Chapter 8 - chapter 8

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That night, Megumi lay awake in his futon, staring blankly at the ceiling. The village outside was quiet, but inside his head, thoughts clashed and roared like a storm.

"System," he whispered into the stillness.

[Yes, Host?]

"What's the difference between chakra and my cursed energy?"

The reply came sharp and detached, echoing coldly in his mind:

[Chakra is the harmony of physical and spiritual energy. Cursed energy, however, is born from negative emotions fused with innate vitality. The two were never meant to coexist.]

[Your reserves are infinite, but your body is still maturing. Forcing too much power through it now will irreparably damage your life force.]

Megumi's fingers tightened around the blanket. A knot of unease coiled in his stomach. "…So I'm strong, but fragile."

[Correct. Control is everything. Without it, you're nothing more than a candle burning at both ends.]

He let out a slow breath, the weight of the words sinking deep. Infinite energy sounded intoxicating, like an easy answer to every problem, yet the warning was clear—power without discipline would destroy him. He had to master it, not drown in it.

---

The next morning, Megumi pulled on a black long-sleeved shirt and matching pants. He stopped at the mirror, smirk tugging at his lips. "Wow… I'm actually cute." Running a hand through his spiky hair, he let the fleeting vanity comfort him.

"Let's go, Megumi," his mother's voice called from the hall.

He darted to her side, clutching her hand.

The Hokage building was a sea of people—colorful kimonos, laughter, the smell of grilled skewers blending with the hum of excitement. Kaede maneuvered gracefully through the crowd until she stopped at a busy food stall, the grill sizzling with mouthwatering smoke.

"So… why are we here again?" Megumi asked flatly, clearly unimpressed by the noise.

"We're celebrating the new Hokage's appointment, silly," Kaede replied, smiling softly.

"…Great. What's next?"

Kaede sighed, equal parts affection and frustration. "Megumi, what is your goal in life?"

"That's easy. Eat, sleep, repeat."

Her lips twitched. For a moment, she considered smacking him right there in front of everyone.

Onstage, Minato Namikaze stood bathed in sunlight, his golden hair gleaming as he was officially named the Fourth Hokage. His voice carried the conviction of the "Will of Fire," a promise to protect the village and its future. The crowd roared with hope.

Megumi yawned.

As they turned to leave, they crossed paths with an Uchiha family.

"This guy looks familiar…" Megumi muttered, staring at a boy his age whose calmness felt unnatural, like a sheathed blade waiting to be drawn.

"Itachi, let's go," said a stern man, stepping protectively in front of the child. His presence radiated power.

"You're strong," Itachi said suddenly, his gaze locked on Megumi, expression unreadable.

"Huh?" Megumi glanced behind him, then pointed at himself. "…Me?"

"Yes."

Megumi shrugged. "Sorry, not my type." With that, he jogged back to his mother, dismissing the boy who reeked of the same suffocating "Will of Fire" he despised—a false warmth masking fanatic devotion.

Afterward, the man's expression hardened. "Why ask for his name?" he asked lowly.

Itachi's dark eyes lingered on Megumi's retreating back. "I can't sense chakra from him… but my instincts are telling me to run."

---

Later, Megumi found Kaede inside a ramen shop. A tense man sat beside her, stiff and uneasy.

"Megumi, come sit," Kaede said with a strained smile.

He slid in, expression cold. "Who is he? What does he want?"

The man—Sarutobi Masuro—blanched instantly. Memories crashed back: two years bedridden, the pain this boy had inflicted on him. His jaw clenched, but fear won. "Kaede, we'll… talk later." He stood abruptly and stormed out.

"Jealous, are you?" Kaede teased lightly.

Megumi's mask cracked. "…If that makes you happy."

The ramen shop owner chuckled as he set down a steaming bowl. "Then maybe you should always protect her."

Megumi leapt onto the table, fists raised. "Of course I'll protect her—with my life!"

"Sit down!" Kaede hissed, dragging him back into his seat, face burning with embarrassment.

"Sorry," he mumbled, scratching his head.

---

"We're heading to your uncle's compound. The Nara are hosting a celebration," Kaede said once they left.

The courtyard was alive with laughter, lanterns glowing warmly over roasted meat and drink.

"So noisy…" Megumi muttered.

"Don't be rude," Kaede scolded. "These are your family."

"They don't even like me," he shot back, the words edged with quiet hurt.

Before she could answer, Shikaku Nara approached with an amused grin. "Sharp tongue, huh? You'll fit right in."

Kaede bowed politely. "Thank you for having us."

They followed him deeper inside, where clan heads conversed—Inoichi Yamanaka, Chōza Akimichi, Sarutobi Asuma. Their presence pressed on Megumi, but their power felt alien to him—the strength of a village he did not belong to.

He greeted no one but his uncle's wife before heading off. "Mom, I'll grab some meat."

Kaede nodded knowingly. "Be safe."

"Divide—Dog."

Two wolves of living shadow materialized from Kaede's feet, their forms sleek and solid, eyes glowing with spectral light. A ripple of shock spread among the clan heads.

Megumi walked ahead, flanked by the silent predators.

"System," he muttered. "You've been quiet."

[Just trying to keep Host from looking insane in public.]

"…Thanks."

---

Nearby, Kaede sat with Yoshino Nara.

"Are you teaching him kenjutsu?" Yoshino asked, her tone laced with concern.

"Yes. He's more comfortable with a blade," Kaede admitted, pride flickering in her eyes. "I just hope he finds passion beyond being lazy."

"He doesn't forget pain easily," Yoshino said, meaning heavy in her words. "But won't training him put him in danger after… that incident? I don't want him consumed by revenge."

Before Kaede could reply, Shikaku joined, followed by Chōza and Inoichi.

Inoichi spoke first. "He doesn't seem afraid. There's no fear in him at all—only cold defiance."

They fell silent, unsettled by the boy who remained a puzzle none of them could solve.

Later, as the guests departed, only Shikaku, Yoshino, and Kaede remained under the moonlight.

"I once tried Shadow Possession on him," Shikaku admitted, sipping his drink. "It didn't work. And I know he's the one who attacked an Anbu on the Hokage Monument—while wearing your mask, Kaede."

Kaede's face was calm but resigned. "It's true. His has no chakra…

---

Far away, in a sterile laboratory, a man flipped through a file, lips curling into a sinister grin. Machines hummed around him, casting eerie shadows.

"A kekkei genkai that summons without chakra… fascinating," he whispered, eyes alight with mania. His tongue darted across his lips as he leaned closer to the holographic image of kaede.

"The perfect vessel. Raw power unshackled by chakra's limits. With this, I'll create the ultimate life form. I will remake the world in my image."