"Wow! Father has become two."
Charlotte's voice rang through the morning air, bright with wonder. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the two identical figures standing before her, curiosity brimming without restraint.
She was truly bewildered.
With nothing more than a simple seal and a nearly imperceptible flow of chakra, her father now stood divided into two identical forms.
Just yesterday, under his careful guidance, she had succeeded in mastering the ability to walk upon vertical surfaces. Tree trunks, walls, even steep cliffs that once seemed daunting were no longer beyond her reach.
Though she had yet to reach the level of an experienced Genin, the talent flowing through her veins, the instinct inherited from the Uchiha bloodline, propelled her progress far beyond that of children her age.
She knew it well.
It was only a matter of time.
One day, she would stand equal… perhaps even surpass them.
And never once did she feel afraid.
At her side, there was always someone guiding her tirelessly, without pressure, without suffocating demands.
That presence…
Was her father.
A teacher.
A protector.
A figure she admired with all her heart.
I love my father.
A memory from the earlier morning flickered through her mind, tugging a mischievous smile upon her lips.
Without her father or her brother knowing, she had played a small trick on her mother.
Clinging to the wooden ceiling panels of the lower floor, her small body pressed lightly against it, as though gravity held no dominion over her.
That mischief had felt delightful.
Far too delightful.
The pride swelling within her, the desire to show off her newfound ability, had made her mother the perfect target.
With restrained laughter and a strained grin, she had called out from above.
"Mother, I am here."
Irene, not yet fully awake, her thoughts still clouded by the lingering echoes of the night before, walked slowly, her body weighed down by the remnants of exhaustion.
Each step felt heavy.
Her waist still ached.
The memory lingered too vividly.
Too real.
Her steps came to a halt when her daughter's voice reached her ears, yet her gaze wandered only to the right, to the left, behind her.
Empty.
No one.
A soft burst of laughter followed.
"Mother, I am above you."
Slowly, she lifted her gaze.
And in that instant—
Her heart seemed to stop.
Shock.
Fear.
Her hands trembled violently, nearly losing hold of her youngest son cradled within her arms.
But before anything could go wrong, a firm hand steadied her arm from behind.
James.
His movement was swift.
Certain.
Stabilizing what had nearly turned into disaster.
Irene's expression changed.
And that anger…
Was unmistakable.
For the first time, Charlotte felt her father's gaze turn so firm.
So deep.
So sharp.
It tightened her chest.
Tears nearly fell.
The mischief she had found amusing, in a mother's eyes… was something terrifying.
An act that crossed the line.
A danger unfit to be treated as play.
***
Back to the present.
James stood, his gaze resting upon his children, calmer now, yet still carrying the unyielding firmness of a father.
His thoughts had already moved ahead.
He had formed a plan.
Further training for his daughter.
And for his son, still far too young, it would be enough to watch, to listen, to absorb each word that would one day become his foundation.
Charlotte stepped closer.
Her movements were light, brimming with curiosity. She circled her father… and the figure standing beside him.
More precisely…
A clone.
The decision had been made.
He would train his daughter until she mastered the fundamentals of a shinobi.
The next step.
Walking upon water.
Yet such a feat was far from simple.
Unlike walking upon solid vertical surfaces, water was ever-changing, unstable, difficult to predict.
It demanded greater concentration.
The flow of chakra had to be maintained continuously, yet remain flexible, adjusting to each subtle ripple upon the surface.
Balance was the key.
The slightest error… would cause the body to sink.
James understood this well.
He had to simplify it.
Make it easy to grasp.
Easy to learn.
And… enjoyable.
So that his daughter might master it swiftly.
And his son, though merely watching, could begin to understand the foundation of it all.
Charlotte came to a stop.
Right beside the clone.
With curiosity she could no longer contain, she extended her small hand, gently touching the figure's abdomen, as though testing whether it was truly real.
Solid.
It felt like a real body.
Yet…
The clone did not move.
No expression.
