Chapter 87: The Foundation of Shinobi Power

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For those who feel like I wasted a chapter release, by explaining what you already know. You will know why I wrote this useless chapter in the next two chapters.

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Ryu leaned forward eagerly as the new instructor began explaining the core shinobi arts they would be studying over the next few years at the academy. Around him, the classroom buzzed with excitement and nervous energy on their first official day of lessons.

Instructor Hiroshi Tanaka, a battle-hardened jounin with a face marked by scars and eyes that seemed to pierce through souls, cleared his throat. The class fell silent immediately, all eyes fixed on the imposing figure at the front of the room.

"There are three main skill classifications you will need to master before becoming a full-fledged shinobi," the instructor explained, his gravelly voice carrying clearly across the room. "Taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu."

"Let's start with the most basic and most important taijutsu," the instructor continued. "As some of you may already know, taijutsu refers to hand-to-hand combat techniques. This includes various forms of martial arts, weaponry skills like kenjutsu and shurikenjutsu, and optimising your natural physical abilities."

The instructor paced the front of the room, hands clasped behind his back. "Proper taijutsu skills are essential for close-quarters combat. You need to be able to hold your own without relying on chakra-fuelled ninjutsu if your ninjutsu is useless against your opponent or when you are low on chakra. That's why we will be drilling the fundamental taijutsu stances and manoeuvres repeatedly over the next few years."

Ryu nodded thoughtfully, impressed by the instructor's logical approach. As expected, the academy curriculum was designed to provide a solid, well-rounded foundation.

"Taijutsu is the foundation of a shinobi's physical prowess," Instructor Tanaka continued, his voice taking on a passionate edge. "It's not just about throwing punches or kicks. It's about understanding your body, pushing its limits, and using it as a weapon in itself. When all else fails, when your chakra is depleted, when your weapons are gone—taijutsu will be your last line of defence."

Many kids, especially those in lower rankings, shuddered when they heard these words. Although they had always known that being a shinobi was risky, hearing it stated so plainly brought home the reality of their chosen career.

"Of course, some of you may have already received advanced taijutsu training from your clans," the instructor continued, giving a pointed look to some of the students from prominent shinobi families.

"However, mastering the basic academy taijutsu style will give you a baseline to build upon. Once it becomes second nature, you can start modifying and adapting it to suit your individual fighting style."

The instructor's gaze swept over the classroom. "I expect everyone here to take the taijutsu training seriously, regardless of your background. No exceptions." His tone left no room for argument. Many nodded firmly, feeling a rush of motivation.

"Now, let us move on to ninjutsu—the art that truly sets shinobi apart from ordinary warriors," instructor Tanaka continued.

"This refers to techniques that utilise chakra and hand seals to achieve powerful effects. Unlike taijutsu, most ninjutsu require moulding your chakra in specific ways to activate the desired technique."

The instructor formed a quick series of hand seals, causing a small burst of flame to appear over his palm. The class let out a collective "Ooooh!" of appreciation.

Ryu's eyes widened in awe. The flame danced in Instructor Tanaka's palm, casting flickering shadows across his scarred face. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time—a perfect embodiment of the power they were aspiring to wield.

"As you can see, hand seals allow you to control and focus your chakra precisely. You will dedicate a lot of time to practicing the 12 basic hand seals that are the basis of all ninjutsu techniques, as well as advanced hand seals. You will also practise chakra control exercises. The theory underlying how various seals affect the nature and flow of chakras will also be covered," the instructor said.

Instructor Tanaka went on, his voice becoming lecture-like, "Ninjutsu is not just about raw power. It's about creativity, strategy, and understanding the fundamental nature of chakra itself. A truly skilled ninjutsu user can change the tide of battle with a single, well-placed technique."

As if to demonstrate his point, the instructor suddenly clapped his hands together, extinguishing the flame and creating a small gust of wind that ruffled the students' hair. Several gasps of surprise echoed through the classroom.

