《Naruto:The Bloodied Spider》 Chapter 1 Pain. That was the first thing he felt. A deep, throbbing ache spread through his small, fragile body, an overwhelming heaviness pressing down on his limbs. His fingers twitched, weak and stiff. His muscles refused to cooperate, his breathing shallow and uneven. Something is wrong. His body felt... foreign. Too small, too frail. Like a cage that barely fit. He gasped in air, only to choke. His throat was dry, his chest tight. A sharp, acrid scent burned his lungs¡ªsmoke. Then came the sound. Screams. Cries of agony. The sharp crackle of wood being devoured by fire. The deep rumble of explosions shaking the ground beneath him. The distant clash of steel. Renkai forced his eyes open. The world spun. His head throbbed from the effort, but through the blur of movement and light, he saw it¡ª A village in ruin. Buildings collapsed in on themselves, stone crumbling like sand. Fires burned uncontrollably, illuminating the night with flickering orange. Black smoke filled the sky, thick enough to choke out the stars. Figures darted through the chaos¡ªsome running, others standing their ground. Not just soldiers. Fighters. But they moved too fast. Blurs of blue and black flashed between the crumbling structures. They jumped unnaturally high, their bodies twisting midair. They dodged falling debris, maneuvering with inhuman precision. Who¡­ what are they? And then¡ª A roar. It ripped through the sky, so powerful it shook the air itself. He froze. His instincts screamed, his body locking up. His heart pounded in his chest as he turned toward the sound, his muscles stiff with dread. A beast. A living calamity. It loomed over the battlefield, its massive tails whipping through the air like scythes. Its massive jaws parted, revealing fangs longer than any man was tall. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. And its eyes¡ª Pure malice. The power radiating from it was suffocating. This¡­ this is destruction given form. The people below scrambled, forming strange hand signs, their lips moving as they summoned fire, lightning, and water to attack the monster. Not magic. Something else. But it barely even noticed them. Their attacks crashed against its skin and disappeared, as if they were nothing more than a breeze brushing past. It opened its jaws wider. A sphere of raw energy began forming in its mouth, glowing with an intensity that warped the air around it. His blood ran cold. A spell? No¡­ something worse. This wasn¡¯t some carefully crafted magical technique, shaped with precision. This was pure destruction. A force beyond control, beyond reason. And it was aimed directly at the village. They can¡¯t stop it. For the first time since he awoke, true fear gripped him. Then¡ªa flicker of golden light. A man appeared above the battlefield, standing tall on top of a hill. His entire body radiated power, an aura of golden energy crackling like lightning around him. His breath hitched. He had seen archmages, warlords, kings who commanded fear and respect. But this man? This was different. Then¡ªit happened. The monster roared again, its massive jaws parting as it fired the sphere of energy straight toward the village. A blast that could wipe out everything in its path. He felt it¡ªthe pressure of death itself bearing down on him. There was no running from something like that. No escaping it. No fighting back. But the golden warrior¡ªhe didn¡¯t run. He didn¡¯t block it. He folded space. The attack collapsed inward, as if reality itself had bent around it. A heartbeat later, miles away, a flash of light. The attack had reappeared in the distance, detonating harmlessly over the wilderness. His entire world stopped. That¡¯s impossible. He hadn¡¯t absorbed it. Hadn¡¯t redirected it. He moved it. Dimensional displacement. His fingers twitched. That was beyond rare. In his old world, that kind of magic was a myth¡ªblocked by countless magical protections woven into the very fabric of reality itself. No kingdom, no mage, no god had ever been able to forcefully displace an attack of that magnitude. And this man¡ªthis warrior¡ªhad done it with a single technique. His breath was shallow. His pulse erratic. I need to know how. The battle around him was still raging, but for a moment, he didn¡¯t care. The screams, the destruction¡ªnone of it mattered. This world had power beyond anything he had ever seen. And he would learn it. But first¡ªhe had to survive. A bloodied warrior nearby spotted him among the wreckage. "Kid!" he barked, rushing forward. "You¡ª! What are you doing out here?!". Words wouldn¡¯t come. His throat was raw, his body trembling. The warrior reached for him¡ª Then, a tail crashed into the street. The shockwave sent rubble flying, and the man barely had time to react before he was launched into a collapsing wall. Dead. He gritted his teeth. Move. Move. MOVE! His legs barely obeyed as he stumbled forward. He had to get away from this battle. Had to¡ª Then, a whisper in his mind. It wasn¡¯t a memory. It wasn¡¯t a voice from this world. It was something else. "Renkai." He stumbled, his breath catching. A name. His name? It had weight. Meaning. Finality. Had the spell done this? Why? Why had the name Renkai been burned into his mind as the only remaining piece of this body¡¯s past? He had no time to dwell on it now. He clenched his fists, forcing himself forward. Renkai knew nothing of this world. Nothing of its rules, its limitations. But power was universal. And the one standing in front of that beast? He had it. If this world has laws, I will master them. If this world has secrets, I will uncover them. He clenched his fists. I will survive. And one day, this world will know my name. As my old world did. Renkai. Chapter 2 Renkai ran. Every step sent a jolt of pain through his legs, his weak body barely holding itself together. His lungs burned, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. He wasn¡¯t built for this¡ªnot yet. The village trembled behind him, firelight flickering in his periphery. The sounds of battle¡ªscreams, destruction, that monstrous roar¡ªwere fading, but not far enough. Keep moving. He forced his aching limbs forward, stumbling over rubble. He had no destination. No direction. Just a single goal: Get away. Then¡ªa child¡¯s cry. His instincts sharpened. Renkai skidded to a stop, barely keeping himself upright as he turned toward the sound. Through the thick smoke, he spotted them¡ªa group of children, younger than him, huddled near a fallen building. A few older civilians stood near them, some gripping makeshift weapons, and their faces pale with fear. An evacuation point. Renkai¡¯s mind worked quickly. Where there¡¯s structure, there¡¯s information. He pushed his way forward, ignoring his burning muscles. A woman saw him approach and immediately waved him over. "You! Over here!" He obeyed without hesitation. The less attention he drew, the better. He slipped into the crowd, pressing himself against the nearest wall, blending in as best he could. The civilians barely acknowledged him beyond quick glances¡ªanother orphan in a sea of suffering. Good. He didn¡¯t speak. Didn¡¯t ask questions. He simply watched. Time passed. The battle outside raged on, but the people stayed silent, barely daring to breathe. The shelter was cramped, bodies pressed against one another, huddled together for warmth and security. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Renkai, however, wasn¡¯t focused on his discomfort. He was listening. Whispers spread among the civilians, some hushed, and others frantic. However they talked from time to time and every bit of information mattered and he gathered few. The monster was called a Bij¨±¡ªa Tailed Beast, specifically the nine tails. The man fighting it was the Fourth Hokage¡ªthe leader of this village. No one knew what was happening. Only that the Hokage was still fighting. Renkai processed it carefully. The blonde warrior¡ªthe one who had bent space itself¡ªwas the village¡¯s leader. That explained why he was the one facing the monster alone. If he lost, everything was over. But no one here knew the outcome. No one had answers. Some prayed, others simply sat in silence, waiting. Waiting for someone to tell them whether they would live or die. Renkai clenched his fists. I don¡¯t wait for fate to decide my survival I never did before I won¡¯t start now. His mind worked rapidly. The Fourth Hokage¡¯s ability¡ªthe way he had displaced an attack that should have been unstoppable¡ªwas more than power. It was control. And in this new world, control was everything. He would find a way to learn. Hours passed. The battle ended, though no one celebrated. The monster was gone, but the village was barely standing. Entire districts had been flattened. Houses burned. Streets were unrecognizable, turned into craters and rubble. And the dead¡­ there were too many. Renkai moved through the wreckage alongside other orphans, taken in by caretakers who did their best to sort out the chaos. Some children were claimed by distant relatives. Others, like him, had nowhere to go. So, they were placed in the orphanages. It was crowded, noisy, and miserable. Renkai didn¡¯t care. He had more important things to focus on. Late at night, when the others were asleep, he sat alone in the farthest corner of the room. And he focused inward. He had felt something before¡ªa warmth in his core. It wasn¡¯t mana, but it was something. The warriors he had seen had called upon it. The golden leader had used it to defy logic. And so, Renkai began to experiment. He slowed his breathing, focused on the warmth deep inside him. It was faint. Weak. But it was real. He reached for it. Nothing. He tried again. Nothing. Frustration built up inside him, but he forced himself to remain calm. It was there. He just didn¡¯t know how to grasp it yet. In his old world, mastering magic had required discipline¡ªyears of training, precision and careful study. This would be no different. His lips curled into the faintest smirk. So that¡¯s what he will do. Days turned into weeks and time passed while he was in a haze. The village began stabilizing and with it his mind as well. Supplies were scarce, but order slowly returned. People rebuilt. And with it, came opportunity. At the orphanage, Renkai listened. He paid close attention to the older children¡ªthe ones who talked about joining the Shinobi Academy. A place where children trained in combat, in strategy. Where they learned to use that energy¡ªchakra. A school¡­ for warriors. Renkai¡¯s decision was instant. He would enter the Academy. He would study their power, their techniques. And he would learn everything this world had to offer. He was done being weak. Done being a helpless orphan, caught in the chaos of others. The next time the world shook¡ªhe would be the one causing it. Chapter 3 Renkai stood in line with the other children, eyes sharp, body still and composed. The Academy entrance exam wasn¡¯t anything special. It was mostly a formality¡ªa way to weed out the weakest before actual training began. For most children, this would be the beginning of their journey. The first steps toward becoming shinobi. For Renkai, it was something else entirely. This is my first step toward power. Toward understanding this world¡¯s rules. The moment he learned about the Shinobi Academy, he knew it was his best option. He needed to be here. Not because he wanted to be a soldier for this village. Not because he felt any loyalty to Konoha. But because this was where knowledge and resources were concentrated. And if he wanted power, he had to play the system first. The exam was laughably simple for someone like him. It was divided into three sections, Basic Physical Test ¨C Running, jumping, and endurance. Shuriken and Kunai Accuracy Test ¨C Straightforward throwing exercises. Chakra Sensitivity Test ¨C A brief measurement of raw chakra control. The instructor called out his name. "Renkai!" He stepped forward, mentally bracing himself. His body was still weak. Weeks of barely eating properly had improved his condition slightly, but his muscles were still underdeveloped compared to the other kids. He was faster than the malnourished orphans, but he was still far from the naturally athletic clan children. So, he adjusted. He didn¡¯t focus on speed or power. Instead, he maximized efficiency¡ªshorter movements, more controlled breathing. By the end, his performance was average. But average was acceptable. For now. A proctor led him to a wooden target stand, kunai and shuriken arranged neatly on the table. Renkai¡¯s eyes narrowed. He knew projectiles. He had spent weeks training with thrown weapons in secret. He picked up the first kunai, letting his fingers adjust to the weight. He felt the air. Calculated the wind. Measured the distance. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. And threw. The kunai pierced the center of the target. A flicker of satisfaction rose in his chest. He threw the next. Then another. Each one landed almost perfectly. Not just because of training, but because of his mindset. Renkai had spent years in his old life calculating complex spell structures. His brain naturally broke down angles, trajectories, movements¡ªas if they were mathematical equations. To him, throwing a kunai was just another formula to solve. In his past life, he had spent years perfecting a technique known as Magic Missile¡ªa spell so precise and lethal that enemies feared him as the Arcane Sniper. His current tools were different, but the fundamentals remained the same: accuracy, calculation, and control. When the test ended, he walked away knowing he had done better than most. The last test was chakra sensitivity. Renkai sat cross-legged, hands forming a simple seal. The instructor watched, unimpressed. "All you need to do is focus," the man explained. "Try to feel the energy inside your body and bring it forward." Renkai closed his eyes. He had already felt it before. He had already begun experimenting with it. So, this time, it was easy. His breathing slowed. His mind quieted. And then¡ªwarmth. Chakra responded instantly. A faint glow flickered to life around his skin¡ªsubtle, but controlled. The instructor raised an eyebrow. "Not bad." Renkai opened his eyes, his expression unreadable. He could have done more. Could have pushed further. But there was no need. Standing out too much was dangerous. He exhaled slowly and stood up. The exam was over. Days passed. The students were officially enrolled. The Academy was exactly as Renkai expected¡ªstructured, disciplined, and full of children who had no idea what real battle was. His class was divided into two types of students. Clan children ¨C Confident, well-fed, trained from birth. Orphans and civilians ¨C Weaker, untrained, struggling to keep up. Renkai fell into neither category. He wasn¡¯t an orphan begging for scraps of power. And he wasn¡¯t a privileged heir who thought skill was something inherited. He was something else entirely. A reincarnated mage, now a student in a world of warriors. The first week covered basic history, theory, and foundational techniques. Most students found it boring. Renkai found it invaluable. For the first time, he had direct access to structured knowledge. He learned about the Five Great Nations, the hidden villages, the history of war, the founding of Konoha. More importantly¡ªhe learned what wasn¡¯t taught. The instructors spoke about loyalty, duty, and the Will of Fire. But Renkai was not na?ve. He knew indoctrination when he saw it. The Academy wasn¡¯t just about teaching students how to fight. It was about creating weapons¡ªloyal to Konoha. He listened carefully, memorizing everything. Not