Chapter 5: Academy Ascension – Lightning in His Veins
Kaien stood before the gates of the Konoha Ninja Academy, the morning sun gilding the rooftops with hues of gold and amber. At five years old, he was short even for a child, but his presence was unmistakably sharp—like a sheathed blade. No one could put it into words, but those who passed by instinctively stepped around him. A child? Yes. But there was something ageless in his eyes. Something dangerous.
He took a breath.
In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Even now, his breathing technique never ceased. His diaphragm expanded and contracted with mechanical precision, every breath perfectly controlled. Inside, chakra circulated with the grace of an ancient river—measured, polished, powerful.
[Sun Breathing: 6 Forms Mastered – 22.8% Template Progress] [Lightning Breathing: Advanced Mastery Achieved – 30.0%] [Water Breathing: Advanced Mastery Achieved – 27.0%] [Earth Breathing: Advanced Mastery Achieved – 25.3%] [Wind, Mist, Flame Breathing: Intermediate Mastery Achieved] [Hatake Sword Style: Very Advanced Mastery Achieved]
The Academy building loomed over him—not intimidatingly, but invitingly. Kaien had already read every textbook the Academy would use over the next four years. He had memorized their contents, criticized their inaccuracies, and recreated their techniques in his backyard until they crumbled under the weight of his improvements.
Today, he wouldn't be a student. He would be a shadow passing through.
"Name?" the chuunin at the desk asked, barely glancing up.
"Kaien Hatake."
The man flipped through the registry and blinked in surprise. "Five years old? That can't be right. Did someone fill this wrong?"
Kaien said nothing.
Riku Hatake, standing behind his son, spoke. "The date is correct. My son requested early enrollment. The Hokage approved it."
The chuunin still looked skeptical but nodded. "Class 3C. Follow the assistant."
Kaien walked calmly, his strides deliberate. He listened to the giggles and whispers of other children as he entered the classroom. He ignored them.
He sat down, pulled out the provided materials, and waited.
The instructor arrived moments later, a slender woman with dark hair pulled into a bun and sharp, hawk-like eyes. "Welcome to the Konoha Ninja Academy," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "My name is Moriko-sensei. Let's begin with basic chakra theory."
Kaien could have taught the lesson better himself. He took notes anyway. Not because he needed them—but because repetition honed discipline.
As the hours passed, Kaien moved through hand seals, theory tests, and physical training drills. Everything was basic, bordering on insultingly slow. But he used the time to practice micro-control. Each hand seal he performed with a different rhythm of breathing, experimenting silently.
By the end of the day, his chakra reserves had increased marginally simply from the refined execution of otherwise mundane techniques.
[Chakra Control: Intermediate Mastery] [Academy Curriculum Mastery: 100% Achieved]
One week later, Kaien stood before the graduation exam panel. The proctor sighed. "We normally don't graduate students until they've spent a year or more at the Academy, but the Hokage's orders are absolute. Show us the Clone Technique."
Kaien's hands flashed through the seals faster than the eye could follow.
Ram. Snake. Tiger.
Three perfect clones appeared—solid, breathing, indistinguishable from the original. The proctors were stunned.
"Transformation Technique."
In an instant, he transformed into the Third Hokage himself, complete with the folds of his robes and the scent of pipe smoke.
"Substitution."
A chair vanished, replaced by a piece of firewood with a smoking edge.
The proctor swallowed. "Kaien Hatake… You pass. Effective immediately, you are a Genin of Konohagakure."
Kaien received his forehead protector and wore it with quiet pride. Not because of the symbol—but because it marked a completed step in his template progression.
[Template Progress: 35.7%] [Rank Up: Genin]
That afternoon, he was summoned to the Hokage Tower.
Tobirama Senju stood by the window, arms folded. His eyes, cold as steel, studied Kaien like a weapon on display.
"You graduated in a week."
Kaien nodded. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
Tobirama turned. "I've seen many prodigies, Kaien Hatake. Some born of clan prestige. Others molded in the crucible of war. You? I can't place."
Kaien met his gaze without fear. "I am Hatake. But my strength is mine alone."
Tobirama's lips quirked into a shadow of a smile. "We'll see."
He handed Kaien a scroll. "Your first mission team will be assigned tomorrow. In the meantime, complete the contents of this scroll. It's Anbu clearance level. Speak of it to no one."
Kaien opened the scroll that night in his room. Inside were names, locations, and ten B-rank target profiles.
Unofficial missions. Real kills. Real blood.
He exhaled.
Sun Breathing: First Form – Dance.
The sword in his hand was real. The mission? Just another training ground.
He vanished into the night.
[End of Chapter 5 – Template Progress: 38.2%]
[Next Chapter: Shadows of the Hidden Blade – The Chuunin Trials Begin]