I looked down at my hands, flexing my fingers. A faint red aura surrounded me, warm and comforting. The chakra felt different from anything I'd seen in the anime—purer, almost alive.
Before I could test my abilities, a scream cut through the air.
"Help!"
Turning toward the voice, I saw a child stumbling through the forest. He couldn't have been older than eight, his face streaked with dirt and tears. Behind him, three men in dark armor closed in, their red Sharingan eyes glowing like predators in the night.
"The Uchiha," I muttered, my fists clenching.
Without thinking, I stepped forward, chakra flaring to life around me. The Spirit of Fire materialized beside me—a hulking figure of molten flames and glowing embers, its presence radiating heat that warped the air.
The Uchiha stopped dead in their tracks, their Sharingan spinning wildly as they tried to analyze my aura.
"What kind of jutsu is this?" one of them demanded.
"It's not jutsu," I said, smirking. "It's shamanism."
The Spirit of Fire roared, its flames spreading outward in a wave. The Uchiha barely had time to react before the ground beneath them erupted, forcing them to scatter.
One of them lunged at me, kunai aimed for my throat. I sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing his wrist and channeling fire chakra into my palm. The kunai melted instantly, and the man yelped in pain as I threw him to the ground.
"Pathetic," I said, shaking my head.
The remaining two Uchiha exchanged nervous glances before retreating into the forest. Smart move.
---
As the Spirit of Fire faded, I turned back to the boy, who was staring at me with wide eyes.
"Who… who are you?" he stammered.
I knelt down, offering a small smile. "The name's Hao. And you're safe now."
Before I could say more, the ground shook, and the sound of marching footsteps filled the air.
A new group of warriors emerged from the trees, their armor bearing the mark of the Senju.
"Oh, come on," I groaned. "Can't a guy catch a break?"