because he believed in their ideals. But because he needed to know exactly how this village operated. Beyond history, the students were taught to refine their chakra. This was the most important part. Each student was given a simple exercise¡ªthe Leaf Balancing Test. The goal was to channel chakra into a leaf and keep it perfectly still on their forehead. Most students struggled. Their chakra control was wild, unrefined. Some couldn¡¯t even make the leaf move. Renkai? He mastered it in minutes. But he pretended to struggle¡ªfaking mistakes for two days. And then, on the third day, he let himself succeed. Just enough to be seen as talented, but not unnatural. The instructors took note. Some nodded in approval. "Promising control," The instructor muttered. Renkai allowed himself a small, hidden smile. This is only the beginning. It didn¡¯t take long for the other students to notice him. A few clan heirs saw his growing proficiency and viewed him as competition¡ªespecially a boy named Sarutobi Shigeru. He tried to goad him, challenge him. Renkai ignored him. He wasn¡¯t interested in rivalry. He was interested in power. He would play along. Follow the rules. Let them train him, give him knowledge. And then, when the moment was right¡ª He would be able to control his fate. Chapter 4 The Academy was nothing like the rigorous arcane training halls Renkai had once known. In his previous life, knowledge had been earned through relentless study, complex formulas, and years of refining magic. Here, however, the foundation of power wasn¡¯t mystical incantations or spell matrices¡ªit was chakra. And in chakra, control was everything. For the first few weeks, Renkai had deliberately held back, blending in just enough to be seen as talented, but not unnatural. Now that he had solidified himself as a promising student, it was time to start standing out¡ªjust enough to gain access to more knowledge and resources. The Academy¡¯s training curriculum was split into three primary areas. Taijutsu ¨C Hand-to-hand combat and physical conditioning. Ninjutsu ¨C Chakra-based techniques, mainly focused on the basic three: Clone Jutsu, Transformation, and Substitution. Shinobi Fundamentals ¨C Strategy, tactics, stealth, and survival. Renkai wasn¡¯t worried about two of the three. Taijutsu, however, remained his weakness. After all, he had been a mage, and an exceptionally powerful one at that. In his past life, he had filled his role perfectly¡ªobliterating enemies from long range while sipping wine. The first few weeks at the Academy were slow but grueling. For many students, the transition from being civilians to future shinobi was overwhelming. The daily schedule was strict, filled with long hours of repetitive drills meant to build foundational strength and discipline. For Renkai, it was a necessary process. He wasn¡¯t aiming to be the strongest right away. He was aiming to master the fundamentals first. Every morning began with physical conditioning¡ªrunning laps around the Academy training field, followed by stamina exercises. Renkai struggled at first. His malnourished body from childhood left him physically weaker than many of his classmates. However, he quickly realized that efficiency was his greatest tool. Instead of trying to match others in raw endurance, he learned to regulate his breathing, preserving energy while maintaining a steady pace. His performance remained underwhelming¡ªas expected. During sparring sessions, civilian-born students were often pitted against each other, as they would be quickly overwhelmed by the clan children. Renkai avoided brute force exchanges. He studied his opponents. He observed their stances, the way they shifted their weight before striking, and the slight telegraphs that gave away their movements. While others were reckless, throwing wild punches, he focused on minimal movements, dodging at the last second and countering with precision. His analytical approach made him difficult to pin down, and though he was physically weaker, his growing efficiency and unpredictability kept him from falling behind. A month into training, the instructors intensified their focus on kunai and shuriken throwing. It quickly became Renkai¡¯s specialty. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. While most students struggled with the mechanics¡ªgrip, aim, release¡ªhe found himself adapting with ease. His past life as a mage had trained his mind to process trajectories like complex calculations. Distance? Adjusted for wind. Angle? A flick of the wrist. Trajectory? Calculated easily. Unlike the other students, who relied on strength, he relied on technique. He practiced for hours after class, throwing kunai over and over, perfecting each motion until it was second nature. After all, this had been his first nature in his past life as a projectile mage. One afternoon, an instructor took notice. "You have a good eye for precision," he commented, watching as Renkai landed every kunai within inches of the target. "But precision alone won¡¯t always save you in battle. You¡¯ll need adaptability." Renkai took the words to heart. Precision was his greatest asset, but adaptability would be his key to survival. Sparring became a regular event in the Academy. Each session forced students into direct combat, testing their ability to react under pressure. While others viewed it as a simple way to improve their strength, Renkai saw it as something far more important¡ªa way to gather data. Whenever he faced an opponent, he treated it like a puzzle¡ªanalyzing their movement patterns, their preferred attack methods, the way they responded to feints. Some were aggressive, relying on raw power. Others were more patient but predictable. Renkai never relied on brute strength. Instead, he focused on positioning, timing, and deception. Each fight was a learning experience. The more he fought, the more he refined his ability to read opponents. He began using subtle footwork tricks, making it seem like he was leaving an opening before countering. He learned how to manipulate enemy expectations, using brief hesitations to bait attacks before dodging at the last second. It wasn¡¯t about winning¡ªit was about understanding how to control a fight. Renkai¡¯s greatest breakthrough came from a single realization¡ªchakra was not just energy. It was a tool that could be shaped and controlled. In his previous life, magic had always required delicate precision, shaping raw energy into structured spells. Chakra felt different¡ªit was more fluid, but it still followed rules. The key was finding a structure that worked for him. That was when he considered threads. Threads were versatile, capable of being used in multiple ways¡ªan idea that drew a grim smile to his face. If chakra could be shaped, then why not form it into something thin and precise? Something that could extend his reach without needing physical strength? Given his specialization in lightning-infused projectiles in his past life, he found himself instinctively drawn to the way chakra flowed¡ªfast, sharp, and conductive. His early chakra control experiments showed that his chakra threads carried subtle electric currents, giving his manipulation a slight stunning property when he exerted more power. At first, his attempts were unstable. The threads were weak, snapping under the slightest pressure. He struggled to attach them properly and could barely manipulate a single kunai. It jerked in the air unpredictably, requiring constant focus just to keep it stable. But he kept practicing. Each night, instead of wasting time socializing or indulging in the children¡¯s laughable attempts at provoking him, he trained. He refined his control, shaping the thread stronger, more durable, and more responsive to his intent. He experimented with different lengths, tensions, and chakra expenditures to improve its stability. After weeks of refinement, he could finally reliably move a single kunai. The control wasn¡¯t perfect¡ªhis movements were slow, and quick adjustments were difficult¡ªbut it was progress. Renkai¡¯s training was accelerating. His name was being noticed. Takeda Genji, his Academy instructor, was watching him closely. Some students feared him. Others admired him. And though he was not yet the strongest, he was undoubtedly the most unpredictable. But this was only the beginning. Chapter 5 The Academy had become a battleground of learning, and Renkai was slowly carving his place within it. He had spent weeks reinforcing his foundation¡ªhis kunai accuracy had surpassed most students, his strategic combat had drawn attention, and his chakra control had begun to evolve. But it wasn¡¯t enough. He needed more. More control. More adaptability. More weapons at his disposal. And for that, he needed to push further. Late at night, long after the other students had left the training grounds, Renkai remained. His kunai hovered in front of him, suspended by a single, invisible chakra thread. It wobbled. Unstable. Weak. Unrefined. His grip tightened. Chakra isn¡¯t like mana. It doesn¡¯t bend naturally¡ªit must be guided. He adjusted the flow, focusing on precision over force. The kunai steadied slightly, but it wasn¡¯t enough. It moved too slow, responded too late. With a flick of his wrist, the kunai spun midair before falling¡ªtoo erratic, still imperfect. Renkai exhaled sharply. This wasn¡¯t working. He adjusted his stance, closed his eyes, and tried again. This time, instead of forcing the kunai to move, he focused on the thread itself. He tried to feel the flow of chakra as if it were an extension of his own body. He could sense it¡ªthin, fragile, and almost weightless. But it was there. And if it was there, then it could be controlled. He slowly willed the kunai forward. It moved¡ªnot fast, not perfect, but smoother than before. It wasn¡¯t victory, but it was progress. And progress was enough. For now. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The next morning, the Academy students gathered for their daily shinobi fundamentals class. Takeda Genji stood before them, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. ¡°Today, we focus on efficiency,¡± Genji announced. ¡°In a battle, wasted movement leads to death.¡± His eyes scanned the students. ¡°You will spar under a new condition¡ªevery movement must have purpose. Any wasted steps, any unnecessary dodges, and the match is over.¡± The students muttered among themselves. This was different from their usual spars¡ªthis required thought and restraint. Renkai watched carefully as the first students sparred. Most were sloppy. They relied on brute force, throwing wild punches, dodging too much, moving when they didn¡¯t have to. They weren¡¯t fighting with precision. They were reacting with panic. Then, it was Renkai¡¯s turn. Renkai¡¯s opponent was Shinozaki Daisuke, a strong but reckless student. The match began, and Daisuke charged immediately¡ªpredictable. Renkai sidestepped, his movement minimal¡ªjust enough to let the attack pass harmlessly. Daisuke snarled and threw a second punch. Renkai tilted his body, letting it miss by inches. A feint. Daisuke overcommitted¡ªhis balance off. Renkai countered with a quick strike to the throat. Not hard, but firm enough to end the fight. Takeda Genji stopped the match instantly. ¡°¡­That¡¯s how you fight smart,¡± the instructor said, nodding. Renkai stepped back, his expression unreadable. But inside, he was satisfied. After class, Sarutobi Shigeru approached him. ¡°You¡¯re holding back,¡± Shigeru said, arms crossed. Renkai glanced at him. ¡°Am I?¡± Shigeru narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the others. I don¡¯t care about how they see you. But I know you¡¯re hiding something.¡± Renkai remained silent. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Shigeru muttered before walking away. Renkai watched him go. A challenge had been issued. Not one of rivalry. Not one of hostility. But one of curiosity. And Renkai wasn¡¯t sure if he should be concerned. That night, Renkai stood alone in the training yard. Two kunai hovered before him. Two threads. One had been difficult. Two were nearly impossible¡ªwobbling wildly, unstable. Controlling two at once required split focus, and the feedback was overwhelming. However, control had always been his greatest talent, so he wasn¡¯t worried. It was only a matter of time. He tried to move them together¡ªone lurched forward while the other dropped. Renkai clenched his jaw. I need to compartmentalize. Separate the controls. Not one, but two separate extensions of myself. In my old life, I could control an arsenal of projectiles. I need to understand and refine my chakra control more. He exhaled and tried again. One kunai rose. Then the second. They shook, but they held. The following day, as Renkai stayed late for extra training, he sensed someone approaching. Immediately, he let go of the threads holding the kunai. Kurogane Rika. She was one of the few students who had never openly challenged him or shown direct interest in his skills. But now, she stood a few feet away, arms crossed, watching him with an amused smirk. ¡°You always stay late,¡± she noted. ¡°What are you up to?¡± Renkai didn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡°Just training,¡± he finally said. Rika tilted her head. ¡°Uh-huh. And I¡¯m a Hokage candidate.¡± She didn¡¯t believe him. But she also wasn¡¯t pressing for answers. Instead, she watched him for a moment longer, then shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t burn yourself out,¡± she said before leaving. Renkai frowned. She was perceptive. Too perceptive. He would have to keep an eye on her. By the end of the week, Renkai could hold two kunai steady. By the end of the month, he could make them move. Not fast. Not perfect. But they obeyed his will. And that was enough. For now. He wasn¡¯t the strongest yet. But he was becoming something far more dangerous¡ªunpredictable. Chapter 6 The Academy was no longer just a place of learning for Renkai¡ªit had become his testing ground. Every lesson, every sparring match, every assignment¡ªeach one was another piece of data he used to refine himself. He didn¡¯t just want to learn; he wanted to master. But more than that¡­ He wanted to evolve. And that meant pushing his limits¡ªagain and again¡ªuntil he became something far beyond what this village had ever seen. Renkai¡¯s improvements were beginning to show. His kunai-throwing ability had already set him apart, and after weeks of training with chakra threads, he could now move two kunai independently with some level of control in his private training sessions. It still required intense focus, and he couldn¡¯t maneuver them quickly in live combat yet, but he was progressing. During one of their standard sparring drills, Takeda Genji decided to mix things up. ¡°We¡¯ve spent weeks working on basic engagement,¡± Genji announced. ¡°Today, we test your ability to handle a real fight.¡± Renkai¡¯s interest sharpened. ¡°These spars will be one-on-one, but with no restrictions on weapons this time. I will be watching closely to prevent serious injuries. The match ends when I say so.¡± A ripple of excitement ran through the students. Most spars had been limited to basic movements and controlled strikes, but this time, they could go all out. A real fight. Genji scanned the students, his gaze settling on two in particular. ¡°Renkai. Sarutobi Shigeru.¡± The class stirred. Shigeru smirked as he stepped forward. Renkai remained silent, but his mind was already calculating. The moment Genji gave the signal, Shigeru moved. Fast. Aggressive. Direct. His foot slammed into the ground as he launched forward, closing the distance in an instant. Renkai barely had time to dodge as Shigeru¡¯s fist cut through the air¡ªa powerful strike that would have sent most students reeling. But Renkai had seen it coming. He sidestepped, letting the attack slide past him, and countered with a kunai slash¡ªonly for Shigeru to block it with his forearm. