Chương 8: Chapter 8: Mastering Time Manipulation
The forest around Zaky hummed with quiet life—the distant chirps of birds, the rustling of leaves in the breeze, and the faint whisper of a stream winding through the trees. But Zaky was focused inward. The weight of his memories had settled into a manageable ache, one he could push aside for now. There was something more urgent demanding his attention: the strange, dormant power that pulsed within him.
Time manipulation.
Urashiki Otsutsuki, the villain he now embodied, had been known for wielding the ability to shift and manipulate time. Zaky remembered how, in the anime, Urashiki could rewind moments, dodge lethal blows, and leap through instants of time like a predator stalking his prey. It was the kind of power that defied reality, allowing him to dance on the edge of fate itself. And now that power was his.
He just needed to figure out how to use it.
The Villain System hovered in his peripheral vision, a faint glow suspended in the air. Its recent notification still lingered at the edge of his awareness, a reminder of the mission he couldn't afford to fail.
"Mission: Infiltrate the Hidden Leaf Village. Time Remaining: 9 days."
Nine days.
But what did "days" mean when you could manipulate time? Could he extend those nine days if he grew powerful enough? Could he rewind them entirely and replay events until he perfected them? The potential filled his mind with excitement—and dread.
"Time isn't just a weapon," Zaky muttered, pacing in a small clearing he'd found. "It's a trap if I don't learn how to control it. One wrong move and I could undo everything."
Chibi, perched nearby, tilted its head and chirped inquisitively.
Zaky gave the little creature a grin. "Don't worry. I won't mess this up. But first, I need to figure out how this works."
He sat cross-legged on the ground, closing his eyes and trying to tune into the strange pulse inside him. It was different from chakra—more ancient, deeper. It felt like a current running beneath everything, like the ticking of an invisible clock that only he could hear.
Focus...
He inhaled slowly, expanding his awareness. The forest around him seemed to slow—each rustle of the leaves, every chirp of a bird, stretched out, like the world had fallen into a sluggish dream. He could almost feel the threads of time around him—faint and slippery, like silk drifting on the wind.
But as soon as he tried to grasp them, the sensation vanished, and the world snapped back to normal speed.
"Dammit," Zaky muttered under his breath. He opened his eyes, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "It's right there, just out of reach."
Chibi chirped softly, sensing his frustration. Zaky chuckled despite himself. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I just have to keep trying."
Hours passed as Zaky experimented with the strange power inside him. He tried everything he could think of—holding his breath, focusing on memories of Urashiki's abilities, even mimicking the hand seals he'd seen in the anime. But each attempt ended the same: failure.
"Come on," he whispered, sweat beading on his brow. "You're in there. I know you are."
He stood and clenched his fists, closing his eyes once more. This time, instead of reaching outward, he focused inward—on the sense of flow inside his own body. Time wasn't just something external. It existed within him, too—in the rhythm of his breath, the beat of his heart, the way his thoughts flickered between past and present.
Slow it down... he thought. Breathe in the moment. Feel it stretch.
He inhaled deeply, and this time, something clicked. The pulse of energy inside him sharpened, as if a hidden door had swung open. Time seemed to slow—not completely, but just enough for him to notice. The leaves falling from a nearby tree drifted lazily, their descent unnaturally sluggish. A bird mid-flight seemed frozen in the air, wings moving with the deliberation of a dream.
Zaky's heart raced. I did it...
But the moment slipped away as quickly as it had come, and the world returned to normal speed. Zaky stumbled, gasping for breath, as if the effort had drained him.
"Not bad," he muttered, hands on his knees as he tried to steady himself. "I'm getting closer."
The Villain System pinged softly, offering another message.
"Skill Activated: Temporal Perception – Level 1. Allows brief manipulation of personal time flow. Duration: 3 seconds."
"Three seconds?" Zaky frowned. That wasn't much—not in a world of fast-moving shinobi and deadly jutsu. But it was a start.
Chibi hopped closer, its eyes bright with encouragement.
Zaky knelt down and scratched behind the creature's ear. "Thanks, little guy. We'll get there."
He sat down again, catching his breath and thinking through what he'd learned. The ability wasn't just about brute force or willing it to happen. It was about synchronizing—aligning himself with the flow of time, becoming part of it rather than fighting against it.
He closed his eyes once more, letting the memory of that brief success wash over him. This time, instead of forcing the ability, he let it come naturally. He focused on the rhythm of his own body—the rise and fall of his chest, the beat of his heart, the subtle shift of his muscles.
And then, without warning, the world around him slowed again.
This time, it was smoother—less like dragging a heavy weight and more like slipping into a gentle current. The forest around him moved in slow motion, as if everything were submerged underwater. The bird that had flown past earlier now hovered, its wings a blur of motion caught in amber light.
Zaky smiled, savoring the moment. This... This is what it feels like.
He looked down at his hand and flexed his fingers, marveling at the sensation of control. It was subtle, but it was real. For these few precious seconds, time was his to command.
The moment ended, and the world resumed its natural pace. Zaky exhaled slowly, feeling both exhilarated and exhausted.
"Alright," he whispered, wiping sweat from his brow. "I've got a long way to go, but this is a start."
The Villain System chimed again.
"Skill Upgrade Available: Temporal Perception – Practice required for further mastery."
Zaky chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Practice makes perfect."
He glanced toward the horizon, where the Hidden Leaf Village lay waiting. His heart still raced at the thought of infiltrating the place he had once only dreamed about. But now, with the power of time manipulation beginning to awaken within him, the dream didn't seem quite so impossible.
He looked down at Chibi, who tilted its head curiously.
"Ready for the next step?" Zaky asked with a grin.
Chibi chirped in agreement, hopping excitedly.
Zaky stood, rolling his shoulders and taking a deep breath. The path ahead was still long and uncertain, but he felt more prepared now—more confident.
With the power of time at his fingertips, even in its fledgling state, he knew that anything was possible.
And this time, he wouldn't waste a single second.
He adjusted his cloak, glanced once more toward the distant village, and set off into the forest, Chibi close at his side.
The adventure was just beginning.
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