(Third Person POV)
The soft clink of the pipe against porcelain echoed in the stillness of the Hokage's office.
Outside, the sun filtered lazily through the blinds, casting gentle lines across the paperwork he wasn't reading. His thoughts had long since wandered from village budgets, missions, clans, and even just civilian stuff in general.
He had a Kage Bunshin doing that.
Instead, for himself, they circled back—again—to a purple-haired, heterochromatic child who now, according to half a dozen breathless reports, had casually dismantled her class like she was demonstrating a kata to toddlers.
He didn't need the reports. He'd seen her in the crowd the week before with her friends. She barely spared him a glance when he was on that stage, as if he were just another relic of a fading war. Yet he knew she analysing everything around her, but keeping it hidden.
Akari Inori.
It had been months since that night. Since the Kumo jōnin's corpse bled into the stone. Since she stood there in the moonlight, slightly bloodstained, holding Hinata like a porcelain doll.
That night had changed everything. For him. For her. For Danzo.
And now, she was showing her hand again.
Except this wasn't just power.
It was theatre.
And gods help him, it was working.
She'd orchestrated a reputation for herself as casually as others tied their sandals. Now the whispers were everywhere—Shinobi Prodigy. Lesbian Heartthrob. War God of the School Courtyard.
One part Itachi. One part Shisui. One part terrifyingly unique.
And worse, beloved. Not feared like Danzo's tools. Not adored like some pampered clan heir. Just...respected. Admired.
Worshipped, maybe.
And now Hiruzen was left wondering: was this part of her plan too?
Had she wanted this spotlight?
Or was this her way of declaring: "I'm here. You can't hide me anymore."
Because gods forbid she ever stopped controlling her narrative.
He remembered every step she'd taken—the question about chakra, the flicker of her fingers mimicking his hand seals while pretending to stumble like a child. The Chakra Surge, which he now had known was her. Who else could have done it? The Anbu report that came after the triple bombing about her advanced reading comprehension.
And then, the moment that still haunted him: when she looked up at him that night, cradling Hinata in her arms, and said, "Because you're the only one who can protect me."
He had believed her.
Hell, he still did.
But that didn't mean he trusted her.
Not completely.
Because if a child could manipulate the Hokage, set traps for ROOT, and redirect a nation's politics with a single bloody night—what else was she capable of?
She had made him move against Danzo without firing a shot. Had made Uchiha Shisui into a political shield. And she had done it all with the same, monotone voice, and expressionless face, while telling him just enough to make him think she was playing fair.
Sarutobi, though? He knew better. He knew she was not playing fair. She was playing this intelligently.
And now, the academy instructors were writing her name with exclamation marks. The ANBU were reporting her popularity as if it were a threat assessment. Half the heirs of the major clans were either infatuated or intimidated—or both. And Danzo?
Danzo hadn't made a move.
Which meant he was waiting. At least that was what he thought, but Danzo had been a bit more reckless since Akari
He took a slow drag from his pipe and exhaled smoke toward the ceiling.
He looked down at the sheet of paper resting on his desk — seemingly innocuous, folded with care. A list of carefully worded requests, signed not with her real name, but with the alias Ariko Nari.
At first glance, it looked like nothing. But Hiruzen had lived long enough to recognize a trail when someone left it deliberately.
One less "I." Letters shuffled just enough to pass as a civilian name. But not enough to hide from someone who was meant to see it.
Ariko Nari.
Akari Inori.
He realised it quite quickly. Of course the contents of the letter were vague with details, but enough to give him a vague idea of what she wanted.
Making sure Danzo's ROOT was nowhere near a small lake near the Village border. One so hidden he hadn't realised it existed. He was certain Danzo didn't know either.
The why part was not mentioned, yet he could already see it in his mind: the still surface of that lake, the hush of the surrounding trees, the isolation it offered. Perfect for training in secret. Meditation. And quietly mastering something.
Like, say, Water Walking.
He stared at the words a moment longer, then leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking softly under his weight. One hand rose to his temple.
He was actually certain the girl would have already learned and mastered that trick, thus he assume she would be learning Suiton Jutsu from the scrolls she had read. Yet another thing she couldn't show off.
