Chapter 9: Learning the Basics
Kaito began reading the scroll intently.
After reading it completely, he concluded in his mind, So that's how it works.
The hand seals were very similar to those in the Naruto series he remembered.
The scroll described 12 fundamental hand seals—Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Bird, Dog, and Boar.
Hand seals actually helped shape and manipulate chakra in specific ways.
However, they were just a tool—an aid.
A shinobi still needed to actively mold their chakra in the corresponding pattern while forming the seals.
He sighed. This might take considerable time to master properly.
Hand seals were a prerequisite for most ninjutsu, and practicing them would have to replace his basic jutsu training until he reached an acceptable proficiency level.
To master hand seals, one first needed constant repetitive practice while simultaneously shaping chakra correctly.
Then, one needed to practice transitioning between different seals in sequence, changing how the chakra was molded according to each seal.
Only after achieving fluid transitions could one begin learning actual ninjutsu techniques.
Kaito thought wearily, Oh man, this is going to be tedious.
Beyond the basic twelve hand seals, there were also introductions to some specialized seals.
The scroll mentioned elemental hand seals for all five basic natures and the specific seals for the Clone Jutsu.
But it was clear there were many other specialized seals not covered in this introductory scroll.
Kaito thought, Hmm, at least the chakra molding part needs to be guided correctly by an instructor.
So he decided to wait and practice properly after the Academy started teaching this in class.
This was just foundational knowledge anyway.
The scroll also mentioned advanced techniques—first learning one-handed seals, then reducing the number of seals required to cast jutsu, and finally reaching the level of casting techniques without any hand seals at all.
Kaito remembered that many characters in the series could form seals with just one hand, and several had reduced important jutsu down to requiring only a single seal!
As Kaito analyzed the hand seal knowledge, his homeroom teacher, Genki, quietly entered the Library.
Seeing Kaito completely absorbed in the scroll, Genki smiled and silently moved behind him to see what he was studying.
After seeing the content, his smile widened slightly before he made his presence known.
"Hello, Kaito!"
Hearing the sudden voice directly behind him, Kaito startled and quickly spun around, thinking, When did he appear behind me? How long has he been standing there?
Without any answers to those questions, he sighed inwardly. I was way too relaxed. This is the shinobi world, after all.
Although Genki was only a chunin, compared to Kaito's current level, they existed on completely different planes of ability.
Kaito's immediate thought was, I really need to develop sensory abilities. In situations like this, it would help me tremendously.
Kaito immediately realized he needed to act appropriately childlike and make a good impression.
It would also be extremely helpful if he could earn more personalized guidance from Genki.
Although many thoughts raced through his mind, only a few seconds had actually passed.
He feigned slight nervousness and said, "Good afternoon, Genki-sensei. When did you arrive at the Library?"
Genki smiled warmly. "Little guy, I've been here for a few minutes now. You were completely absorbed in that scroll. Are you that interested in hand seals already?"
Kaito tried to act appropriately nervous, speaking in a more childish voice. "I heard that some of my classmates already know ninjutsu. During the exam, someone mentioned an Uchiha who could breathe fire at only four years old. I want to learn jutsu too, which is why I'm studying hand seals."
Genki was clearly pleased that a student showed such genuine interest and ambition.
He patted Kaito's head reassuringly and explained, "Ah, you're talking about Uchiha Itachi. He's a year ahead of your class. He passed the Academy's graduation exam in just one year and became a genin. But don't compare yourself to Itachi—he's an exceptional prodigy who started intensive training from a very young age under his father's instruction."
He continued, "And that technique isn't 'breathing fire,' but a Fire Release jutsu called the Fire Ball Jutsu. You'll start learning ninjutsu very soon yourself. Tomorrow, I'll be teaching everyone about hand seals and proper chakra molding. You can practice thoroughly during class. But until then, don't practice by yourself—it could cause accidents or develop bad habits, okay?"
Kaito looked excited and nodded enthusiastically, saying a bit too loudly, "Okay, sensei!"
But Genki quickly raised a finger to his lips. "Shh, this is the Library. Keep your voice down."
Kaito nodded again and whispered apologetically, "Yes, sensei. Sorry."
Afterward, Genki walked toward Section B of the Library and entered.
Kaito thought with surprise, Wait, chunin have access to B-rank sections too?
Then again, he wasn't sure if this applied to every chunin or only select individuals.
Genki had mentioned he was an elite instructor after all.
So Kaito guessed he must be an elite chunin, possibly close to becoming a tokubetsu jonin or even a regular jonin.
