for the love of kungfu

That monkey took my wood!

It was only after Naruko and I trudged home to my apartment and I glimpsed my little sapling on the windowsill that I realized I was missing my ki-wood! Sure, I could grow it back with some effort, but that piece of wood was special—my first real wizardly accomplishment.

I sighed and sat at the kotatsu as the sound of Naruko using the shower filled the apartment. There was nothing I could do—for now. Though if that monkey doesn't give a damn good explanation, I don't care how long it takes—I will beat him within an inch of his life.

While I waited for my turn in the shower, I took stock of my current projects. I reached into my robe and began to unseal all the scrolls and books Sarutobi-sensei had given me to study. My quest to find ki had been successful—though learning that it was called natural energy in this world was interesting. Among the many books Sarutobi-sensei gave me, there were a few that went into Senjutsu, though I held a great deal of interest in the ones about chakra and jutsu. I needed some questions answered.

A quick read-through answered a few questions and confirmed several of my hypotheses. From what I had read, the main requirements for mastering Senjutsu were large chakra reserves and the ability to stay perfectly still. The larger your reserves, the easier it is to learn—though you still had to walk the tightrope of how much natural energy you could take in before you turnturned to stone.

That intrigued me a great deal.

Why stone?

Why turn to stone when you absorb too much natural energy? Was it because stone is the most common material in the natural world? The symbolism was on point, but the metaphysics didn't make sense. It was called natural energy because it occurred naturally, without any extraneous processes. I'm pretty sure you could find natural energy in the vacuum of space, given that sunlight—solar radiation—contained natural energy. So the idea that it was the by-product of life on Earth, and therefore had metaphysical ties to the earth and mother nature, seemed false.

I was lacking information. I'd do my best to remedy that. My chakra control has been skyrocketing since I made my ki-tree. Being able to makeseal a seal within itself was now within reach, and as soon as I had a prototype for my fuinjutsu computer, I would be enchanting myself a proper wizard's toolkit—possibly a whole lab to plumb the mysteries of the universe. A wizard's senses must be sharp, but only to make sure their tools are even sharper.

The mechanics behind Senjutsu also confirmed another theory of mine—the theory that the chakra system's main function is to connect. Because, to put it bluntly, Senjutsu was too easy. Sure, it had a high entry bar in terms of chakra reserves, but beyond that, the skill needed to learn it was essentially the ability to stay still. Which I'm sure can be quite difficult—but it's nowhere near as hard as the five trials documented in DnD for attaining the same.

I could chalk that up to DnD simply differing from this reality, but all the facts were lining up. Molding chakra was too easy. Using jutsu was too easy. Learning external magic—probably the most dangerous aspect of any magic system—was too easy!

That ease most likely came from the defining trait of the chakra network: connection. It seemed engineered to make connection—either with the self, the world, or other people—as seamless as possible.

If I had any doubt left that the chakra network was a sorcerous trait, it was dead and gone now.

I shelved those questions for later examination and focused on the other scrolls my sensei had provided—ones that answered some long-held questions.

Nature Transformation.

The missing dimension to sealless jutsu, which I'd only stumbled across by observing Naruko's strange brand of the transformation jutsu. The theory behind it was that the spiritual energy half of chakra could be imprinted with information in such a way as to change the very nature, the intrinsic characteristics and qualities , of the chakra as it was being molded.

For example, fire-natured chakra burns. Without any hand signs, shaping, or amp processes—fire-natured chakra just burns. The same goes for wind, water, earth, and lightning-nature chakra.

It was eye-opening—and sent my mind racing with possibilities.

Why should such a thing be restricted to the Wuxin cycle of elements? There were exceptions in bloodlines, but I refuse to believe there's a single thing a bloodline could do that magic could not replicate.

That included bloodlines—but why stop there? Could I make nature transformations out of abstract concepts with sufficient understanding? Pain-aspected chakra. Hate-aspected chakra. Fear-aspected chakra. Heck, even fate-aspected chakra.

What would that even look like?

