Bratva: Some things never change

Chapter 12: Closure

In a forest not far from the compound, a boy of about four years old darted up and down a tree. This child was Izaku Utsukuro, training to pass the time while waiting for his brother to return or for the chance to meet up with his friends.

Coins clung to his body, pressed against his skin, as he worked on his chakra control, running horizontally along the tree's surface.

As exhaustion began to creep in, Izaku slid down and sat at the base of the tree, catching his breath. His routine for chakra control had grown increasingly demanding. His brother's obsession with efficiency rather than raw power had left him drained yet focused.

Still, suspicion lingered in Izaku's mind. Why was his brother pushing him so hard? Sure, Izaku had asked to be trained, but this level of intensity felt disproportionate. He was only four, after all.

Lately, though, everything felt off. The house was tense, conversations between adults grew quiet when he entered, and the absence of his father only added to the weight of uncertainty. Something was happening, and no one was telling him.

Adding to the unease was the forced enrollment of his two closest friends into the CSA. A part of Izaku couldn't shake the fear that he might be next. But there was also a flicker of excitement. Since his reincarnation, the idea of being a shinobi—doing the "cool stuff"—had always fascinated him.

Shaking off his thoughts, Izaku stood, stretching for another round of training. This time, he focused on suppressing his chakra signature while running, just as his brother had drilled into him.

"The CSA doesn't need firepower or shock troops," his brother had said. "Those are useful, sure, but ghosts—silent, invisible operators—are far more valuable than reckless bulls charging into battle."

Izaku's ability to mask his chakra was improving day by day, though it required far more effort due to his naturally high reserves and imbalance between his yin and yang energy. His brother had explained how this imbalance made chakra control trickier and why it was crucial to build his physical strength to help stabilize the flow of energy.

Suppressing his chakra while running felt strange, almost like holding his breath underwater. The body needed chakra to function, and reducing it while exerting himself forced his muscles to adapt, growing stronger without the regenerative crutch of chakra.

Time passed, and as per his routine, Izaku eventually stopped. He loosened his ponytail, letting his long black hair fall freely, and began walking back toward the house.

Despite being only four years old, Izaku had never cut his hair. His mother adored it, often saying it was both "cute and menacing." He still didn't understand how those two words could fit together, but if it made her happy, that was all that mattered.

When Izaku entered the house, he froze. His father was back, but something was wrong. Takahisa sat on the sofa, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands covering his face.

"Dad? You good?" Izaku asked, leaning casually on the doorframe, though concern laced his voice.

Takahisa looked up slowly, offering a strained smile. His eyes were red, his face drawn. "Yeah, don't worry about it. Just some work stuff."

Izaku frowned, walking closer. "Look, I know you don't wanna talk about it, but I need to know. Izu's been pushing me hard—and I don't mind—but you look like you just crawled out of a grave. I get that you wanna protect me, or something, but I need to know what's going on."

Takahisa's gaze lingered on Izaku for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he sighed deeply, stood up, and walked out of the room without a word.

Izaku stayed where he was, conflicted. Maybe he'd pushed too hard, asked too soon. But just as he was about to leave, Takahisa returned, a folder in hand.