Naruto Card King

As night fell— A faint yellow candlelight flickered inside the wooden cabin by the lake. Haruto Saito had just returned home.

A Day of Preparations After parting ways with Tsunade, Haruto had gone to the village's general market, purchasing various necessities. He had also visited the labor market, where he arranged for a group of carpenters and masons to come tomorrow morning to build him a proper bathhouse. Having money was a blessing. For Haruto, any problem that could be solved with money wasn't a problem at all.

Forced to Train Inside the candlelit cabin, Haruto sat cross-legged on the wooden platform, closed his eyes, and began channeling chakra. He was training. Not by choice— But because he had no other option.

Today, he had barely escaped death twice— First from an assassination attempt by Amegakure's shinobi. Then, from the Hyuga Clan's assassination attempt. The danger felt real. Since he didn't inherit this body's original memories, he had no idea how strong he actually was. Thus, the only way to assess his capabilities was through training.

This was the body of an Amegakure Genin. Physically speaking, Amegakure's Genin were stronger than those from other villages. It was a result of their harsh upbringing, constant training, and brutal survival environment. So, despite his small and frail appearance, Haruto's body was tough and powerful. From a purely physical perspective, he believed his strength and endurance were already at least on par with a typical Chunin from other villages.

However— Physical strength wasn't everything. What truly determined a ninja's combat ability were three factors: Jutsu (Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu) – These defined a ninja's offensive and defensive capabilities. Chakra Reserves – This determined how long a ninja could sustain a fight. Combat Experience – The ability to adapt, strategize, and execute under pressure.

Right now, Haruto had no shortage of jutsu. Since arriving in this world, he had acquired several techniques through skill cards:

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough (C-rank Ninjutsu)

Sealing Technique: Thorny Bind Curse Mark (C-rank Fuinjutsu)

Twin-Blade Double Strike (C-rank Taijutsu)

Hidden Mist Technique (D-rank Ninjutsu)

Lightning Release: False Darkness (B-rank Ninjutsu)

A Bloodline Ability Beyond those— Haruto had also awakened a Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limit). It was a mystery reward from the New World Bonus Pack.

In the Naruto world, a ninja who could proficiently use C-rank techniques was considered Chunin-level. Those who could use B-rank techniques were Jonin-level. Yet— Haruto was only a Genin.

For him, chakra reserves were everything. Even if he knew an S-rank Forbidden Jutsu, it would be worthless if he didn't have enough chakra to use it.

First Training Session The cabin was silent. Haruto's breathing steadied. At first, he felt uncomfortable, but as he continued, he gradually found his rhythm. He became so focused that he lost track of time.

When he finally snapped back to reality— It was already deep into the night. Yet— He felt no sleepiness at all. Instead— He was brimming with energy.

Feeling refreshed, Haruto glanced at the full moon outside, stretched his limbs, and stepped outside.

Lakeside Encounter The soft night breeze rippled across the grass. The moonlight cast a silver sheen over the emerald-green field. Haruto walked to the lake's edge, scanned his surroundings, and then called out—

"Shenhe-sama, are you there?" Silence. "Shenhe-sama!" Still— No response. Haruto frowned slightly. Something was wrong. Shenhe was supposed to be nearby, protecting him in secret.

"Shenhe went to rest." A hoarse voice suddenly spoke from behind him. Haruto jumped in surprise. He whirled around and saw a tall, masked ANBU ninja standing silently. He had no idea when the man had appeared.

With his True Sight, Haruto identified him immediately.

[Status Display] Name: Reiji (Senju Li) Affiliation: Konoha Black Ops – Assassination & Tactical Division Reputation: 5,589 Relationship: Neutral

"A Jonin-ranked ANBU..." Haruto quickly understood the situation. Shenhe had likely gone to rest, and this man, Reiji, had taken over as his night guard.

"How should I address you?" "Reiji." "Ah, Reiji-sama." "Mm."

The conversation was brief. Haruto could already tell— Reiji was cold and indifferent, both in speech and expression. How many ANBU were like this?

Learning the Basics Again "Reiji-sama, may I trouble you for something?" "What is it?" "Could you demonstrate the basic E-rank jutsu for me? As you know, I lost my memory, and I need to relearn my skills."

Reiji didn't hesitate. "Watch." Then, he performed each technique:

Clone Jutsu

Transformation Jutsu

Substitution Jutsu

Rope Escape Jutsu

Disguise Jutsu

Escape Jutsu

He deliberately slowed down his hand seals, allowing Haruto to memorize them.

"Got it?" "Yes!" Haruto nodded. "Some memories are coming back to me."

To confirm— Haruto formed a hand seal. "Transformation Jutsu!" With a puff of white smoke, he successfully transformed into Reiji's likeness. Though unstable, it was still a success on the first try.

"Good. Keep practicing." Without another word— Reiji vanished. He didn't even use a hand seal. It seemed he had mastered a silent teleportation technique.

A Deadly Predator in the Shadows On the other side of the lake— A figure lurked within the tall grass. Hyuga Renji knelt in the shadows, his Byakugan activated, watching Haruto intently. Through his vision, the world appeared in shades of gray— Every object reduced to transparent lines and outlines.

"So... he really did lose his memory." Renji sneered. This brat was so weak that he even had to relearn basic jutsu.

Still— Hyuga Renji had only three days to complete his mission. His orders were clear— Kill Haruto Saito. Hang his corpse from the village's flagpole.

Renji narrowed his eyes. Then— His lips curled into a sinister grin. "I'll kill him in the water."

Without hesitation— Renji slipped silently into the lake, his dagger gleaming beneath the moonlight.