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Fast reactions. Shigeru grinned. ¡°Thought you were better at keeping your distance.¡± Then he attacked again. Shigeru was a powerhouse, his strikes fast and relentless. His attacks flowed like water¡ªpunches, elbows, knee strikes, each one transitioning into the next seamlessly. But Renkai wasn¡¯t trying to match his strength. Instead, he focused on efficiency. He dodged¡ªbut not wildly like most students would. His movements were small, controlled, and efficient. A slight step back. A tilt of his body. A shift in weight. Every action minimized effort while maximizing evasion. And then, when the moment was right¡ª He struck. A kunai slash aimed for Shigeru¡¯s ribs. Shigeru blocked it just in time, but Renkai wasn¡¯t finished. Instead of pulling back, he pivoted on his heel, twisting his body into a sudden low sweep. Shigeru barely managed to jump over the leg sweep¡ªbut in that split second of airborne movement, he was off balance. Renkai¡¯s hand flicked forward. A kunai whipped toward Shigeru¡¯s chest. Shigeru¡¯s eyes widened¡ªcaught mid-air with no footing to dodge. But instead of panicking¡ª He twisted. The kunai skimmed his side, cutting fabric but missing flesh. Then¡ªhe landed. And immediately, he retaliated. Renkai had barely changed position from his last attack when Shigeru¡¯s moved with a speed that doesn¡¯t fit a child, appearing in front of Renkai in a moment, then his foot slammed into Renkai¡¯s guard. He had managed to block, but the sheer force sent him sliding back. Shigeru wasn¡¯t just powerful¡ªhe was adaptable. A direct fight wasn¡¯t in Renkai¡¯s favor. He needed to change the flow. That meant it was time to use his chakra threads. Shigeru dashed in again, aiming to keep up the pressure. But this time, Renkai had a plan. His hand flicked behind him, a kunai dropping from his sleeve¡ª And suddenly stopping midair. A faint glow pulsed around it¡ªchakra threads. The instructor¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He¡¯s already using chakra threads at this level? At his age? Unbelievable¡­ this boy is a monster. Shigeru¡¯s instincts screamed at him to dodge, but it was too late. The kunai whipped forward, its speed unnatural, aimed directly for Shigeru¡¯s shoulder. Shigeru twisted his body, barely avoiding a deep cut yet suffering a shallow one¡ªbut he hesitated after he was injured, that slight moment of hesitation was all Renkai needed. He closed the distance, driving a second kunai toward Shigeru¡¯s torso. Shigeru evaded with inhuman speed again, closing the gap¡ªand landing a punch. Renkai blocked, but instead of resisting, he moved with the force. He let the impact drive him into a spin, using the momentum to whip his chakra-threaded kunai behind him. Shigeru, mid-charge, barely had time to register the attack before¡ª A sharp pain bloomed across his other arm injuring it as well. The kunai had grazed him¡ªdeeper this time. Enough to make wince in pain. That single moment¡ª Was the end. Before Shigeru could regain his footing, Renkai¡¯s hand pressed against his back with a kunai. ¡°Match over,¡± Takeda Genji¡¯s voice rang out. Silence. Then¡ªmurmurs. The class had been watching, and now, they were stunned. Shigeru, the Sarutobi clan member, had been pushed back. And Renkai¡ªthe quiet, calculating student¡ªhad won. Shigeru exhaled, rolling his shoulder as he walked over. He held out his hand. ¡°¡­That was a good fight,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll win next time.¡± Renkai hesitated for a fraction of a second before accepting the handshake. ¡°Maybe.¡± Shigeru grinned. ¡°No, definitely.¡± The tension broke. And just like that, a friendly rivalry was born. Unnoticed by Renkai, Takeda Genji was watching him closely, his expression unreadable. There¡¯s no hesitation in his movements. This isn¡¯t a child¡¯s instinct¡ªthis is learned. But from where? That night, Renkai trained harder than ever. The fight had taught him something valuable. His chakra threads weren¡¯t just weapons. They were extensions of himself. And if he could control them perfectly¡ª Then soon¡­ He wouldn¡¯t need to fight up close at all. He would control the battlefield from afar. Like a predator weaving its web. Chapter 7 Renkai had always believed that knowledge was the true foundation of power. In his previous life, he had spent years mastering magical formulas, deconstructing arcane principles, and refining spellcasting techniques. He had learned that true mastery didn¡¯t come from brute strength or raw talent alone¡ªit came from understanding. And in this world, understanding chakra was his key to survival. The Academy had given him access to something he had longed for since arriving in this world: structured knowledge. While his classmates spent their free time playing or engaging in meaningless rivalries, Renkai spent his afternoons in the Academy¡¯s library. He quickly discovered that shinobi weren¡¯t just trained through combat. Knowledge was stored, categorized, and made available to those who sought it¡ªat least, at the Academy level. Every evening, after classes ended, he could be found seated at a wooden table, surrounded by scrolls. Introductions to Medical Ninjutsu. Sensory Techniques. F¨±injutsu. Anything that could give him an edge. At first, his reading was broad, covering the history of the five great nations, their wars, and the political structures of the shinobi world. But as weeks passed, he narrowed his focus. Sensory techniques fascinated him. The ability to perceive chakra, detect enemies, and expand one¡¯s awareness¡ªthis was something he needed. It was a form of information gathering, a way to counter the unpredictable. He read about sensor-nin, the unique chakra signatures every individual had, and how some shinobi could extend their senses across vast distances. More importantly, he learned that f¨±injutsu could be tied to sensory abilities. Certain seals could expand perception, lock onto specific energy sources, and even suppress presence altogether. That realization changed everything. If he could master f¨±injutsu alongside sensory techniques, he could refine his combat into an extreme level of battlefield control. It was a slow process. Much of what he read was theoretical¡ªhe lacked the guidance to put it into practice. But he memorized everything. The structures. The principles. The weaknesses. And as he read, he trained. Renkai¡¯s training had become an obsession. In his free time, he worked relentlessly to refine his chakra control, kunai throwing, and physical agility. By now, he had gained a reputation in the Academy. Not as the strongest. Not as the fastest. But as the most unpredictable. His chakra threads were evolving. At first, he could barely control one kunai. Now, he was reaching two. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. It still required extreme focus¡ªhis mind had to divide attention between each thread. If he focused too much on one, the other would slacken. But the more he practiced, the more natural it became. Kunai control was only the beginning. He needed more movement options. His flexibility training intensified. If he couldn¡¯t match the raw speed of his peers, then he needed to compensate in other ways. Dodging. Unorthodox angles. Evasion tactics. Some students laughed at his strange methods. They didn¡¯t understand why he practiced low-ground movement or why he spent time hanging from tree branches while throwing kunai. But they weren¡¯t the ones who would redefine how combat was fought. They weren¡¯t the ones who would shape themselves into something completely different from the norm. And then, there was ninjutsu. If there was one aspect of shinobi training that made Renkai uneasy, it was this. Unlike chakra control, which felt natural, ninjutsu felt foreign. No matter how much he practiced, no matter how much he studied, there was a fundamental disconnect between himself and jutsu techniques. He could form the hand seals. He could shape the chakra. But the output? Unstable. Inefficient. Wrong. Clone Jutsu? His copies were transparent, flickering, and weak. Transformation Jutsu? Slight distortions always gave away his disguise. Substitution? He could barely time it correctly, leaving him a second too slow when trying to switch places. It was frustrating. He could manipulate chakra threads, refine kunai movements, and even explore sensory techniques¡ªbut basic ninjutsu felt impossible. And this wasn¡¯t something that could be ignored. Academy students needed to pass the ninjutsu exam to graduate. It meant he had no choice but to improve, even if the process was painful. For now, he trained in secret. After hours, when no one was around, he forced himself to practice basic jutsu. Each failure solidified a hard truth. Magic and chakra were different at a fundamental level. Chakra required an intuitive release, while magic had been structured through precise calculations. His instincts fought against this world''s system. And if he didn¡¯t adjust? Then he would fail. Weeks passed. His sparring sessions became more intense. At this point, most students had realized something: Renkai didn¡¯t fight like anyone else. His movements were calculated. His attacks were deceptive. His kunai control was almost unnatural. By now, he could reliably control two kunai with threads, even in light combat. He was nowhere near his ideal control level, but it was enough to turn the tide of a fight. One afternoon, during a spar, he caught the attention of Takeda Genji. Their instructor had always kept an eye on him, but today, Renkai could sense a shift. As the fight ended, Genji called him over. ¡°Renkai,¡± he said. ¡°Try channeling chakra into your kunai.¡± Renkai hesitated. He had never attempted this before. But he complied. Holding a kunai between his fingers, he focused. He directed chakra into the weapon, trying to infuse it properly. The metal hummed slightly. A faint spark crackled along its surface¡ªweak, unstable. Genji¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Although weak, you can already utilize your chakra nature to a small degree. You¡¯re a Lightning-natured shinobi.¡± Renkai¡¯s mind processed this quickly. Lightning Release. He had read about it in the library. That explains the subtle crackling effect. The way his threads occasionally carried static energy. It wasn¡¯t strong¡ªhe barely had any control over it¡ªbut it was there. His instructor studied him carefully. ¡°This is rare in Konoha,¡± Genji muttered. ¡°Lightning Release isn¡¯t common here. If you can refine this, it¡¯ll be an advantage.¡± Renkai said nothing. But his mind was already moving at full speed. Lightning-infused kunai. Lightning-charged threads. If he could apply this correctly¡­ He had another layer of unpredictability to his arsenal. But first¡ªhe needed to understand what Lightning Release truly meant. And for that, he would need guidance. Not now. Not yet. But soon. That night, Renkai pushed his training even further. For the first time, he actively tried channeling Lightning Release into his chakra threads. The results were weak. Sparks flickered, but the charge wasn¡¯t enough to cause real damage. Still¡ªthis was progress. Even if his body fought against ninjutsu, he had found another way forward. He wasn¡¯t sure where this path would lead. But one thing was certain. He would continue moving forward. Because in this world, only those who evolved would survive. Chapter 8 Renkai¡¯s progress in the Academy had reached a point where he was no longer just another student. His precision with kunai was unmatched, his chakra control surpassed most peers, and his tactical awareness made him a nightmare to face in sparring matches. But even with all of this, he was painfully aware of his own weaknesses. His ninjutsu remained unreliable. His body, despite improving, was still not as naturally strong as others. And most importantly¡ªhis techniques were incomplete. His training had to evolve. Every evening, after his time in the library and Academy sessions ended, Renkai dedicated himself to refining every aspect of his fighting style. Kunai throwing had already become second nature. Calculating angles, adjusting for wind, and shifting trajectories¡ªthese were easy. But now, he was incorporating chakra threads more seamlessly, attaching them mid-flight to alter direction. The idea had come to him after thinking about guided magic in his previous life. There was no reason the same principle wouldn¡¯t work with chakra threads. And to his surprise, it worked fairly quickly¡ªafter just a few tries, he could steer a kunai after throwing it. He smirked to himself. Even after reincarnation, his talent remained. The assassins who killed him had taken his life, but they hadn¡¯t stolen what mattered most¡ªhis mind and skill. That thought alone almost made him laugh. Still, there was a problem. Speed. Even if he could adjust the angle midair, the delay made it predictable. Renkai stood in the training ground. Two kunai hovered before him, connected by thin chakra threads. He moved them carefully, trying to make the transition smoother. Faster. More precise. The kunai moved¡ªbut not quickly enough. Renkai clicked his tongue. Too slow. I need to react faster. I need better control. Then, he remembered Takeda Genji¡¯s words. "Your chakra nature is lightning. That means speed and precision should be your focus." Lightning Release. He had barely scratched the surface of what it could do. He grabbed a kunai, channeling chakra into it. A faint crackle of electricity flickered along the metal. Then¡ªsuddenly¡ªit snapped forward faster than before. Renkai¡¯s eyes widened. This¡­ this was it. The speed boost wasn¡¯t overwhelming, but it was noticeable. It allowed the kunai to close the distance quicker, making it harder to react to. This wasn¡¯t just about power¡ªit was about outpacing his opponent¡¯s reactions. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. And if he could apply it to his threads¡­ He grabbed another kunai, connected it to a chakra thread, and pushed his Lightning Release through both. This time, the reaction was different. Instead of the kunai moving in a slow, fluid arc, it jerked forward, propelled by the charge. The movement was still rough and unrefined, but it was undeniably faster. He grinned. This was the missing piece. A fusion of chakra threads and Lightning Release. Takeda Genji had been watching him for a while now. At first, he hadn¡¯t thought much of the quiet, calculating student. But now? Now, he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of Renkai. He had trained clan prodigies, heirs of great shinobi families who had years of training behind them. Yet, Renkai wasn¡¯t a clan heir. He was an orphan. A child with no bloodline, no inheritance¡ªjust raw skill and an unsettling level of discipline. Genji knew what the higher-ups would think if they learned of Renkai¡¯s potential. They would want to control him. Which meant Renkai had two choices¡ªbecome a tool of the village or become a threat to it. Genji didn¡¯t know which path the boy would take. But as he watched Renkai¡¯s kunai infused with lightning, his chakra threads controlling weapons with an unnatural precision¡­ He knew one thing. This boy would rewrite the rules of battle. Renkai¡¯s ability to wield Lightning Release was still weak, but his instructor¡¯s advice had been invaluable: Refinement over brute strength. He didn¡¯t need raw power¡ªhe needed control. His kunai moved faster. His chakra threads reacted quicker. And something else had changed. His instincts. He wasn¡¯t just calculating movements anymore. His body was adapting, anticipating attacks, feeling the flow of battle rather than just predicting it. At first, the other students hadn¡¯t known how to deal with him. But now? They feared him. Sarutobi Shigeru had always seen himself as one of the strongest in their class. He wasn¡¯t arrogant. He had earned his skill through hard work and the pressure of living up to his clan¡¯s reputation. But Renkai? Renkai was different. He didn¡¯t fight like the others. He wasn¡¯t fast like the Inuzuka, or strong like the Akimichi, or naturally gifted at ninjutsu like the Nara. And yet¡ªhe won. Over and over. Shigeru had been watching him closely. And he had realized something. Renkai didn¡¯t rely on his body¡¯s natural gifts. He relied on intelligence. And that made him dangerous. One afternoon, Takeda Genji called them for another sparring match. Shigeru smirked. ¡°We¡¯re doing this again, huh?