Since I discovered the world of meditation, everything around me has changed. Even though I haven't gotten any real benefit from it since I opened the hearth, I still didn't want to give it up. It's strange, but if someone had told me before that I would like to meditate, I wouldn't have believed them. I don't know if I could do it on planet Earth, but chakra, as far as I understand, makes working with yourself much easier. For example, with the help of chakra, you can perfectly feel your own internal organs, even if you've never even seen an example of them. In general, apparently, the world of meditation is closely connected with chakra, and that's why I decided not to abandon such a promising direction, which is even used to collect natural energy to make senjutsu chakra, if the original series is to be believed.
Meanwhile, I had less and less time: since we improved our penmanship, the promised history and geography lessons were added, which I had to gradually take notes on. The theory of chakra remained just a theory for now, no matter how idiotic it may sound, while the number of hours on history, geography, and physical training was constantly increasing. Despite this, I was not against it: now the teachers were actively filling in the base with which one could advance to the next levels of difficulty of classes. If you tried to throw an almost half-kilogram kunai made of cheap metal, somewhat similar to cast iron, you would understand what I am talking about. So until we get strong enough physically, we will not work with anything more difficult than general physical training.
In the forge, everything was the same, even though I was growing by leaps and bounds—compared to my peers, whom I had already surpassed by five or six centimeters, my physical fitness was still only enough to hand over another piece of iron for processing. But the blacksmith seemed to like me, and I found him to be pleasant to be around as well. The master was constantly telling me something about his craft and even showing me examples. Theory could not interrupt the need for practice, and we both understood this, patiently waiting for the moment when I would grow up a little or learn to work with chakra. I liked the craft of a blacksmith, but definitely not as a main profession, because any peaceful inhabitants of this world would have a huge chance of not waking up the next morning if a competitor decided to hire some strong shinobi. The only way to properly secure your personal safety is by becoming a strong ninja yourself.
But these were all trifles. Now I needed to decide on my specialty. I had to understand what I would do in the future, as some direction is better than going aimlessly. As you know, in the shinobi world there are several directions to which a ninja can devote himself. But in essence, they can be divided into four main types if we take a general approach. So, let's start with the first and this is hand-to-hand combat. In general, this will be a secondary focus for me. I understand that I won't be able to surpass the clan ninjas in this as an orphan. If clan ninjas who train in specialized close combat skills from childhood, and someone has their own, completely different from the generally accepted ones, then the normal children of the village should not be taken into account at all. Since there is no one to train them, and for some reason they themselves are in no hurry to develop, probably because the life of an ordinary person is closer to them.
I likely won't be able to catch up to the head start that the clan ninjas have. I think that in this direction I simply need to train my body, because the most important thing for me is to keep up with the speed and strength of my opponent, and I will not bother with the stances. Since an honest fight head-on is simply contraindicated for me. It just doesn't feel like my style.
The next direction is chakra. Due to my lack of experience in this direction, I can only assess it using my knowledge from anime, as well as from other works, which, in theory, can give me interesting ideas about chakra. This will probably be my main focus. Genjutsu will go well with my "unhurried" character and with possible tactics that will include various deceptive maneuvers. Since getting into close combat will likely be my weakness, I have to do what I can to avoid it.
The ability to use medical ninjutsu is very tempting, but no. Because, imagine the amount of information that would be contained in a collection of regular school textbooks for grades one through twelve on Earth biology. Now imagine the amount of information that would be required in order to reach a level in this field that would be good for practical use. The automated ability to identify and know all the nerve endings and nodes, the location of tissues, pink and non-pink muscles, and so on, so on, so on… It's impossible to master all of this without a large time investment. And finally, add a whole section dedicated to the interaction of all of this with chakra.
That's why clans contain only a minimum of medics, since even duty to the clan cannot force people to learn the subject only for the dubious joy of being target number one in any more or less serious battle. In general, the maximum that I will take for myself from this field is first aid for wounds, and also, if necessary, I will learn a couple of basic poisons and antidotes to them. And, if I'm lucky, a technique for transmitting chakra. Since from chakra depletion, as far as I understand, it is no more difficult to die than from wounds.
Finally, the last direction is fuinjutsu. All more or less serious shinobi master this art at least to a minimum, if not more: all three Sannin, all Kage of Konoha, Kakashi, and even Obito, and therefore his teacher, Uchiha Madara. I do not know the real complexity of this art and even its principles, but even to my inexperienced eye, it is clear that it really does have very serious prospects. A huge number of different sealing techniques and barriers. In addition, if there are seals of "silence," then there must be seals for protecting the mind. In general, I want to believe that this direction is not much more difficult than the programming to which I managed to devote several years on Earth. And if the opportunity arises, I will definitely try to study this art at least at a basic level.