Teacher Tanaka smirked a little and said, "You see, ninjutsu can be just as subtle and challenging as it is amazing. Never underestimate its potential. Ninjutsu will likely be the most challenging and dangerous art for you to learn. But mastering it is essential to becoming an effective shinobi in the field. We will start with relatively harmless techniques and work our way up to more advanced skills over time."

Though his grandfather had taught him taijutsu, Ryu was unfamiliar with the other two forms of ninjutsu and made a mental note to approach them with extreme caution and respect.

"Finally," Instructor Tanaka said, his voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial whisper, "we come to perhaps the most misunderstood of the Shinobi arts—Genjutsu."

"This involves using chakra to influence the flow of sensory information entering an opponent's nervous system. In other words, creating illusions that confuse their five senses."

Murmurs rippled through the class at this explanation. Ryu leaned forward with interest. Genjutsu sounded incredibly complex compared to the physicality of taijutsu or ninjutsu.

"Genjutsu is the art of deception, of turning your opponent's mind against them," Instructor Tanaka explained, his eyes gleaming. "A master of genjutsu can defeat an enemy without ever laying a finger on them. They can create entire worlds within a person's mind, blurring the lines between reality and illusion."

As he spoke, the classroom seemed to shimmer and waver, as if the very air was becoming unstable. Ryu blinked hard, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. When he looked again, everything was back to normal. He glanced around, noticing confused and slightly scared expressions on his classmates' faces. Had they all experienced the same thing?

Instructor Tanaka's lips curled into a knowing smile. "And that, students, was just a taste of what genjutsu can do."

"Genjutsu requires precise chakra control and a keen intuition of how the human mind works," the instructor said seriously. "It is one of the most difficult shinobi arts to master. Honestly, only a small percentage of you are likely to have an aptitude for it."

Ryu frowned thoughtfully. According to his grandfather, their family did not have any particular talents with genjutsu. He would attempt to learn genjutsu casting later, but for now he would concentrate on the other two disciplines.

The instructor cautioned, "That being said, even those who lack genjutsu casting proficiency need to know how to recognise and overcome basic illusions; otherwise, you will be easy prey on the battlefield."

Ryu nodded, mentally noting the instructor's mention of the value of genjutsu identification and countering skills. The ability to counter genjutsu was obviously most important, even though he did not intend to pursue it as a speciality.

The instructor surveyed the class, his scarred face unreadable. "I hope you now understand why we drill the fundamentals of all three shinobi disciplines here at the academy, regardless of your backgrounds or natural talents. A balanced shinobi must be competent in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu to handle anything the shinobi world throws at them."

Ryu met the instructor's steely gaze and sat up straighter, feeling the weight of his expectations. This was the elite S-rank class, after all. Only the most driven and talented students earned a spot here.

The voice of Instructor Tanaka was warning, "Remember, the path of a shinobi is not for the faint of heart. It is a life of constant danger, of pushing your limits, of facing your fears. But it is also a life of honour, of protecting those who cannot protect themselves, of shaping the very future of our world."

With a hint of pride in his voice, the instructor said, "You all have what it takes to become great shinobi. You are all enrolled in S-class for that reason. Compared to other batches, all of you present here will get the most time and attention from all the instructors, and even the most basic lessons will be taught very seriously. You will all become skilled shinobi if you pay attention and put in a lot of effort into your training. It will be a long and challenging road; are you up for the challenge?"

"Yes, Sensei!" the class chorused fervently. These kids were finally on the path to becoming real ninjas, something they had dreamed about for years.

"I will be covering the basics of Taijutsu. There will be other instructors covering ninjutsu and genjutsu. Now let's get down to basic Acadmy Taijutsu." said the instructor.

As the instructor wrapped up her brief demonstration of the fundamentals of the entire curriculum, Ryu straightened in his seat, ready to take in every detail.

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