The Naruto World had originally been nothing more than an ordinary planet teeming with life. It had no advanced technology or dazzling magic, and human society was still backward and feudal. But one day, a thousand years ago, a meteor fell from the sky and the God Tree was born. After a succession of disasters and upheavals, a special power called chakra appeared and spread far and wide.
The birth of chakra gave humanity unimaginable power and made humans the sole rulers of this land. At first, everyone who possessed chakra belonged to the Ninjutsu Sect. As time passed and the world changed, those within the Ninjutsu Sect who wielded the extraordinary power of chakra gradually came to be known as ninja. The birth of the ninja marked the beginning of the grandest, most turbulent epic in this world—a story that continued to unfold to this day.
The foundation and source of chakra was the physical energy contained in the body's 130 trillion cells. This latent biological power, long hidden within the human body, could be consciously sensed and drawn out. When combined perfectly with spiritual energy, it gave rise to the strange power known as chakra.
Having lived two lives, Yuehua Ai possessed a spirit far stronger than an ordinary person's. Even as a small child, he could sense the energy in his own cells through a method similar to meditation. With these two conditions—which ordinary people found nearly impossible to fulfill—easily met, it was only natural that he eventually managed to draw a "warm current" of energy from his body for the first time, though the experience was anything but pleasant.
As he spent more time in this world and gradually learned more about it, Yuehua Ai naturally came to understand that the "warm current" within his body was chakra.
Once he had chakra, he couldn't help but explore it. During the half-year in which his living conditions gradually improved, Yuehua Ai often used his unique meditation method to draw out chakra. He still had much to learn about how to use it, but he had already gained a clear, firsthand sense of how it affected him.
The most obvious change was in his stamina. Since Yuehua Ai and the others had set out to find the Sannin, their daily travels and exploration had taken a heavy toll on their strength. Even Yahiko and the others often struggled to keep up with the exertion. Yet Yuehua Ai, who quietly followed along with them, had never fallen behind—not even without anyone's help.
It was worth remembering that Yuehua Ai was still not yet five years old. He and Yahiko's group were seven or eight years apart in age.
The contrast made the situation obvious: with chakra bolstering him, Yuehua Ai was already nearly on par with Yahiko and the others in stamina alone. Of course, that was only because Yahiko and the other two hadn't learned to draw out chakra yet. Otherwise, the situation would have been very different.
Besides stamina, the greatest change chakra brought to Yuehua Ai was in his perception.
This kind of perception was different from the body's five senses. It wasn't sight or hearing, but an indescribable, mysterious mental sense. It wasn't quite the same as the vague, elusive sixth sense, either. In some ways, Yuehua Ai's perception was clearer and more precise. To put it simply, it was like looking in a mirror: though he couldn't touch the reflection, he could still tell that it was there.
Yuehua Ai's situation was uncommon, but not unheard of. If he told an experienced ninja, they could easily explain it. It was simply a rare sensory talent among ninja. Those in the Ninja World who possessed this kind of perception and made a point of developing it were generally known as sensory ninja. Karin Uzumaki, who followed Sasuke in the original Naruto story, was one example, as was the Yamanaka Clan, to which Ino Yamanaka of the Konoha 12 belonged.
Sensing a chill from behind, Yuehua Ai focused his mind and did his best to direct his chakra toward his brain. He stopped running and closed his eyes, using this method of temporarily blocking and dulling his five senses to enhance his innate mental perception.
Centered on Yuehua Ai, his mental energy spread outward like ripples on water. He couldn't sense detailed images, and small objects gave him no clear feedback, but larger things—like the broken walls and ruins of buildings—appeared in his mind like three-dimensional models.
Three meters, five meters, ten meters... Yuehua Ai's range of perception kept expanding, and everything around him appeared in his awareness like a model on a sand table.
Because his chakra was limited, the last time he had tried sensing like this, his range had reached only fifty meters at most.
A radius of fifty meters might sound short, far less than the distance the naked eye could see. But unlike direct vision, his perception could scan every direction, every angle, with no blind spots. Its advantages over the ordinary five senses were obvious. Of course, this superiority applied only when compared with ordinary people and ordinary ninja. Kekkei Genkai like the Byakugan and Sharingan were far superior when it came to observation alone.
