Chapter 24 – The Voice of Balance
The night was cold and still.
The small campfire crackled beside Yuva as he sat cross-legged, focusing chakra into his hands.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu," he whispered.
Smoke burst—only four clones appeared.
They flickered weakly, then vanished in seconds.
Yuva frowned. "Four? That's all? I used to make twenty easily…"
His chakra felt thin, unstable—like something deep inside him had gone silent.
He closed his eyes and began to meditate.
The world faded, and once again, he stood inside his inner space.
---
⚡ The Hand of the Ancestor
Endless white.
And then—a massive black hand descended from the sky, the air bending under its pressure.
Even breathing became pain.
Yuva fell to one knee. "W-What is that!?"
Behind him, a faint, cracked voice replied.
It was his Sage Beast, glowing dimly, its form almost transparent.
> "That… is one of the Chakra Ancestors," the beast said.
"The oldest beings in this universe. They created the chakra flow that holds life together."
"Why is it here?" Yuva asked.
> "Because of me," the beast whispered. "It came to erase me."
---
🌿 The Beast's Truth
> "Listen carefully, Yuva. This universe stands on three energies — physical, spiritual, and nature.
But below them lies dark energy, born from the Underworld."
> "When Dark and Nature merged, beings like me were born — mistakes between life and death.
We are called Underworld Beasts. Our duty was to gather Dark and Nature energy, to form the Nature-Dark Fruit, and awaken the Supreme Being of the Underworld."
> "But the Chakra Ancestors… they also harvest chakra. They send their descendants into every living world — giving them chakra, power, and bloodlines.
They feed on the chaos of wars and the energy of life and death. Their goal is the same — to create chakra fruits, to grow stronger, to rule."
The black hand pulsed again, shaking the space.
> "They can't absorb me. I'm made of pure Nature and Dark Energy — beyond their control.
So they destroy every being like me before our plan can succeed."
---
🌑 The Last Message
The hand reached down and began to pull the beast apart. Its glow scattered like dust.
> "Yuva," the beast said softly, "I can't fight anymore. Even gods follow their own rules.
You have something they don't — a human life. Don't waste it chasing godhood."
> "Power comes and goes. Balance stays. Learn to live with what you have."
Yuva's fists shook. "Then what do I do without you?"
The beast smiled faintly.
> "Live. Grow slowly. Fight when you must. Protect what you can.
You don't need me to survive. Just keep moving forward."
As the hand crushed its final light, the beast's voice faded.
> "I'm hiding your soul deep in this world's flow. They won't find you.
Remember my last words — value the present."
The void shattered. Silence returned.
---
⚔️ Return
Yuva gasped, opening his eyes. The campfire had burned low.
The seal on his chest was gone—no hum, no warmth, no power.
The world felt heavier… and quieter.
He looked at his hand. A faint spark of purple lightning flickered and died.
"He's gone," he whispered.
Then he took a long breath and said quietly to himself:
> "Now I don't have a trump card for this war.
I'll have to stay low-profile. It's good—I shouldn't have relied on that power anyway."
He glanced at his sword resting beside the fire.
> "Years of training gave me skill, not miracles. I'll fight with what I've built, not what I was given.
That beast was right. I should focus on the present.
I don't care about gods. They'll come if they want.
Fight or die—fuck it. I'll live my way."
His words were quiet, but steady — no fear, no anger, just resolve.
---
🩸 Aftermath
When morning came, Yuva joined his brothers.
His chakra was calmer, his steps slower but surer.
He had lost his monstrous power — yet gained something else: peace.
That week, Yuva Hiwatari was promoted to Chūnin.
Not because of power, but because of precision, control, and heart.
Sometimes losing power is the only way to find balance.
Yuva no longer walks with a beast — he walks with himself.
The power inside him is gone, but now he must grow on his own path — step by step, through his own effort.
No divine aid. No shortcuts.
Just a boy, his blade, and the will to survive in a world built to break him.