And thought,
"Yup. That's our Indra. Always five steps ahead."
Ashura was still gushing like a fanboy beside him, while the disciples bombarded Indra with questions. Father stood with a thoughtful expression, arms crossed, probably already planning to turn this into a part of his teachings.
Meanwhile, I?
I stepped a few meters away from the group, crouched near a tree stump, and thought:"I do remember some handsigns from canon... Ox, Boar, and Ram. Let's see what they do."
I raised my hands and took a deep breath.
First: Ox.Second: Boar.Third: Ram.
I focused my chakra like Father taught us. A warm, tingling sensation swirled in my stomach and flowed up through my arms.
Nothing happened.
I blinked.
...Still nothing.
"Hmm… did I mess up the order?" I whispered to myself, glancing over to make sure no one was watching.
I tried again.
Ram, Ox, Boar."Still nothing."
Then I tried just Ram and focused on pushing chakra outward.
A spark.
Just a faint spark in the air near my palm, like static discharge.
I grinned. "Aha. Progress."
It wasn't flashy like Indra's fire, but hey—I didn't spontaneously combust either, so that's a win.
"Maybe… each sign corresponds to a certain nature or flow of chakra," I muttered thoughtfully, brushing my hand on my clothes. "Guess I'll have to experiment more."
Then I observed Indra and how everyone was bombarding him with questions and Indra explaining about hand signs and stuff.
I stood there with Hagoromo on the side.
"Danava, are you not interested in what Indra has done?" asked Hagoromo.
"I'm, Father, but I can be patient about it. I will learn it eventually."
Hagoromo let out a soft hum, watching Indra with a mixture of pride and curiosity. "You've always had a different way of approaching things, Danava. Not rushed. Not impatient. That's good."
I kept my arms folded, my eyes still on Indra as he continued to show others the hand signs. Everyone was amazed, and it was clear Indra was enjoying the attention—not in an arrogant way, but proud of his discovery.
"It's impressive," I admitted, "But I want to understand the 'why' behind it. Why those hand signs? Why did they activate that fire? If I just copy without knowing, it won't help in the long run."
Hagoromo gave a light nod. "That's wisdom beyond your years. Perhaps you and Indra will take different paths, but both will be equally important."
Ashura ran up to us, panting slightly. "Elder brother Danava! Indra showed me how to do the Boar sign, and I think I felt something warm in my hand!"
I ruffled his hair. "Try not to blow yourself up."
"I won't!" he grinned, running back again.
I glanced back at Hagoromo. "I'll try it soon too. But for now… I'm still connecting the dots."
"Take your time," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You may end up discovering something the others overlook."
I smiled faintly.
And after a few days following the invention of ninjutsu hand signs, something remarkable became clear—anyone with enough determination could tap into their chakra.
It didn't require being a prodigy like Indra or having the wild stamina of Ashura. No, chakra responded to intent, focus, and will. Even the regular disciples who trained under Father were now starting to use it in small, practical ways.
I saw some using chakra to water crops—channeling their energy into the earth, pulling moisture from the soil or guiding streams with precision. It wasn't flashy, but it was meaningful. Chakra was slowly becoming a part of daily life.
As for me, I stood off to the side under a tree, fingers moving slowly through a sequence of hand signs. Ram… bird… horse… tiger. The patterns weren't exact replicas of Indra's, but close enough to trigger some response.
I exhaled and focused.
Wind chakra. I want to try wind.
A small current stirred around my fingertips—subtle, but it was there. Like the breeze before a coming storm.
I narrowed my eyes and tried again, hands steady. This time, a sharper gust swirled around me, rustling nearby leaves.
A grin tugged at my lips.
Many disciples were practicing diligently, mimicking Indra's hand signs or experimenting with their own sequences. It was a chaotic but inspiring sight—energy swirling, sparks flickering, some even trying to combine elements. Chakra had become the foundation of something new.
Father stood with Indra nearby, observing quietly with arms crossed, occasionally nodding in approval or giving advice. Indra, always calm and composed, watched the disciples intently, offering corrections and guidance like a natural leader.
