Since the test with the wooden post that day, the atmosphere at the Hatake Residence had shifted ever so subtly. Kakashi was still as laid-back as ever, but Ling could feel that his seemingly casual gaze landed on him more often and lingered longer.
Following Tobirama's instructions, Ling began deliberately and extremely slowly "unlocking" his "talent" for chakra control.
During tree-climbing practice, he "happened" to discover a "trick" that let him stay on the tree a few seconds longer before "clumsily" falling off again. The next time, though, he would last a little longer.
While practicing walking on water beside the water tank, he was "delighted" to discover that he could stand shakily on the surface for a second or two before falling in with a splash. Yet the splashes seemed to grow smaller with each attempt.
He even began "trying" to form hand seals. His movements remained awkward and slow, riddled with mistakes, but occasionally he managed to fumble through the seals for the "Clone Technique." The resulting clone was indistinct and vanished with a poof a second later, amounting to little more than a distorted puff of smoke.
These "improvements" were small and plausible, entirely consistent with a child stumbling upon insights while feeling his way forward without guidance. All they revealed was "fairly good chakra control," nowhere near anything extraordinary.
Kakashi's response was subdued. Sometimes he would "happen" to witness one of Ling's "successes," then toss out a halfhearted "Not bad" or "Keep practicing" before paying him no further attention. But Ling and Tobirama both knew that he must have noted every one of those subtle improvements.
[Very good,] Tobirama assessed. [Keep this pace. Let him gradually accept the idea that you have a little knack for chakra control. It will make excellent cover.]
The real training continued in secret. Practice with the Water Blade's rotation and resonance had made a breakthrough. Ling could now barely make the Water Blade vibrate at an extremely high frequency while maintaining its shape. Though he was still far from the "molecular-level cutting" Tobirama demanded, its penetrating power was leagues beyond what it had been.
His mastery of the [Ice-Breath Concealment Technique] had also improved. He could now detect Kakashi's approaching presence more than ten seconds before his return and conceal himself perfectly.
One afternoon, just before heading out, Kakashi suddenly tossed Ling a small scroll.
"Chakra Paper. Test your affinities." His tone was as casual as ever, but there seemed to be a barely perceptible hint of scrutiny in his eyes. "People in the Hatake Clan usually have more than one affinity. Let's see how many you have."
Ling inwardly tensed and solemnly accepted the paper. He knew this was not merely a test of his affinities, but another attempt to peer into his bloodline.
He returned to his room, settled his emotions, and carefully fed a thread of chakra into the paper.
The paper did not immediately display a single distinct reaction. Instead, the entire sheet first glowed faintly, taking on an indistinct base hue that seemed to contain every possibility.
Then one section of the paper grew damp (water), while another tore apart (wind). These two reactions were the clearest and strongest, occupying nearly the entire sheet.
Beneath the brilliant glow of water and wind, there were also extremely faint, almost imperceptible changes along the edges: a tiny patch wrinkled slightly (lightning), another seemed to grow more brittle, as though about to crumble (earth), and there was even a nearly negligible trace of scorching (fire).
All five elements! Yet Water Release and Wind Release held absolute dominance, shining with exceptional brilliance!
[Hmph. Just as expected.] Understanding colored Tobirama's voice. [The Hatake bloodline gave you a foundation compatible with all five elements, but that thin foundation is practically negligible beside the extremely heightened Water Release affinity inherited from your mother. As for Wind Release manifesting so strongly, it is probably related to the direction of your training—your prolonged attempts to simulate high-frequency vibration and ultimate sharpness. It is a supporting affinity naturally derived from your "Pure Water" constitution as it pursues the ultimate in Shape Transformation.]
Looking at the sharply differentiated reactions on the paper, dominated by Water Release and Wind Release, Ling understood. This was no simple dual affinity. It was a special combination with an ultimate Water Release affinity at its absolute core, Wind Release as an important support, and the remaining three elements all but latent.
That evening, after Kakashi returned, Ling showed him the results.
As Kakashi studied the unusually brilliant water and wind hues on the paper, along with the nearly negligible reactions at its edges, an indescribably complicated look flickered through his lone eye.
"Water and wind... Your primary affinities are strong." He rubbed his chin, his tone betraying little emotion. "Looks like your mother's bloodline has quite an influence. As for the others..." He glanced at the barely visible traces of fire, earth, and lightning. "Call them extras. Better than nothing. A little of the Hatake Clan's old foundation."
