Naruto : a hero's journey

Satoru sat in class, barely paying attention to the lesson. Instead, he had one of his medical-nin books open under the desk, scanning through the pages to stave off the boredom.

Tatsuo, sitting next to him, nudged him and whispered, "Where are we going to live after the orphanage shut down?"

Before Satoru could answer, he remembered how Nawaki had helped them. Nawaki had asked his sister, Tsunade, to find a place for the orphans to stay temporarily.

But Satoru had a better solution now. "We can live with Keiko at the Zen'in compound," he whispered back. "She said we could bring two more people with me from the orphanage."

Tatsuo thought about it for a moment, then smiled. "We should bring Dai. He'd bring some life into that big, empty house."

Satoru nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Dai will definitely make things more lively."

After class, the thoughts of finding a home still weighed heavily on Satoru's mind. He felt frustrated with how everything had turned out since Aunty Hana passed away.

Needing to clear his head, he made his way to the training ground and began practicing. He pushed himself harder than usual, letting the physical exertion dull his thoughts. Hours passed, and he didn't stop until night fell, his body drenched in sweat.

Keiko, returning from a D-rank mission, found him passed out on the cold ground. Her heart skipped a beat as she ran to him. Satoru was soaked in sweat, his body shivering uncontrollably in the night air.

"Satoru!" she called out, panic rising in her voice. Without wasting a second, she lifted him and brought him inside the house, laying him down on a warm bed.

Satoru woke up later, feeling disoriented.

He saw a plate of food by his bedside and Keiko, sitting in a chair next to him, holding his hand as she slept.

As he moved slightly, her hand shifted, waking her up. She blinked a few times, then looked at him with deep concern.

"You shouldn't push yourself like that," Keiko scolded softly, though her worry was evident. "I used to do the same thing back then, overworking myself... but it's not worth it."

Satoru sighed, looking away. "I can't help it," he admitted. "If I don't train, I won't stop thinking about her. It's the only way to shut it out." His voice wavered slightly, though he tried to keep his emotions in check.

Keiko's expression softened. She understood all too well what he was going through. "Just… don't hurt yourself in the process, okay?"

It was Saturday, and Satoru stood silently before Aunty Hana's gravestone at the cemetery. He placed her favorite flower on the cold stone, taking a deep breath to steady himself before turning to leave.

As he walked toward the exit, his gaze wandered to the clan cemetery, where several families mourned their lost loved ones.

Among the mourners, Satoru noticed Hiten, the Uchiha boy he had befriended a while ago. Hiten was standing near a gravestone, his expression somber. Satoru walked over to him quietly.

Hiten spotted him and greeted, "Hey, Satoru. What's a nine-year-old doing in a place like this?"

Satoru offered a small nod in greeting. "Aunty Hana died," he said simply, his voice steady but his eyes carrying the weight of the loss.

Hiten's face immediately fell. "Oh… I didn't know. I'm sorry for asking."

"It's fine," Satoru replied, brushing it off. He turned and began to walk away, not really wanting to dwell on the conversation.

Hiten, feeling the awkward silence grow, called out, "Where are you going?"

"To train," Satoru answered without stopping. "I don't have anything else to do."

Hiten looked at him, surprised. "You're going to train? After… all this?"

Satoru finally paused, glancing back. "Yeah. It's the only thing I can do right now." He shrugged, as if there wasn't much else to explain.

Hiten considered it for a moment and then said, "Wait for me. I'll come with you."

Satoru hadn't expected Hiten to join him, but he didn't mind. "Sure," he said.

Hiten walked over to his older brother, who was about 16 or 17 years old. "Aniki, can I go train with Satoru?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

The older Uchiha smiled and ruffled Hiten's hair. "Of course, just don't overdo it," he said, his tone light-hearted. Hiten blushed in embarrassment, not thrilled about being treated like a kid in front of Satoru. His brother chuckled at his reaction and then glanced at Satoru, giving him a respectful nod.

Satoru, recognizing the gesture, bowed politely in return.

With the small exchange done, Satoru and Hiten left the cemetery together, heading for the training grounds.

"So," Hiten said as they walked, "what kind of training do you usually do?"

Satoru thought for a moment. "Mostly jutsu practice, What about you?"

"I've been working on my shuriken techniques lately," Hiten replied. "But I wouldn't mind sparring today if you're up for it."

Satoru nodded, "Yeah, let's spar."

Satoru and Hiten faced each other in the training ground, the air tense with anticipation. The two boys circled each other. Satoru moved first, darting forward with a quick jab aimed at Hiten's midsection.

Hiten sidestepped effortlessly, using his agility to slip behind Satoru and launch a low sweeping kick aimed at his legs.

Satoru jumped just in time, dodging the kick. "Your brother... he seems strong," Satoru said between breaths as he regained his footing, launching a counter-attack with a flurry of quick strikes.

Hiten blocked the hits with ease, his arms moving fluidly to deflect each punch. "Hajime-nii? Yeah, he's a genius." Hiten ducked under a punch and retaliated with a quick jab to Satoru's side, catching him off guard. "Unlike me."

Satoru stumbled back slightly, recovering quickly. "Genius, huh?" He dashed in again, this time aiming a kick toward Hiten's ribs, only for Hiten to catch his leg and twist, forcing Satoru to flip away to avoid being thrown.

