The Academy buzzed with energy as students filed into the classroom, chattering like a flock of birds. Hiroshi, seated near the middle, watched the chaos unfold with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Until now, he hadn't made much of an effort to talk to anyone. Mina's easy-going nature had been enough to keep things simple. But today, things were about to change.
"Hiroshi, right?"
He looked up to see a boy with spiky black hair standing next to his desk. The kid grinned, all teeth and enthusiasm.
"Uh, yeah," Hiroshi replied cautiously.
"I'm Daisuke! I sit behind you," the boy declared as if that explained everything. "You're the guy who answered that question about chakra streams last week, right? That was so cool! How'd you know all that?"
Oh boy. Hiroshi scratched the back of his neck. "Just… read it somewhere."
"Read it?!" Daisuke's eyes widened as if Hiroshi had just revealed he could breathe fire. "You read?!"
A snort came from the seat to Hiroshi's left. He turned to see a girl with short, fiery red hair resting her chin on her hand. "Don't mind him," she said. "Daisuke thinks books are a dangerous weapon."
"Hey!" Daisuke protested. "I read stuff!"
"Picture books don't count," the girl shot back with a smirk.
Hiroshi couldn't help it—he laughed. The girl raised an eyebrow at him. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Hiroshi said, still chuckling. "You two are just… something else."
"I'm Aiko," the girl said, her smirk softening into a smile. "Nice to see you're not as uptight as you look."
"Uptight?" Hiroshi repeated, feigning offense. "I'll have you know I'm very approachable."
"Yeah, like a porcupine," Daisuke chimed in, grinning.
"Porcupine, huh?" Hiroshi muttered. "Guess I'll have to work on that."
As the banter continued, Hiroshi found himself relaxing. It was strange, being treated like a regular kid after spending so long feeling out of place. For the first time, he felt a glimmer of connection to his classmates.
---
The teacher arrived soon after, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Alright, settle down! Today, we're diving into something exciting: chakra control."
The room erupted in whispers.
"Finally!" Aiko muttered. "Something useful."
"Sensei, can we eat chakra?" a girl asked, tilting her head.
Hiroshi stifled a groan. Here we go again.
"No, you can't eat chakra," the teacher said with practiced patience. "But you can use it to climb walls, walk on water, and perform jutsu."
"Can we use it to fly?" another boy asked eagerly.
Hiroshi shot Daisuke a glance. "Is this normal?"
"Oh yeah," Daisuke whispered back. "Wait till someone asks if you can use chakra to fart louder."
Hiroshi choked on a laugh, earning a sharp look from the teacher. "Something funny, Hiroshi?"
"No, Sensei," he said quickly, straightening up.
"Good. Let's begin."
---
The chakra sensing exercise started simply enough. The teacher instructed them to sit cross-legged, close their eyes, and focus on their breathing.
Hiroshi tried to clear his mind, but the novelty of it all kept distracting him. Around him, kids shifted and fidgeted, some whispering about how boring it was.
"Imagine a small stream," the teacher said soothingly. "Feel it flowing inside you, gathering in your belly like a gentle whirlpool."
Hiroshi took a deep breath and focused. At first, all he felt was his own heartbeat. But gradually, a faint warmth began to stir deep within him.
"Good," the teacher said. "Now let's try the chakra control board. Place it on your palm and focus your chakra into it."
When the small wooden board was passed to him, Hiroshi examined it curiously. The concept made sense—directing energy into a focal point. It reminded him of managing power flow in engineering systems.
He placed the board on his palm and focused on the warmth in his belly. Slowly, he guided it toward his hand. It felt like trying to guide a sluggish current, but he could sense it moving. Then, without warning, the warmth surged.
The board slipped from his hand as an overwhelming wave of sensation crashed over him. Hiroshi gasped, clutching his head as his senses went haywire. He could feel it—chakra—not just his own, but from every student around him. It was as if a hundred streams were swirling in chaotic harmony, their energy brushing against him like ghostly tendrils.
"What—what's happening?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
The sensations grew stronger, the chakra pressing against him from all sides. Panic welled up, and his vision blurred.
"Hiroshi!" the teacher's voice seemed distant as his knees gave way. The world tilted, and darkness claimed him.
---
The first thing Hiroshi became aware of was the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat, resonating through his entire body like a gentle drumbeat. The sensation of his chakra was unmistakable now—warm, fluid, and alive, flowing through him in an endless loop.
Then came the sterile smell of antiseptic, followed by the faint beeping of medical monitors. Slowly, Hiroshi opened his eyes, blinking against the harsh fluorescent light.
"Mom?"
His mother's face hovered above him, her eyes red-rimmed with worry.
