Raizen stands in the middle of a battlefield. His small frame, barely six years old, looks almost out of place amidst the destruction surrounding him. The rain falls, but it's not normal.
No, it's blood—thick and heavy, the droplets leaving dark stains on the ground, mixing with the dirt beneath his feet.
The scent of death lingers in the air, suffocating and metallic, and the ground is littered with bodies.
The remains of those who fell in a fight Raizen cannot remember starting. The corpses are scattered haphazardly, some grotesquely twisted in positions unnatural for the human body.
His wide, golden eyes—too bright for someone so young—scan the destruction. His hair, white as the moonlight, sticks to his forehead from the rain, a stark contrast to the darkness around him.
There's a chill in the air that doesn't come from the downpour, but from something deeper. His heart races, confusion gripping his chest.
A monstrous roar rips through the air, sending a shiver down his spine. It's followed by the sound of heavy footsteps, the ground trembling beneath him.
Before Raizen can even turn around, a massive, four-legged creature emerges from the mist of rain and blood. The beast's body is made of solid chakra—glowing with a faint gold hue, like a living embodiment of the energy Raizen knows all too well.
The creature lowers itself beside him, its head brushing gently against his small frame.
Despite its intimidating size, there's an almost comforting aura surrounding it. The beast wraps its massive paws around Raizen, pulling him into what can only be described as a protective embrace.
Its warmth is a stark contrast to the coldness of the rain, its presence grounding Raizen in a world that is quickly slipping from his understanding.
Raizen doesn't move. His eyes remain wide, filled with shock, his mouth slightly agape as he looks at the carnage he's caused.
His small hands tremble at his sides. The blood on the ground is no longer just rain. It's his fault. It was him.
"How… did this happen?" he whispers to no one, the sound barely audible over the rain.
The beast's presence is strangely soothing, and for a moment, Raizen allows himself to close his eyes.
But before he can truly find solace, he feels a hand on his shoulder, and a voice calls out from behind him.
Raizen looks up, his head tilting back to meet the eyes of a tall, fit man standing in front of him. His features are sharp, his white hair spike up. The man's face is unreadable, as he has a mask on.
"Did you do this?" the man asks, his tone unyielding yet not harsh.
Raizen doesn't answer. His throat feels tight. He doesn't know what to say. The weight of the destruction is suffocating. His thoughts are clouded. His breath quickens.
The man leans down, his hand gently grasping Raizen's small chin, lifting his head so they can meet eye to eye.
"You must learn control," the man says softly, but there's an edge to his words. "This is dangerous. This power… it's not something you can ignore."
Raizen flinches, but before he can respond, the silence is broken.
"Raizen! Hey, Raizen!"
He blinks, and everything changes. The battlefield vanishes, the blood-stained ground and the monstrous creature fading away like a bad dream.
The comforting embrace is gone. The warmth of the beast is replaced with the cool, sterile air of a classroom.
Raizen's eyes flutter open, and he's met with the concerned gazes of his classmates, their eyes wide with curiosity and confusion.
he's slumped over his desk, the soft clatter of his pencil on the desk the only sound in the room. His heart pounds in his chest, but it's not from the aftermath of his nightmare.
It's from the sudden, overwhelming realization that he's not alone.
He looks around, his golden eyes still wide with confusion, and notices the way his classmates are staring at him, some whispering among themselves.
His teacher, Iruka-sensei, stands at the front of the room, his arms crossed with an almost amused expression on his face.
"Raizen," Iruka's voice cuts through the tension, "tomorrow is the graduation exam. You're gonna need to be more focused than this."
Raizen straightens up in his seat, blinking as if trying to shake off the remnants of his dream.
His pupils contract slightly as he meets Iruka's gaze, his golden eyes gleaming for a split second.
He gives a half-hearted nod, his posture shifting into one of nonchalance.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he mutters, resting his chin back into his hand, his elbow propped on the desk. "Already know I'm gonna pass."
Iruka's expression softens, but there's a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "Raizen, you need to take this seriously. This isn't just a test of your skill. It's about proving you've got the discipline to handle the responsibility that comes with it."
Raizen glances around the room, his gaze flitting over his classmates—most of them are busy scribbling notes or preparing for the exam. But Raizen doesn't seem to care.
The pressure of the exam doesn't bother him. It's like it's all a formality, something he has to do to get to the next step.
He leans back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head as a smirk dances on his lips. "Don't worry, Iruka-sensei."
Iruka sighs, but there's a glint of pride in his eyes. He knows Raizen's potential, but he also knows how easily Raizen can become distracted.
"Alright, alright," Iruka says with a small chuckle, walking back to the chalkboard. "Get yourself together, Raizen."
Raizen doesn't say anything. He's still lost in his own thoughts, the memory of the dream lingering in his mind.
He can still feel the weight of the destruction he caused, the overwhelming power coursing through him.
The classroom returns to its normal buzz, with Iruka continuing the lesson and the other students settling back into their routine.
But Raizen remains still, his golden eyes distant, staring out the window as he listens to the world around him.
The power, the destruction, the monsters—it's all in him. And it's growing.