Morning came with the faint scent of dew and distant training bells echoing across the village.
Tsubasa stood by Training Ground 13—a large open clearing surrounded by trees, logs for target practice, and a small river running through the edge. His forehead protector was tied snugly around his neck, half-covered by the collar of his dark blue tunic. He looked like he belonged… almost.
But the storm of thoughts behind his unique eyes said otherwise.
I have to keep my space-time chakra hidden. At least until I understand it. Just act like a normal genin.
"Yo."
A girl with deep green eyes and short red hair arrived, hands in her pockets and a senbon lazily spinning in her mouth.
"You're the new guy, huh?" she asked.
"Tsubasa. And you are?"
"Nanase. Explosive tags, traps, and sarcasm specialist."
Before he could reply, a boy with shaggy brown hair jogged up, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
"Don't mind her. I'm Daiki. Taijutsu and Earth Style."
Tsubasa nodded. So these are my squadmates.
The sound of footsteps brought silence. Their jōnin instructor had arrived.
She was tall, with sharp golden eyes, long black hair tied in a thick braid, and a scar running down the left side of her jaw.
"Asuka-sensei," Nanase and Daiki greeted in unison.
Asuka gave a curt nod, then turned to Tsubasa. Her gaze lingered.
"You're the transfer. I read your file," she said. "It was… vague."
Tsubasa swallowed. "I'll make up for that with performance, ma'am."
Her lip twitched slightly—whether in amusement or skepticism, he couldn't tell.
"We'll see. Today, we test compatibility," she said. "Survival exercise. Three on one. You have until sunset to take this bell from me."
She held up a single silver bell.
Daiki groaned. "Is this that 'lesson about teamwork' thing?"
"No," Asuka replied. "This is to find out if the three of you are worth wasting time on."
She vanished.
Tsubasa barely saw the flicker.
Nanase cursed. "That speed—!"
Tsubasa's eyes scanned the field. She's suppressing her chakra, but...
Then he blinked. A flash—faint, impossible. A tear in space shimmered near the trees.
Tsubasa's instincts roared to life.
"Scatter!" he shouted, pushing Daiki aside just as Asuka's kunai buried itself where they'd stood.
Nanase stared. "How did you—?"
"I saw something," Tsubasa muttered.
Not just saw—felt. His chakra reacted to hers. The space around him had warped, subtly alerting him. Was this part of his Space-Time Style's sensory potential?
If so, it could be more than just a flashy ability.
It could be a shield.
And maybe—even a weapon.