[7] – Will a Change in Season Bring Change—?
[7] – Will a Change in Season Bring Change—?
Autumn leaves surrendered to winter’s embrace as Konoha transformed under the seasonal change. Reiji awoke with determination in his eyes, sitting upright on his futon. He extended his palm, attempting to summon chakra without the usual lengthy meditation. Chakra responded almost instantly, gathering at his fingertips with a gentle warmth that tingled against his skin. “Better,” he whispered, flexing his fingers.
As he prepared for the day, the familiar shimmer of his daily quest notification appeared before him:
[Daily Quests]
- Morning Training: 30 push-ups, 30 sit-ups, and 5km run.
- Chatora Circulation: Circulate Chatora for 60 minutes.
- Leaf Concentration: 10 leaves (stacked) for 5 minutes.
Reward: +0.5% Chatora, +30 XP
Reiji’s eyes narrowed as he studied the quests. The increased difficulty did not escape his notice; more repetitions, longer distances, and multiple leaves instead of just one. After a quick breakfast of steaming rice topped with a perfectly soft-boiled egg that oozed golden yolk, Reiji headed out to the training grounds.
The training ground already hosted a handful of early risers. Reiji found an empty patch of ground and began his warm-up stretches, paying particular attention to his shoulders and lower back, where yesterday’s training had left its mark. With determination, he dropped into position and began his push-ups.
One, two, three, four, five...
His muscles protested, but less severely than they had the day before. His body seemed to respond more resiliently to the gradual strengthening or the improved chakra flow. Each push-up remained challenging, yet the burning sensation came later, allowing him to complete fifteen before needing to pause.
After catching his breath, he finished the remaining fifteen, followed by the sit-ups. His core muscles had begun to develop, providing better support and enabling smoother movement.
The extended five-kilometer run, however, presented a fresh challenge. Reiji set out at a measured pace, consciously regulating his breathing as he circled the academy grounds. The rhythm of his footfalls matched his heartbeat, creating a hypnotic cadence that helped him maintain focus. Halfway through his run, he found himself alongside a group of students, their faces displaying varying degrees of exertion.
A boy about his age with tied long black hair glanced over. Their eyes met briefly—a flash of surprise, not of recognition but of challenge—and without a word, the boy accelerated. Reiji hesitated only a heartbeat before matching the pace. Though not a classmate, something about the boy’s confident run awakened Reiji’s competitive nature.
They raced side by side along the path, their breath visible in the cold air. They were equaled for a few exhilarating minutes—until the black-haired boy found another gear and pulled ahead, leaving Reiji in the dust.
When Reiji completed the entire five kilometers, his lungs burned with each breath, and his legs trembled with exertion. The challenger had vanished completely, not even visible among the group Reiji had passed earlier. His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar chime:
[Quest Completed: Morning Training]
There was also no warning about overexertion, which meant his body had adapted to the increased difficulty, which was a plus point. After rehydrating at a nearby fountain, Reiji found a quiet spot beneath an oak tree for his chakra circulation. This sessions had become more intuitive with practice. His mind slipped more easily into the necessary state of focused calm, directing chakra flow through his pathway system. Within thirty minutes, the fatigue melted away, replaced by renewed stamina through his body.
As his awareness turned inward, Reiji shifted his focus to sensing the chakra around him, a practice he had maintained with unwavering discipline for four months. At the Academy, he had made it his ritual to attempt sensing chakra at every opportunity, whether during lectures or brief moments between training.
[Quest Completed: Chatora Circulation]
[Ability unlocked: Basic Chatora Sensing]
The notification appeared, its soft blue glow pulsing once before fading like morning mist. This confirmation of his breakthrough sent a thrill of excitement through his body. After four months of diligent work, the ability to sense nearby presences was finally his. Eager to explore this new power, Reiji focused on his surroundings when the familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
[Chatora Sensing Mode]
At first, there was nothing but darkness and whispers. Then, gradually, like the first rays of dawn breaking over the horizon, he began to perceive it: a subtle hum of energy emanating from people, stronger in some, more subdued in others. He couldn’t yet distinguish individual chakra signatures, but he could sense the vague presence of energy. The sensation was subtle yet undeniable.
Everything around him possessed chakra, and he could now perceive it, not in sharp detail, but enough to distinguish between concentrations of energy. People scattered across the training grounds appeared as distinct beacons of varying intensity. Some flickered uncertainly, while others burned with remarkable strength. Reiji found himself drawn to one particularly bright signature coming from the training field, perhaps one of the senior students practicing advanced techniques.
