Chapter 6 Chakra Paper (part 1)

Chapter 6 Chakra Paper (part 1)

Although Konoha is a village, it cannot be considered small.

The Uchiha clan's territory is located at the far edge of the inner circle of Konoha, squeezed into the southwest corner by the Hyuga clan, right next to the village's barrier.

However, the Training Ground #4 that they wants to reach is located to the north of Konoha, on the high ground behind the Hokage Rock, outside the barrier.

This means that in order for the three of them to get from the Uchiha clan territory to there, they first have to bypass the Hyuga clan's estate, follow the Konoha River up to the Ichiraku Avenue, pass by the Police Force headquarters, the Hokage Tower, and the Sarutobi clan's estate, and then climb up a slope behind the ANBU headquarters, covering about half the distance of Konoha, before they can enter the training ground.

Going back and forth like this, without counting the climb, they have to run a distance of around four to five kilometers.

For Uchiha Itachi, it's just a matter of less than ten minutes, as he can easily use chakra to stick to the soles of his feet and travel in a straight line, "crossing mountains and valleys."

But for Sasuke, who has just started learning ninjutsu, and for Giyu, who can't yet harness chakra, they can only run along the road with great effort.

Or rather, it was only Sasuke who was running with great effort.

Even with the lighter food container in his hand, he was already panting like a mammoth on the verge of dying of thirst by the time he reached the position of the Konoha Police Force.

But in order to be carried home by Itachi, combined with his distinctive Uchiha pride, he had no intention of giving up whatsoever.

He closely watched Itachi in front of him, imitating the way the other ninja ran -

Bowing down, leaning forward, hands raised like bird wings, small steps with frequent strides, propelling his body forward like a shooting arrow.

It is said that ninjas use this running posture to reduce the resistance caused by air while moving forward. It also helps to lower their profile, making it harder for enemies to spot them during pursuits and escapes.

Of course, this movement also facilitates the ninja in drawing explosive tags or shurikens (and allows artists to avoid complex hand movements when depicting a person in high-speed action).

However, looking at the Giyu beside him, he has a completely ordinary running style, as if someone were rushing to a market to grab groceries -

Slightly leaning forward, almost upright, large strides with minimal pushing off the ground, instead constantly taking long steps forward.

If it weren't for the fact that he held the lunchbox steadily in his hand, this running style would have appeared quite impressive, but no matter how you looked at it, this had nothing to do with ninjas.

What perplexed Sasuke the most was that even though he was executing the most standard movements according to his brother's description, he couldn't distance himself from Giyu.

No matter how fast he increased his speed, Giyu always maintained a relative position with him and Itachi. From the moment they left until now, there hadn't been the slightest change, as if Itachi and himself were carrying him forward!

What made Sasuke even more speechless was that while he had a flushed face from the exertion, Giyu, who was carrying an even heavier lunchbox, maintained his composure.

When Giyu noticed Sasuke's gaze, he turned his head while still moving at high speed and asked, "Are you tired? Want me to carry it for you?"

Naturally, he was referring to the lunchbox in Sasuke's hand, and his concern was genuine.

With his transparent world, Giyu observed Sasuke's heart rate, which had increased to more than three times the normal rate due to their continuous accelerated running along the way.

Although he knew that the physical fitness of people in the ninja world was excellent, this heart rate was already quite dangerous, and Sasuke was just a child, so Giyu couldn't help but worry.

However, any words of concern coming from him, combined with his indifferent face, would make people feel like he was mocking them! Even though Sasuke knew that Giyu probably meant no harm, he gritted his teeth in frustration.

The feeling of humiliation from the question, "Are you learning this to light a candle?" surged through his mind once again.

Furthermore, he noticed that several people ahead were wearing clothes with the Uchiha clan emblem on them.

[This is not far from where Dad works…]

If I give the lunchbox to Giyu and coincidentally, Father who is currently at work sees it...

