(Kai Tokitō's POV - January 7th, Konoha Year 39 - Konoha)
When Dad first left for the war, I heard Mama cry all night. I pretended not to hear so she could keep up the strong image.
I prayed to R.O.B., even to the Sage of Six Paths, to keep him alive, to make sure my prediction was just a silly dream.
It wasn't.
After learning of Dad's victory at the "Battle of Amegakure", and seeing the account of a man named Kenji Watanabe, with the image too.
Seeing the face of the man who was supposed to kill my father, seeing him, confirming he was real was…terrifying.
I now knew my…vision? Was it real? Something had happened to change the original fate of my father. He was supposed to get stabbed in the throat. Instead, he came out as a legend.
It was confirmed that Kenji Watanabe had passed away on the official account. Hell, they even got Yamanaka and other medical ninja to study his body.
But none of that had answered anything. What changed that course of destiny? Was it me? How did I have that dream in the first place? What was Toki no Me?
From the new language I now speak, Toki no Me translates in English to 'Eyes of Time,' but I do not recall anything in fiction with such a name. Except for the Toki Toki no Mi from One Piece, but due to the spelling, it obviously was not the same.
I used context clues, Eyes, so it was obviously a dojutsu like the Sharingan, eyes of TIME, so it had to do with time.
But could I only have futuristic dreams? I had that dream of Minato and Kushina, which had come to pass; I had the dream of my father, which also came to pass.
How did I even unlock it? Did I unlock it?
And who was that voice in the dream? It said "Seven more years". Did I have to wait seven more years until I got answers?
It was all so confusing; it gave me a headache.
I sighed, still in my thoughts as I walked down the Konoha streets, dodging scattered villagers. Mama had sent me out to get groceries for tonight.
My birthday was coming up in a month, February 15th, and I would be three years old.
One more year until I would be able to start to train, to finally be able to do something at least. Would I be talented at being a ninja?
Would I be dead last? A prodigy? Booksmart and useless like Sakura?
Or just a background character? I would want to change the fates of Obito and Rin, but how do I do that if I have no talent?
I bumped into someone and fell flat on my bottom. I rubbed my forehead in pain, 'Ok, note to self, lower pain tolerance as an infant.'
I looked up to see who I bumped into and froze. There was a kid there with bright orange goggles, a mini blue jacket, and black hair. He was on his bottom across from me, also rubbing his head at the same time as I.
'Obito..Uchiha'
"Uh, sorry about that." I stood and held out my hand to him.
Obito gave a full grin and took my hand, helping himself up. "It's alright! My name's Obito Uchiha! You are?"
I blinked in shock 'Right, Obito was enthusiastic and kind when he was a child' I remind myself.
"I'm Kai, Kai Tokitō! Nice to meet you, Obito."
Obito pulled his hand away and, with flushed cheeks, asked, "Hey, do you want to go play at the park with me? I-I don't have anyone to play with."
I blink, slightly guilty. "Sorry, I can't right now, I have to be back home in an hour."
"Oh," He looked disappointed, and my guilt doubled. "How about tomorrow?"
I smiled at that. "Sure! I can ask my mom!"
"Great!" He looked at the time and widened his eyes in worry, "Oh no! I'm late! See ya soon, Kai!" He ran away faster than an Olympic runner from my previous life.
"Jeez," I whispered, "He was late even at this age?"
(An hour later)
I got back to the house, dropping off the groceries in the kitchen and going next door.
Umeko answered the door and smiled when she looked down at me, "Young Kai! Are you here for Anko again?" I nodded with a smile.
"It is nice to see you, Umeko-san," I said when I walked in.
Umeko was dressed in casual clothes, a shirt, and a pair of shorts. She grinned, "It is nice to see you too, Kai. Anko is in her room. Please go ahead."
I walked into Anko's room, and my smile grew warmer when I saw her playing with cubes, with visible confusion on her face. Her head perked up when she saw me, "Kai-nii!"
I laughed at Anko's clumsy speaking; she only began talking a month ago.
I've been babysitting her after my dad left, every single day.
"Anko, what are you doing?" I said softly and helped her with the blocks. She giggled as I made a silly face for her.
