SHHHHHHHH!!!

  A high-pressure stream of water blasted into the side of a lycan, sending it tumbling into a tree with a painful yelp.

  “Water Jutsu?” Kagami blinked in disbelief.

  But what followed wasn’t ninjutsu. It was something… more freeform. Raw water magic danced in the air, swirling around a woman with light armor and blue ribbons flowing from her sleeves.

  Mikayla—water mage and senior magical hunter.

  Beside her, a tall man leaped forward, a longsword bursting into flame as he slashed a lycan in half. When one tried to flank him, the ground itself rose to shield him.

  Zack—sword-wielding dual-elemental magic user.

  The battle was swift. Lycan after lycan fell. Some escaped into the forest, but many were slain.

  Once the threat was over, Zack turned to Kagami, who was sitting on a root, blinking in awe.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Hey, kid. What’re you doing here? Who are your parents?” he asked gently.

  Kagami stood and brushed off leaves. “My name is Uchiha Kagami, elite of Konoha, shinobi of—”

  But what came out was: “Gaa...mee...uhh...kee...uhhh...ko...no...haaa.”

  Zack raised an eyebrow. “...What?”

  “He’s just a toddler, Zack,” Mikayla sighed, crouching down to his level. “He’s babbling. Poor thing must be lost.”

  They spent hours searching the surrounding forest for any signs of adults. But no one came. No camp. No tracks. Nothing.

  After regrouping, Mikayla stood and said, “Let’s take him back to the city. We’ll drop him off at the Magical Corporation HQ, get our bounty reward for the lycan subjugation, and then see if anyone’s reported a missing kid.”

  Zack shrugged. “Fair enough.”

  Kagami, riding on Mikayla’s back, looked over her shoulder with a small sigh. ‘I guess I’m stuck with them for now…’

  ---

  A Few Days Later…

  Even after days of searching, no one came forward to claim Kagami.

  He watched in silent fascination as people casually manipulated elements—water, fire, wind, even light—without a single hand seal. They called it magic. They spoke of mana. Kagami’s curiosity grew with every passing day.

  And yet, his own chakra still pulsed quietly within him, waiting.

  One night, after returning from a mission, Mikayla sat beside Zack at the inn they were staying at.

  “We’ve been married five years, Zack. And still no kids. Maybe this is fate.” She looked toward Kagami, who was dozing off while trying to levitate a spoon using sheer willpower.

  Zack blinked. “You mean… adopt him?”

  “He has no one. And he’s special.”

  Zack hesitated—but looked at Kagami again. He smiled slightly. “...Alright. Let’s do it.”

  He walked over to the boy, knelt down, and gently patted his head.

  “From now on, you’re one of us. A family. What name suits you?”

  Kagami sat up, eyes bright. “My name is Uchiha Kagami.”

  Zack blinked. “Uh… what?”

  Mikayla leaned in, trying to pronounce it slowly, syllable by syllable. “Kaa... gaa... mee?”

  Kagami nodded proudly.

  Zack raised an eyebrow and whispered, “What kind of name is that?”

  They both chuckled and embraced the boy.

  Kagami froze in the hug, unsure how to react… then slowly, hesitantly, he smiled.

  ---