Got it! I'll keep the language sim
Chapter Two: The Unseen Path
The sun had set, casting an orange glow over the village. The children were called in for dinner, their laughter fading as they headed to the large dining room. Riku stood by the window, his mind still focused on the rejection he had received earlier that day. It wasn't that he was angry, but a strange feeling lingered in his chest. He didn't know what it was, but it felt like something had shifted inside him.
"Riku, dinner's ready!" Nono called, her voice warm and familiar.
Riku nodded quietly and walked to the dining room, taking his usual seat at the far end of the table. The other children had already begun to eat, chatting and laughing among themselves. Riku barely noticed the food before him. His thoughts were still consumed by what had happened earlier—the academy, his rejection, and the strange sensation he had felt after it.
As he picked at his food, his gaze drifted to the door, lost in thought.
Why did it feel so... different?
It wasn't the first time he had been rejected. There had been others, of course—times when he had been told he wasn't good enough or didn't belong. But this time, it felt like more. This time, something inside him had... awakened.
The faint warmth in his chest from earlier returned. He tried to ignore it, but it was there, growing stronger.
"Riku, are you okay?" Nono's voice broke through his thoughts, her eyes full of concern.
Riku blinked and looked up. "I'm fine," he replied, his voice calm and steady as always.
Nono smiled gently, though there was a hint of worry in her eyes. "Alright. Just... don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
Riku nodded and returned to his food, though his mind was far away. He had always been good at hiding his feelings, even from Nono. It was easier that way. People couldn't hurt you if you didn't let them see what was inside.
---
Later that evening, after dinner was over, the children gathered in the living room, sitting in their usual places. Riku stood in the back, near the window, looking out at the village. He didn't feel like joining in the conversation or games. His mind was still racing, trying to make sense of what had happened earlier.
He had been rejected. He was being told he wasn't ready for the academy.
Was it really that obvious?
But then there was the other part—this strange sensation in his chest. It wasn't just a feeling; it was something more. Something real.
Riku's fingers twitched as he thought back to the moment he had first felt it. The energy. The power. It was small, almost imperceptible, but it had been there. It had come after Nono's rejection. Could it have something to do with that?
His mind raced. He had no answers. No one had ever taught him about chakra, and even if they had, he didn't know if it was something he could trust. Still, the feeling had been real.
Maybe this is my chance...
Just then, a panel appeared before him, a translucent window floating in the air. It appeared and disappeared so quickly that Riku almost missed it.
What was that?
He blinked, unsure of what he had just seen. The panel had shown a few words, but they were gone too fast for him to make sense of them. His heart skipped a beat. What was going on?
Riku looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but no one seemed to have seen anything. The room was quiet, the children talking and laughing as usual.
He let out a breath, his hands gripping the edge of the window sill. Did it really happen?
The sensation in his chest continued to grow. It was like a faint pulse, like the hum of electricity running through his veins. He closed his eyes, trying to focus, trying to feel it again.
It was there.
The chakra.
It was weak, almost fragile, but it was there. His heart began to beat a little faster, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building inside him.
I need to understand this.
The thought was clear, almost as if it were a part of him, pushing him forward. There was something here, something he didn't fully understand. And he needed to know what it was.
---
The next morning, Riku woke early, long before the other children. The sun had barely risen, and the orphanage was still quiet. He slipped out of bed, careful not to wake anyone, and made his way to the small yard behind the orphanage.
He needed space. Space to think. Space to try and understand the feeling that had been building inside him ever since his rejection.
Riku stood in the center of the yard, the cool morning air brushing against his skin. He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint warmth inside him.
It was chakra, that much was clear. But why now? Why had it awakened after Nono's words?
With a deep breath, he raised his hands, trying to sense the flow of energy. Slowly, he began to guide the chakra, moving it through his body, trying to focus it. It wasn't easy. It was like trying to grasp water with his bare hands—slippery, elusive. But the more he tried, the clearer it became.
The chakra was there. He could feel it.
His hands began to glow faintly, the energy responding to his touch. It was small, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to spark something inside him. The more he focused, the more it grew.
For a moment, he allowed himself to smile, though it was small and brief.
It was the first time he had ever felt something like this. And he knew it wasn't the last.
---
Later that day, Riku returned to the orphanage, his mind buzzing with excitement and questions. He had to keep it to himself for now. No one would understand. No one except...
Nono?
But even she wouldn't be able to explain what was happening. No, this was something he had to figure out on his own.
As the day went on, Riku found himself alone again in his room, pondering his next move. There was so much he didn't know, so much he had to learn. But he was certain of one thing: his life had changed, and he couldn't go back.
He had no idea what would come next, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was on the edge of something important.
And he wasn't going to let it slip away.
---
To be continued...