Chapter 2: ChakraAs time passed, the Ninja Academy began teaching the foundational method of chakra refinement. In the shinobi world, chakra is formed by blending physical energy from every cell of the body with spiritual energy gained through training and experience. After learning the method, Naruto returned home eagerly and began practicing chakra refinement. According to Iruka, very few people succeed on their first try—only true prodigies could achieve that. Yet when Naruto sat cross-legged and focused, the process went surprisingly smoothly. Not only that, but with repeated attempts, he discovered his chakra reserves were shockingly vast.
This, of course, made sense. As the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki—an heir to the Uzumaki clan renowned for monstrous chakra capacity—Naruto's physical energy was outstanding. Furthermore, his soul now merged with Cao Jian's, giving him enhanced spiritual energy. But having enormous chakra was one thing; controlling it was another. The Naruto of the original timeline struggled with chakra control for years, which was why he often failed simple techniques. Determined to avoid that fate, Naruto set his sights on mastering chakra control early.
In addition to daily taijutsu practice in the woods, Naruto began rigorous chakra control exercises: climbing trees without using hands and walking across the surface of water—both methods taught in the original manga to sharpen chakra precision. Climbing trees demanded continuous focus to adjust chakra output, while walking on water required even finer control.
One day, during his usual training run in the woods, he spotted a boy in a green jumpsuit running laps at full speed. There was no doubt—it was the passionate Rock Lee. Seeing an opportunity, Naruto's eyes lit up, and he sprinted toward him, shouting, "I want to challenge you!"
As expected, Rock Lee's eyes blazed with fiery determination. "Guy-sensei! Someone's challenging me! Very well—I accept! Let's do this!"
Naruto launched a punch, but Lee ducked effortlessly. Naruto followed up with a spinning roundhouse, only for Lee to block expertly. Lee countered with a swift kick, which Naruto barely deflected, then tumbled backward, springing up to attempt a flying kick. They exchanged nearly thirty moves before Naruto's stamina began to falter. Though he trained diligently, Lee's physical conditioning far exceeded his own—after all, in the manga, Lee was the one character whose entire fighting style revolved around taijutsu mastery.
Panting, Naruto raised his hand. "I admit defeat… for now. But next time, I'll beat you for sure!"
Lee nodded seriously. "You're a worthy rival! Besides Neji, I have one more opponent now. I'll train even harder!" He flashed his trademark thumbs-up and brilliant smile, causing Naruto to sweat awkwardly at his overflowing enthusiasm.
Though defeated, Naruto gained valuable insights from the match. He memorized many of Lee's fluid movements and incorporated them into his own training. Unlike the manga's Naruto, who lacked taijutsu finesse, this Naruto deliberately improved his close-combat techniques by imitating Lee's relentless practice.
Months flew by. Naruto's progress was remarkable. His chakra control advanced to the point where he could run vertically along tree trunks and stand steadily atop water—skills that canon Naruto only achieved much later. His taijutsu improved greatly from regular spars with Lee, and he was easily the strongest in physical combat among his peers. Additionally, his proficiency with ninja tools, including kunai and shuriken, sharpened through persistent effort.
By now, even the weakest students in class had succeeded in refining chakra, and the Academy began formal instruction in the Three Basic Jutsu: the Clone Technique (Bunshin no Jutsu), the Transformation Technique (Henge no Jutsu), and the Substitution Technique (Kawarimi no Jutsu). Naruto surprised everyone by mastering these techniques swiftly—something the original Naruto notoriously struggled with. The girls in class, including Sakura and Ino, whispered in surprise, casting sidelong glances his way.
But Naruto understood that learning was one thing; true mastery was another. For example, Kakashi Hatake, known as the Copy Ninja, used the Substitution Technique with near perfection, while most Genin used it clumsily. Determined to surpass mediocrity, Naruto devoted every spare moment to practicing the Three Jutsu until they flowed as naturally as breathing.
With the Three Jutsu in his arsenal, Naruto's spars with Rock Lee became more dynamic. He could now evade or counter Lee's attacks using Substitution or create visual distractions with Clones. Since Lee, in accordance with canon, could not use ninjutsu, he began struggling more against Naruto's evolving style. Their battles often ended in draws, and sometimes Naruto even edged out a narrow victory. Yet Lee remained unfailingly cheerful, calling every match "youthful" and swearing to improve.
Naruto knew well that Rock Lee hadn't yet removed his ankle weights nor opened any of the Eight Inner Gates, both of which gave Lee monstrous speed and strength in canon. Naruto also understood that training like Lee—excessive weights and gate techniques—was unsuitable for him for now, especially at this young age, as the Gates placed immense strain on the body.
Still, Naruto's steady progress in chakra control, taijutsu, and basic ninjutsu was undeniable. His natural talent—enhanced by his reincarnated soul—meant his growth outpaced that of his peers. With time, he was certain his strength would continue to rise.
Yet Naruto remained restless. He realized his rate of improvement, though impressive, was far from enough. He wasn't satisfied with merely surpassing his classmates; he wanted to reach the level of true prodigies—like Uchiha Itachi, who graduated the Academy at age seven and became a Chūnin at ten. Naruto remembered that Itachi had the benefit of a powerful clan and a father who personally trained him in ninjutsu, while he had no such guidance—at least, not yet.
The meager ninjutsu taught in the Academy could no longer satisfy his hunger for growth. He needed more—he needed advanced techniques, stronger jutsu, and perhaps most importantly, a way to create an image of strength that commanded respect.
"I can't just invent some stupid Sexy Jutsu like the original me," Naruto thought, frowning. "If I'm going to stand above others, I need to build a perfect image."
And at that moment—he suddenly had an idea.