Chapter 86 - Legendary Ninjas

Classes were over for the day and Daichi decided to return home quickly. As much as he liked spending time with his few friends he was much more invested in getting stronger.

On his way back he opened his status page.

Name : Daichi Hekima (The Gamer)

Class : Student

Age : 8

Title : Capable Child, Explorer, Prodigy, Beast Slayer, Dungeon Warrior, Executioner.

Level : 38 (6023/38975)

.

HP : 6946

CP : 7962.75

SP : 6957

MP: 4360

.

[Primary Stats]

Strength - 101

Vitality - 105

Dexterity - 101

Agility - 101

Intelligence - 113

Chakra - 130

Wisdom - 101

.

[Special Stats]

Sense - 81

Stamina - 103

Indomitable - 14

Charisma - 40

Persistence - 15

Dignity (LOCKED)

Luck (LOCKED)

.

[Stat Points - 406]

[Ryo - 646582]

'Hmmm…. Based on the information I gathered from observing other ninjas, my chakra level is at normal chunin level. But that's not gonna be enough. For someone my age it's impressive but compared to people like Naruto this amount of chakra is abysmal.'

Daichi looked at the stats and then his eyes fell to the points he had saved up till now.

'I have 406 points. If I don't use them now to increase my chakra reserves it won't help me speed up the 'nature transformation' training… It took Naruto several hundred clones training for over an hour to master the first stage. And I have only a fraction of his chakra. I must increase my chakra points.'

Before long he reached his home. Kensei was near the garden admiring its beauty when he sensed Daichi entering the house.

"You really are a magnet for trouble aren't you?" The old man had a smirk on his face as he looked at his grandson.

"You heard?"

"Hiruzen informed me of what happened… And what he gave you after."

Daichi nodded and was about to go inside but Kensei's next words stopped him.

"Be careful who you trust, Daichi."

Daichi nodded. "I know gramps. I'm well aware that the Hokage agreed to help me with my training only because he wants to keep an eye on me. I'll be careful."

"As long as you understand…"

Daichi went to his room and freshened up. He opened his status page again and decided to add 30 points to his chakra stat.

[Chakra - 130 - 160]

[Stat Points - 376.]

"Wow…" Daichi immediately felt his chakra reserves expand. It was not painful but it was still somewhat an uncomfortable feeling. It only lasted a few seconds.

Daichi took several breaths of air and he felt like he was on adrenaline. He could feel the chakra overflowing flowing throughout his body. 'This is truly incredible.'

He quickly checked his HP, CP and SP.

HP : 7233

CP : 10104.32

SP : 7572

"Wonderful!" 'Now my chakra is on the low end of the Jonin level. With this much I'll be able to increase my shadow clone use.'

Daichi opened the brown scroll that contained the training for the earth element. He read the information on it a couple times even though he memorized it on his first try.

'From the show I know two steps to the change in chakra nature training. In the case of wind the first step was to cut the leaf in half and the second is to cut off a waterfall… It seems based on this the training for the earth element is going to be similar.'

Daichi placed the scroll on the table and went near his window. Even though it was evening Daichi had no intention of not training. He recalled the information on the scroll he just read.

'The change in chakra nature of the earth element. The first step is to use my chakra to crumble a leaf to dust. Seems similar to the wind chakra training. Instead of cutting I'm using chakra to turn the leaf into mostly dirt and earth and have it crumble… The second step is to split the waterfall. But since earth is stronger than water, this step will be easier when compared to the other elements.'

'But in the scroll, some personal notes of the Hokage indicate that there is another higher step for those who mastered these first two steps. However it's not given here… I wonder what that might be.'

Wasting no more time, Daichi went downstairs and to his backyard.

Kensei looked at Daichi in understanding. He knew Daichi was not one to push things to the next day. "So you're going to start your training right now I see…"

"Yeah. No point in delaying it." He went near a tree and plucked several leaves.

"You're starting with 'earth nature' aren't you?"

Daichi nodded. He then asked Kensei about the hidden third step to the training.

"After cutting the waterfall is there another advanced step beyond that?"

Kensei tilted his head curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"The Hokage had made some mentions of an advanced step beyond the waterfall cutting but he didn't clearly specify it."

Kensei narrowed his eyes when he heard it. 'That sly son of a bitch. He knows the kid will want to perfect his control. So he's banking on Daichi coming to him for advice. A slow but effective way to cultivate trust and thus form a relationship with the target… Hiruzen can be cunning when he wants to be. And people say Danzo is the one who emulates Tobirama Senju the most out of the two.'

Kensei knew how cunning and pragmatic Hiruzen could be. He didn't want Daichi to feel like he owed the man anything. And luckily he also knew the answer to the question Daichi was asking. "Yes it's true. There is another step beyond the training with the waterfall. There is one for each element but it's different for each one. The reason most people don't train the third step is because one, this knowledge isn't common. Most Jonin know the first two steps but only a few know about the one beyond that. The second reason is mastering the first two is difficult enough and once they are mastered you'd have enough control over your chakra nature that you wouldn't bother with the last one. Because the third step is on an entirely different level of difficulty than the first two. So most give up."

"Do you know anyone who could have trained and mastered the third step? Not just for 'earth nature' but the other natures as well!" Daichi wanted to know if there were people currently alive who had absolute mastery over the 5 main chakra natures.

"I do… But I'm not sure knowing their names would help you." Kensei replied cryptically.

Daichi raised an eyebrow in confusion at that.

"There are six people throughout history that have mastered the most advanced step of change in chakra nature. At least they are the 6 that I know of."

Daichi was listening with rapt attention. Seeing Daichi's focused gaze Kensei smiled.

"For the water element there were two people who completed the third step. Our first and second Hokages. Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju."

