Beyond Lives and Horizons

Zack was about to get up and leave when he noticed someone approaching. The boy had an easy, carefree smile, the kind that seemed never to fade. His hair was tousled, as if the wind had shaped every strand, and his eyes sparkled with a disarming confidence. Even before getting close, he exuded an almost magnetic energy. Zack vaguely remembered him—Kaiden, the name he had heard in class.

Kaiden didn't hesitate to come closer. With his hands in his pockets, he walked with an air of someone who was exactly where he wanted to be. When he reached Zack, he gave a friendly and nonchalant nod.

"Hey, you're Zack, right?" he asked, tilting his head with a smile that seemed to light up the space. "I think I saw you in class today, but we never got the chance to chat."

Zack nodded, unsure of what to expect. Kaiden had a confident demeanor that left him a bit bewildered.

"Are you always this serious? Or is it just because you're reading that boring book?" Kaiden joked, pointing to the chakra control book. Before Zack could respond, Kaiden plopped down on the ground beside him without any ceremony.

"You know, people say I have no natural talent at all. Oh, they love to say that," Kaiden laughed at himself, shaking his head. "But you know what I say? They're right! But that doesn't mean anything. I'm still going to be one of the best ninjas that ever existed, with or without talent. We just need to have the will, right?"

Zack stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or just joking. But the determination behind Kaiden's relaxed tone was real.

"You're here studying about chakra because you want to be strong, right?" Kaiden asked, pointing at the book again. "So we already have something in common. But I'll tell you something: learning is important, but living it is even better. Let's go train or do something! Who knows, I might even learn a thing or two from you."

Zack looked at Kaiden's outstretched hand, still a bit suspicious. He hesitated for a few seconds before finally grabbing it and getting up.

"I'm not sure I have anything to teach you," he replied, adjusting the book in his hands. "I'm just starting to understand all of this."

Kaiden patted Zack on the shoulder, laughing. "Oh, relax! Who said I'm just here to learn? We can discover things together, right? I'll teach you to enjoy the moment more, and you help me not mess up so much. Sounds like a good deal!"

Zack raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Mess up a lot? You don't seem like someone who worries much about that."

"Because I don't worry at all!" Kaiden replied with a wide smile. "Mistakes are part of the game, my friend. How do you think I've survived this long? I've tried to copy jutsu, trained with branches that broke in my hands, and almost drowned trying to master a water trick. But you know what? I'm still here. And every mistake has been a step forward."

Zack didn't know whether to find that inspiring or just irritating.

"So," Kaiden continued, putting his hands on his hips, "how about we make a bet? I'll try to help you feel the chakra in a more... fun way, and you show me what you've learned from that book. Whoever learns something first wins!"

Zack crossed his arms, analyzing the boy in front of him. "And what exactly do you want to bet on?"

"Hmm... good question!" Kaiden rubbed his head, thinking. "How about... the loser carries the other back to the village? It gives us extra motivation to put in the effort."

The proposal was ridiculous, but there was something in Kaiden's infectious energy that made it seem like a good idea. Zack nodded, almost smiling. "Alright. But just so you know, I'm not very good at losing."

Kaiden snapped his fingers, excited. "That's the spirit! Let's go, partner. The training ground isn't going to wait for us!"

When they arrived at the training ground, they stood facing each other. Kaiden rubbed his hands together, thrilled. "Now, whoever feels the chakra last loses the bet. Ready? 1, 2, 3... go!"

Both closed their eyes, trying to concentrate. After just a few seconds, Kaiden exclaimed excitedly, "Wow! I'm feeling huge amounts of chakra! I think I have a lot of potential!"

Zack opened his eyes immediately, impressed. He remembered what he had read in the book. Could Kaiden have an advanced perception, maybe at stage three or even four? But before he could continue analyzing, Kaiden opened one eye and added with a laugh:

"Or that could have been my stomach... I told my mom that eating too much ruins my chakra, but nobody listens to me."

Zack let out a sigh, closing his eyes again while trying to concentrate. Kaiden, beside him, started to chuckle softly, shaking his head.

"You're really taking this seriously, huh?" Kaiden said, giving Zack a gentle nudge on the shoulder. "Relax, partner; feeling chakra is easier when you're calm. No point in stressing out."

"I'm not stressed," Zack replied, still with his eyes closed. "I'm just trying to understand what you just said. Was that chakra or was it really your stomach?"

"Maybe both," Kaiden replied with a carefree smile. "Maybe my chakra is asking for a snack."

Zack opened his eyes and stared at Kaiden, trying not to laugh. It was hard not to be infected by the boy's energy. "You really don't take anything seriously, do you?"

"Of course I do!" Kaiden replied, placing his hands on his hips and lifting his chin with an exaggeratedly confident expression. "But I also know that laughing is just as important as training. Besides, you should try it. It's good for your health."

Zack rolled his eyes, but a discreet smile emerged on his face. "Alright, let's try again. But this time, no jokes, okay?"

"Okay, okay," Kaiden said, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I promise I'll focus."

The two returned to their starting position, closing their eyes and trying to feel the flow of chakra in their bodies. The environment fell silent for a few moments, and Zack began to concentrate deeply. He tried to remember what he had read in the book about focusing on a specific point, like the center of the chest.

