Naruto - Azure Awakening

Kaoru's eyes glowed crimson, the three droplets of his Sharingan spinning slowly in each pupil as he hovered above the battlefield. Below him, shinobi from various villages stared up with expressions of fear and anxiety etched into their faces. Their hands trembled as they gripped their weapons, their nervous whispers carried by the wind.

Kaoru felt a surge of excitement rising within him, mingled with a pleasant, almost intoxicating heaviness in his chest. Power radiated through him, and it felt like he could move mountains with the flick of his fingers. The sensation was overwhelming, and he relished it.

"I won't forgive you for attacking my clan. For I am the Ghost of Uchiha," Kaoru declared, his voice reverberating across the battlefield.

As he spoke, his Sharingan morphed. The three droplets twisted and reshaped, forming an intricate pattern resembling three overlapping tidal waves crashing inward, their arcs connecting at the center like a whirlpool. This was his Mangekyou Sharingan.

Kaoru marveled at the power coursing through him. The battlefield blurred as he prepared to unleash Susanoo, feeling the immense chakra surge through his body, filling him with pride and exhilaration.

But before he could summon the legendary construct, an icy, wet sensation jolted him awake. He gasped, leaping out of bed in shock, his heart pounding as reality crashed down on him.

Standing by his bed, Maki grinned down at him, a bucket in hand and mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Your training starts in the early morning, not in the afternoon, Ru. Meet me outside in five minutes," she said, her tone cheerful but firm.

Before Kaoru could respond, Maki turned on her heel and left the room, her grin growing wider as she pictured her brother's shocked expression.

It took Kaoru a few moments to process what had just happened. His mind was still muddled from sleep, and for a fleeting second, he had expected to wake up in his old world—wherever and whatever that had been.

[Shit! Why couldn't I have been born with Sharingan or Rinnegan? Or at least some Senju-level chakra reserves? Why couldn't the thing that brought me here give me some OP powers?!] Kaoru scowled, feeling momentarily dejected.

But with a resigned sigh, he got up and changed into dry clothes, selecting something comfortable for training. As he stepped outside into the cool morning air, he reminded himself that dreams of power wouldn't make him stronger—hard work would.

As Kaoru stepped outside, he immediately felt the moisture in the air clinging to his skin. Strangely, it didn't feel uncomfortable. On the contrary, the sensation was refreshing, almost invigorating. It was as if the water particles in the air were gently soothing and revitalizing him.

Kaoru was about to start analyzing the phenomenon when a sudden slap on his back jolted him out of his thoughts.

"The first exercise is running, Ru. Follow me. No breaks until I say so," Maki said, her voice firm and focused.

Gone was her playful, doting tone. This was Maki the trainer, and there was no room for excuses.

She started jogging at a steady pace, her long strides smooth and effortless. Kaoru, however, had to push himself to the limit just to keep up, his short legs working overtime to match her pace. As they headed toward the outpost's entrance, Kaoru felt a surge of hope that they might be going outside the settlement. But instead, Maki turned the corner and began running alongside the perimeter fence.

Kaoru's heart sank a little. It seemed they would be running inside the outpost instead. While the settlement wasn't particularly large, it felt massive to his untrained body. The thought of running laps around it made his legs ache preemptively.

[For a seven-year-old, I'm running pretty well. Is this normal? Or am I exceptionally strong?] he thought, surprised at his own endurance. [Honestly, I expected to collapse after a few steps.]

Despite his self-praise, his steps were becoming increasingly sloppy. His breathing was ragged, his mouth wide open as he desperately gulped down air.

Soon, Kaoru noticed Maki glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, but she said nothing. Her expression remained unreadable.

Finally, they reached the dojo, and Kaoru couldn't hide his relief. He was barely holding himself together by the time they crossed the threshold.

"Rest for fifteen minutes," Maki said, her gaze steady as she watched him. There was no visible emotion on her face—no joy, no surprise, just calm observation.

Kaoru didn't need to be told twice. The moment he heard her words, he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. Even if Maki hadn't given him permission, he would've fallen over from exhaustion.

