Naruto : Infinite Buff!

The rain had not stopped in Amegakure for two months. It fell endlessly, a gray veil that blurred the edges of the world, hiding the decay beneath its relentless cascade. The streets were riddled with the remnants of lives lost to hunger and sickness. Bodies lay crumpled against walls and in alleyways, their faces hollow, their stories erased by the rain.

Children with gaunt faces wandered aimlessly, their eyes filled with desperation. Women huddled in corners, clutching scraps of bread, their gazes darting warily at anyone who passed. The air stank of rot and despair, the smell clinging to the skin, impossible to escape.

Through the unyielding storm, three figures moved with purpose. Their steps were steady, their bodies stronger than those around them. Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan stood out in the sea of suffering, their appearances a testament to their will to survive. Yahiko's posture was upright, his broadening shoulders hinting at the strength he had gained. Nagato's pale face showed a faint glimmer of resolve, while Konan's calm demeanor and steady hands spoke of quiet determination.

Yet, set apart from them, walking in their shadow, was Amatsu.

His small frame had changed. The frailness of his body had been replaced by lean muscle, his movements fluid and precise. His black hair, though still long, was cleaner, and there was a sharpness in his dark eyes that hadn't been there before. He did not speak often, but when he moved, it was with the certainty of someone who understood his purpose.

The rain clung to him like a second skin, but he moved as though it did not exist. Every step he took was measured, every glance deliberate.

---

Amatsu knelt in the middle of a rain-soaked courtyard. The ground beneath him was slick with mud, the cold water soaking into his knees, but he did not move. His palms pressed flat against the ground, his fingers digging into the wet earth as he balanced his entire body weight on his hands.

His legs were straight, his feet pointed toward the sky. The rain poured down his body, dripping off his chin and cascading along the sharp lines of his arms. His muscles trembled, but his posture remained unbroken.

"One thousand and one… one thousand and two…"

His voice was calm, steady, each number spoken as though it were a simple fact. His body quivered with exertion, the strain visible in the way his arms bulged, but his dark eyes remained focused on the ground beneath him.

He lowered himself slowly, his face hovering inches above the mud, before pushing back up with perfect control.

The system stirred.

---

[Buff Detected: Stamina Recovery Buff]

- Effect: +18% Stamina Recovery (Temporary)

- Duration: 45 minutes

[Buff Locked: Stamina Recovery Buff]

- Effect: +18% Stamina Recovery (Permanent)

---

The faint warmth of the buff coursed through him, soothing the fire in his muscles, but Amatsu paid it no mind. He did not stop, did not pause to acknowledge the system's intervention. His movements were steady, rhythmic, each repetition a test of his resolve.

The rain grew heavier, the water pooling beneath his hands, but his balance did not falter. His body swayed slightly with the wind, but his core tightened, keeping him perfectly aligned.

"One thousand and twenty…"

---

Yahiko stood at the edge of the courtyard, his orange hair plastered to his forehead by the rain. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable as he watched Amatsu train.

The younger boy's relentless determination gnawed at him. He clenched his fists at his sides, his knuckles white.

"How does he do it?" Yahiko muttered under his breath. "He never stops…"

He crouched down, placing his hands flat against the wet ground. His arms trembled as he attempted a pushup, his muscles protesting the motion. The rain soaked through his clothes, the cold biting into his skin, but he gritted his teeth and pushed upward.

"If he can do it… so can I," Yahiko whispered to himself. His arms shook as he lowered himself again, his breath coming in sharp gasps.

He glanced back at Amatsu, who continued his handstand pushups with unbroken precision. A flicker of frustration crossed Yahiko's face, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

---

Konan knelt beneath a makeshift shelter nearby, her hands moving deftly as she prepared a small pot of soup. The weak flame beneath the pot flickered in the wind, but she shielded it with her body, keeping it alive.

Her amber eyes flicked toward the courtyard, watching Amatsu train in the rain. She could see the strain in his movements, the way his body trembled with effort, but he showed no signs of stopping.

She sighed softly, her hands tightening around the pot. "He's going to push himself too far," she murmured.

Her gaze shifted to Yahiko, who was struggling to complete his pushups. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"They're both stubborn," she said quietly, stirring the soup.

