Naruto:Shadows of the Ages

**Masuroboshi Clan**

*The Day After the Funeral*

The day started off poorly: it was gloomy and foggy, making it impossible to see beyond one's nose. Takeshi sat at the table, looking at the clock, the hands indicating 4:55. He closed his eyes again and began to think:

"Yuki is a strange child. He speaks little, looks abnormally mature, and is more composed than the other two brothers. His way of thinking…" At that moment, he paused and continued a second later: *"This is how to become stronger. He doesn't seek games or any amusements, and it's quite rare to see him smile.

Haru is energetic, balanced, and quite wise. He doesn't talk much, but he doesn't remain silent like Yuki. He observes others more, which is sometimes good. He seeks the quickest and most efficient solution — that's what Satsuki and Hirata said about him. Tanaka said he is a perfect match for him, while Satsuki and Hirata are still debating who will take whom. Most likely, it will be Hirata. In Haru, I see his mother: also balanced, she learned entirely from the mistakes of others and never made her own.

As for Sora — he is the most energetic, unstable, and shows a love for seals. Tanaka said he would take him under his wing. Perhaps Tanaka sees a copy of himself in Sora."*

At that moment, the clock struck, and Takeshi lifted his head. Seeing that it was exactly five o'clock, he vanished from his spot and found himself in Yuki's room, where he was sleeping. He simply opened the door to check if Yuki could wake up from such a loud sound, by ninja standards. As soon as he did, Yuki opened his eyes and sat up to see who had entered. When he saw it was his father, he sighed and began to dress. His appearance was weary: dark circles were under his eyes, and his hair was tousled — it was clear that the night had been difficult for him.

Takeshi barely smiled and said:

— You're the last. They're already waiting for you outside, everyone has eaten.

Yuki, hearing that he was the last, just clicked his tongue and dashed out of the room. Meanwhile, Takeshi had already entered Haru's room, who woke up as soon as he entered, although Takeshi didn't know what could have given him away since he entered silently.

Sora still didn't know the technique that would allow him to scan the chakra field. Haru looked at his father in surprise and, once he recognized him, fell back onto the bed. Takeshi said:

— You've already missed breakfast, and you still want extra exercise?

As soon as Haru heard this, he jumped out of bed, but his father was already gone. He thought: "If I missed breakfast, then the others have already eaten and are waiting for me."

He quickly started getting dressed to avoid extra exercises.

Takeshi, in the meantime, entered Sora's room. When he walked in, he felt a small but deadly intent emanating from him. He thought: "Has Yuki instinctively learned to release intent? And because of what? Because I lied to him? What a monster!" He wanted to open the door as before, but he saw that Sora, with his eyes open, was already releasing his intent.

Takeshi was very surprised that such a small amount of intent was enough for this. He realized there was nothing to be done and said:

— You felt it yourself; the others are waiting for you outside.

Meanwhile, Haru approached the yard and realized it was just five o'clock. He had released his intent himself, although it was small, but a warrior like Takeshi felt it.

Sora came next, all frowning and angry. Haru said:

— Looks like someone skipped breakfast? — He jokingly asked Yuki.

Yuki, who hadn't eaten anything himself but understood what Haru was trying to do, played along:

— Maybe, I don't know. I'm surprised how this underdeveloped ninja could prepare anything.

Sora was in shock that his father had already cooked, and even Yuki praised it. He looked at Haru and said:

— I don't need some breakfast. The first masters of fuinjutsu meditated for years in the mountains without food to attain enlightenment, and I can't go a few hours without eating?

After these words, Takeshi came out and said:

— No, you're right; those old men were over a hundred years old, and you're three. Then they just sat still, and you think you'll sleep.

Sora turned around and looked offended since he was the only one left without breakfast.

Takeshi, not in the mood to continue the conversation, said:

— No, let's run five laps around the field without stopping and without slowing down.

Sora wanted to say something, but Takeshi added:

— Now it will be six.

After these words, everyone felt a surge of energy, and each began to run. Yuki was the first to start, initially trying to run the distance slowly…but then he heard Takeshi's words:

— And one more thing: I set a timer for a certain time here, but only I can see it. If you don't finish in time, you'll be without lunch, which the great elder Tanaka will prepare himself. So I advise you to hurry.

Yuki, realizing the hopelessness of the situation, began to run faster, but he knew that if he pushed too hard, he would simply run out of breath halfway.

Sora, not understanding it himself, signed his own death warrant: he started off briskly, but after the first lap, he began to tire. Then Takeshi mockingly exclaimed:

— I see someone is giving up, so I'll release the dogs.

He formed a few hand signs, and a dark substance began to slowly fall to the ground between them. At first, it were small puddles, but shadows began to rise from them. First, heads appeared, and then the whole bodies of the dogs. The process was slow — Takeshi wanted his children to see how something was created.

Three huge black dogs emerged from the puddles, their eyes glowing red. Haru, Yuki, and Sora finished their third lap, but all three began to slow down. Even Yuki, who planned to gradually speed up and finish quickly, was forced to slow down.

— Well then, — said Takeshi. — To keep you from stopping, I created the dogs. Just so you know, they destroy everything they touch. So I advise you to hurry.

The dogs initially moved slowly, but one of them, seeing Sora clearly slowing down, charged after him ferociously. Its jaws drooled, and the saliva, falling to the ground, ate away at the path. The once smooth trail was now pockmarked with holes that one could occasionally fall into.

Sora, seeing this, gathered all his strength and, under the influence of adrenaline, began to run, his cells started converting chakra into energy. With all his might, he maintained the pace, feeling fear pushing him forward.

Haru and Yuki, who had previously caught up with Sora, fell behind again as he dashed ahead like a madman. Haru watched the dogs in astonishment and thought: "My father has definitely lost his mind if he created such monsters." But before he could say this, he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He wanted to stop, but his instincts forced him to keep running, ignoring the pain.

His brain prioritized the task, and his cells gradually began to convert chakra into energy. Haru felt a second wind and surged forward.

Yuki, who had been lagging behind since the start, suddenly realized that his brothers had overtaken him. It seemed illogical: just moments ago, he was nearly in the lead, and now he was eating dust. His thoughts disrupted his rhythm, but his heart began pumping more blood, and his cells also started converting chakra into energy.

Takeshi, watching the situation, smiled. "Danger, a timer, and hunger — that's what drives a person to develop," he thought.

Tanaka appeared nearby, who had been observing everything from the start. He said:

— This is the skill you wanted to awaken in them? Though, looking at your smile, you might not need to answer.

He stood aside and looked skeptically at the clock, which hadn't even moved.

Meanwhile, Yuki began to catch up with his brothers, who were already running at the limits of their abilities. The shadows of the dogs from their paws and saliva were eroding the ground, forcing the children to speed up even more.

Tanaka silently watched as the boys ran, completing the last lap. He finally spoke up:

— Takeshi, you've invested a lot in their development. But aren't you afraid of overdoing it?

Takeshi relaxed his shoulders slightly, not taking his eyes off his sons.

— I know the limit, Tanaka. They must be strong, but not at the expense of themselves.

Tanaka nodded, satisfied with the response.

— I see in you the reflection of our lessons. You've always sought a balance between strength and wisdom.

— Because you, Hirata, and Satsuki taught me, — Takeshi replied, involuntarily smiling. — And I want to give them the same.

Tanaka looked back at the boys and said:

— Then continue, but remember: strength is a tool, not a goal.

— I always remember, — Takeshi replied firmly.