Making his way back home, Yuichi contemplated the day's training session, which had been far more grueling than usual.
His muscles ached, his chakra reserves were depleted, and his body screamed for rest. Yet, beneath the fatigue lay a deep sense of satisfaction.
Kagami-sensei's methods might have been extreme, but they were undeniably effective.
"Man, Kagami-sensei must really love torturing us," Yuichi muttered under his breath, a small, tired grin playing on his lips.
On most days, he and his teammates, Sakumo and Mio, would eat together after training or a mission. But today, exhaustion had claimed them all. They'd parted ways without their usual banter, each retreating to recover in solitude.
Yuichi's thoughts wandered back to the sparring session. The intensity of the battle had been invigorating, but it also reminded him of the seemingly insurmountable wall of strength he still had to climb.
Despite his frustration, he couldn't help but feel a spark of determination.
As he walked through the quiet streets of Konoha, the status screen appeared in front of him like an ever-present reminder of his progress.
"Status," he murmured.
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Ensho Yuichi
Rank: C
Age: 10
STR: C+
AGI: C
INT: C+
PER: C-
CHK: C+
Affinity: Yin, Lightning, Wind
Bloodline: Phantom Apport
Abilities: Phantom Steps, Lightning Enhancement
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Yuichi frowned as he studied the screen. Growth seemed to come slower with each passing day. Despite the countless hours of training, his stats inched upward at a frustratingly gradual pace.
"I guess getting stronger isn't supposed to be easy…" He sighed, his voice tinged with frustration. "Still, why can't I be a genius like those prodigies you hear about?" His mind drifted to his affinity training.
Over the past three months, he'd dedicated himself to mastering the fundamental techniques of his elements: lightning and wind.
Kagami had insisted he focus on refining the techniques he already knew rather than rushing to learn new ones. At first, Yuichi had been impatient, but he quickly realized the wisdom in his sensei's advice.
He only learned 4 techniques of each affinities and shifted his focus only on mastering the elemental affinities of his.
Unlike Naruto in the future, who breezed through his wind affinity training, Yuichi found the process slow and challenging. Also, balancing two elemental affinities simultaneously was no small feat.
He replayed Kagami's explanation and Naruto's training of the three stages of elemental training in his mind and classified it in three steps:
1. Understanding the Element: Learning to convert chakra into the desired element, often by practicing basic techniques of that element. Those with natural affinity found this stage easier.
2. Raw Application: Applying elemental chakra to materials like leaves to refine control. This was where Yuichi currently focused most of his efforts.
3. Mastery: Applying elemental chakra to difficult mediums, such as flowing water. This stage required an extraordinary level of control and was often kept secret to maintain the power hierarchy within the village.
Yuichi couldn't help but speculate about the secrets hidden in the higher-level elemental training scrolls.
"The village probably doesn't want everyone running around with mastered elemental techniques, thus only giving information till raw mastery in the scrolls" he mused.
Despite the challenges, his lightning affinity had grown considerably. It now consumed far less chakra, allowing him to use his Lightning Enhancement for longer periods. He had even managed to overcome the ability's main drawback: the inability to use non-lightning Jutsu simultaneously.
His progress in flying thunder god technique was the slowest, but he remained determined.
"Maybe I'll take another look at the library tomorrow," he thought aloud. "I still need more information on Fuinjutsu anyway in order to create my own formula for Flying Thunder god…"
***
Later that night, Yuichi found himself unable to sleep.
The day's events weighed on his mind, and the desire to grow stronger burned within him. Donning his ninja attire, he ventured out into the cool night air.
The village was peaceful at this hour, with only the occasional patrol passing by. Yuichi jogged lightly through the streets, letting his muscles warm up.
Eventually, he reached his training spot: a secluded area near the Senju compound, where a waterfall fed into a swift-flowing stream.
The moonlight reflected off the rushing water as Yuichi stepped onto its surface, balancing his chakra to stay afloat. The stream's current was strong, but he welcomed the challenge.
"Alright," he said to himself, clapping his hands together. "Time to get to work."
He activated Lightning Enhancement, his body sparking faintly as chakra surged through him. The familiar sensation of heightened strength and speed coursed through his veins.
Next, he focused on his wind chakra. He extended his palm, trying to form a controlled gust to push against the water's flow. The combination of the two elements was delicate and required immense focus.
"Come on… steady…" Yuichi muttered, sweat beading on his forehead.
The lightning chakra coursing through his body often disrupted his wind chakra, canceling out the effect and causing him to stumble.
More than once, he found himself falling into the icy stream, sputtering in frustration as he climbed back onto the surface.
"This is harder than I thought," he admitted, shaking water from his hair. "But if it were easy, everyone would do it."
Yuichi gritted his teeth and tried again, this time visualizing the two chakras as separate currents flowing in harmony. Slowly but surely, he began to find a rhythm. The lightning enhancement powered his movements, while controlled bursts of wind chakra helped him steady himself against the current.
Hours passed as he practiced the technique to master both affinities simultaneously, the sounds of rushing water and crackling electricity filling the air. Though progress was slow, Yuichi could feel himself improving, bit by bit.
As dawn began to break, Yuichi finally called it a night. His body was sore, his chakra reserves nearly depleted twice now, but his heart was full of determination.
"I'll master this," he said to himself, his voice resolute. "No matter how long it takes."
With that, he decided to end the training with a light jog around the village ....