Morning in Konoha smelled like woodsmoke and warm rice.
Ethan woke before the other kids in the orphan dorm—habit, instinct, and a lifetime of cross-world routines tightening around him like an invisible belt. He lay still on the thin mat for a moment, staring at the paper window as dawn softened the sky into gold.
The Naruto world felt different in the mornings.
Alive.
Restless.
Waiting.
He felt it in the air like distant static: chakra, faint and everywhere, as if the world itself had veins humming beneath its soil.
He rose quietly, strapped on his sandals, and slipped outside.
---
Academy Grounds — Early Dawn
The training yard was empty except for one person sweeping leaves: Iruka.
The man glanced up, surprised, but his expression softened immediately. "You're early, Ethan."
"I like mornings," Ethan answered. It was true. Mornings meant calm before the noise.
Iruka paused, leaning on the broom. "Most kids your age don't show up until the bell rings." He smiled a little. "But… I guess I should expect it from you. You carry yourself like someone used to working."
Ethan felt warmth flicker under his ribs. Not PP.
Just… human warmth.
"Can I practice here before class?" Ethan asked.
"Of course. Just stay within sight."
Iruka returned to sweeping. Ethan positioned himself beneath the academy's old practice tree, the bark scarred with decades of student attempts at climbing, kunai throwing, and lighthearted vandalism.
He sat down, legs crossed.
And waited.
Soon, he felt it: the Panel's quiet hum.
[NARUTO NODE — CHAKRA ACCESS (BEGINNER)]
Basic instruction unlocked.
No jutsu.
No clan techniques.
Physical + Mental unity only.
Proceed?
Ethan breathed in.
"Kai."
The training began.
---
Step One — Feeling Chakra
Chakra wasn't reiatsu.
Wasn't Nen.
Wasn't haki.
Wasn't wild Teen Wolf instinct or Cullen discipline.
It was…
Somewhere between breath and thought.
Between heartbeat and purpose.
A living dialogue between body and mind.
Ethan lowered his breathing, drawing from lessons he learned in the Soul Society's quiet meditation halls.
Inhale: spine straightens.
Exhale: mind stills.
Inhale: focus gathers.
Exhale: sensation widens.
A warmth flickered low in his stomach, subtle but steady—like a spark in a tiny lantern.
There.
Chakra.
The system didn't do it for him.
It only showed him where to look.
Cross-world compatibility frameworks appeared faintly:
Nen → Chakra (50% overlap)
Physical aura worked similarly, but chakra required more mental shaping and balance.
Reiatsu → Chakra (40% overlap)
Spiritual force resonated but needed to be softened—raw pressure was incompatible.
Willpower → Chakra Control (High synergy)
This part? Easy.
Ethan let the warmth spread like a thin sheet of water, rising and falling with each measured breath.
Slowly, chakra bloomed in him like a small, self-sustaining flame.
He didn't open his eyes until someone flopped loudly onto the ground beside him.
"HEY! What're you doing!?"
Ethan didn't jump. But he did blink.
Naruto sat there grinning, hair sticking out in twelve different directions, one sandal half-on, one half-off.
"You're early too?" Ethan asked.
Naruto beamed. "I wanted to practice! Iruka-sensei said I should 'try focusing more'—whatever that means—but I'm gonna get it! Believe it!"
Ethan slid aside to make room.
Naruto plopped down, copying Ethan's posture with the grace of a falling brick.
"Okay—what now?" Naruto asked.
"Close your eyes," Ethan said.
Naruto squeezed them shut so hard his whole face scrunched up.
"…Not like that."
Naruto cracked one eye open. "But that's how you focus, right? You scrunch."
"…No."
Naruto sighed dramatically. "Ugh. Being a ninja is so complicated."
Ethan tried not to smile.
---
Step Two — Guiding Naruto (Without Altering Destiny)
Ethan wasn't supposed to change the timeline.
He knew that.
The Panel knew that.
The universe definitely knew that.
So he didn't teach Naruto anything advanced.
Didn't give him shortcuts.
Didn't show hidden potential or deep breaths or chakra channels or anything outside the range of a helpful classmate.
He simply placed a calming hand on Naruto's shoulder and said:
"Breathe with me."
Naruto inhaled loudly enough to rattle nearby windows.
Exhaled like a wounded ox.
"No," Ethan said gently, "not like that."
Naruto frowned. "But that's how I breathe!"
"…Try less aggressively."
"Okay…"
Naruto tried again—still loud, but less explosive.
Better.
Ethan guided him through a simple rhythm, one Iruka would eventually teach in class anyway. Naruto's shoulders tensed, then loosened. His breathing evened out. His face softened.
For the first time…
Naruto was still.
The chakra in Naruto's body crackled like a storm trapped in a closed jar. Wild, unbalanced, overflowing.
