After Hiruzen's departure, Raijin sat cross-legged on the floor, his young mind racing with plans for the future. The path ahead was clear in his mind, though daunting. He knew he had to focus on the fundamentals: Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. These would form the foundation of his strength. But he didn't stop there. His ambitions stretched far beyond the basics. Genjutsu, Kenjutsu, Fuinjutsu, Juinjutsu, Medical Ninjutsu, Kinjutsu, Senjutsu—he wanted to master them all. In a world where power meant survival, he couldn't afford to leave any stone unturned.
His body was underdeveloped, smaller, and frailer than others his age, with little to no muscle mass. It was a stark reminder of how far he had to go. Raijin frowned, his determination hardening. 'I have to get in shape first,' he decided. 'Let's start with some push-ups.'
He moved to the center of the room, spreading his fingers on the wooden floor and engaging his upper body. He stretched his legs, positioned his feet apart from his hips, and tightened his core to form a straight line from his head to his ankles. With control, he bent his elbows, lowering his entire body to the floor.
One…
He pushed himself back up, his arms trembling with the effort.
Tw..
Before he could complete the second push-up, his arms gave out, and he collapsed face-first onto the floor.
'Well, shit,' he muttered, his voice muffled against the floor. Even for a 4-year-old, he was pathetically weak. He lay there for a moment, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But then a thought struck him. Can intensive training at this age affect his growth?
He paused, considering. No, this is the shinobi world—children younger than him might have already been able to perform jutsus. If they can do it so can he
With a grunt, he pushed himself up, brushing off his clothes with as much dignity as he could muster. His resolve didn't waver. 'I won't just be cannon fodder when the storms come,' he thought, his mind flashing to the future—the invasion of Konoha, Pain's devastating attack, and the Fourth Shinobi War. 'I have foreknowledge, and that's an advantage I can't waste.'
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Taijutsu and Ninjutsu are my priorities at hand," he said aloud, his voice firm despite its youthful pitch.
He knew he had to start small, building his strength and stamina before he could even think about mastering advanced techniques. But he also knew that time was not on his side.
For now, though, he would focus on what he could do. One push-up at a time, one step at a time.
…
The next morning, the world was still cloaked in darkness, the air crisp and cold. Raijin stepped outside, his breath visible in the predawn chill. His small house had a modest training ground, and as he walked across it, he lit four lamps suspended in the air by wires and poles at each corner. The soft glow of the lamps illuminated the space, casting long shadows across the ground.
The training ground was about the size of a spacious backyard, roughly equivalent to half a basketball court. It measured seven meters wide and fourteen meters long—not overly large, but sufficient for basic ninja training. The space allowed for running drills, target practice with kunai, and even the setup of training equipment like wooden dummies or practice obstacles. It was a humble beginning, but for Raijin, it was enough.
He began his training by searching for fresh leaves. Finding one, he sat cross-legged in the center of the training ground and placed the leaf against his forehead. This was the Leaf Concentration exercise, a fundamental method for improving chakra control. The goal was to concentrate a precise amount of chakra on the forehead to hold the leaf in place without letting it fall.
To his surprise, the leaf stayed for thirteen minutes before fluttering away. 'Not terrible,' he thought, 'but not nearly enough.'
Next, he performed a series of basic stretches, warming up muscles that had never received proper training. His small, underdeveloped body protested at first, but he pushed through the discomfort, determined to build strength and flexibility.
After stretching, he moved on to running—three laps around the training ground. By the end of the third lap, his lungs burned, and his legs felt like they were made of water. Breathing heavily, he collapsed onto his back, staring up at the star-filled sky as his heart thundered in his chest.
But Raijin didn't allow himself more than thirty seconds of rest. He pushed himself back up and returned to the Leaf Concentration exercise. This time, the leaf stayed for barely fourteen minutes—a minimal improvement, but an improvement nonetheless.
After another round of Leaf Concentration, he moved on to front walking squats, straining his core and legs as he moved across the training ground. Incline push-ups against a low wall proved slightly more manageable than regular ones, and he managed to complete a few before his arms gave out.
'Be it physical capability or chakra reserve, I am behind on all of these,' he thought, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But he refused to let it deter him. He pushed himself to his feet, his voice ringing out in the quiet night.
"A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO!!"
He cycled through the exercises again and again, allowing himself no more than two minutes of rest between sets. Only when his legs refused to support him and his chakra felt like a stuttering engine did he finally drag himself to the shower. The cold water washed away the sweat and exhaustion, making him refreshed.
After his shower, Raijin sat in his room, his mind turning to the next steps in his training. He wondered what his dominant chakra affinity was. Chakra is an energy that flows in everyone, but when you add nature to chakra, it can change its nature to form jutsus. Chakra in its original state has no nature. It's just free-flowing energy and chakra affinities are a natural extension, universal to all. If you're skilled enough, you can access any chakra's nature.
