The sun had long dipped beneath the rooftops of Konoha, casting a warm twilight over the village. Firelight flickered through windows, and the scent of cooked rice and grilled meat lingered in the streets. At the shared compound between the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans, the courtyard buzzed with the sounds of children laughing, chopsticks clinking, and parents catching up.
Team 10 walked together down the path to the compound, the dust of training still clinging to their clothes.
"Well, that was something," Ino muttered, her eyes flicking toward Choji, who was happily stuffing a skewer into his mouth. "Still can't believe you punched sensei like that."
"Asuna-sensei,treated us two times today" Choji said with a grin, chewing with zero shame.
"It's Asuma!" she and Shikamaru snapped in unison.
Shikamaru shook his head. "Troublesome. I'm still not convinced you didn't swap with some other version of Choji."
"I just remembered I'm not supposed to be in the background forever." Choji shrugged. "That's all."
As they stepped through the open compound gate, a familiar head of spiky blond hair turned from the porch.
"Oi! Choji!" Naruto grinned, mouth already full of dumplings. "Took you long enough!"
Ino blinked. "Wait—Naruto?!"
Naruto waved enthusiastically, bits of rice flying from his mouth. "They invited me for dinner!"
Yumiko Akimichi stepped out with a bright smile, her apron dusted with flour. "Naruto-kun! Slow down eat slowly its bad habit to eat like this also dont talk while eating." She turned to Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji. "Hurry and wash up. Food's almost ready."
Shikamaru's mother, Yoshino, poked her head out. "Ino! You're helping me in the kitchen. Come on before you mess up your dress."
"Ugh, really?" Ino groaned but obeyed. "Choji, save me a seat!"
"Make it two," Naruto added, wiping his mouth. "This food's amazing."
The compound's kitchen filled with the sound of sizzling oils and soft laughter. Yumiko occasionally glanced at Naruto and smiled — not just at his energy, but with something deeper, something maternal. She'd seen that hair before. That grin. She remembered Kushina's voice, fierce and kind, ringing in her ears from long ago.
This is the least I can do, she thought as she packed extra dumplings into a wrapped bento box under the table.
At the dinner table, the fathers sat at one end — Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Shikaku Nara, sake already half-poured between them.
"So," Shikaku said lazily, sipping. "Your team had its first real test?"
"Oh yeah," Naruto replied, finishing what was in his mouth. "Kakashi-sensei showed up like two hours late — just to tell us we've got an exam tomorrow!"
Choji chuckled. "He didn't even give you a real lesson?"
"Nope!" Naruto grinned. "Just 'don't eat breakfast or you'll puke' or something. Weird guy."
Shikamaru smirked. "Sounds about right."
Then Naruto leaned close to Choji. "But I'll crush it, believe it! We trained for three days straight. I have to beat Sasuke."
Choji leaned back. "What's with you and that guy anyway?"
"I just… I gotta show everyone I'm not some loser. I wanna be the best, the Hokage someday. Sasuke's always cool, and strong, and... whatever!" Naruto stood up and struck a pose. "I'll beat him and Kakashi if I have to!"
Everyone laughed — even Ino, who had just sat down, wiping her hands.
"Not before we tell them about the kiss!" Choji added, barely holding in a laugh.
Shikamaru snorted. "Yeah, Naruto accidentally kissed Sasuke in class."
Naruto's face turned beet red. "I told you, that was an accident!"
Choji mimicked the scene with exaggerated slow motion, lips puckered. "It was destiny, Naaaarutooo…"
The whole table erupted. Even the clan heads were chuckling, though Inoichi tried (and failed) to suppress a grin. Naruto buried his face in his bowl.
"You guys are the worst," he mumbled.
After dinner, Naruto dragged Choji outside, the sky a soft blue wash of stars.
"I'm serious," he said, grabbing Choji by the wrist. "I have to be strong. I have to prove I'm more than what people think. You get it, right?"
