Hey Everyone!!!
I just wanted to apologise for not making / uploading any new chapters.
I have been on holidays with my Mum, Aunty, and Nana. When I got back from holidays I came down with a really bad throat and chest infection which only cleared up 2 days ago.
Because of this I have put a bit more effort and made this chapter into double what i usually write and made it 2150 words (not including this Authors note)
Once again I am sorry for not posting and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
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The sky bled shades of amber and violet, the last warmth of the sun slipping behind the distant mountains. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the Uchiha compound, carrying the scent of earth and evening blossoms. Lanterns along the stone paths began to flicker to life, though Hana remained focused on the small patch of soil in front of her, kneeling gently as she coaxed the seedlings upright with careful pulses of chakra. Each flicker of energy made the young plants sway slightly, like they were bowing to her touch, and for a moment, the world seemed perfectly still, as if holding its breath.
Kaien sat on the edge of the garden, his small legs crossed and his hands resting lightly on his knees. He watched her every movement, his dark eyes absorbing each subtle gesture. Though barely over two years old, there was a precision in his gaze that belonged to someone far older, someone who had lived a lifetime of discipline and observation. His fingers twitched unconsciously, attempting to mimic her hand motions, the faint warmth of his own emerging chakra connecting him to the plants, the soil, and something deeper that he did not yet understand.
Sensing a slight pulse of chakra, Hana paused mid-motion, the faintest trace of unease crossing her features. Turning around she smiled, though it did little to ease the tightness in her chest.
"Kaien… how did you learn to do that?" she asked softly, kneeling to brush a lock of black hair from his forehead.
"I don't know Mama, I just wanted to do what you were doing, so I copied you" he murmured, his voice small, yet confident, like he had always known the answer before he could even form the words. His hands moved in the air, tracing delicate patterns, pulling the invisible threads of energy around him. The faint crimson shimmer beneath his eyelids flickered again, almost like firelight caught in the folds of a shadow.
Hana's smile faltered, her breath catching in her throat. It shouldn't be possible. He's too young… too small… Yet there was no hesitation in his movements, no fear, no uncertainty. It was as if he understood instinctively, as if the world itself had whispered the answers to him in some secret language.
"Kaien…" she whispered again, pressing him gently to her chest. Her hand stroked the soft hair at the back of his neck, trying to calm the growing tension she could feel beneath her ribs. "You're… you're very talented, but…" She trailed off, uncertain of how to frame the fear that had taken root. She had spent these years learning to love him carefully, protectively, as a mother. And now, for the first time, she feared the very gifts that made him special.
Kaien tilted his head, curious, his small fingers brushing against the tips of her hands. He felt the warmth of her chakra and mirrored it instinctively, sending out a pulse of his own. It was uneven, raw, and unrefined—but it hummed with potential. He did not yet know why the energy responded so readily, why it flowed through him so easily, but there was a thrill in it. It was a sensation he did not yet have the words for: power.
Hana swallowed hard, hiding her apprehension behind the warmth of her smile. "The garden is almost ready for night," she said softly, "let's finish before it gets too dark." But even as she spoke, she could feel the faint, fiery hum emanating from him, a pulse of life that should have been ordinary… but wasn't.
Kaien leaned forward slightly, tracing the edge of a stone lantern with his fingers, feeling the cool hardness under his skin. Every surface seemed more vibrant than it should have, every movement in the garden amplified in clarity. The pulse in his own body, the warmth of the earth beneath him, even the soft rustle of leaves overhead—all of it flowed together in a single rhythm he could understand without knowing how.
This is… right, he thought, repeating the feeling like a mantra. It was a natural instinct to him, yet there was something alien in its perfection. Something that made the air feel heavier, almost aware of him. He blinked slowly, the faint red shimmer beneath his eyelids pulsing, and for a single, infinitesimal moment, it felt as if the world itself was watching him.
Hana hummed quietly, oblivious to the shimmer for now. She brushed the dirt from her hands and gathered the last of the seedlings, her gaze flicking toward the horizon where night was beginning to stretch its shadows. She had long learned to accept that children often surprised you in ways you couldn't predict. But Kaien… Kaien was different. He was far beyond what any parent should see, even at this age.
The wind shifted, carrying the scent of night flowers and distant incense from the compound. Kaien's small hands hovered in the air, still tracing invisible patterns, drawing in the last warmth of the dusk. He felt the pulse of the world around him, the pull of energy from soil and stone alike, and a sense of exhilaration curled deep in his chest. It was quiet, it was subtle, and yet it thrummed with the promise of something far larger than he could yet comprehend.
Hana finally rose, gathering him into her arms. "Come on, Kaien. Night is coming," she said, her voice gentle but carrying the weight of unspoken concern. He nestled against her shoulder, silent, letting the warmth of her body anchor him. Yet even as he rested, the faint shimmer beneath his eyelids remained, a hidden ember in the dusk, pulsing faintly with life, potential, and the beginnings of a power no one had yet fully realized.
And for the first time, in the stillness of the fading day, Kaien felt a stirring inside him—a spark that would not be extinguished. It whispered, quietly, insistently: I will learn. I will grow. And I will survive.
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The next morning:
The sun hung high over the Uchiha compound, casting harsh shadows across the courtyard where older children practiced their Fire Release techniques. Flames hissed and twisted into the air, spiralling and dancing with precision as instructors barked corrections, their sharp voices cutting through the warmth of the midday heat. Kaien sat on the edge of the shaded veranda, his small legs dangling, hands clenched lightly at his sides.
He observed each movement carefully. Every flick of a hand, every adjustment of a stance, every subtle shift of the chakra in the air — he noted them all. Despite his age, his mind worked like a seasoned tactician's, cataloguing, analysing, and predicting. Muscle movements, breathing patterns, hand seals: each one recorded in the depths of his awareness, storing information for later use.