---

Nagato sat alone beneath the overhang of a ruined building, his knees pulled to his chest. The rain dripped from the edges of the roof above him, forming small puddles around his feet. He stared at the ground, his pale eyes distant, lost in thought.

He could hear Yahiko's grunts of effort, the faint murmur of Konan's voice, and the steady rhythm of Amatsu's training, but he did not move to join them.

His hands tightened into fists, his nails digging into his palms. The weight of his Rinnegan was unbearable, a constant reminder of the power he did not understand and the destruction it had caused.

He glanced toward the courtyard, watching Yahiko struggle and Amatsu's unrelenting form. A flicker of shame crossed his face, and he lowered his gaze once more.

---

The rain showed no signs of stopping. Amatsu shifted from his handstand position, lowering himself to the ground with a controlled motion. His arms trembled as he knelt, his breath coming in slow, steady intervals.

He stood slowly, his body protesting the motion, but his expression remained calm. His dark eyes scanned the courtyard, taking in the puddles of water and the slick mud beneath his feet.

Without hesitation, he began running.

His steps were quick and light, his feet barely touching the ground before they moved again. The rain-slick surface threatened to trip him, but he adjusted his balance with ease, his body moving as though it were part of the storm.

The system stirred once more.

---

[Buff Detected: Balance Buff]

- Effect: +10% Stability (Temporary)

- Duration: 30 minutes

[Buff Locked: Balance Buff]

- Effect: +10% Stability (Permanent)

---

The buff sharpened his movements, his footing steady even as the mud threatened to pull him down. Amatsu's breath came in controlled bursts, his pace unwavering.

Each lap around the courtyard was a test of his endurance, his agility, his focus. The rain did not relent, the wind tearing through the alleyways, but Amatsu moved as though he were part of the storm itself.

---

Yahiko's breathing was ragged as he collapsed into the mud. His arms gave in, trembling beneath him, his body unable to lift itself any longer. His jaw clenched as he pounded the wet ground with his fist.

"Damn it," he hissed under his breath. His orange hair clung to his forehead, his entire body soaked from the rain, but frustration burned hotter than the cold that gnawed at him.

He turned his head, watching Amatsu sprint through the courtyard. The boy's movements were smooth, almost effortless, his feet barely sinking into the mud. Yahiko's fists clenched tighter.

"I'll catch up to you," he muttered. "I have to." He gritted his teeth and pushed himself back onto his hands and knees. His arms screamed in protest, but he forced himself to rise, droplets of rain rolling down his face.

With a shaky breath, Yahiko planted his hands into the mud again, lowering himself into another pushup. His legs trembled, his core wavered, but he didn't stop.

---

Konan carried the steaming pot of soup toward the center of their shelter. Her amber eyes glanced toward the courtyard as she walked, catching sight of Yahiko's struggling form. She paused for a moment, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"He's just like him," she whispered to herself. Her gaze shifted to Amatsu, who had not slowed his pace, his figure cutting through the rain like a blade.

She turned back to their small fire, placing the pot carefully over the flickering flames. The smell of soup filled the air, faint but comforting. Konan reached for a piece of stale bread, breaking it into smaller portions for the group.

"Yahiko will push himself until he collapses," she murmured. "And Amatsu… he'll never stop."

Her hands worked quickly, dividing the food as though it were a ritual, her movements precise and deliberate. She placed the portions onto scraps of cloth, setting them aside for later.

Her gaze drifted again toward the courtyard. The rain blurred her vision, but she could still see the faint outlines of the two boys—one running, the other struggling to rise.

"They'll destroy themselves at this rate," she said softly.

---

Nagato's shoulders were hunched as he sat beneath the ruined overhang. His eyes remained fixed on the ground, his thoughts a storm as relentless as the rain around him.

The sound of Yahiko's efforts reached his ears. He could hear the his strained breaths, the grunts of exertion as he fought to strengthen himself.

Nagato's gaze shifted upward. From his vantage point, he could see Amatsu's figure darting through the courtyard, his movements precise and calculated. A pang of something unnameable struck Nagato's chest.

His fingers tightened against his knees as he watched.

"They're all moving forward," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

He lowered his head again, his drenched hair falling into his face. His Rinnegan eyes, glowing faintly, stared at the dirt beneath him.

"But I'm still here."

The weight of the past clung to him. The screams of his parents, the sight of their lifeless bodies, the terror of that night. It was all still fresh, a wound that refused to heal.

