Thud.
"Ah…"
Charlotte let out a soft complaint as her small body fell before she could take another step. To stumble in such a manner felt deeply embarrassing, all the more after she had so proudly praised her own cleverness.
Why is this so difficult?
She bit her lip, holding back her frustration.
How shameful. Even her father's teachings had yet to be mastered properly.
Three days had passed since that incident.
With the aid of the remarkable medicinal pills her father had given her, her body had recovered swiftly. The bruises and scratches that once marked her arms and hands had vanished without a trace, her skin returned to its unblemished state, as though it had never been harmed.
Charlotte cast a sullen glance toward her father.
Truly, Father… I am the one struggling here, yet your thoughts seem to wander elsewhere.
Ian, seeing this, quickly approached, concern evident upon his face.
"Are you unharmed, Sister?"
"I am well, Ian."
Charlotte extended her hand.
"Pull me up. Help me stand."
"Very well."
With her younger brother's help, she rose once more. The dust clinging to her trousers was brushed away at once, particularly at the back where the fall had struck hardest.
Her gaze returned to the tree before her.
The difficulty remained unchanged.
To maintain her balance while directing chakra into her feet proved far more challenging than she had imagined.
Walking upon a vertical surface was not merely a matter of stepping forward.
The flow of chakra within her feet was always disrupted.
Each time she attempted to move, that flow scattered, slipping beyond her control.
Father does it with such ease.
I should be able to do the same.
She lamented inwardly.
An hour earlier—
Her father had begun to teach her something new.
"Very well, Charlotte. I shall now instruct you in advanced chakra control. It remains part of the foundation, yet it goes deeper than what you have learned before."
"I am ready, Father."
"That spirit is commendable, my dear. Now, we shall proceed to the training ground. I will show you how to walk upon trees, or any vertical surface."
"Walk upon trees, Father?"
Her tone was filled with confusion. She had heard of mages who could fly, yet walking upon upright surfaces was something unfamiliar to her.
James regarded her gently before offering further explanation.
"Listen well. Though you have already learned to use basic fire ninjutsu as I have taught you, your control over chakra is still unstable. You remain at the foundational stage."
Charlotte fell silent, listening intently.
"You must have noticed it when you fought that woman. Recall your final strike. Why did it differ from the ones before it?"
Charlotte pondered.
She recalled the moment.
Her final strike had indeed felt different. Stronger. Heavier. As though something within her had surged forth.
Yet…
She did not truly understand why.
Her brows knit together, confusion plainly written across her face.
During the fight, she had struck her opponent many times, yet the woman had not fallen. That last blow had not seemed so different from the others, and yet it was that very strike which brought the woman down, leaving her unable to rise for some time.
Her father had mentioned that the woman remained collapsed for quite a while before eventually fleeing.
Still, no answer came to her mind.
Charlotte lifted her head, raising both hands with a puzzled expression.
"I do not know, Father."
James drew a slow breath.
"That is because you have yet to attain proper chakra control. You are able to use fire ninjutsu with ease not because your control is refined, but because you possess a considerable reserve of chakra inherited from me."
Charlotte remained silent, listening with full attention.
"The fireball technique you use is aided by hand seals. So long as your chakra is sufficient, the technique may be released without difficulty. That is why you were able to learn it so quickly."
He paused, ensuring she understood.
"Chakra control, however, is different. No matter how vast your reserves may be, without proper control, you will struggle to grow stronger."
Charlotte nodded slowly, beginning to grasp his meaning, though not yet entirely.
James's gaze then shifted toward their home.
"Call your brother. It is time he begins his training as well."
"Very well, Father."
Charlotte nodded and prepared to run.
"Inform your mother also that we are at the training ground. She must not be left to worry."
"I understand."
She hastened toward the house without delay.
James watched her depart, a faint smile forming upon his lips before he lifted his gaze toward the sky above.
The sky was clear.
Only a few thin clouds drifted across his sight.
"The sky is fair."
His mood felt light this day.
A few days past, his wife had shown a different side of herself. Warmer, more open, and at times even bold in the way she drew close to him.