As he sat there catching his breath, he watched Maki retrieve some strange seals from a small closet inside the dojo. She began placing the seals on various parts of her body with practiced ease. Kaoru barely paid attention, assuming they weren't meant for him. His focus was solely on recovering from the brutal run.

The fifteen minutes passed far quicker than Kaoru would've liked. He groaned internally when he heard Maki's voice again.

"It's time to meditate now," she said. "I want you to feel your chakra. Sit down, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing."

Kaoru nodded, sitting upright and crossing his legs. He tried to focus, but Maki continued explaining.

"Feeling your chakra is about connecting with the energy inside you," Maki said, her tone still completely neutral but Kaoru could feel her gaze. "Imagine it like a current flowing through your body. Start by focusing on your heartbeat. Listen to it. Feel the way your blood moves through your veins."

Kaoru closed his eyes and did as she instructed, his breathing slowing as he concentrated on the steady rhythm of his heart.

"Now, as you breathe in and out, picture a river inside you. Your chakra is that river, flowing through your body. It's everywhere—your head, your chest, your arms, your legs. Try to follow the flow."

Kaoru took a deep breath, visualizing the river inside him. At first, he felt nothing. Just the sound of his own breathing and the lingering exhaustion from the run. But as he kept focusing, something faint stirred within him—a gentle pulse, like ripples in a pond.

"There it is…" he murmured softly, almost in disbelief.

"That's your chakra," Maki said, her voice softer now. "It's always there. The more you practice, the easier it'll be to feel it—and control it."

Kaoru continued to sit in silence, his mind fully focused on that subtle pulse. It felt warm, steady, and oddly calming, like a quiet reassurance that he had power within him, waiting to be harnessed.

The thirty minutes passed quickly. As Kaoru opened his eyes, he realized he wasn't as tired anymore. Something about connecting with his chakra had helped him recover, at least mentally.

Maki stood nearby, her arms crossed. "Good. Now let's continue."

They stepped outside into the fresh morning air. Maki strode confidently toward the huge tree standing in the yard, her expression serious.

"Now that you've rested, it's time to work on your chakra control," she said without turning around. "If you can't learn how to stand on water, my entire training regimen will be useless. So, we're skipping a few steps and focusing on that first."

Kaoru blinked, surprised. Water walking? His mind raced with images of shinobi casually running across lakes and walking up sheer cliffs. He'd seen it in the anime, but it had always seemed like an advanced technique. The thought of learning it now sent a thrill of excitement through him.

"Before you can walk on water, you need to master tree climbing," Maki continued, stopping in front of the towering tree. "It's much easier than water walking but shares the same principle. Once you've got this down, you'll be ready for the next step."

Kaoru's eyes widened as he took in the challenge. [Finally, something interesting,] he thought, excitement flashing in his gaze. This was real shinobi training—not just running laps or basic chakra exercises. He couldn't wait to start.

Maki crouched down to his level and began explaining the concept.

"Here's how it works: You'll need to focus your chakra into the soles of your feet. Too little, and you'll lose your grip and fall off. Too much, and you'll push yourself away from the tree" she said. "The trick is to find the perfect balance. Keep your chakra flow steady, not in bursts. It's all about control."

Kaoru nodded, absorbing her words. The idea of balancing chakra while moving sounded simple enough in theory, but he knew it would be harder in practice.

"You'll climb the tree repeatedly until your chakra drops below twenty percent," Maki said, standing up straight again. "Once you hit that point, you'll feel exhausted—like your whole body is about to shut down. When that happens, you'll meditate for thirty minutes to recover and then start again. You're doing this for two hours."

Kaoru gawked at her. Two hours of non-stop training?! He'd barely managed to keep up with the running earlier, and now she was throwing this at him?

Maki didn't seem to notice his expression—or if she did, she didn't care. Her face remained serious, focused.

"I'll be back in exactly two hours," she said before turning and walking off, leaving Kaoru standing there by the tree.

As he watched her leave, Kaoru couldn't help but feel surprised at this side of his sister. In his memories, Maki had always been warm, bright, and playful—the type to spoil him endlessly. But when it came to training, she transformed into someone else entirely.

