In the forge, Takeshi adjusted the last tools on the cart. He turned to Kurara, his usual gruff smile poorly masking his concern.
"Behave yourself," he said, ruffling her hair. "And don't drive the Mizutani too crazy."
Kurara raised an eyebrow. "Grandpa, you're the one who causes trouble."
Caught off guard, Takeshi muttered, "Erm… that's what worries me. If I'm not there to cause it, don't get any ideas to do it yourself." His smile widened. "At least you'll get to continue the academy. And besides…" He gave her a meaningful look. "The Mizutani are good people."
Mornings at the Mizutani household quickly settled into a predictable routine. Ren woke up at dawn for his training, while Kurara helped Yuki with the shop, moving around the house with the ease of someone comfortable anywhere.
It was during one of these mornings that the inevitable happened. Ren, fresh out of the shower with just a towel around his waist, found himself face-to-face with Kurara as she entered the bathroom as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh," she said, noticing him but showing no trace of embarrassment. "I didn't know you were in here."
Ren, trying to maintain a shred of dignity, cleared his throat. "Could you… uh…"
"I'm just grabbing my toothbrush," Kurara replied nonchalantly, then walked out. A few seconds later, she popped back in, adding, "Could you open the window when you leave? That'll clear the steam faster."
Ren stood frozen, his cheeks blazing, as the door closed behind her. WTF???
News of Kurara's new living arrangement emerged during a lunch break at the academy. Ren, Jun'ko, Aoi, and Shinji were sitting in their usual spot in the courtyard when Kurara approached.
"Hey Ren, there you are," she said, squeezing into the group. "Shall we try a new position tonight?"
Jun'ko choked on her onigiri. Aoi blushed behind his glasses, while Shinji woke up from his usual half-sleep.
"It's not what you think," Ren hurried to explain, struggling to maintain composure. "Kurara, you can't say things like that, or people will misunderstand."
"I don't see what there is to misunderstand. I just said I want to try a new position," Kurara replied, digging Ren's hole even deeper.
His friends' eyes widened.
"Kata, not positions—they're called Kata, Kurara!" Ren exclaimed, exasperated.
"Whatever, same thing to me," she shrugged.
Catching his breath, his friends asked why he would need to "try" anything at night.
"It's not what you think," Ren quickly explained. "Kurara's staying with us temporarily while her grandfather is away for work."
"Oh," Jun'ko said, regaining her composure. "That explains why I saw you two walking in together this morning," she added with a sly smile.
"I don't blush," Ren protested, visibly blushing.
"Of course not," Kurara chimed in, rising gracefully. "You only blush when I walk into the bathroom while you're changing."
The silence that followed was broken only by the sound of Jun'ko choking on her lunch again.
The afternoon resumed with Fujimoto-sensei's lesson on chakra manipulation, but Ren struggled to focus. Jun'ko kept sneaking amused glances his way, Shinji pretended to nap while muttering "new positions" in his sleep, and even Aoi, usually so serious, hid a smile behind his meticulous notes.
When classes ended, Ren turned to Kurara. "I've got an errand to run. You can head home without me."
"Hmm?" Kurara gave him a feline look. "Alright, but don't forget that tonight we need to…"
"Kata!" Ren cut her off quickly, as his friends' muffled giggles resumed. "They're called Kata."
Alone, Ren made his way to the lake. The late afternoon mist created the perfect environment for what he had in mind. With deliberate movements, he began removing the weights—twenty kilograms of metal that had left their mark on his muscles.
Finally, I can get back to practicing the Mist Body Flicker, he reflected, positioning himself.
He focused his chakra, attempting to replicate the jutsu. I never expected a situation like this. I need to be more careful with Kurara around; even my lab experiments are suffering.
Puff—Ren moved a meter, maybe slightly more.
After several hours and numerous attempts, something shifted. For a brief moment, his body seemed to dissolve into the mist, reappearing three meters away.
