Training (3)
A/N: I accidently uploaded the non-edited version, so if you're reading this, I hope you enjoy this chapter, also I will be updating some of the past few chapters, although it won't change the story, so you don't have to read it, I will try and making sentences and paragraphs better.
Naoki, determined to improve his skills, summoned four shadow clones to assist him in his training. While two of the clones accompanied Tsunade to the nearby river, the remaining two followed Shizune, who had just arrived with the requisite tools and materials for Naoki's practice.
"Naoki-kun, while Tsunade-sama teaches you nature transformation, I shall be your mentor in wielding various ninja tools, such as shurikens, senbons, and kunais. We shall begin with the most common tool, the shuriken, and learn the techniques of throwing it. Your task is to hit the target with precision, with increasing distance as you improve. Watch closely as I demonstrate the correct grip and posture required for this task." Shizune explained the plan for the upcoming hours, and then deftly showcased the techniques required. After the demonstration, Naoki took the kunai, positioned himself in front of the target, and readied himself to throw the shuriken.
"Alright, focus on your stance, Naoki-kun," Shizune reminded him. "Left foot forward, right foot back, bent at a 90° angle. Left arm straight out, aiming at the target, and right arm pulled back, ready to throw." Naoki adjusted his posture accordingly, then launched the shuriken with all his might. It whizzed through the air, but unfortunately missed the target by a wide margin, unable to pierce the tree bark as it fell to the ground with a thud.
"Wait, what did I do wrong?" Naoki asked in genuine confusion, watching as the shuriken fell far short of its intended target.
Shizune explained the key to throwing a shuriken: it's not just about strength, but also about letting it flow like water through your body. She advised Naoki to use the momentum from his feet, legs, hips, back, and arm to throw the shuriken, rather than just exerting strength through his arms. While not exerting too much strength may limit the distance of the throw for most people, Shizune assured Naoki that once he perfected the flowing motion of throwing a shuriken, adding chakra would increase both accuracy and penetration. Shurikens are typically used to distract enemies and create openings for attack or to escape. Shizune emphasized that overexerting strength would stiffen the body, making it difficult to execute the necessary actions that follow the throw.
With rapt attention, Naoki absorbed every word of Shizune's instructive lesson on the finer points of shuriken throwing: why his previous attempt had gone awry, how to improve his aim, and how the technique could be employed to strategic advantage in a variety of tactical situations. With renewed confidence, he assumed the correct stance and threw the shuriken once more. While it missed the bullseye, it embedded itself more deeply into the tree bark than his previous attempts, indicating progress. Naoki persisted in his training for a full hour, putting into practice the knowledge he had just gained. Finally, he found himself hitting the target with increasing accuracy, bringing him closer and closer to his goal.
"Now that you have the basics of shuriken throwing down, let's move on to senbons. Although you'll still practice with shuriken's in various scenarios to further develop your skills, we'll now focus on the use of senbons. These aren't widely used by shinobi since they're not intended for lethal purposes, instead they serve a unique role. Senbons are commonly utilized in medical ninjutsu but during combat, they're utilized for a specific reason. With their thin and small body, they're difficult to detect unless you're specifically looking for them or are extremely attentive. They're effective at incapacitating your enemy, whether through the use of poisoned tips, hitting their nervous system or acupoints. Keep in mind that although they can be dangerous during intense combat situations, they are heavily reliant on medical ninjutsu and an understanding of the human anatomy."
"Shizune-neesan, wait a minute," Naoki interrupted. "You said that senbons rely heavily on medical ninjutsu. Does that mean you use senbons in your medical ninjutsu techniques?" he asked with childlike curiosity.
Shizune revealed her personal use of senbons in a non-conventional manner as she explained, "Indeed, I do utilize senbons, albeit not in the typical fashion. Instead of throwing them, I have a ninja tool to do it for me, and I apply poison on them as well," she added, rolling up her sleeve to exhibit the tool in question.
"Is it better to use a ninja tool than throwing the senbons yourself?" Naoki questioned, his inquisitive nature shining through.
"Well, there are pros and cons to both methods. By using this ninja tool, I have improved accuracy and can launch all my senbons simultaneously, making it difficult for most shinobi to block at close range. However, using the tool sacrifices some element of surprise and stealth, which is why I conceal it under my sleeve. Another reason why I prefer this method is because I am more suited for support roles rather than combat, unlike Tsunade-sama who can both support and deal heavy damage."
Following her explanation of the pros and cons of using ninja tools, Shizune deftly shifted to the intricate techniques of holding and throwing senbons with utmost discretion, without arousing the slightest suspicion from her opponents. Her expertise extended beyond the physical motions, as she further delved into the importance of mastering precise chakra control in effectively wielding senbons. With skilful manipulation of chakra, one could attain unmatched control over the speed, aim and trajectory of the senbon, making it a formidable tool in the hands of a skilled practitioner.
