Chapter 14: God's Other Gift

Kenta's sixth birthday started like any other. The estate was abuzz with activity as the staff prepared for a small celebration, and his mother, Shizuka, had insisted he wear a proper formal outfit for the occasion.

Kenta, however, had managed to convince her to let him wear something simpler, using his usual charm and cuteness.

He had been looking forward to the day—cake, presents, and maybe some teasing banter with his brother Ikkyū. But as the morning sunlight filtered through his room, his excitement quickly turned into something far more unsettling.

It began with a dull ache in his head, nothing too concerning at first. But within minutes, the ache escalated into a sharp, throbbing pain, like someone was driving nails into his skull.

Kenta clutched his temples, groaning. "Not again… what is this now?"

The pain wasn't just physical—it was accompanied by an overwhelming flood of sensations. It was as if someone had turned the world's volume knob to maximum and then broken it off.

Kenta could feel … everything.

He could sense the steady, calming presence of his mother in the next room. He could feel Ikkyū's bright, energetic chakra further down the hall, mingling with the faint signatures of the servants moving about the estate. But it didn't stop there.

Beyond the walls of the estate, Kenta's mind was bombarded with even more presences—gardeners tending to the grounds, guards patrolling the perimeter, and citizens bustling about in the nearby town.

Each signature was distinct, like a tiny spark in a sea of lights, and they all pressed against his consciousness with relentless intensity.

The worst part was that the range seemed endless. Kenta could sense people miles away, their chakra signatures flickering faintly on the edges of his awareness.

The sheer volume of it all was unbearable, like trying to listen to a hundred conversations at once while standing under a roaring waterfall.

He doubled over, pressing his forehead to the cool wooden floor. "Make it stop," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Make it stop…"

Shizuka found him moments later, curled up on the floor and clutching his head. Her heart dropped at the sight of her son in such pain. She rushed to his side, kneeling down and gently placing a hand on his back.

"Kenta! What's wrong?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I—I can feel everything," Kenta managed to say, his voice strained. "It's too much… too loud…"

Shizuka's worry deepened. She quickly called for a medical shinobi, one of the few stationed at the estate. Within minutes, a middle-aged man with a calm demeanor and a satchel of supplies entered the room.

The shinobi, who introduced himself as Riku, knelt beside Kenta and began his examination. "Let's start with some basic questions," Riku said gently. "Can you describe what you're feeling?"

Kenta winced, trying to focus on the question despite the pounding in his head. "I can feel people … their chakra. It's like they're everywhere, all at once. I can't block it out."

Riku's eyes widened slightly, and he exchanged a glance with Shizuka. "A sensor?" he murmured.

Shizuka blinked, her worry momentarily giving way to confusion. "You mean he's a natural sensor ninja?"

"It's highly likely," Riku said, pressing two fingers to Kenta's forehead and channeling a soothing pulse of chakra. "His father was a Senju, wasn't he? Many members of the Senju clan possess advanced sensory abilities. It seems Kenta has inherited that trait."

Despite Riku's calming chakra, Kenta's discomfort persisted. The medical shinobi could alleviate the pain temporarily, but he couldn't help Kenta control his sensory abilities. That task required someone with experience.

By midday, a Konoha sensor ninja under the Daimyo's employ had arrived at the estate. The man, Hiro, was lean and sharp-eyed, with an air of quiet confidence. He bowed respectfully to Shizuka before kneeling beside Kenta.

"So, young master," Hiro said, his voice steady and reassuring. "I hear you've been having some trouble with sensory overload."

Kenta groaned. "You could say that."

Hiro chuckled. "Don't worry. This is normal for someone who's just awakened their sensory abilities. It's like trying to drink from a waterfall when all you need is a cup of water. The trick is learning how to shut it off—or at least, how to limit what you sense."

Kenta wanted to tell him to shut up and down his job but the guy was only hope to make the pain stop.

Kenta cracked one eye open, a faint spark of hope in his gaze. "You can teach me how to do that?"

"Of course," Hiro said, his tone confident. "Let's start with something simple. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing."

Kenta did as instructed, taking slow, measured breaths.

"Now," Hiro continued, "I want you to imagine a bubble around yourself. Inside the bubble, everything is quiet and calm. Outside the bubble is all the noise and chaos you're feeling. Your job is to shrink that bubble until it only includes the area immediately around you—say, about a meter."

Kenta frowned, concentrating. At first, the concept seemed strange, but as he visualized the bubble, he began to feel a subtle change. The overwhelming flood of sensations started to recede, replaced by a much quieter awareness.

"There you go," Hiro said, nodding approvingly. "Now focus only on what's inside the bubble. Ignore everything else."

Kenta exhaled slowly, a wave of relief washing over him as the pressure in his mind eased. For the first time all day, he felt like he could breathe again.

"Better?" Hiro asked.

"Way better," Kenta said, sitting up and rubbing his temples. "Thanks, Hiro-san. You're a lifesaver."

From the doorway, Shizuka watched as Hiro continued to guide Kenta through the process of controlling his sensory abilities. Her worry had eased, replaced by a deep sense of pride.

Despite the pain and challenges he faced, Kenta never complained. He approached every problem with a determined smile, refusing to let anything hold him back.

"This boy would be the end of me." She mumbled with a soft smile.

As the day wore on and Kenta practiced controlling his sensory abilities, a realization struck him.

'This must be the god's second gift,' he thought, his lips curving into a small smile. "A natural sensor ability. It's not flashy or obvious, but it's perfect for me."

The more Kenta thought about it, the more excited he became. Boogie Woogie relied on knowing the exact positions of his targets. Aoi Todo had been limited by line of sight, but Kenta? With his sensory abilities, he could pinpoint people and objects far beyond what Todo could ever manage.

He imagined being able to sense an enemy a kilometer away, clap his hands, and swap them into a trap without ever revealing his position. The possibilities were endless, and the potential for mischief and strategy made his heart race.

"This changes everything," Kenta thought, his grin widening. "I'm not just a shinobi with a cool technique—I'm a hunter. No one's gonna see me coming."

By the end of the day, Kenta had gained a much better understanding of his sensory abilities. He could now focus on a limited area around him, shutting out the noise from further away. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start.

-------Author Notes----------

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