Chapter 11: A Closed Path
Seeing the confusion in Chiba's eyes, Natsuki sighed again and began recounting his own experiences of seeking knowledge.
"At first, I wanted to join the Rain Ninja village. But when I got there, I realized... Rain Ninja doesn't accept children from outside villages."
"I begged for a long time, but it was futile..."
Hearing this, Chiba's expression darkened as he connected the dots.
Glancing briefly at Chiba, Natsuki continued, "Nowadays, all the ninja villages—big or small—have well-established systems. Most of the time, even their own children are eliminated in the selection process, let alone outsiders like us."
"So, joining a ninja village is completely unrealistic."
Chiba furrowed his brows. He knew Natsuki was speaking the truth.
It was no longer the era when the great ninja villages were first established and short on manpower. Back then, ordinary people might have had a chance to join, especially under the kind leadership of the First Hokage in Konoha.
But now, the villages had robust systems to nurture their next generation, and resources were often scarce. Poorer villages like Kirigakure and Sunagakure even had to cut down on their scale.
In this context, children from outside had virtually no chance of joining.
Especially with the constant infiltration and counter-infiltration between villages, it was even more impossible. No one would be foolish enough to give outsiders the chance to infiltrate their systems.
Chiba had been so focused on learning how to use chakra and ninja techniques that he hadn't thought this through. But Natsuki's simple explanation now made it painfully clear—his hopes were almost entirely dashed.
He suddenly understood why the Shadow Ninja had said that even with talent, he would live his life as an ant.
And why Scarface had been willing to let him go.
It was all because he had no chance of becoming a ninja in the first place.
Cold sweat trickled down Chiba's forehead as realization set in.
Could it be… he was truly destined to remain an insignificant ant, just as the Shadow Ninja had claimed?
Seeing Chiba's dazed expression, Natsuki sighed once more.
"Actually, there are ways to learn chakra, but the chances are slim..."
"What ways?"
Hearing Natsuki mention a possibility, Chiba clung to it like a drowning man to a lifeline, staring at him anxiously.
"One way is..." Natsuki paused. "I've heard that sometimes ninja villages will recruit particularly talented or intelligent children. However, this is done on their own terms. If you approach them proactively, they won't accept you. So, it's more about luck. If you live near a ninja village for a long time, your chances might be slightly higher."
Chiba couldn't help but smile bitterly at this "method."
He could already imagine what Natsuki meant.
Villages like Konoha sometimes had programs to recruit orphans, but Chiba would rather die than enter such a system.
Being brainwashed and trained into a tool was not the future he wanted.
And who's to say those "special recruits" weren't being taken by people like Orochimaru for experimentation?
Even if it was a genuine recruitment, Chiba didn't want to be chosen.
He doubted they lacked interrogation techniques. As an untrained civilian, he wouldn't last long under scrutiny. A simple genjutsu could likely expose him, leading to accusations of being a spy.
If they used machines or jutsu to dig into his mind, the consequences could be disastrous.
For others, this method might seem like a glimmer of hope, but for Chiba, it was a trap.
As Chiba's brows knitted tightly together, Natsuki spoke again.
"In fact, there might be one last method. It's something I tried myself and nearly succeeded..."
"What is it?"
Seeing Chiba's hopeful expression, Natsuki slowly said, "Have you ever heard of samurai?"
"Samurai..."
Chiba's eyes lit up with realization.
"It seems you've heard of them. As a samurai, there's a chance to learn chakra. The difficulty is lower compared to joining a ninja village. I've even heard that skilled samurai can rival powerful ninjas."
A glimmer of nostalgia crossed Natsuki's face.
"Back then, I participated in a samurai training program in the Land of Iron. Unlike ninja villages, they weren't as strict about outsiders because they maintain strict neutrality. They see little value in espionage and often train samurai to serve other countries.
"But there's one thing they value greatly."
"What's that?"
"Physical talent—your natural body condition. During the initial selection, many passed the first round, but fewer than one in ten made it through. I was among those eliminated."
"So... there's still a chance?"
Before Chiba's eyes could light up, Natsuki struck him down with another blow.
"But this seemingly simple path might be the hardest for you."
"Why?"
Chiba froze before realization hit him.
"It's my body, isn't it?"
"Exactly. To be blunt, your physical condition isn't just poor—it's terrible. It's not just malnutrition; your body lacks natural talent. Without prior training, you likely wouldn't even pass the initial selection."
Natsuki placed a hand on Chiba's shoulder and said gently, "Give up. I know it's harsh, but the odds of you becoming a ninja are incredibly slim."
Before Chiba could protest, Natsuki continued, "Even if you manage to learn chakra, what then?
"From what I know, the best age to start learning chakra is before ten. Beyond that, even if you succeed, the improvements will be minimal.
"Given your lack of talent, the best you could hope for is to reach the level of a Genin. And as a Genin in a war-torn world like this, how long do you think you'd survive?"
Chiba clenched his fists tightly, his head bowed.
With just a few simple statements, Natsuki had shattered all of Chiba's hopes.
In a world where ninja knowledge was monopolized by the villages, a civilian like him—lacking talent and coming from a small country—had no path to becoming a ninja.
Watching Chiba's disheartened expression, Natsuki felt a pang of guilt.
He had once been in Chiba's shoes, and he knew all too well the pain of shattered dreams.
But in his eyes, it was better to let Chiba face reality now than to let him pursue a hopeless path.
Patting Chiba's shoulder, Natsuki offered some comfort.
"Even if you can't learn ninjutsu, it's not the end. Stick with me, and I'll teach you some basic survival skills. That'll be enough to handle most ordinary people. Pick up a craft, find a remote place, and live a peaceful life. Think it over."
With that, Natsuki turned and walked back to his tent.
Chiba watched his retreating figure, his fists trembling.
"Am I really... supposed to give up?"
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