Chapter Two

Author's Note: Welcome to the second chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

The training had begun. Faustino showed the book to his parents when they arrived and brought it home without uttering a single word. Once home, he took a piece of paper and began jotting down everything he knew about the series. His goal was to prepare himself for the challenges ahead: Konohagakure's invasion by Orochimaru, the jinchuriki, Naruto's various missions, the Akatsuki, and the Fourth Great Ninja War. With his imminent entry into the academy, time was precious.

He fetched the chakra book he had acquired and plucked a leaf from a nearby tree. Placing the book next to the leaf, he focused intensely on it. Predictably, no discernible outcome emerged. He tried again, concentrating, attempting to rotate it in place. Still no results. He persisted, failure after failure, until Nagato spotted him.

"Hey there, buddy. What are you up to?"

Tanaka gazed at him, allowing silence to permeate the air. Nagato's attention shifted to the leaf and the book's title.

"Ah, practicing chakra control, I see!"

Tanaka nodded, made another futile attempt, and Nagato approached. Nagato quickly spun the leaf with impressive speed. Witnessing such a remarkable feat in person, despite having seen incredible jutsu in the series, was captivating. The leaf whirled on the table, entrancing him. He looked up at his father, his awe evident.\

"I can tell you're impressed. Would you like Dad to teach you how to do that?"

Excitement surged within him, and he eagerly nodded, extending his arm with his palm above the leaf.

"Here's a little trick for channeling your chakra. Imagine a fire, a source of power in your belly. Focus on it, guide it from your belly to your palm, then your fingertips. The chakra should start emerging from there."

Following Nagato's instructions, he felt the chakra leave his body. Slowly but surely, the leaf was nudged, causing it to almost lie flat on the table.

"Now try to make it spin. It's a challenge, but with concentration and practice, you'll master it effortlessly."

Visualizing his own chakra as a mist, an extension of himself, he attempted to spin it. The leaf shifted slightly to the right, leaving him somewhat disheartened.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon. Just keep practicing."

He nodded, continuing his training. With each attempt, the leaf moved incrementally more. This continued for quite some time, with Nagato observing from the side or different rooms in the house. Eventually, fatigue overwhelmed him, and he fell asleep on the floor. Ito entered the room and regarded him curiously.

"What happened here?"

"He took an interest in refining his chakra control, and it seems he depleted his energy."

"He's already working on chakra training? Why? They'll teach him that at the academy."

"Well, the sooner he learns, the better, don't you think?"

"You have a point. He'll be in the same class as most, if not all, of the kids from clans like Uchiha and Hyūga."

"Should I introduce him to some jutsu?"

"Perhaps not just yet. For now, walking on water and walls."

Ito picked Tanaka up, carrying him to his bedroom as Nagato followed.

"That's a good idea."

They settled Tanaka into bed, allowing him to rest for the night. Tomorrow, they would train him. Although he hadn't directly spoken to them, his intent was abundantly clear: he wanted to develop his chakra control and ninja abilities. While they had dabbled in shuriken training before, his lack of enthusiasm and skill in that area suggested that chakra-based training might suit him better.

The following day, he awoke early, a habit he had quickly adopted in this new life. He followed his morning routine: five sit-ups, push-ups, squats, stretching, changing into his clothes, and exiting his room. Instead of the usual serene dining room, he found his parents outfitted in full ninja gear, ready for what seemed like a mission, alongside a prepared breakfast.

"Good morning! Your mom and I believe it's a great time to initiate some ninja training for you. Since your interest in chakra is evident, we'll introduce you to new techniques that involve it. This way, you'll gain better control."

Nagato extended a hand for his son to grasp, but to their surprise, they received an unexpected response.

"Thank you."

It was the first time his son had spoken to them in any way since uttering his first words. They stood there, momentarily bewildered, while he nonchalantly seated himself at the table and began eating breakfast. After their meal, they departed from the house, headed for one of the training grounds they had secured for the day. During the journey, both Ito and Nagato attempted to elicit more words from him, to no avail.

Upon reaching the training grounds, his father led him to a tree.

"Today, I'll teach you how to walk on walls."

Nagato demonstrated by standing directly on the tree diagonally. Eager to learn despite his struggle to perfect the leaf spin, Tanaka was ready to attempt the feat.

"For wall walking, you'll channel chakra to your feet. Use it to ascend the tree without using your hands."

Without hesitation, he started infusing chakra into his feet and stepped onto the tree. After a moment, the wood snapped, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"If you use too much chakra, the wood will break. Too little, and you'll fall."

Undeterred, he tried again, this time with less chakra. He adhered to the tree successfully and began walking back and forth.

"Ito, look! He's doing it!"

"His chakra control is impressive."

He started running and moving on the tree, eventually reaching a branch and hanging upside down.

"Can you believe I didn't learn this until I was thirteen?"

"At this rate, you might teach him the basics of medical ninjutsu in a few months."

"True. Let's hope it gives him an edge over the clan heirs."

"Come down, Tanaka. Next, I'll show you how to walk on water."

He leaped down from the tree, caught by Nagato, who guided him to a small pond within the training area.

"Walking on water might sound daunting, but it's a variation of what you just accomplished with tree walking."

Nagato stood on the water's surface.

"To walk on water, you not only release chakra to your feet steadily and in appropriate amounts, but you also need to adjust the chakra flow according to the water's movements. Give it a shot."

Tanaka nodded and followed the instructions. He managed to stay atop the water for a second before plunging in. Undeterred, he rose and tried again – immediate failure. And again, another failure. The challenge lay in maintaining a constant, stable chakra flow while adapting it to the water's unpredictable shifts. Keeping track of these factors proved more complex than anything he had encountered before. Still, he persisted, failures spurring him to continue.

Before long, his parents decided to head home. He resolved to practice at home until he mastered the technique.

Beginning of the academy in: 28 days

END OF CHAPTER TWO