¡± Renkai gave a small nod. ¡°Looks like it.¡± Shigeru took his stance. This time, he wasn¡¯t going to let Renkai control the flow of battle. The match began. Shigeru moved first, closing the distance instantly. Renkai expected it. He had fought Shigeru before. He knew the Sarutobi liked to fight up close. But this time¡ªhe was ready. Shigeru threw a punch. Renkai dodged, but not completely. Instead of avoiding it entirely, he let the strike graze his shoulder. Why? Because it let him stay close. Before Shigeru could react, Renkai¡¯s kunai was already moving. Guided by a chakra thread¡ªfast, sharp, perfectly aimed. Shigeru twisted away just in time¡ªbut Renkai wasn¡¯t done. A flick of his fingers¡ª The kunai jerked midair, changing direction toward Shigeru¡¯s exposed side. A direct hit. Or it would have been¡ª If Shigeru hadn¡¯t caught the kunai midair with his bare hand. For a split second, their eyes locked. Then¡ª Shigeru yanked the kunai forward, dragging Renkai with it. Renkai felt the resistance¡ª No. He released the thread instantly, cutting his loss. But it was too late. A knee slammed into his stomach. Renkai staggered back, exhaling sharply. That was close. But not close enough. He adjusted his grip on the chakra threads. The real fight had just begun. The match lasted minutes, both fighters adapting with every move. By the end, neither won. Genji called it before either could land a decisive blow. But something had shifted. A silent acknowledgment. A rivalry. And more than that¡ª Respect. Shigeru smirked. ¡°Next time, I win.¡± Renkai wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Because this wasn¡¯t just training. This was evolution. And Renkai? He would evolve until he was unstoppable. Chapter 9 Renkai sat alone in the Academy¡¯s library, a thick scroll unrolled in front of him. His fingers traced the complex symbols, eyes scanning every detail with unwavering focus. F¨±injutsu. The art of sealing. The ability to contain, manipulate, and alter chakra through intricate formulas. It was different from ninjutsu, from taijutsu, from any other discipline. It didn¡¯t require speed or brute force¡ªit required understanding. And that was why it fascinated him. The past weeks had been spent refining his control over kunai, learning to incorporate his Lightning Release, and enhancing his chakra threads. But even with these improvements, he still lacked efficiency. F¨±injutsu could change that. His instructor, Takeda Genji, had given them a brief lecture on the subject earlier that week. Most students found it dull. Seals weren¡¯t flashy. They weren¡¯t immediately useful in a fight. But Renkai understood their potential. A well-placed seal could store weapons, set traps, reinforce defenses. A properly designed seal could change the battlefield itself. He had to learn it. The similarities between sealing formulas and the spell structures from his old world meant he had a natural affinity for it. If anything, he should have started earlier. The basics were clear enough. A seal was a formula¡ªa complex pattern of chakra pathways inscribed onto a surface. The formula dictated what the seal could do. Chakra acted as both ink and fuel, activating the effect when necessary. But precision was everything. A single miswritten stroke could ruin the entire function. Failure was not an option for Renkai. He spent hours studying the structure of basic storage seals. He examined how they folded space, how they used chakra to anchor and retrieve objects. The concept was simple¡ªstore an item, then retrieve it with a focused release of chakra. But making one? That was another challenge entirely. Renkai sighed, rolling his shoulders before dipping his brush into the special ink he had bought with what little money he had. He had prepared a blank scroll for practice. Carefully, he began inscribing the formula. The strokes had to be deliberate, precise. One mistake and the seal would be useless. He finished the pattern and pressed his fingers against it, pushing a small amount of chakra into the formula. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Nothing happened. He frowned. There was an error somewhere. A minor imbalance in the flow? A miscalculated angle? He adjusted the strokes, refined the chakra pathways, and tried again. This time, the ink pulsed faintly. Progress. It took another four attempts¡ªeach failure draining his limited ink supply, making him wince at the cost¡ªbefore the seal finally activated. A faint glow spread across the paper, the chakra pathways stabilizing into a proper circuit. Now came the real test. Renkai placed a kunai on the center of the scroll and channeled his chakra. The kunai vanished. His eyes flickered with satisfaction. This is it. Storage seals weren¡¯t difficult for advanced shinobi, but for an Academy student to create one this early was practically unheard of. Renkai carefully placed his fingers on the seal and released his chakra. The kunai reappeared instantly. It worked. A quiet grin tugged at the corner of his lips. But this wasn¡¯t enough. A single storage seal wouldn¡¯t change much. He needed to make it smaller, faster, and more efficient. If he could store multiple kunai on his arms, on his wrists, on his fingers¡ªthen he could summon weapons instantly in battle. He got back to work. By the time the next sparring session arrived, Renkai had completed his first set of practical storage seals. They were still simple, but they were functional. And in battle, that was all that mattered. He had inked small, reinforced formulas onto bands of cloth wrapped around his wrists. Inside each, he had sealed a few kunai. It wasn¡¯t perfect. The activation delay was still noticeable. He needed to refine the chakra flow to make the retrieval instant. But even in this rough state, it was already a game-changer. The class gathered in the training field, awaiting their matchups. Takeda Genji stood in the center, arms crossed as he called names. ¡°Renkai. Shinozaki Daisuke.¡± Renkai stepped forward, eyes narrowing. Daisuke was stronger than him in raw physical ability, but he was reckless¡ªtoo aggressive, too predictable. This would be a perfect test. The moment the match started, Daisuke charged. Renkai anticipated it. He sidestepped the first strike, then the second. Daisuke swung hard, overcommitting as always. Perfect. Renkai flicked his wrist. A kunai materialized instantly in his palm. The sudden appearance caught Daisuke off guard. Renkai struck fast, dragging the kunai across his opponent¡¯s sleeve¡ªnot enough to cut deep, but enough to force him to react. Daisuke stumbled back, eyes wide. ¡°How¡ª?¡± Renkai didn¡¯t answer. He had already retrieved a second kunai. No wasted movements. No reaching into a pouch. Just pure efficiency. The fight lasted less than a minute. Daisuke hesitated, thrown off by Renkai¡¯s sudden weapon materialization. And in that hesitation¡ªRenkai ended it. A kunai pressed against Daisuke¡¯s throat. ¡°Match over,¡± Takeda Genji announced. The class murmured, their eyes flicking between Renkai and their instructor. Genji, usually unreadable, showed a rare flicker of surprise¡ªperhaps even unease. Renkai withdrew the kunai and stepped back. Takeda Genji studied him for a long moment before speaking. ¡°¡­That¡¯s an interesting trick.¡± Renkai met his gaze. ¡°F¨±injutsu.¡± Genji crossed his arms. ¡°You made those yourself?¡± Renkai nodded. The instructor exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly. ¡°You¡¯re full of surprises.¡± But in his mind, he thought, this boy is a true battle monster. At this rate, there will be no hiding him from the elders. Renkai said nothing. But inside, he was satisfied. This was only the first step. Seals weren¡¯t just for storage. They could be for traps, mobility, barriers. And he would master them all. Because in battle, the one who controls the battlefield¡­ wins. Chapter 10 Renkai sat in the dimly lit Academy library, his fingers tracing the inked symbols of an old scroll. At this point, the librarian was practically family¡ªhe spent more time here than anywhere else. His sharp eyes scanned the text, absorbing every detail with unwavering focus. Sensory techniques. The ability to detect, interpret, and track chakra. The ability to feel a battle before it even began. In his previous life, mana sense had been an integral part of a mage¡¯s combat ability. Spells moved too fast to rely on just sight, and elite mages manipulated mana subtly, weaving unseen environmental advantages that could tip a battle at the most critical moment. Renkai had been forced to master mana sense in his old world¡ªadjusting, adapting, and predicting the flow of battle through instinct alone. And now, he would do the same here. He had already memorized the theory. Now, it was time for application. All living beings have a chakra signature. To sense chakra is to listen¡ªnot with your ears, but with your own energy. To expand awareness, one must attune themselves to the natural flow of chakra in their surroundings. Listening. That was the key. Renkai closed his eyes, slowing his breathing. He placed his hands on the wooden floor, letting the world quiet around him. The scroll described it as expanding one¡¯s own chakra outward, like a web, spreading thin threads of awareness into the environment. It was, in many ways, similar to how he controlled his chakra threads. But this time, instead of controlling, he was feeling. At first, nothing. His own chakra remained contained, silent, still. But as he pushed further¡ª A flicker. A presence. He couldn¡¯t see them, but he could feel them. Across the room, two students sat quietly, unaware of his experiment. And yet, their chakra signatures pulsed faintly in his awareness¡ªsubtle, distinct. Renkai¡¯s eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. It had worked. Barely. But it was a start. A New Challenge Over the next few days, he refined the skill. Sensory abilities weren¡¯t like his other training. He couldn¡¯t force it. It required patience¡ªa connection to the world around him. At first, his range was small, unstable, fading the moment his concentration wavered. But in battle? Even a half-second advantage in perception could be the difference between life and death. And soon, he would have the chance to test it. A Fight in the Forest One morning, Takeda Genji led the class out of the usual dojo and into the training forest just outside Konoha¡¯s walls. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. A rare outdoor session. Genji stood before them, arms crossed. ¡°Shinobi do not always fight on familiar terrain. Today, you will spar in unpredictable conditions.¡± A ripple of anticipation ran through the students. Most of their battles had been in controlled settings¡ªflat surfaces, clear visibility. The forest? An entirely different battlefield. Genji¡¯s gaze swept over the students before settling on two. ¡°Renkai. Kurogane Rika.¡± Rika grinned, rolling her shoulders in excitement. Renkai¡¯s mind sharpened. This was perfect. Unlike Sarutobi Shigeru, who relied on structured, disciplined combat, Rika thrived in chaos. Unpredictable, fast, tricky. A fighter who attacked from angles no one expected, using deception and speed over brute force. The ideal opponent to test his sensory awareness. Genji smirked. ¡°No time limit. The match ends when I say.¡± Renkai stood still, his breath calm, his muscles relaxed. Across from him, Kurogane Rika shifted her weight from foot to foot, her usual cocky smirk in place. Takeda Genji¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Begin.¡± Rika vanished. Her foot barely touched the ground before she flickered sideways, using the dense trees as cover. Most shinobi would rely on their eyes to track her. But Renkai was already closing his eyes. He wasn¡¯t hunting her with sight. He was listening. To the subtle rustle of disturbed leaves. The faint shift in chakra energy as it moved through the air. There¡ªright flank. He tilted his head, just as a kunai tore past where his eye had been moments ago. Too predictable. He shifted his stance, keeping his movements minimal. She would expect a dodge¡ªbut not stillness. Silence. Then¡ªanother shift. This time from above. She was using the trees, keeping him pinned down. Trying to force a reaction. Not yet. Rika was fast, but speed was useless if she didn¡¯t know where to strike. Another faint movement. Behind. He turned, kunai already in hand. A blur of movement exploded from the shadows¡ªRika, mid-air, kunai flashing toward his ribs. A feint. He dodged to the side, but her real attack came from below. Her second kunai lashed out, aiming for his blind spot. Renkai had already anticipated it. Instead of dodging backward¡ªhe stepped forward. A tight quarter-inch dodge, the blade barely grazing past his side. Too close for her to adjust¡ª His knee shot up¡ªaiming for her abdomen. Rika twisted mid-air, barely avoiding the hit. She kicked off the nearest tree, flipping back to create distance. But Renkai wasn¡¯t letting her escape. With a flick of his fingers, a kunai whipped forward¡ªnot at her, but at the tree beside her. Then¡ªat the last second¡ª A flick of his chakra thread. The kunai curved mid-flight, changing directions toward her blind spot. Rika¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She barely twisted her body at the last moment, yet she couldn¡¯t completely dodge what she couldn¡¯t fully see¡ª A sharp sting blossomed across her arm. A shallow cut. First blood. She gritted her teeth, eyes flashing in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s a cheap trick,¡± she muttered, rolling her injured shoulder. Renkai didn¡¯t answer. Instead, his kunai was already moving again. Guided. Precise. Relentless. Rika disappeared again, weaving through the trees. But now¡ªhe wasn¡¯t tracking her movements. He was tracking her chakra signature. A slight flicker. She was moving left¡ªthen suddenly right. A feint? No. She was baiting him. A small grin tugged at Renkai¡¯s lips. This was getting interesting. A kunai flew toward him¡ªtoo slow, too obvious. A distraction. The real attack came from behind. This time, she was coming low¡ªaiming for his legs. A calculated risk. Force a fall, finish the fight. He reacted instantly. Instead of dodging, he twisted his upper body, shifting his weight just enough to let her kunai graze past. In that instant¡ª He dropped. A counter-sweep, too sudden for her to react. Her foot barely touched the ground before his leg slammed into hers, knocking her off-balance. Rika¡¯s instincts kicked in¡ªshe flipped mid-air, twisting to recover. But¡ª The moment she landed, Renkai was already there. His kunai pressed lightly against her throat. ¡°¡­Match over,¡± Takeda Genji announced. Silence. Then¡ª A chuckle. Rika exhaled, shaking her head. ¡°Damn.