Chapter 1: A World Without Logic
Ren Takasugi didn't belong in this world.
He had known that since the moment he could walk.
As a child, he saw shinobi leaping between rooftops, wielding flames from their palms, and summoning creatures out of thin air. But when he asked how they did it, the answer was always the same: "It's chakra, of course."
Chakra—the mystical energy that defined the shinobi world. A force so fundamental that people didn't question its existence, only their own ability to wield it. But Ren? He couldn't sense it, couldn't feel it, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't mold it.
Because he had none.
But in exchange, he had something else.At six years old, he lifted a wooden cart off a trapped shopkeeper. By eight, he outran a ninja on foot. By ten, he crushed a kunai between his fingers.
And when the Academy instructors demanded he perform the simplest jutsu—Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, Substitution Technique—he failed every single time.It made no sense to them.And this world hated what it didn't understand.
The Academy Years
"You're a lost cause, Takasugi."
Ren sighed as he stood in the middle of the training field, watching Instructor Mizuki scowl at him. Around them, the other students whispered among themselves.
"He's never passed a single ninjutsu test."
"How does someone like him even stay in the Academy?"
"I heard his parents aren't even ninja. He's just a dumb civilian."
Ren tuned them out. He wasn't here for their approval.He crouched slightly, planting his feet in the dirt. The wooden training dummy in front of him was nothing special—just a stand-in target for taijutsu practice."Again," Mizuki ordered. "Transform into the Hokage."Ren exhaled slowly.He didn't even try.The moment he molded his non-existent chakra, nothing happened. No smoke, no illusion, nothing. Just silence.Mizuki scoffed. "As expected. A failure like you—"
Boom!
The dummy exploded into splinters.In the time it took to blink, Ren had crossed the field, his fist caving into the wooden target. The sheer impact sent a shockwave through the ground, scattering dust and debris.The students froze. Even Mizuki stared, dumbfounded.Ren shook the splinters from his knuckles and turned back to the instructor.
"Do I pass now?"
Mizuki's face twitched. "That—That wasn't the test!"Ren sighed. Of course not.Ninjutsu ruled this world. No matter how strong he was, it didn't matter if he couldn't manipulate chakra. His skills—his power—didn't fit within the shinobi system.
And yet…
As he looked around, some students weren't mocking him.
One boy with spiky blonde hair grinned wildly. "That was awesome!"
Naruto Uzumaki.
Ren smirked slightly. "Glad someone appreciates it."
"Appreciate it? That was badass! You gotta teach me how to punch like that!"
Before Ren could answer, another voice cut in.
"Hmph. It's just brute force."
Ren turned to see a dark-haired boy standing with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Sasuke Uchiha.
The so-called "prodigy" of their class. The one everyone compared themselves to.
Ren met Sasuke's gaze evenly. "Brute force is still force. I don't see you volunteering to take a hit."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
Ren took that as a victory.
A Different Path
That night, Ren stood on the rooftop of his small apartment, staring at the moonlit village below. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the wooden sword at his waist.
It wasn't a ninja weapon. It wasn't even finely crafted. But it was his.
Ren took a deep breath.
"Clear blue sky."
He stepped forward—his sword cutting through the air in a perfect arc. His muscles moved with instinct, his breath steady, his focus absolute.
This wasn't chakra.
This was something deeper. Older. Engraved into his very being.
Sun Breathing.
He didn't know why he had it, or how he understood it. It was simply a part of him.And soon, he would show the world that power didn't have to come from chakra alone.No matter what the shinobi system believed.