Chapter 61 – The Hidden Spring
Akira froze mid-step, his golden Byakugan flickering awake.
Akira: "Wait… do you feel that?"
Kakashi and Sakumo exchanged a look, sensing nothing at first. But then it came — a subtle hum in the air, like the ground itself was alive.
The three followed Akira deeper into the forest until the trees parted. Before them lay a small spring, glowing faintly with soft blue light. Its surface rippled though no wind touched it.
Kakashi frowned. "That's… not normal water."
Sakumo crouched, dipping his hand in. The warmth surged through him instantly, mending fatigue he hadn't realized he carried. "Incredible… this water restores chakra."
Akira knelt and pressed his palm beneath the surface. His body jolted — not from an increase, but from refinement. His chakra coils tightened, energy flowing sharper and heavier. "No… it doesn't give more. It makes chakra denser. Pure."
Kakashi cautiously stepped in, water lapping at his boots. He gasped as tension left his body in an instant. "It's like all the static in my chakra… just vanished."
They lingered, letting the water's effect wash over them. But after a few minutes, the pressure inside became overwhelming, almost crushing.
Akira panted, stepping back. "It's too much if we stay too long."
Sakumo rose, nodding gravely. "This spring isn't for power. It's for recovery. A sanctuary, not a crutch."
For a while, silence stretched between them, the weight of their discovery heavy. Then, as always, Kakashi broke it.
Kakashi: "So, next time Akira runs out of chakra, we just throw him in here like dirty laundry?"
Akira splashed water at him. "At least I don't yelp when it's cold."
Sakumo chuckled, arms crossed. "This spring may purify chakra… but it won't clean your sharp tongues."
Their laughter filled the clearing, blending with the spring's quiet song. And deep beneath the glowing water, something pulsed once in acknowledgment, as if the spring itself had accepted its new keepers.
---