Chapter 18: 9 v 1
Itachi rubbed his eyes, bringing my attention to his pronounced tear-troughs. "You said that you felt our turmoil, correct?"
I cautiously nodded, inwardly wondering if I should have phrased my inquiry differently.
I could feel how uneasy the people around me were starting to become, it was almost like everyone in the clan – barring Sasuke – had been attacked by a plague of despair. On a few occasions I could even feel their emotions without going into what I now dubbed as a 'sensory mode'. I would be lying if I said that it was not disconcerting.
Itachi shuffled closer to me before he continued. "Mother once told me this story when I was a child, a story of our ancestors. She said that they used to practice this religion: ninshū, it was called – the peaceful precursor of modern ninjutsu. The teachings of ninshū were meant to give people a better understanding of themselves, as well as others, and lead the world into an era of peace."
Itachi paused to make sure that I was listening to him. I motioned him to go on.
"In this religion they were taught how to connect their spiritual energies with one another, which then would allow them to understand each other without communication and pray for one another's safety."
"Do you think that that's what I am doing, this… ninshū?"
I tried my best to keep the skepticism out of my face, because that would imply that I understood what a spiritual energy was. I admit that I had done some reading with what I suspected was Itachi's old textbooks the other day, and the book that covered the topic of chakra had mentioned that the spiritual energy was derived from the mind's consciousness, which would not make Itachi's story entirely implausible. However, it was not wrong of me to expect a better explanation that was not based on a flimsy legend, was it?
"Well, it's either that, or your… illness… is acting up again."
Now, we're talking, I thought. "What's the disease?"
Itachi pursed his lips. "That's the problem, we don't know."
My brows raised. "What do you mean you don't know?"
Itachi shook his head. "It is exactly like I said. In every human being, both civilians and ninja alike, one's spiritual and physical energies are supposed to rest at a perfectly balanced ratio until one begins to manipulate one's chakra, but yours are already disproportionate from the moment that you are born."
I ignored how Itachi had indirectly stated that I was not a human being and that I was apparently the only one who suffered from such disease. "What's the ratio?"
Itachi seemed like he wanted to ask whether I understood what a ratio was, but thought better of it. "If I'm not mistaken, Father said that when you were born the ratio is roughly 9:1, in favor of your spiritual energy."
It was a huge difference.
If I applied the logic from the book into my case, it would be understandable for my spiritual and physical energies' ratio to be disproportionate, since my mind was that of an adult whilst my body was that of an infant. However, considering how intricately connected the chakra pathway system with the physiological systems of the human body in this world, I had to wonder how my dysfunctional chakra did not lead into, say, a dysfunctional skeletal system or something of the sort.
"Isn't that bad?" I inquired. "Balance is very important, right?"
"Logically, it should. Even the medics are quite baffled when you show no further sign of adverse effect, save for that one time after your birth." Itachi admitted. "I'm not sure how your body regulates the excess spiritual energy, but I do not think that it is possible to expel pure energy. It could be through Yin Release, however subconsciously – since our clan predominantly inherit it – but I'm not sure if it is possible when you are barely more than an toddler yourself. Who knows." Itachi shrugged and plucked another dessert from his plate. "I'm just glad that you are okay now. "
"So am I…" I mumbled. I did not think that I would be able to handle the sheer helplessness of being bedridden on top of being an infant. "But… what's a Yin Release, brother?" I remembered that the book had only mentioned it in passing. "Does it represent spiritual energy, or maybe it is spiritual energy, or does it have something to do with the ratio thingy of the energies again? Is it nature trans–"
"Slow down," Itachi chuckled heartily, "I won't go anywhere. I have an afternoon shift today, so we still have some time to spend."
"You better," I jokingly threatened. I did not think that I would dare to truly threaten Itachi even if I were under gunpoint. "Sasuke-nii said that you always bailed on him."
Itachi waved his dango stick at me. "In my defense, Sasuke always approaches me at the wrong time. Our schedules simply no longer match up." Itachi briefly glanced at the panda clock on the wall. "Speaking of schedule, it is time for you to eat."
Itachi's free hand suddenly moved and my self-preservation instinct triggered my sharingan. I saw a burst of chakra from his hand into the tiny matrix on one of the beads on his bracelet. There was a puff of smoke before my sippy cup appeared on Itachi's hand.
"Teach me that," I blurted out. If I could seal my belongings away, then I would not have to fear the possibility of being discovered by busybodies. Hiding my journal every time someone barged into my room unannounced was getting absolutely tedious.
Itachi only smiled. "When you're older, okay?" He handed me the defrosted breast milk. I could not help my disappointed frown. I supposed it meant that Mikoto was away – again. "I have a great story to tell you."
My brows furrowed. "But… aren't you going to answer my questions?"
"I will," Itachi assured, "but I want to tell you about its origin first. That way you will have a deeper and more complete understanding of it – and hopefully, what chakra is as a whole."
"Okay," I relented.
Itachi set his plate aside and sat more comfortably on the fluffy carpet. "Alright, here we go…"
I took a small sip from the cup and deactivated my sharingan with a blink.
"Thousands of years ago," Itachi began, "long before the world was the place that we now know, there was once a wise man that had such a mastery over Yin and Yang that he used Yin to create form from nothing, and then used Yang to breathe life into what he had created. This wise man was known as the Sage…"
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