Early the next morning, Seiji opened his eyes and stretched unconsciously. A series of crackling sounds echoed from throughout his body, like beans popping in a pan.
"Comfortable!"
He came fully awake, clenched his fists, and felt strength surging through his limbs. After a night of deep sleep, his chakra had completely recovered. The weakness from the previous night was gone.
He got up and walked out of his room.
In the hall, Kaguya Genji was already seated at the table.
"Come eat breakfast. After we eat, we'll begin today's lessons," Genji said.
Seiji's awakening—and his extraordinary talent—had brought a faint light back into Genji's bleak world.
In the shinobi world, a land steeped in constant conflict, a man who had just turned thirty was already considered middle-aged. Genji, who had spent years living in numb resignation, had risen unusually early today and even cooked for the first time in years.
It was only simple wild vegetable porridge.
But for Seiji, who hadn't tasted his father's cooking in a long time, it felt like a rare gift.
"Yes, Father!" Seiji quickly sat down. "I'm starting!"
After they finished eating, the father and son cleaned up together and returned to sit across from each other at the table.
"Father…" Seiji's eyes were filled with anticipation.
Genji looked at him and gave a faint smile—an expression that seemed both like laughter and suppressed sorrow.
"I know your heart is full of doubts, confusion, and curiosity. Don't rush. We'll talk slowly."
"As I said last night, this ability is called Shikotsumyaku — the Corpse Bone Pulse. It is a kekkei genkai passed down through generations of the Kaguya clan. However, because it is so powerful, very few members of the clan awaken it. Only those with extremely high talent can."
He paused.
"…No. I don't even know if you can still carry the Kaguya name. Our family has been expelled. That is Father's failure."
Seiji stayed silent.
"Shikotsumyaku allows us to freely manipulate the bones in our bodies for both offense and defense. Anything related to bone—osteoblasts, osteoclasts, calcium concentration—can be controlled without restriction. Bones reinforced with chakra are among the hardest substances in the shinobi world. At least, I've never seen anything harder than my own bones."
"After awakening it, our bodies also gain enhanced self-healing. External injuries recover rapidly."
Genji removed his upper garments. He circulated chakra through his damaged pathways, and several bone spikes began protruding from his chest, back, and arms. With a low growl, he forced them through his skin.
The sight was grotesque.
"This is Shikotsumyaku," Genji said calmly. "Bones can grow from anywhere in our bodies at will. When attacking, they are the sharpest spears. When defending, they are the strongest shields."
He took a breath, suppressing the strain.
"My body was severely damaged in war when I was young. Using chakra is… difficult. Once you master it, bone growth will be nearly instantaneous."
There was resentment in his tone.
"You found the scroll your mother left behind, didn't you? It only contains standard elemental ninjutsu. Your mother did not awaken Shikotsumyaku, so she did not possess its cultivation methods or bloodline techniques."
"Yes, Father," Seiji replied, still processing everything.
Genji retracted the bone spikes back into his body. Then he crossed his arms, gripped two bone protrusions on his forearms, and forcibly pulled them free.
He handed them to Seiji.
The wounds where they had emerged sealed rapidly under chakra.
"Father hasn't given you a proper gift before. I've reinforced these two bone blades with my chakra. Keep them for self-defense."
Seiji's eyes brightened.
"Thank you, Father! I like them very much!"
He carefully stored the bone blades close to his body. It was the first gift he could remember receiving from his father.
Genji's expression darkened.
"Our situation is not good. That damned Kaguya Musashi has men watching us constantly. If he discovers that you awakened your kekkei genkai so early, he will act immediately. I cannot openly teach you ninjutsu."
He sighed heavily.
Genji bit his finger, formed a sequence of hand seals, and pressed his palm against the ground.
"Summoning Technique."
A puff of white smoke dispersed, revealing an ancient ink-colored scroll.
"This is the bloodline scroll passed down through our branch. Since I married the Sixth Elder's daughter, I belong to his lineage. This scroll contains Shikotsumyaku cultivation methods and various ninjutsu and taijutsu that complement it."
"Today, I will teach you the Summoning Technique. Once you learn it, you can summon this scroll anytime. Study far from here. Their primary target is me—they won't focus much on you."
"Come. First, learn the technique."
"Summoning Technique is a type of space-time ninjutsu, roughly C-rank. There are two types."
"The first is blood-contract summoning—used to summon creatures through a signed contract. The size of the summoned creature depends on chakra. We won't discuss that. I never had a summoning contract."
Genji gave a faint smile. Most members of the Kaguya clan preferred close combat. Though they knew various ninjutsu, they rarely relied on them.
"The second is non-contract summoning. It allows you to summon stored objects. That is what we will use."
"Inject your chakra into the formation on the scroll and leave your blood. Later, when you perform the technique, the scroll will be summoned from our branch shrine using your chakra and blood as mediums."
"Boar — Dog — Bird — Monkey — Ram."
"These are the five hand seals. The technique is not difficult. With your talent, you should succeed within a few attempts."
Seiji's eyes sparkled.
This was his first real ninjutsu.
He recalled the seals in his mind, bit his finger as Genji had done, and began forming them clumsily.
Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram.
Chakra flowed rapidly within him. His hands were awkward—it took him nearly five seconds to complete the sequence.
He slammed his palm onto the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
Thick smoke filled the room.
When it cleared, the scroll had shifted from its original location.
Genji's eyes widened.
First attempt.
"Did I succeed, Father?" Seiji asked, barely containing his excitement.
"You did," Genji replied slowly. "On your first try… as expected of my son."
"You can stop supplying chakra now. Let the scroll return."
Seiji did so.
The scroll vanished in another puff of smoke.
Genji nodded.
"Now go. Go far away. Cultivate step by step according to the scroll."
"Yes, Father."
Seiji stood respectfully.