Kei nodded once. "Yes."
No extra words, no hesitation.
He scanned the flock.
Thanks to his evolved Wind Sense—a derivative of Hayate's olfactory abilities—Kei could now distinguish chakra signatures by "scent."
He sifted through the ambient chakra like a breeze passing through feathers.
And then he found it: the crow with the strongest chakra.
He pointed. "That one, Senior Shisui."
Shisui followed his finger, then chuckled with a hint of admiration.
"You've got a good eye. That's the sharpest one—strongest body, keenest mind."
Chakra was a fusion of physical and spiritual energy. More chakra often meant more stamina and higher intelligence. Unless, of course, you were Uzumaki Naruto or Senju Hashirama… in which case genetics and pure chaos warped the rules entirely.
Shisui drew a whistle from his pouch and blew.
The chosen crow broke from the flock and glided to his shoulder.
It stared at Kei for a long moment.
"Kaw."
The sound was short. Deliberate.
This crow understood. It had intelligence—limited, yes—but enough to recognize that it was being traded.
It didn't resist. Not yet.
It would wait and judge the new human based on how he cared for it.
Kei studied the bird.
"Does it have a name?"
Shisui suppressed a laugh. "Kid, I have nearly a thousand crows. You think I name them all?"
Kei's face remained calm. He wasn't asking for himself.
He looked at the crow.
"Then I'll name you."
The crow tilted its head.
"You are a shadow in the night sky, a silent messenger. From now on, you'll be called—Shadow."
"Kaw!" The crow's wings twitched. If that noise had a tone, it was satisfaction.
Kei nodded. "Then it's settled."
His tone shifted.
"Shadow, I have a unique ability. I can evolve my summoning beasts—strengthen them, help them grow into something greater.
If you become my companion… if you offer me loyalty and strength, I'll give you that evolution."
He extended his palm.
Shadow's eyes gleamed. The promise wasn't just enticing—it was instinctively understood.
It paused.
Then leapt.
With one beat of its wings, Shadow landed on Kei's hand.
It was heavy—for a crow—but Kei was no ordinary four-year-old. At this point, he could probably carry a grown man. Shadow was featherlight in comparison.
Kei smiled. "Let's grow stronger together."
From his back, he unrolled a small summoning scroll, pricked his finger, and smeared the blood and chakra across the seal.
He set it in front of Shadow.
Without hesitation, Shadow opened its beak and released a small stream of blood.
The chakra embedded within it pulsed.
A shimmer of light activated the seal—and in that moment, Kei felt the connection solidify.
Then came the voice.
[Ding!]
[Host has obtained Summoning Beast: Ninja Crow – Shadow]
[Opening Summoning Beast Attribute Page...]
[Summoning Beast: Shadow]
[Race: Crow]
[Talent: Stealth, Concealment]
[Evolvable]
[Evolution Requirement: Crow Feather (100 units)]
[Strength and Talent Shared]
Kei took a breath. The sync began.
While Shadow's physical power was negligible, the chakra boost was respectable.
And the talents—
Stealth: Silent movement, undetectable through ordinary sensory perception.
Concealment: Suppresses chakra signatures, making detection by sensor-types far more difficult.
Kei nodded in satisfaction. These were perfect for infiltration and tactical misdirection. Or even just avoiding attention in daily life.
But his attention quickly locked on the evolution condition.
[Evolution Requirement: Crow Feather (100 units)]
Kei looked down.
The forest floor was littered with them.
He smiled.
.....
Hey Y'all. Happy New Years!
I wish all of you a very happy year in 2025.
I hope that so far, y'all are enjoying this fic as much as I did when I first read it.
If not, please let me know what I can do better moving forward.
This is my first attempt at translation, so there might be a few rookie mistakes, so bear with me a bit.