Naruto: Power through Bonds

"It's just a birthday present. Did you really need to go out of your way for this?" Denji muttered as he opened the long wooden box.

Inside lay a katana. The slender blade gleamed with a sharp, cold light, as though it could cut through anything in its path. Its hilt was wrapped in a textured snakeskin-like material for a firm grip.

Denji's eyes widened. "Is this… the Kusanagi blade?"

"Not bad, right?" Danzo replied. Though he kept his expression composed, he couldn't entirely hide his satisfaction.

"Orochimaru heard it was your birthday and asked me to give this to you. Consider it a gift from both of us."

Denji was speechless. Orochimaru willingly gave him the Kusanagi blade? If Denji didn't already know what kind of person Orochimaru was, he might have actually believed that. Still, he couldn't deny that he was moved by the gesture.

Deep down, Denji realized that getting his hands on this sword must have come at a significant cost. Danzo either struck a deal with Orochimaru or used some form of leverage. Either way, it was no small effort.

"Thank you, Grandpa," Denji said, the words surprising even himself as they left his mouth.

Danzo froze. That might have been the first time Denji had ever called him "Grandpa."

Ding!

[Host and Danzo Shimura's bond reaches the third and final stage.

Reward: one standard Jōnin Chakra, and the special talent 'Darkness of the Ninja World.']

[Darkness of the Ninja World: The host can hide in any shadow, with a concealment effect comparable to the "Mayfly Technique."]

Denji's eyes widened again. Was that all it took to reach the highest level of their bond—just calling him Grandpa?

For a moment, the two stared at each other in silence. Then Danzo gave a small cough, breaking the tension.

"It's getting late. Denji, get some rest. Don't let those Uchiha outshine you tomorrow at school."

Denji nodded, carefully closing the box. "Okay." He turned and carried the sword to his room.

At the same time, he made a decision in his heart.

Dying from something as insignificant as setting up a basic barrier is embarrassing. Once he grows up, he'll take over Root, and it's better if Danzo stays at home and enjoys his retirement.

...

As he settled onto his bed, Denji carefully took the blade out to examine it under the moonlight. The craftsmanship was impeccable. After a moment, he shifted his focus inward, taking stock of everything he'd gained.

[Name: Denji Shimura]

[Gender: Male]

[Age: 6 years old]

[Date of Birth: April 1, Year 46 of the Konoha Calendar]

[Chakra Attributes: Fire (Genius), Wind (Genius), Yang (Excellent), Earth (Good), Yin (Genius)]

[Total Chakra: 1.1 standard Jōnin Chakra]

[Chakra Control Talent: Genius]

[Mastered Ninjutsu: Clone Jutsu (Proficient), Substitution Jutsu (Proficient), Transformation Jutsu (Proficient), Wind Style: Great Breakthrough (Proficient), Fire Style: Blazing Fireball (Normal)]

[Nature Transformation: Wind Chakra (Grandmaster)]

[Special Talents: Hope for Success, Mom Loves You, Senju Bloodline (Thin, Developing), Swordsmanship Genius, Stealth Grandmaster, Darkness of the Ninja World, Mother-in-Law's Favor]

The list of rewards was, to say the least, overwhelming. Just a day earlier, Denji had been a promising student in the ninja academy. Now he had chakra reserves comparable to a Jōnin, multiple new chakra attributes, and several unique talents.

The earth attribute didn't excite him—he'd only practice it if he reached a genius-level aptitude. But the Yin attribute? That was something truly valuable. Associated with illusions and spiritual power, the Yin element allowed for the creation of form from nothing. Techniques like the Nara clan's shadow manipulation and the Yamanaka clan's mind-altering jutsu all drew from the Yin attribute.

The Uchiha's Sharingan also had deep connections to Yin chakra. Denji figured that someday, he might unlock a bond tied to the Sharingan bloodline. If that happened, his Yin proficiency would become even more critical.

But for now, his attention shifted back to the sword.

At his current stage, swordsmanship was the most practical skill to develop. Combined with his exceptional Wind chakra manipulation, the blade could deliver strikes as lethal as a Jōnin's advanced ninjutsu.

As for the Jōnin-level chakra reward, it felt vast—nearly fifty times that of a standard Genin and five times that of a standard Chūnin. Yet, it still fell short of the top-tier Jōnin level. Even Kakashi, with his constant Sharingan drain, would likely have slightly more chakra than this.

To truly strengthen himself, Denji resolved to keep forming bonds. The higher the bond stage, the greater the reward. His new goal was clear: become a ninja world "social butterfly." If he could establish bonds with everyone, not even the Sage of Six Paths himself would be a match for him.

...

The next day, Denji attended the academy as usual. Word of his detonating tag stunt had spread, making him the talk of multiple grades. With that initial impression established, his bonds with his peers began forming naturally.

After school, Denji brought Izumi along to his private lessons with Ebiki. The instructor, bound by an agreement with the Shimura family, didn't dare argue when Denji added Izumi to the sessions—even though the tuition only covered one student.

With the combined effects of his "Mother-in-Law's Favor" and his combat talent from Itachi, Denji's progress was staggering. Ebiki watched in astonishment as Denji performed basic Konoha-style taijutsu with a fluidity that outshone many already-graduated Genin. It wouldn't be long before Denji surpassed what Ebiki could teach.

Izumi, on the other hand, wasn't thinking about such things. She watched Denji's swift improvement with admiration, her wide eyes sparkling with inspiration.

"Denji is amazing," she thought. "And he's still holding back at school. I need to work harder so I won't fall too far behind!"