¡± She grinned, wiping the sweat from her forehead. ¡°I really thought I had you.¡± Renkai lowered his kunai. ¡°Almost.¡± Her grin widened. ¡°You¡¯re weird, you know that?¡± Renkai said nothing, simply meeting her gaze. Takeda Genji walked over, studying him with narrowed eyes. ¡°¡­You sensed her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Renkai remained quiet. But that was all the confirmation Genji needed. His instructor sighed. ¡°This is just the beginning, Renkai. Sensory abilities are rare¡ªand difficult to refine. What you¡¯re doing now? That¡¯s only the surface.¡± Renkai understood. If he wanted to truly master it, he needed to push further. Expand his range. Increase his awareness. Learn how to sense not just movement¡ªbut intent. Still¡ªthis was proof. Proof that as in his previous life, sensory abilities could be incorporated into his fighting style. That night, Renkai trained harder than ever. To the point where it cut into his sleep, making his body ache even more. But he didn¡¯t stop. Because this was just the beginning. And if he could master this? Then one day, when someone thought they had him¡ª They¡¯d find a kunai already at their throat. Chapter 11 Renkai sat in the dimly lit Academy library as usual, eyes scanning over the scrolls regarding the subject of sensory abilities. At this point, the librarian barely bothered acknowledging his presence anymore. It was as if he had become a part of the library. The shelves, lined with scrolls, tactical manuscripts, and chakra theory, had become more familiar to him than the streets of Konoha. And tonight, he was focusing, as he had been doing for months now, on sensory perception and f¨±injutsu. The ability to detect, interpret, and track chakra. The ability to feel a battle before it even began and place traps in the most optimal locations. He stayed there, completely focused for a few hours before deciding to leave and prepare a special gift for his next opponent. Later that day Renkai crouched low against the tree branch, his breath steady and his focus sharp. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the Academy''s outdoor training field. Tonight, he wasn¡¯t training his kunai accuracy or refining his chakra threads. Tonight, he was testing his improvements in sensory perception and seals to take down an enemy with minimal complications. A sly smile appeared on his face thinking about his next spar. He had spent weeks refining his ability to work with f¨±injutsu seals and his sensory abilities. His chakra sensing range had increased, and with it, his awareness. It was slow, frustrating work, but the results were undeniable. He could now sense faint chakra signatures within a limited range, picking up disturbances in the natural flow of energy. It wasn¡¯t perfect. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint exact movements, and stronger shinobi would easily suppress their chakra to evade detection. But against most Academy students? With his advances in simple f¨±injutsu traps, it gave him an edge. The next day, in the Academy¡¯s outside training field, Renkai was ready for a unique spar. Renkai stood in the open training field, his eyes calmly observing the two figures across from him. Sarutobi Shigeru, sturdy and disciplined, was already rolling his shoulders in preparation. His stance was solid, refined¡ªa perfect balance between offense and defense. Kurogane Rika, on the other hand, was looser, more unpredictable. A smirk tugged at her lips as she bounced slightly on her feet, already prepared to dart in and out like a phantom. It wasn¡¯t just another spar. It was an open challenge¡ªa three-way battle. Takeda Genji stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed. His sharp gaze moved between the three students as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve seen each of you improve individually. But combat isn¡¯t always one-on-one. Sometimes, you¡¯ll face multiple enemies. Today, you¡¯ll fight each other¡ªat the same time.¡± A murmur passed through the surrounding students, all eager to watch the Academy¡¯s most unpredictable fighter go against two of its strongest. Genji¡¯s voice cut through the noise. ¡°No restrictions. The match ends when two fighters are defeated or unable to continue.¡± His eyes lingered on Renkai for a brief moment. ¡°Use everything you¡¯ve been training on.¡± Renkai understood the hint. His sensory ability. His growing f¨±injutsu skills. His evolving use of chakra threads. This was his moment to test everything. Genji¡¯s hand raised. ¡°Begin.¡± Rika vanished. Shigeru charged. Renkai didn¡¯t move. For a single breath, he focused¡ªnot on sight, not on sound, but on chakra. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. His perception expanded outward. Rika was fast, her presence flickering as she wove through the trees, closing the distance without revealing her exact position. Shigeru, on the other hand, was direct. His chakra flared as he rushed forward, already preparing a high-speed strike. Renkai reacted. He twisted his body at the last second, letting Shigeru¡¯s powerful punch graze past his ribs instead of taking a direct hit. As he spun, his fingers flicked¡ªa kunai whipped through the air, connected by a nearly invisible chakra thread. The kunai didn¡¯t aim for Shigeru. It flew past him¡ªtoward an empty space between the trees. A flicker of movement¡ªRika. Her eyes widened as the kunai¡¯s trajectory suddenly changed midair, the chakra thread jerking it toward her. She barely twisted her body in time, avoiding a direct hit, but the unexpected attack forced her momentum to break. For a second, she was off-balance. Renkai moved. His kunai was already returning to his hand, guided by the thread, but before he could capitalize¡ª Shigeru was back. A sudden burst of pressure forced Renkai into a full dodge as Shigeru¡¯s elbow struck downward, sending a small shockwave through the dirt where he had just stood. Renkai¡¯s mind adjusted instantly. Shigeru had raw power and patience¡ªhe didn¡¯t rush in recklessly. He would pressure him into a corner before going for a decisive blow. Rika, however, was adaptable. Her misdirection had failed once, but she wouldn¡¯t try the same trick again. Which meant¡ª something was already coming. Renkai sharpened his sensory focus just in time to feel Rika¡¯s presence flicker behind him. He moved before she struck. His foot dug into the ground, chakra surging into his leg, and with a burst of movement, he flipped forward. Her kunai sliced through empty air. He landed gracefully, already calculating. Rika¡¯s movement had been too direct. She had attacked knowing he could sense her, forcing him into a reaction. A feint. Which meant the real attack¡ª Shigeru. The Sarutobi was already there, his fist rushing forward in a brutal, earth-shaking punch. Renkai twisted his torso, dodging by a hair¡¯s breadth. The sheer force of the blow sent a small shockwave behind him. But Renkai had already planned his counterattack. His hand flicked. A kunai materialized in his grip instantly, summoned from the storage seal on his wrist. Shigeru¡¯s eyes widened. He had expected Renkai to dodge¡ªnot to immediately counter. The kunai lashed forward. Shigeru blocked with his forearm, but that was fine. Because the kunai wasn¡¯t meant to cut him. It was bait. Rika saw the opening and lunged at Shigeru¡¯s exposed side. Renkai let go of the kunai mid-strike, his chakra thread still attached to the handle. Shigeru realized too late. As Rika closed in, Renkai jerked the kunai back¡ªthe weapon reversing its trajectory midair. It sliced toward Rika instead. She barely managed to twist her body, avoiding a deep cut¡ªbut not completely dodging it. A thin red line formed across her sleeve. She clicked her tongue. ¡°You really are annoying.¡± Shigeru exhaled sharply. ¡°He keeps shifting the fight.¡± Renkai didn¡¯t respond. His fingers curled slightly. The kunai returned to his grip, the chakra thread retracting like a spider pulling its web. But this was far from over. Rika and Shigeru had already adapted. The battlefield had changed. Which meant it was time for Renkai to shift it again. They didn¡¯t know one thing. He had been preparing a trap from the beginning. Near the base of a nearby tree, carved subtly into the dirt, was a simple f¨±injutsu mark. A minor chakra restriction seal with a paralyze effect. Not a full paralysis technique¡ªnot yet. He was still experimenting with f¨±injutsu. But it was enough to paralyze someone for a moment. And that was all he needed. Renkai took a slow step backward¡ªplacing himself in front of the mark. A bait. Shigeru moved first. Rika saw it and followed, both of them closing in from different angles. Just before they reached him, Renkai sidestepped. Shigeru¡¯s foot landed on the seal. For a fraction of a second¡ªhis chakra flow was disrupted, and he was paralyzed. His movement stopped. Renkai moved. A lightning-infused kunai launched toward Rika. When she blocked it, a flash of bright light blinded her momentarily. In a blur of motion, he was behind her. She felt the kunai press lightly against her back. Shigeru barely recovered before realizing¡ªRika was already defeated, and a kunai attached to a chakra thread was in front of his eyes. ¡°¡­Match over,¡± Genji called. Chapter 12 Renkai stood at the gates of the Sarutobi compound, arms crossed as he took in his surroundings. It was Shigeru¡¯s idea. "Come to my family¡¯s compound," he had said the day before. "You¡¯re always studying in the library. I figured you should see how an actual shinobi family trains." Renkai had agreed, though he had his reasons. The Sarutobi were well-known for their taijutsu and ninjutsu skills. Observing their methods could help him understand how to counter them. What he hadn¡¯t expected¡ªwas Rika inserting herself into the invitation. "Well, well," she had chimed in, leaning on Shigeru¡¯s shoulder with a smirk. "You didn¡¯t think you could have an exclusive little training session without me, did you?" Shigeru had scowled but relented. And that was how the three of them ended up here. The Sarutobi compound was vast, a quiet testament to the strength and legacy of one of Konoha¡¯s most respected clans. As Renkai stepped through the entrance, flanked by Shigeru and Rika, he felt the subtle shift in atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t just another district of the village¡ªit was a self-contained world. The walkways were lined with well-maintained stone paths, guiding them past rows of traditional houses with tiled roofs and wooden porches. Elders sat on raised platforms, sipping tea and conversing in hushed tones, while younger shinobi moved with quiet discipline, engaged in training drills or sparring in small groups. Everywhere he looked, there was structure, history, and tradition. ¡°This place is different,¡± Renkai murmured. Shigeru glanced at him and nodded. ¡°We take pride in discipline. Every Sarutobi is expected to contribute, whether through combat, leadership, or knowledge.¡± Rika, walking beside them, raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sounds exhausting.¡± Shigeru sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just how things are.¡± Renkai absorbed the sights around him. The harmony between shinobi and family was unlike anything he had experienced in the orphanage or the Academy. He noticed younger children mimicking the katas of their elders, their small hands clenched into fists as they copied the movements with bright-eyed determination. An older shinobi, likely a retired warrior, corrected their stances with a patient but firm hand. Even in their downtime, the Sarutobi never stopped training. His mind processed everything, comparing it to his own experiences. The contrast was stark. For the Sarutobi, being strong wasn¡¯t a personal ambition¡ªit was an expectation. And Shigeru had grown up in this. No wonder he was so disciplined. Rika stretched her arms behind her head, glancing around. ¡°So, where are we going?¡± Shigeru led them toward the heart of the compound, where a wide training field sat surrounded by tall wooden fences. Several Sarutobi were already there, engaged in close-combat drills. A few paused as they saw the newcomers¡ªespecially Renkai. He could feel the weight of their curiosity. An outsider in their domain. The walk ended with them in a predictable destination. Standing in one of the Sarutobi clan¡¯s training fields. A few elders stood in the shadows of a nearby pavilion, speaking in hushed voices. Renkai didn¡¯t need to hear them to know they were watching him. And among them¡­ Was the Third Hokage himself. Hiruzen Sarutobi. Renkai hadn¡¯t noticed him at first. He was dressed in his usual robes, standing near the back, barely speaking. But his presence alone sent a ripple through the gathering crowd. One of the younger Sarutobi members whispered in confusion. "Why is the Hokage here? He never watches training spars." An elder replied, voice low. "The Hokage only observes those who could become¡­ important." That sent a chill down Renkai¡¯s spine. He had never spoken to Hiruzen directly. The man was the leader of Konoha, a legend¡ªsomeone who rarely involved himself in something as trivial as an Academy student¡¯s training. