Lone-Eyed Boy (1)

Hidemitsu. That was the name of the old man who restored me back to my health.

According to him, I was on a verge of death, saved only thanks to the wandering swordsman named Gin; I took a note in my mind to go thank him as soon as possible.

And this humble village that I has now become familiar with, was named Chisana, and this village belonged within the land of rivers.

Hidemitsu was a proficient doctor who's lived his whole life in this village, saving the lives of others. He told me that all succeeding generations of his family have been doctors, passing on the knowledge since the old times.

"So, Akatsuki my boy, what is you plan now that your health has been restored?" In the early morning where air was cold, Hidemitsu asked me softly.

8 year-old boy without a sufficient strength. I wasn't someone capable of self-accommodating, and I had a debt to pay to this kind old man.

"Hidemitsu-san," Therefore, I asked nervously, "will you hire me? You don't have to pay me anything. As long as the necessities for my survival is given, I will do all the works that you ask me to do."

What a virtuous person he was. His answer was a nod as if having expected my request, and thus began my humble life in this Chisana village.

During the day, I chopped woods and carried medicinal supplies. I worked to lessen the burden of Hidemitsu-san, all while studying the books that were piled up in the house.

During the night, I slept.

What, did you think that I will exercise? Please, it was better for a kid like me to sleep early than to train beyond my limit; my body wasn't ready for such a burden. Chopping woods was an enough physical exertion for me, and I wanted to be tall instead of becoming a dwarf-muscle-man.

Though the lack of an eye came as a hindrance in many areas, I quickly adapted. It wasn't a difficult feat, considering that I didn't have memory of the time when I used to have both eyes.

Day by day, I lived with smile on my face. Although it wasn't an easy one, I felt genuinely relaxed.

"Hidemitsu-san, will you tell me what these are?" One day, I asked while studying the human anatomy. There were eight points marked in a drawing of a human body, without an explanation of any sort.

"Let's see..." Hidemitsu-san, who was enjoying a cup of tea from his seat, put on his monocle and inspected what I've been reading, "These points represent the eight gates, the important factors within a human being's body that restricts one's flow of chakra."

"Hmm..."

"Let's trace back to the basics. Do you recall what chakra specifically is, Akatsuki?"

"The energy that is the product of the mix between one's physical energy and spiritual energy." I replied confidently.

"Yes. Physical energy and spiritual energy. In a way, they represent the entire constitution of our existence. That's why playing around with chakra is akin to risking your life; the risks that chakra overexertion bring to us is extremely fatal." Hidemitsu explained calmly and slowly so that I could integrate the information,

"When you run, you find that your breathing have quickened. We term the limit of one's physical capability as stamina. Using chakra too exhausts your stamina, and going beyond this point, results in drastic adversities such as the breakdown of one's body."

I listened with my utmost concentration.

"Similarly, the use of chakra exhausts your spiritual energy. This spiritual energy is directly related with your mind's consciousness, and in other words, brain. The over-exertion of chakra leads to the impairment of your brain-system; one prominent case of this example is amnesia, the constitution that you currently are suffering from."

"So, if eight gates were to be forcibly opened..."

"You are placing an extremely high risk on yourself, just for a temporary boost of strength. And even if you were to consider this option, opening a gate willingly isn't an easy feat to do; eight gates is a part of body's autonomic system that an average person won't feel for the rest of his or her life."

"I see. Thank you for your help, Hidemitsu-san." I thanked Hidemitsu with a smile, to which he nodded.

Hidemitsu said to me seriously, "Do not consider this as a possibility, Akatsuki. It's not worth risking the chance of becoming a cripple for the rest of your life."

Nodding, I raised my hand up and touched my closed left eye, where a scar remained. Hidemitsu's advice didn't reach me, and I instead thought,

'...Without an eye. No strength. Low amount of chakra.'

He said that those eight gates can be opened, and that they give a temporarily boost of strength. I originally asked out of a pure curiosity, but got way more that I expected.

I couldn't help wonder how I'd be able to open and close them at my will. After all, this was an opportunity—the potential method to strengthen myself.

'Without taking risks, how will I ever improve?' That was my thought.

'Eight gates limit one's chakra's flow. If one's total amount of chakra is incredibly high and that individual were to open his eight gates,' I unconsciously gulped, 'just how powerful will that person be?'

It was just a possibility, but a possibility worth taking a look into. Raising my left arm, where it has been thickened considerably since my arrival here, I thought that it was perhaps the time to start training.

One year passed by already, and I was... uh, probably eight? I didn't want to stay in this village for ever. Upon becoming older and stronger, I planned to leave and travel around this vast world, whether to explore more of this amazing view or to regain my memory.

Closing the book and placing it back on the bookshelf, I stood back up.

"Oh, going out already, Akatsuki-kun?" Hidemitsu asked.

I nodded with a grin, "Kanae said that the supplies will be ready by the noon. I will be back soon, Hidemitsu-san."

"Oho, finally! Tell her I said hi, will you?"

"You bet."

With Hidemitsu waving at me, I put on a basket on my back and went my way to the middle of the Chisana village.

'Well, let's get going!'

It was a sunny day where the birds were chirping, the wild lives were running around the flowing river and surrounding forest, and the people were living their everyday life with joy. It was just like any other day in the land of rivers.