"I don't need you to meddle!"

He shouted at Giyu, accelerating as if he didn't care about his life. Itachi didn't say anything about it, and accelerated along with him. Giyu had no problem keeping up.

In this way, the three brothers maintained a dynamic balance, like three dark gusts of wind passing through the main street of Konoha. They met a watermelon-headed man wearing a tight green suit, who applauded them and shouted.

"Keep it up! This is the passionate youth! You have to work hard and sweat it out!"

Itachi nodded and greeted the man.

Sasuke, even though he was almost out of breath, shamefully covered half of his face with one hand.

Giyu glanced at the person next to him and felt that if Kyojuro Rengoku were resurrected, he would get along well with this person.

After all, they were both the type who would talk to strangers without any reservations, and their voices were loud.

Giyu admired this kind of courage.

"If Kyojuro Rengoku came to complete the resurrection task, it should be easier for everyone."

The watermelon-headed man left without looking back, still continuing his encouraging words, causing the vendors on the street to cover their ears and roll their eyes.

"Keep your voice down."

Kakashi descended from above, yawning and poking the green-skinned person in the lower back.

"Oh, Kakashi, falling asleep so early, you're not youthful at all."

Mightguy flashed a literal meaning smile and said, "If it weren't for the mission, I would definitely challenge you to see who can climb the Hokage Rock first using only their hands!"

"By the way, those three kids we saw earlier looked quite similar. And I have this strange feeling that I've seen that ping pong paddle-like symbol on their backs somewhere before."

The three patrolling guards suddenly turned their heads, giving him a menacing glare.

However, upon seeing Kakashi, who possessed Sharingan, standing next to him, they snorted and turned away.

They knew he was the henchmen of the Third Hokage and they were instructed not to engage in conflicts with Kakashi.

Merchants and pedestrians cleared the way, staring at the departing guards with various complex expressions.

"That's the Uchiha clan emblem. Please, I beg you, don't exhibit your forgetfulness so loudly in front of the guard post!"

Kakashi sighed and rubbed his forehead. "If a high-ranking ninja like you says such things, others might think you're intentionally mocking them!"

[If Guy becomes the spark that ignites tensions between the village and the Uchiha clan, I don't know what to say.]

"Because my mind is solely focused on this mission, I've cleared out all unnecessary thoughts."

Kai looked up, smiled brightly, and said, "But we're all passionate young individuals. They won't misunderstand me because of this!"

"If everyone had your mindset, I wouldn't be so exhausted."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and changed the subject: "By the way, what do you think of those two brats earlier?"

After a night of duty, Kakashi once again encountered Giyu.

Yesterday, he was curious about the other's strength, he was wondering if it was slightly above average.

But today, he saw the other person again, running so fast in that usual posture, yet showing no signs of breathlessness.

However, there was indeed no trace of chakra on the other person. Kakashi was not mistaken about that.

Can an ordinary person compare to a ninja?

Among the people he knew, perhaps only a young Guy had such physical qualities.

"They're both pretty good. Especially the young one on the right..."

Might guy rubbed his chin. "His physical aptitude suits practicing taijutsu well. It's just that he lacks enthusiasm in his eyes. Doesn't seem like a very passionate child."

He then turned to Kakashi, his one exposed dead fish eye. "Unlike you, he has a pair of eyes completely devoid of light. But on the other hand, he gives me a sense of reliability. I don't know how?."

Kakashi nodded.

As Might guy, who had no spare brain except for tasks, intuition was his most accurate tool for judgment, more trustworthy than the exaggerated ninja dogs he loved.

After all, to a ninja dog with limited strength, most things related to humans were dangerous. That's why he would say such things.

Last night, he even considered reporting the boy's special traits to the Third Hokage. After all, a combination of "gloomy and cold demeanor" + "Uchiha" + "innate talent" was hard not to pay attention to.

But if it were known by Danzō, unpleasant things might happen.