"P'aying with my b'ocks!" I grinned,
"Well, I got a few hours, we could play together, okay?"
For the next 2 hours, I played with Anko till she had to take her nap. I left the house after giving Umeko-san a goodbye.
I smiled to myself when I got back to my house. I went to my room, passing my mother's sleeping form in her bed.
I sat down at my desk and opened my book to start studying.
(Kai Tokitō POV - February 7th Konoha Year 39 - Konoha)
Mom has been getting more active lately, spending more and more time in the backyard training, usually I would find her passed out with the area scorched.
She has been having less and less time for me, I guess. I got it, really, I've been worrying about Dad constantly, too.
She's taking her mind off of it with training.
She probably wants to feel stronger. It's what I did in my previous life: study so much, consume so much entertainment, you don't think about your problems.
But it wasn't healthy.
I sighed at the familiar sight and covered her with a blanket. I went to her nearby pouch and paused at the sight of a kunai, and picked it up.
'Well…might as well try, right?'
I looked at the nearest target, a log of wood hung up on a pedestal of stone. I narrowed my eyes at the log, hopped back, and whirled around for striking speed and threw the kunai.
It was clumsy, ridiculous, and barely hit the target, but it nicked the side of it, chipping a piece of wood away.
I blinked that I even hit anything at all. I sighed in mock disappointment.
'Other transmigrators would already be able to kill Madara and have a harem of 500 women, tsk tsk. Maybe I should learn the ultimate cultivation technique of courting death.'
I laughed to myself and went back inside the house.
(Kai's POV - February 15th, Konoha Year 39 - Konoha)
Obito had come late to my birthday party, flushed cheeks and panting, while he handed me a wrapped gift.
Obito and I had grown closer over the past month; in contrast, Toru and I had seen each other less and less.
It made me sad. My first friend was probably not going to be my friend at all.
Obito grinned sheepishly, "Hey, Kai! Nice to see ya!"
I smiled softly and accepted the gift, putting it in the pile as Obito followed me in.
Mom smiled at Obito warmly when she saw him. "Obito, honey, it is so nice to see you. How is your grandmother?"
"Oh, she's ok, Mrs. Tokitō!" Obito cheered.
My birthday was a small affair; only I, Mom, Obito, Umeko, and Anko had come; Dad had sent a letter telling me how much he loved me and how much he wished to be here.
Toru hadn't come. I tried to act like it didn't hurt, but it did.
We began to eat the cake, trading jokes and laughing. Anko kept grabbing her slice with her hands instead of a fork, much to Umeko's dismay.
It was…nice.
I never celebrated any birthday in my previous life; I had no one to celebrate it with anyway, and I didn't even know the date.
We moved on from cake to gift opening. Umeko had gifted me a black jacket with white trimmings, though it was a bit big for me, I still thanked her for it.
Obito had gifted me a photo in a frame, the photo was of Obito and me, grinning with matching red popsicles in our left hands while our right hands were in a peace sign to the camera.
I looked at Obito in surprise. "You said you threw this out."
Obito chuckled sheepishly, "Well, I lied?"
The final gift came from my mom; it was a singular scroll tied in a red ribbon. I opened the scroll to see it filled with words and drawings of people in certain forms.
I blinked at her in confusion.
"It's a training scroll, we aren't going physical yet! Just a few kata for you to be prepared."
I smiled brightly and hugged her, "I love it mama, thank you."
"You're welcome, Kai."
(Kai's POV - March 3rd Konoha Year 39 - Konoha)
I've been practicing the Kata for close to a month now, and it looks to be a mix between Krav Maga and Jiu Jitsu.
It was just the basic forms, but I was obsessed. I practiced every day and night, making my stance more and more refined so I could perfect it.
Just one more year until I can actually start training, till I can get stronger, and protect my loved ones.
One more year.
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A/N:This was my longest chapter yet! Anyway, this is the beginning of Volume 2, where we will finally meet more canon characters, and Kai will begin to get training.
If any of you has thought he will stay weak, not any longer
200 Powerstones for a bonus chapter, go check out my other story 'DC: Shadow King'