The Third Great Ninja War had begun to cast its shadow over the world.
Tensions rose like smoke. Missions turned fatal overnight. Even the youngest shinobi could feel it in the air something had shifted. Darker. Heavier. A world bracing for flames.
In one of Konoha's upper hospital wards, a senior medical-nin stood quietly at his desk, brushing chalk across a seal scroll. The news of the war had already reached the staff, and the old medic had seen enough of the last one to dread the tides of blood sure to follow.
He sighed and looked to his apprentice, Shi, who sat cleaning tools in silence.
"Another war," the man muttered. "They never change. Just more children burned before they bloom."
Before Shi could answer, the door burst open.
A younger medical-nin skidded into the room, out of breath. "Room 342! The patient he's burning up!"
The senior medic narrowed his eyes. "You mean a fever?"
"No, sensei," the young man gasped. "I mean literally. The bed's on fire!"
The room jolted into motion. The old medic and Shi were gone in an instant, their sandals slapping against sterile tile as they ran down the corridor. The deeper they moved into the ward, the hotter the air became subtle at first, then unmistakable.
They turned the final corner and flung open the door.
Inside, the room shimmered with heat.
The sheets were scorched. The metal bedframe radiated warmth. But the center of it all what stole the old man's breath was the boy.
Kayomi lay unconscious, his body pulsing with deep crimson light. His chakra network wasn't just visible it glowed, like magma beneath skin. Flickers of fire chakra leaked from his pores, curling into the air in gentle wisps that danced like fireflies.
And then his eyes fluttered open.
Crimson.
Not just Sharingan red deeper, more ancient, with strange patterns flickering beneath the surface. Beautiful, terrifying, and alive.
"Sweet Sage of Six Paths…" the medic whispered.
Later…
Kayomi awoke slowly.
His body still felt hot like he was resting beside a flame but the room no longer burned. His vision was dark, and for a moment, panic clawed at his chest.
His hand reached up.
Bandages. Wrapped tightly around his eyes.
Wait why can I still see?
He stilled. The world wasn't dark at all. He could see chakra outlines glowing through walls. He felt the warmth of bodies, the flicker of movement like sensing the world through heat and instinct.
Even with my eyes sealed… I can still see everything.
A nurse walked in with fresh sheets and promptly froze when she saw him sitting up.
"Doctor!" she yelped, fumbling the sheets as she bolted from the room.
Kayomi frowned. That's… not a great sign. Did something serious happen?.
Moments later, the senior medic returned. He examined Kayomi closely, then ran a diagnostic jutsu. His brows furrowed in concern, but not surprise.
The doctor stepped back, his hands adjusting his glasses almost absently.
"You're awake," he said calmly. "That's... a relief."
Kayomi didn't answer immediately. As the air felt thick. Enough so he could listen to his own heartbeat echoing in his ears.
"These bandages…" he muttered. "Why can I still see?"
The doctor raised a brow. "You tell me. Your eyes burned straight through three layers of chakra seals. We had to wrap them just to stop the leaking energy."
Burned through chakra seals? That shouldn't even be possible.
Kayomi tilted his head, voice wary. "Leaking?"
The medic nodded and unfolded a scroll with two chakra diagrams.
One was calm, blue, orderly. The other was his.
Red. Violent. Surging like a living forge.
"This is what we saw when you were unconscious. Your network isn't just overcharged it's… mutated. Saturated with fire-natured chakra."
Kayomi stared in silence.
Saturated…? Is this because of the Fire Dragon Slayer trait?
I've been absorbing fire chakra from scrolls, flames, even that last missons explosion... but I didn't think it'd change my coils.
That kind of adaptation shouldn't happen. Not like this.
"You didn't just use fire," the doctor continued. "You became it."
Kayomi's voice came "So what am I just stuck with fire nature chakra? "
The doctor didn't flinch. "No. I'm saying that. Fire jutsu will come to you easier than breathing. But anything else lightning, water, earth? They might clash. Your chakra's unbalanced."
Kayomi clenched his hand. The warmth beneath his skin was still alive. Still there.
I knew Dragon Slayer Magic had effects on the body… but not like this.
If this is what happens I wouldve picked a different trait
Snapping from his thoughts "What does that mean for me?" he asked.
The medic paused, then answered quietly. "Depends on how you use it. Could be your greatest strength… or the reason you burn out before you ever reach Chūnin."
He handed Kayomi a slip of chakra paper.
"Let's see."
Kayomi pressed it between his fingers.
The moment his chakra touched it whoosh.
Ash.
The doctor blinked. "...Well then. That's definitive."
> [System Notification]
Trait Unlocked: Incendiary Chakra [ Awakened ]
Your chakra network has undergone irreversible adaptation.
– Fire-based jutsu gain increased potency.
– Non-fire jutsu may suffer from instability. Handle with caution.
Kayomi stared at the ash in his palm.
Then: "Don't tell anyone."
The doctor raised an eyebrow. "You don't want it recorded?"
Kayomi shook his head. "Not yet. It is in a ninjas nature to hide and conceal as much as possible about oneself "
The old medic studied him for a long beat, then slowly nodded. He turned to leave, then paused at the doorframe.
"Just one thing…"
Kayomi looked up.
"Try not to burn down the hospital. We're low on beds."