Chapter 6: Minato Forced to Develop Ninjutsu Because of Hanako

Hanako's demonstration redefined what it meant to be a "trailing character" and took the term to a whole new level.

"This... is so embarrassing!" Obito covered his face, unable to bear looking.

The teacher wanted a display of strength, not a written explanation, for crying out loud!

"He must be punished for this, right?" Rin thought to herself.

She could understand why Hanako did what he did.

After all, Hanako didn't know any physical skills or ninjutsu, so he did what he could, right?

"Genius!" Even Kakashi, who had always been aloof, couldn't help but comment.

Clearly, it was a backhanded compliment.

In the training ground.

Minato Namikaze took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm.

As an elite ninja, he had seen all kinds of grand scenes.

But almost...

He almost let his guard down because of his student, Hanako.

"Hanako, have you improved your shuriken throwing?" Minato Namikaze tried to salvage the situation.

"Oh, my sense of direction isn't very good," Hanako replied seriously.

"What about your Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

"I've been working on it, but still haven't mastered it."

"What have you learned since graduating from the academy?"

"Well..."

Hanako thought for a moment, made a noncommittal sound, and then fell silent.

"I don't believe it."

Minato Namikaze refused to believe it.

He thought that even as a trailing character, Hanako should have some shining points, right?

As long as there was something to hold on to, with some encouragement, even a trailing character could be filled with fighting spirit.

With this in mind, Minato Namikaze produced a chakra test paper in his hand.

"Here, let's test your chakra nature."

"Oh."

Taking the test paper, Hanako concentrated his chakra and converged it onto the test paper.

And then...

The chakra test paper showed no reaction.

"Huh?"

Seeing this, Minato Namikaze was stunned.

No nature?

No wonder.

No wonder Hanako couldn't learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Chakra nature was crucial for a ninja. Without a corresponding chakra nature, one couldn't learn any ninjutsu.

Because ninjutsu in the ninja world was basically divided into five elements.

Fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning.

Without the corresponding chakra nature, it was impossible to learn them.

"Let's call it a day."

Minato Namikaze waved his hand, his tone somewhat gloomy.

He had suffered a serious blow mentally.

No matter how he looked at it, Hanako in the team was beyond help.

"More accurately, Hanako is the victim here."

Watching the team members leave, Minato Namikaze sighed helplessly.

A person like Hanako should have been a commoner, but because of the village's pre-war system, he was forcibly classified as a ninja.

Was it because Hanako wasn't working hard enough?

No.

It was because he simply didn't have the talent to become a ninja.

Team 9 left the training ground.

The four of them walked side by side in silence.

Finally, Obito couldn't hold back anymore.

He felt he should comfort his good friend.

"Hanako, I believe in you." Obito encouraged, his face showing support without the usual lightheartedness.

"Are you encouraging me?" Hanako turned his head and said casually.

"Of course!"

"Hmm."

Nodding, Hanako understood.

"You have to do your best!" Rin encouraged him before reaching home.

"I suggest you specialize in physical skills!"

Kakashi added before leaving directly.

One by one, the teammates left, and Hanako returned home.

This time, instead of lying flat, he took out a dusty test card from inside the house.

Sitting on the chair in the yard, he stared at the test card, lost in thought.

"No chakra nature?"

"No! I do have a chakra nature."

He distinctly remembered that when he entered the academy two years ago, the test result showed that he had three natures.

Fire, earth, and water.

Moreover, it was recorded on this test card.

"Two years ago, I had three natures, but now I have none."

"Degeneration?"

Pondering, Hanako felt it was highly possible.

Because he hadn't refined his chakra for a long time.

"A ninja's chakra nature is not fixed. It should be possible to develop other natures as one delves deeper into a particular nature."

This viewpoint wasn't just a random guess by Hanako.

There were solid reasons behind it.

The most direct example was the Chunin and Jonin ranks.

A Chunin might possess two chakra natures, but when they were promoted to Jonin, they might develop

The third chakra nature.

This was quite common among ninjas.

From this deduction!

"If I don't refine my chakra for a long time, my chakra nature, which is already weak, will degenerate."

Resting his chin on his hand, Hanako silently pondered.

It was similar to developing farmland.

When developing farmland, it was possible to cultivate new crops, but if left unattended for a long time, the farmland would become barren.

After understanding this, Hanako went back into the house and took out pen and paper.

While contemplating, he absentmindedly jotted down some notes.

These notes were not about anything else but the weaknesses of Taijutsu ninjas on the battlefield.

That's right.

Hanako temporarily categorized himself as a Taijutsu ninja.

In doing so, he had to consider some points regarding Taijutsu ninjas.

Minato Namikaze's residence.

After returning from the training ground, Minato Namikaze locked himself in his room.

First, he reviewed his collection of ninjutsu scrolls one by one. Then, he sat on a chair, deep in thought.

When Kushina knocked on the door and entered, she was surprised to see that Minato didn't have his usual smile.

There was only one possibility.

Minato was facing a problem.

"Are you facing a problem?" Kushina sat across from him and asked with concern.

"Yes." Minato Namikaze smiled wryly.

"You can tell me. Even if I might not be able to help."

"In the ninja world, are there ninjutsu without chakra nature?" Minato Namikaze posed the question that troubled him.

"Ninjutsu without chakra nature?" Kushina murmured to herself.

Then, she continued.

"Of course, there are!"

"Hmm? What kind of ninjutsu?" Minato Namikaze asked eagerly.

"Tailed Beast Ball!" Kushina responded with a smile.

At that moment.

Minato Namikaze's eyes lit up.

He had found it.

He had finally found it.

He could completely imitate the Tailed Beast Ball and develop a ninjutsu without chakra nature.

In doing so, Hanako could learn ninjutsu, right?

Indeed, he was a qualified teacher!