Kaien glanced at the open training area. His small chest rose and fell, determination tightening every fibre of his body. He had no formal instruction yet—nothing beyond the glimpses of control he had practiced in the garden—but he had to try. Not for his parents, not for the clan, not even for himself. He had to try because he needed to understand. He needed to know exactly what he was capable of.
He rose quietly, almost gliding across the courtyard stones, careful not to draw attention. His tiny hands formed the crude hand signs he had memorized from watching the other children. A flick of his wrist, a breath of focused chakra, and a faint spark erupted from the tip of his finger.
Kaien's eyes widened in shock. The heat from the spark licked the skin of his small palm, blistering it instantly. He yelped and recoiled, trembling from the sting. But even as the pain flared, it subsided unnaturally quickly. His skin knitted back together before he could even blink, leaving only a faint, momentary glow behind.
His heart raced, a strange thrill rising in his chest. That wasn't supposed to happen… but it did.
A soft, instinctive awareness prickled at the edges of his mind. Something inside him was adjusting, adapting. A pattern formed in his thoughts, as natural and undeniable as breathing: when the body failed, it would learn. When it was tested, it would change. It's learning… me… and I can control it.
Kaien tried again. A more complex hand sign this time, his tiny fingers moving with unexpected precision. Sparks shot from his palms, tracing delicate arcs of fire across the stone. They danced and fizzled, leaving faint scorches, yet his control was steadily improving. Each failure corrected itself in instinct, each mistake adjusted as if the body knew what to do before he consciously realized it.
Adapt or die. The words surged in his memory, remnants of a lifetime he barely remembered, long before he became Kaien Uchiha. Discipline, precision, training under impossible conditions—every instinct from that past life fed into this moment, sharpening his tiny, extraordinary body.
The courtyard was alive with sunlight, heat, and the faint scent of smoke from distant exercises. Kaien's concentration was absolute. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead, yet he did not wipe it away. Every sensation was amplified—stone underfoot, the air moving with subtle pressure shifts, even the smallest flicker of distant chakra from other children. Every stimulus fed into the pattern of learning that pulsed within him.
For a moment, he paused, examining his small hands. Tiny arcs of energy flickered along his skin, faint but unmistakable. His lips parted slightly in awe. I can do this… I can control it.
His focus broke slightly when a teacher shouted a correction, the voice sharp in the air. Kaien flinched instinctively but did not lose his stance. Instead, he adjusted, seamlessly compensating for the distraction. His body shifted almost without thought, balance realigning, hand seals perfecting themselves in milliseconds. He could feel his own evolution in real time, muscles learning, reflexes adapting. The exhilaration coursed through him like fire.
He grinned faintly, the small spark of pride igniting within him. I can do this better than them. Already.
Yet beneath the pride, a shadow of caution lingered. He knew the clan would not forgive mistakes, curiosity, or exposure. Every motion, every spark, every tiny display of power had to be hidden. The courtyard had been quiet, but he had been alone only by chance. A flicker of awareness brushed at the edge of his mind—the subtle pull of someone watching.
Kaien paused, small fingers brushing the stone beneath him, eyes narrowing. He could sense the faint ripple of chakra, distant but steady. They are watching. Not yet visible, not yet threatening, but aware. His mind catalogued the sensation, noting every subtle vibration in the air. Every instinct whispered the same message: caution.
A deep exhale, and Kaien resumed his exercises, each movement precise, controlled, refined. But now there was calculation beyond instinct. Each motion, each pulse of energy, each test of fire and stone was deliberate. If he was being watched, he would not be careless. He would not be exposed.
The sun climbed higher, burning bright over the courtyard, yet Kaien worked in quiet solitude. By the time the shadows shifted toward midday, he had completed dozens of small exercises: sparks traced perfectly between fingers, chakra guided through leaves and stones, and every failure corrected itself instinctively. His small body shone faintly with the residue of his effort, a subtle aura of crimson energy rippling along his skin.
He sat back on his heels, breathing evenly as the last traces of heat faded from his fingertips. The courtyard had emptied now—only the distant calls of crows and the rustle of wind through the leaves broke the silence. Kaien stared at his small hands, flexing his fingers slowly. The earlier sting from his burns was gone, his body untouched, almost as if it had never happened.
A frown creased his face. Something's strange about me. His chakra felt different—heavier, sharper, but not in a way he could describe. Each time he failed, each time he pushed himself harder, his movements grew smoother, his control finer. It wasn't training. It was change. A change he didn't yet understand.
He exhaled, forcing the unease down. Whatever it is, it's helping me. And if I want to live in this world… I'll need every advantage I can get.
A flicker of movement caught his eye—nothing more than a shadow slipping behind one of the compound walls. Kaien's heart slowed, instincts sharpening. Someone's watching. The feeling lingered just long enough to confirm it wasn't paranoia.
He rose, dusting off his hands as if nothing had happened. His expression settled into calm neutrality—the mask of a quiet, obedient child.
But behind his dark eyes, thoughts twisted like wildfire. Let them watch.
Because soon… they will see what I am capable of. And when they do… I will already be ahead.
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Hey everyone! I just wanted everyone to know that this is my first fanfic / novel and it may not be of the best quality. However, I will put my full effort into this fanfic!
I plan on working on it for as long as I can before my exams start.
And if you have any ideas about my story, or want some things in it Comment it and let me know and ill see what I can do because any feedback is greatly appreciated and it will only help me from here on out!
So please add this to your collection because I will be adding 2 chapters every 2 - 3 days
Please gift me stones