Determination
Karasu camped at his ruined childhood home for a few days while he contemplated what his next step should be. He didn't know whether he should return to his isolation and try to harness the power of the white dragon, Shiro, or begin his hunt for Danzo and get his revenge for the horror that he was exposed to.
He felt his rage crest like a black wave as the memory of the last night he spent at this house played in his mind, his connection to Koku causing black flames to spring up around him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and using the techniques he learned during his time on the mountain. The fires around him went out as he opened his eyes.
He remembered his last day on the mountain, how he had tapped into Shiro's power and viewed his father's final moments from afar. He closed his eyes again, emptying his mind of any thought. He lost sense of time as he continued his meditation. After a while he began to feel the increased pressure around his eyes like before, and the area around him became clear as day through his closed eyelids. He slowly opened his eyes, noting that there was no change. He grabbed his father's headband and tied it over his eyes, smiling as his vision remained unchanged. Karasu walked around, testing his new sight. He suddenly began to feel tired, almost running into one of the house's posts as his vision went black. He pulled Itachi's headband from his eyes and rubbed them, the organs sending painful signals to his brain.
You did quite well for having only used my power once before, and even then it was accidental. Karasu heard Shiro say within his mind. He noticed that the dragon's voice seemed stronger now, a sign that their bond was already growing stronger.
"Your power tires me quickly, Shiro. Do you know why?" He asked the white dragon within him.
You are still young, it is hard for your body to adjust to my power. At your young age, even the Byakugan, as the weakened line calls it, would tire you. As you use it more, your body will adjust. Shiro explained.
"Makes sense," Karasu replied, remembering his mother explaining the risks of awakening the Byakugan as a child.
He tried activating Shiro's power through his father's headband again after the pain in his eyes subsided, finding it a little easier the second time. Once again, his vision went black as his strength gave out, and this time he fell face first into the dirt as his legs gave out. He shook himself and rose to his feet, painting for breath.
That is enough for now. You will only hurt yourself if you continue without rest. He heard Shiro warn, his voice once more sounding stronger.
"One more time," he said through gritted teeth, tapping into Shiro's power again.
He stood still after activating his eyes, saving what little energy he still had to prolong his vision. He held onto it as his legs gave out and he fell to his knees, refusing to stop so soon. He felt a tugging sensation on his eyes, falling forward as his vision went black again and the last of his strength left him. He became vaguely aware of gentle white flames around him, their warmth soothing him as his consciousness faded. He heard Shiro's voice as the world went black.
I told you that you would harm yourself if you continued. You are near your physical limit, and still you decide to tempt fate. You are a rather amusing creature. I look forward to seeing you master my sight.
Karasu awoke in the dead of night, noticing the ground beneath him covered in fresh ash. He no longer felt drained as he had before, leading him to wonder how long he had slept out in the open. He didn't think it had been long, as his body wasn't making any demands of him. He stood and stretched, jogging a few laps around the ruined house before seating himself at the broken entrance. He tapped into Shiro's power, focusing more on solidifying their connection than using the abilities that came with it. Karasu was able to maintain his connection to Shiro's power for over an hour before his eyes demanded rest.
He spent a week in this fashion, spending his days better learning to harness Shiro's power by meditating throughout the day. By the end of the week, Karasu was able to maintain the use of Shiro's ocular ability for the entire day. He fell asleep with a smile that night, content that he was closer to mastering his abilities.