The change had been… pleasing.
New.
A quiet chuckle escaped him before he set the thought aside.
There were matters of greater importance at present.
To teach his daughter advanced chakra control.
The more he observed Charlotte, the more she reminded him of someone.
Her spirit.
Her resolve toward her ambitions.
So strong.
Madara.
The name surfaced within his mind unbidden.
He no longer compared her to Sasuke's elder brother. In both talent and disposition, Charlotte bore a closer resemblance to that Uchiha.
Yet to him, such matters were of little consequence.
What mattered most…
Was that his daughter grew strong.
That she could protect herself.
And her family.
That alone was enough.
He reached into his pocket, drawing out a small piece of candy, and placed it into his mouth.
An old habit that had yet to fade.
Since he had given up smoking in his previous life, sweets had taken its place.
And even now, the habit remained.
A cool mint flavor spread across his tongue.
Fresher than the citrus he had once favored.
After a short while, the sound of small footsteps approached.
Charlotte and Ian had returned to his side.
"Come. We shall begin."
"Very well, Father."
They answered in unison.
***
James's thoughts had drifted far away. Without realizing it, he had ignored his daughter's calls.
Charlotte's complaints of pain had not reached him at all.
Not by intent.
From the moment he stepped into the open training ground, his focus had begun to fracture. He could not restrain the images that filled his mind, leaving no room for clear thought.
Irene's face.
No—
From the very instant he stepped beyond the threshold of their home, those images had already begun to surface, one after another, refusing to fade.
Every sound from that night three days past still echoed vividly in his ears.
Every touch lingered as though it remained upon his skin.
I have grown quite fond of it.
Irene had been different then. Bolder, more insistent, to the point that for a fleeting moment, he had wondered if his wife possessed a side he had never before seen.
For three nights now, that manner had continued.
James and Irene had been wed for more than six years.
Throughout that time, Irene had always been gentle in their closeness. Yet those nights… had been unlike any before.
And he found himself enjoying it.
The change was… pleasing.
More enticing.
Do I favor this?
He could not say for certain.
Yet he knew this much—he welcomed this new side of his wife.
His thoughts were broken apart.
"Father!"
The voice rang loud enough to pull him back.
James looked ahead. His two children already stood before him.
Charlotte wore a clear pout, her hands resting upon her hips. That gaze spoke plainly of displeasure.
As though asking why she had been ignored.
"My apologies. Father's thoughts had wandered."
He stepped closer and gently rested a hand upon each of their heads.
"Very well, Father. Charlotte and Ian forgive you."
"Thank you, my dear."
Yet he knew—
That was not the sole cause of her frustration.
Charlotte was not merely upset at being ignored.
This training itself was no simple matter.
Walking upon a vertical surface demanded precise control over chakra.
If the surface were uneven, the difficulty would multiply many times over.
That was why he had chosen a tree as their medium of practice.
More difficult, yet it would hasten her growth once she mastered it.
As for Ian, he had no intention of teaching him ninjutsu just yet.
Irene had suggested waiting until the boy reached his fourth year.
Even so, by observing and accompanying his sister, Ian's understanding of the shinobi's path would develop naturally.
Before practice, the foundation must be understood.
James did not delay further. As though to make amends for his lapse, he moved toward the trunk of a large tree nearby.
"Charlotte, Father shall demonstrate once more. This time, watch closely and heed each word."
"Yes, Father."
Her answer came swiftly, full of spirit, though her earlier displeasure had not entirely faded.
"You as well, Ian. Listen with care."
"Yes, Father."
Ian's voice followed, carrying even greater eagerness than his sister's.
"Father loves the youthful energy you both have."
James allowed a faint smile before turning, placing his hand upon the surface of the tree trunk, as though confirming his chosen medium once more.
"Charlotte, your failure is not due to a lack of talent. It is simply that Father has not explained it properly."
His gaze returned to both children.
The explanation must remain simple.
If it became too intricate, they would only struggle further.
He wished to make it akin to a small game. Something engaging, not burdensome.
"The key to walking upon a tree lies in applying the proper amount of chakra to the soles of your feet. This is the first point."