However, since Might guy had said so, Kakashi couldn't be bothered with this trivial matter anymore. Just consider it as repaying Shisui a favor .

From now on, his mission was to monitor and protect Naruto. Everything else was irrelevant to him.

Meanwhile, the three guards who had just passed by returned to their office.

After bidding farewell to the senior shinobi and two subordinates, the three of them made their way to the top floor of the guard station, where the captain's office was located.

As the senior shinobi opened the door, Fugaku Uchiha stood by the window, holding a cup of tea, his eyes coldly fixed below. He only turned around and took a sip of tea when Kakashi and Guy's figures disappeared at the corner of Ichiraku Ramen's intersection.

"What's the matter?"

Fugaku sat down beside the office desk and asked in a calm tone.

"Patriarch, have you heard the news that Shisui has become the temporary captain of the ANBU under the Hokage?"

The jōnin's face revealed a hint of anger. "That guy! He has openly chosen to stand with the village."

"I've said it many times, don't call me Patriarch while on duty, and don't discuss clan matters," Fugaku glanced at him. "That's just your assumption and hasn't been confirmed. Besides, you heard it too, Shisui is only a 'temporary captain.'"

"Do you have no doubts about that guy?" The jōnin furrowed his brow.

Fugaku shook his head and picked up a document from the desk, shaking it slightly. "Besides, as long as we give Itachi... give Itachi enough time, Shisui's power won't be as important as it used to be. Look, I just arrived here this morning and received a notice from Sandaime requesting Itachi to participate in the Chunin Exams."

"A... a Chunin at the age of ten?" A glimmer of light appeared in the jōnin's eyes. "Itachi is truly remarkable."

Fugaku covered the curve rising from the corner of his mouth with a teacup. "Actually, he was qualified to participate two years ago, but considering that becoming a Chunin requires going outside the village for missions, which would leave him little time to be with Sasuke and Giyu, he had been reluctant. But next March, Sasuke and Giyu will also be going to school, so he has no reason to refuse this time..."

"However, given Itachi's pride, he probably won't choose to team up with anyone. Participating in the Chunin Exams alone is extremely dangerous, so it's best to assess his level first."

"What do you mean?" the jōnin asked.

"I remember..." Fugaku made a reminiscent expression. "The junior who nearly clashed with Itachi in the clan's theater a while ago, his name is Uchiha Enka, right? Recently, many people have approached me regarding him. This kid is quite unruly."

"That's right," the jōnin nodded. "He recently participated in the village's Jonin Assessment but was targeted due to conflicts with other candidates, so the one responsible for scoring, Elder Homura, didn't let him pass. He has been somewhat frustrated during this time and eager to do something to prove himself. But among his peers in the clan, he can't beat Shisui, and Itachi has deliberately avoided him..."

"Fifteen years old, Jonin level, he's quite a genius," Fugaku pondered for a moment, then tapped the table with his knuckles. "He's the one."

"What do you mean?" the jōnin inquired.

"He wanted to find Itachi, didn't he?" Fugaku looked at the jōnin and instructed, "During noon, find him and subtly hint or let him overhear that Itachi will be training at Training Ground Four in Konoha today. Given his state of mind, he will definitely come knocking. I'll observe in secret to see Itachi's current strength."

"Understood."

The jōnin didn't hesitate.

The Uchiha clan was a clan that yearned for power and also a clan that sought to test their own strength. They had a martial nature, and battle was their way of proving themselves.

"I'll take care of it right away."

After the jōnin left, Fugaku picked up a pen and pointed at the family photo on the desk, lightly tapping Itachi's forehead.

"Giyu, from today onwards, you will understand that simply doing household chores won't be enough to take care of Sasuke."

"In this world, only power can provide a stable life for people."

There was one thing Uchiha Fugaku didn't tell the jōnin just now.

That is, during noon until afternoon, Itachi still had a C-rank mission to complete, which would take about one to two hours.