He had asked her to provide him with the Jutsu Scrolls she had on her months before. And she had given them all to him. Alongside a list of the ones she did know, and what one's she was learning. It was likely she hadn't given him all of them, though. She was very secretive. She had given him enough to make her believable, but not enough to make her seem out of reach.
Or she had some form of Photographic Memory. Which should be impossible—Eidetic memory, yes—but true photographic memory is impossible without some form of Dojutsu.
The Sharingan was the best example.
It's ability to copy Jutsu, came from the fact that it altered the way the brain worked while active, allowing the user to memorise details that a normal brain would be unable to do so. Of course, not all Uchiha made use of that Copy ability, in fact, the only true master of Jutsu Replication was the one called The Copy Ninja.
But, considering who the girl was, it was possible she had some form of it, even without the correct requirements. There was no way—in the Hokage's mind—that she possessed a Dojutsu.
He summoned a nearby ANBU with a silent hand signal. One of the hare-masked shinobi materialized from the far corner of the room, as if peeled from the shadows themselves.
"Survey the northern woodland path," Hiruzen said quietly. "There's a lake there—one that's not on our current recon maps. Clear the surrounding area of any patrols. Redirect civilian foragers for the next three days. Rotate guards outward—subtle distance."
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
"And... leave it unmonitored," he added after a breath. "No surveillance within the perimeter. Report only if something else approaches."
The ANBU hesitated for half a second. Not out of disobedience, but because the unspoken truth hung in the room like a second blade.
No surveillance… for her. Usagi hadn't figured everything out, but he was aware that the prodigy who made that Chakra Surge over a year ago
"Yes, Hokage-sama," they said at last, and vanished.
Hiruzen turned back to the paper.
He had fought wars with men who couldn't make demands like that without paying a political price.
She was six.
He folded the paper neatly, tucked it into a sealed folder marked with no name, and slid it into the hidden drawer hidden beneath the far left drawer of his desk That one was empty, almost completely empty. It was sealed.
(Akari's POV)
Finding this spot was perfect, almost too perfect. I had suspected some type of hidden base to be here when I first learned about it.
That's why I had Kage Bunshin scour it for 2 weeks before I had 1 secretly deliver that letter yesterday. All disguised as an actual Shinobi of Konoha of course. Most would look like Genin to make it look completely unimportant but was a spot being patrolled.
And of course, getting a swimsuit so failure didn't mean drenching cloths during the learning process.
The lake stretched before me like a mirror stolen from the sky. Smooth, still, untouched. The surface shimmered faintly in the filtered morning light, a muted silver-blue canvas framed by trees thick enough to swallow sound. The air here was different — quiet in a way that didn't feel natural. Not unnatural either. Just… distant. Removed.
The trees surrounding the area were tall and dense, standing like old sentinels with thick moss coiling around their trunks, their branches interwoven so tightly they formed a canopy that muted the world above. Shafts of golden sunlight filtered through in broken beams, lighting the surface of the water in patches like divine spotlighting.
The lake was small—maybe thirty meters across, give or take. A narrow stream fed it from the east, hidden behind a curtain of vines and rock. The water was clean. Crisp. Undisturbed. It didn't even ripple in the wind.
A stone outcropping jutted out from the far side of the lake like a natural platform, surrounded by tall reeds and a soft carpet of wild grass. The ground beneath my bare feet was damp but cool, with patches of clover and soft dirt scattered around like the place had never known foot traffic.
Which was the point.
I took a breath and let my sandals fall beside me. The coolness of the grass kissed my skin, grounding me. I wore a plain dark-blue one-piece swimsuit—nothing flashy. Just practical.
My reflection stared up at me from the surface of the lake, calm and composed. Purple hair pulled into a high braid. Something I've not thought of before. One eye sapphire-blue, the other coal-black. The reflection didn't look like a six-year-old. Mainly due to my height.
I dipped one toe against the surface of the water. It rippled slightly but held. Not yet. Not quite.