Both children focused at once.
"You may think that to defy gravity, a great amount of chakra is required in the feet."
James raised a hand, signaling otherwise.
"That is not entirely so."
"Observe Father's foot."
He lifted his right foot, pointing clearly to the sole so they might understand.
"Father shall now channel an excess of chakra to this point."
He stepped forward, placing his foot upon the tree trunk.
A sharp crack sounded.
The surface of the wood splintered and broke, unable to bear the excessive force.
With a light motion, James withdrew his foot and returned to a steady stance.
"If the chakra is excessive, it is not your balance that fails, but the surface beneath you that yields."
His gaze shifted to Charlotte.
"Conversely, if it is too little, your foot will not adhere. That is what has been happening to you. You lose your grip, and thus you fall."
Charlotte nodded slowly, beginning to understand where she had erred.
"So what is required is balance. Neither too much, nor too little."
Ian nodded as well, his eyes bright with comprehension.
James smiled faintly at their focus.
"And the second point."
He paused briefly.
"The flow of chakra must remain constant."
His gaze settled more deeply upon Charlotte.
"Charlotte, tell Father. What do you feel when you attempt to channel chakra into your feet?"
She fell silent for a moment.
Recalling each failed attempt.
Each step that had never been completed.
"I do not fully understand, Father. But each time I try to step, the chakra in my feet seems to scatter and lose form. Then I fall."
James's brow furrowed slightly.
Without further word, he activated his eyes.
The black of his irises shifted into a deep crimson.
Three tomoe revolved slowly within, revealing the depth of the power he possessed.
Charlotte and Ian fell silent.
They were already aware of those eyes.
Yet each time they beheld them, awe rose anew.
Especially for Charlotte.
Her own eyes had only awakened a single tomoe.
While her father's held far greater depth, far sharper, as though they could perceive what lay hidden beneath the surface.
"Charlotte, channel your chakra to the soles of your feet as before, and maintain its flow steadily."
The young girl nodded and stepped closer to her father.
She closed her eyes briefly, steadying herself, then began to guide her chakra downward as instructed.
"Walk upon that tree."
He indicated the nearby trunk, just as she was about to place her foot against its surface—
"Wait, my dear. Come here."
Ah… there it is.
The flow was laid bare before his crimson gaze.
The Sharingan captured every detail.
The movement of chakra.
The output it produced.
Nothing escaped its sight.
James reached his conclusion, yet before voicing it, he chose a gentler approach. He wished for his daughter to remain spirited, not weighed down by repeated failure.
"My dear… are you afraid of heights?"
Charlotte's expression changed at once.
Like one caught concealing something.
"I-I am afraid… that is not so, Father."
Her answer faltered.
Her head lowered, hiding the expression she did not wish to reveal.
James observed her for a moment.
"To speak plainly, Father is somewhat surprised. The output of chakra in the soles of your feet is already correct. The flow is steady, and sufficiently stable. And yet…"
He stepped closer.
"There is one matter you have overlooked."
Charlotte remained silent.
"Do you know the third point?"
He lowered himself, bringing his height level with hers.
"Focus."
His tone was calm, yet clear.
"If your focus wavers, all that you attempt will fall into disorder. Your focus does not lie solely in the chakra at your feet, but also in the mind that sustains your concentration."
He placed a gentle hand upon her small shoulder.
"For a shinobi, even the slightest lapse may lead to failure. Worse still, it may endanger one's life."
Charlotte kept her head lowered.
Silent.
James studied her more closely.
"Father can see the flow of chakra within you become disturbed when you draw near the tree. Its rhythm grows stronger, yet unstable. But when you move away, it steadies once more."
He paused briefly.
"Am I mistaken?"
Slowly, Charlotte lifted her face.
Her hands clenched the linen cloth that draped to her knees, covering part of her trousers, granting her freedom of movement while preserving a sense of grace.
The garment had been made especially for her.
James had commissioned it himself, ensuring his daughter would remain at ease during training, yet still appear as a proper young lady.
Her eyes began to glisten.