"Good. It's still not at an acceptable level, but I can feel the improvement. I need to practice more consistently." He pulled a notebook from a scroll:
MASTERED JUTSU:
Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique) – Rank E
Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Technique) – Rank E with Chakra filament variant taught by Tou-san
Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique) – Rank D
Kanashibari no Jutsu (Temporary Paralysis Technique) – Rank D
Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Wave) – Rank D
Fuuton: Soujikaze no Jutsu (Wind Purification Technique) – Rank E
Fuusajin no Jutsu (Dust Wind Technique) – Rank D
Doton: Tsuchi no Seigyo (Earth Control) – Rank E
Doton: Tsuchi no Kankaku (Earth Sense) – Rank E
Doton: Gan Dan (Rock Bullet) – Rank D
Chakra no Mesu (Chakra Scalpel)
Basic healing techniques
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES:
Primary: Wind
Secondary: Water
Developed: Earth
In Progress: Fire
PASSIVE ABILITIES:
Chakra Perception (12-meter range)
Tree Walking
Water Walking
IN TRAINING:
Mist Body Flicker – Initial Phase
Max Range: 3 metersSpeed: Slow
Examining his jutsu pocketbook—kept separate from the one dedicated to fuinjutsu—Ren critically analyzed his arsenal. Though impressive for a first-year student, he couldn't ignore some glaring gaps.
"My offensive repertoire is still too limited," he mused, running his fingers over the yellowed pages. "The Rock Bullet's range is too short, and its projectile speed isn't fast enough to be a real threat in combat. Even combining my elemental affinities, something decisive is missing."
He leaned against a tree. "I need to stop spreading myself thin by learning basic techniques. It's more effective to refine and maximize what I already know." His gaze drifted into the mist as he considered his options. "Once I master the Mist Body Flicker, I could combine it with the Hidden Mist Technique to…"
He paused, a sudden realization sparking in his mind. "The Shadow Clone Jutsu… it would be the perfect key." Straightening up, a new energy coursed through him, he continued, "Ganryū-sama must know it. A jonin of his caliber… maybe he could teach me."
Reinvigorated, Ren headed home. Dinner was already ready when he arrived, and the aroma of his mother's cooking filled the air. Yuki served the portions while asking about their day.
"It was interesting," Kurara replied with a smirk. "Ren's friends are quite peculiar. Especially that Jun'ko—she couldn't stop giggling every time she looked at me."
Ren focused intently on his plate, trying to maintain his usual impassive expression despite the blush threatening to betray him. The embarrassing events of the morning were still all too vivid in his mind.
After dinner, he and Kurara moved to the backyard for their evening training. As they exchanged blows in controlled sparring, Ren's mind kept drifting to the mystery of Kurara's chakra. Her movements were fluid and precise, her mastery of weapons undeniable, yet there was something fundamentally different about how her energy flowed—or didn't flow.
It's not muscular, he analyzed mentally, dodging a thrust. Her coordination is perfect, her reflexes excellent. And it doesn't seem to be psychological—her confidence with weapons proves she isn't afraid to exert her strength.
While studying her movements, Ren began forming a mental list. The chakra was there—he could sense it clearly. Could it be an issue with the meridians? Or something deeper, at the cellular level? The chakra pathways might be…
"Keep your guard up," Kurara scolded, interrupting his analysis with a swift move that sent his tanto flying. "You're more distracted than usual tonight."
Ren retrieved his weapon, nodding in acknowledgment. As they resumed their exchange, his medical mind continued cataloging possibilities: early trauma to pressure points? Congenital anomaly in the chakra circulatory system? Or perhaps…
His gaze froze for a moment, an idea beginning to form. There was something peculiar about Kurara's condition, something that went beyond a simple control issue. And with his combined knowledge of modern medicine and ninja arts, he was determined to uncover exactly what it was.
[ Hi there! Ito-kun here! Thanks everyone for your support, specially Jayroy_63, AKIB19 and Miguel_024! Hope that you are enjoying this week ^.^
From this chapter onwards, i did some changes, i'm trying to write longer chapter, and also to speedup the plot, let me know what do you think in the comment and remember about the Power Stones, these are the motivation for my work :)]