My nerdgasm was interrupted by a pouting Naruko sitting beside me at the table. I looked over at her, wondering what the issue was. She'd been a bit gloomy since we left the training grounds, and my senses told me she was upset with me—but also feeling guilty about being upset.

I had a guess why, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions.

"What a day, huh?" I said to my blonde companion, placing the book I was reading down to give her my full attention. That seemed to perk her up—but not by much.

Her hair was still a bit damp from her shower, and she was already wearing her oversized PJs. I smiled at the way she squirmed under my gaze—but that smile dimmed as I noticed her trying to bury the negativity she felt, like all the other pain she'd endured.

"Yeah, totally! Bushy-brow is so badass!" she said—and then launched into a lighthearted tirade that grew more and more enthusiastic as she tried to bury her hurt deeper and deeper.

The slow and steady approach clearly didn't work with Naruko. Of course it didn't.

I cut her off mid-rant by taking her face in my hands, staring into her crystal-blue eyes, and placing a soft, chaste kiss on her lips—just like I had Hinata earlier that day.

Naruko froze, eyes wide, cheeks flushed.

"I could feel how upset you were," I said, and watched as her eyes widened further—fear lancing through her chakra.

I cut off her panicked explanation with a light squeeze to her cheeks and another gentle peck on the lips.

"I know you've had to hide it when things make you sad or angry. But I promise—you won't ever have to do that with me," I said, and I could feel the hopeful disbelief blooming in her chakra.

I looked deep into her eyes and said, with as much conviction as I could muster:

"I promise you this, Naruko. Believe it."

I used her own verbal tick to lighten the mood, and she did smile—but her eyes also welled up with tears, and she lunged at me, wrapping me in a tight hug.

She held me like I might disappear, and I held her just as tightly. I got to my feet and carried us both to bed, where she could cry her heart out in comfort.

I'd get back to my wizardry later.

XXXXXXXXX

Hinata sat as still as stone before her father, flanked on either side by Neji and Hanabi. Her father, Lord Hiashi Hyuga, was as unreadable as ever. Neji had reported the kiss she shared with Izuku earlier that day, and now she faced judgment—perhaps punishment.

"Hinata. Hanabi. To the mat."

Hinata did her best not to wince. She should have expected that. Her father's favorite method of reminding her of her place was pitting her against Hanabi—his prodigy, his preferred heir.

They took their stances opposite each other, identical in form—perfect in posture—but Hinata lacked the rigid strength and ease that Hanabi possessed so effortlessly.

There was no signal. There didn't need to be.

Hanabi's veins bulged as her Byakugan activated, and she lunged forward in a blur. Hinata saw it coming a mile away. She still froze. The pain, the indecision, the unwillingness to hurt her little sister—it cost her.

A Juuken strike slammed into her shoulder, sending a jolt of agony through her side. She almost collapsed. Hanabi could have ended it then and there—her stance was that open—but she didn't. She knew what this was. She knew what their father wanted.

She was here to beat defiance out of Hinata, to punish her. To honor the clan.

Strike after strike came down. Each one meant to shatter not just her body, but her will. Pain blurred her vision. Humiliation clawed at her heart. She couldn't take it—not like this.

So she slipped.

Back into the trance she'd entered earlier that day. She quieted her mind and held onto what she loved: the people she fought for, the bonds that tethered her to this world. Until that was all she could see.

Hinata's Byakugan activated. She was down on one knee, staggering under Hanabi's relentless strikes—but suddenly the pain felt distant. Irrelevant. She didn't matter. Only what she protected mattered.

Hanabi circled in again. Juuken strikes flashed toward her, but Hinata's chakra flared—and her vision cut through time itself.

She moved.

Just as Hanabi lunged again, Hinata's leg twitched forward. A precise burst of chakra struck Hanabi's shin, deadening the limb with a bastardized Juuken technique. The younger girl stumbled, completely exposed.

Hinata stepped forward and tapped her sister's temple. Gentle. Painless. Hanabi dropped, unconscious before she hit the ground.

Hinata caught her.