Its gaze remained empty, fixed straight ahead, even as it was touched.
Charlotte blinked softly.
A quiet astonishment filled her face.
And within her mind, the name of the technique echoed clearly.
Her father had spoken of it before demonstrating, saying that today he would introduce a new basic ninjutsu.
Bushin no Jutsu.
She had already mastered the Fireball Technique, a signature art of their clan flowing through her blood. Her command over the Body Flicker Technique had also sharpened, her steps growing lighter, her movements increasingly difficult to follow.
Though she had yet to reach the perfection she displayed when her emotions surged and instinct took hold, her current strength was far from negligible.
For a child her age…
She was already capable of defeating several grown men without great difficulty.
Her father had said so himself.
"Charlotte, your chakra control has improved greatly. It now stands at the level of a Genin."
That word echoed once more.
Genin.
She had heard it many times, yet never truly questioned it.
Now, curiosity bloomed.
"Genin? What is that, Father?"
A gentle smile formed upon his lips, the same smile that always appeared whenever his daughter showed genuine curiosity.
"A Genin is one of the ranks of a shinobi. A structured tier, determined by one's knowledge of chakra, weapons, jutsu, and experience."
Charlotte fell silent.
Absorbing.
"A shinobi is not judged by strength alone."
James's gaze settled upon her, ensuring every word reached its mark.
As always, his hands moved alongside his explanation, forming subtle gestures that made understanding easier, as though words alone could not fully carry the meaning he wished to convey.
"Both basic and advanced knowledge of chakra, jutsu, weaponry, and experience complete the measure of a person."
His index finger rose, pointing gently toward Charlotte.
"For instance, you, my dear. Your strength already stands at the level of a Genin, yet your understanding of that strength remains limited."
Charlotte nodded softly.
"What chakra truly is, how jutsu takes form, how to wield a weapon… none of it is yet sufficient for you to truly be called a Genin…"
"..."
"In battle, it is not strength alone that determines the outcome. Resolve of heart, calmness in action, and the ability to read the flow of a situation through knowledge… those are what shape victory."
"I understand, Father."
James gently brushed his fingers through his daughter's soft pink hair, each movement slow, filled with quiet affection.
"When you come to understand the power within you, when you are able to act with composure… then the foes who once seemed difficult will become far easier to face."
His voice softened slightly, though it remained clear.
"Perhaps with a single motion… that wicked woman you once faced would no longer be able to rise again."
"Truly, Father?"
Charlotte's eyes lit brightly, her spirit igniting in an instant.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
I know.
This child delights in battle.
Even the mere mention of that foul woman is enough to stir her excitement.
Truly…
A future champion of the Wieser family.
"Of course, my daughter."
As for the rank of Genin…
He held his own judgment.
In this world, there was no ninja academy.
No formal system.
What he did was simply adapt, teaching what he knew, measuring his daughter's growth through the understanding he carried from a world he had once known.
Slowly, his gaze shifted toward his young son.
With a gentle motion, he beckoned the child closer.
His expression softened.
He wished for no distance between them.
He would not allow his son to feel overlooked.
When the two stood side by side, he continued.
"Now, Father shall explain a new ninjutsu."
At once, their expressions changed.
Eyes shimmering.
Faces alight with joy.
Like children gifted something new and wondrous, their delight was pure, radiant, impossible to ignore.
My children…
You are the fruits of the love your mother and I share.
I love you.
And I will give all that I can…
To guide you.
To teach you all that I know.
As far as my limits will allow.
So that one day…
Even without me at your side…
You will still be able to stand.
To soar high.
To carve your own names into this world.
To build your own paths.
Your future…
Will step far beyond my shadow.
For my daughter…
My heart is not yet prepared.
The thought came in a fleeting instant, and he gave a small shake of his head, as though casting aside a vision too distant for now.
Both children looked at him in confusion.
Their joy softened into quiet question.
James noticed.
He straightened at once.