Meanwhile, Ashura was off to the side, trying his best to focus. He stood in front of a thick wooden log, took a deep breath, and began forming hand signs.
"Ram, boar, tiger…" he mumbled.
His chakra flared around his hands—raw, untamed, brimming with power. With a loud shout, he slammed his hands forward.
A burst of chakra shot out… but it wasn't controlled.
BOOM!
The log exploded into uneven chunks, and the backlash of the chakra wave knocked Ashura off his feet, sending him tumbling back with a surprised yelp.
Me and Indra immediately rushed to his side.
"Ashura! Are you okay?!" I shouted, kneeling beside him.
Indra helped him sit up, worry in his eyes. "That was reckless, you should have focused more!"
Ashura winced, rubbing his back. "Ow… haha… I'm okay, I guess. But that was kinda awesome, right?"
I blinked, then sighed. "You really are something else."
Indra chuckled softly. "Next time, try not to blow yourself up."
Ashura just grinned wide, despite the small bruises. "No promises!"
Then Indra quietly got up and walked back toward Father, his steps slow, eyes distant as if his mind were elsewhere. He stood beside Hagoromo, arms crossed, watching the disciples continue their training. Some were forming hand signs, others just channeling chakra directly, while a few were trying to cut rocks or shape fire and water.
"Indra, your invention has transformed Ninshu to an incredible extent," Hagoromo complimented, his voice calm yet proud. "With these hand signs, people are now able to shape chakra more efficiently and communicate their intent through form. It's a revolution."
Indra nodded slowly, but his expression didn't brighten.
"Using chakra and training... it used to be a lot more spiritual experience," he muttered, eyes scanning the disciples. "It was about connecting… understanding yourself, others, the world. But now…"
He trailed off, thoughtful.
Indra turned to Father, his face calm but his eyes serious.
"Father," he said, voice steady, "I will leave for now. I want to train on my own… behind the mountain."
Hagoromo looked at him for a moment before giving a slow nod. "Very well, Indra. Follow where your heart guides you—but do not lose yourself in solitude."
Indra nodded in silence and began walking away, the wind gently blowing his hair as he passed by. I watched his back as he left, a strange feeling rising in my chest.
"Looks like things are starting to move," I muttered under my breath.
Ashura, now recovered, tilted his head. "Where's Elder Brother going?"
"Behind the mountain to train alone," I replied. "Let him be. He's thinking a lot these days."
"Mn… hope he's okay," Ashura said softly, looking toward the distance.
I didn't say anything back. I was thinking the same thing.
Then I again sat back under the tree, the shade cool against my skin, but the thoughts swirling in my mind felt anything but calm.
"Hm... Now how the hell do I get stronger?"
I muttered, wiping the sweat off my forehead and letting out a dramatic sigh. A smile, the kind you get when you're completely done for, crept onto my face.
"Indra was well on his way to unlocking his Susanoo, a terrifying power capable of tearing through mountains, and Ashura? Well, he'd eventually unlock his Wood Release and become that legendary Buddha with a thousand hands. As for me? I couldn't help but think—what did I have? No obvious kekkei genkai or anything that would let me summon a giant to fight for me."
I shook my head in frustration.
"I haven't even shown signs of having any kekkei genkai that'll make me stand out."
"This was a problem. Sure, I had chakra, I had training, but compared to Indra and Ashura, it felt like I was just… average. If this goes on my decendants would become the weakest of the three. I mean yeah not everyone would awaken the mangekyou or wood release but what about when Hashirama and Madara are born? If I did't possessed any strong bloodline then they would be doomed even if i reincarnate there myself i would be doomed Hashirama may show my decendants mercy with his peace loving attitude but Indra's reincarnation? My decendants are done."
I clenched my fists.
"No. I can't stay average. Not when the world's about to change."
I glanced back toward the direction Indra had gone. Maybe the answers weren't in strength alone. Maybe the path to greatness wasn't just about a powerful bloodline. It had to be about purpose, about what I was willing to create with what I had.
"Alright... time to figure this out," I said to myself, standing up and dusting myself off. "Even if I don't have a kekkei genkai, I'll find my own way."