But it answered his breath.
Even if only for a moment.
Ethan felt it shift.
Not fully.
Not correctly.
Not cleanly.
But enough.
Naruto gasped. "DID I DO IT!?"
Ethan nodded once. "You felt it."
Naruto's joy nearly shattered the morning air.
---
Iruka Approaches
Iruka stopped sweeping.
He watched the two boys quietly for a long time—Ethan calm and composed, Naruto glowing like he'd swallowed the sun.
When Ethan opened his eyes, Iruka was standing there.
"You two started early," he said. His voice was soft. Approving. "Ethan… good job helping him settle."
Naruto lit up. "See!? Ethan's cool!"
Iruka chuckled. "Yes, Naruto. Ethan's very cool."
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "Just breathing practice."
Iruka gave him a long, assessing look—the look of a teacher seeing a child who knew far more than he should but carried it responsibly.
"All right," Iruka said. "Class starts in ten. Get some water."
Naruto immediately sprinted to the fountain, nearly tripping twice.
Iruka stepped closer to Ethan. His tone lowered.
"You've only been here one day," he said quietly. "But you're already grounding him. That's… rare."
Ethan's stomach tightened. "…I'm not trying to change anything."
"I know," Iruka said. "You're just being kind."
He smiled—real, warm.
"Konoha could use more of that."
Then he walked away.
---
Class Time — Chakra Theory
Naruto bragged loudly, claiming he "almost exploded with chakra" earlier, while Ethan sat beside him trying not to correct the details.
Iruka taught hand seals.
Naruto tangled his fingers.
Sasuke performed them flawlessly and hid his smugness behind boredom.
Ethan copied the seals with clean, precise motions—but slow enough to look appropriate for a civilian.
Even Sasuke's eyes flicked toward him briefly.
Measuring him.
Curious.
Ethan didn't meet his gaze.
Not yet.
He needed to stay small.
Small…
but capable.
---
Afternoon — First Chakra Exercise
Iruka announced it right before lunch ended:
"Today, we're beginning Leaf Concentration Practice!"
Kids groaned.
Naruto cheered.
Sasuke looked borderline offended.
Everyone got a leaf.
Ethan sat under the tree again, this time with Naruto, Hinata (very shyly), and Shikamaru (already sleeping).
He placed the leaf on his forehead.
The trick wasn't skill.
Or strength.
Just balance.
Chakra like a thin thread.
A touch of focus.
Nothing more.
The leaf stuck instantly.
But Ethan forced it to wobble a bit—perfect imperfection.
Naruto's leaf fell off his forehead twelve times in thirty seconds.
Shikamaru's leaf stayed perfectly still despite him being half-asleep.
Hinata's leaf wobbled shyly—her chakra steady but timid.
Sasuke's leaf stuck flawlessly.
And then there was Naruto.
Sweating.
Growling.
Swearing under his breath.
Putting way too much energy into it.
Ethan moved closer and whispered:
"Less power. More balance."
Naruto froze.
Breathed.
Focused.
The leaf trembled…
shivered…
Then stuck.
Naruto's eyes went huge. "I DID IT—"
Ethan slapped a hand over his mouth before he startled the leaf off.
"Quiet," he whispered.
Naruto nodded frantically.
When Iruka walked by, Naruto looked so proud he was practically vibrating.
Iruka smiled. "Excellent work, Naruto."
Naruto glowed.
Radiated.
Blazed.
Ethan felt something warm unfurl inside his chest.
Helping Naruto wasn't about changing fate.
It was about giving him something he rarely got at this age:
A moment where someone believed in him.
---
Evening — Orphan Dorm Roof
The sky was indigo. Lantern lights flickered through the village. The Hokage Monument watched silently from the cliffs.
Ethan sat on the roof tiles, legs dangling over the edge.
Breathing.
Thinking.
The Panel unfolded behind his eyes.
---
[NARUTO NODE — PROGRESS UPDATE]
• Chakra Awakening: Successful
• Control: Above average (civilian cap)
• Timeline Disruption: None detected
• Relationship Bonds:
— Naruto Uzumaki: Positive / Early Trust
— Iruka Umino: Neutral → Warmth
— Sasuke Uchiha: Mild Curiosity
• Recommended Path:
Continue training at civilian pace.
Observe classmates.
Blend deeply.
Prepare for early survival challenges.
---
Suzu stirred gently in the Taming Space.
Aoi radiated quiet approval.
Ethan leaned back and let the warm breeze wash over him.
He wasn't a prodigy here.
He wasn't a chosen one.
He wasn't rewriting history.
He was just a boy learning how to balance a leaf on his forehead in a world where that skill could one day mean life or death.
And for the first time in a long time…
It felt good to start small.