I woke not from sunlight, but from the sound of rain.
In Ame, mornings were never bright. Only a creeping shade of gray slipped through the small window, covering the entire hideout in damp, cold shadows.
"Julian. Wake up."
Konan's voice was soft yet sharp enough to slice through whatever sleep I still had.
I pushed myself up slowly, my body aching all over. Sleeping on that thin mattress felt like wrestling gravity the entire night. Every movement was heavy, as if my muscles refused to cooperate.
Yahiko was already standing by the door, hands on his hips, his usual wide grin in place.
"Come on! First day of training. Don't lose before we even start!"
I blinked at him. "Now? It's raining like crazy."
Nagato, tying his hair without looking at me, replied in a cool, firm tone, "This is Ame. If we wait for the rain to stop, we'll never begin."
Yahiko chuckled. "Exactly! Here, rain isn't an excuse."
I swallowed hard. Right—this place was harsher than I thought.
---
The yard outside the hideout was soaked, mud sloshing with every step. Yet they still had me standing in the middle of it, while Yahiko waved at me as if the weather meant nothing.
"We'll start with basic testing," he said, eyeing me from head to toe. Somehow that gaze alone felt like he could read my entire skill level in a single breath.
"What do I do?" I asked.
Konan raised her hand, fingers forming a ready stance.
"Attack me."
"…I'm serious," I murmured.
"So am I."
Five seconds later, my back slammed into the muddy ground.
Did it hurt? Yes.
Was it embarrassing? Absolutely.
Konan hadn't even moved more than one step.
"Your body is weak," she stated flatly.
Yahiko nodded firmly, as if it were a scientific conclusion.
"So we'll start with physical training. Don't worry, everyone begins there."
I wanted to protest, but when even standing made the world tilt sideways, I chose silence.
And so, physical training began.
Running around the slippery yard. Mud clung to my shoes and socks. Every step felt like fighting gravity itself.
Push-ups on wet ground. My arms trembled, palms slipping on mud, each breath stabbing my chest.
Squats until my thighs burned and my knees shook. I stumbled more than once, but Yahiko tapped my shoulder each time I fell.
The rain kept pouring, soaking my clothes and hair, carving cold lines down my spine. Each movement drained me. It took a while before I realized—they weren't punishing me.
This… was Ame's baseline.
Nagato appeared with a small umbrella, walking calmly, balancing his frail-looking frame. His pale eyes studied me seriously.
"Rest for now," he said gently.
I nearly collapsed where I stood, breathing hard. My body felt destroyed.
After a few minutes, my breathing settled a bit. Nagato sat in front of me.
"Now, let's try the next step. Sensing your chakra."
I followed his instructions—sitting cross-legged, hands on my knees. He placed a palm on my shoulder, sending a warm sensation through me—like a thin stream of water trying to enter my body.
"Feel the energy flowing inside you," he said.
I tried.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
Silence.
All I felt was my pounding heart, cold air stabbing my lungs, and mud sticking to my skin.
"Try again," Nagato said gently.
I swallowed and tried again.
Silence.
Ten minutes passed.
Konan watched me longer than usual, as if trying to read my thoughts.
Yahiko leaned against a post, confused but still optimistic.
Finally, Nagato lifted my hand gently.
"It's alright. Your body might not be ready."
"Everyone can feel chakra," Yahiko added, "but some people take longer. We're patient."
Konan nodded. "Your physique isn't stable yet. We'll strengthen it first."
I lowered my head.
They were encouraging me.
They believed I could do it.
And that—
…that hurt more than anything.
Because I knew their future.
I knew Yahiko would die.
I knew darkness waited for Konan, for Nagato, for everyone they cared about.
I knew their path would be filled with betrayal, war, loss.
And here I was—too weak to even stand straight.
"I…" My voice cracked. "I don't even know what to do next."
Nagato smiled faintly—rare for him.
"The next step is trying again tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that."
Yahiko snapped his fingers.
"Because in Ame, the strong aren't the talented ones."
Konan looked at the never-ending rain.
"But the ones who don't give up."
I clenched my pants, trying to stop myself from shaking.
My body was weak.
I felt no chakra.
I had no idea what to do.
But Yahiko's death…
Their future filled with shadows…
That creeping darkness waiting for them—
And me—
someone who couldn't even stand properly—
was supposed to face all that?
I lowered my head.
In this world… a world filled with war and loss…
They still reached out a hand.
They still believed in me.
And somehow, that hurt more than any physical training.
That night, after training ended, I sat alone in the corner of the hideout. Rain still fell outside, tapping the tin roof with a monotonous rhythm.
I looked at the Ame Trio as they cleaned up, laughing softly together.
Their small moments of warmth poked at my chest, because I knew what awaited them.
My body ached.
Tiny cuts on my hands and legs stung.
But the pain felt lighter compared to the fear piling inside my mind.
I closed my eyes.
I had to become strong.
As strong as possible.
Not because I wanted to.
Not because I knew how.
But because I had to.
They… Yahiko, Konan, Nagato… would face a dark future.
And I couldn't afford to be weak when they needed someone who could endure.
I opened my eyes, staring at the rain outside.
I wasn't ready.
But I had no choice.
And for the first time, even with a weak body and no idea how to change the future…
I still wanted to try.
For them.