another Caged Bird. If they remain loyal, after three years the curse will truly vanish."

Neji was startled, then nodded in realization. Of course Naruto wouldn't act without certainty.

But he still had one lingering doubt. "Naruto… they're excellent reconnaissance shinobi, and in the future they might reach elite jōnin level. For only three years of service, isn't that…"

"Hahaha… Neji! I knew you'd ask that."

Naruto patted Neji on the shoulder, grinning. "After three years, I'll let them go. A deal is a deal. But if, after three years, they don't want to leave… well, that's not my problem."

Neji frowned slightly. "And if they do want to leave?"

Naruto's smile faded into a steady, resolute expression. "If they truly want to leave, it means we've failed. If we can't even win over a pair of branch family shinobi, how could we ever talk about reshaping the shinobi world?"

His tone was calm but carried a weight of conviction.

Neji blinked in surprise, then slowly nodded. Their eyes met, and both smiled faintly.

They had already chosen their path—now, they would stake everything on it.

Just a week after Hyūga Asahi and Hyūga Ayaka had been sent to Shisui's base, Naruto received unexpected news.

He broke the seal of a coded letter delivered through the Seven Colors Trading Company, reading it carefully.

By the end, the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

"So… Tsunade has ended up under Shisui's command?" he murmured. "Since she's stepped into Umbrella, then she'll stay there and work obediently."

Without hesitation, Naruto penned a coded reply and sent it back through their secret channels. The ciphers were designed so only members of the Umbrella Ideology could decipher them.

Shisui, upon receiving Naruto's letter, read through it with wide eyes. He hadn't expected that the new "medical-nin" the organization had picked up was none other than Tsunade herself—one of the Legendary Sannin.

The truth came out after the two Hyūga branch members used their Byakugan to examine her. Tsunade's immense chakra reserves immediately raised suspicion, prompting Shisui to order a quiet investigation.

It hadn't taken long for the truth to surface.

Tsunade's carelessness was to blame—Shizune's identity had been exposed. And once people noticed that the so-called "Katō Shizune" with such enormous chakra was always by her side… there could be little doubt. Only Tsunade could match that description.

The revelation left Shisui troubled. He had met Tsunade several times in the past. If they crossed paths again, it might derail Naruto's plans, which was why he sought Naruto's instructions before acting.

After reading Naruto's reply, Shisui couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Tsunade.

Naruto's orders were clear: Tsunade was not to be introduced to the higher ranks. Instead, she was to climb slowly through the Umbrella's structure, step by step, so as not to lose patience or arouse suspicion. This process was to last at least a year—by which time Naruto himself would be close to graduation.

By then, even if the Umbrella Ideology was exposed, it would no longer matter.

Moreover, Naruto had already laid down a complete framework for medical research within the organization—an entire pathway modeled loosely on systems from his past life. Even if he lacked the expertise himself, he could design the structure and let others fill in the details.

Tsunade, with her brilliance and obsession with medicine, would undoubtedly be drawn in.

First, extract her medical knowledge.

Naruto smirked inwardly.

Surely this didn't count as exploiting labor… right?

...

TN:

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