[She's a complete demon when it comes to training,] Kaoru thought, shaking his head. His doting sister was, apparently, a training lunatic.

Still, a grin crept onto his face. Despite the intense regimen, he couldn't deny that he was excited to take on the challenge. 

The two hours passed faster than Kaoru expected, but to his shame, he had made zero progress. The only thing he'd improved on was meditating—he was slowly becoming more adept at sensing his chakra and pinpointing his chakra core. But when it came to tree climbing, he hadn't managed even a single step.

Kaoru sat at the base of the tree, staring up at the bark with frustration gnawing at him. [Am I just... untalented at this?] The thought made his chest tighten. He couldn't help but feel dejected, like he was falling short compared to what he'd imagined for himself.

But then, a spark of resolve lit up inside him. [There's nothing hard work can't fix. If I have no talent, then I'll put in twice the effort. I'll outwork everyone—and overcome them.]

With a determined look in his eyes, Kaoru stood up and prepared to make another attempt at tree climbing. But before he could place his foot on the bark, he spotted Maki walking toward him from across the yard.

His eyes widened in shock.

[What the hell did she do? Where did all those bruises come from?!]

Maki was drenched in sweat, her training clothes clinging to her like a second skin. Her arms and legs were covered in bruises and scrapes, yet she moved with the same unwavering energy as before. Despite her battered appearance, she exuded strength and confidence that made Kaoru feel both proud and envious at the same time.

In that moment, he realized something—his sister was strong. Much stronger than he had given her credit for.

Maki stopped in front of him, her sharp gaze cutting through his lingering frustration. Without even asking how his tree-climbing practice had gone, she barked out new orders.

"Fifty push-ups. Fifty squats. Then start running. I'll tell you when to stop."

Kaoru's jaw dropped slightly, caught off guard by the sudden demand. He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could get a word out, Maki's eyebrow twitched—a silent warning that she wasn't in the mood for excuses.

That was all it took.

"Yes, sister!" Kaoru blurted, dropping to the ground without hesitation. He started his push-ups with an enthusiasm fueled partly by fear.

As he pushed his small body up and down, his arms trembling under the strain, Kaoru couldn't help but feel a flicker of pride. He still had a long way to go, but seeing Maki's strength and resilience reignited his determination.

[I'll catch up to her one day. I'll become strong too. Just wait.]

As Kaoru finished his push-ups, he glanced at Maki and saw her sitting cross-legged, meditating with a serene expression. For a moment, the temptation to sneak in a five-minute break crept into his mind. 

[Just a little rest wouldn't hurt, right?]

But he quickly squashed the idea. He didn't want to risk angering Maki, who was clearly a lunatic when it came to training. [Even Might Guy would seem normal compared to her], Kaoru thought with a sigh.

With a resigned groan, he moved on to squats, his legs already trembling from exhaustion. As he continued the exercise, he couldn't help but keep his gaze on Maki. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind.

[What if I activate my eyes and see what's going on inside her?]

Intrigued by the thought, Kaoru activated his Kekkei Genkai. His cyan eyes glowed faintly as he focused on Maki's form. What he saw left him stunned.

He could see not only the flow of water within her body but also the flow of chakra. And it was beautiful. The chakra and water were intertwined in perfect harmony, flowing together in a way that seemed both natural and refined. The sight was mesmerizing, like watching a perfectly choreographed dance.

Kaoru furrowed his brow in thought. [Wait… Could it be that her chakra is visible because of her affinity with water?] He realized that since Maki's primary element was water, his eyes could detect her chakra as if it were part of the water flowing inside her. The chakra was calm and steady, barely perceptible at first glance. In fact, it was so controlled that Kaoru initially thought it was standing still.

[Her chakra control is… insane.]

The realization hit him hard. His sister wasn't just strong—she was a genius. Her ability to maintain such a steady, harmonious flow of chakra was nothing short of inhuman. It made Kaoru's struggles with tree climbing seem even more pathetic in comparison.

