The gentle afternoon breeze swayed the trees around the Ninja Academy courtyard. After weeks of exhausting physical training and basic katas, Iruka finally decided to introduce the fundamentals of energy manipulation.
"Chakra control is the line that separates a living ninja from a dead ninja," Iruka explained, holding a small tree leaf in front of his face. With a slight focus of energy, the leaf stuck to his forehead as if it were glued. "The goal is to maintain a constant flow. Too much chakra, and the leaf will be repelled. Too little, and it will fall."
As expected, the exercise began with a flood of frustration. Leaves fell to the ground every second. Only one student shined almost immediately.
"I did it, Iruka-sensei! Look!" Sakura exclaimed, jumping happily with the leaf perfectly stuck to her forehead.
Iruka smiled, praising the civilian girl's innate talent. On the other side of the circle, Matsuri placed a leaf on his own forehead. With a soft sigh, he molded his energy. The leaf stuck and remained there, unshakeable.
But unlike his sister, Matsuri wasn't celebrating. As a reincarnator, he already knew the true functionality of this exercise and its profound implications. For the other children, it was a balancing game; for him, it was the foundation of his future.
His long-term goal wasn't just to hold a single leaf, but to have his entire body covered in leaves for a full hour. He knew this would automate his chakra flow. However, Matsuri was patient. He was well aware that the village was currently living in a time of peace. The academy children were relaxed and had no immediate worries of war, which gave him the advantage of not needing to rush his own development. His six-year-old body needed time to adjust to his adult mind.
While keeping the leaf attached to his forehead, Matsuri closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let his mind wander to the memories of his past life—specifically to the scenes that had shaped his understanding of true Taijutsu.
He remembered the legendary battle of Madara Uchiha against the Ninja Alliance. Madara's choreography wasn't a simple street brawl; it was designed to look like a traditional Japanese dance (Kabuki). The Uchiha utilized the circular inertia of the Mai, never fighting in a straight line, but spinning on his own axis to redirect the enemy's force against themselves.
That was exactly what Matsuri wanted for his Interception Style. He didn't have brute strength, so he needed to master the principle of Jo-Ha-Kyū (speed modulation). He needed to start his movements slowly, accelerate the action unpredictably, and finish with devastating speed and impact.
Furthermore, he sighed as he recalled the melancholic and raw clash between Kakashi and Obito in the Kamui dimension. That was the perfect textural interaction. They used the opponent's arms and body to intercept strikes and even force hand seals. To reach that level of absolute battlefield dominance and apply these theories from his past life, Matsuri needed superhuman chakra control. The leaf on his forehead was just the first step.
(Small Time Skip)
The following weeks at the Academy flowed with the comforting monotony of peace. While most students were content with simply balancing a single leaf on their foreheads to pass Iruka's tests, Matsuri continued his silent training. Slowly, he began using three leaves, then five, sticking them to his arms and chest while executing his Nature Breathing exercises, allowing his child body to strengthen at the right pace.
On a particularly warm Friday afternoon, class had ended. The Academy courtyard emptied quickly, except for a solitary figure sitting beneath a large tree.
Naruto Uzumaki sat cross-legged, huffing with anger. A small pile of fallen leaves rested in his lap. Because of the vast, uncontrolled chakra reserves of the Nine-Tailed Fox inside him, fine control was a nightmare. Every time he tried, the leaf was violently blown away.
"This is stupid! What's the point of sticking a plant to my face?!" Naruto growled, crumpling a leaf in his hands.
Matsuri, who was on his way out, stopped his inaudible steps. He watched the blonde boy for a moment. Without saying a word, he approached and sat down next to Naruto.
Naruto looked at him, tense, expecting the usual teasing or the look of disgust the villagers always gave him. But Matsuri's eyes, visible above the dark mask, were calm and pragmatic.
"You are pushing the energy instead of letting it flow," Matsuri said, his voice slightly muffled by the fabric. He pointed to Naruto's chest. "Your breathing is irregular because you're angry. Chakra follows the mind. If your mind is a mess, the chakra leaks like a broken dam. Breathe from your stomach, not your chest."
Naruto blinked, confused by the direct, non-judgmental advice. He let out a heavy breath.
Before the blonde could try again, Naruto's stomach growled so loudly it startled a few birds in the tree above. He blushed violently, looking away in embarrassment.
Matsuri stood up and dusted off his dark pants. "The mind can't focus if the stomach is empty," he commented casually. "My parents opened a sushi shop near the commercial district. The food is good. I'm heading there now."
He turned his back and started walking. After a few steps, he looked over his shoulder.
"Are you coming, or are you going to sit there grumbling at the leaves?"
Naruto's blue eyes widened. No one had ever invited him to eat. No one had ever treated him with such... normalcy. A huge smile, the brightest he had shown in days, took over his face.
"I'm coming!" Naruto yelled, jumping up and running to catch up with Matsuri.
When they arrived at the Haruno family restaurant, the smell of seasoned rice and fresh fish filled the air. Mebuki and Kizashi were behind the counter. Seeing Matsuri accompanied by the boy the entire village isolated, they didn't widen their eyes, they didn't whisper, and they didn't kick the child out.
As former civilian shinobis who valued life and knew how to read the weight of loneliness, they merely smiled.
"Welcome, young man!" Kizashi said cheerfully, wearing a cook's bandana tied around his head. "A friend of Matsuri's? Have a seat, the first round of salmon sushi is on the house!"
Naruto sat on the stool at the counter, staring at the colorful plate placed in front of him. He looked at Matsuri, who was already eating silently, his mask pulled down to his chin.
[Author's Note] Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying Matsuri's journey! Writing and planning each chapter takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort (even more so dealing with hand pain from the keyboard!). If you like my work, believe in the potential of this story, and want to encourage me to keep posting frequently, please consider supporting me with any amount. Every bit of help makes a huge difference and motivates me a lot! ☕ To support (PIX[Mercado Pago] or PayPal): [email protected] Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and for all the support! ❤️