[Words :- 1481 ]
[3rd person pov]
Two years and three months had passed since Tatsuya's grandma had passed away.He had started training his body when he reached the age of three.He was already five years old.
As of now, he was on a survival run in the forest present near the uzumaki household. The young boy's speed and agility had improved dramatically, allowing him to dart through the woods with ease. His grandfather, a seasoned ninja, followed closely behind, his red hair now flecked with wisps of white. Despite his age, the old man's eyes remained sharp, and his movements belied a deep well of experience.
As Tatsuya ran, his grandfather slipped four shurikens from his toolbox into his hand, holding them deftly between his fingers. His brown eyes narrowed, focusing on the possible paths Tatsuya might take. With a flicker of movement, the shurikens seemed to dance in the air, their glinting speed a testament to the old man's skill.
"No,ahhhh,----huu", Tatsuya's cry of frustration echoed through the forest as he found himself pinned to a tree once more, the shurikens having snagged the rims of his clothing and held him fast.
"You're too predictable, boy," his grandfather said, approaching him with a measured stride. "Your speed is impressive, but that's all it is. You need to learn to feint, to set traps, and to think strategically. As it stands, you won't last long on the battlefield."
Tatsuya's face scrunched in protest. "But, Grandpa, you're not giving me a chance! I don't even have any ninja tools to defend myself."
The old man's eyes clouded, and for a moment, Tatsuya saw a glimmer of sadness. His grandfather's hair had turned white in places, and deep wrinkles etched his face. The loss of his grandmother had taken a heavy toll, and Tatsuya could sense the weight of his grandfather's grief.
"I know it's hard, Tatsuya," his grandfather said, his voice softer now. "But I'm pushing you because I want you to survive. You have potential, but you need to learn to harness it."
"Hihi, you're pinned again! Now, suffer my wrath!" A bright, energetic voice rang out, followed by the sound of footsteps. Akira's face broke into a wide smirk as he recognized the voice.
A young girl with round cheeks and vibrant red hair, styled in two adorable buns, skipped towards Tatsuya. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she approached her helpless friend.
"No, don't you dare tickle me, Mito!" Tatsuya screamed, already anticipating the torment that was to come.
"Nah ...no one can stop me,hihihi " Mito's giggles filled the air as she began to wriggle her fingers on Tatsuya's stomach. His laughter echoed through the forest, uncontrollable and infectious.
Akira watched the scene unfold, a warm smile spreading across his face. This was a familiar routine – whenever Tatsuya was pinned or defeated by his grandfather during training, Mito would sneak up and tease him mercilessly.No matter how many times he saw it, seeing the antics of little children always brought warmth to his heart.
By now, Mito had made tremendous progress in her training. She had already opened her chakra pathways at the age of four and reached the top of the beginner tier in fuinjutsu recently. Her hand-to-hand combat skills had also improved significantly, thanks to regular sparring sessions with Tatsuya.
Both Tatsuya and Mito were hailed as prodigies in Uzushiogakure, but Mito's exceptional chakra levels at young age and youthful energy had made her a local celebrity of sorts.
"Well, it's time for lunch," Akira announced, turning to Mito with a warm smile. "Why don't you join us today, Mito?" He gestured invitingly with his left hand.
Mito's face lit up. "Yes, I'd love to... but first, I should go inform Mom about it." She skipped away, still bubbling with excitement from her earlier tickling session with Tatsuya.
However, before she could take more than a few steps, Akira assured her, "No need for that."
A ninja clad in inconspicuous black clothes suddenly materialized in front of Akira. "You heard her," Akira instructed the ninja. "Go inform Mito's mother that today she'll be having lunch at our house. Invite her parents and grandelder as well."
The ninja bowed and vanished into thin air.
Akira's smile broadened. "Well, I thought, since Mito is here, we might as well go for a full feast!" His eyes sparkled with warmth, but the deep wrinkles on his face betrayed the lingering sadness beneath his cheerful facade.
Tatsuya, still catching his breath from Mito's earlier tickling, watched the exchange with a knowing glance. He sensed his grandfather's efforts to lighten the mood and move forward from his wife's passing.
Mito, oblivious to the underlying emotions, cheered loudly, "Yay! Now we can have lunch together!" She grasped Tatsuya's hand, who was still trying to catch his breath from her earlier tickling, and dragged him toward the house, her cute smile infectious.
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[Tatsuya's pov ]
This wasn't the first time Mito's family was joining us for dinner. After I befriended Mito, my mom had begun inviting them over for meals, turning these gatherings into joyous occasions.
However, life had taken a dramatic turn after my grandmother passed away. A mourning ritual was conducted, and afterward, I started training physically, as practicing chakra exercises was still out of the question.
My grandfather took on the role of my instructor, pushing me to my limits. He had devoted himself to finding a way to extend my grandmother's lifespan through seals, but after her passing, he abandoned that research.
My mom and grandfather divided their attention, with my mom helping me master calligraphy – a skill I had perfected upto a certain level. We also continued to experiment with my ocular abilities, which seemed to evolve and improve with each stressful practice session. Every new development refined or changed my abilities, unlocking new possibilities.
My physical training with Grandpa had begun with a focus on improving my stamina and flexibility, leveraging the natural flexibility that children possess. Initially, our sessions were gentle, considering my young age. However, as time passed, the intensity of our training increased.
Currently, I was being tested on my survival skills – specifically, my ability to evade an enemy when outmatched. What surprised me was that as my body grew stronger, my eyes seemed to complement its growth. It was as if the surrounding chakra had begun to nourish my muscles and bones, even though I had not started actively circulating chakra.
Over time, I discovered that whenever I physically exerted myself, the surrounding chakra would respond by facilitating my movements, making me more agile when I needed to be.
My visual perception had also undergone a significant transformation. Not only could I see chakra flowing outside a person's body as they performed jutsu, but I could also vaguely discern the movement of chakra inside their body. This newfound awareness allowed me to grasp how they manipulated chakra to execute various ninjutsu and fuinjutsu techniques.
As I reflected on the past few months, I realized how far I had come, and I was grateful for the unwavering support of my family and friends, especially Mito, who had become an integral part of my life.
_________
As we arrived home, I noticed that there were already several pairs of footwear neatly arranged at the entrance. "Ah!! It seems your parents and grandfather are already here, Mito... We're late!" I exclaimed.
Mito, ever the energetic one, quickly removed her footwear and darted towards the dining room. "How did they arrive so fast, hmph?" she wondered aloud.
A woman's voice, likely Mito's mother, scolded her from within the house, "How many times have I told you not to run in someone's house... When will you learn?"
As Grandpa and I entered the dining room, we saw my mom bringing in the food while Mito's mom set the table. Mito's grandfather and father were already seated, and they greeted us with warm smiles.
Mito's grandfather, a jovial man with a kind face, called out to my grandpa, "Akari, how have you been... Hahaha?" It was clear that Mito had inherited her boisterous nature from him.
Mito's father nodded at me, "Hello Tatsuya, it seems you've been training hard. Good work."
I quickly greeted the elder and Mito's parents before heading to the kitchen to see if I could assist with the meal preparations.
After a short while, we all sat down to enjoy our lunch together. Mito, despite her usual energetic demeanor, made a conscious effort to eat graciously, emulating her mother's refined manners. This always provided me with an opportunity to tease her playfully.
Ashina and his wife, my aunt, were absent from our gathering, as they were typically busy with work at this time.
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[A/n:- I have been wondering all this time, whether I should make mc anhilate Sarutobi and Shimura clans or not 😅]