Days turned to weeks. Daichi's body hardened under relentless strain, his chakra control sharpening with each meditative session at night. He began to notice subtle things—how the earth beneath his feet pulsed faintly when he channeled chakra, how his strikes grew steadier when he aligned his breathing with that rhythm.
One evening, while practicing alone near the quarry outside the village, Daichi tried something reckless. Planting his feet, he focused chakra downward, imagining it spreading like roots into the soil. He thrust his palm forward—
—And the ground split. A jagged crack tore through the dirt, small but undeniable.
Daichi fell to his knees, panting, eyes wide. "That was… real."
His heart pounded. This wasn't just taijutsu anymore. This was the beginning of ninjutsu.
But the sound of footsteps snapped him from his awe. Emerging from the shadows was a boy his age, arms folded and a mocking smirk on his face. Hideo, a fellow academy student from a minor clan, known for his talent with earth-style techniques.
"So this is where you've been hiding," Hideo said, eyes narrowing on the fractured ground. "Playing with tricks, pretending you're something more than a rock-breaker."
Daichi clenched his fists. He knew Hideo's type—those born with advantages, who sneered at anyone clawing their way upward.
"Maybe it's just a crack today," Daichi said, standing tall despite his exhaustion. "But tomorrow, it could be a canyon. I'll keep pushing until it is."
Hideo scoffed. "We'll see about that… in the exams." He walked away, leaving his words heavy with promise.
Daichi looked back at the crack in the earth, his chest tight with both fear and excitement. For the first time, he truly believed it—his resolve was forging something new, something powerful