Chapter 2 – Silent Growth
A year passed in the blink of an eye, and the once-quiet Hiwatari home in Konohagakure was now filled with laughter, babbling, and the restless energy of three growing boys.
Even as toddlers, the personalities of the Hiwatari triplets were already clear as day.
Tenzo, the second-born, was calm and watchful. He rarely cried without reason, his intelligent eyes quietly observing the world around him. Even at just one year old, his composed nature reminded Yuki and Hari of prodigies like Kakashi or Itachi — sharp, silent, and thoughtful.
Daichi, the youngest, was the opposite — loud, cheerful, and overflowing with energy. He laughed at the smallest things, cried just as easily, and charged forward with no fear. He was emotional, expressive, and unrestrained — much like the sun, or like the future ninja Naruto Uzumaki Yuva once knew.
And Yuva, the eldest, was different from them both. His soul carried memories and instincts from another life. He was curious, focused, and deeply analytical. Even as his body wobbled and stumbled like any other baby, his mind was already planning how to survive in this dangerous world.
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Now at one year old, the triplets had begun crawling all over the house, speaking a few simple words, and even standing on shaky legs to take their first uncertain steps.
"Ka… kaa…" Yuva mumbled, reaching for his mother.
"Da… da…" Daichi shouted happily as he fell into Hari's arms.
"Yu… yu…" Tenzo whispered as he tugged at his eldest brother's sleeve.
Sometimes they were nothing but children — fighting over the same toy, chewing on their blankets, or falling asleep mid-play. And yet, in Yuva's heart, something more was stirring.
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While his brothers slept or played, Yuva trained — in silence and in secret.
A scrap of paper rested in his palm. His goal was simple: push chakra into his hand and make the paper stick — the first step to controlling chakra. But his body was too undeveloped, his chakra too unstable.
"Come on…" he whispered to himself as the paper slid off again.
He tried again the next night. And the next. And the next.
And every night, he failed.
But he refused to give up.
I was reborn into the most dangerous world there is. I can't stay weak. I won't.
Weeks became months. His tiny chakra pathways grew slightly stronger. His focus sharpened. And one quiet night, the paper trembled… and stuck. It clung to his palm for only a few seconds before falling — but it was enough.
No one saw. He didn't tell his parents. He didn't want them to know. This was his secret.
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But even with small victories, a shadow of sadness lingered in his heart.
It's been a year since I was born… and Kakashi Hatake is only one year old right now. Itachi Uchiha isn't even born yet.
The weight of that thought made his chest feel heavy. All the great events he remembered — the wars, the heroes, the villains — were still far away. Too far.
The Third Great Ninja War will start when I'm nine… If I'm weak then, I'll die as nothing more than cannon fodder.
But as he glanced at Tenzo and Daichi sleeping peacefully beside him, his resolve returned.
No… I'll become strong before that. I'll protect them. We'll survive together.
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Another year passed, and the triplets turned two years old. Their growth was rapid — they could now walk properly, speak in small sentences, and even read and write simple words. In the shinobi world, children matured quickly, and the Hiwatari brothers were no exception.
Daichi ran across the house with boundless energy, Tenzo sat quietly reading beginner scrolls with their mother, and Yuva continued his secret training.
Now, he aimed for a new challenge — sticking small wooden toys to his palm with chakra. It was harder than paper, but he pushed on, training every night when no one was watching.
After months of failures, the toy finally clung to his palm. Another small victory — one more silent step forward.
But Yuva wasn't satisfied. His next goal was far harder — the legendary Tree Climbing Technique. Most ninja learned it at six or seven. Yuva wanted to master it by four.
He stood barefoot before a wooden wall, pressing one foot against it. Chakra surged into his sole.
He slipped.
Again.
And again.
His body was too weak. His control wasn't ready. But he didn't stop.
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Two more years passed, and the triplets turned four years old.
Tenzo had grown even sharper, already mimicking basic hand signs he'd seen older shinobi use. Daichi had tremendous stamina and could run endlessly without tiring. And Yuva…
Yuva was still training in silence.
By now, he had mastered the paper sticking exercise and toy sticking, and after countless nights of effort, he could finally crawl up the wall slowly. His small hands gripped the wood, his bare feet clung with chakra, and he inched upward bit by bit.
It wasn't perfect — his body trembled, sweat dripped down his forehead, and he could only stay there for a short time before falling. But it was progress. Real progress.
Step by step… even a weak body can climb.
He kept it all hidden. His parents didn't know. His brothers didn't know. No one did.
Because Yuva had already decided: he would grow in silence. And when the time came, when the storm of the future arrived, he would not be a helpless boy. He would be ready.