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Why was he here now? Rika, standing beside him, caught onto the tension immediately¡ªbut, as usual, covered it with humor. "Well, this just got interesting," she whispered, grinning. "You think he¡¯s here to recruit me? Maybe he¡¯s finally realized I¡¯m the strongest shinobi in Konoha." Shigeru ignored her, his usual serious expression even more intense than usual. Renkai had expected some stares when they arrived at the Sarutobi compound, but he didn¡¯t expect the open hostility. Whispers trailed behind him as they walked through the training fields, Sarutobi clan members pausing mid-drill to glance at him. Some were curious. Some were neutral. And some¡ª "Weren''t you the one who lost to that Academy orphan?" ¡ªwere just waiting for a reason to start trouble. Shigeru stiffened. Renkai¡¯s lips barely twitched, suppressing the smirk threatening to surface. The voice came from a teenage Sarutobi, older than them, standing near a sparring ring with his arms crossed. His expression was smug, eyes flicking between Shigeru and Renkai with obvious amusement. "You know, Shigeru," the teen continued, smirking, "I thought you were supposed to be talented. But from what I heard, that fight wasn¡¯t even close." A few younger Sarutobi laughed. Shigeru¡¯s fists clenched. Rika, standing beside them, grinned. "Ooooh, this is getting good." Shigeru exhaled through his nose, forcing himself to stay calm. "It wasn¡¯t a real fight," he muttered. "It was a spar." The older Sarutobi scoffed. "A spar you lost." Shigeru said nothing. His posture remained firm, but Renkai could feel the tension rolling off him. The taunt didn¡¯t affect him. But it affected Shigeru. And that was enough. Renkai tilted his head slightly, amusement creeping into his voice. "If you¡¯re so interested in how I fight," he said, voice smooth, "why don¡¯t you try your luck?" The words cut through the field like a blade. The older Sarutobi¡¯s eyes flicked to him, narrowing. Rika gasped dramatically. "Ohhh, he¡¯s challenging you now." The teen¡¯s smirk returned, but this time, there was something sharper behind it. "You think you can take me?" Renkai shrugged. "Didn¡¯t say that." He met the older boy¡¯s gaze, unbothered. "Just curious if you can do better than Shigeru." A dangerous flash crossed the Sarutobi¡¯s eyes. "Fine," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got." From the far end of the pavilion, unseen by most¡ªHiruzen Sarutobi watched. The two stepped into the training circle. The other Sarutobi gathered, interest growing. It wasn¡¯t every day that an outsider fought one of their own in their own compound. Renkai and Sarutobi Akira faced each other. The gathered Sarutobi clan members murmured among themselves, intrigued by the challenge. Unlike Shigeru, Akira was older, more experienced¡ªa full-fledged Sarutobi with years of training behind him. Akira smirked. "Let¡¯s dance." Renkai didn¡¯t move. He let Akira make the first move. Akira rushed forward, fast¡ªmuch faster than Shigeru had been. His footwork was crisp, precise. A disciplined fighter. Renkai barely had time to react before a feint came first¡ªa low kick that never landed. Akira¡¯s real attack came from above, a downward strike aimed at Renkai¡¯s collarbone. Renkai twisted, letting the punch pass over his shoulder. His fingers flicked. A kunai shot forward. Akira saw it. His hand whipped out and caught the kunai mid-air. His grin widened. "Predictable." But then¡ªhis arm yanked forward. The kunai was attached to a chakra thread. Renkai pulled. Akira¡¯s balance wavered for an instant, his body jerked slightly forward. But unlike Shigeru, Akira reacted instantly. He let go of the kunai mid-pull and twisted in the air, his legs whipping around as he used the momentum to launch a spinning kick. Renkai barely ducked in time. The force of the attack sent a gust of wind past his head. Rika whistled from the sidelines. "Okay, this is actually exciting." Shigeru remained silent, eyes sharp, watching every move. Akira landed without breaking momentum and pressed forward, his strikes becoming sharper. More relentless. Each hit was calculated¡ªnot reckless. He was testing Renkai¡¯s defenses, looking for a pattern. Renkai sidestepped, weaving through the barrage, but he could feel it. Akira was closing the gaps faster and faster. Renkai shifted gears. His hands flicked again¡ªanother kunai shot forward. But this time, it wasn¡¯t alone. A second kunai came from an unexpected angle¡ªlaunched by an unseen chakra thread. Akira twisted his body, avoiding the first kunai¡ªbut the second one nicked his sleeve. His eyes narrowed. He¡¯s adapting, Renkai thought. Akira¡¯s stance changed. His hands blurred through seals. "Fire Release: Ember Palm!" A surge of chakra ignited in his fists. Flames licked at his knuckles. Close-range fire jutsu. Dangerous. Renkai¡¯s muscles tensed. One hit, and he wouldn¡¯t just be bruised¡ªhe¡¯d be burned. Akira pressed forward. His movements tightened, his punches more controlled. He wasn¡¯t just attacking wildly¡ªhe was herding Renkai. He knows I rely on evasion. He¡¯s limiting my space. Renkai needed to set Up a Seal¡ªDuring the Exchange. Renkai knew he needed a distraction to apply a seal mid-fight. Instead of evading outright, he let Akira¡¯s next strike graze him. A minor burn sizzled on his forearm as he redirected the attack, forcing their bodies closer for a split second. And in that split second¡ª His other hand brushed against Akira¡¯s wrist. It was quick. A simple touch. A mere moment. But it was enough. Renkai¡¯s chakra pulsed as he imprinted a chakra restriction seal directly onto Akira¡¯s sleeve. Akira didn¡¯t notice. He was too focused on pressing the attack. Renkai backpedaled¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t retreating. He was leading Akira into a false sense of control. Akira, eager to finish the fight, lunged forward. And Renkai activated the seal. A flicker of chakra¡ª Akira¡¯s movement halted mid-step. His body locked for just a fraction of a second¡ª But that was all Renkai needed. A lightning-infused kunai shot forward. Akira¡¯s eyes widened. He raised his arm at the last second¡ªblocking the kunai with his forearm. But the electric charge still discharged into his muscles. His body seized. And Renkai was already there. A kunai pressed lightly against Akira¡¯s throat. Silence. Then¡ª Akira exhaled sharply. His fists unclenched, the flames around them flickering out. "You can use f¨±injutsu." He wasn¡¯t asking. Renkai nodded. Shigeru finally exhaled, tension fading. Rika smirked. "I knew this would be fun." But the real weight of the fight settled in the silence that followed. Because from the pavilion¡ª Hiruzen Sarutobi had seen everything. He had stood there, unmoving, watching each exchange without a single reaction. And just as quietly as he had arrived¡ªhe turned to leave. But before he disappeared, he spoke¡ªhis voice carrying just enough for Renkai to hear. "Keep sharpening your mind. Power fades. Insight does not." Then he was gone. The Sarutobi elders exchanged looks, murmuring among themselves. Renkai barely paid them any attention. Because he understood what had just happened. Hiruzen Sarutobi had acknowledged him. And that meant the village was starting to take notice. Chapter 13 Renkai sat on the rooftop of a Sarutobi training hall, his back resting against the wooden railing as he watched the sun sink below the horizon. The fight with Akira had been an eye-opener. Not because he had won¡ªbut because he had almost lost. His fingers idly traced the fabric of his wrist wraps, feeling the storage seals inked beneath. He replayed the fight in his mind, analyzing every moment. Akira was stronger than Shigeru. His fire jutsu made him a direct counter to Renkai¡¯s lightning-infused weapons. If that fight had lasted longer, if Renkai hadn¡¯t baited him into the f¨±injutsu trap¡­ he might not have won at all. While his understanding of f¨±injutsu was extremely advanced, it was because it was so similar in structure to the magic in his old life. However, despite his deep knowledge, his f¨±injutsu arsenal was limited¡ªsomething he needed to change. His basics, understanding, and application were leagues ahead of anyone his age or even older, but that meant little if he didn¡¯t expand his options. His reliance on f¨±injutsu had given him the edge, but it wasn¡¯t enough at its current state. He needed more. And that meant pushing his Lightning Release beyond just basic kunai enhancement. A shift in movement caught his attention below. From his vantage point, he could see Sarutobi elders gathered in a shaded pavilion. They murmured among themselves, their expressions thoughtful¡ªsome concerned. They were discussing him. Renkai narrowed his eyes. His instincts told him that this wasn¡¯t just casual observation. This was scrutiny. The village was starting to take notice of him. The thought sent a chill down his spine. He had spent over a year carefully growing stronger without drawing too much attention. He needed Konoha¡¯s resources, its knowledge, and its training opportunities¡ªbut not its control. Now? He could feel the weight of their interest. And it didn¡¯t feel like admiration. Footsteps approached from behind. ¡°You feel it too, don¡¯t you?¡± Renkai didn¡¯t turn. He already knew who it was. Shigeru walked up, arms crossed, looking out over the compound. His expression was unreadable, but his tone was serious. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°The elders,¡± Renkai murmured. Shigeru nodded. ¡°They don¡¯t usually watch fights like that. Not unless they think someone is¡­ worth watching.¡± Renkai remained silent. Shigeru sighed. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what their angle is, but you should be careful. My clan values strength, but it also values loyalty.¡± The unspoken meaning was clear. Renkai wasn¡¯t a Sarutobi. He wasn¡¯t born into a major clan. He was an orphan with dangerous potential. And Konoha didn¡¯t ignore potential¡ªit either claimed it or controlled it. Shigeru hesitated before adding, ¡°I think the Hokage¡¯s watching you too.¡± That made Renkai pause. Hiruzen Sarutobi¡­ the man was elusive. His presence in the training fields earlier hadn¡¯t been casual. He had observed. Listened. Judged. And then he had left. Renkai had no way of knowing what conclusions the Hokage had drawn about him. But he needed to be prepared for whatever came next. The next day, Renkai stood in the Academy training grounds alone. The morning sun cast long shadows as he held a kunai in his hand, its metal cold against his fingers. Lightning Release. Up until now, he had only used it passively¡ªletting the natural electricity in his chakra enhance his weapons. But that wasn¡¯t enough. He needed control. Takeda Genji had admitted that he wasn¡¯t experienced with Lightning techniques, meaning Renkai would have to figure this out on his own. He focused, channeling chakra into the kunai. Sparks flickered along the blade, crackling weakly before fading. Not enough. After a few tries, he was able to stabilize the charge. The metal hummed, the energy buzzing beneath his grip. Then¡ª Crack! The kunai snapped forward, launching out of his grasp faster than usual. It wasn¡¯t much, but the burst of speed was noticeable. Renkai¡¯s mind raced. What if I apply this to my chakra threads? He retrieved another kunai and extended a thin chakra thread to its handle. This time, he pulsed Lightning Release into the thread itself. Snap! The kunai jerked forward unnaturally fast, covering twice the distance in half the time. A grin pulled at his lips. This was the beginning of something useful. But as he continued training, trying different applications¡ªcharging the threads, his hands, even his own body¡ªhe realized something: Lightning was unstable. Unlike chakra threads, which followed precise control, Lightning Release was erratic, volatile, and reactive. Too much, and the kunai flew out of control. Too little, and it barely made a difference. He needed balance. He spent the next few hours adjusting his approach, learning to pulse rather than flood chakra¡ªusing bursts of electricity rather than a continuous charge. By the time the sun began to set, he had made progress. His kunai were faster. His chakra threads carried a slight static charge and his body¡­ He clenched his fist. If I can apply the same concept I used on my threads to my body¡­ then¡ª A faint crackle of energy ran through his muscles. If he could apply this properly, he might be able to speed up his reflexes as well. But that was for another time. For now, he had taken the first step. The next morning at the Academy, an announcement was made. The instructors had planned a practical test¡ªone that would simulate a real mission scenario. ¡°We¡¯ll be splitting you into teams,¡± the proctor explained, ¡°and assigning you a retrieval objective. Your goal is to work together, avoid enemy interference, and secure the target. The enemy¡­ will be us.¡± Some students tensed at that. The proctors weren¡¯t going to hold back. Renkai¡¯s fingers curled slightly. A real challenge. A real test. This was the perfect chance to see how far he had come. And how much further he needed to go. Chapter 14 The Academy training grounds were unusually tense that morning. The instructors stood in a line, arms crossed, surveying the gathered students with unreadable expressions. It was rare for them to all be present at once, which meant today was something different. Renkai stood near the edge of the group, arms crossed, listening. Takeda Genji, their primary instructor, took a step forward. His sharp eyes scanned over the students before he spoke. ¡°As I mentioned yesterday, today will be a real challenge. This is a practical test designed to simulate an actual mission scenario.¡± Some students exchanged glances. Others straightened up, anticipation clear on their faces. Genji continued, his tone steady and firm. ¡°You will be split into three-man teams. Your goal is simple¡ªretrieve a scroll hidden somewhere within the training grounds and return it here.¡± A murmur spread through the students. A retrieval exercise? That sounded straightforward. But Genji smirked slightly, his eyes gleaming. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a catch.¡± He turned, gesturing toward the other instructors standing behind him. ¡°We will be the enemy.¡± Silence. Then, the tension in the air thickened. Renkai¡¯s fingers twitched slightly. This wasn¡¯t just a simple grab-and-run. If the instructors were involved, it meant they¡¯d be facing off against seasoned shinobi. Genji continued. ¡°The scroll is located somewhere deep in the training fields. Your team must retrieve it and return without getting captured. If you lose all three members, you fail. If you take too long, you fail.¡± This was a perfect opportunity. A test against actual shinobi. Genji clapped his hands once. ¡°Alright. The teams have already been assigned. When I call your name, step forward.¡± Renkai listened as teams were formed, waiting for his turn. ¡°¡­Sarutobi Shigeru.¡± Shigeru stepped forward. ¡°¡­Kurogane Rika.¡± Rika grinned and walked up, shooting a glance at Renkai. ¡°¡­And Renkai.¡± Well, of course. Renkai exhaled slowly. This was the exact setup he expected. A balanced team¡ªShigeru for close combat, Rika for speed and unpredictability, and himself for tactics and ranged control. They stood together, facing Genji as he finished calling the other teams. ¡°Alright,¡± Genji said, glancing between them all. ¡°You have five minutes to prepare. After that, the exercise begins.¡± Stolen story; please report. As soon as they were allowed to move, Renkai gathered his teammates away from the crowd. ¡°We need a strategy,¡± he said simply. Shigeru nodded, arms crossed. ¡°Yeah. The instructors aren¡¯t going to go easy on us.¡± Rika stretched, rolling her shoulders. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, genius?¡± Renkai glanced toward the forested training grounds. The scroll could be anywhere, which meant searching blindly was a bad move. ¡°They didn¡¯t tell us where the scroll is,¡± he said, ¡°but we know something more important.¡± Shigeru frowned. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Their objective,¡± Renkai replied. ¡°They don¡¯t just want to test our ability to retrieve an item. They want to test how we handle threats. Which means¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to come after us,¡± Rika finished, eyes glinting with understanding. Renkai nodded. ¡°Exactly. The real test isn¡¯t about finding the scroll. It¡¯s about how well we can work together while being hunted.¡± Shigeru¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°So what do we do?¡± ¡°We assume we¡¯re already being watched,¡± Renkai said. ¡°And we use that to our advantage.¡± He crouched and started drawing a rough map into the dirt with his finger. ¡°The way I see it, there are three priorities. First, we need to figure out where the instructors are positioned. Second, we need to misdirect them. And third, we need a way to retrieve the scroll while minimizing conflict.¡± Rika tapped her chin. ¡°So we need a distraction.¡± Renkai smirked. ¡°And I have just the thing.