A newfound respect bloomed in Kaoru's chest. He admired Maki's strength and discipline in a way he hadn't before. [She's on a completely different level.]

That respect, however, didn't last long.

As soon as he finished his squats, Kaoru remembered the next part of the routine: running.

[Yeah, respect gone, this is torture!], he thought bitterly.

Kaoru had no idea how long he had been running, but it felt like hours. The small yard he was circling might as well have been the longest marathon course in human history. His legs burned, his chest ached, and his breaths came in ragged gasps.

Each lap felt harder than the last, but he kept going, occasionally shooting desperate glances at Maki, hoping—praying—that she would stand up and tell him to stop. But there she sat, still meditating, her expression calm and peaceful, as if she had all the time in the world.

Kaoru clenched his teeth, frustration bubbling inside him. [She's just sitting there, looking all zen, while I'm dying over here!]

He wanted to yell at her. He would have yelled at her a dozen times already—if he weren't terrified of what she might do in response. The image of Maki's twitching eyebrow flashed through his mind, and he shuddered. He was certain that if he dared to complain, she would punish him by making him run even more.

No, he couldn't risk it.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Maki stood up and dusted herself off. Kaoru nearly stumbled in relief when he heard her speak.

"Meditate for ten minutes, then go freshen up. Meet me at Grandma's when you're done," she said calmly, as if this brutal session was just a warm-up.

Kaoru didn't need to be told twice. He dropped to the ground—literally dropped—and barely managed to cross his legs into a sitting position. His body was screaming in protest, his muscles trembling with exhaustion.

For the first few minutes, he couldn't even think about chakra control. All he could focus on was breathing. His gasps were uneven, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to steady himself.

It took him a full five minutes just to catch his breath and clear his mind enough to focus on his chakra flow.

[This is brutal… but I'll keep going].

<<<<<<>>>>>>

In the center of the outpost, inside the Clan Head's building, Maki sat across from Suiren, her posture relaxed but her expression thoughtful.

"So, how was he?" Suiren asked, her voice calm but curious.

"It's still early to say," Maki replied, leaning back slightly. "But he's determined. I worked him really hard today—ran him into the ground, made him do push-ups, squats, and even gave him tree climbing as his first exercise. He failed, of course, but he took it better than I expected. No whining, no giving up. He's serious about this."

Suiren smiled softly. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Maki couldn't help but chuckle, a playful grin spreading across her face. "Yes, I am. You should've seen him by the end of the training. He was genuinely angry but too scared to say anything. His puffed-up cheeks made him look so cute." She giggled at the memory, her grin widening. "I'm giving him a week. If he sticks with it and proves he's serious, I'll dedicate my time to training him."

Suiren nodded in approval but then noticed Maki's expression shift slightly. The grin faded as her tone turned more serious.

"By the way," Maki continued, "at one point, he activated his Kekkei Genkai and kept watching me. I could feel his gaze. I don't know what he was doing, but he was definitely observing me closely. I didn't even know he could activate his powers so freely."

Suiren's eyes widened slightly. "He activated it?" she asked, surprised.

Maki nodded, her brows furrowing. "I haven't seen him activate his Kekkei Genkai since that day…" Her voice softened, and a shadow of sadness crossed her face.

Suiren placed a comforting hand on Maki's shoulder, squeezing gently. "He might've done it accidentally, but it's a good sign. It means he's getting better at using it."

There was a moment of silence between them before Suiren spoke again, her tone steady but carrying a hint of sadness.

"If we want to survive, we have to become stronger," Suiren said, her voice firm. "As much as I wish I could be strong enough to protect everyone myself, the truth is… I'm utterly useless outside of this settlement. But at least here, I can guarantee everyone's safety."

Her eyes hardened with determination, but Maki caught the faint glint of sadness behind them.

"Even the Mizukage won't dare to attack us here," Suiren continued, though her voice wavered slightly. "But I know it's only a matter of time before things change. And when they do, we must be ready."

Maki nodded, her expression serious once more. "We'll make sure we are."

