Chapter 2: Healing Jutsu

The door creaked as Shin stepped into his dimly lit home. "I'm home!" he called, his voice echoing faintly.

No answer.

He slipped off his sandals, glancing toward the empty living room. It was just as he'd left it that morning: clean, orderly, and quiet—eerily quiet.

"Still on a mission, huh?" Shin muttered to himself.

His father, a seasoned Chūnin shinobi, was often away on missions, leaving the house feeling more like a hollow shell than a home. Shin had grown used to it, but there were still moments when the silence pressed a little heavier.

He wandered into the kitchen, poured himself some water, and leaned against the counter. The conversation with Ayaka on the way back replayed in his mind, tugging at the edges of his thoughts.

His mother had been a medical ninja during the Nine Tails' attack on the village, rushing headfirst into the chaos to save the injured. She had died in the process, leaving behind a husband and an infant son.

He didn't know her, not really. All he had were the stories his father told him—stories of her kindness, her skill, her unwavering courage.

"She sounds like an angel," Shin murmured, setting the glass down.

He headed to his room, but as he passed the bookshelf in the hallway, his eyes caught on a scroll tucked neatly on the top shelf. He stopped in his tracks, his heart skipping a beat.

The Medical Scroll.

It wasn't just any scroll. It contained his mother's notes on medical ninjutsu, including the Healing Jutsu that had saved countless lives. His father had always been firm about it.

"You're not ready yet, Shin," his father would say, his voice a mix of sternness and worry. "Medical ninjutsu isn't just a skill—it's a responsibility. You could get hurt, or worse…"

But his father wasn't here now.

Shin hesitated, his hand hovering near the scroll. He had resisted the urge to read it for years, obeying his father's wishes. But now, Ayaka's words and his own growing determination echoed in his mind.

If I want to be stronger, if I want to make a difference… isn't it time?

His fingers brushed the edge of the scroll. The temptation was too strong.

Screw it.

Shin grabbed the scroll and sat cross-legged on the floor, his heart pounding. He carefully unrolled it, revealing intricate diagrams, notes, and instructions penned in his mother's delicate handwriting.

The Healing Jutsu.

The first section detailed the Healing Jutsu—a fundamental technique in medical ninjutsu. The notes described how to focus chakra into the hands, creating a concentrated flow of energy capable of mending wounds and restoring vitality.

Shin's eyes darted over the words, absorbing the instructions. He placed his hands palm-up in front of him, concentrating on gathering his chakra.

"Focus," he murmured, his voice steady. "Control the flow. Direct it to your palms."

At first, nothing happened. His chakra wavered, slipping through his control like water through his fingers. But Shin gritted his teeth, his determination unwavering. Slowly, a faint green glow began to shimmer around his hands.

His heart raced. He had done it—he had activated the Healing Jutsu.

But the glow flickered, unstable. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he tried to maintain it, but the chakra sputtered out, leaving his hands empty.

"Damn it," Shin muttered, clenching his fists.

He stared at the scroll again, his mother's handwriting almost seeming to encourage him. He wasn't there yet, but he had taken the first step.

As the night deepened, Shin sat in the quiet of his home, the medical scroll spread out before him. His mind churned with possibilities, his heart filled with a renewed sense of purpose.

For the first time, he felt a real connection to his mother—not through stories, but through her legacy.

...

The morning sun cast its warm light over Konoha, but Shin barely noticed as he dragged himself toward the academy gates. His eyes, bloodshot and heavy-lidded, betrayed the sleepless night he had spent poring over the Medical Scroll and practicing the Healing Jutsu. The faintest improvements had given him hope, but at the cost of his energy.

As he neared the gates, lost in his own weary thoughts, Shin collided with someone hard enough to jolt him back to reality. Stumbling, he looked up, only to see a boy with sharp features and piercing dark eyes glaring at him.

"Watch where you're going," the boy said coldly, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve.

Shin blinked, his brain sluggish as it registered the face in front of him—Uchiha Sasuke, one of the academy's top students. "Sorry," Shin murmured, his voice raspy from fatigue.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed briefly, scanning Shin as if weighing his worth. With a faint scoff, he turned and walked away without another word, his stride purposeful and proud.

Shin stood there for a moment, exhaling deeply. Shaking off the encounter, he trudged onward, but immediately he was forced to stop once again by a sharp voice piercing the air behind him.

"Hey! You call that an apology?"

He turned slowly, blinking to clear his weary vision. Standing there, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently, was none other than Haruno Sakura. Her emerald eyes blazed with indignation.

"Sasuke-kun deserves a proper apology for you bumping into him like that!" she yelled, her voice rising with every word. "How dare you just mumble and walk off?"

Shin sighed, exhaustion weighing on him. "I said sorry, didn't I?"

"Not good enough!" she shot back, glaring. "You need to respect someone like Sasuke-kun!"

Rubbing his temples, Shin resisted the urge to snap. "Yeah, sure, I'll get right on that," he muttered, already turning away.

But Sakura wasn't done. "Ugh, you're so rude!" she huffed, stomping her foot as Shin disappeared into the academy.

...

The classroom was alive with soft murmurs as the students settled in. Shin, slouched at his desk with faint circles under his eyes, barely registered Iruka-sensei's booming voice.

"Today, we'll be reviewing the Clone Jutsu!" Iruka announced, his tone firm but approachable. "You've all been practicing this since the first year, so this should be straightforward. Let's see who's mastered it."

Shin groaned internally. Another boring day... he thought, rubbing his tired eyes.

Iruka began calling on students to demonstrate. One after another, they performed the technique without issue, earning polite nods of approval. But then—

"Naruto Uzumaki!"

The blond boy leapt up with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Alright, watch this!" he declared confidently as he strode to the front of the class.

Naruto performed the necessary hand signs and exclaimed, "Clone Jutsu!" A puff of smoke appeared—followed by a lifeless pile of clothes on the floor.

The classroom erupted into laughter.

"Again, Naruto?" someone jeered.

"Don't you ever get tired of failing?" another chimed in.

Naruto gritted his teeth but didn't let the teasing dampen his spirit.

Shin, however, didn't laugh. His weary gaze was locked on the discarded clothes. His mind, usually dulled during these repetitive lessons, suddenly sparked to life.

Wait a second... That's not just a failure, he thought, his heart beating a little faster. The Clone Jutsu can create duplicates of objects too?

The idea swirled in his head. I never knew that was possible since I've never failed it like this... But if it can replicate objects, then—yeah! I could definitely work with this!

A small, excited smile spread across his face.

The day's lesson carried on, but Shin's thoughts were far away, focused on the possibilities that had just opened up.

...to be continued.

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The author here! How was this second chapter? Yes, I know that it is shorter than the first, but that's the first! The average word count for a chapter will be like this one's so 1,200-1,300 words. Also, hope that you're invested in my story!

Be sure to check my original novel, Hyperborea, you won't regret it!