Chapter 13: Breakthrough
Hatake Clan Dojo.
Kawakaze had stood motionless for so long that Sakumo thought his brother might have been possessed. After receiving a cold, detached response when he approached to check, Sakumo left in embarrassment.
Nearby, Nawaki finished his horse stance practice and transitioned into sword drills. The breeze stirred Kawakaze's silver hair, which clung to his sweat-drenched face as he stood deep in concentration. His mental energy was stretched thin, his focus entirely on the Flying Thunder God Technique. Though he felt a faint, tantalizing connection, the breakthrough remained elusive. It was as if a thin layer of paper stood between him and mastery. If he could just pierce through it, he'd unlock the secret of spatial movement.
The power of space... Kawakaze mused silently. Mito Uzumaki's Fūinjutsu had given him a glimpse through the window of understanding; now it was up to him to push it fully open.
Realizing the key still lay in sensing the power of space, he decided to change his approach. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Kawakaze used a teleportation technique to reposition himself beneath a tree. There, he unsheathed the Eight-Sided Han Sword, which instantly disappeared from sight.
Closing his eyes, Kawakaze felt for the faint, shifting threads of spatial energy—wild and violent, yet infinitely intricate. He'd never encountered a power so enigmatic. The sword appeared and vanished repeatedly in his hands as he immersed himself in the fleeting moments between its presence and absence. Each transition was a fleeting window into the mysteries of space.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. Wrapping the sword in Chakra, he bridged the final gap. In that moment, clarity dawned.
The power of space.
When Kawakaze opened his eyes, they gleamed with determination. Without hesitation, he flung the Eight-Sided Han Sword toward Nawaki, who was deep in sword practice. The unexpected attack jolted Nawaki into panic.