¡± Before the exercise officially began, Renkai extended thin chakra threads from his fingertips, attaching them to Shigeru and Rika. He didn¡¯t attach them to control his teammates¡ªthat wasn¡¯t the point and he wasn¡¯t that powerful yet. Instead, they would act as a silent signaling system. He informed his teammates about the threads and their purpose. Through these threads, he could Track their general positioning, Sense if they were in combat and send them a subtle pulse as a signal when it was time to regroup. He kept the threads as thin as possible¡ªpractically undetectable unless someone was specifically looking for them. His teammates wouldn¡¯t even feel them. However, there was a limitation. Once combat began, he would have to disengage the threads. Keeping them active while fighting would require too much focus, and he couldn¡¯t afford distractions in battle. Timing was crucial. He had to signal them before he engaged the enemy. Five minutes later, the test officially started. The teams scattered into the training grounds. Some rushed in without hesitation, eager to track down the scroll. Others moved more cautiously, keeping low and avoiding open areas. Renkai, Shigeru, and Rika did neither. Instead, they moved deliberately, not toward the scroll, but deeper into the forest¡ªwhere the instructors were likely hiding. Renkai¡¯s sensory abilities stretched outward, subtle but searching. His range was still limited, but he caught faint flickers of chakra signatures scattered throughout the trees. ¡°They¡¯re already moving,¡± he murmured. Shigeru tensed. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Three nearby. Possibly more.¡± Rika grinned. ¡°Perfect.¡± Renkai wasn¡¯t sure if she understood the severity of the situation or if she just enjoyed the chaos. Either way, they had a plan. Rika took off first. She was the fastest among them, moving through the trees in an erratic pattern. It was intentional¡ªher movement was designed to attract attention. Not long after, a figure flickered into view. One of the instructors. A masked ch¨±nin, moving silently, tracking them. Renkai smirked. Good. As soon as the instructor moved to engage Rika, Shigeru stepped in¡ªdeliberately making himself known. His job wasn¡¯t to fight but to act as an additional target, keeping the enemy focused. And that left Renkai. He slipped away unnoticed. The real goal wasn¡¯t to fight the instructors head-on. It was to lure them into a chase and create an opening. Renkai moved quickly, using the opportunity to track the stronger chakra signatures. If he were the instructors, where would he put the scroll? Then he felt it. A larger presence. He sharpened his focus. Genji. Their lead instructor. He was stationed somewhere ahead¡ªwaiting. Guarding. The scroll was near him. Renkai exhaled. That meant there was no avoiding it. They would have to get past him. Reaching into his sleeve, his fingers brushed against a prepared storage seal. Time to see how far he could push his new Lightning techniques. With a slight twitch of his fingers, he sent a pulse through his chakra threads¡ªsilent but deliberate. It traveled directly to Shigeru and Rika, who had been busy holding off the ch¨±nin. A single, subtle pulse. The signal to regroup as soon as possible. Chapter 15 Renkai moved carefully through the dense underbrush, his breaths controlled as he felt the faint flickers of chakra signatures scattered ahead. One presence stood out from the rest. A powerful, unwavering signature¡ªwaiting. Genji. The scroll had to be nearby. He barely made a sound as he approached the clearing, his senses sharp. No movement. No unnecessary tension in the air. It wasn¡¯t a trap¡ªit was a challenge. Genji wasn¡¯t hiding. He was waiting. Renkai stepped forward. A voice greeted him from the shadows. ¡°You¡¯re fast, I¡¯ll give you that. But do you really think you can take the scroll from me?¡± Renkai didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he moved. A kunai flickered toward Genji¡¯s chest¡ªonly for it to pass through empty air. The moment it left his hand, Genji had already disappeared. A blur of motion, and Renkai twisted sharply, barely ducking as a kunai sliced past his ear. Too fast. A powerful force crashed toward him from behind. He barely managed to sidestep, feeling the wind pressure from Genji¡¯s strike as it smashed into the dirt where he had just stood. This wasn¡¯t an instructor testing a student. This was a shinobi testing another shinobi. Renkai darted backward, flicking another kunai toward Genji¡¯s blind spot, but the Jonin weaved through the attack effortlessly. Even worse¡ªhe was reading him. The moment Renkai adjusted, Genji was already countering. Predictable. A smirk tugged at the instructor¡¯s lips. ¡°Your strategy is solid. But the moment you hesitate¡ª¡± Genji vanished. Renkai felt him before he saw him. Behind him. He barely twisted in time to block the kunai strike with his forearm, but the sheer force sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the dirt. A single exchange and the gap was already clear. Jonin weren¡¯t just stronger. They were in another league entirely. But Renkai wasn¡¯t out of options. He adjusted his grip, chakra surging into his kunai. He wasn¡¯t aiming for a single strike. He needed to disrupt Genji¡¯s rhythm. To force an opening. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. His kunai lashed forward¡ªbut before it made contact, Genji deflected it with ease, barely sparing the movement any attention. A smirk. ¡°Too obvious.¡± But the kunai was connected to a chakra thread. Renkai flicked his fingers. The kunai reversed course mid-air, snapping toward Genji¡¯s exposed side with unnatural speed. It was a perfect setup. And still¡ª Genji dodged. Without turning his head, without even fully looking at the kunai, he twisted his body just enough that the blade barely skimmed past him. His movements weren¡¯t reflexes. They were preemptive. He was reading Renkai¡¯s every move. Renkai¡¯s thoughts raced. His kunai trick was obvious now. His movement patterns were being countered instantly. He needed to shift the battlefield. Lightning flickered along his fingertips. The kunai launched again¡ªbut this time, it accelerated faster than before, infused with his Lightning Release. A sudden burst of speed, enough to break the usual trajectory. Genji¡¯s smirk wavered. The kunai scraped against his sleeve, but Renkai wasn¡¯t done. His fingers twitched subtly, almost imperceptibly. His foot had barely grazed the dirt mid-step. And that was the moment everything changed. The ground beneath Genji pulsed faintly with chakra. A sealing mark. Genji¡¯s expression sharpened instantly, his instincts flaring too late. The moment he moved to dodge, his chakra flow was disrupted¡ªonly for the briefest second, but that second was enough. Renkai was already moving. A final kunai, launched at full speed. Genji twisted, but for the first time, he was too slow. The blade sliced across his face. A clean, sharp cut formed just beneath his cheekbone. The air stilled. Renkai¡¯s breath was controlled, but inside, his mind was racing. The trap had worked. The kunai had landed. He had landed a hit on a Jonin. And then Genji was gone. Renkai barely had time to react before he felt it. A shift in the air. A force against his back. The world blurred for a second, and the next thing he knew, his body was locked in place¡ªGenji¡¯s arm twisted around his throat, his grip pressing just enough to cut off movement, but not enough to choke. A heartbeat passed. The fight was over. Renkai exhaled sharply as Genji released him. The Jonin adjusted his sleeve, running a finger across the shallow cut on his face. He regarded Renkai with something unreadable in his gaze. ¡°Not bad, kid.¡± Renkai said nothing. He had lost. But even in that loss, something had changed. Genji studied him for a long moment before glancing away. ¡°If you keep improving like this¡­¡± His voice was quiet, but not in the way it usually was. There was no amusement in it this time. Just something distant. ¡°You¡¯ll be something the village won¡¯t know how to handle.¡± Renkai caught the slight shift in his expression. A flicker of something almost resentful. Genji had seen too much of what the village did with power. Without another word, the Jonin turned and left. Renkai remained kneeling in the dirt for a moment longer, letting the tension bleed from his muscles. He had lost. But he had left a mark. And from deep within the Hokage¡¯s office, through the cloudy reflection of his crystal ball, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled. His pipe smoldered faintly between his fingers as he watched the battle conclude, eyes sharp with interest. He had observed the fight carefully, his attention lingering not on the speed, nor the lightning techniques¡ªbut on something far more unusual. The seal. It had been applied mid-fight, without manual drawing. No brushes. No ink. A fully pre-applied sealing technique. That wasn¡¯t something an Academy student should have known. That wasn¡¯t something many Chunin could do, let alone a child. And yet, there it was. The faintest grin pulled at Hiruzen¡¯s lips. This boy¡­ He wasn¡¯t a problem. He was a possibility. His hand hovered over the crystal ball, watching as Renkai stood back up, shaking the tension from his limbs. Hiruzen exhaled another puff of smoke. This child¡¯s future is going to be extraordinary. Chapter 16 Renkai sat in the dim glow of a single candle, his back pressed against the cold wooden wall of his tiny apartment. The ink on the scroll before him shimmered faintly under the flickering light, the complex seals drawn across the parchment forming intricate patterns only he could truly appreciate. He exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His fingers ached from hours of precise chakra control exercises. His stomach was empty¡ªagain. The last of his money had gone to ink, parchment, and materials for his f¨±injutsu training. Food was secondary. Sleep? Even less important. He had been improving his application of seals without manually drawing them. He was close to breaking a level that should be far beyond his years. His insight from his past life helped. Back then, spellcasting required an understanding of formulas, of pre-constructed energy structures that could be activated in an instant. If he could translate that logic into f¨±injutsu, he could apply even more complicated seals with a single touch. A sharp knock at the door broke his focus. Renkai exhaled, standing slowly. His joints protested from hours of sitting in the same position. He ignored it. Opening the door, he found Rika standing there, arms crossed, looking unimpressed. ¡°You look like a corpse.¡± Renkai raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that supposed to be a compliment?¡± Rika sighed, stepping inside without waiting for permission. Her eyes flicked around the room, taking in the stacked scrolls, half-used ink pots, and complete lack of any food. ¡°You¡¯ve been skipping meals again, haven¡¯t you?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. That was enough of a confirmation. She walked over to his desk, picked up a kunai, then tapped it against an unfinished seal on the table. ¡°You know, most people train like normal human beings. Eat, sleep, fight. You? You¡¯re trying to rewrite how shinobi even use f¨±injutsu. Maybe don¡¯t starve yourself while you do it.¡± Renkai sat back down, rubbing his temples. ¡°Money doesn¡¯t come out of nowhere. The village stipend isn¡¯t enough.¡± Rika sighed, tossing a small pouch onto his table. ¡°There. Get food.¡± He stared at it. Then at her. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t start with the pride thing. Just take it.¡± He picked up the pouch and weighed it in his hand. Not much, but enough for a few meals. ¡°¡­Fine.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Rika smirked. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, by the way.¡± Renkai ignored her, rolling up a failed f¨±injutsu scroll and setting it aside. The Academy graduation exam was approaching fast. He needed to refine his Lightning Release before then. But more than that¡ªhe had to fix his biggest weakness. For his entire life, magic had been controlled through rigid formulas and structured calculations¡ªevery spell a precise equation. Chakra, however, required instinct, fluidity, and subconscious molding, making the transition feel unnatural and frustrating. His precise, methodical approach worked against techniques that demanded seamless energy flow, leaving him struggling with even the most basic ninjutsu. It had frustrated him endlessly. He had better control over f¨±injutsu than he did over something as simple as a Clone Jutsu. And that was unacceptable. He sighed, standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. Rika blinked. ¡°Go where?¡± ¡°Training ground. I need to work on something.¡± She raised an eyebrow but followed anyway. The training ground was empty this late at night, the moon casting long shadows across the dirt. Renkai stood still for a moment, then raised his hands. ¡°Clone Jutsu.¡± A puff of smoke. Then¡ªfailure. The clone that appeared was transparent, flickering like a half-finished drawing. Rika whistled. ¡°Yikes.¡± Renkai couldn¡¯t adjust to ninjutsu which conflicts with his previous life experience. ¡°Again.¡± He forced himself to weaken his control, spreading his chakra less rigidly. Another puff of smoke. The clone was slightly more stable¡ªbut still wrong. Rika crouched nearby, watching. ¡°Y¡¯know, most people suck at this because their control is bad. You suck because yours is too good.¡± He already knew that. But knowing didn¡¯t make it easier. He exhaled. His Lightning Release training had only made it worse, sharpening his control even more and making these crude, instinct-based jutsu even harder. If he kept failing this, he¡¯d never make it past the exam. So he needed a workaround. There was no subtle technique. No advanced f¨±injutsu trick. No hidden insight from his past life. Just brute force. He inhaled sharply, forcing his chakra into submission¡ªmanually restructuring its shape, guiding it through sheer willpower. It resisted him. He forced it anyway. Smoke puffed. The clone was stable¡ªbut the effort was ridiculous. Renkai hated it. The technique felt sloppy, unnatural, and painfully inefficient. In his old world, spellcasting had been refined to perfection. It was fluid¡ªnot this crude, muscle-memory-dependent mess. And this method wouldn¡¯t work for higher-level jutsu. If something as simple as the Clone Jutsu was this difficult, then what about elemental ninjutsu? He couldn¡¯t afford to rely on brute force forever. But for now, it was all he had. Rika studied him for a moment before laughing. ¡°You finally did it!¡± This was only the beginning. Now that he had found a temporary solution for his issue, it was time to focus back on his Lightning Release. The brute force method was not for him. While he would not use his lightening chakra for ninjutsu, infusing Lightning chakra into his threads might work. Since he wasn¡¯t applying any jutsu, it would simply increase his Lightning chakra concentration. With time, it would become his default. And with his growing chakra reserves, he wasn¡¯t worried. He turned, picking up a kunai. The moment he pulsed chakra into it, the blade vibrated with raw energy. But he needed more than raw power. Renkai threw the kunai that was connected with two chakra threads, then jerked his first chakra thread¡ªsending a forced pulse of Lightning through it. The kunai accelerated mid-air, faster than before. Rika¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡± He wasn¡¯t done yet. He forced even more Lightning chakra through the second chakra thread, then redirected it mid-air with another Lightning pulse. The kunai curved unnaturally, snapping toward a tree behind him and accelerating even further to an incredible speed before smashing through the small trunk. A direct hit. This¡ªthis was what he needed. A fighting style that was his own. Something that would rewrite how fights were fought. He still had a long way to go. But now, he knew exactly how to get there. Chapter 17 Renkai crouched at the edge of the training field, his breath steady, his mind focused. The chill of the early morning bit at his skin, but he ignored it. His body ached from the previous night¡¯s training, his muscles protesting as he moved, but there was no time to rest. The Academy graduation exam was approaching. He had made progress. The crude, brute-force method he had used to stabilize his chakra for the Clone Jutsu had worked¡ªbut only barely. If he had to apply that kind of effort to every jutsu, he would exhaust himself in the middle of a real fight. That was unacceptable. He needed a better solution. Something that fit his strengths instead of forcing him to compensate for his weaknesses. His fingers brushed against the kunai in his holster, feeling the weight of the metal. His lightning-infused kunai and chakra threads had proven effective, but they weren¡¯t enough. His combat style was sharp, efficient¡ªbut not complete. Not yet. Rika arrived first, landing on the branch above him with a soft thud. ¡°You¡¯re at it early,¡± she said, smirking. ¡°You¡¯re gonna burn yourself out.