Why was Kakashi known as the "Man Who Matches All Opponents"? Why could he exchange blows with anyone,from the beginning of the Naruto story to the end, whether it was a major villain or a random character, always fighting to a stalemate?
The reason lay in the vast number of ninjutsu he had mastered, allowing him to design different tactics to counter his enemies. The title"Copy Ninja" wasn't for nothing!
Furthermore, as a transmigrator, Kōichi understood perfectly well the importance of having trump cards! If he didn't have a couple of hidden aces or a few ultimate techniques,how could he deal with the endless stream of future enemies?
The effects of the Recovery Jutsu were: effectively recovers physical fatigue and strain, mental exhaustion, and chakra depletion. His physical training and taijutsu practice utilized the first effect. Restoring his mental energy allowed him to throw himself into training with full focus. But he hadn't yet found a sufficiently effective way to utilize the chakra recovery aspect. The reason was simple:besides the Three Basic Jutsu, he didn't have many other ninjutsu to practice, so his chakra consumption wasn't as high as one might imagine.
Kōichi rolled over and stood up. "Tomorrow, it's time to go see Teacher Ishikawa!"
---
Ishikawa, a distinguished Chūnin of Konoha. After performing various missions, the Third Hokage assigned him to the Ninja Academy to become a teacher during this peacetime period.
Looking at the earnest student before him, Ishikawa couldn't help but sigh. "Kōichi,I know you work very hard, but learning ninjutsu isn't something someone your age should be exposed to yet."
Perhaps worried about discouraging his student, Ishikawa offered an explanation. "You're too young.Your body isn't fully developed yet. Insufficient physical and mental energy result in very low chakra reserves. It's not enough to support the casting of even a C-rank jutsu."
Kōichi didn't argue; he just listened quietly. Because he knew very well that what Ishikawa said was correct. However,that only applied to ordinary people.
Kōichi's eyes shone brightly. "Teacher Ishikawa, you know very well that I'm just a war orphan, a civilian ninja. Once the Ninja Academy curriculum ends, I'll be sent out on missions to support myself. I need some ninjutsu to ensure my safety."
Ishikawa frowned. He was, of course, aware of this. In fact,he was also a civilian ninja himself and understood perfectly well the preciousness of ninjutsu.
Generally speaking, the ninjutsu of major hidden villages were kept secret. Even low-level jutsu weren't taught to others casually. Typically,ninjutsu transmission happened through clan ninjas or master-disciple relationships. Apart from that,one could receive some ninjutsu as rewards from the village for completing missions.
As the most outstanding civilian ninja performer in his year at the Konoha Ninja Academy, Kōichi had a fairly good relationship with him. Kōichi often came to him for advice on ninja knowledge. In a sense,while they weren't officially master and disciple, Ishikawa and Kōichi already had a bond resembling one. It was no longer just the simple relationship between a school teacher and a student. This was probably the source of Kōichi's confidence in coming to him today;he trusted him deeply!
Not wanting to discourage Kōichi, Ishikawa thought for a moment and said, "If you can master the Three Basic Jutsu to the point of performing them with ease, I will teach you a C-rank jutsu!" "Also,don't look down on C-rank jutsu. The ranking is based on destructive power and harm. It doesn't mean an A-rank jutsu is always stronger than a D-rank; it depends on the conditions and timing of use."
Kōichi certainly understood this principle. When Uchiha Itachi, resurrected by the Impure World Reincarnation, defeated Nagato, he did so using simple shurikenjutsu, fundamentally negating the shared vision advantage of the Six Paths of Pain.
A faint smile appeared on Kōichi's face as his hands formed seals with incredible speed. "Teacher Ishikawa,is this level sufficient for performing the Three Basic Jutsu with ease?"
An exact replica of Kōichi appeared before Ishikawa, formed extremely fast. Immediately after, the clone vanished, and Kōichi transformed, becoming another Ishikawa. In the blink of an eye,the Clone Technique and the Transformation Technique were executed perfectly.
But that wasn't all. Just as Ishikawa was about to speak, the Kōichi-transformed Ishikawa suddenly turned into a section of wood. And the real Kōichi had already appeared in another corner of the office.
"Th-this... this casting speed is already at Genin level! A genius!" Ishikawa's jaw dropped,his face full of astonishment.
Actually, the Genin exam was precisely about the Three Basic Jutsu and some fundamental ninja knowledge. In other words,Kōichi already fully possessed the strength of a Genin at this moment, and could even consider graduating early. And all of this had happened just two months after Kōichi entered the Ninja Academy. Thinking of this,Ishikawa suddenly understood why Kōichi was so eager to learn ninjutsu. His student had already reached a bottleneck in a short time. To progress further,the only path forward was the development of ninjutsu.
"Teacher, what do you think?"
A look of gratification spread across Ishikawa's face, and he suddenly asked, "How much chakra do you have left?"
Being proficient in the Three Basic Jutsu was one thing; the amount of chakra one possessed was another issue. Even the most basic C-rank jutsu required a chakra quantity that was a terrifying figure for civilian ninjas. Often,civilian ninjas had to grow into their teens, after their bodies and minds matured, before they could amply use chakra to perform ninjutsu.
Kōichi naturally knew this. Chakra was a product born from the fusion of physical and mental energy. After over a month of high-intensity training,his body was now no weaker than an eleven or twelve-year-old's. His Constitution attribute had risen from the initial 5 points to 12 points. His Mental Energy attribute was even higher at 31 points,having grown by one more point than before. This meant the amount of chakra he could currently produce was fully comparable to an ordinary Genin,even approaching that of a Chūnin.
"Teacher, I still have about eighty percent of my chakra left!"
Ishikawa's eyes widened, his gaze unconsciously falling on Kōichi's sturdy arms. He muttered,"You still have that much chakra left? That would indeed be enough to perform two C-rank jutsu."
However, a moment later, Ishikawa became serious again. "The use of the Three Basic Jutsu isn't just for peacetime; its most important application is in combat. To ensure your foundation is solid, I'll give you my answer after today's practical combat class!"
Kōichi felt no pressure. "Alright, I'm also looking forward to today's practical combat class!"
Ishikawa couldn't help but say, "What if you lose in the practical combat? Aren't you afraid..."
"I won't lose."
"Even if I pair you against Kakashi?"
A gleam of confidence shone in Kōichi's eyes. " I just happen need someone to test my skills against!"