I exhaled slowly. Drew on my chakra. It was like pulling strands of silk from somewhere beneath the ribs—easy now, automatic. My control was far better, far than any academy student.
And thus, it should be easy to do this. But of course, focusing on one thing was quite bad to me. And so, I stepped back from the edge, and put my hands in a t shape.
'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.' I hadn't verbally spoken it, and 15 exact, physical copies of myself appeared. All 15 wearing the same clothing.
"Alright, 5 of you move to finish the Doton training, 5 of you on Raiton, and 5 of you on Water Walking,"
The order was simple. Each replica followed the order exactly.
All whilst I pulled out my Zanpakuto. My Zanpakuto with a name I did not know.
If I remember, Jinzen in Bleach meant meditating with the blade to enter my Inner World. Which would be my soul. My own soul.
I sat down near the lake's edge, legs folding beneath me in practiced motion, my blade resting horizontally across my lap.
The shift wasn't jarring. It was gentle. Like sleep, if sleep came with the sensation of gravity tilting sideways and sound dropping out of existence entirely.
When I opened my eyes…
…I wasn't by the lake anymore.
I stood in a field of shadowed grass, and light skies. The world was the epitome of Chaos and Harmony. Of Yin and Yang.
The ground was soft beneath my feet, too soft. Like I was standing on a heartbeat, or the memory of one. The grass shimmered black and silver, rustling without wind. In the distance, mountains floated upside down, their peaks inverted like stalactites hanging from the heavens.
There was no horizon. No end. Just light above, and shadows below, perfectly divided but never clashing. They danced around each other like old lovers who'd fought too long to separate now.
A single tree stood near the centre of this impossible field.
It was massive—not tall, but wide. Gnarled branches like outstretched arms, covered in leaves that shimmered between light gold colours and dark black colours. Chains, silvery in colour were all around, also somewhat shifting. The edges were tinted a light yellow and shadowy black tying around the tree. And at the base resting like they had always belonged there, were thrones. 1 was white, the other black.
And in those thrones, sat 2 people.
Both looked like me... well rather one looked exactly like I did in my past life.
Brown hair, long and smooth. An expression that was completely apathetic. Tall for a female, but a graceful stature, yet if one looked closely, they could tell she was powerful physically. An outfit akin to a hospital robe was worn, it was what the White Room made us wear. White gowns. Yet Kiyomi had golden hazel, almost caramel like eyes. This one had darkened, black eyes, almost shadowy.
The other was me, me. Akari Inori. And yet, not quite. The version of me sitting on that throne wasn't dressed for the Academy. She was dressed in a nice, long sleeved light greyish kimono, decorated with flowery, star like patterns. Her hair was styled, tied into a ponytail. The tethered-bloom remained. Her expression was softer, kinder... more... warm. Yet, just like with Kiyomi, her eyes weren't what I knew... they weren't my heterochromatic dual coloured eyes... rather both were a golden yellowish colour.
So this was my Zanpakuto spirit? I knew it was 2 individuals, but...
It was an odd feeling, standing and seeing the 2 versions of yourself in the same place, right next to each other looking completely different.
The wind (or whatever pretended to be wind here) whispered between the strands of grass as I took a step forward, toward the tree — toward them.
They looked at me.
Not surprised. Not confused.
Like they'd been waiting.
The Kiyomi-lookalike — the one in the White Room gown, eyes void of light — tilted her head just slightly. "Took you long enough."
The Akari doppelgänger on the white throne smiled faintly, the kind of smile you gave a friend you already knew would arrive. "Don't mind her. She's not great with hellos."
"She isn't great with people," I replied before I could think.
The girl on the black throne gave me a flat look. "I am you."
"And I'm her too," said the warm one. "We both are. You've already accepted that. This is just the first time you've seen it laid bare."
I didn't argue.
Because they were right.
The coldness, the planning, the logical—the side of me born in the White Room, the part that was raised to be a monster. The Perfect Human being.
The warmth, the nurturing, the emotional—the part of me that found friends, and... love in this second life of mine.
Yin and Yang. Chaos and Harmony. Evil and Good. Monstrosity and Humanity. They were reflections yet opposites. Opposing forces that exist in a harmonic chaotic dance. They might be contradictory, but both existed.