<<<<<<>>>>>>

Maki put Kaoru through another grueling training session in the evening before finally telling him to go to bed. Exhausted and sore, Kaoru trudged back to his room, collapsing onto his mat with a heavy sigh. He knew he shouldn't have expected any drastic improvements in a single day, but the fact that he still couldn't make even a single step on the tree trunk left him feeling dejected.

[No point in sulking,] he thought. [I need to put more time into my chakra control.]

Determined to make progress, Kaoru decided to add a nightly routine to his training. He would do water droplet manipulation exercises for at least an hour before going to sleep. He noticed that every time he completely drained his chakra, he felt his core subtly strengthen during recovery. If exhausting his reserves was the key to growth, then he would push himself to his limits every day.

As he sat cross-legged, focusing on the shimmering droplet hovering in front of him, Kaoru's thoughts drifted toward his new life—and his new family. He didn't remember anything about his past life, but even so, he couldn't imagine it being much better than what he had now.

Yes, this world was brutal and filled with people who saw human lives as disposable, but… he had people who loved him. Truly loved him, with all their hearts. Maki and Suiren had shown him nothing but care and devotion, and Kaoru was beginning to realize that he loved them back—deeply and involuntarily.

The memories he had weren't truly his, but they were there, woven into the fabric of his mind. He hadn't simply taken over Kaoru's body. He was Kaoru now, in every way that mattered. The more he thought about it, the more he accepted it.

[It's not bad at all,] he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

He liked the feeling of being loved. He liked knowing he had reliable people he could trust. But with that trust came responsibility. Kaoru needed to become stronger—much, much stronger—to protect them.

His thoughts darkened as he remembered something Maki had mentioned earlier during Breakfast: news had reached the settlement that Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had recently died.

That piece of information hit Kaoru hard. It meant he was seven years older than Naruto. And more importantly, it meant he had roughly sixteen years before the Fourth Great Ninja War would erupt.

Sixteen years to prepare.

Sixteen years to become strong enough to survive—and to make sure the people he loved survived with him.

Kaoru clenched his fists, the droplet of water wavering in front of him before dropping on the floor.

[I have time… but not much. I need to become strong enough to make a difference.]

With that thought, Kaoru resumed his exercise, steadily pushing his chakra to its limit before finally allowing himself to rest. Tonight, he drifted off with a clearer mind than the night before. He had a goal now—a timeline to work with and a reason to grow stronger.

There was still much to figure out. He needed a plan, but he knew he was far too weak to start thinking about grand strategies just yet. For now, his focus had to be simple: reach at least Chunin level as fast as possible.

His shinobi journey was just beginning, a path full of uncertainty and danger. How far he'd go, what he'd become… no one could say. Not even Kaoru himself.

But one thing was certain—there was no turning back now.

**

A/N - This chapter ended up really long, lol. Most chapters will be around 2000 words, but I might change that and write longer ones depending on what the plot needs. I wanted to explain how Kaoru's ninja journey started, and splitting it into separate chapters didn't feel right. Plus, I wanted to show more of Maki and Suiren's personalities to give them more depth.

I've finally decided on the timeline! The story starts shortly after Minato's death, meaning Kaoru is 7 years older than Naruto. I'll definitely be including canon characters, and I'll do my best to keep their personalities true to the original. That said… if I find any characters to be too flawed (:cough: Kishimoto's female characters! :cough:), I'll give them more depth and nuance. 

Now, about the training arcs: I won't spend too much time on them, but I can't skip them either. Kaoru's development and understanding of chakra (The concepts will mostly be invented by me) are important to the story, and it'll help explain how he makes progress and comes up with new techniques (because he has to, right?). Without these explanations, it'd be hard to justify his growth.

That's all I wanted to share for now! Thanks for reading! 😊

Character Notes:

* Kaoru - Sleeping MC - [No, Maki… please let me rest for five more minutes…]

* Maki - Proud Sister - Thinking about increasing the intensity of Kaoru's training.

* Suiren - Clan Head - [I need to get my hands on more scrolls. Without them, the new generation won't be able to learn new techniques.]

* Naruto - Canon MC, a few months old - Pooped himself.

**