In any case, at least Genki should have a favorable impression of him now, which was excellent news.
Kaito returned his attention to the scroll.
He began trying to understand how chakra should be shaped through each specific hand seal, and once again became fully engrossed in the material.
After some time passed, he heard the door opening.
Kaito looked up and saw Genki emerging from Section B with a scroll under his arm.
Genki smiled at Kaito encouragingly, then walked out of the Library.
After gaining a deeper understanding of hand seals, Kaito finally closed the scroll and returned it to its proper place on the shelf.
Then he retrieved a scroll on Wind Release nature transformation training and returned to his secluded spot to read.
After finishing it, he thought with mild disappointment, This is somewhat limited. Only the leaf-cutting exercise is explained in detail. Waterfall-cutting isn't even mentioned.
However, this made sense upon reflection—not everyone would have someone like Yamato create a specialized training platform for them, nor would everyone have Naruto's absurd chakra reserves to create hundreds of Shadow Clones for accelerated training.
The rest of the content mainly covered the benefits and safety precautions for the leaf-cutting exercise.
The only truly useful addition was a more detailed explanation of the Wind Release elemental hand seal on the scroll.
He got up and exchanged that scroll for one on Earth Release training.
This one was considerably more comprehensive.
Kaito thought, Good, this should be much more helpful.
Apparently, there were two fundamental methods for mastering Earth Release nature transformation.
The first was crushing rocks—similar in concept to cutting leaves with Wind chakra.
The second was shaping clay into various forms and hardening it using only chakra manipulation.
This also made sense logically.
Kaito remembered that most Earth Release jutsu essentially manipulated existing earth and stone, raising it from underground to the surface.
So clay manipulation would be extremely beneficial for developing that control.
As for crushing rocks, after mastering small stones, Kaito figured he could progress to crushing progressively larger boulders to increase his Earth Release proficiency.
And for clay shaping, he could gradually increase the quantity of clay, or try shaping actual mud or soil, though that would be significantly more difficult.
He returned that scroll to its proper place.
Next, he went to Section E and selected a basic scroll on Fuinjutsu fundamentals.
After reading through it carefully, he analyzed what he'd learned. Hmm, the basic concepts aren't too difficult to grasp.
However, he suspected the difficulty would increase exponentially in more advanced applications.
Still, training in Fuinjutsu was extremely time-consuming, so it should definitely be postponed until later when he had Shadow Clones.
He returned the scroll to its shelf and began searching through Section 0 for materials on sensory training.
He found numerous scrolls based on enhancing smell, sight, or hearing through chakra.
After considerable searching, he finally located what he'd been looking for—a scroll on sensing the chakra of people nearby.
After reading it thoroughly, he discovered some fascinating information.
Every shinobi possessed a chakra field surrounding them, but not everyone could utilize it consciously or effectively.
However, a Sensor-type ninja could not only utilize their chakra field but also expand it hundreds of meters in radius.
Specialized Sensor-types could even extend their chakra field for several kilometers to detect any chakra signatures within range.
Conversely, if this chakra field was deliberately suppressed and retracted, it could help hide one's presence from enemy sensors.
As for the training required to become a Sensor-type, the biggest obstacle was the ninja's other physical senses interfering.
Therefore, during training, it was recommended to temporarily block out sight, smell, and hearing to focus solely on chakra perception.
Kaito had a sudden idea—he wondered if he could block just two senses to specifically train the remaining one.
Enhanced hearing, smell, and sight would all be tremendously helpful for a shinobi.
The basic training method was still meditation, but with an opposite approach.
Instead of isolating oneself from surroundings through meditation, it involved sensing and connecting with the surroundings through meditative focus.
Unfortunately, Kaito didn't know any technique to suppress his sense of smell, nor did he have any equipment to properly block his hearing.
He'd need assistance and guidance from an instructor.
I need to somehow hint to Genki-sensei that I'm interested in becoming a Sensor-type, so he'll provide proper guidance.
He eventually returned the scroll to its place and left the Library.
It was already evening outside—the sun was setting.
Kaito hadn't noticed the passage of time at all.
He'd been in the Library for over six hours! The building had no windows whatsoever.
This was understandable from a security perspective—they didn't want anyone breaking in from outside.
Fuinjutsu barrier seals had been applied to the Library walls, and the walls themselves were reinforced to prevent Earth Release users from tunneling through.
Kaito walked toward home, and along the way, he spent 5 ryo to purchase a small bag of clay from a pottery supply shop. He also collected a few small stones from the roadside.
[+100 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Review!
P*atreon/DarkFoxx (advanced chapters)