Chapter 13: He Really Does Teach Ninja Techniques!
Chapter 13: He Really Does Teach Ninja Techniques!
"Your first mission is to clean up the river!"
Minato Namikaze unrolled a D-rank mission scroll and led Team 3, equipped with tools, to a river near the village (the village was vast, with plenty of open spaces).
The three genin carried bamboo baskets and trash grabbers.
They were utterly bewildered!
Especially Kakashi, who was only six years old (he had started the Academy at five). The basket on his back was almost as tall as he was.
Touhei, on the other hand, was a head taller than Kakashi.
No one suggested he take a break or rest, though.
Ninja never underestimated or treated others differently based on age.
Because of chakra!
Even the youngest could be formidable.
"Next, you need to steadily and evenly release chakra from the soles of your feet... and you'll be able to stand on water."
Minato spoke as he walked onto the river surface, his body as stable as if he were standing on solid ground.
Walking on water!
It was also a technique for using chakra.
Mastering this skill allowed ninja to fight on water and move freely across rivers and streams.
Konoha's training system was indeed well-developed.
In the early stages, not only did the team leaders impart their experience, but various missions also provided practical training. It was no wonder they could withstand the sieges during the Great Shinobi Wars.
Apart from having more ninja, their quality was also top-notch.
"Yes, Sensei Minato!" the three genin chorused and began their task.
However, their performances varied.
Kakashi was incredibly steady, not at all like a seven-year-old.
And Koji Yamashiro, though he seemed to struggle, managed to stand on the water. It was clear he had practiced beforehand.
‘Who could have taught him?’
Minato wondered.
Walking on water was a technique that Academy instructors didn't teach.
Controlling chakra was far less important for Academy students who had little chakra to begin with, so the school didn't cover it.
Splash!
Touhei fell headfirst into the river.
"Touhei!"
Koji tried to help but forgot he was barely standing on the water himself. He was pulled in as well.
"Kakashi, you're teammates. Shouldn't you help them in a situation like this?"
Minato looked at the white-haired genin standing silently on the water, his eyes filled with concern.
He knew about Kakashi's father and that Danzo had always wanted to groom him as a sharp tool for the Root division. That was why the Third Hokage had entrusted Kakashi to him as a disciple.
Note that a 'disciple' here was different from a regular student.
It meant someone who could inherit their teacher's will and everything else.
With Minato's protection, Danzo didn't dare to act.
As for observing Touhei, Danzo might have had the intention of having him become Minato's disciple as well.
There was nothing better than having a top-tier ninja take you under their wing for protection.
"..."
Kakashi didn't respond.
He hadn't yet emerged from the darkness of his father's death.
If it had been Obito or Rin, he might have helped, but Touhei and Koji were just newly acquainted teammates.
This was the real ninja world, not the world of the anime where everyone on the side of justice was always ‘kind.’
Fortunately, the river was not swift or deep, making it easy to climb out.
A section of the river specifically used for genin to practice walking on water wouldn't be dangerous.
"Cough, cough!"
Touhei spat out a lot of water after climbing ashore.
He had swallowed a few mouthfuls, but the water was relatively clear, so it wasn't too bad.
"Touhei, are you okay?"
Koji, who was also drenched, asked with concern.
Since he had taught Touhei and Takanori Honda (citing Uchiha clan training methods) how to climb trees and walk on water before, there was no reason for him to forget now.
"I'm... fine!"
Touhei waved his hand slightly.
He had just lost control due to a sudden increase in his chakra.
It was like suddenly becoming several times stronger and struggling to control that newfound power.
But once he realized the issue, he just needed to be more careful.
They finished the D-rank mission in the morning and then had lunch by the river before starting their formal training.
"Kakashi, your body is still in its developmental stage, so I will only guide you in combat experience!"
Minato Namikaze outlined his training plan.
"Yes, sensei!"
Kakashi nodded silently. He was already skilled in both techniques and ninjutsu, lacking only practical combat experience, which was why he had been stopped by Taichi during the previous evaluation.
"Hoji, your foundation is solid. I will teach you the C-rank ninjutsu, Wind Release: Gale Palm. Are you willing to learn it?"
Minato asked Hoji Yamashiro. Teaching ninjutsu was a serious matter, not something to be taken lightly. If a technique was acquired through village contributions, it couldn't be taught freely. Only self-created techniques or those obtained through other means could be freely shared without penalty.
"Thank you, Sensei Minato!"
Hoji nodded excitedly, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. The benefits of having a competent instructor were clear. For formal disciples, everything the teacher possessed could be inherited. Thus, the bond between a master and student in the shinobi world was often closer than that of parent and child.
However, the shinobi world had a dangerous pattern: the killing of one's own teacher. The Third Hokage and Orochimaru, Orochimaru and Sasuke, Nagato and Jiraiya, Minato and Obito—these top-tier shinobi were all killed by their own students. While these were mostly "Naruto-related" cases, other master-student relationships weren't as perilous.
"Tomohira, I will teach you the C-rank Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
Minato selected a technique for Tomohira. Note that not teaching Kakashi any ninjutsu wasn't a matter of favoritism. It was simply unnecessary. Kakashi's father was the White Fang, and Kakashi already had access to numerous techniques.
"Thank you, Sensei Minato."
Tomohira Uchiha was also thrilled. Ninjutsu was something he found deeply fascinating. Despite his efforts, he had only managed to learn the Summoning Technique. Now, he could finally study a genuine offensive technique.
Ninjutsu!
Only through practice could one understand how complex it truly was. Knowing the hand seal sequence wasn't enough; the key was the flow of chakra. Making chakra flow through the body's meridians at a fast enough speed was no easy task. In the anime, characters could quickly learn techniques, but in the real shinobi world, that was impossible. Learning ninjutsu wasn't a matter of bypassing the facts. If it were that easy, most genin wouldn't be limited to D-rank techniques, and even chunin would know more than just a couple.
It often took weeks or even years to master a C-rank technique. Of course, this was for self-study. With a teacher, the process was much faster. Having more chakra also helped. For example, Hoji's C-rank technique drained his chakra, but Tomohira, with more chakra, could handle it several times before being drained. The more chakra one had, the faster they could learn techniques. Naruto, for instance, could quickly master the A-rank Multiple Shadow Clone Technique because he could repeatedly practice without running out of chakra. More chakra meant more flexibility.
Tomohira, with his greater chakra reserves, progressed much faster than Hoji, learning the Flame Bullet in just half a day—something that would have taken Hoji a month. Even Minato found this progress surprising.
Tomohira's chakra was only a few times more than Hoji's, but the natural energy injection he had received, derived from the future Fusang Tree, provided a significant boost to his Fire Release techniques. By now, he had barely mastered the Flame Bullet.
Considering that the future prince learned an A-rank technique in less than half an hour at the same age, Tomohira's achievement in mastering a C-rank technique in half a day wasn't too shabby.
As the sky turned to dusk, Tomohira, who had been training alone, decided to head back for rest. His dream was to live a laid-back life, but with someone targeting him, he needed to find ways to improve his strength. He didn't want to be helpless in the face of danger.
However, as he passed through a forest, he heard some commotion.
(End of Chapter)
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