So, if I had a real choice, I would prefer genjutsu, ninjutsu, a physically developed body and, if possible, fuin. I also needed to learn first aid skills, but, sorry, it is unlikely for me to devote much time to it. There is nothing particularly difficult in the ability to bandage, anesthetize, and fix a wound. However, reality likes to make its own adjustments, so I should not rush to conclusions yet. First, I should study everything a little bit and then figure out what I'm best suited for. After all, I can guess anything, but my real capabilities should be taken into account first.
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Meanwhile, the first year at the Academy ended, and for me it all went by somehow even too routinely. As usual, I woke up, had breakfast, and came to study, where we wrote the final test and then listened to Iruka-sensei, who was happy to say goodbye to us and send us on vacation. Though, I did manage to catch him and ask a question about the library. I had some free time, so I needed to devote more time to it, while I can still spend a lot of time reading. Apparently, my reputation with the teacher was quite high, because he said that I was not supposed to, but he could talk to the librarian, who would let me into the abode of knowledge during the holidays. I sincerely thanked Iruka, and after wishing him a good rest, I went to the library. I was primarily interested in techniques for increasing chakra control. Still, it's not enough to just feel the source; you also need to know how to use it properly, and it would also be nice for me to learn how to measure its volume. Still, I need to know what to start from.
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Unfortunately, the library at the academy disappointed me a little: if there was still a bit of "water" about the theory of chakra in general, then nothing was said at all about the size of the reserve. Of course, it was written that some shinobi were stronger than others and that some had more chakra, but nothing more. And this was very depressing. Having been turned down in this regard, I began to look for methods of training in chakra control. And do you know what I found? The only method described was reduced to the "leaf method," which helped to concentrate on one place of the body. Of course, I took it into service, especially since I remembered that this method somehow was enough for Naruto to learn his favorite technique, but, in fact, I had to get out the lip-rolling machine, because there were no other methods for controlling chakra either.
Apparently, I'll have to do everything without anyone's help, starting with the fact that I'll have to train chakra control without adult supervision and ending with developing my own methods of training control when walking on vertical surfaces and water will no longer give an effect. Disappointed by the library, I took all the descriptions of D and E rank techniques I found. I copied them, and then beautifully and pathetically closed the door behind me. I will no longer set foot in a place where all the more valuable information is missing, especially since I have already learned the basics.
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So, I had practically the entire summer ahead of me, which I could use at my own discretion. I need to make the most of it. What do we have planned there? That's right, it's time for the Power of YOUTH! But seriously, now I need to pump up and work on my physical form. If the remnants of my rather leaky memory regarding canon events are to be believed, then good physical training directly affects the source of chakra for the better. And since I am a clanless orphan, then I don't have much chakra by default. Yes, there were people like Minato, but even he was completely outclassed in chakra quantity by Kushina.
Having come to the clearing I had already chosen, I happily did a light warm-up. My current physical form wasn't great, but I had acquired some skills during my first year at the academy. There we only did general physical training for various muscle groups, and I agreed with the teachers in everything, perhaps, except that we were not taught stretching, while children at that age are very flexible. Before I found myself in the Shinobi world, I managed to check this on my own experience, having managed to sit on the splits at the age of nine. I grew up and quickly lost my shape, and only then realized what a log I had become. I was unable to return the stretching back, since my bones became many times stronger, as well as my tendons and joints. And in the end, I had to forget about flexibility, although some of the stretched muscles in certain places remained.
Now I had to conduct the first warm-up stretching complex in this world, which I brought from quite a distance. Everything was as usual: bending towards the toes, exactly the same bends while sitting, and then trying to reach each leg in turn while the free one was bent back. After that, rubbing my stretched legs, which were aching from lack of habit, I sat first on the transverse and then on the longitudinal splits. Well, that is how I sat, or rather, how I tried to. Despite the childish flexibility of my body, my coordination of movements and sense of balance suffered greatly, so I often fell to the side even before the rhythmic stretching of the muscles began. After the session, I felt a long-forgotten, but nostalgic pain in my muscles. Having happily indulged in masochism, I go home precisely to fall into bed. After training, I usually never wanted to eat, whereas an hour later I was literally attacked by a wild hunger. Fortunately, I knew this, and the food was prepared in advance.
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Any feedback on translations is appreciated.