Chapter Seventeen: Embers Beneath Their Feet

Founding Year: The Third Year of Konoha's Establishment

Month: January (Start of the Two-Month Holiday)

Kenichi Sato's Age: 7 years and 9 months

The winter winds swept through Konoha as the holiday began, but Kenichi and Might Duy found no excuse for rest in the cold. To them, it was a rare chance for focus. No more classes, no theoretical exams, and no distractions to derail the resolve that had been kindled deep within their hearts.

"This is our time!" shouted Duy, wearing a green scarf longer than he was tall.

Kenichi laughed and said, "You look like a walking Christmas tree."

Duy ran in circles and replied, "Yeah! But I'm a tree that bears the fruit of an iron will!"

—

Kenichi had decided this break would be a true launch point—not just to strengthen his body, but to refine everything he had learned in the past months.

His days began before sunrise, with rhythmic breathing and stretches to awaken every muscle. He trained in deep breathing techniques until he could activate his body in less time and sharpen his reactions during sparring.

Then came the return to something he had put on hold: The Six Powers.

This technique—his first reward from the Golden Lottery system—had been within him since the beginning. But he had known that a child's body could not yet bear the strain of training with it directly. So he observed, experimented, and waited.

Now, the time had come.

He began with "Soru"—the high-speed movement technique. He combined it with breathing methods to enhance his ground propulsion. Instead of straining his muscles, he used his breath as an internal engine. After several days, he began feeling a tingling in his joints after training, as if his body was warning him: "You've crossed a threshold—pay the price or push forward."

Then came "Tekkai"—the technique of body hardening. He merged it with defensive breathing, focusing air in his chest and abdomen to reinforce nerves and muscles simultaneously.

"Kami-e" was the hardest. It required total mental clarity, and the ability to let his body respond to pressure without conscious thought.

One day, during a spar, Duy aimed a kick at Kenichi's side—but the kick passed through as if Kenichi were made of water.

Duy gasped, "Did you become a ghost?!"

Kenichi just smiled, offering no explanation.

But that night, they sat by a small fire, and Kenichi decided to speak.

"Duy, remember when you fell and said you were falling with your dreams? These techniques I'm trying… this is my body not falling. But to get here, I fell a thousand times when no one was watching."

Duy responded with unexpected seriousness: "If you're a ghost, then I'll be your shadow. Even if I never reach where you are, I'll always run behind you."

—

Kenichi organized a new training schedule with three phases:

1. Six Powers — Each day was focused on a different technique, with notes recorded in his journal.

2. Taijutsu Breathing — Natural integration of breath and strikes.

3. Combat Simulation — Full sparring rounds with Duy, followed by performance analysis.

Duy was constantly surprised by his progress. He couldn't understand Kenichi's thought process, but he felt like he was training next to a genius who refused to admit he was one.

Eventually, Duy started copying Kenichi. He created his own journal, titled in a crooked hand: "Plan to Be Stronger Than Yesterday's Me."

—

One day, after intense kick training, Duy looked at the trembling dirt beneath them and asked,

"Is it normal for the ground to shake a bit when you kick? Or am I starting to hallucinate?"

Kenichi laughed but didn't answer.

—

After another training session, Duy watched Kenichi jot something down in his notebook.

"You know, Kenichi… every time I see you improve, I don't feel jealous… I feel excited. I feel like if I keep going, I'll carve my own path too."

Kenichi replied calmly, "That's the truth, Duy. Genius isn't measured by speed—but by consistency."

Duy raised his fist and declared, "Then we'll stay consistent!"

Kenichi smiled and bumped fists with him.

The wind howled through the trees, and snow fell slowly above their heads… but beneath their feet, there was no cold—only embers waiting for the moment to ignite.

End of Chapter Seventeen.