Fifteen months old, and I was finally ready to tackle the big one: chakra manipulation. I'd been putting it off, partly out of fear of discovery, partly because I wasn't sure how to even begin. But after that incident with the soldier pill, I knew I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to understand this power thrumming beneath my skin.
Late at night, when the house was quiet and even Akamaru's soft snores filled our room, I'd sit up in my crib and focus inward. At first, it was like grasping at smoke. I knew the chakra was there, but trying to control it was like trying to hold water in cupped hands.
But I was nothing if not persistent. Night after night, I practiced. And slowly, ever so slowly, I began to feel it.
It started as a warmth in my core, like a miniature sun nestled behind my navel. As I focused on that warmth, I could feel it spreading, trickling through my body in distinct pathways. It wasn't like blood flow, which was constant and rhythmic. This was... alive. Responsive. When I concentrated on my hand, I could feel the chakra flowing there, pooling in my palm.
The first time I managed to make my hand glow faintly with chakra, I nearly fell out of the crib in excitement. Akamaru stirred, blinking sleepily at me.
"Shh," I whispered, reaching down to scratch behind his ears. "Our secret, okay?"
He yawned and went back to sleep. Some guard dog he was turning out to be.
As the weeks passed, I grew more confident in my chakra manipulation. I could direct it to different parts of my body at will, though maintaining that control for long was still challenging. It was like exercising a muscle I'd never used before – tiring, but exhilarating.
Then came the day of the accidental discovery.
Hana had decided to play hide-and-seek with me in the backyard. As she counted, I scurried to hide behind a large oak tree, Akamaru at my heels.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Hana called out.
I held my breath, trying to stay still. But then a thought struck me. In the anime, ninja could enhance their physical abilities with chakra. What if...?
Focusing hard, I directed chakra to my nose. The effect was immediate and overwhelming.
Scents exploded around me. I could smell the individual blades of grass, the earthy musk of a rabbit hiding in nearby bushes, the lingering traces of a squirrel that had passed through hours ago. And Hana – I could smell her approaching from what felt like miles away, her scent a mix of dog fur, metal, and the dango she'd eaten earlier.
"Found you!" she exclaimed, rounding the tree.
I was too shocked to even pretend to be disappointed at being caught. My mind was reeling with the implications. If I could enhance my sense of smell this much, what else could I do?
That night, after everyone had gone to bed, I snuck out into the backyard. The full moon provided ample light as I approached one of the smaller trees near the fence.
I'd seen this done a hundred times in the anime. Focus chakra to your feet, maintain a steady flow, and just... walk up.
Easier said than done.
My first attempt sent me flying backwards, the bark beneath my feet exploding from too much chakra. I landed hard on my butt, biting back a yelp of pain.
Okay, less chakra then.
The second attempt was better. I made it two steps up before sliding back down, the flow of chakra faltering.
By the fifth try, I was halfway up the tree. My control was shaky, but I was doing it. Actually walking up a vertical surface. The thrill was indescribable.
I was so caught up in my success that I didn't notice the approaching chakra signature until it was too late.
"Kiba?"
Tsume's voice, thick with sleep and confusion, cut through the night. I lost my concentration and tumbled from the tree.
Strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. I looked up into my mother's face, illuminated by moonlight, a mix of emotions playing across her features. Pride, concern, and something else... fear?
"What are you doing out here, pup?" she asked softly, setting me down but keeping a hand on my shoulder.
I panicked. How could I explain this? My mind raced, trying to come up with a believable excuse. In the end, I opted for a partial truth.
"Saw ninja do it," I mumbled, pointing at the tree. "Wanted to try."
Tsume's eyebrows shot up. "You saw ninja walking up trees and decided to try it yourself? At fifteen months old? In the middle of the night?"
Put like that, it did sound pretty unbelievable. I nodded sheepishly, trying to look as innocent and child-like as possible.
Tsume sighed, running a hand through her wild hair. "Kiba, do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You could have seriously hurt yourself. Chakra control like that takes years of training."
I hung my head, playing up the chastised toddler act. "Sorry, Mama. Just wanted to be strong. Like you."
Her expression softened. She knelt down, bringing herself to my eye level. "Listen to me, pup. You will be strong. Stronger than you can imagine. But these things take time. You can't rush them, and you certainly can't practice dangerous techniques without supervision. Understand?"
I nodded solemnly. "No more secret tree walking. Promise."
"Good boy." She ruffled my hair, then scooped me up. "Now, let's get you back to bed before you give your poor mother a heart attack."
As she carried me back to the house, I caught snippets of her muttered thoughts.
"...shouldn't be possible at his age..."
"...need to start his training soon..."
"...what are you going to become, my little prodigy?"
I buried my face in her shoulder, mind racing. I'd messed up. Gotten careless. The excitement of discovery had made me reckless, and now I was on Tsume's radar more than ever.
But I couldn't stop. Not now. The power I'd tasted, the potential I could feel thrumming through my chakra pathways – it was too important. Too necessary for what lay ahead.