"Hiroshi," she breathed, her voice shaky. "You're awake." She leaned down, pulling him into a tight embrace. "You scared me so much. What happened?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "One moment, I was doing the exercise, and the next… everything went crazy."
His mother pulled back, brushing a hand over his forehead. "You need to be careful. I knew they were pushing you too hard."
Before he could respond, the door opened, and a nurse stepped in, clipboard in hand.
"Good to see you awake," she said with a reassuring smile. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, I think," Hiroshi replied cautiously.
"We've reviewed your vitals," the nurse said, scanning her notes. "It seems you experienced a surge in chakra activity. It's rare, but it happens sometimes with children who have a natural talent for chakra sensing. Your body simply couldn't handle the strain."
"Chakra sensing?" Hiroshi's mother asked, her brow furrowing.
"It's a skill some ninja have," the nurse explained. "It allows them to sense the chakra of others, but it's usually something that develops later in life. It's possible Hiroshi has a natural affinity for it."
"Will he be okay?"
"Yes," the nurse assured her. "But I'd recommend he avoid chakra exercises without supervision for now. His chakra reserves are likely underdeveloped."
Hiroshi frowned. That's not it. I know my reserves are fine.
He kept his thoughts to himself, nodding along. "Got it. No unsupervised chakra exercises," he said, his tone a little too innocent.
The nurse eyed him skeptically but let it slide.
---
Back home, Hiroshi retreated to his room, the faint hum of his chakra still swirling in his awareness. He sat on the edge of his bed, the paper he had managed to stick to his forehead earlier resting on the desk beside him. His fingers traced the grain of the wood as his thoughts churned, the weight of the day settling in.
Chakra sensing.
The nurse's words replayed in his mind. If he really did have a talent for it, the implications were massive. Chakra sensing wasn't just some neat trick—it was a foundational skill that could elevate a ninja's potential. He'd read enough in his spare time and recalled from the anime to understand its importance.
Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi himself, had possessed extraordinary chakra sensing abilities, allowing him to read entire battlefields. His brother Tobirama had refined the skill, mastering it to a level that made him a legendary tactician. Even Jiraiya, the toad sage, had relied on sensing chakra to identify threats and allies alike.
The more Hiroshi thought about it, the more he realized how essential the ability was for a ninja. With chakra sensing, one could detect ambushes, gauge an opponent's strength, and coordinate with teammates without words. It was a skill that demanded precision, discipline, and mastery—a far cry from the mechanical engineering Hiroshi had spent his previous life pursuing.
But maybe that's the point, he mused, leaning back against the wall.
His journey had always been about puppetry and engineering, about blending the creativity of invention with the precision of ninja skills. But now, with this newfound awareness of chakra, he couldn't help but wonder: Was he limiting himself by sticking solely to puppets?
Puppetry was an incredible art, but it required meticulous preparation—tools, traps, and strings that could sometimes feel like chains. If he wanted to be truly free to innovate, to think without boundaries, he needed a solid foundation as a ninja. That meant becoming more than just a puppet master.
"Extra skills never hurt," he muttered to himself. "The stronger I am, the more freedom I'll have to push the boundaries of what's possible."
The thought fired him up. If he could master chakra sensing, it wouldn't just make him a better ninja—it would complement his puppetry. Imagine a puppet master who could detect his enemies before they even arrived, who could control the battlefield not just with traps and strings, but with an unparalleled awareness of everything happening around him.
And engineering… oh, the possibilities! What if he could design puppets that amplified his sensing abilities, or devices that worked in tandem with chakra networks? What if he could create something entirely new—something that even the most brilliant engineers of his past life couldn't dream of?
His hands itched to start designing, but Hiroshi forced himself to take a deep breath.
"Baby steps," he reminded himself.
He picked up the paper from the desk and sat cross-legged on the floor. Hesitation flickered in his mind—what if the overwhelming sensation happened again? What if he fainted and scared his mother?
No. He shook his head. He wasn't going to let fear stop him. Carefully, he channeled his chakra into his palm, guiding it like a stream flowing toward a gentle current. The warmth spread smoothly this time, no surges, no chaos. He placed the paper on his forehead and focused.
It stuck.
Not for long—thirty seconds, maybe—but it stayed.
A grin broke across his face. "Not bad."
He tried again, this time managing almost a minute before the paper fluttered to the ground. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress. And with progress came clarity. For the first time, Hiroshi truly felt that his journey wasn't just about survival or fulfilling some arbitrary role in this world.
It was about discovery—of his limits, his creativity, and the endless possibilities that chakra, puppetry, and engineering could unlock together.
As he leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling, he whispered to himself, "This is just the beginning."
And for the first time in a long time, Hiroshi wasn't just hopeful. He was determined.