A deep sigh escaped Indra's lips as he sat cross-legged on his futon, eyes shut in determination. The quiet of the night blanketed his room, the only sound being the distant rustling of trees outside. His body was still, his hands resting on his knees, but his mind was anything but calm.
Meditate… focus on the flame… let it flow naturally.
The same instructions his father had given him earlier echoed in his head.
Yet, no matter how much he tried, the sheer exhilaration of the day refused to let him rest. The moment he had sensed his chakra for the first time had been nothing short of magical—like unlocking a hidden part of himself that had always been there, waiting.
From an ordinary man in another world… to this.
His past life had been painfully mundane. Work, responsibilities, and the slow grind of time—it all felt so distant now. He had never been particularly special. Just another person living an average life, powerless against the forces that shaped the world. But here?
Here, he had power.
A force that was his and his alone.
Chakra.
It was terrifying, knowing how dangerous this world was. The battles he had once watched through a screen would become his reality. But at the same time… he had a weapon. A force that could protect him. A power that belonged to him.
A grin pulled at his lips as his eyes flickered open. Sleep was impossible.
----
The scent of freshly steamed rice and grilled fish filled the dining hall, mingling with the subtle aroma of miso soup. Indra sat beside his mother, Naomi Hyuga, his chopsticks moving with eager precision as he devoured his meal. His appetite had noticeably increased since unlocking his chakra, something he hadn't expected.
He had always been a moderate eater in his past life, never one to overindulge. But now, his body craved sustenance in a way that felt almost instinctual. The moment food touched his tongue, it was like his body knew exactly how to absorb its energy.
Naomi, ever observant, chuckled softly. "Your appetite has grown, hasn't it?"
Indra paused mid-bite, swallowing quickly before nodding. "I didn't expect it, but I feel… hungrier than before."
"That's natural," his mother explained gently, refilling his rice bowl without hesitation. "A shinobi's body burns through energy faster than a normal person's, especially after awakening chakra. Food is fuel. The stronger you grow, the more your body will demand."
Indra glanced at his father, Hiroshi, who was eating at a steady, controlled pace. Even though his movements were calm, Indra now noticed just how much his father actually consumed. The portion sizes weren't exaggerated, but they were deliberate—each bite measured to maximize sustenance.
"Proper nutrition is as important as training," Naomi continued. "A malnourished body can never fully utilize its chakra."
Indra absorbed her words, realizing how much science went into shinobi training. His past self would have never imagined that something as simple as diet played such a role in a warrior's strength.
"Well, you'll certainly need the energy," his father finally spoke, setting his chopsticks down neatly. His gaze met Indra's, sharp yet approving.
Indra straightened instinctively, wiping his mouth with his sleeve before quickly correcting the gesture and using his napkin instead. Old habits.
"Today, we move to the next step."
Indra's fingers twitched slightly. The next step…?
Hiroshi's lips curled just slightly at the corner. "The Byakugan."
A spark of anticipation ignited in Indra's chest. He froze mid-motion, chopsticks hovering just above his rice bowl. His grip instinctively tightened, and he swallowed the lump of excitement that had formed in his throat.
Byakugan… my own Byakugan…
His father observed his reaction with quiet amusement. "Eager, aren't you?"
Indra nodded quickly, his heart hammering against his ribs. "Yes! I mean—yes, father." He corrected himself, trying to maintain some composure, but the thrill in his voice betrayed him.
Naomi chuckled at her son's barely-contained enthusiasm, reaching out to smooth his hair. "Your father was just as eager at your age," she said, casting Hiroshi a knowing glance.
Hiroshi cleared his throat, as if ignoring that particular statement. "Finish your meal first," he instructed. "Then, meet me at the training hall."
Indra almost wanted to rush his food, but Naomi's earlier words about proper nutrition rang in his mind. He forced himself to eat at a measured pace, though his feet itched to run.
Today, he would awaken his Byakugan.
Today, he would see the world anew.
Indra stood in the training hall once more, his small frame dwarfed by the vast space around him. His father stood before him, arms crossed, his ever-watchful gaze studying Indra's stance.
