In a dimly lit room sat three people, all with troubling expression marring their faces. The one sitting on the elevated wooden steps above the rest, with pineapple style hair, the signature of many Nara man spoke
"Are you sure Ashira is a prodigy? Forgive me for doubting your words sister, but the child is 8 months old, being precocious does not always translate to being a prodigy at the shinobi arts."
The second person, a woman with long raven hair let out a sigh before replying
"Ashira is not just precocious Shikano, he's been aware of chakra since he was at least 3 months old. The kid has been trying to circulate his chakra before he can even walk. I know because I'm one of the best damn sensors in this village. Everything else can be attributed to his Uzumaki, and Nara''s heritage, from an overly developed chakra network rarely seen in a baby his age except from a very few Uzumaki, or being able to pick up language and letters from our heavy yin natured chakra. But being both aware, and attempting rudimentary chakra exercises before being able to walk. That is unheard of bar a very few exceptions."
A silent atmosphere settled on the group before being broken by a man with crimson hair optimism and hope in his tone.
"Maybe it's just the combination between our blood Yasuka, the Uzumaki is a yang heavy bloodline with plenty of chakra, and the Nara line is a yin heavy one. Mayhaps this combined created an inquisitive child with a lot of chakra, and what our baby was doing was no conscious act, but an unconscious reaction that looked like rudimentary chakra manipulation. Like a man who drank 10 cups of coffee, Ashira is only feeling jittery from too much energy and is working it off unknowingly. Older children have been seen to do that all the time, unconsciously moving chakra around to reinforce their body. The only thing different is that Ashira has a lot more chakra for a kid his age and therefore makes it easier for us to notice."
Shikano, the current clan head of the Nara clan seems to agree with the man assessment but with an unsure undertone
"We should let him exercise more often, Yasuka, find more ways for him to work off that extra energy. Your child is the first of the union between the Uzumaki and our Nara clan, so we are indeed walking in unknown territory here."
Shikano seems to chuckled in amusement at an idea and said
"An active Nara, mayhaps pigs will fly tomorrow, and Ashira is also in possession of a new kekkei genkai"
The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy as Yasuka's kick landed on the stomach of her brother, Shikako, which launched him into the wall with smoke coming out of his stomach.
"Don't talk about my child like an exotic animals"
Said Yasuka with a murderous glare before said glare turned 180 degree into a worrying but hopeful frown
"Perhaps you are right and I'm worrying over nothing. I just hope our son is not a prodigy and is forced into the leaf shinobi army before his time."
Shikano who just recovered from his sudden visit to pure land turned serious and said
"No child of the Nara clan will be pulled into the conflicts of the leaf dear sister. Let the Hokage throw the eager Uchihas, or arrogant Hyugas at their enemies. We will fulfill our duty to the village, but no more. We will not send our children toward the leaf's enemies. We have lost too much during the last war."
The Nara clan head stopped talking, seeing the relief expression on her sister's face, then turned toward his brother in law, and continued.
"Moving on, has Uzushiogakure agreed to our proposal?"
Conversations then flow as plots and schemes, alliances, and enemies are discussed as the tension between the five major villages continue to rise. The prelude to the second shinobi war begins
About 3 years later
Inside a large forest, a child with black hair and shining violet iris in grey shorts, and a black shirt is seen running through the dense foliage. Dodging and flipping to avoid tree trunks and loose roots, with the agility impossible for one his age. Despite the impressive acrobatic movements, the most unnatural thing coming from the child is the half a dozen leaves sticking on each spot of his exposed skin. 1 on his forehead, 1 each on his arm and legs, and 2 under his eyes. The young boy suddenly stops, as all the leaves slowly fall down on the ground, heavy breathing start emenating, and droplets of sweats seeping into his clothes. Said child is our protagonist Ashira Nara
"10 minutes for the whole course, Sticking 7 leaves is much harder than i expected"
I said as a feminine grunting sound is heard on my left. Out came a young doe, double my size, as it starts licking me affectionately.
"Stop it Katsuko, i know it's almost time girl, but you gotta stop licking me."
I said to my new best friend in this life, a young doe that bonded with me just as it is the birthright, and tradition of every Nara to be bonded with one. Katsuko eventually relented and started stepping away from me. I took a deep breath and looked toward that ominous countdown that has accompanied me for the past 4 years.
"2 minutes left"
I said as i sat down on the hard ground and started meditating. Feeling the warm current of chakra flowing beneath my stomach, feeling it spread out from my chakra network as it traveled through each of the tenketsu notes in my body. This lasted for 1 minutes 55 seconds before the countdown begins
5 i breathed as i calmed my mind
4 i breathed as i focused on the past 4 years of my second life
3 i breathed as memories of those i love past through me, memories of Family
2 i breathed no longer as i steeled my resolve
1 i readied for what's to come
0
Pain, Overwhelming pain flooded my mind, my very soul as a metaphysical pain seared into my very existence, then I screamed. And with those pains come knowledges, knowledges of a different world, with a different rules, of men and women putting their lives on the line to defeat a great evil, and then the hand signs, rituals, and the information of the unique echoes, like painting on a canvas, knowledges of 10 great Shadows was seared into my mind. This process felt like it lasted for eternity before pain left me, and I screamed no longer. Then comes the laugh, the deranged laugh in the comfort that i'm no longer powerless, no longer an ordinary Nara. I am the Nara of the Ten Shadows.