She lowered Hanabi into her lap, cradling her gently. Through her enhanced sight, she could see the shock on both Neji's and her father's faces. She didn't need to look up. She already knew what came next. She'd already seen it.

With effort—her limbs numb, her shoulder screaming—Hinata rose and carried Hanabi to her stunned father. Without a word, she placed her little sister into Hiashi's lap, then turned to face Neji.

"Neji-niieesan," she said, nodding respectfully.

Neji did not nod back. He didn't speak. He didn't need to. This was an old song and dance.

He rose slowly. Hiashi said nothing, still cradling his unconscious daughter, his lips parted in silent disbelief.

"Your sudden prowess doesn't change anything," Neji said, voice sharp with tension. "Defeating a child means little. You can't escape your fate."

Hinata didn't respond. She took the Gentle Fist stance and crooked a single finger.

A challenge.

Neji's face twisted in distaste.

He lunged—fast and precise. A blinding flurry of strikes aimed not to incapacitate, but to hurt as much as possible. 

He missed every one.

Hinata danced between the strikes, calm and composed. His frustration mounted, and his attacks grew harsher, more erratic. She knew what would happen before it did. She saw it in the moment it formed.

Her evasion was beginning to agitate Neji and his hate for the main branch began to show. Hiashi could not leave that unpunished.

Hiashi moved to activate the Cursed Seal.

Hinata's hand flashed through the air—a subtle, precise motion that intercepted the chakra signal from his fingers before it could reach Neji. A complete impossibility for an instantaneous jutsu.

Unless you already knew where it was going to be.

Neji, unaware of the attempted seal, kept attacking. Harder. Wilder. Until he was breathing hard, sweat dripping from his brow.

Hinata waited for the lull.

"Niieesan," she said softly.

He glared at her, his fury boiling.

"I'm sorry," she continued. "I'm sorry Uncle Hizashi had to die to protect me."

His eyes widened.

"But I won't let you keep holding onto that hate. I don't care how long it takes. I'll drag you back into the light. For Hizashi-jiji."

Neji stared at her. His expression twisted into something unreadable. Then he looked to the man still sitting silently on the floor.

"You don't know," he muttered, his voice a bitter laugh.

"Niieesan?"

He straightened.

"Fate is inevitable. If you, with all your failings, can surpass me just because of your bloodline—then that only proves it. I will serve. That is my fate. But do not speak as though the result of this battle is a foregone conclusion!"

Hinata's trance flickered—but she didn't back down.

"If I defeat you," she said evenly, "you will listen."

"I am your lesser. Is that not implied?"

"You know what I mean, Niieesan."

He paused. Then nodded.

"I will listen."

"Good."

Stillness.

Then, motion.

Neji attacked again—but she'd already seen every move. She stepped past his guard like it wasn't even there, and with a gentle jab to the temple, she ended the fight.

Neji slumped.

She caught him.

Lowered him gently to the floor.

Then looked up—locking eyes with Hiashi, who still sat, slack-jawed and stunned, Hanabi limp in his lap.

"Father," she said, and nodded.

That was all she managed before her chakra reserves collapsed—and the world went black.

XXXXXXXXX

Sasuke trudged through the door, exhaustion clinging to him like a second skin. It was late—always was.

His body was a map of bruises, his knuckles split and raw, his muscles aching with every step. The bed whispered its promise of relief, but he ignored it. He turned toward the kitchen. Nutrition came first.

He opened the fridge. Cold air spilled out, brushing against his skin. As he reached for a glass of milk, he froze.

There, in the curved reflection on the bottle, stared two fully matured Sharingan—cold, unmistakable, and burning red.

Terror surged through him. Not the instinctive kind bred from danger, but the deep, hollow fear born of childhood ruin and a betrayal too vast to name. The kind of terror that carved out who he was.

He spun, muscles coiled, and hurled the bottle at the figure in the corner.

It shattered harmlessly against the wall. The intruder had tilted their head, avoiding the projectile with effortless disdain.

"You," Sasuke snarled, dropping into a fighting stance.

"Me," Itachi said, voice flat, as he stepped from the shadows like a ghost summoned by memory.