I was a walking contradiction, I knew this but that wasn't bad. It was just me.
"I was expecting something more cryptic," I said, looking between them. "Maybe a riddle. A dramatic monologue."
"You've never needed riddles," said the Yin.
"You solve puzzles. You don't get lost in them," added the Yang.
"…Fair," I admitted.
I looked up at the tree.
The chains shifted again. Not tightening. Not loosening. Just… present.
"You're here because it's time," said the white-clad version. "Well, long past time. You've recognised who you are, know it at the bottom of your heart"
I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Let me guess. A test."
The version of me in the kimono stood slowly, gracefully. "Not to prove yourself to us. To yourself."
"You're strong, Akari," the shadow-eyed one said, rising now too. "Stronger than most ever will be. But even strength has to be understood. And your blade—our blade—won't reveal itself to someone who hasn't earned its truth."
I crossed my arms. "So what's the test?"
They didn't answer. Not directly.
Instead, the world shifted.
The tree fell away.
The field dissolved into mist.
And when the haze cleared, I stood in a blank, endless space — no light, no shadow. Just… me.
And her.
The girl from the throne with the shadowy eyes.
No warmth. No softness. Just raw power, restrained by control so precise it was eerie.
"I am what you were forged in," she said. "The product of perfection. The darkness, Kiyomi."
Then the second stepped forward from behind her, golden eyes bright with fire. "And I am what you've chosen to become. The light you crafted, forged from the bonds of those around you."
Together, they said, "We are your sword. And your heart. Prove to us you are ready to wield both."
They stepped back.
A sword appeared between them — not a katana. A Chokutō. Sleek. Balanced. Waiting.
No name etched into its steel.
Yet.
I stepped toward it.
"Pick it up," the warm one said softly. "You already know its weight."
"Speak its name," said the cold one. "Because you've known it long before now."
I reached out.
The hilt was warm in my hand.
My heart beat once. Twice.
And then I exhaled… and whispered the words I already knew–not because they were told to me, but because I felt it was right. The right commend within the depths of my own soul left my lips, akin to a vow.
"Yami o Terase, Kōmyō no Kurayami." (Illuminate the Darkness, Radiance in Darkness)
And the blade answered.
My Shikai manifesting for the first time ever.
I returned to reality, before everything could fully appear.
Back at the lake, but this time... I felt both hands gripping a weapon, but they weren't on the same blade.
I looked at my hands to find a pair of Wakizashi. They looked completely different, but seemed very similar.
One was radiant, a pale-golden metal that might refract rainbows. Its edge glows softly like morning sunlight with a sunburst-shaped tsuba. The hilt is wrapped in silken white cloth threaded with gold, and was warm to the touch.
The second was a matte black that has obsidian-like metal with faint, flickering purple runes along the spine. Its crescent-moon guard resembles a broken eclipse with a black-silver hilt wrap. The wrapping felt cold to the touch.
[User has managed to Manifest their Shikai. System must be updated.
Skills must be divided up.... loading... passive skills have been entered... Hybrid Skills have been entered... Active Skills have been entered... finalising... Zanpakuto Skills have been added.]
[Zanpakuto: ??? has been changed to Zanpakuto: Kōmyō no Kurayami]
[New Zanpakuto Skills have been gained:]
[Shikai: Kōmyō no Kurayami LVL 1/1
Release: "Yami o Terase, Kōmyō no Kurayami"
Upon activation, the Chokutō splits into the dual blades Hikari and Kage, granting access to a suite of powerful abilities based on Light and Shadow. These abilities are separated into sub-skills.]
[Shikai Skill: Hikari (Blade of Light)
The pale-gold blade.
Passive Effects:
• DEX increases by 50%.
• Minor Healing Aura that passively restores 1% HP every 10 seconds to yourself and those within your party.
• Chakra passively restores by 0.5% every 10 seconds.
Active Techniques:
• Radiant Severance: Slash attack that emits a cutting wave of condensed light that ignores most defenses. Uses 600 Chakra and deals around 750 damage.