"The Byakugan is unlike other dōjutsu," Hiroshi began. "Unlike the Sharingan, which requires emotional turmoil to awaken, a Hyuga can access their Byakugan as soon as their chakra control is sufficient."
Indra absorbed his words carefully, his excitement barely contained. He had waited for this moment, dreamt of it ever since he understood where he had been reborn. To wield the Byakugan… to finally see chakra with his own eyes.
"Close your eyes," Hiroshi instructed.
Indra obeyed, steadying his breath.
"Now, feel your chakra. Guide it upwards through your pathways, leading toward your eyes."
Indra focused, reaching for the now-familiar warmth at his core. The tiny flame flickered to life in his navel, pulsing steadily with his heartbeat. Carefully, he directed it upwards, following the pathways his father had helped him refine the previous day.
As he attempted to push chakra toward his eyes, he felt resistance—a natural blockage in his pathways. It wasn't a wall, but more like an unfamiliar muscle he had never used before. He grit his teeth, his brows furrowing in determination.
"Use these," Hiroshi's voice cut through his struggle.
Indra opened his eyes slightly, glancing at his father's hands. Hiroshi swiftly performed a short sequence of hand signs, his movements fluid and precise.
"Tiger → Horse → Ram," he said, demonstrating once more. "These hand signs will help you focus your chakra properly."
Indra's small hands mimicked the shapes, though his motions were less refined.
"Why do I need them?" he asked, glancing up. "I don't remember seeing many Hyuga use hand signs to activate their Byakugan."
Hiroshi gave a rare smirk. "Because they don't need them anymore."
Indra's eyes widened slightly as his father continued, "Hand signs are a crutch, a tool to help guide chakra efficiently. Just as a child needs support to walk but later runs without thinking, a shinobi uses hand signs to mold their chakra until they no longer require them. With time and experience, you will activate the Byakugan with a mere thought."
That makes sense. Indra thought back to his past life, to the anime. They rarely showed Hyuga using hand signs, but that didn't mean they never needed them at first.
Determined, he pressed his hands together and slowly formed the sequence.
Tiger.
Horse.
Ram.
He felt it. The resistance weakened as the chakra surged forward, flowing with newfound ease. His temples throbbed slightly, a tingling sensation rushing to his eyes.
Then—
Veins bulged at the sides of his face.
His world shifted.
Indra's breath hitched as his vision expanded, reality warping around him in a way he had never experienced before.
He could see everything.
Not just the training hall, not just his father standing before him—but the entire space, as though his sight had detached from a single point of view. He was aware of his surroundings in all directions at once. The sensation was dizzying at first, an overwhelming flood of stimuli, but beneath the initial disorientation was something far more intoxicating—clarity.
His eyes flickered toward his father, and for the first time, he truly saw chakra.
A radiant network of thin, pulsing pathways ran through Hiroshi's body, each tenketsu a tiny beacon of energy, glowing in harmony with his breath. Every movement caused the chakra to ripple slightly, controlled and precise.
Instinctively, Indra looked at his own hands. Chakra coursed through his fingers like fine silk threads, weaving through his limbs with an elegance he hadn't been able to perceive before.
The training hall itself looked… different. The walls were no longer solid obstacles; they had become translucent veils through which faint outlines of the world beyond could be glimpsed. He could see past them, though the images were blurred and unfocused. With effort, he honed his vision outward, his gaze extending beyond the room. The distant movements of people walking through the corridors flickered into his sight, their chakra signatures like tiny flames against the darkness.
The sheer depth of perception sent a shiver down his spine.
"So this… is the world through the Byakugan."
A mix of awe and exhilaration flooded his chest. This wasn't just superior eyesight—this was an entirely new way to perceive reality.
Hiroshi, who had been watching closely, gave a small nod of approval.
"Good," he said, his voice measured. "You are already beginning to grasp the fundamentals. But the Byakugan is not just about seeing—it is about controlling what you see."
Indra turned to him, still adjusting to the overwhelming scope of his vision. He couldn't stop seeing everything at once. It was like his eyes refused to focus, forcing him to perceive the entire world simultaneously.
"Right now, your sight is unfocused," Hiroshi continued. "You must train yourself to refine it. There are layers to the Byakugan's vision—layers that must be consciously controlled."
