Shikuma Nara slowly turned the page of his book, sipping hot tea from his favorite cup. His home was immersed in evening silence, broken only by the occasional gust of wind and the quiet voices of two boys sitting nearby. He glanced at them briefly, allowing himself a short break from reading.
One of the children was his son, Shikaku. A faint smile appeared on the clan head's lips. Not long ago, his heir finished his first year at the Academy. To his surprise — despite all of Sarutobi Kajiro's complaints — Shikaku ended the year in a respectable sixth place in the class, and he had also undergone noticeable internal changes. Recently, for the first time, his son had asked him for training on his own initiative. He didn't explain the reason for such sudden determination, but Shikuma wasn't blind. After a short conversation with Akimichi Tsuki, he realized that the recent defeat during the Academy combat test had affected his son far more deeply than the boy wanted to admit. It was a new experience for the child who usually hid his emotions behind laziness and indifference.
Shifting his gaze to Shikaku's opponent in the game, Nara frowned thoughtfully. It was Kuro Nara — Ashimi's son and the grandson of the respected Enzo. A few years ago, many in the clan believed Kuro had inherited his father's talent, but as time passed, it seemed he would remain simply a hardworking child. Now, however, things had changed.
According to Shikaku, Kuro took fifth place only because he nearly failed the written exam, but when it came to combat practice, he astonished everyone with his skills — surpassing even the heirs of the powerful Hyuga and Uchiha clans in many aspects. That couldn't be ignored. Of course, Kuro had always trained a lot, but such rapid progress in such a short time was something Shikuma hadn't expected.
"Could it be that a truly powerful shinobi will appear in the Nara clan? We've always been known for our intellect, but standing against monsters from the Uchiha or Senju clans was impossible. But now…" he pondered, watching Kuro frown in search of a proper move. Apparently, his son's latest move had granted him another victory.
"I lost… again," Kuro said blankly.
"Fifth win in a row," Shikaku yawned. "Maybe this just isn't your game."
"You know, that indifferent expression of yours makes me want to punch it. Feel like sparring?"
"I'll pass," the heir of the clan replied, shuddering slightly at the memory of their last joint training.
"As you wish. Anyway, it's time for me to go. Thanks for the hospitality."
Kuro stood up.
"Mm-hm. If you want to lose again, come back."
Throwing an irritated look, the young Nara went on his way. Late last night, the cherished message appeared before his eyes again:
Unlocked Character Power: 10%
Available Technique: Ten Shadows (First Shadow: Divine Dogs, Second Shadow: Gama)
"The second shadow unlocked at 10%. Looks like I'll need 15% for the next one. But if the first 5% took me three months, the next took seven. Not a great trend. I need to figure something out."
Nara walked along a forest path, stepping softly on the damp ground. His destination was a small clearing hidden deep in the woods — a place he had long since turned into his personal training ground. No one would disturb him here, which meant he could fully focus on his new challenge.
Today, he planned to subdue the second shadow.
Kuro felt confident — his power grew stronger each day. Sukuna's abilities made him feel leagues above his peers. At this point, even among adult shinobi, he could probably hold his own. He was only seven, yet by his estimation, he could already handle a group of strong chunin.
"Still, no need to get overconfident. A real fight can always bring surprises."
As for Gama — the second shadow he unlocked — if his memory was correct, it was a toad mostly meant for support. Perhaps he could handle it relying solely on the power of the Divine Dogs.
Yuki and Yami had already become his loyal companions. Lately, he had trained with them extensively — refining speed, coordination, and teamwork. The dogs complemented each other perfectly, forming a deadly duo.
Reaching the clearing, Kuro stopped and took a deep breath. The air smelled of damp grass; the night forest seemed calm, but he knew this tranquility was deceptive.
"Let's see what you're made of."
With that thought, he formed the hand signs, summoning the power that slumbered in his shadow. A moment later, a figure rose before him from the darkness.
Gama was enormous — far larger than the one he remembered from the anime. Three, perhaps three and a half meters tall, with a massive body and broad limbs. On the creature's belly was a black symbol inside a white circle. Its green skin glistened under the moonlight, and its slightly narrowed yellow eyes stared at Kuro with intelligence and predatory interest. Deep black markings surrounded them.
Without hesitation, the toad shot its long tongue forward.
For Kuro, reacting to such an attack was no problem. Pushing off the ground, he leapt into the air, easily slipping out of the strike's trajectory. Twisting midair, he landed on a thick branch, watching as Gama's tongue slammed into the spot where he had just been, leaving a deep mark behind.
"Fast…" murmured Nara, evaluating the foe.
Not wanting to waste time, he formed the seal for the Divine Dogs.
From the shadows burst Yuki and Yami. Huge, imposing — almost two meters at the shoulder — they looked terrifying. The white dog sprinted forward, claws digging into the ground, while the black one skated silently across the grass, his movements nearly invisible.
Kuro didn't rush into combat. He wanted to see how the new shadow acted and assess its true strength.
Gama did not disappoint his future master. Its tongue -- like a spear — lashed out again, this time at one of the shikigami. Yuki dodged effortlessly, but Yami didn't intend to avoid the strike. Instead, he leapt forward, aiming to sink his jaws into the amphibian's tongue.
The battle intensified.
Gama was massive and clumsy, but its tongue compensated for everything — long, fast, incredibly strong, slicing through the air like a deadly weapon.
Yuki and Yami worked in perfect sync, repeating their well-practiced maneuvers. One distracted while the other attacked, their claws and fangs tearing into the toad's flesh, leaving ragged wounds. But Gama refused to yield.
At one moment, the tongue shot out again and caught Yuki by surprise. Wrapping around the white dog, it flung him aside like a toy. With a heavy crash, Yuki's body smashed through two trees, leaving deep furrows in the ground.
Kuro's smile widened as he watched the battle.
Yami didn't fall behind. Taking advantage of the moment, the black dog leapt onto Gama's back, burying his claws into the thick skin. The second shadow strained, twisting and shaking, but even its powerful movements couldn't immediately throw the dog off.
Despite severe injuries, Gama continued resisting. It tried to use its tongue again, but Kuro had already seen enough.
He raised his hand sharply, pointing two fingers at the toad.
"Dismantle."
In the next instant, an invisible powerful slash cut through the air.
A sharp, nearly soundless burst — and Gama's body split into two halves. The toad's eyes dimmed, and its massive form collapsed, dissolving into thick shadow.
Nara smirked as the new shadow returned to him.
"Welcome to the team, Gama."
A moment from his past world surfaced in his memory: "Fushiguro combined shadows, creating something entirely new. If even he could do it, why shouldn't I try?"
Forming the seal again, Kuro focused, channeling chakra into the summoned beasts.
"Fusion."
The shadows of Yuki and Yami began to shift, rapidly changing as they absorbed Gama's power. Their forms grew bulkier, their flesh thickened — and then…
Kuro frowned.
Before him stood two clumsy, awkward creatures. They resembled a mix of dogs and a toad: wide, squat, with thin legs, yet with bodies stretched sideways and strangely bloated necks. Instead of the graceful, deadly form he expected, he got something utterly unwieldy.
Yuki took a step forward, and Kuro immediately noticed how slow he had become. Yami tried lifting his head, but it seemed too heavy for him.
Kuro sighed.
"Useless…"
"Well, whatever. At least now I understand that the possibility exists. With more compatible shadows, I might create a truly formidable hybrid…" he thought, dispelling the technique.
He put his hands in his pockets and headed home. Today's training was over.