At the edge of the Konoha forest—
The low rumble of thunder echoed through the trees.
In a wide clearing, numerous trees had been toppled, and fires scorched the surrounding vegetation. Smoke billowed upward into the sky, marking the aftermath of a destructive technique.
At the center stood Chiyu, motionless, his body trembling slightly. He had just unleashed the final form of Thunder Breathing, an esoteric technique granted by the mysterious system within him.
After what felt like an eternity of torment, a mechanical voice rang in his mind:
[Thunder Breathing Simulation Complete. Rewards Distributed. System relinquishing control.]
The moment Chiyu regained control over his body, he collapsed to the scorched earth, convulsing violently.
Pain.
It surged through every nerve. It was so overwhelming that he didn't even have the strength to scream.
Regret began to swell within him. Choosing a forest as the training ground for such a volatile technique had been reckless. Now, paralyzed and surrounded by flames, he couldn't even move a finger.
If he didn't act soon, he'd be burned alive.
After lying there for a few moments, Chiyu's body continued to heat up from the surrounding fire. Desperation granted him willpower; his survival instinct kicked in.
Luckily, he had selected a forest near a narrow river. If he could just crawl into it…
His progress was painstakingly slow, his body barely responding. His skin sizzled, and he could already feel the flames licking at his back.
Just as he reached the riverbank, several masked figures landed before him, their flak jackets and chakra signatures unmistakable.
Chiyu looked up weakly—his heart skipped a beat.
Leading the group was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He had expected shinobi to respond to the disturbance—but not the Hokage himself.
Relief flooded him.
Chiyu's tense body finally gave out. He collapsed unconscious.
---
Hiruzen Sarutobi furrowed his brow as he examined the wreckage.
The area bore signs of a powerful lightning-style release—charred bark, scorched soil, and ozone hanging in the air.
Chiyu's hands were burned, consistent with lightning-style ninjutsu backlash.
But the scale of the destruction—Hiruzen knew—was beyond what any academy student should be capable of.
Could this truly be the work of one boy?
His doubt was justified.
Chiyu was still enrolled at the Ninja Academy, and while his chakra was somewhat unusual, he had shown no signs of wielding this kind of power before.
Then again, Chiyu was no ordinary child.
His background was... complicated.
Chiyu's parents had once left Konoha, but not out of treachery. Their departure stemmed from a forbidden love between a member of the Senju and a woman from the Uchiha. Though it wasn't considered treason, the political implications were enough for the village to shun their union.
The Uchiha clan had refused to acknowledge Chiyu, and many villagers—resentful toward the Uchiha—had transferred that scorn onto him.
The growing rift between the Uchiha clan and the rest of Konoha was already an unstable element. Hiruzen, as Hokage, had been forced to maintain a delicate balance.
In that equation, Chiyu had been ignored—neither protected nor supported.
But now...
If this devastation had been caused by Chiyu, then he was no ordinary boy. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
Lightning-style users were rare in Konoha. If Chiyu had developed a high-level lightning release on his own—or worse, from an outside source—it warranted attention.
Such a technique could drastically improve Konoha's offensive capability if studied and mastered.
Hiruzen gave a calm but firm command to the Anbu beside him:
"Extinguish the flames. Take him to the hospital for immediate treatment."
The Anbu moved swiftly. One used a Water Release technique to douse the fire. Another gently lifted Chiyu's battered body and vanished with a flicker.
---
At the Uzumaki Residence –
Uzumaki Kushina returned, pouting in frustration. Her first day at the Ninja Academy had not gone as she hoped.
She had been teased, mocked for her red hair and fiery personality—called "Tomato" by the other kids.
Even worse, when she'd tried to befriend Chiyu, he had coldly rejected her.
Uzumaki Mito, waiting for her in the tatami room, greeted her with a warm smile.
"Kushina, welcome back. How was your first day at the academy? Did everything go smoothly?"
Kushina trudged over and hugged her tightly. "Grandma Mito…"
Seeing the look on Kushina's face, Mito gently picked her up and sat her on her lap.
"What's the matter?"
Kushina recounted the entire story—being teased, retaliating with a few punches, and then being turned down by Chiyu when she tried to make a friend.
Mito's eyes narrowed slightly at the name.
"Chiyu…?"
"You know him?" Kushina asked.
Mito's expression grew distant. "Yes… I've heard of him."
Of course she had.
Chiyu's father had been a member of the Senju clan—her husband Hashirama Senju's own bloodline. But after the formation of Konoha, the Senju clan had slowly dissolved, integrating with the village.
When Chiyu's parents left Konoha due to conflict with the Uchiha, Mito had even pleaded with Hiruzen to intervene—but to no avail.
Hiruzen had refused her request to adopt Chiyu, citing the political danger of connecting the First Hokage's legacy with the son of missing-nin and the outcast Uchiha.
She had watched Chiyu grow up in isolation, shunned by both clans and unprotected by the system that was supposed to nurture him.
"He said I shouldn't be friends with him because he's hated by everyone," Kushina said. "That if I sat near him, I'd be hated too…"
Mito's gaze dimmed.
"So young, and already so aware of the world's cruelty…"
She stroked Kushina's hair softly.
"Monkey… you've made many choices as Hokage. But in this… you were wrong."
Chiyu hadn't done anything wrong.
But he was suffering nonetheless.
Uzumaki Mito could do little now—but she made a quiet promise in her heart.
If Chiyu truly had awakened power, then she would ensure that power wasn't buried under Konoha's political shadows.