The first rays of sunlight slipped through the morning mist like shy messengers, brushing the rooftops of Konoha in golden warmth. In the backyard of the Uchiha-Inuzuka residence, a solitary figure moved with mechanical precision up, down, up, down. Kayomi's body was a blur of motion, arms straining against the earth as he pushed through his hundredth push-up.
Sweat clung to his bare back, glinting like dew under the pale light. Each breath was a slow exhale of heat, like embers being fanned. One… two more. He gritted his teeth and pressed on.
From the open kitchen window, his mother's voice rang out calm and strong as always.
"Kayomi, breakfast is ready. Don't make me send Raiga to drag you in."
Kayomi flopped onto his back, chest heaving. "He'd probably enjoy that," he muttered with a grin. His muscles burned, but it was the good kind—the kind that reminded him he was still improving, even if the changes came slower now.
Dragging himself inside, Kayomi wiped the sweat from his brow and padded to the table. Soari was already seated, still in her medic uniform from the night shift, sipping tea with one eye on her son. Across from her sat Akari his eyes tired but proud.
"Morning," Kayomi said, sliding into his seat.
"Morning, pup," Akari replied, ruffling his hair with a calloused hand. "You're up early, again."
"I never stopped," Kayomi mumbled through a mouthful of rice.
Soari narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Instead, she reached over and dropped a perfectly boiled egg onto his plate. "Eat more. You'll burn through it by noon."
As the three of them ate, the conversation shifted to missions and village chatter. Kayomi tuned in halfway through a comment from his mom.
" and folks are calling Team Sakumo the next Sannin," Soari said, voice laced with disbelief and pride. "Some even say that Shisui's genjutsu has Danzo second-guessing his own."
Akari snorted. "If that man has doubts, I'll eat my Katana. Still, they're not wrong. You three are making waves."
Kayomi paused mid-bite. The food tasted good, but the praise left a strange weight in his chest. It wasn't that he disliked recognition. It was just… was he really worthy of it? Shisui had his genjutsu. Mebuki had her poisons and precision. Kayomi? He had power, sure but sometimes it felt like power was all he had.
After clearing the table and giving Raiga and Kazu their morning meat chunks, Kayomi stepped outside again, scarfing down the last of his rice ball as he headed toward the training grounds. His team had a light mission today simple escort for a supply cart leaving through the western gate. Nothing flashy, but enough to keep their skills sharp.
They completed the mission in under an hour, with no ambushes or even a hint of excitement. After saying his goodbyes, Kayomi returned to the woods behind the Uchiha district, his private training ground, shaded by towering trees and blanketed in fallen leaves. The air was still and cool.
He began his solo training, working through standard Uchiha forms swift jabs, powerful kicks, fluid movement drills. But as he moved through them, something began to gnaw at the edges of his mind. His footing felt solid, his transitions sharp… and yet, there were moments half seconds where he felt open.
He stopped. Closed his eyes. Ran through the last sequence again in his head.
Then it hit him.
The Uchiha taijutsu style it was built around the Sharingan. The subtle shifts, the half-fakes, the parries they assumed visual prediction. Without the Sharingan, it was like holding a katana with a dulled edge.
He opened his eyes and growled under his breath.
"No wonder my Taijutsu stat hasn't changed. It's not me it's the style."
Annoyed, he dropped to the ground and sat cross-legged, fingers instinctively reaching up to tug at the bandages around his eyes. He didn't unwrap them, but the gesture grounded him.
Opening his system window, he scrolled to his status page.
[STATUS WINDOW – KAYOMI UCHIHA]
Age: 8
Clan(s): Uchiha / Inuzuka
Special Traits:
Chakra Eater (Lv. 2)
Prodigious Mind (Lv. 5)
Incendiary Chakra (Lv. 5)
Fire Dragon Slayer Magic (Awakened)
Six Eyes (Lv. 6)
Beast Magic (Lv. 9)
---
[STATS]
Chakra Control: High Jonin
Chakra Reserves: High Jonin
Ninjutsu: Mid Jonin
Taijutsu: High Chunin
Genjutsu: Low Jonin
Tracking / Sensory: Low
He frowned.
"Still don't get what Chakra Eater does…" he muttered. "And Beast Magic just leveled up on its own? What did I even do?"
It wasn't fair. He'd spent months training to improve his Six Eyes endless days dealing with nausea, migraines, and overstimulation. But Beast Magic leveled up just by… existing?
As he stared at the screen, his attention drifted back to Taijutsu.
High Chunin.
It wasn't terrible. But not enough. Not anymore.
And now that he knew the Uchiha style was holding him back, he couldn't ignore it.
He folded his arms and sighed.
"If only I had the perfect martial art… One that fit me. Something that used my fire chakra, my instincts, my claws. Something… wild."
He raised a hand and called to the sky, half joking, half begging.
"Oh, wondrous system, can you just give me the perfect martial art?"
The status window blinked. Then, a new screen opened.
[Searching Taijutsu Scrolls…]
[Compiling Results…]
[1 Match Found: Enkōken – Flame Claw Fist]
[Price: 10,000 Points]
Kayomi's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me."