Naruto: The Shattered Eyes

Suguru stood at the gate of the simple, wooden hut. With Isao beside him, he got a feel for the clan's culture.

As secretive as they were, it seemed like they were surprisingly lax.

After all, Suguru hadn't been approached by anyone throughout his walk to the village's center. Only a dozen or so wary gazes had been directed his way.

Other than that, there was nothing.

Suguru glanced at Isao, and the latter shook his head.

'It seems like I won't get any help. Makes sense,' Suguru thought as he raised his hand to knock on the oaken gate.

—Knock, knock, knock.

Three decisive, evenly spaced strikes fell upon the wood. Despite putting in a significant amount of force, the sound that he created was soft. Furthermore, even his knuckles went numb.

"..." Dumbstruck, Suguru went silent.

'I was right,' He thought while he scanned the village around him. 'This place is not built on anything ordinary.'

Pushing a steel ball into any of the buildings here would probably take a lot of force. Perhaps even a few tonnes of force to be exact.

'As expected of the Senju, I guess?' Suguru sighed and glanced at Isao who was looking at him with a smirk.

Suguru rolled his eyes and instead placed his palm on the gate. He then channeled his chakra into the wood, creating a change he was not expecting.

Beneath his touch, the hardwood gate turned soft. His hand began sinking into it, forcing Suguru to draw upon more and more of his chakra. With each ounce of chakra he poured, the wood became more and more accepting of his presence.

Isao's eyes thus widened in shock.

"Huh? How did he—"

Before he could muster up his thoughts, Suguru slipped through the gate and arrived at the village's Central Hut. Isao's mouth fell open when he realized how easily Suguru had figured out one of the subtleties of the village.

"..." Left with no choice and embarrassed by his earlier smug expression, Isao followed shortly after.

Like Suguru, he melted the wood and passed right through.

***

Senju Kisouma was not expecting to be disturbed on such a fine day.

He had just completed the main shape of a small avian wood carving. Feeling pleased with his work, he decided to rest before proceeding.

The next stage would be a few general details such as the wings, beak, and eyes of the sparrow he wished to carve.

Upon raising the chisel, Kisouma felt an unfamiliar presence enter the village.

"Hm," Looking up, Kisouma noticed Isao walking together with them. 

Judging from the life force in their body, Kisouma knew that Isao had most likely brought a friend. Thus, he took out three ornate bowls and a kettle. After grabbing one of his favorite whisks, he then laid out a table and some cushions.

Lighting a fire with his chakra, Kisouma waited for the water to boil and for his guest to arrive.

He listened to two things — water and footsteps. One grew with agitation while the other kept a relaxed and rhythmic beat.

A stark contrast.

—Click.

***

A door was slid open, and in came a silver-haired boy. With an empty, tranquil gaze, Suguru glanced at the boiling water. A faint pillar of steam rose from the kettle.

Two cushions were laid out before a middle-aged man with spiky black hair. His beard was long, with streaks of grey surfacing here and there.

"Have a seat, young lad." A low chuckle resonated throughout the room, indicative of its excellent acoustics. "Let me prepare some tea for quite the irregular visitor."

Suguru bowed, "Thank you, Sir. I appreciate your hospitality."

Then, he took a seat and left Isao standing.

Without even looking up, the middle-aged man spoke, "You as well, Isao. Sit down."

"Yes, Kisouma-sama. Thank you for your kindness."

"...As strict on yourself as usual." Kisouma sighed, "I still don't understand how those two troublemakers raised such a contrasting individual."

Hearing these words, Suguru glanced at his old teammate. Isao noticed his gaze and shook his head.

Pleading for his ignorance towards Kisouma's statements.

Suguru nodded slightly to indicate his understanding. However, he silently took note of that fact. It would be fun for future use.

The tea ceremony thus proceeded with Kisouma's elegant display of mastery. His hands moved with surgical precision and artistic flair. A contradictory mix at first glance, but a wonderfully coherent one when analyzed.

Silence pervaded the room as two out of the three individuals in the room focused on the ceremony. Suguru's gaze never wavered, seemingly endlessly intrigued by the sight before him.

On the other hand, Isao could not show any sign of boredom. He tried to feign interest, however no one would have noticed either way. Kisouma and Suguru were simply uncaring for his presence.

The tea ceremony seemed more important.

No... it was more important.

***

Kisouma's preparation was meticulous to allow Suguru to appreciate the aura that emerged from his body. Like ripples on a still lake, the appearance of the Senju Clan's patriarch bore a striking contrast from his actions.

Every flick of the wrist had grace. Every sequence of actions bore meaning. The flutter of his loose garments even seemed to match the flow of his chakra.

Although Suguru could not see it with his eyes, he could feel the world responding to the tea ceremony before him.

Kisouma served him the cup with a simple cube of sugar which he accepted with a bow.

The life force that seemed undeterred by any tangible presence now swirled in a dance. The deep green color of the tea he grasped with both hands reflected the ethereal vitality in the air.

It was an astonishing experience. 

Suguru found himself grounded within the present and somehow at peace. His mind did not wander as it usually did. Instead, upon bringing the cup up to his lips and tasting the sweet, vegetal flavor, his life force seemed to resonate with his surroundings.

Harmonious as it joined the dance.

"This... This is amazing, Sir." Suguru closed his eyes to savor the subtle changes he had experienced in such a short time frame.

Hearing these words, Kisouma chuckled. "It's relieving to find out that you're worth talking to."

He then straightened his back and took a sip of his own cup of tea. After taking a moment to savor the same flavors that Suguru had, he spoke once again.

"So," Kisouma placed his cup down and went straight to the point. An indescribable hint of emotions flashed in his gaze. "What brings you here?"

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