He tapped the attack button. Naruto dashed forward. The punch connected with a satisfying thwack . He weaved hand signs—Rasengan—the blue sphere spun to life. He released it. Pain flew backward, crashing into a rock.
Outside, the rain had stopped. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked. Ryo smiled, plugged in his phone, and fell asleep dreaming of shadow clones and hidden leaf villages.
The glow of Ryo’s phone screen was the only light in his room. Outside, the rain hammered against the window, but inside, he was on a mission. His old Naruto Senki app had crashed for the last time. The version he had—1.25—was buggy. Characters clipped through the floor. Sasuke’s fireball jutsu sometimes froze mid-air.
He played for two hours straight. Unlocked three new costumes. Discovered that version 1.30 had a hidden Survival Mode that no one had mentioned. By the end, his phone was hot, his eyes were tired, and his heart was full.
“Yes,” he whispered.
He wanted that feeling back.