"My apologies, my dear. Father was lost in thought for a moment."
As always, Charlotte responded with a small pout, her lips curving in protest.
She knew this habit well.
Her father often drifted into his own thoughts.
A soft laugh escaped him.
"My daughter is truly adorable."
"Father, I am not adorable. You always treat me as a little child."
"Forever and always, you shall remain Father's little princess."
"No, Father."
Charlotte refused once more, lifting her chin with quiet pride, as though declaring she had already stepped beyond the bounds of childhood.
Beside her, her younger brother watched in silence. There was no exaggerated reaction, no sign of annoyance at their father's tendency to drift away in thought while teaching.
If he cared, he would remain silent.
Keeping everything within himself.
Yet this time, he turned to his sister, his face unguarded, his voice honest and unburdened.
"My sister and I are still young. So Father is right."
Charlotte cast a glance to the side.
The pride in her expression slowly shifted into clear displeasure. Her brows drew together, her lips forming a small pout.
Her brother… had taken Father's side.
She answered at once, her tone filled with pride, as though defending her own honor.
"That is you, little brother. Your sister is no longer a child. I once protected you from that foul-smelling aunt. So I am not a child anymore."
The boy lowered his gaze.
Avoiding the sharpness in his sister's eyes.
He murmured softly, yet clearly enough to be heard.
"Is that so… then why are you still short, and not as tall as Mother?"
"You… how dare you!"
Charlotte's voice rose, sparked in an instant. Her face flushed, not from shyness, but from wounded pride.
Her brother startled.
He quickly lifted his head again, looking at her with genuine remorse.
"I am sorry, Sister."
Seeing this, James drew a slow breath.
Such moments were not unfamiliar.
Charlotte and Ian rarely quarreled in earnest. What arose between them were but small frictions, simple misunderstandings born from a child's innocence.
And that… was only natural.
He felt no anger.
In truth, it would seem far stranger if they always stood in perfect harmony, without difference in emotion, without the meeting of opposing thoughts.
Children…
They were not yet whole.
Their emotions had not been woven with the same care as those of adults.
They needed time.
They needed experience.
Small wounds, clashing feelings, laughter, tears… all would shape them, slowly, until one day they became complete.
And it all began here.
Within the home.
From their parents.
From their kin.
From those they trusted.
My children are no different.
There are moments when I will intervene.
And moments when I will allow.
Allow them to feel, to understand, to grow.
For such is the nature of children.
Emotion is the bridge between their desires and their understanding of the world.
Before those they trust, those emotions flow freely, reflecting their truest selves.
Like my son.
Timid before the world.
Yet before his sister, he becomes more alive, more open, more willing to reveal what lies within his heart.
James shifted his gaze, then spoke, drawing their attention back to him.
There were matters of greater importance now.
Training.
Time never halted.
It moved forward, heedless of those left behind.
This day would be a busy one.
After this lesson, he intended to bring his family down to the village settlement.
It had been far too long since the children had been seen by the villagers.
Irene's friends.
Her companions of old.
Those who had once been part of her life.
They had asked about the children.
And the village head…
He was right.
James was not one to dismiss counsel.
Man was a social being.
Not meant to live in solitude.
His daughter, five years of age.
His son, only three.
They needed the world.
They needed companions.
For reasons he could not fully grasp, his daughter showed little fondness for socializing.
It was easier to understand in his son, who was shy and needed time to adapt.
No matter.
He would do all he could to guide them.
For they needed the interactions that would shape their future.
Since becoming parents, he and Irene had rarely appeared among the people. Only on certain occasions did they show themselves, festivals, visits to places of worship, or when important announcements were made at the village center.
Yet it was not enough.
Their children required more.
Very well, my children.
Every moment that lies ahead… is precious.
James stepped forward slightly, his gaze settling upon them once more, firm yet warm.
Now it was time to continue.
He began the lesson calmly.
Offering a brief explanation of the new technique.
Bunshin no Jutsu.