The off-key birthday song echoed in Kayomi's ears as he stood beneath the scorching midday sun. Two years old today two years of confinement in this tiny body, two years of training, of waiting, and today was the day he would finally make progress. Today, he would unlock his chakra.
Kayomi opened the system interface and stared at it, squinting slightly as the text hovered before him.
[System Interface]
Age: 2 years
Chakra Capacity: Below Average
Traits:
Beast Magic [Lvl 2] (Can summon one slightly larger fire kitten)
Six Eyes [Lvl 1] (Can now see chakra... with squinting)
Fire Dragon Slayer Magic [Lvl 2] (Fire bursts last 3 seconds)
"Is this it?" Kayomi muttered, kicking the dirt beneath him. His progress felt pitiful, but today was different. Today, something would change.
"Focus, Kayomi."
His father's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Akari Uchiha stood tall before him, dark eyes locked onto his son with the kind of seriousness only a master shinobi could hold. "Don't chase your chakra. Let it come to you."
Easier said than done, Kayomi thought, a frown tugging at his lips. His father's words sounded simple, but Kayomi knew better. The weight of his past life and muscle memory was a constant burden, making everything feel like a struggle.
Kayomi squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the ridiculousness of the scene—himself, a two-year-old toddler, sitting cross-legged in the middle of a field, pretending to meditate like some seasoned shinobi.
The minutes ticked by. The sun climbed higher. Sweat trickled down his brow, but the flicker of frustration was too much to ignore. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to give up.
Then a spark.
It wasn't a burst of flame or a sharp rush of chakra. It was a quiet warmth. His chest, his core, felt... alive. Not like the burning flames of his Dragon Slayer magic, but something that came from deep within him.
Come to me, he thought, focusing, willing the chakra to respond.
The world around him blurred as his consciousness spiraled inward, tumbling, tumbling, into
A maelstrom of fire.
Not the controlled, refined flames of the Uchiha style, but something wilder. A living, swirling storm of color and energy, searing through his very soul. The red of his father's Sharingan, the blue of his mother's water jutsu, the dark black flames of Amaterasu the forbidden fire of his clan.
One tongue of flame, sensing his presence, broke away from the chaos and coiled around him, protective and warm. The heat was suffocating, overwhelming, but it didn't burn. It felt like... home.
[Chakra System Unlocked!]
Nature Affinity: Fire (Primary), Earth (Secondary)
Special Note: Chakra color manifests as "Deep Ember Red"
Kayomi snapped his eyes open to find the training field around him scorched, blackened by the fire that had surged within him. Akari stood just a few feet away, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face but his grin was wider than Kayomi had ever seen.
"That's my boy!" Akari scooped him up, lifting him off the ground in a bear hug. "You've got it! You've finally got it!"
Kayomi blinked, still processing the shift inside him. "I... I did it?"
Akari chuckled, holding him at arm's length. "We've still got a long way to go, but you've unlocked it. That chakra of yours... I've never seen anything like it before. You're ready."
Kayomi stared at his tiny hands, still shaking with the aftereffects of his newfound power. His father's words sank in slowly.
"I want to show your mother. After dango, of course. It's your birthday."
"Birthday boy's treat?" Kayomi asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Of course," Akari said with a grin. "That's tradition. Plus, we'll need it after your training."
As they made their way toward the house, Kayomi's mind raced. He had done it. He had finally unlocked his chakra. The path ahead was still unclear, but for the first time since his reincarnation, it felt like he had control. The game was on.