"What makes him so special?"

Hiten smirked, though there was a trace of bitterness in his voice. "He awakened his Sharingan while still at the academy." He darted forward, his fist narrowly missing Satoru's face as the boy ducked. "And not just that—he has the 3-tomoe Sharingan now."

Satoru blinked, taking a moment to consider that. "3-tomoe? Is that rare?" He parried Hiten's next strike with his forearm, wincing slightly at the force.

Hiten nodded, his movements sharper now, clearly more invested in the conversation. "Most Uchiha awaken it in adulthood. Hajime-nii awakened the third tomoe at 14."

He spun on his heel, aiming a spinning back-kick at Satoru, who blocked it but was pushed back by the force. "I haven't even activated mine yet."

Satoru could see it in Hiten's eyes—the jealousy, the frustration. It was written on his face as clear as day.

'Classic younger brother jealousy,' Satoru thought, recognizing the familiar sibling dynamic.

But instead of dwelling on it, Satoru decided to test something. He began channeling chakra into his body, focusing it on his muscles. He felt the familiar surge of energy, though it was still unstable.

His body trembled slightly as the chakra flowed through him, but he managed to maintain control. His strikes became faster, more powerful.

Hiten's eyes widened as he noticed the sudden shift. He barely dodged Satoru's next attack, rolling to the side. "What the—?"

Satoru grinned, launching a punch toward Hiten's chest. "You were distracted. Focus on me, not your brother." His chakra-enhanced fist hit harder than usual, forcing Hiten to stumble back.

Hiten's expression hardened. Feeling Satoru's strength increase, he realized he couldn't afford to hold back anymore. The sparring match had shifted, and he had to give his full attention to Satoru. "You're right," Hiten muttered, his tone serious now. "I can't lose focus."

He quickly closed the distance, throwing rapid punches that Satoru barely managed to block. "I'll show you I'm not just Hajime's little brother!"

"Good! Show me what you've got!"

The fight between Satoru and Hiten had reached a boiling point. Hiten, now more emotional, clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his frustration.

'Losing to a 9-year-old... what would Hajime think of me?' The thought gnawed at him. With that in mind, Hiten also channeled chakra into his body, his movements becoming faster, more aggressive.

Satoru was barely able to keep up. Hiten's strikes were relentless, and every punch Satoru blocked sent shockwaves through his arms. He was desperate, searching for any weakness in Hiten's form.

His eyes caught an opening in Hiten's stance, and without thinking, Satoru surged forward, aiming for the gap.

Just as he threw his punch, his chakra went haywire. His muscles seized up, painful spasms rippling through his body. "Ahhhh—!" he grunted as he collapsed to the ground, his body momentarily out of control.

Hiten stopped recognizing the mistake made in chakra control, eyes wide with shock. "You... you can use chakra augmentation?" he stammered, stepping back as Satoru writhed on the ground.

Satoru lay there, his breath ragged, his muscles burning from the strain. But after a few minutes, the pain subsided, and his body relaxed.

Slowly, he got up, dusting himself off as though nothing had happened.

Hiten approached him cautiously. "Thank you, Satoru."

Satoru blinked in confusion. "For what?"

Hiten took a deep breath, a hint of relief in his voice. "I was too focused on my brother. I wasn't paying attention to the spar. But you... you helped me clear my head. I let out all those feelings in the fight." His voice softened, and Satoru could see the weight lifting off his shoulders.

As Hiten spoke, Satoru finally noticed something different about him. His eyes—red, with a single tomoe spinning slowly in each. Satoru's eyes widened in realization. "Your eyes... the Sharingan!"

Hiten blinked, then wiped his face, noticing the tears he hadn't even realized he was shedding. He smiled through them, a mix of joy and disbelief on his face. "I did it... I awakened it."

At that moment, Hajime, Hiten's older brother, appeared behind him in a flicker of speed. He ruffled Hiten's hair with a proud smile. "You finally did it, little brother."

Hiten looked up at him, tears of joy still in his eyes. "I did, Hajime-nii!"

Hajime turned to Satoru, his smile softening. "Thank you, Satoru. You helped him break through that barrier." He paused, studying Satoru for a moment. "One piece of advice, though. Don't use your chakra like a weapon, forcing it like you did. Let it flow naturally. After all, chakra is a part of you."

Satoru nodded, absorbing the advice as Hajime gave him a respectful bow before flickering away with Hiten.

A short distance away from Satoru, Hajime and Hiten walked side by side in silence until Hajime spoke. "That boy, Satoru... tell me about him, would you?"

Hiten nodded, glancing at his brother. "He's not like anyone else. He's got so many talents, and it's like he's... fearless."

Intrigued, Hajime raised an eyebrow. "Fearless? What exactly do you mean by that?"

Hiten chuckled softly, recalling their spar. "He took chakra-augmented punches straight to the face—without flinching—just to land a hit of his own.

Most people would back off, but Satoru... he didn't. He just kept going. It's like pain doesn't scare him."

Hajime let out a low laugh, clearly impressed by the boy's grit. "Now that's rare. Make sure you keep him as a friend, Hiten. Don't look down on him, not like some of the others do to civilians. He's got strength you don't see every day."