Time flowed steadily toward summer break. Shorai pushed his training relentlessly, chasing the fleeting sensation of frictionless movement. With his spectral construct offering constant feedback, the phenomenon occurred more frequently—brief moments where air resistance vanished, his limbs cutting through space with unnatural ease. After hours of combat drills and chakra refinement, he paused and turned to the construct.
"Create elemental chakra sensory papers. I want to see how this world's real ones react to my current state," he commanded.
The construct extended its phantom hand, revealing a stack of papers identical to those Kakashi would one day use. Shorai took one, focused, and channeled his chakra into it.
Instantly, the paper wrinkled—Lightning. Then it split cleanly in half—Wind. As the halves separated, they dampened—Water.
"Hm," Shorai murmured. "Lightning is dominant. Wind and Water follow closely. But I've never trained Water Release… could it be awakening alongside Lightning, tied to neural function?" He recalled a fragmented memory—playing with water in the orphanage, frost forming without intent. Ice Release…? That would require Wind and Water. But why no manifestation now?
He instructed the construct to warp a real pond into existence. Walking onto its surface with chakra focus, he waited. No frost formed. No cold radiated from his feet.
"Strange," he said, warping the pond away. "Maybe the Aether's constructs can't trigger it. I'll need real water. But for now—Wind and Lightning. I need to fuse them."
He ordered the construct to design a training regimen to accelerate the convergence of his two dominant affinities.
The next day in class, Iruka posed a question during Mission Ethics & Chain of Command: "Under pressure, a single choice can determine a mission's outcome. Is there a right answer?"
Sakura answered firmly: "Yes. The mission comes first."
Shorai, who had been covertly practicing Wind Release by slicing a paper beneath his desk, snapped to attention when called.
"Ehm… It depends on the person and their will."
The class turned, puzzled.
Iruka raised a brow. "Clarify."
"Shinobi act alone or in squads," Shorai said, gathering his thoughts. "The mission, its stakes, and the individual's strength all factor in. Theory can't predict reality. The decision made in that moment carries a heavy burden." He looked around. "A friend's life versus a dozen. A lover's safety versus thousands. These weigh on the mind. My answer? Choose with full self-awareness. Never lie to yourself. Act with no regrets. That's what I call a firm Dao Heart—determination, resilience, and unwavering will aligned with the self."
Silence followed. Sasuke glanced over, surprised. Sakura frowned, analyzing. Ino leaned forward, curious. Shikamaru, usually lazy, was deep in thought.
Iruka studied him. "So… saving a comrade over a mission is as valid as the reverse, if the choice is made with full responsibility?"
"Yes," Shorai said, gaze shifting to the Hokage Monument. "The burden defines the shinobi. Some fall under it—like Konoha's White Fang. He saved his team, but the village shunned him. He couldn't bear the weight. I believe his Dao Heart wasn't strong enough."
Iruka stared, stunned. The class murmured—aware of Sakumo Hatake's name, but not his fate.
After a pause, Iruka said, "Sakumo-san made a choice that cost him everything. But he accepted responsibility. That, too, is admirable."
He looked at the class. "There is no single right answer. Only consequences—and the courage to bear them. Remember this when you become shinobi."
At break, Naruto turned to Shorai. "Who was the White Fang?"
"A great shinobi. Could've been Hokage. We learned it in history."
"Oh… I forgot," Naruto scratched his head. "What happened to him?"
"He took his own life," Shorai said quietly. "He saved his comrades… but the village blamed him. The mission failed. He couldn't live with the shame. That's the heart of Iruka-sensei's lesson—mission or life? There's no easy answer."
Naruto's face darkened. He sat in silence.
Sasuke watched, expression unreadable.
Shorai thought, Only the strongest will can carry such a burden and keep moving. To let others' judgment turn to self-doubt… that's how good men fall. He exhaled. The night's training awaited.