His reaction was calmer than Ling had expected. He did not seem surprised by the presence of all five elements with such a clear hierarchy, focusing entirely on the prominent Water Release and Wind Release affinities.
"Wind Release can enhance the throwing and cutting power of shuriken. Water Release..." Kakashi paused, seemingly trying to think of something more practical to say. In the end, he drawled, "Well, at least it's handy for cooling off in summer."
Ling: "..." Sure enough, I can't expect too much from this guy.
Yet both Ling and Kakashi seemed to have "overlooked" one detail-the glow of the water affinity seemed far too "pure" and "bright," far beyond the reaction an ordinary water affinity should have produced. As though it were not ordinary water, but... something stripped of every impurity, leaving only water in its most fundamental form.
Perhaps Kakashi noticed that detail. Perhaps he did not. Either way, he said nothing.
The affinity test seemed to be nothing more than an insignificant interlude, and life continued without a ripple. Ling carried on with his two layers of training.
But the scrutiny from the shadows did not stop.
Late one night, several days later, Ling was deep in meditation, practicing the [Ice-Breath Concealment Technique]. Suddenly, Tobirama issued an urgent warning!
[Be careful! There are traces of an exceptionally advanced concealment technique nearby! Someone has infiltrated the residence! It isn't Kakashi! The chakra is cold and clinging, bearing a nauseating imprint! The target is clear-it's you!]
Ling jolted out of meditation, his heart nearly stopping! Without a second thought, he pushed the [Ice-Breath Concealment Technique] to an unprecedented limit. Like a boneless shadow, he slipped into the narrowest gap between the bed and the wall, holding his breath and stilling his mind completely!
A black shadow deeper than the night, seeming to absorb every trace of light, seeped soundlessly past the barriers of the door and windows like insubstantial smoke and descended into the center of the room.
An icy sensory presence, tinged with a certain greed, began scanning the room in painstaking detail like cold tentacles. This search was far more patient and thorough than the one at the orphanage, carrying a stubborn determination not to stop until something was found.
Ling maintained his concealment with all his strength, feeling his mental energy and chakra draining rapidly. That icy perception swept over his hiding place again and again. Each pass made his back prickle, as though a venomous snake's tongue were licking him.
Time stretched unbearably.
At last, the shadow seemed to have found no sign of a living presence. It began moving, searching the room with inhuman precision and silence. Drawers opened and closed without a sound. Objects were picked up, then returned exactly as they had been. The entire process unfolded like a silent film, without the slightest noise.
Finally, the shadow stopped before the training clothes Ling had changed out of during the day and had not yet had time to wash, stained with sweat and dust. It took out a tiny, glass-like vessel and painstakingly collected something from the clothes' surface-perhaps a few fibers, perhaps crystals left behind by dried sweat.
With that done, the shadow once again became formless smoke, melting silently out through the window and disappearing into the vast night.
Only after Tobirama confirmed [The threat is gone] did Ling abruptly relax. He slumped in the gap, gasping violently, cold sweat already soaking his pajamas.
[They took samples from your body.] Tobirama's voice was chilling to the bone. [That old dog Danzo wants to fully analyze the makeup of your bloodline and the properties of your chakra! His interest in you has gone beyond mere observation!]
Ling felt a powerful surge of nausea and lingering fear. The sensation of being scrutinized and analyzed like a test subject made his skin crawl.
[Kakashi's residence is no longer an entirely safe haven either,] Tobirama analyzed calmly. [For Root operatives to infiltrate so easily, they must either have precise knowledge of Kakashi's movements or possess infiltration skills beyond those of an ordinary jonin. We must accelerate our progress and prepare to evacuate at any moment.]
The next day, Ling did his best to act as though everything was normal. The mental exhaustion from the previous night even left him looking rather listless, which fit perfectly with an ordinary child who had slept poorly.
Kakashi seemed unaware of the previous night's uninvited guest and headed out as usual.
But Ling knew the shadows had never lifted. The venomous snake lurking deep within Konoha had already fixed its gaze firmly on him.
He had to grow stronger, faster-strong enough to sever every probing tentacle, strong enough to control his own fate.
The power of water and wind coursed quietly through him, carrying an unprecedented urgency.
Before you continue