After contemplating the progress of his Sharingan, Isamu turned his attention to the skill data displayed in front of him, scrutinizing his advancement in various martial arts and ninjutsu techniques.
He felt a mixture of frustration and pride as he muttered to himself, "My basic ninjutsu skills haven't improved... which is to be expected. After all, I've spent the last six years focusing on enhancing my physical fitness and learning martial arts, alongside theoretical lessons. It's true that I haven't devoted enough time to ninjutsu, but the key issue is that ever since my teacher removed the seal from my chakra channels, I haven't felt that training in ninjutsu was worth the effort or time."
He paused for a moment, then continued his deep thoughts: "Unlike martial arts, where I receive guidance from a veteran teacher who has lived for nearly a century and is considered one of the best in his field, there's no one to guide me on the path of ninjutsu. No teacher to prevent me from making mistakes, no one to point out when I'm wasting time with futile attempts, or to answer my obscure questions on how to develop my abilities. This lack of direction makes training in ninjutsu feel like walking in the dark, where I must discover everything on my own. If I had the ability, I would create an equivalent art and become its predecessor, like the Sage of the Six Paths."
Then, in a soft voice, as if speaking to himself, he added, "And there's another issue... The fact that I live in a dojo under the supervision of my teacher, who specializes in chi energy similar to chakra, makes performing ninjutsu techniques risky. Here, in this place, trying to use chakra or any ninjutsu could be a death sentence. If she discovers the path of ninjutsu while seeing me secretly train, I doubt the years of care I've received as a student will stop her from exploring the source of the techniques with a fierce passion. She has an ancient thirst for knowledge, and nothing stands in her way."
"As for the idea of handing over the knowledge and basic techniques I've learned and negotiating in exchange for it... that would only happen if I completely lost my mind. There's still too much that's unclear to me. Can people in this world even use ninjutsu or refine chakra? True, the humans here and there share the same name, but the genetic differences must be vast and obvious. Even if we ignore the genetic differences, the number of ninja cells is estimated to be four times that of an average human in this world. That alone is proof enough of the fundamental differences.
Let's suppose I shared my knowledge and taught them how to extract chakra and ninjutsu techniques, but they failed to succeed. In that case, I doubt saying 'I don't know why' would be an acceptable answer. In fact, it would be like opening a door that can't be closed, where doubt and greed start creeping into minds. And greed, by nature, is a primary driver of human desires.
Attempting to test human nature is incredibly foolish. Greed has always been the cause of conflicts and boundless desires. If I taught them ninjutsu and they failed to use it, no one would believe I simply 'don't know' the reason. No, instead, they'd think I was hiding something, that I didn't give them the full knowledge. Soon, doubt would turn into a desire to exploit me, and they'd try to force the truth out of me at any cost."
He froze for a moment, then shook his head silently. "As for my teacher in the main storyline, she gives the impression that she doesn't acknowledge limits and doesn't care about concepts like honor or reputation when it comes to achieving her goals. Everything for her is just a means to an end... Her desire to develop martial arts is like fuel driving her, even if that means sacrificing me in the end. From the beginning of my training, I've merely been another tool on this path."
Isamu continued reflecting, shifting his thoughts as he added, "Of course, my lack of progress in ninjutsu techniques doesn't mean I haven't advanced in ninjutsu overall. I've received significant guidance from Master Mikumo on chi energy, how to use it, and how to control it. This helped when I began applying those principles to chakra, using it as a substitute for chi to perform jujutsu techniques. This training has increased my ability to control and direct chakra efficiently."
He raised his head with slight optimism and continued, "This means that when I begin focusing on mastering ninjutsu skills in the future, the level of chakra control and capacity I'll achieve will allow me to progress rapidly, just like the top prodigies. After all, chakra capacity and control have always been among the key reasons behind a talented ninja's rapid advancement."
Then Isamu resumed examining his skills, focusing on the last two: taijutsu and jujutsu.
"Since taijutsu is mainly a physical skill, I've made good progress after these years of training. I've reached 5/10 in the first level. In fact, it seems this first level is for students, and when I reach 10/10, it means I'll become an expert. My current progress indicates that I'm at an advanced level as an intermediate student in taijutsu mastery, despite focusing more on jujutsu. However, the joint training between martial arts and the evening lessons covering various combat styles have inadvertently helped me develop taijutsu skills. This is positive because as long as I find a good teacher, I can progress quickly in this field."
He then moved on to discuss the other physical skill: "As for jujutsu, the foundation of my training, I've made significant progress, reaching 9/10, which means I'm close to an expert level. This progress surpasses my colleague Chikagi, who is considered talented in martial arts at this age compared to the original story."
Isamu continued his internal reflection: "Actually, it's not just that. I've noticed a significant improvement in the physical fitness I've gained. My physical strength now almost equals that of my teacher in terms of raw power. In the Naruto world, this level of fitness would allow me to open the third gate of the Eight Gates of energy with ease. That's a major accomplishment in itself."
"And with my mastery of jujutsu at an advanced student level and my ability to control chakra, which resembles my teacher's chi state, I can say that I'm almost at my teacher's level in combat strength. But the reason I say 'almost' is because I haven't fought a teacher before. How would I know if I'm truly at their level? After all, the only matches I've had in this world were just training sessions with Chikagi. All the conclusions I've made were based on what I've learned from Master Mikumo and my knowledge from my past life about the story."
He paused, as if weighing his words, then continued: "Moreover, there's another factor that prevents me from fully utilizing my strength. The weights I wear during training limit most of my physical strength and chakra, making me use only what equates to the peak level of a student at best. If I removed them, my full strength would be more apparent. But these weights aren't just a burden; they're the reason behind the results of my training."
Isamu smiled in his mind, recalling moments of challenge: "Of course, if I ever found myself in a dangerous fight or getting seriously beaten in front of a large audience, I wouldn't mind putting on a spectacular show like Rock Lee in the Chunin Exams. And when I remove those weights, the improvement in my performance will be unbelievable, making everyone drop their jaws in awe."