By that time, only Sasuke and Giyu would be left at Training Ground Four.

...

"Heh, heh, heh!"

As the three brothers were about to begin the final one-third of their uphill journey, Uchiha Sasuke was panting heavily, as if his chest was filled with a blazing fireball that couldn't be expelled. His empty hand tightly pressed against his side.

In order to impress their father, he had just sprinted a distance of over 500 meters, surpassing the limits his age could normally reach.

Now, the consequences of overexertion had caught up to his tender body.

But Sasuke continued forward in silence, enduring the pain. He didn't want Giyu to see him weak and in agony during their first training session together.

"Wait a moment."

Giyu stopped the running Itachi in front and casually grabbed Sasuke, who was still trying to show off.

Before the two could react, he immediately slapped Sasuke in the diaphragm.

Not only did this startle Sasuke, but Itachi was also taken aback.

They had never seen Giyu resort to physical violence, let alone towards Sasuke.

"What... what are you doing?"

Sasuke, with innocent eyes, held his stomach and took two steps back.

But the next moment, he noticed that his previously slightly painful abdomen had returned to normal in just a few seconds.

"Huh?"

He felt his breathing suddenly become smooth and asked in astonishment, "Giyu, what did you do to me just now?"

Same question, but the tone and intention were completely different from before.

"Your breathing was too chaotic."

Giyu didn't answer but grabbed the food container from Sasuke's hand and said, "And it was very inefficient."

"Inefficient?"

When Itachi heard this word, he thoughtfully looked at Giyu's steady chest and his eyes turned red.

He observed silently for a while and then discovered with surprise that Giyu's breathing rhythm was indeed completely different from theirs.

Each time he inhaled or exhaled, it lasted for a long time, more than ten seconds.

And after exhaling, there was an even longer period of breath-holding, exceeding thirty seconds.

Wait a minute!

Itachi widened his eyes.

This meant that Giyu only breathed—

once in about a minute???

The reason Itachi hadn't noticed before was that Giyu was incredibly silent and had never made any obvious breathing sounds!

And their whole family had grown accustomed to it.

Now thinking back, had he been "breathing like a tortoise" with this rhythm for so many years?

How much lung capacity would it take to achieve this?

Itachi listened to Giyu's guidance on a completely new breathing method for Sasuke while carefully watching Giyu's fingers precisely pointing out the positions of Sasuke's lungs, trachea, and heart to explain.

This demonstrated that Giyu had an extremely deep understanding of human anatomy, far surpassing the average level of ninja academy students.

In fact, at this moment, the Sasuke in Giyu's eyes was no longer a cute young boy but a human tissue model composed entirely of bones, blood vessels, muscles, fat, fascia, and skin.

In the perspective of the "Transparent World," let alone an activity like breathing that obviously expanded the lungs, Giyu could see the direction of blood flow, every contraction and stretch of muscles, and every dynamic within Sasuke's body with great clarity.

"That's correct."

Seeing that Sasuke had already grasped the most basic breathing rhythm, Giyu nodded calmly and then looked at Itachi, saying, "We can continue now."

There were no demon or Demon slayer Corps in this world.

But as someone who held the title of Water Pillar and possessed the qualifications to pass on basic breathing techniques, it should be no problem for him to teach his family members something that lacked killing power.

Just the thought that Sasuke also aspired to become a ninja like Itachi made him feel somewhat unhappy. He just hoped that Sasuke could learn more practical things and skills.

Regarding this matter, Giyu and Itachi had reached a consensus, although their methods of realization were somewhat different.

After this little incident, the journey to Training Ground Four went smoothly.

With Sasuke mastering the new breathing technique, although it was an uphill path, the amplifying effect of breathing on stamina pleasantly surprised him, and he ran with even more joy.

"This is Training Ground Four."

Itachi pointed to the wide area with hundreds of erected earthen walls, and in the depths, there was a moderately sized lake, resembling the Uchiha Training Ground.