After Shizune demonstrated the art of throwing a senbon and provided guidance to Naoki, he decided to give it a try. Despite being familiar with the basics of senbon throwing, Naoki encountered considerable difficulties while trying to throw it accurately, especially when compared to his proficiency with shurikens. However, after practicing for an hour, Naoki began to improve, gradually honing his skills and techniques, though he was still not as adept with senbons as he was with shurikens.
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Deep within the lush and verdant forest, surrounded by towering trees and the gentle sound of trickling water from a nearby river, Tsunade was deep in instruction with her eager student Naoki. Amidst the dappled shade and soft sunlight filtering through the leaves, the legendary ninja was passing on her immense knowledge of chakra control and manipulation, guiding Naoki on the path to becoming a powerful ninja in his own right.
"Tsuna-nee, you said that I need to learn how to manipulate water with my chakra to use Water Release jutsu, but shouldn't I be learning how to create water from chakra instead? I'm confused." Naoki asked, genuinely puzzled by how manipulating real water would help him create water from chakra.
"Your question is a good one, Naoki. To master Water Release jutsu, there are different steps that you must follow. First, you need to learn how to directly manipulate water from its source. This is the basic foundation for using water release and every shinobi starts with this. Once you've gained a good understanding of water manipulation through using water ninjutsu, you can try the Leaf Method, where you wet a leaf with just your chakra. However, most shinobi don't bother with this because it takes a lot of time to create water from chakra when they can use a water source instead." Tsunade replied, with a reassuring smile.
"But I'm confused, Tsuna-nee. Wouldn't being able to create water using just chakra be advantageous, since you wouldn't need to rely on a water source in any situation?" Naoki inquired, his brow furrowed in perplexity at the notion of creating water from chakra being a waste of time.
"The reason why creating water from chakra is not a priority for most shinobi is that unlike other chakra elements, water release is scarce outside of Kirigakure, which is an island surrounded by water," Tsunade elaborated, her eyes sparkling with a deep understanding of the ninja world.
"Moving forward, Naoki, I want you to spend the next few weeks honing your chakra control by manipulating water with your chakra, trying to spin it and shape it into various forms. I won't be showing you the exact method to do it because the true path to mastery lies in discovering it yourself. You must learn to search for answers on your own, as that's the first step towards self-improvement. Once you've achieved a solid grasp on water manipulation and control, I will teach you some basic water jutsu that employ the principles of pushing, pulling, and shaping water, taking your abilities to the next level." Tsunade declared, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for Naoki's growth.
Following the thorough explanation, Naoki deftly retrieved a sturdy bucket and strode purposefully towards the nearby river. He dipped the receptacle into the clear, glistening water, filling it to the brim. With a resolute expression, he immersed his hand in the fluid and commenced his efforts to manipulate the flow using his chakra. Despite his unwavering focus and precision, his attempts proved fruitless, and the water remained stubbornly still. Despite this setback, Naoki remained undeterred, his mind already racing with thoughts of how to refine his technique and hone his chakra control.
As Tsunade observed Naoki's training, she offered him a helpful tip, "Naoki, let me offer you a piece of advice. Releasing your chakra alone won't affect the water, and moving your hand while doing so won't help either. Keep in mind that when using Water ninjutsu, you don't move your hand, but perform hand seals. Additionally, with Water release, you don't simply release chakra, but condense it. Chakra, in its most basic form, is merely a type of energy. However, once you condense it, you can directly create form from chakra. Try condensing your chakra as you would with ninjutsu, but this time manipulate the water, rather than use ninjutsu."
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A/N- I apologise if it's very information heavy, however from what I've seen on other fanfics, people take whatever they read and use that principle on other fanfics, so I wanted to show, the way I think it works, and how it'll work on this fanfic. Also, I didn't just want to have a sentence saying that MC practised and just learned it, I wanted to show how he learned, the method he used to learn it and what mistakes he made while learning and how to improve on it, I hoped it would make it more realistic. Also, many things in Naruto, such as how to train something has never been really shown or mentioned before, so some stuff will be AU, however I will try retain as much as cannon as I can when it comes to facts, timeline sequences or training.
Another important thing which I'm sure many of you have noticed is that, I'm not the best when it comes to dialogue, however, I will slowly improve the more I write. Which tbh I have improved massively compared to when I first tried to write this fanfic, which was tbh horrendous, I still have the writing saved as a means to show me how much I've improved.
Btw, if there's something you think could be improved on, or hope to have your ideas introduced to this fanfic, please comment, also if you want pls send power stones. I have no clue what they do, but whenever I see someone send me some, I feel motivated to write more. Also, I love interacting with comments, and it actually makes me proud when I see people contributing to something I created. So if you have any perhaps Jutsu ideas, preferred water and earth jutsu, please comment them.
Another important note is thank you to Hyuga_Tobirama, thank you for the images you have sent which has been a huge help, also thank you for the power stones you have sent and the many others that have as you have been my core motivation to keep writing.
https://discord.gg/vgJrmuV7
Anyways, thanks for reading, hope to see you in the next chapter.