Chapter 21
During a intense training session with Tobirama, Itama slipped. Tobirama launched a barrage of water needles. Instinctively, Itama didn't just dodge. He analyzed the pattern with his Hatake-sharpened senses and his future knowledge, and without a hand seal, formed a small, perfect Doton wall that intercepted every needle—a technique he had copied from a Doton user years prior and refined in secret.
Tobirama froze. "You formed that wall without seals. And your stance… it's not a standard Senju form. It's closer to… Hatake style." His red eyes narrowed. "How, Itama? You have never trained with them."
Itama's mind raced. This was the moment. He could lie, but Tobirama would see through it. He decided on a half-truth, a foundation for future revelations. "I watch, brother. I watch everyone. The way Daichi held his sword before he died. The way the Hatake move like flowing water. I see it… and my body just understands." He let a look of vulnerable confusion cross his face. "Is that… not normal?"
Tobirama studied him for a long, silent minute. "No, Itama," he said finally, his voice unreadable. "It is not normal at all. It is extraordinary. We will speak more of this later." The secret was now a shared, fragile thing between them.