Chapter 1: The Child Walking with a Stone
Late March, Year 42 of Konoha.
Spring had already deepened. The air carried the scent of soil and new leaves, while the morning sunlight, gently warm, passed through layers of overlapping foliage, casting shifting patches of light across the road.
It was the start of another school year.
"Kakashi, don't underestimate that child. If he keeps that mindset and perseveres, he will surpass you in the future."
At the entrance of the Konoha Ninja Academy, Sakumo Hatake crouched down and rubbed his son Kakashi's head, watching the departing figures of Might Duy and his son, speaking seriously.
Kakashi was unconvinced. Although he had asked for Might Guy's name at his father's urging, he did not take Guy seriously, nor did he believe his father truly thought highly of him.
That person was merely someone his father used to remind him not to become arrogant.
"He should pass tomorrow's make-up test and get into the academy first. Alright, Dad, let's go register."
Sakumo smiled helplessly. Just as the father and son prepared to step through the academy gate—
Step. Step. Step.
A series of heavy yet steady footsteps came from the corner of the street directly facing the academy entrance.
Sakumo let out a soft sound of surprise and stopped, turning toward the noise.
Seeing his father stop, Kakashi showed a trace of impatience but followed his gaze.
The footsteps grew closer, striking the ground with a dull rhythm.
From around the corner came a moving shadow—
Then, a large boulder appeared in their line of sight.
A rock… running?
No.
Looking carefully, one could see a pair of small legs moving steadily beneath the stone.
The rock was indeed moving.
More precisely, a thin, ordinary-looking child was carrying it on his back. The stone's volume was more than three times the size of his torso; at a glance, it looked as though the rock itself were moving.
A coarse hemp rope dug deeply into his narrow shoulders. He ran slowly, but every step was firm, leaving faint damp marks on the ground. His black hair, soaked with sweat, clung to his forehead and partially blocked his vision, yet he seemed unaware, staring only at the road ahead. His lips were pressed into a tight line, his breathing heavy but steady.
"Whose child is that?"
"Is… is that stone real?"
"Carrying something that heavy? That's reckless!"
The moment the figure carrying the massive stone appeared, it drew everyone's attention at the academy gate. Parents who had brought their children to register began whispering among themselves.
"Just showing off."
Kakashi took in the astonished and curious murmurs around him and snorted softly. He could already handle that amount of weight himself and run faster.
Judging by the boy's appearance and height, he seemed like a third- or fourth-year academy student. The ninja tool shop clearly sold more suitable and scientific training weights.
Yet he deliberately chose a clumsy giant rock, specifically yellow-gray stone, which had relatively low density and therefore appeared larger at the same weight.
And he even chose the busiest registration time to show up.
To Kakashi, it was nothing more than a poorly staged performance meant to attract attention.
"Kakashi."
At that moment, Sakumo spoke calmly, his gaze still fixed on the slowly moving figure, his eyes showing something more.
"Look carefully," Sakumo said softly but steadily.
"That child… isn't using chakra."
Kakashi's pupils shrank slightly as he refocused his attention.
Chakra flow and jutsu usage always produced fluctuations — strong or weak, hidden or obvious. One could use this to detect transformation techniques or roughly judge the power of ninjutsu.
And now, under Kakashi's observation—
Indeed, there was no trace of chakra flow around the boy.
That meant the weight of the stone was being carried entirely by physical strength alone.
Even if the yellow-gray rock had low density, a stone of that size was still extremely heavy.
After thinking for a moment, Kakashi spoke calmly:
"He's just a bit stronger than normal."
Sakumo said nothing. His eyes briefly shifted upward before returning to normal.
"That child is… Shinichi?"
"It really is him."
Several parents in the crowd seemed to recognize the boy carrying the stone.
"He always said he was strong since childhood. I didn't believe him… who knew it was this exaggerated…"
"I heard he was coming to register…"
"What a pity. The world has lost a future master chef…"
"A chef? Isn't he working at the blacksmith shop?"
Is he a new student too?
Surprise flashed across Kakashi's eyes. From Shinichi's height and appearance, Kakashi had assumed he was a third- or fourth-year student. He hadn't expected them to be in the same intake.
'Kakashi!'
'I finally see you!'
As Shinichi slowly approached the academy gate with the stone on his back, his gaze briefly swept over the white-haired, masked boy. Deep in his eyes flashed a trace of excitement, his heart beating uncontrollably fast.
Five years…
Kakashi, ever since the day I heard you were born…
Shinichi took a deep breath, quietly shifting his gaze away. Reaching an open space near the academy gate, he set the stone down, exchanged brief greetings with several familiar parents, and turned to enter the academy.
As he passed Sakumo and Kakashi, he noticed Kakashi examining him. He paused slightly and smiled.
The smile was clean and sunny, like a breeze without a trace of gloom. Though his face was ordinary, it carried an inexplicable warmth that made people feel at ease.
Kakashi froze slightly.
He was reminded of the genius senior he had met last month at Ichiraku Ramen, whose smile had been just as bright and approachable.
[Affability (White): Your behavior makes others feel relaxed and comfortable. You more easily gain goodwill and basic trust during interactions.]
Ignoring Kakashi's reaction, Shinichi nodded politely to the father and son as if they were just ordinary passersby and continued forward.
At that moment, Kakashi suddenly spoke.
"Hey!"
Shinichi stopped and turned back, a hint of confusion on his face.
"If you want to train your body properly," Kakashi said with the straightforward confidence of a prodigy, "you should buy professional weighted equipment from the ninja tool shop. Carrying a stone with an irregular shape like that is inefficient, hard to balance, and likely to cause unnecessary muscle or bone injuries."
Shinichi listened carefully, his smile unchanged. He nodded.
"You're right. Professional equipment is safer and more efficient. I've visited the ninja tool shop."
His tone remained calm, without the slightest displeasure.
"It's just that… for now, I haven't found anything that fully suits my current needs. This stone is clumsy, but once you get used to adjusting it, it's not too troublesome. Still, thank you for the suggestion. My name is Higashino Shinichi. And you?"
How could the ninja tool shop not have suitable equipment?
Kakashi frowned slightly. He knew the shop's inventory, but saying there was nothing suitable sounded far-fetched. But then he felt he was meddling. He had called out to a stranger for no reason; there was no need to pursue it further.
"Hatake Kakashi."
"Kakashi, huh? I'll remember that."
Shinichi nodded and walked into the academy.
"That child has had a hard life… lost his parents young…"
"He donated most of the money he earned working this past year to the orphanage…"
"No wonder… such a loyal and kind child…"
The murmurs of nearby parents drifted over.
Kakashi watched Shinichi's disappearing figure in silence for a moment.
"Let's go register, Dad."
By then, Shinichi had already walked far away, unaware of what followed. He was recalling his earlier conversation with Kakashi.
'Professional weighted equipment, huh?'
'You're right, Kakashi.'
'But…'
'If I didn't carry that massive stone, how would the world know I possess natural strength far beyond ordinary people?'
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Shinichi's mouth. With a thought, a floating panel visible only to him appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Higashino Shinichi]
[Profession: Kenjutsu Apprentice]
[Talent Entries: Clever (White), Diligent (White), Affable (White), Robust (White), Big Eater (White), Tenacious (White), Agile (White), Calm (White)]
[Draw Count: None]
End of Chapter