After several attempts to extend his range and sharpen his focus, exhaustion began to creep in. The new ability, while fascinating, was taxing his reserves. He decided to move on and complete his remaining quests, shifting his attention to the Leaf Concentration exercise. Placing ten leaves against his chest, he began channeling chakra, watching with satisfaction as the tenth leaf adhered perfectly to the stack without a tremor.
[Quest Completed: Leaf Concentration]
[Daily Quests Completed]
Rewards: +0.5% Chatora, +30 XP
“You’re here early,” Sachiko’s voice came from behind him, causing a momentary disruption in Reiji’s chakra flow. One of the leaves from his chest fluttered to the ground, but he managed to maintain the others.
Reiji smiled, carefully removing the remaining leaves with practiced precision. “My chakra control’s improving. Thought I’d get in some extra practice in the morning.”
Sachiko nodded approvingly. “Good…” She paused, then added, “Want to try something new today?”
Reiji rose to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes as curiosity bloomed. “What did you have in mind?”
“Water Walking.”
…
Sachiko led him along a winding path through the small forest that bordered the public training grounds. Morning birds called each other overhead as they approached the sound of running water. Soon, they emerged at the banks of a crystal-clear stream that cut through the woods, sunlight reflecting off its surface in dancing patterns.
“Water-walking is technically more advanced than tree-walking,” Sachiko explained, crouching to dip her fingers in the cool water. “But sometimes a different perspective on chakra control helps unlock your potential. The principles are similar, but water requires constant adjustment due to its changing surface.” She demonstrated by standing and stepping onto the water’s surface, balancing perfectly as ripples spread outward from her feet.
Reiji eyed the gently flowing stream with visible trepidation. “I can barely manage nine steps up a tree. Won’t this be impossible?”
“Probably,” she agreed with a chuckle. “But look on the bright side—your clothes needed washing anyway.” She stepped back onto solid ground, water droplets clinging to her sandals. “Attempting difficult techniques often improves your performance with simpler ones. And failure builds pathways for chakra control like nothing else.”
Her words did not inspire confidence, but Reiji reluctantly focused the chakra to his feet and attempted to step onto the water’s surface, following her instructions. His foot sank immediately, soaking his sandal and sending a cold shock up his leg.
“Congratulations,” he muttered to himself. “Second bath of the day.”
“You’re overthinking it,” she said, suppressing a smile. “Your approach works well for understanding concepts, but Chakra responds best to intuition once the foundation is built.” She moved closer, her voice softening. “Try this, close your eyes and imagine your chakra as an extension of yourself, reaching out to interact with the water rather than fighting against it.”
Reiji scowled but decided to follow her advice. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the morning sun on his face, and visualized his chakra as a natural extension of his body—like an invisible limb reaching out to test the water’s surface. When he tried again, he felt his foot hover on the surface for a brief, magical moment before breaking through.
“That’s the way!” Sachiko exclaimed, genuine excitement lighting up her face. “You felt it, didn’t you? That moment of connection?”
Reiji nodded, surprised by the rush of satisfaction from that single second of success.
“Now, let’s go back to leaf concentration and tree-walking with this new perspective,” she suggested, prompting to return at their earlier spot.
“Sometimes, I feel like you just wanted to see me embarrass myself,” Reiji grumbled, shaking water from his sandal as he followed.
“Oh my, that’s not true, Reiji,” Sachiko teased, poking his arm with her elbow. Her eyes crinkled with amusement. “I want you to succeed, but I’ll admit watching you splash around like a startled cat is quite entertaining.”
Returning to the massive oak tree that had become their unofficial training spot, Reiji closed his eyes again. This time, he visualized his chakra connecting with the bark, creating a bond rather than forcing adhesion. Each time he placed his foot against the trunk, it felt distinctly different, always different.
Channeling chakra to his feet, he placed one foot against the rough bark, then the second. Slowly, methodically, he began to climb.
One step. Two steps. Three steps. His mind remained calm and focused.
Four steps. Five steps. The sensation was smoother now, more natural.
By the ninth step, the familiar warning sign of his chakra bond weakening made him grit his teeth. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he fought to maintain the connection. With a final burst of determination, Reiji pushed himself upward. His fingers stretched toward the tenth step—just a little further—and with a triumphant laugh, he grasped it.
The momentum carried him upward, but before he could stabilize himself, his foot slipped, bark splintering beneath his other sole as he overcompensated with too much chakra. Rather than falling, he twisted his body and leapt to grasp a nearby branch, hanging there with a victorious smile.
“Well, that was quite good!” he called to Sachiko, who was watching with undisguised surprise. “I meant to grab this branch all along. It was part of my... plan.”
Sachiko stared up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Uh-huh,” she breathed, genuine amazement filling her voice. “I didn’t expect such improvement so quickly.”