'But that's getting ahead of myself,' he reasoned, running a hand through his damp hair. 'For now, increasing chakra reserves and control is the priority.' He recalled reading in the manga that chakra reserves could be expanded through constant control exercises and straining reserves. 'I must continue my Leaf Concentration until I'm proficient enough,' he decided.
His thoughts then turned to the Rasengan, a powerful A-rank jutsu that didn't require a specific chakra affinity. It was simply a spherical, compressed rotating mass of chakra, but mastering it required exceptional chakra control. 'After I can hold a leaf for two hours, walk on trees, and walk on water, then I'll move on to buying balloons to practice the Rasengan,' he thought, mapping out his training plan.
For now, though, he was content with the progress he had made. "That's enough for day one," he murmured, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
***
Sarutobi Clan Hall, 8 seats, 4 occupied.
In front of the four elders, the tea sat untouched, growing cold. The silence was disconcerting, fifteen minutes, and none of them had spoken a word.
Finally, Hiroshi Sarutobi spoke, "Shall we begin?"
"Hiruzen would be busy maintaining the village. So, I suggest that one of us work as Sarutobi Clan Leader in name..." Hiroshi voiced his concern.
Haruko Sarutobi interjected, "That is the least of our concerns. First, we must gather our current strength and begin to train the academy students who will handle the clan in the future."
"The children need normalcy in the current situation. Many have lost their parents; we can't just force them to train in this weak mentality. It will backfire on their physical and mental state." Sohei Sarutobi replied.
Haruko Sarutobi scowled at him defiantly.
"Right now, Encouragement is essential for the children in the academy, Genin and Chūnin. It is our duty to protect, nurture, and encourage the future." Hiroshi Sarutobi added.
Tap…tap-tap…tap…tap-tap…tap…tap-tap…
Katsuro Sarutobi rhythmically tapping his finger on the table straightened his back. The rhythmic tapping stopped after Hiroshi spoke, and then he asked, "We lost 3 elders in this attack. Should we appoint new elders or let the Clan Leader…Erm…Lord Hokage, to decide?"
"Hiruzen will appoint if deemed necessary." Hiroshi looked at Katsuro and replied. "First, we must comfort the surviving members of our clan. The loss of family members will affect the development of the clansman and the clan as a whole."
"But how do we do this? Individually or through a group?" Elder Sohei asked.
"The children who lost their parents were comforted by Hiruzen. We must check the remaining clansmen and know if they are mentally sound." Elder Hiroshi replied.
"I thought we received the full funds from The Council to construct the clan by the end of the morning." Katsuro with a frown added, "Have we not received the full funds yet?"
"Because of the Nine-Tail attack, half of the funds for the clans to recover have been cut. That is why we have less funds than discussed before." Hiroshi replied with a sour face.
Elder Sohei pondered the matter, remarking, "We might need to use the funds that have been saved away for years."
After some other discussions, they began to discuss compensation for the families who lost their members.
"Takeshi and Mikako had also contributed a lot to the Sarutobi Clan. How can we compensate their child?" Katsuro asked, skimming at the file of Sarutobi's clan members.
"Well, the child is… 3- no, 4 years old. I don't think money would fascinate the child." Hiroshi suggested.
"Then, how shall we proceed regarding the compensation for their child?" Sohei asked with concern.
"How about some training equipment for the kid? I mean, he's the only Sarutobi kid who will go to the academy after it re-opens." Haruko suggested with a spark in her eyes.
Hiroshi said wryly, "But, providing training equipment for a child who lost his parents is a bit…"
"His basic need would be fulfilled till he graduates academy and as he wasn't particularly interested in being assigned to a caretaker as per the Lord Hokage, we need to do something else," Katsuro said as he read Raijin's file.
"I will oversee this matter if you all agree. I will talk to the boy and see what he needs. If it's not something absurd, I think I can handle it." Haruko suggested with a glint in her eyes.
Sohei and Katsuro had already anticipated this. But Hiroshi asked, "How do you plan so?"
"This child will represent the Sarutobi Clan when he enrolls in the Academy after it reopens. Raijin is the next in line, and if he wishes I will train him to strengthen his foundation as he will be competing with other clan children." Haruko said with enthusiasm.
All of them reluctantly agreed to let her handle this matter with Raijin otherwise she would likely throw tantrums in their upcoming meetings.
"Don't go overboard with the kid Haruko. He just lost his parents and is mentally weak" Hiroshi looked at Haruko and said with a serious tone.
Haruko didn't reply and kept her silence.
***