The near misses in the training yard – Kiba's phantom slip, the unnervingly perfect kunai throw, and worst of all, Sasuke's penetrating stare – left Kenji feeling exposed, like he'd accidentally shouted a secret in a library. He retreated inwards during the following days, consciously dialing back any application of his runic sight that might produce results too far outside the norm. Blending in suddenly felt less like a preference and more like a survival tactic.
He threw himself into the mundane rhythm of Academy life. In Taijutsu, he focused on mimicking the instructor's movements precisely, accepting his average speed and strength without runic 'cheats'. His sparring results became unremarkable, filled with clumsy blocks and near misses that felt far more genuine. With kunai, he aimed for consistent hits on the outer rings, celebrating small improvements in his physical form rather than relying on impossible, chakra-fueled accuracy. It was frustratingly slow, like learning to walk again after knowing how to fly, but the calculating gaze from Sasuke seemed to lessen, replaced by the Uchiha's usual aloof indifference. That, at least, was a relief.
Where Kenji truly excelled, albeit silently, was in the classroom and in his own private observations. Iruka's lessons on chakra theory became living demonstrations. When the instructor discussed elemental natures, Kenji didn't need special paper to see the truth. He could perceive the dominant runic signatures flickering within his classmates' chakra systems.
Sasuke was a contained inferno, his network interwoven with sharp, aggressive 'fire' runes, burning with focused intensity even at rest. Sakura, surprisingly, showed strong, stable 'earth' runes grounding her chakra, but Kenji also saw gentler, fluid 'water' runes flowing beneath, a potential she seemed completely unaware of. Shikamaru was a fascinating mix of lazy, swirling 'wind' runes and sudden, sharp sparks of 'lightning', reflecting his personality perfectly.
And then there was Naruto. Watching Naruto's chakra was like staring into a storm contained within a cage. Powerful, almost overwhelming 'wind' runes churned chaotically, far more potent than anyone else Kenji had observed. But constraining this raw energy, wrestling with it constantly, was an intricate, ancient, and incredibly powerful runic structure Kenji recognized instinctively as a Seal. It pulsed with fierce 'binding' and 'containment' runes, separate from Naruto's own signature but deeply, fundamentally intertwined. Beneath the Seal, almost suffocated by it, Kenji could sense another vast presence, burning with incandescent 'fire' and a primal rage that felt dangerous even to perceive indirectly. No wonder Naruto struggled with control; his own energy was in a constant, violent dialogue with the power sealed inside him.
Kenji kept these observations locked away, comparing them to the textbook descriptions of affinities. Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Lightning – the five basic transformations. He started experimenting in secret again, tucked away in his alley after the orphanage grew quiet. He wouldn't try affecting the outside world directly for now; instead, he focused on his own chakra.
He'd sit quietly, feeling the energy within him, visualizing the fundamental runes Iruka described. He tried 'calling' them forth within his own network. The flickering 'fire' rune felt foreign, requiring significant effort to manifest even weakly. The solid 'earth' rune felt sluggish, difficult to shape. The crackling 'lightning' rune was slippery, hard to grasp.
But the fluid, flowing 'water' rune felt… natural. It responded easily, shaping itself readily within his chakra pathways. Similarly, the sharp, cutting 'wind' rune came almost effortlessly, feeling like an extension of his own breath. He could hold their shapes within his mind, within his energy, with far less strain than the others.
So, Water and Wind, he concluded privately. No dramatic paper test needed. The answer was written in the very feel of his own energy, confirmed by the ease with which those specific runic concepts resonated within him. It explained why enhancing Kiba's slip (affecting friction, a 'watery' concept of slipperiness or a 'windy' lack of grip?) or guiding the kunai (using 'wind' to cut air resistance or shape trajectory?) had felt possible, even if costly and risky.
This internal focus bled into his theoretical studies. History lessons weren't just dates and names; Kenji could almost perceive the faint runic scars left on the land by legendary battles, the monumental effort woven into the founding seals of Konoha that still hummed beneath his feet. Shinobi regulations weren't just rules; they were attempts to codify and control the runic outputs of individuals for the safety of the collective. He absorbed information rapidly, his unique perspective providing context and connections others missed. He aced written tests quietly, his high marks attributed to studiousness rather than impossible insight.
One afternoon, during a particularly dull lesson on village economics, Kenji noticed Shikamaru watching him, head propped up on his hand, looking utterly bored but with that familiar glint of sharp intelligence in his eyes. Kenji had been absently tracing a complex 'flow' rune in the condensation on his water cup.
"Still drawing weird stuff," Shikamaru commented, his voice barely a murmur. "More interesting than trade routes, I guess." He didn't sound suspicious, more like he was acknowledging a shared boredom, but his gaze lingered on Kenji's fingers for a moment before drifting towards the window, seeking clouds.
Kenji quickly wiped the condensation away, his cheeks feeling warm. Even seemingly innocent observations felt like probes near his secret. He needed to be careful not just with his actions, but even with his idle habits.
He resolved to deepen his understanding of the fundamentals, focusing on the 'grammar' of the runes rather than trying to 'speak' them too loudly. He would learn the conventional methods taught at the Academy, building a solid foundation of normalcy. His true power, the runic sight, would be his secret weapon – a tool for analysis, understanding, and eventually, perhaps, carefully controlled application. Knowledge itself was power, he reminded himself. And for now, the most powerful thing he could do was learn everything he could, while ensuring no one realized just how much he truly saw.
--- End of Chapter 4 ---