Choji nodded, quiet for a moment. "I do."
Then he grinned and bumped fists with him. "Then let's keep training tomorrow. You'll beat Sasuke — after you beat me."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "You're on!"
Back inside, the clan heads gathered around the now-quiet table. Shikamaru leaned against the doorframe, watching his friend from the distance.
"I've been thinking about Choji," he said slowly. "The way he fought today — it wasn't Akimichi style. It was wild. Flexible. Like he was made of rubber. And he laughed while doing it… like the one from those old folk tales."
Inoichi tilted his head. "Folk tales?"
"You know," Shikamaru added. "The one who laughed, the one who couldn't be tied down — the rubber warrior the sun god from before even the Sage of Six Paths. I always thought it was a myth, but… he punched sensei like a spring. No jutsu. Just raw movement."
Inoichi chuckled, brushing it off. "Imagination. You read too much, Shikamaru."
But Choza's voice came, low and firm. "So… you noticed it too."
Inoichi's head turned.
Choza's face was thoughtful. "I've been watching Choji train for days. He's not using chakra the way we taught. It's something else. Something older. But he's not afraid of it. It's like he's been it, all along."
Shikaku nodded, folding his arms. "You think it's real?"
There was silence.
Then Shikaku continued, voice lower now. "There are records… whispers. From before chakra. Before ninjutsu. Beings that stretched, burned, shifted — made of fire, wind, rubber, shadow… stories long buried."
Inoichi frowned. "You think Choji—?"
"We don't know what he is," Shikaku cut in, sharp but calm. "But if it's true… he's not the only one. And we don't know what happens when the others start remembering."
A heavy silence fell over the table.
Choza's eyes stayed on the door, where Choji and Naruto had just darted past, laughing like nothing was strange. But the way Choji moved — too fast for his size, too loose, too natural — wasn't something he could explain away anymore.
Inoichi leaned back, expression unreadable. "So what now?"
"We train him right," Shikaku said. "We guide him, quietly. Watch him — and not just him. All of them. The old world… if it's coming back, we need to be ready."
"We're going to need strength," Choza said, his voice deep and solemn. "Real strength. Not just for him, but for us too."
"And for the next generation," Shikaku finished. "It's not just Choji's storm. It might be everyone's."
As the men spoke, the shoji screen slid an inch. Ino stood there, half in shadow, unnoticed. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop — not really. But she had caught just enough to freeze her in place.
Creatures before chakra? Rubber? Not just Choji?
Her heart thudded once. She remembered the way he fought today. Laughing like a madman, stretching like he had no bones, fists flying as if he knew they'd land.
That wasn't just a new jutsu, she thought. That was something else entirely.
Her breath caught in her throat. She looked out toward the field.
Choji was running like a whirlwind, carefree and wild — like the boy she used to ignore, like someone she never truly saw.
But now… now he looked like someone she didn't even know.
Who even are you, Choji?
A chill slipped down her back.
He was still her teammate. Still the boy who always offered snacks, who blushed when she yelled, who backed Shikamaru's every plan. But now there was something more behind his smile. Something impossibly old. Something… untouchable.
And it scared her. Not because he was dangerous — but because she had no idea how far he might go.
And if he was already that far ahead…
"I have to catch up," she whispered.
Then she smiled to herself — but it wasn't a soft smile. It was sharp. Challenged. Her eyes gleamed with something new.
Whoever you are now, Choji… I'll figure it out. I'll fight beside you. Or I'll fight to reach you.
Because whatever was happening — to Choji, to Naruto, to all of them — she refused to be left behind.
Not anymore.
[Chapter end.....]
Sorry I couldn't post chapter yesterday I was too tired to write a chapter my mistake sorry for late chapter .I posted 2 chapters today and tomorrow I will try post 2 and if possible three chapters.
Also if you guys like my story and chapter leave comments and powerstone peace out