When she spoke, her voice was soft, far from its usual lively tone.
"I am sorry, Father. Charlotte has disappointed you."
James shook his head at once.
In disagreement.
A warm smile formed upon his face.
"Father is not disappointed, my dear."
His voice was gentle.
"Father shall help you."
Without hesitation, he lifted her small body.
Charlotte was taken aback for a moment, yet did not resist. She allowed herself to remain within his grasp.
"Channel your chakra."
James held her firmly, ensuring she felt secure.
"Father shall hold you for now. There is no need to fear heights."
He looked into her eyes.
"Father will catch you should you fall. If you are still afraid, Father shall remain by your side with every step."
Slowly, Charlotte's expression changed.
The fear faded.
The light of determination returned to her eyes.
"Thank you, Father. I love you."
"Father loves you as well."
James turned his gaze toward Ian.
"Ian, come here. Assist your sister."
He gestured for his son to draw closer.
"You must encourage her as well."
The boy smiled. There was a trace of mischief at the corner of his lips, a small grin that felt unfamiliar, yet oddly fitting. It was the first time James had seen such an expression upon his eldest son.
Perhaps because this concerned his sister.
Or perhaps because he now held a small secret that had long gone unnoticed.
His elder sister, who always appeared so strong… was afraid of heights.
Those dark eyes gazed forward.
So much like his own.
The hair, the eyes, even the gaze itself.
As though he were looking upon his own reflection in childhood.
Ian stepped forward, standing before his sister.
"Take heart, Sister. There is no need to fear."
Charlotte responded at once, her tone tinged with irritation, as though attempting to conceal something.
"Your sister does not fear, Ian."
She turned her face slightly aside, maintaining the image of a strong elder before her younger brother.
That small exchange warmed James's heart.
His children supported one another, each in their own way.
The moment was right.
Charlotte's confidence had returned.
With Ian beside her, she seemed bolder.
That image of strength was restored.
"Well then, my dear. Are you ready?"
"I am ready, Father."
Her voice was brighter now.
"Good."
Time passed.
Nearly an hour, unnoticed.
"Hahaha!"
Clear, cheerful laughter rang through the air.
The red-haired girl was filled with delight. She moved back and forth along the vertical surface of the great tree, her body seeming to defy gravity as though it were no burden at all.
Both her feet clung firmly to the wood.
The force she maintained made her feet the very center of balance.
At times, she swayed her body on purpose, indulging in playful movements that caused her father to grow slightly wary.
She had fully returned to her lively, spirited self.
Charlotte ran along the trunk, then ascended toward the branches.
With ease, she hung there, her body inverted like a bat.
"This girl…"
James furrowed his brow, though not entirely in displeasure.
Ian tugged lightly at the fabric of his father's trousers.
The small face looked up, unable to hide its concern.
"Father… Sister may fall."
James glanced at him briefly, then gave a faint smile.
"Tell her that Mother is coming."
Ian understood at once.
He knew well who his sister listened to most.
"Very well, Father."
He lifted his head and called out in a clear voice.
"Sister! Mother is coming this way!"
Charlotte halted at once.
That single word was enough.
Mother.
As though it were the remedy to all her mischief.
She turned swiftly toward their home, which lay some distance away.
Her gaze swept across every path that might lead there.
Searching.
Confirming.
Yet she saw no one.
Even so, she believed it.
Ian had said it.
Her brother did not lie.
And her father stood there as well.
They would not make sport of her.
Carefully, she descended the tree, then leapt lightly to the ground.
Her steps halted before them.
"Where is Mother, Father?"
James smiled, then turned, raising one hand.
"Come. We return home. Mother awaits you. Father must also lend a hand in preparing the midday meal."
"Very well, Father."
Ian followed at once, his steps light. He moved slightly ahead, as though avoiding his sister's gaze.
"Wait for me, Father. Wait for me, Ian!"
Charlotte hurried after them.
Before long, the three walked together.
Each child held one of their father's hands, one at either side.
Their steps turned toward home.
Toward a place of warmth.
Where someone awaited them.
Irene.
His wife.
Their mother.