Both the Void State and the Lightning Release Massage turned out to be far more effective than Kaito had initially expected.
While the Void State wasn't as groundbreaking as the first time, Kaito could still feel his perception growing, and his observations of chakra energy becoming deeper and more refined. There wasn't any major breakthrough, but there was undeniable progress.
Practicing the transformations of Wind and Lightning Release chakras also felt increasingly natural to Kaito, which theoretically made his Wind and Lightning Release ninjutsu much more powerful. However, due to his current limited chakra reserves, he was still using C-rank techniques for both. Their high chakra cost meant that there hadn't been any real opportunities for him to practice them yet. The improvements in power were merely a feeling for now—Kaito believed that once his chakra increased enough to execute these techniques comfortably, he would properly test them.
This was one of the benefits of a peaceful time. If it were a period of war, these C-rank techniques could be life-saving measures, and Kaito would have no choice but to train with them even under inefficient conditions, simply for survival. But now, there was no rush.
As for the Lightning Release Massage, its effects were far more pronounced. Each time Kaito completed his Void Meditation training, he would begin a massage session. The tingling sensation that spread across his body always left him pleasantly relaxed. After each massage, Kaito even felt that his body had grown stronger. Of course, this was partly because his physical strength wasn't that high to begin with.
Still, the noticeable growth at this pace was intimidating, and it accelerated the increase of his chakra reserves. Previously, Kaito had estimated that his chakra reserves would reach an average genin level in the third year, but now it seemed that he might achieve this ahead of schedule.
Of course, the Lightning Release Massage had its limitations. The body had a certain limit, and when the massage continued for too long, it would start to hurt. At that point, Kaito would stop.
The remaining chakra was not enough to perform a full C-rank ninjutsu, but it was enough for him to continue practicing the new refinements he'd developed in his chakra transformations. At this rate, Kaito predicted that by the next semester, he'd be able to practice the Wind Release: Gale Palm and Wind Release: Wind Cutter, both of which had relatively lower chakra requirements.
Many times after finishing his Void State and Lightning Massage, Kaito had an idea: combining the two. Unfortunately, for now, whenever he tried to actively control chakra while in the Void State, he would immediately exit that state. Still, he firmly believed that merging these two processes was only a matter of time.
Until then, he had to train them separately. He decided to work on switching their order, so that eventually he could successfully perform the Lightning Massage while in the Void State.
Kaito's rapid improvement startled Might Guy, who occasionally checked in on his training. Previously, Guy had already planned Kaito's training regime based on his observed progress.
But now, he was shocked to find that Kaito's growth far exceeded expectations. How was this possible?
Kaito didn't hide anything from Guy—he needed the guidance to adapt his training schedule according to the benefits from Lightning Release Massage.
Hearing Kaito's explanation, Guy stared at him in astonishment. Despite his lack of talent in ninjutsu, Guy knew enough to understand that what Kaito was doing wasn't easy.
Maybe Kaito didn't realize the difficulty, but as a jonin, Guy knew—most ninjas couldn't even manage basic chakra transformations. Only a few could handle free-form control after transformations.
In that moment, Guy realized that Kaito wasn't like himself or Lee. Kaito was a genius in ninjutsu too.
Moved to tears, Guy gave Kaito a thumbs-up. Despite having such incredible talent, Kaito worked just as hard on his body—it was simply inspiring!
Guy even felt motivated himself. He vowed that everyone would know that the Green Beast of Konoha's youth had no limits!
Kaito watched Guy cry with mixed feelings—he had read about this in the original work, but seeing it in reality was strange.
After recovering from his emotional state, Guy still helped Kaito by adjusting his training plan. Afterward, he looked somewhat hesitant.
"Is there something else, Guy-sensei?" Kaito asked, feeling exasperated. The man's expressions were easy to read—whatever it was, he wasn't hiding it well.
"Well... would it be possible for you to help Lee with the Lightning Release Massage too?" Guy scratched his head, clearly embarrassed. But after seeing Kaito's growth, he couldn't help but think of Lee.
Guy had already investigated—unlike himself, who had difficulty using ninjutsu, Lee seemed to be unable to use ninjutsu at all. While Lee had chakra in his body, he couldn't manipulate it, let alone use ninjutsu.
It seemed that taijutsu would be Lee's only path. Watching Lee put in so much effort, Guy couldn't bring himself to tell him the truth.
"Sure," Kaito agreed without hesitation. He already had a favorable impression of Lee, and besides, this was Guy's request. Moreover, Guy had helped him a lot, so it was only natural to return the favor. And if he adjusted his schedule, he could manage—he'd only need to try the advanced transformations once per session, leaving enough chakra for Lee's massages.
As long as he completed his training regimen perfectly, Kaito was willing to help others with whatever resources remained—but not at the expense of his own progress. Only his mother, Sinai, was an exception to that rule.
However, things didn't go as Kaito expected.
When Kaito informed Lee of the massage, Lee was grateful. Although it was Guy's suggestion, Lee still thanked him sincerely.
"Lee, remember, this isn't a joke. Lightning Release chakra is very aggressive, so if you feel any pain, stop immediately. Otherwise, it won't help; it will only hurt you," Kaito explained seriously.
"I understand!" Lee nodded solemnly.
Once Lee was ready, Kaito started the massage. However, within just a few moments—before Kaito even got far—Lee had to stop due to the pain.
The time was far too short, shorter than Kaito had anticipated. Could such a brief massage have any effect?
It could, but from Kaito's experience, the results would be minimal.
Frowning, Kaito studied Lee. What was going on? He didn't believe it was due to Lee's lack of physical strength.