Those earthen walls were the product of Earth Release, each with different thickness and size, used to test the power of offensive ninjutsu. Even if they were destroyed, there would always be ninja practicing Earth Release who would come and restore them, making it a recycling system.

"Let's take a break for a while."

"Itachi used a ninja blade to cut a piece of earth wall into various-sized squares, which would serve as temporary tables and chairs.

Ninjas' chakra is the physical energy extracted from their cells. Running for such a long time and hastily letting Sasuke practice ninjutsu might be dangerous.

However, in the blink of an eye, Giyu had already taken a picnic tablecloth from the top of the food box and spread it out, placing the snacks made in the morning on the "table." There were also three large covered bowls of fish soup. Although they were leftovers from last night's meal, they still emitted a mouth-watering aroma.

"..."

Usually, Uchiha Itachi only brought rice balls. He blinked his eyes.

Hopefully, familiar ninjas wouldn't see him and come to freeload on food and drinks.

Glancing at Sasuke, who secretly grabbed a few fried shrimp to eat, Itachi sat down next to Giyu and said, "While Sasuke is eating, let me teach you the method of refining chakra."

Before Giyu could refuse, Itachi quickly added, "Giyu, I know you don't want to become a ninja, but your Sharingan is likely to activate automatically due to emotional changes. Without chakra, you might faint again next time. Don't you want to worry us, Sasuke, and mother?"

Giyu's expression changed slightly.

Itachi knew that Giyu had taken his words to heart.

"Furthermore, chakra is not exclusive to ninjas, nor does having chakra mean you must become a ninja. For example, the samurai of the Land of Iron also utilize chakra to wield their swordsmanship. Of course, if you don't enjoy fighting, chakra can be used for other purposes.

"For instance, learning Summoning Jutsu allows you to send a cat to buy groceries for you, saving time. You can store these food items in scrolls using basic sealing jutsu, saving space and weight. If you refine your skills further, you can even walk on water, making it convenient for fishing, right?"

Itachi was well aware that whether Giyu chose to learn or not, his father would find a way to force him to become a self-reliant ninja. The Uchiha desired a powerful combat force to showcase their fangs to Konoha for far too long.

But for now, he couldn't worry about that. He had to resolve the hidden dangers of Giyu's Sharingan first, so he could only say things Giyu wanted to hear.

Giyu remained silent for a while and eventually nodded.

As Itachi had said, accidentally activating the Sharingan and fainting would waste a lot of time and worry his mother. That wasn't what Giyu desired.

More importantly, he wanted to know if that inexplicable voice could be deciphered from his own chakra.

Unlike yesterday's Giyu, today he had a clear goal: to revive his comrades.

"Very well."

Seeing Giyu agree, Itachi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although communication with Giyu was difficult, he could still understand reasoning, which was quite different from the stubbornness of an ordinary child.

"Before teaching you how to convert chakra, I must first explain what chakra is."

Itachi used a ninja blade to draw the shape of a person on the nearest earth wall, then drew two circles in the figure's abdomen and head.

"Giyu, chakra is a type of energy derived from the conversion of physical energy. Physical energy is the bodily energy extracted from 130 trillion body cells, combined with spiritual energy gained from training experiences. When you use taijutsu, you directly consume physical energy. However, if you want to use ninjutsu or the Sharingan, you must process and convert physical energy into chakra."

With that, Itachi formed the tiger seal with his hands and blew out a ball of red flames. Giyu once again gained a 0.02% analysis resolution of the Flame Breathing technique.

"Through hand seals, the unattributed chakra converted from physical energy is further processed into the form and nature required for ninjutsu, which is also known as elemental transformations and shape transformations, or simply ninjutsu.

"However, today we don't need to consider all of that. What you need to understand right now is how to refine chakra and convert it into the necessary ocular power for the Sharingan.

"Let's begin."

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