• Luminous Mirage: Creates up to 3 illusory copies of yourself using light refraction. The Clones cost 5 each. They mimic movements and can confuse targeting. Duration: 10s
• Refraction Dash: Light-bending movement. Teleport anywhere within 20 meters instantly and can be used in quick succession of the other. Though it has an upper limit of 5 teleports, and costs 100 Chakra per Teleport.
• Light Healing: Uses Yang Chakra to heal a person by hovering the blade over the person, using up 150 Chakra every 5 seconds for quick, and powerful healing. When used on yourself it restores up to 2500 HP every 5 seconds.]
[Shikai Skill: Kage (Blade of Shadows)
The Matte Black blade.
Passive Effects:
• Resistance to Kagemane.
• Physical Damage Resistance +50%
Active Techniques:
• Abyssal Grasp: Summons tendrils from the ground to bind a target. Reduces STR and DEX of target by 20% for 5 seconds. Costs: 450 Chakra
• Umbral Construct: Forms tools, restraints, or impalements from solid shadows. Chakra costs depend on the size/shape of the Construct.
• Eclipse Step: Fade into shadow and move unseen up to 120 meters. Ignores obstacles. Costs 50 chakra every 10 seconds.]
[Shikai Skill: Duality
The true power of Kōmyō no Kurayami lies in its duality—Light and Shadow are intrinsically linked. You can manipulate both freely and simultaneously, and overusing one strengthens the other whilst weakening the one you are overusing.]
So this was my Shikai.
The warmth of Hikari pulsed in my right hand like the promise of morning—calm, steady, radiant. Every breath felt lighter. Clearer. My senses were sharper, the light itself felt like it bent toward me, clung to me, welcomed me.
Kage, in my left hand, was the exact opposite—weightless, yet dense. Cold and endless like deep space. There was a silence to it, the kind that absorbs noise rather than ignores it. The shadows nearby seemed to lean in, like they wanted to be closer.
Never once did they conflict with the other, but rather harmonised.
I could feel them reacting to my emotions. When I smiled faintly, Hikari flared slightly, and Kage stilled, as if standing at attention. They weren't just weapons. They were expressions. Aspects of me, split but not broken. Yin and Yang, united at the core.
I exhaled slowly, and the air shimmered slightly with residual chakra.
Then I looked up—and finally noticed the water.
All five clones I had assigned to Water Walking?
Sparring across the lake's surface like they'd been doing it for years. Huh, getting used to fighting on the water was important, but that meant I had Water Walking now.
And was mastering it...
[Skills Lightning Chakra Transformation and Earth Nature Transformation have reached LVL 10]
The Kage Bunshin assigned to both of those had dispelled, and finally... finally I had mastered these skills.
Another notification came a second later.
[Quest Completed: Mastery of the Five Elements has been completed
Rewards:
50,000 EXP
10,000 Ryo
S Rank Jutsu Creation Scroll
Elemental Master Title]
[You have levelled up 2 times.]
It took me the better part of a year to deal with this.
But of course, there was 1 more piece of good news at the end of the day. When the clones practising Water Walking dispelled... not because they wanted too, but because they ran out of Chakra which meant the could no longer exist.
[New Skill gained:]
[Water Walking LVL 1/10: A training method used to gain better Chakra Control. This training involves focusing a constantly changing fixed amount of Chakra to the bottom of one's feet to stand and thus, walk on water. The water's constant motion makes it so that one must constantly make minute changes to the chakra amounts to stay on the water. Each level grants 2% CC Drains anywhere between 10 to 30 Chakra every 10 seconds.
This technique also allows you to slide on the water, like an ice skater. To do this the user concentrates a bit more Chakra to their feet, usually double the current amount to slide against the water.
Tree Walking no longer drains Chakra to use]
[Skill Water Walking has reached LVL 5]
Right, I forgot that would happen.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." I put half of my current Chakra into it wasting a bit more cause CC.
They would last much, much longer now.
38 minutes and 27 seconds. Which was about 34 minutes better. Granted that was if my calculations were right. Which they might be wrong this time due to how random water is.
Right, time to master this skill.