Chapter 5 – Awakening Within
The day had finally come.
At six years old, the Hiwatari triplets — Yuva, Tenzo, and Daichi — stood before the tall gates of the Konoha Ninja Academy. Their journey as shinobi was officially about to begin.
The academy grounds buzzed with excitement. Children ran around the courtyard, some nervous, others laughing and playing. Instructors called out names, guided groups, and explained the rules. The triplets were placed in a class separate from the one that would one day include Kakashi and Might Guy — a different batch, but the same path.
"Are you ready?" Yuki asked, smiling proudly at her sons.
"We've been ready," Yuva replied calmly.
---
🏫 A New World – The Academy Life
Their first day was a whirlwind of tours and introductions. They were shown the training grounds, the practice dojo, the library, and the classroom halls. Everything felt huge and new, yet Yuva couldn't help but feel a quiet determination burning inside him.
This is where the next chapter begins…
The first few weeks focused on the basics.
Chakra theory and the fundamentals of shinobi life.
Simple taijutsu drills and physical training.
Kunai and shuriken throwing lessons.
And daily practice of the twelve basic hand seals.
To most students, it was all new and challenging. But to the Hiwatari brothers, it was familiar ground. Their years of early training put them far ahead of their classmates.
And yet, Yuva's mind was elsewhere.
---
🌿 A Dangerous Focus
While others focused on classroom lessons, Yuva spent his spare time on something far more dangerous — trying to connect with the sealed nature energy inside him.
Every day after class, he sat alone beneath a tree, closing his eyes and focusing inward. Each attempt felt the same — a wall of raw, untamed power pressed against his soul, and his instincts screamed danger.
If I push harder… I'll die.
His body remembered the first time he had tried, the creeping stone that had spread across his skin. That fear never left him. But he also knew he couldn't ignore the power sleeping inside him forever.
So he tried again. And again. And again.
Weeks turned into months.
His control improved, his sensitivity sharpened, and slowly — very slowly — something changed.
---
🌀 Entering the Inner World
One quiet afternoon, three months after entering the academy, Yuva sat cross-legged under the warm sun. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his breaths were calm and measured. He pushed deeper inward than ever before…
And this time — he broke through.
The world around him faded, and once again he stood in the sea of white mist. But it was no longer the same as before. The figure ahead — the second version of himself — was larger, more defined, its body swirling with terrifying, pure natural energy. Even the air felt heavier, older.
It's grown… because I've grown, Yuva realized.
He didn't speak. He simply watched, felt, and understood. This was him — the part of him that was more than human. A part that had been waiting patiently for him to be ready.
---
⚡ A Small Step Forward
When he returned to the real world, something was different.
For the first time, he could feel a faint thread of that nature energy responding to his will.
It's happening…
Carefully, slowly, he tried to draw a tiny amount of that energy into his body. It was risky — he could still feel the danger — but this time, he was ready. His chakra flowed smoother, steadier, and the terrifying stone creeping never appeared.
A spark. A pulse. A tiny, almost invisible current of nature energy flowed into his chakra network.
I did it… I can control a small amount.
Excitement surged through him. Now it was time to test it.
---
⚡ First Experiment – Nature Lightning
Yuva stood before a large tree in the academy's training field, his heart pounding. He molded chakra into his fist, rubbing it together as he had practiced countless times before — and lightning crackled faintly around his hand.
Then he did something new. He guided the faint nature energy into that lightning.
The color shifted instantly — from bright blue to a deep, crackling purple. His breath caught in his chest.
What is this…?
He didn't know why the color changed, but the power in his hand felt completely different — heavier, sharper, and alive.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered.
He punched the tree. The wood shuddered and cracked, small splinters bursting outward. Shocked, he stepped back.
"That was… stronger."
He tried again, focusing even harder. This time, the punch landed with a thunderous BOOM — and a large dent formed in the thick tree trunk, far more powerful than anything he had managed before.
The purple lightning sputtered out, and the natural energy within him fell silent again, exhausted. He could feel how little he had actually used — and how deeply it drained him.
That tiny amount was enough to do this… and it's already gone.
---
🌱 A New Beginning
Yuva stared at his trembling hand. It still hummed faintly with the memory of the power he had touched.
It wasn't much. He could only draw the smallest trace of natural energy before exhausting himself. But it was safe now. He hadn't turned to stone. He hadn't lost control.
This was the first step.
I can't absorb much yet… but this proves it's possible. If I keep training, I'll be able to draw more.
That night, as the three brothers walked home from the academy, Yuva was quieter than usual. His brothers chattered about lessons and sparring, but his mind was still on the faint thread of power he had touched.
It was terrifying. It was overwhelming. But it was his.
And for the first time since his rebirth, Yuva felt that the impossible might truly be within his reach.