Reiji’s satisfaction was interrupted by the now-familiar notification:
[New Skill Acquired: Tree Walking (Basic)]
You can now use chakra to adhere to vertical surfaces for short periods.
Reward: +100 XP (400/1000), +2 Spirit (28/100), +0.5% Chatora Control
[New Training Option Unlocked: Basic Movement Techniques]
The substantial XP reward elated his feelings—this is incredible. Reiji carefully descended the tree, opting for a chakra-controlled descent, feeling a surge of newfound confidence in his abilities.
“What made the difference?” Sachiko asked as Reiji’s feet touched solid ground again.
Reiji considered the question, brushing bark fragments from his hands. “I think I stopped fighting against the chakra. In the beginning, I was trying to force it to do what I wanted, like wrestling with something wild. But now it feels more like... a partner.”
Sachiko nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good way to describe chakra control.”
As they continued their discussion, Reiji willed open his Chatora Tab:
[Available Techniques: Basic Movement Techniques (Requires Practice)]
The newly unlocked section caught his eye with its promising options:
[Basic Movement Techniques]
- Tree Climbing Technique
- Water Walking Technique
- Chatora Propulsion (Available when 15% Chatora Efficiency)
“You’re still using too much chakra on your right foot,” Sachiko’s voice cut through his thoughts as she placed a warm hand on his shoulder. Her touch was firm but gentle, grounding him back in the moment. “Your control is improving, but you’re not accounting for the differences in your chakra pathways.”
“Differences?”
Sachiko nodded, gracefully taking a seat on a nearby stump. The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting dappled shadows across her thoughtful expression. “Everyone’s chakra system is unique, like a fingerprint. You might have a stronger flow in certain pathways and a weaker one in others. The trick is to map your own system and compensate accordingly.”
“How do I do that?” Reiji asked, intrigued. The system had not provided this information— it was the kind of nuanced knowledge that came only from chakra enthusiasts like Sachiko, who studied theory day and night or from experience and proper instruction.
“Channeling,” Sachiko replied, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “Similar to leaf concentration, but you now try to channel your chakra through every tenketsu point in your body, becoming aware of where it flows easily and where it resists.”
“So I need to make a map of my own chakra system?” He muttered as her words triggered a recent memory that surfaced in Reiji’s mind...
During a lecture on chakra pathways, Tsubaki-sensei demonstrated how disrupting an opponent’s chakra flow could neutralize them without permanent damage. The class had been paired off to practice identifying key chakra points on each other’s bodies, not to strike them, merely to locate them correctly.
Reiji had been paired with the quiet Aburame boy, Siro, whose high collar and dark glasses masked most of his expressions, while Yuki worked with a civilian-born girl named Emi. Across the room, Kegawa had been partnered with Kojima, a boy from a merchant family with ambitions far beyond his current abilities.
“This is stupid,” Kojima had muttered after repeatedly failing to identify the pathways on Kegawa’s arm correctly. His frustration was evident in his reddening face. “Why do we need to learn this anyway? Real ninjas use ninjutsu to blow away their enemies, not poke at them.”
Kegawa had shrugged. “Tell that to the Hyūga clan. I’m sure they’d love to hear how their entire fighting style is stupid.”
Kojima had scoffed, glancing toward where the Hyūga girl, Hikari, was precisely identifying every point on her partner’s body with minimal effort. “They just got lucky with those eyes. Without their Byakugan, they’d be nothing special.”
The comment, spoken louder than perhaps intended, had rippled through the classroom like a stone dropped in still water. Several heads had turned, including Hikari’s, whose usually impassive face had tightened almost imperceptibly.
“You should apologize,” Kegawa had said quietly, an unexpected defender of clan honor that was not his own.
“For what? Stating facts?” Kojima had retorted, emboldened by the attention. “My father says half these clans just got lucky with genetic mutations and built their whole identity around showing off.”
Tsubaki-sensei had been across the room, helping another student, and had not yet noticed the brewing confrontation. Reiji had carefully observed the situation, noting the shifting dynamics, the tensing postures of clan children throughout the room, and the widening social divide being exposed in real time.
“That kind of thinking—” Kegawa had begun, a growl entering his voice.
“Is exactly why he’ll fail as a shinobi,” Reiji had interrupted, speaking loudly enough to be heard by those nearby but not shouting. All eyes had turned to him, including Kojima’s indignant glare.
“What would you know about it, orphan boy?” Kojima had snapped.
Reiji had straightened, meeting the other boy’s gaze directly. “I know that underestimating any skill or technique because you personally struggle with it is a path to defeat. I know that dismissing entire fighting styles because you don’t understand them will leave blind spots in your defense. And I know that insulting established clans because you’re frustrated with your own progress won’t make you any stronger.”