"What?" Daichi was surprised. 'Ok. This is new information about them. I'm pretty sure this wasn't in the story.'

"Yes! The second Hokage Tobirama Senju could pull water out of the atmosphere and create powerful techniques. He didn't need a water source to use A and S rank water style jutsus. He had an extremely powerful water affinity but that was only part of his strength. It was because he completed the third step that he was able to achieve such mastery of the water element. Of course he had mastery of other chakra natures too but they weren't nearly as strong as his water nature."

"Wow." 'Amazing! So that's how he was able to create such strong water style jutsus.'

Kensei knew he had Daichi's undivided attention now and kept going. "Now the first Hokage used wood style Ninjutsu. He was able to combine earth and water and use his chakra to create and use wood style. But since neither his descendants nor any other Senju showed powers of wood style ability, it was concluded that it was a genetic mutation that was special to him. His talent and power was beyond even his younger brother. He mastered earth and water nature to their highest point. Not to use them individually, he could of course, but he mainly trained them to help increase the strength of his wood style Ninjutsu."

Daichi was learning information not shown in the show and he was hearing first hand accounts of the strength of the men who are now hailed as legends.

"Have you seen him… In battle I mean." Daichi asked with great curiosity.

Kensei nodded to the question. "Yes. And it's something I'll never forget… Trust me when I say this Daichi, you couldn't even begin to comprehend his power. His chakra level, jutsu, healing…. They were all in an entirely different league. He earned the title God of Ninja. And he deserved it. None could match him…. Well… Except one anyway."

Daichi partially agreed with that assessment. 'Old man, I know what you're talking about. If he's anything like in the story then I agree that he was an absolute beast…. But I plan on reaching and surpassing him. It may not be anytime soon… But I will…. One day!'

Kensei continued. "Now Hashirama had a rival. The only person who could match his strength and force him to go all out. Madara Uchiha." As he said the words his face turned slightly grim.

"Just like the first Hokage, Madara was leagues ahead of others. His skill and talent was immense. But he had a falling out and left the village shortly after it was founded… Now Madara mainly used fire style jutsus. Just like the first and second Hokage he mastered an advanced step beyond the waterfall training and used it to increase the strength and power of his fire style jutsus…"

As Daichi heard this, images of Madara unleashing his fire style jutsu on the allied shinobi forces came to his mind.

"His mastery of fire nature was second to none. There was a nickname for Madara Uchiha amongst us... 'Madara of the inferno style'."

"Damn that sounds badass!" Daichi unknowingly exclaimed.

Kensei chuckled at that. "Yes. I suppose it does sound badass doesn't it! He was a man who was born for war and destruction."

'You have no idea how right you are, old man.' Daichi thought to himself.

Kensei had a sad smile as he thought about the events that happened after Madara Uchiha left the village.

A couple seconds later Kensei continued. "Alright moving on. The three people I mentioned above are ones who I know for certain have mastered the third step. The next 3 are just speculations based on their strength and the ability of their jutsu."

Daichi nodded.

"Now the next person is someone who completely mastered the Lightning Nature transformation. The third Raikage… Now all the Raikage are quite proficient in using lightning nature. But the third was even more capable at using it than others. The reason was, he had a heavenly blessed body which could withstand all kinds of punishments. His chakra level was also comparable to a…"

Kensei stopped himself. He didn't want Daichi to know about the tailed beasts yet. So he quickly corrected himself. "Well, let's just say he had chakra reserves that could match an army. He's someone who most probably mastered the third step of lightning nature. Because of that his control over the lightning nature increased and coupled with his abilities, he's known as the strongest Raikage in history. His nickname, the one who possessed the ultimate shield and spear."

"Now the last two are both Tsuchikage. The second and third… Daichi! Do you know what Kekkei Tōta is?" Kensei asked his grandson.

Daichi nodded. "It's a combination of more than two chakra natures. Something even more rare than Kekkei Genkai."

Kensei nodded. "Yes. A combination of 3 elements to be precise. Both the second and third Tsuchikage were able to use something called dust release. It's a combination of wind, fire and earth nature. But based on what we've learned the third and second are not blood related so it's not something that's genetically passed down. Based on this and the abilities displayed by them we've come to the conclusion that to perform dust release, one must master either two or three elements of the three used in the jutsu. It's most likely 2 because mastering three elements to such a degree seems unlikely. One of them would definitely be earth."

"What makes you say that?"

"The third Tsuchikage Onoki is someone who is also known as Onoki of both scales. The reason for this title is that he's someone who can increase or decrease the weight of an object without affecting its shape or mass. He can manipulate the weight to both scales. Plus or minus. He uses this technique to fly too. Or at least that's our theory… Someone without absolute mastery of earth chakra nature wouldn't be able to accomplish this. And without mastery of one more, creating the Dust release jutsu seems unlikely…"

Daichi crossed his arms and had a pensive look. "So the only person who is currently alive who has mastered the third step is the third Tsuchikage."

"Unfortunately, yes. Of the 6 people I mentioned, 5 are dead and the last one is the leader of a village that is not on friendly terms with the leaf. I told you that learning the names wouldn't be of any help." Kensei agreed and spoke.

"Why didn't the third Hokage learn it as well?" Daichi asked.

Kensei had a serious expression as he answered. "Daichi! This is one of the most difficult things in the world to master. Its difficulty makes the Rasengan look easy. Hiruzen was focused on learning more and increasing his knowledge and arsenal. If he had focused on that singular aspect and trained then I have no doubt he would have accomplished it. I may not like the man but I have to admit that much."

Kensei wanted Daichi to know just how difficult of a task mastering the final step was. "Daichi. For the moment I want you to forget about the third step. Focus on completing the first two. Then try and master the other elements. After that if you are still interested then you can begin training in the third step… Understood?"

Daichi nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good. Let's begin.!"