As Akira walked, the world around him began to crumble, fading into a dark void. From within that void, a figure slowly emerged—a young boy lying near the roots of a small tree, sunlight dancing across his face. He had mostly black hair with faint streaks of red at the tips and pure black eyes, unmistakably marking him as… Konton.
"Six years have passed since that day," he muttered, stretching as he stood. "Why do I keep dreaming about it? What could it mean?" Just then, he noticed his father, Akira, approaching with a calm, knowing smile.
Grinning playfully, Konton greeted him with a casual, "Yo."
Akira raised an eyebrow. "Are you ready for your ninjutsu practice?"
Konton sighed, half-joking, half-serious. "Not today, Dad. Can't I take a day off?"
Akira looked surprised. "You? Skipping training? That's a first."
"I'm just… not in the mood," Konton replied, trying to brush it off. Akira, a little annoyed, grabbed his arm, intending to drag him to the training grounds. "A ninja should never skip training, no matter what. Now, let's go."
But Konton smirked and muttered, "We'll see about that. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" In a puff of smoke, the clone vanished, leaving Akira momentarily stunned.
"When did he learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu? Has he been training in secret?" Akira wondered.
Meanwhile, the real Konton sat perched on the edge of the Hokage Monument, absorbing his clone's memories. The process gave him a headache, but he endured it, focusing on the dreams that had haunted him lately—visions that felt unsettlingly real. Gazing at the sky, a sharp pain suddenly seized him. As he clutched his head, he lost his balance and started teetering dangerously over the cliff.
Just then, a hand reached out, grabbing his collar and pulling him back. "Hey! Watch it!" said a voice. "You almost fell."
Konton looked up to see his rescuer—a boy with long dark brown hair and pale, almost white eyes. A Hyūga, he thought.
The boy raised an eyebrow. "You alright? You were about to take quite a fall."
Konton, still catching his breath, nodded. "Yeah… Thanks. I guess I got a bit distracted."
The boy shrugged. "No problem. I'm Shori, by the way. And you are…?"
"Konton… Uchiha."
"Nice to meet you, Konton," Shori replied, his gaze steady and calm.
Konton studied him, locking eyes as if trying to see beyond the surface, a tension building in his curiosity. Shori shifted uncomfortably. "Uh… what are you doing? Is something wrong?"
Konton shook his head, snapping out of it. "No, it's just… you're a Hyūga. I'm an Uchiha."
Shori raised an eyebrow. "So?"
"It's just that… I always heard there's a rivalry whenever a Hyūga and an Uchiha meet," Konton admitted, somewhat embarrassed.
Shori gave him a puzzled look. "Rivalry? You really believe that stereotype?"
Konton hesitated, a chill running down his spine at the thought of unnecessary conflict. Instead, he glanced down at the village below trying to find a way to change topic. "What a view, huh? Let's sit and enjoy it."
They both sat at the edge, a comfortable silence settling as they looked out over the village. The distant sounds of training and children playing floated up, grounding them in the present.
After a moment, Shori turned to him. "So, what were you really doing up here? You didn't look like you were just enjoying the view."
Konton hesitated, unsure whether to share his troubling dreams. But Shori continued, "Let me guess. Something's on your mind?"
Sighing, Konton decided to give a vague answer. "I've been having these dreams… or maybe memories. They feel so real, like I'm there, reliving something important. But when I wake up, it's all gone."
Shori nodded thoughtfully. "Dreams are strange that way. The elders say they can be echoes of past lives or old memories trying to resurface."
Konton looked intrigued. "Past lives? You mean like… reincarnation?"
"Maybe," Shori replied. "Or maybe it's just your mind trying to tell you something."
Konton thought for a moment. "Maybe you're right." Konton thought of it for a while then said "Let's talk about something else this thing is getting super complex for me . Are you taking the Academy entrance exam?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Definitely!" Konton replied, his enthusiasm returning. Just then, a familiar voice called out.
"Konton!" He turned to see Akira standing a few steps away, arms crossed, looking both relieved and annoyed.
"There you are! I don't know where you keep disappearing to, but it's time for training." Akira gave a respectful nod to Shori. "You must be from the Hyūga clan. Thanks for looking out for my son."
Shori nodded back. "Of course, sir."
Konton stood up, knowing he had no choice but to go back with his father. Before he left, he turned to Shori with a grin. "See you at the Academy exam. Let's find out who's stronger!"
Shori smirked. "Looking forward to it."
As Konton walked away with Akira, he felt a spark of excitement. Whatever his dreams were trying to tell him, he had a feeling this was just the beginning.
{END OF CHAPTER}