The surrounding scenery rapidly appeared in Yuehua Ai's mind. Just as his range of perception neared thirty meters, a humanoid figure radiating an orange-red glow suddenly appeared in his awareness.
Compared with the gray, lifeless models of inanimate objects, the glowing figure stood out like the sun in the night sky—so vivid and striking that it was impossible to miss.
Opening his eyes, Yuehua Ai furtively glanced behind him. Thanks to his perception, he now knew where the hidden figure was.
The other person was hiding inside a building behind the group. In front of it stood another building that had collapsed. From Yuehua Ai and the others' vantage point, the ruins blocked their view, while the person stood atop a different building, looking down and watching everything they did.
Not an ordinary person, but a ninja. So we really are being watched. Remembering the cold gaze he'd felt earlier, Yuehua Ai suspected the stranger meant them harm. He frowned, but for the moment, he couldn't think of anything he could do.
"Hmm, did he notice me? What an interesting little brat. This is going to make things even more fun for me. He noticed me, so..."
Yuehua Ai had taken less than two seconds to focus, close his eyes, sense his surroundings, and open them again to confirm the hidden figure's location. His movements had been subtle and quick, but to a seasoned ninja like the one in hiding, they were still full of tells. At the very least, the characteristic, habitual way sensory ninja used their abilities wasn't exactly a secret to him.
Keeping part of his attention on the hidden figure, Yuehua Ai quickly caught up with Konan. He was still hesitating over whether to tell the others what he had found when, the next instant, his senses brought him a warning.
A sharp whistling sound came from behind them.
"Look out!" "Boom!"
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Yuehua Ai shuddered and managed to shout a warning, but a blast of air hit his small body and sent him flying.
"D-damn it! What happened?"
Yahiko angrily wiped the muddy water from his face and struggled to his feet.
"Heh. You little brats are lucky. Not one of you died!"
The mocking voice came from a dozen meters away. A young man dressed as a ninja stood high above them on the remains of a half-collapsed tower.
The young man looked the group over with amused interest, utterly unconcerned, as though they were a nest of ants on the ground. He had deliberately thrown the explosive tag off target. In these deserted battlefield ruins, it was rare to see anyone at all. Most people passing through were teams of ninja heading to support various places, and this was the first time he had come across ordinary people like the ones before him.
Hmm, four brats. One has a bit of sensory talent; the other three are ordinary people. Oh, and one of them is a pretty girl. Heh, I'll have to be a little more careful this time. I can't ruin such rare toys too quickly, or I'll be bored afterward!
The four of them hurried to their feet and gathered together, keeping a wary eye on the young man above them. None of them bothered to brush the muddy water from their clothes.
Yuehua Ai narrowed his eyes. Through the curtain of rain, he clearly saw the Forehead Protector on the young ninja's head. The symbol marked him as a Rain Ninja, a ninja from their village.
"You're... a Rain Ninja... Why did you attack us?" Yahiko stepped forward and loudly demanded an answer after recognizing the symbol on the man's Forehead Protector.
"Why? Hahaha, you actually have to ask? Do I need a reason to play with a few little mice?"
The young man casually toyed with the Kunai in his hand, paying no heed to the boy's question.
He slipped the Kunai into his tool pouch, straightened his clothes, then leaped down from the ruined tower. After taking a few steps, he stopped less than five meters from the group.
Five meters was neither too close nor too far for either side. The young ninja made no move to approach, and the group dared not react. After all, he was a ninja, while they were just ordinary people.
"What adorable little mice!" The young man leered at the tense expressions on the boys' faces. He loved seeing them on edge, treating him as a threat but not daring to act.
"Mice..." The young man's words made the boys clench their fists. With him so close, they couldn't help feeling the pressure.
"What, aren't you?" The young man tilted his head and gave them a puzzled look. A moment later, he opened his mouth in sudden realization, as if he'd just understood something.
"Mice? No, no. You should know that if I hadn't suddenly taken an interest in you, you wouldn't even be worth as much as mice..."
Before you continue