The garden behind the inn was still, save for the sharp sound of air being cut.
Kagami moved.
A tiny fist struck forward, followed by a smooth turn and a sweeping kick—his little body moving with remarkable form, despite its toddler proportions.
“Last duel… I used a jutsu,” he muttered. “But it was weak.”
He stood in a simple stance and raised his fists again. “Because this body… is weak.”
He recalled standing in a misty forest, surrounded by ANBU, barely a teenager himself. The voice of his comrade, Sarutobi Hiruzen echoed in his mind:
> "A shinobi must master not just power, but control. Your body is a tool—refine it. Discipline is your greatest ally."
Another memory followed. One colder, more demanding—Shimura Danzō with his piercing gaze:
> "Emotion is a weakness. A tool has no emotion. If you want to survive, you must become more than a man. You must become the vilge's shadow."
Kagami exhaled slowly. “I’m not your shadow anymore, Danzō… But your training will still serve me.”
He dropped low into a perfect taijutsu stance—basic, but stable.
“So starting now… I’ll train. Taijutsu. Kenjutsu. I’ll make this body stronger. Maybe in a year or two, I’ll regain my old jutsu. And…”
His Sharingan flickered faintly—then vanished.
“My eyes… will return.”
A small, confident smile spread across his face.
---
That Morning…
In Liria’s bustling central pza, the city was alive with magical merchants and spell-practicing apprentices. Kagami strolled beside Mikay and Zack, hands behind his back, head darting left and right as he soaked in every movement, every shimmer of mana.
They passed a training circle where young children were flinging simple elemental bursts under the guidance of guild mentors.
“Why not go py?” Mikay nudged him gently.
Kagami hesitated, then muttered, “I learn faster by fighting.”
Zack scratched his head. “Pretty sure he just called the others slow.”
Mikay grinned. “Let him have a go.”
In the circle, a few kids took note of him—especially Leo, still bruised in pride from their st duel.
But one girl waved him over. “You’re the one who used the dragon spsh, right? I’m Minna!”
Kagami nodded. “Kagami.”
A quiet boy with dark eyes approached, his name was Iren. He didn’t speak much, but his eyes tracked Kagami’s stance with surprising sharpness.
“You… know fighting,” Iren said simply.
Kagami smirked. “I’ve trained since before you were born.”
The group blinked. Then ughed, thinking he was joking.
He wasn’t.
---
That Evening…
Mikay sat at a small table, half a dozen scrolls scattered before her. She muttered to herself, trying to match the strange phrases Kagami used during his fights.
> Suiton… Suiryūdan no Jutsu…
“They aren’t from any known chant structure. Not even the Elvari dialect,” she murmured.
Zack peeked over her shoulder. “You still at this?”
“I watched him form a spell without incantation, glyphs, or focus tools,” she said. “That’s not just magic. It’s something else.”
Zack raised an eyebrow. “So… like a new magic type?”
“No,” she whispered. “It’s old. Too refined. Like something passed down in secret.”
She flipped to a forbidden magic index. Still no match.
> Is this ‘chakra’ Kagami mentioned a form of internal magic? Or a parallel energy system altogether?
Mikay leaned back and sighed. “You’re not just a lost child, are you?”
---
Meanwhile, in the Garden…
Kagami was alone again, holding a stick like a sword, repeating slow, methodical swings.
He remembered standing across from Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage demonstrating a kata with his staff.
> "A shinobi doesn’t wield a bde only to kill, Kagami. He wields it to protect."
In this world, there was no Hidden Leaf. No ANBU. No Root.
But there were threats.
And Kagami had no intention of being defenseless.
“I may be three years old here,” he muttered. “But I’m still Uchiha Kagami.”
His eyes narrowed with resolve. “This world just doesn’t know it yet.”