Nagato closed his eyes. The rain continued to fall, the world around him a blur of gray and cold.

---

Amatsu came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the courtyard. His chest rose and fell steadily, his breath measured despite the strain of his training. Rainwater dripped from his hair, running down his face in streams.

He crouched low, pressing his palms flat against the ground. Without hesitation, he kicked his legs upward, balancing perfectly on his hands. His body straightened into a flawless handstand, his movements fluid despite the slippery surface beneath him.

His arms trembled as he began lowering himself down, his face hovering inches above the mud. Slowly, he pushed himself back up, maintaining his balance with unerring precision.

"One thousand and one hundred," he muttered.

The rain pounded against his body, his muscles quivering with effort, but his focus did not waver.

The system stirred within him.

---

[Buff Detected: Reaction Speed Buff]

- Effect: +25% Reaction Speed (Temporary)

- Duration: 30 minutes

[Buff Locked: Reaction Speed Buff]

- Effect: +25% Reaction Speed (Permanent)

---

Amatsu's movements grew sharper, his balance steadier. He continued his handstand pushups, his body moving with mechanical precision. His dark eyes remained fixed on the ground beneath him, unblinking.

---

Night had fallen by the time Yahiko approached him. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, the cold air heavy with moisture. Amatsu stood beneath the overhang of a crumbling building, his soaked clothes clinging to his frame.

Yahiko's steps were slow, his body exhausted from hours of training. His orange hair was matted against his forehead, his breaths shallow as he approached amatsu.

---

The rain poured endlessly, its rhythm blending with Amatsu's steady breath as he continued his training. Each movement was deliberate, each repetition a declaration of defiance against his limits. Yahiko watched from a distance, his fists clenching involuntarily.

"You never stop," Yahiko's voice cut through the rain. "It's like you're fighting something we can't see."

Amatsu didn't pause, his tone as cold as the rain around him. "I'm not fighting anything. I'm preparing."

"For what?!" Yahiko's voice rose, his frustration finally surfacing. "What are you preparing for? There's nothing left but survival!"

"Exactly." Amatsu shifted his weight effortlessly, lowering himself closer to the mud. His dark eyes met Yahiko's, unwavering. "Survival is all that matters. Hope, dreams, peace-those are luxuries for the strong. The weak don't have the right to dream."

Yahiko's fists tightened at his sides, his voice lowering into something sharper. "If survival is all you care about, you'll become no different from the ones who destroyed this village. The strong you admire—do you think they have peace? Do you think they're happy?"

Amatsu lowered himself once more before pushing back up, his voice calm but laced with venom. "Happiness is for fools. The moment you care about something, you give others the power to take it away. The strong don't dream of peace. They impose it, through power, through control."

Yahiko's gaze didn't waver. "Power without purpose is meaningless, Amatsu. You'll destroy yourself chasing something that won't give you what you want."

Amatsu stood, his movements smooth despite the exhaustion in his muscles. The rainwater rolled down his face, masking the bitterness in his voice. "And what do you think I want, Yahiko? Salvation? Redemption? No. I want to make sure I never kneel to anyone again."

For a moment, silence filled the space between them, broken only by the sound of the rain. Yahiko shook his head, his tone softening. "You're wrong. You don't want strength. You're afraid. Afraid that if you stop, you'll lose yourself. But Amatsu... you can't outrun fear. You can only face it."

Amatsu turned away, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "The only fear I have is becoming like you. Weak. Naive."

Yahiko said nothing, watching as Amatsu stepped back into the rain, his silhouette blending into the storm.

---

Yahiko returned to the shelter, his steps heavy but determined. He dropped to the ground near the fire, his body aching from the day's training.

Konan handed him a portion of soup, her amber eyes filled with quiet concern. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard," she said gently.

Yahiko shook his head. "I have to," he replied. He glanced toward the courtyard, where Amatsu's figure was still visible in the distance.

"If he can do it, I can do it too!."

---

Amatsu stood alone in the rain, his fists clenched at his sides. The system's buffs coursed through his body, enhancing his strength, his speed, his endurance. But it wasn't enough.

"Yahiko don't understand," he murmured to himself. His dark eyes burned with resolve as he stared out at the ruined city.

"Hope and dreams won't save them. Only strength will..."