Chapter 3 – The Path of Shinobi
Time did not stop for anyone, not even three young boys destined for greatness.
By the time the Hiwatari triplets were approaching five years old, their lives had changed completely. Childhood laughter still echoed through their home, but now it was mixed with the sweat and effort of daily training.
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🥋 The Beginning of Training
"From today onward," Hari said firmly, standing before his three sons in the backyard, "you'll begin the path of a shinobi. Strength isn't built overnight — it's built step by step."
And so it began.
Every morning, before the sun climbed over the rooftops, Yuva, Tenzo, and Daichi ran laps around the garden. They did push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups until their small arms burned. They learned how to fall correctly, how to balance their weight, and how to control their breathing — the fundamentals of taijutsu.
It was exhausting, painful, and difficult. But none of them quit.
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⚔️ Wooden Blades and Iron Fists
One afternoon, after weeks of conditioning, Yuva approached his father.
"Otou-san… can I have a wooden sword?"
Hari raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Hmm. Ambitious already? Very well."
He returned with two practice swords, handing one to Yuva and one to Tenzo. "If you wish to wield a blade, learn its discipline first. Swordsmanship isn't about swinging wildly — it's about control, patience, and precision."
Under Hari's watchful eye, the brothers began their first basic sword drills — diagonal slashes, thrusts, footwork, and defensive stances. At first, they stumbled and fumbled, but day by day, their movements grew sharper.
Daichi, however, wasn't interested in swords. His fiery personality pulled him toward something more direct.
"I want to fight with my fists," he declared.
Hari nodded, handing him a pair of small brass knuckles. "Then you'll learn taijutsu in close combat. It's just as deadly as a sword in the right hands."
And so Daichi began his own training path, learning how to punch, dodge, and close distance with swift footwork.
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📚 Books, Boredom, and Resolve
Six months passed. Their stamina and endurance grew. Their muscles hardened. Yuva and Tenzo could now wield their wooden swords with proper form, and Daichi's fists packed surprising strength.
They even began sparring — clumsy at first, but improving with every bout.
But training wasn't just about the body.
Tenzo spent his free time reading basic medical texts. He was fascinated by how chakra could heal wounds and save lives. It wasn't easy — the diagrams and theories were complicated — but he refused to give up. His calm, focused nature suited the patience a medic-nin needed.
Yuva, meanwhile, focused on fūinjutsu — sealing arts. The books were long, dry, and confusing, filled with formulas, symbols, and theories that made his head ache.
This is so boring… but I have to learn it, he told himself, forcing his eyes to stay open and his mind focused. If he could master sealing, it would give him control over space, chakra, and maybe even the power hidden inside him.
Daichi, as always, had no interest in books. He preferred punching trees outside until his knuckles ached — and somehow, that suited him perfectly.
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🩹 A Family Shaped by War
Life at home changed too. Their mother Yuki, once an active kunoichi, now worked as a medical ninja at the village hospital. With rising casualties and small skirmishes flaring along the borders, she often returned home exhausted, sometimes not at all until dawn.
Their father Hari, a special jōnin, was gone even longer — traveling for weeks at a time on intelligence missions. War was not yet at Konoha's gates, but its shadow had already reached them.
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📜 Chakra Affinity and Hidden Potential
One day, Hari returned home with three small slips of chakra paper.
"Here," he said, handing one to each son. "It's time you learned your chakra natures."
The results surprised them all.
Yuva's paper split and became wet — Lightning and Water. A rare and powerful combination.
Tenzo's paper tore and burned — Wind and Fire. Swift and destructive.
Daichi's paper crumbled, scorched, and dampened — Earth, Fire, and Water. A versatile trio suited for offense, defense, and support.
Yuva's eyes lit with determination. I have to master this. All of it.
He hurried to the village library, poring over scrolls about elemental chakra training. The first lesson was clear: before learning elemental techniques, chakra control must be perfect. Tree walking. Water walking.
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🌳 Teaching the Basics
"I've already mastered tree walking in secret," Yuva thought. "Now it's time to teach Tenzo and Daichi."
He led his brothers to the forest behind their home. "Focus your chakra into your feet," he explained patiently. "Start slow. Don't rush."
At first, both failed repeatedly, slipping off tree trunks and falling into the dirt. But after hours of effort, something clicked. They began to stick — wobbly, unsteady, but successful.
By noon, exhausted and sweaty, they returned home. Their mother was asleep on the couch, drained from a long night at the hospital. Quietly, Yuva prepared a simple meal — noodles, egg omelet, and milk — and left a plate for her. He had been cooking since he was four and a half; this was nothing new.
Over the next two weeks, the brothers mastered tree walking, and then they moved on to water walking. It was far more difficult — chakra fluctuated, surfaces shifted, and they fell repeatedly. But they didn't stop.
After two weeks, all three could stand on water.
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⚡ A Dangerous First Step
With their chakra control now strong, Yuva decided it was time to attempt something far more ambitious — something no one had taught him.
I'll try to touch the nature energy sealed inside me.
He sat alone under the shade of a tree, closed his eyes, and began to meditate. Slowly, carefully, he reached inward. At first, nothing happened.
Then — something stirred.
A strange, foreign energy flowed into him. It was vast, heavy, and ancient — a force far beyond ordinary chakra. His heartbeat quickened as power surged through his body.
And then, his instincts screamed.
Danger…!
His skin tingled. Then it hardened. Tiny patches of stone crept up his arm. His body was slowly turning to stone.
Stop! Stop! Stop!
With all his willpower, he severed the connection. The flow of energy ceased, and his skin returned to normal. His breathing was ragged, sweat dripping down his face.
I almost died… just from touching it.
The experience left him shaken but wiser. The power inside him was real — and terrifying. Until he was far stronger, even a fraction of it could kill him.
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That night, as the three brothers slept soundly, Yuva stared up at the ceiling. The path of a shinobi was hard and full of danger — but he was ready to walk it, step by step.
He had nearly turned to stone. He had almost died.
But he had survived.
And that meant one thing:
One day, he would master the power of nature itself.