Indra listened intently.
"First, there is chakra vision. What you are seeing now—the flow of energy within living beings. This is a shinobi's greatest asset, allowing us to perceive an opponent's movements, tenketsu points, and even the presence of hidden enemies."
Indra focused again, watching how his father's chakra pulsed through his body in real time.
"But," Hiroshi continued, "not everything in this world has chakra. A kunai flying toward you, a tripwire, an incoming shuriken—you may not see them in time if you rely only on chakra vision."
Indra immediately understood the implication. If he fixated on chakra alone, he could miss a physical attack.
"This is why you must also learn to switch between chakra vision and normal sight."
Indra blinked. He hadn't even realized that his world had lost all color. Everything was now a landscape of chakra hues, as though the world had been painted in shades of energy.
He tried willing his vision to shift—to see color once more. But the effort was unnatural, like trying to move a limb that had fallen asleep.
"It will take practice," Hiroshi said. "But eventually, you will learn to switch seamlessly. A skilled Hyuga can shift between normal sight and chakra vision in an instant, adapting to the situation."
Indra's mind raced. This meant that even though his Byakugan was active, he had to consciously decide what kind of information to focus on. If he kept his vision too broad, he would be overwhelmed. If he narrowed it too much, he could miss something crucial.
"This is harder than I thought… but also far more powerful than I imagined."
Hiroshi took a step back. "There is more. Right now, your vision is too wide. You must also learn to narrow your focus."
Indra glanced around, realizing that everything was equally sharp—whether it was his father's chakra network or the distant outlines beyond the walls. There was no natural distinction.
"With training, you will develop two crucial abilities," Hiroshi explained. "Microscopic vision—the ability to zoom in on details so small that even the tiniest muscle movements become clear. And telescopic vision—the ability to see at great distances, tracking movement from far away."
Indra's heart pounded at the implications.
"So I can zoom in and out at will?"
He tried focusing on Hiroshi's hands. Slowly, the vision around him blurred, and his attention sharpened on the chakra in his father's fingers. He could see the minute shifts in flow, the slight tension in the muscles.
But when he tried the opposite—extending his vision outward—it snapped back too fast, disorienting him.
His father smirked slightly. "It takes time. Right now, your Byakugan is like a book laid wide open. You must learn to turn the pages one by one."
Indra exhaled slowly. This was… more than just an eye technique. It was a skill that needed to be mastered.
"As you refine your sight," Hiroshi continued, "you will learn to see through obstacles. But you must also learn to choose what you want to see through. Right now, your Byakugan pierces through everything indiscriminately. That is not always an advantage."
Indra frowned. "Why not?"
"Because not every layer of reality is meant to be viewed at once," Hiroshi explained. "If you cannot control what you see through, your vision will be cluttered. But more importantly—there is a moral weight to this power."
Indra looked up. His father's face had hardened.
"The Byakugan is a gift, but it is also an invasion if used carelessly," Hiroshi said gravely. "A Hyuga sees through barriers, through defenses… even through clothing. It is a power that must be wielded responsibly."
Indra stiffened. The weight of his father's words hit him all at once.
This wasn't just about gaining superior sight. It was about trust. About honor.
"I understand," Indra said, his voice quieter but firm.
Hiroshi studied him for a moment before nodding. "Good."
"Additionally," his father continued, "there are certain materials that even the Byakugan cannot see through. Some special seals, reinforced metals, and chakra-infused barriers exist that can block our sight. Never assume your vision is absolute."
Indra committed that to memory. The Byakugan was powerful, but it was not infallible.
Hiroshi finally folded his arms, his stance easing. "You've done well for today, but this is only the beginning."
Indra slowly deactivated his Byakugan, feeling the tension leave his temples as the veins receded. His sight returned to normal—colors flooded back into the world, and the overwhelming sensory input faded.
The experience had left him breathless.
His father turned toward the exit. "For now, focus on controlling your sight—switching between chakra vision and normal sight. Learn to direct what you see instead of being overwhelmed by everything at once."
Indra exhaled, his mind still spinning with everything he had learned.
"The Byakugan is more than just sight… it's perception. It's awareness. It's mastery of vision itself."
And he was just getting started.