Then, in the midst of the silence, Kaiden let out a long, playful whistle. "Hey, Zack, do you think chakra snores? Because if it snores, I think I might have a huge natural talent!"

This time, Zack couldn't hold back. He started laughing, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're impossible."

Kaiden opened one eye, watching Zack with a satisfied smile. "But I admit, I'm fun, right?"

Zack sighed, still laughing. "Okay, you win this round. Let's try again. And please, this time, no interruptions. I swear if you say one more thing about your stomach, I'll make you carry the entire book back to the village."

"Deal, chief," Kaiden replied with a wink. "But only because I like seeing you so determined."

The two resumed practice, and Zack realized that, despite Kaiden's playful demeanor, this was the kind of company that made training less lonely and, in a way, more enjoyable.

Zack felt the flow of chakra coursing through his body, a faint and distant sensation, like a fragile thread he needed to hold onto carefully. He slowly opened his eyes, absorbing what he had read in the book: stage 1 perception. It wasn't a great starting point. On the contrary, it was one of the lowest possible. The idea frustrated him, but he took a deep breath, maintaining a neutral expression.

Kaiden was still sitting next to him, eyes shut and brow furrowed, in a concentration that seemed genuine despite his relaxed attitude. Zack decided not to interrupt him. Maybe he just needed more time to find the chakra... he thought, but as seconds turned into minutes, Zack began to question himself.

The silence was interrupted by the sound of distant birds, and Zack's patience was wearing thin. That was when Kaiden suddenly jumped up, throwing his arms in the air.

"I FOUND IT!" Kaiden shouted, so loudly that Zack almost fell backward.

"You found it?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow. "And what exactly did you feel?"

Kaiden beamed, crossing his arms proudly. "It felt like... a warm current passing through me. I think my chakra is powerful, like advanced level already!"

Zack squinted, skeptical. "Are you sure it was your chakra? Or maybe it was..." He didn't finish, but Kaiden quickly picked up on the tease.

"Hey! This time it was serious!" Kaiden replied, placing his hands on his hips. "Okay, maybe it took me a little longer than I expected, but at least I felt something. That counts, right?"

Zack shook his head, holding back a smile. "I don't know if you're being serious or just trying to get out of the bet."

"Hey, don't underestimate me! My chakra is modest but determined. Just like me!" Kaiden winked.

"If you say so..." Zack replied, feeling a bit lighter than before. Despite Kaiden's jokes, there was something reassuring about his company.

"So," Kaiden began, extending his hand towards Zack. "What's the next step, partner? Are we going to keep this up or do you want to bet again? Like, who can create a clone first?"

Zack crossed his arms, pondering. As much as he wanted to laugh at Kaiden's self-confidence, he knew that this infectious energy was what made him feel he wasn't alone on this journey.

"Let's finish the basics first," Zack replied, already sitting down again. "But I accept the bet about the clone after we manage to master the chakra flow."

"Deal!" Kaiden said, his smile so wide it seemed to light up the space. "We're going to crush it, partner!"

Zack looked at Kaiden, still trying to understand why all that energy was directed at him. For a moment, he considered that Kaiden was just trying to be friendly in his peculiar way. But something in the boy's posture made him ask:

"Why did you approach me, after all? You don't seem like the type to make friends easily."

Kaiden stopped smiling for a moment, a rare occurrence. He placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head slightly, as if considering the best way to respond.

"Okay, I confess," he began, crossing his arms. "Actually, I noticed you because you're one of the few who doesn't have a clan. And, look, I know what that's like. Kids from big families— even if it's just from a smaller clan— they always look at us like we aren't enough, you know? And those without an important lineage are usually ignored or... excluded."

"But you're different," Kaiden continued, pointing at him as if it were obvious. "In class, you seemed more... observant. Like, someone who really pays attention, you know? Not just to what the teacher is saying, but to everything around. And you also seemed like someone open, who wouldn't judge others for not having a heavy surname."

Kaiden smiled again, but this time there was something softer in his expression. "So, I decided you would be the perfect person to witness something very important: me becoming the strongest ninja in water jutsus. That's it."

Zack raised an eyebrow, surprised by Kaiden's honesty. He didn't know whether to feel flattered or just intrigued by the boy's peculiar choice.

"You want me to see that?" Zack asked, pointing to himself.

"Exactly!" Kaiden replied, with renewed enthusiasm. "Because you're someone who will understand. And besides, I think we can learn a lot from each other. I know it looks like I only joke around, but I take this seriously, man. Being the strongest is my dream, and, well... everyone needs someone to share the journey, don't you think?"

Zack remained silent for a moment, absorbing what Kaiden had said. There was something genuine in that statement, a confidence he almost envied.

"You're... well, different," Zack finally said, letting out a sigh.

"Thanks! I take that as a compliment," Kaiden replied with a wide smile. "So, are you in? Training partners and, who knows, maybe epic mission partners in the future?"

Zack couldn't help but smile, though he tried to hide it. "Alright, but only if you can stop making jokes for five minutes."

"Five minutes? Easy!" Kaiden said, winking. "Four minutes and fifty-nine seconds starting now!"

Zack shook his head, already getting up. Maybe Kaiden was exactly the distraction he needed to lighten the weight he felt on his journey.