With their newly acquired supplies in tow, Naoki and Shizune traversed through the bustling streets of Onshimoto village, the aroma of fresh food and spices wafting through the air. As they made their way towards the outskirts of the village, the sounds of the city slowly faded away, replaced by the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves. The dense forest loomed before them, its towering trees casting a shadow over the ground beneath.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the ground became soft and spongy, the undergrowth thickening and tangling around their feet. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. The trees themselves seemed to take on a life of their own, their trunks twisted and gnarled with age, and their branches reaching towards the sky. It was a serene and peaceful environment, a stark contrast to the busy village they had just left.
As they walked further into the heart of the forest, they eventually stumbled upon Tsunade, who was waiting for them with impatience etched on her face. Her arms were crossed, and her eyes were fixed on them, a hint of sternness in her gaze.
"Finally, took you two long enough. I've been waiting here for ages," remarked Tsunade, her expression revealing clear annoyance.
"My apologies, Tsunade-sama. The shopkeeper took longer than expected to find the chakra paper we needed." Shizune said, bowing respectfully to her mentor.
Tsunade let out an exasperated sigh, her frustration palpable. "Regardless, let's get on with it. Naoki, come here and sit in front of me with your legs crossed," she commanded, pointing to the ground in front of her.
With an eager nod, Naoki promptly followed Tsunade's instructions and sat down in front of her, folding his legs into a cross-legged position and looking up at her expectantly.
"Listen up, Naoki. This is a crucial moment, so pay attention. I'm going to infuse you with my chakra, and you need to concentrate and sense the source of chakra that resonates with mine. Once you've found it, we can move on to the next step. But make no mistake, this is not a painless process, as I'll be implanting foreign chakra into your body. Are you ready?" Tsunade's voice was firm, her gaze unwavering as she waited for Naoki's reply, which came in the form of a determined nod.
As Naoki closed his eyes, Tsunade's hand rested on his back and she inserted a carefully measured amount of chakra into his body. At first, he felt a sharp pain coursing through his veins, but he bit his lip and tried to concentrate. Gradually, the pain began to subside and he started to sense the chakra flowing within him. With his eyes still closed, he focused on the sensation, trying to find the source that resembled Tsunade's chakra. Despite the discomfort, Naoki persevered, determined to succeed.
For what seemed like an eternity, he continued to concentrate, his mind wholly focused on finding his chakra source. Finally, after what must have been around 30 minutes, he felt a burst of energy surging through him as he connected with his chakra source. He took a deep breath, relieved that the painful ordeal was finally over.
With his chakra source identified, Naoki took a few minutes to get used to the feeling of his chakra flowing through his body. It was an unfamiliar sensation, but one that he knew he had to master. As he opened his eyes, Tsunade looked on, impressed by the young boy's determination and resilience. She knew that an average person would have taken hours to find their chakra source, but Naoki's massive chakra volume had enabled him to complete the task in a fraction of the time.
Naoki's breaths were ragged and sweat poured down his face as he struggled to catch his breath. He managed to utter a few words between gasps of air, his voice hoarse and strained. "Tsuna-neesan, I finally found it," he said, his eyes closed in exhaustion. With a sigh of relief, he collapsed onto the ground, the cool earth soothing against his overheated skin. The effort it had taken to find his chakra source had left him drained, but the sense of accomplishment was worth it.
"Excellent job, Naoki. Your determination and focus have paid off, just as I knew they would," Tsunade complimented Naoki with a proud smile on her face. "But this is just the beginning of your chakra training. Next, you need to circulate the chakra you found throughout your body three times, gradually familiarizing yourself with its flow. Be careful not to focus too much on one part of your body, or you'll risk overloading it with chakra," Tsunade advised with a serious tone.
Naoki's eyes widened in surprise as he heard Tsunade's next instruction. "Already? But can't I just take a little break?" he asked, his face etched with fatigue and his breaths coming out in short, laboured gasps.
"Naoki, circulating your chakra will actually rejuvenate you and not tire you out, so it will save time. Besides, I'm eager to get back to the village and enjoy a few rounds of sake." Tsunade said, her mouth watering at the thought of the drink.
Naoki wondered to himself, "I wonder what Sake tastes like, Tsuna-neesan is always going on about it." He thought curiously. Finally, he focused on circulating his chakra as Tsunade instructed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he began to feel the chakra flowing through his body. He started at his toes and worked his way up, feeling the energy pulsing through him. It was a strange sensation, but he could feel his body becoming more energized and alert as he continued the circulation. He repeated this process two more times, each time becoming more efficient and precise with his chakra control. By the end of it, Naoki was feeling refreshed and anew.
"Alright, let's check your chakra affinity, Naoki," Tsunade said with a determined tone, as she reached for the chakra paper and handed it over to Naoki. "Just circulate a bit of your chakra towards the paper and it should do the trick." She watched as Naoki carefully took the paper and concentrated his chakra to imbue it onto the paper, eager to see what his affinity would be.
Naoki closed his eyes and concentrated on circulating his chakra towards the paper. As soon as his chakra touched the paper. The paper reacted to his chakra in two different ways: the left side of the paper became damp, as if it had been soaked in water, while the right side turned into dirt and crumbled away. Naoki's eyes widened in surprise as he opened them to see the reaction of the paper. "Woah, what does this mean Tsuna-neesan?" he asked, looking at her with curiosity.
A/N: He won't have Wood Release, just a heads up.
"Interesting. It seems like you have not one, but two chakra affinities," Tsunade remarked with surprise evident in her tone as she observed the chakra paper's reaction.
"Wow, I must be really talented!" Naoki exclaimed with childlike wonder, his eyes shining with pride.
"You could argue that Naoki, but remember, true greatness is not just about talent, but it's also about perseverance and hard work. Without putting in the effort to hone your skills, even the most talented person will fall short. So don't let this talent become a crutch, keep pushing yourself to be the best you can be through practice and dedication." Tsunade advised, with a philosophical tone in her voice.
"Hehehe, I won't slack on my training! I want to become the strongest shinobi and protect the Hidden Leaf that my great-uncle Hashirama and my grandfather Tobirama created!"
"Indeed, the legacy of the Senju clan is a great source of pride for the Leaf Village, but remember Naoki, strength is not just about power, but also about wisdom and compassion. The greatest shinobi are those who protect their village and their loved ones with both strength and heart." Tsunade said, emphasizing the importance of balance and character in a shinobi's strength.
"As the night draws near, we'll begin your training tomorrow. Shizune will guide you through the exercises while I oversee your progress. But for now, I suggest you do the leaf concentration exercise to enhance your chakra control and sharpen your focus. Don't argue, Naoki, it's a crucial step in your development." Tsunade said firmly, already thinking about the sake she would have later.
"Leaf concentration exercise? How do I do that?" Naoki asked curiously, his eyes widening with interest.
"Naoki, the leaf concentration exercise involves placing a leaf on your forehead and focusing your chakra to that point, the goal is to make the leaf stick to your forehead. You repeat this exercise until you can stick the leaf to your body without damaging it. The exercise can be made more challenging by adding more leaves around your body and sticking them to your skin." Shizune explained the process of the exercise to Naoki in a clear and concise manner, with a hint of enthusiasm in her voice.
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