章節 20: Threads of Fate

Six months at the Academy, and I still couldn't believe this was my life. Ninja school. Me, a five-year-old with the mind of an adult, pretending to learn how to throw sharp objects and manipulate metaphysical energy. If my past self could see me now, he'd think he'd gone off the deep end.

But here I was, perched on a tree branch overlooking the Academy training grounds, watching my classmates spar. My fingers absently scratched behind Akamaru's ears as I observed, planned, calculated.

Naruto was struggling again, his form sloppy as he tried to block a punch from another student. The frustration on his face was painfully obvious, even from this distance. The whispers and snickers from the other kids didn't help his confidence.

Time to intervene.

I hopped down from my perch, sauntering over with practiced nonchalance. "Hey, Naruto!" I called out, grinning. "Wanna practice together? I've got this cool new move I want to try out."

The way his face lit up made something twist in my chest. Jeez, this kid was starved for any scrap of positive attention.

"Really? You want to train with me?" The hope in his voice was almost painful to hear.

"'Course I do," I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You've got tons of energy. Bet you could outlast anyone here in a real fight."

It wasn't even a lie. Naruto's stamina was insane, even at this age. He just needed someone to point it out, to help him channel it effectively.

As we sparred, I threw out casual tips and encouragement. "Try widening your stance a bit. Yeah, like that! Makes you harder to knock down." Or, "Man, you recover fast! Most people would be wiped out by now."

By the end of our session, Naruto was grinning from ear to ear, his movements noticeably smoother. The other kids were watching with a mix of curiosity and grudging respect.

Bingo. One thread nudged, ever so slightly.

Next up: Edge Lor- I mean, Sasuke.

The last Uchiha (well, one of the last, but he didn't know that yet) was off by himself, methodically throwing shuriken at a target. Each one hit with perfect accuracy. But the look on his face... It wasn't satisfaction. It was frustration. Nothing was ever good enough for Sasuke Uchiha.

Typical.

I ambled over, Akamaru at my heels. "Nice throws," I said casually. "Bet you can't do it blindfolded though."

Sasuke's head snapped around, eyes narrowing. "What?"

I shrugged, the picture of innocence. "Just saying. Anyone can hit a target they can see. Real skill is hitting what you can't see."

The challenge was obvious, and Sasuke, predictably, rose to it. "Fine," he growled, reaching for his hitai-ate. "You're on."

What followed was an hour of increasingly ridiculous bullshit challenges that I had come up with. Blindfolded throwing led to throwing while spinning, which somehow turned into a contest to see who could hit the most targets while hanging upside down from a tree.

I love being a kid again...

By the end, we were both laughing, covered in dirt and leaves. Sasuke's usual brooding expression was gone, replaced by a genuine smile.

Another thread, gently tugged.

As we headed back inside, I caught Iruka watching us, a thoughtful expression on his face. I gave him a cheeky wave, which he returned with a bemused shake of his head.

Little by little, day by day. That was how I'd change things. Not with grand gestures or dramatic revelations, but with small nudges, gentle course corrections. I'm not powerful enough to do so out and about. Not yet..

It wasn't until the Konoha Spring Festival that I realized just how much those small changes could snowball.

The village was a riot of color and sound, lanterns swaying in the warm breeze, the air thick with the scent of grilled meat and sweet dango. I was wandering the stalls with Akamaru, marveling at how different everything looked from a child's height, when I quite literally ran into my future.

"Oof!" A girl's voice, followed by the clatter of metal. I looked up to see a girl about my age, her hair in two buns, scrambling to pick up a scattered collection of... were those senbon?

"I'm so sorry!" I said, dropping to help her gather the needles. "Are you okay?"

She looked up, brown eyes meeting mine, and grinned. "No worries! I'm fine. Thanks for helping."

As I handed her the last of the senbon, our fingers brushed. A jolt of... something... passed between us. Recognition? Familiarity? But that was impossible. I'd never met this girl before.

Had I?

"I'm Tenten," she said, tucking the senbon away in a pouch. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you new to the village?"

"Kiba," I replied, still a bit dazed. "And no, I've lived here all my life. I'm at the Academy."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? Me too! Well, I start next term. I can't wait!"

Before I knew it, we were wandering the festival together, chatting like old friends. Tenten's enthusiasm for weapons was infectious, her dream of becoming a legendary kunoichi both adorable and inspiring.

It reminded me of the childhood dreams back on Earth of being an astronaut. Oh, how things change...

It wasn't until much later, as I lay in bed replaying the evening, that it hit me. Tenten. The weapons expert from the Chunin exams arc... How had I forgotten about her?

My musings were interrupted by a spike of... something. A disturbance in the air, a shift in the ambient chakra of the village. Akamaru whined softly, sensing it too.

I was out the window before I could second-guess myself, Akamaru hot on my heels. We raced across rooftops, following the trail of unease to its source.

There, at the edge of the village, shadows moved where they shouldn't. Unfamiliar chakra signatures, tightly suppressed but not quite enough to escape my enhanced senses.

Intruders.

I hesitated for a split second. I was five years old, for crying out loud. What the hell was I supposed to do against enemy ninja?

But if I did nothing, people could die. The future could shift in ways I couldn't predict.

Decision made, flashing through hand signs. A clone appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Like your our life depends on it," I whispered, "I need you to get a message to the Hokage. Intruders at the east gate. At least three, maybe more. Hurry!"

As my clone disappeared, I turned to Akamaru. "Ready for some real action, boy?"

His determined bark was all the answer I needed.