6: Training Under the Moonlight
The night had fallen over Konoha like a soft shadow.
The streets were quiet, lanterns glowing faintly, and the air was cool. Kanro Sasho could not sleep. His mind was alive with the events of the day—the attack in the alley, the masked figure's words, and the strange pull of the mark on his chest.
He slipped quietly from his room, avoiding his parents' notice. His feet carried him to the training grounds outside the village—a place few dared to come at night. Tonight, he would train alone under the moonlight.
Kanro sat cross-legged at the center of the clearing. He placed both hands over his chest and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, his mind quieted. The faint glow under his skin grew stronger, and his pupils shifted to gold.
"The Path awakens further…", whispered a voice within his mind.
He opened his eyes. The world seemed sharper—he could see the faint trails of chakra in the air, even those hidden deep within the trees. His senses stretched beyond his body.
Tonight's training would be different. This was not physical training alone—it was a test of his Path.
Phase One — Perception
Kanro began by meditating, drawing his chakra inward. His Seer Path let him glimpse seconds ahead—predicting motion, reading intent. He focused on a single target: a wooden dummy in the clearing.
His body moved before his mind gave the order. Punches, kicks, and dodges flowed as if he were reacting to a vision.
Each strike landed with exact force, each movement was flawless. It was not just training—it was a dance of foresight.
Phase Two — Combat Simulation
Kanro shifted his training. He imagined an enemy with unpredictable moves. His vision extended. He saw the attacks before they happened, not as images, but as possibilities.
He practiced against those possibilities:
A fast strike from above → he ducked and swept low.
A spinning kick → he stepped aside and grabbed an imaginary arm.
A flurry of kunai → he shifted into a defensive spin.
His movements became seamless. Every strike and block was already predicted before it came.
Phase Three — Awakening the Second Sense
Kanro pressed further. He pushed his Seer Path beyond perception—into intuition. He focused until the world felt still, until he could sense not just the present, but the feelings of his enemy.
His vision changed. The world dimmed except for glowing lines marking chakra flows. Each flow was a thread of fate—moving, shifting, predicting.
Kanro gasped.
"This… this is another level," he whispered to himself.
He didn't know it yet, but he had touched something deeper—a faint awakening of another Path.
The Arrival of the Unexpected
Kanro was so immersed in training that he didn't notice the sound of footsteps. Soft, measured steps. Until a voice broke the night's silence.
"Kanro Sasho…"
Kanro's eyes snapped open. Standing before him, bathed in pale moonlight, was a figure cloaked in black. His face hidden by a mask, but his presence was unmistakable—silent, ominous.
"Who… who are you?" Kanro demanded, rising.
The figure didn't answer. Instead, he stepped closer, revealing a kunai glowing faintly with chakra.
"You cannot hide from the Paths," the voice said, calm but cold. "Your training has begun… but so has your trial."
Before Kanro could react, the figure vanished into thin air. The clearing was silent again—except for Kanro's rapid breathing and the pounding of his heart.
Kanro touched the mark on his chest. It pulsed stronger than ever.
Tonight, he knew—his training was no longer his own. It was tied to something far greater… and far more dangerous.