The classroom had fallen silent. Even Tsubaki-sensei had paused his instruction, watching the exchange with evaluative eyes.
“Well said,” a soft voice had added, surprising everyone. Hikari Hyūga rarely spoke unless directly addressed. “Perhaps Kojima-san would benefit from seeing rather than dismissing.” She had turned to Tsubaki-sensei. “With your permission, sensei, I could demonstrate the practical application of chakra point knowledge.”
Tsubaki-sensei had considered this for a moment before nodding. “An educational opportunity. Kojima, step forward. Hikari will demonstrate a controlled disruption of your chakra network in your right arm only. This is not a punishment but a learning experience for the entire class.”
What followed had been a precise, almost gentle demonstration that left Kojima’s right arm temporarily useless, hanging limply at his side despite his increasingly desperate attempts to move it.
“Your chakra pathways are blocked at key junctions,” Hikari had explained clinically, without malice or satisfaction. “The effect is temporary, but in battle, such a disadvantage would likely prove fatal. This technique requires no special eyes—only knowledge, precision, and practice.”
As Kojima had stood there, face flushed with embarrassment, a voice had spoken up.
“Thanks for volunteering,” Kegawa had said, clapping Kojima on his still-functional shoulder. “Not everyone would willingly demonstrate a vulnerability to help classmates learn.” The Inuzuka’s eyes had met Reiji’s briefly, an unspoken acknowledgment passing between them. “Now we all know better than to underestimate any fighting style, right?”
The offer of face-saving had been surprising from the typically competitive Inuzuka, but it had effectively defused the tension. Even more surprising had been Kojima’s grudging nod of acceptance.
After class, Kegawa had approached Reiji as he packed up his materials.
“Not bad, orphan boy. Didn’t expect you to stand up for clan techniques.” There had been genuine curiosity in his voice.
Reiji had considered his response carefully. “I wasn’t standing up for clan techniques specifically. Just against arrogance and willful ignorance. Those get people killed in our profession.”
Kegawa had studied him for a long moment. “Our profession,” he had repeated. “Most say they want to be ninjas. You talk like you already are one.”
Reiji had shrugged. “In Konoha, deciding to become a shinobi isn’t just a career choice. It’s a commitment to put your life on the line. That starts the moment you enter the Academy, not when you receive a headband.”
The Inuzuka stared, “Huh. Maybe there’s something wrong with you after all. Career?”
…
“Earth to Reiji,” Sachiko’s voice pulled him back to the present, snapping her fingers before his eyes. “You zoned out there for a minute. What got you thinking?”
Reiji shook his head, completing a stretch that had become second nature. “Just remembering an important lesson about chakra pathways.”
+++
That evening, in the quiet of his small apartment, Reiji dedicated himself to the new approach Sachiko had suggested. Seated in a lotus position on his bed, he closed his eyes and turned his awareness inward. Instead of simply circulating chakra in self-contained loops as he'd done before, he adjusted his technique, channeling the energy outward from each tenketsu point while maintaining internal circulation simultaneously.
Sachiko’s words echoed in his mind: “Everyone’s chakra system is unique, like a fingerprint.” If he could properly map his system as she suggested, perhaps he could finally correct that right foot imbalance.
Combining these approaches might yield even more excellent results. What if he could maintain the internal circulation while simultaneously projecting chakra outward for techniques? The potential for enhanced efficiency and power was intriguing.
Reiji began to experiment. First, he established internal circulation, allowing the energy to flow through the three tenketsu points until the cycle became self-sustaining. Then, drawing from this circulating reserve, he extended a tendril of chakra to his palm.
The result was much more immediate and dramatic than anything he’d achieved during their morning training. The chakra in his palm felt more concentrated and more stable than any he had produced before. “Placebo effect?” He murmured. Then the notification rang in his mind.
[Advanced Chatora Manipulation Discovered]
You have successfully integrated internal circulation with external projection.
Reward: +30 XP, +1% Chatora Control, +2 Spirit
The minutes stretched into hours as Reiji also traced the network through which chakra circulated. Gradually, a mental map formed—stronger output in his left arm and torso, weaker flows in his right leg, and a peculiar turbulence near his heart that he could not quite understand.
Most significantly, he discovered exactly what Sachiko had pointed out—a subtle imbalance between his feet. His right foot naturally channeled chakra more intensely than his left, explaining why he had overcompensated during tree-walking and sent bark splintering beneath his sole.
[Special Training Completed: Chatora Pathway Mapping]
Rewards: +1.2% Chatora, +20 XP, +1 Spirit
[New Feature Unlocked: Basic Chatora Pathway Visualization]
[New Feature Unlocked: Personal Journal]