¡± Renkai didn¡¯t look up. ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury of pacing myself.¡± Rika clicked her tongue but didn¡¯t argue. She knew by now that there was no stopping him once he had set his mind on something. A moment later, Shigeru joined them, arms crossed. ¡°You wanted to spar.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. Renkai finally looked up. ¡°Yes.¡± Shigeru frowned slightly. ¡°You¡¯re still working on the Clone Jutsu, aren¡¯t you?¡± Rika grinned. ¡°Oh, it was painful to watch.¡± Renkai ignored her, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ve made progress. But I need to test something.¡± Shigeru¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You mean in a fight.¡± Renkai nodded. Shigeru sighed, rolling his shoulders. ¡°Fine. But don¡¯t complain if you get knocked around.¡± Rika laughed. ¡°Oh, this should be fun.¡± They moved to the center of the training ground. The morning sun had barely risen, casting long shadows through the trees. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Shigeru took his stance, solid and grounded. His taijutsu was sharp¡ªpredictable, but refined. If Renkai let him dictate the pace, he would lose. Rika, on the other hand, stayed light on her feet, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She was waiting, watching. Renkai exhaled slowly. Then, he moved. He flicked his wrist, sending a kunai flying toward Shigeru. A test. Shigeru swatted it aside with practiced ease¡ªbut that was fine. Renkai¡¯s fingers twitched. The kunai jerked back mid-air, the chakra thread pulling it toward Rika instead. She saw it¡ªducked¡ªthen blurred forward. Fast. Renkai pivoted sharply, dodging as her kunai sliced past his ribs. She was already moving again, attacking from a different angle. Shigeru rushed in at the same time, aiming a heavy kick at Renkai¡¯s side. He twisted, barely avoiding the hit. But this was expected. He didn¡¯t need to win the first exchange. He just needed data. He flicked his fingers¡ªsending out a pulse through his chakra threads. Lightning surged. The kunai in the air snapped toward Rika faster than before. She barely dodged, her eyes widening. ¡°Okay, I saw it in training, but it¡¯s really fast when I¡¯m the one being targeted.¡± Shigeru didn¡¯t hesitate. He pressed forward, forcing Renkai back. Renkai adjusted. He pulsed lightning through a second thread, redirecting another kunai mid-air. Shigeru deflected it, but the moment of distraction was enough. Renkai slipped past him, landing lightly a few meters away. This was his moment. His voice was calm, but firm. ¡°Raik¨­ Higi: Senp¨± Kunai.¡± (Lightning Secret Technique: Whirlwind Kunai.) Naming a jutsu helped him visualize its mechanics, control his chakra, and maintain focus under pressure. He activated a seal, summoning multiple kunai into the air. Instead of attaching a thread to each one and controlling them individually, he funneled Lightning Release through a single chakra thread¡ªthen released. The kunai exploded forward at blinding speeds in straight lines. Before the first even reached its target, he had already detached the thread and transferred it to the next kunai, firing it in rapid succession. Shigeru and Rika were caught off guard. Shigeru barely managed to sidestep the first, his expression shifting from focus to alarm as another shot toward him. Rika twisted mid-air, dodging by a hair¡¯s breadth before the third kunai forced her back further. By the sixth, both were on the defensive, unable to close the distance. The speed and frequency of the attack left no openings for a counter. But¡ª Renkai felt it immediately. The strain. Lightning Release was fast, powerful¡ªbut exhausting. Each kunai drained his reserves faster than he expected. By the sixth kunai, his breath was coming in short gasps, sweat dripping from his brow. His fingers trembled slightly from the sheer exertion of maintaining the rapid bursts of chakra. He exhaled sharply, lifting a hand in a wordless signal to halt the spar. Rika landed lightly, shaking her head. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m impressed. That was terrifying.¡± Shigeru exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s an incredible attack, but you¡¯re pushing your limits.¡± Renkai didn¡¯t respond immediately. Because he could feel it. The attack worked. But the cost was high. He needed to refine it. Optimize it. If he burned himself out in a real fight, it wouldn¡¯t matter how fast his kunai were. Rika tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking, aren¡¯t you?¡± He finally spoke. ¡°I need to optimize it.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, no kidding.¡± Shigeru nodded. ¡°Your control is sharp. But it¡¯s not sustainable.¡± Renkai already knew that. He was making progress. But he still had a long way to go. Chapter 18 Renkai sat cross-legged in the quiet of the forest, a half-finished f¨±injutsu scroll spread out before him. The ink was still drying, glistening under the soft light filtering through the trees. His fingers traced over the markings, adjusting, refining. This wasn¡¯t just a simple barrier seal¡ªit was something more. His past life had relied heavily on mana barriers, flexible shields that adapted to attacks, bending and dispersing energy instead of brute-force blocking them. But chakra was different. More fluid, less structured. Traditional barrier f¨±injutsu used fixed boundaries, creating stable but inefficient defenses. If an enemy attacked a specific point, the entire seal had to absorb the impact. I can¡¯t afford that level of inefficiency. He needed something smarter¡ªsomething reactive. A shield that only activated where it was needed, reducing chakra strain. A soft rustle broke his concentration. Rika stood nearby, arms crossed, an eyebrow arched in curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ve been at this for hours. What insane experiment are you cooking up now?¡± Renkai exhaled. ¡°A barrier seal.¡± She whistled. ¡°Ambitious. Never took you for the defensive type.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s not a normal barrier.¡± He didn¡¯t explain further. Instead, he placed his hand over the partially drawn seal, pulsing chakra into it. The ink glowed faintly, the shape of the barrier flickering into existence around him¡ªa translucent, incomplete dome of chakra. It held for two seconds before shattering. Rika tilted her head. ¡°Sooo¡­ failure?¡± Renkai shook his head. ¡°Not exactly. The formula works, but the problem is chakra cost. A full barrier drains too much. It needs to be more selective.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Rika crouched beside him, poking at the scroll. ¡°Selective how?¡± He thought for a moment. Mana barriers adapted to pressure points. Chakra barriers should do the same. Instead of forming a full dome, the barrier should only manifest where an attack was coming from. That way, it wouldn¡¯t waste chakra covering unnecessary areas. He grabbed a fresh scroll and adjusted the seal¡¯s structure, modifying its response time. ¡°Let¡¯s test it,¡± he said, standing up. Rika grinned. ¡°I get to stab you? Thought you¡¯d never ask.¡± She stepped back, twirling a kunai between her fingers. ¡°So, I just throw this at you?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± She didn¡¯t hesitate. The kunai whipped through the air, heading straight for his shoulder. Renkai activated the seal. For a split second, nothing happened¡ªthen, a hexagonal shimmer appeared only where the kunai was about to hit. The moment the weapon made contact, the chakra barrier flared, deflecting it off-course before disappearing. Rika¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°...Okay, that was actually cool.¡± Renkai exhaled, feeling the chakra drain. This time, the barrier had only activated for a fraction of a second, yet it used a small but meaningful amount of energy. It worked. Rika grinned. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see if it holds up against more.¡± She grabbed two kunai this time, throwing them from different angles. The barrier flickered¡ªone panel forming at his side, another in front. Both kunai were deflected cleanly. She laughed. ¡°You just made a freaking reflexive barrier.¡± Renkai nodded, satisfied¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t done yet. A good technique wasn¡¯t just useful in a controlled test. It needed to hold up in real battle. And for that, he needed to push it further. Rika upped the speed of her throws, adding feints, forcing Renkai to activate the shield faster and more efficiently. With each test, he adjusted, refined¡ªreducing the delay, increasing the shield¡¯s adaptability. By the time the sun began setting, he could activate the barrier on instinct, without wasting excess chakra. Rika finally dropped onto the grass, panting slightly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m impressed. You just turned a seal that should take a lot of chakra into something actually usable in combat.¡± Renkai nodded, memories of the glorious mana barriers from his previous life flashing through his mind. More ideas began forming. This wasn¡¯t just a tool for defense. In a fight, this could let him block kunai, redirect strikes, even counter enemy ambushes. For now, it relied on pre-drawn seals, which were limited and consumed a decent amount of chakra, but he¡¯d probably find a workaround at some point. A whole new combat style was opening up. Renkai was rewriting what f¨±injutsu could do. Chapter 19 Renkai sat cross-legged on the worn wooden floor of his dimly lit apartment, a kunai resting in his palm. The blade gleamed under the weak candlelight, but his focus was on the fine etchings along its handle¡ªthe intricate markings of a Trap-Seal Kunai, It was limited in both, range an supply, but it was better than nothing. He didn¡¯t know who he would fight next¡ªbut he refused to be unprepared. In his past life, preparation had meant survival. He had fought against spellcasters who could obliterate entire formations with a single incantation, warriors who could shatter steel with their bare hands, and assassins who could kill before their target even registered their presence. Victory came from understanding the battlefield before stepping onto it. But here, in Konoha¡¯s Academy, he lacked that luxury. There was no scouting ahead, no studying an opponent¡¯s techniques for weeks before a battle. He had to rely on educated guesses, prior experience, and careful countermeasures. That¡¯s what led him to this seal. His fingers traced over the fine lines of f¨±injutsu, ensuring every marking was precise. If this kunai struck an opponent¡ªor even the ground directly below them¡ªthe seal would activate, sending out a sudden burst of chakra that disrupted movement and slowed reaction speed. It wouldn¡¯t last long, but a single moment was all he needed. He twirled the kunai between his fingers, testing the weight. His last fight against Rika had revealed a major weakness¡ªspeed. He could keep up with Shigeru¡¯s power-driven style, but against someone like Rika, who weaved through attacks with effortless agility, he had struggled to land decisive blows. If he faced someone even faster, or someone capable of pure hit-and-run tactics, it would be dangerous. This was his countermeasure. A kunai infused with a binding seal could halt an enemy¡¯s momentum mid-dash, slow down an overwhelming offense, or even create an opening in a fight where none existed. But it wasn¡¯t just for speedsters. If he came across someone stronger than Shigeru, someone capable of blitzing through his defenses, this would level the playing field. He exhaled, setting the kunai aside. His stomach grumbled loudly, but he ignored it. Food could wait. But his body? That was another issue entirely. For all the progress he had made in developing new techniques, his physical condition was still lacking. His chakra reserves were increasing at an alarming rate, but his malnourished body was struggling to keep up. His limbs felt heavier, his movements weren¡¯t as crisp as they should be. He had spent countless nights perfecting f¨±injutsu instead of resting. His training had sharpened his mind¡ªbut at the cost of endurance. He needed to fix that. He rolled his shoulders, shaking off the stiffness. He had been working on barrier seals, trap seals, and new applications of his lightning threads¡ªbut none of it would matter if he collapsed in the middle of a real battle. No more training on an empty stomach. No more sleepless nights. He would eat. He would rest. He would sharpen not just his mind¡ªbut his body as well. He picked up the Trap-Seal Kunai one last time, testing the weight in his hand. Tomorrow, the next round of Academy fights would begin. And when it did¡ªhe would be ready for anyone. A few days passed, bringing with them a series of predictably easy spars¡ªuntil this one. The Academy training grounds buzzed with anticipation. The next round of fights had been announced, and students gathered around, their excited murmurs filling the air. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Renkai stood at the edge of the sparring ring, rolling his shoulders. His opponent was already there, stretching his arms with the casual confidence of someone who knew he was fast. Hamada Itsuki. A taijutsu specialist. Renkai had seen him fight before¡ªsharp movements, relentless pressure, and an aggressive forward momentum that left most opponents struggling to react. He wasn¡¯t the strongest or the smartest, but he didn¡¯t need to be. His speed and precision overwhelmed slower fighters before they could even form a counter. A close-range monster. Renkai exhaled. This was the worst kind of opponent for his style. He needed distance. Control. His f¨±injutsu wasn¡¯t suited for direct melee combat. Then I¡¯ll just have to make sure he never gets close. Takeda Genji, their instructor, raised a hand. ¡°Begin.¡± Itsuki didn¡¯t hesitate. The instant the match started, he exploded forward¡ªhis footwork clean, efficient, and terrifyingly fast. Renkai had barely shifted when Itsuki was already in his space. A jab lashed out¡ªRenkai swayed, dodging by inches. Itsuki followed up with a sweeping kick, forcing Renkai to pivot sharply backward. Too close. Renkai flicked his wrist, launching a kunai mid-dodge. It wasn¡¯t aimed to hit¡ªjust to slow him down. Itsuki twisted mid-air, bypassing the attack entirely¡ªand kept moving forward. No wasted motion. No hesitation. Renkai barely ducked as a fist shot toward his jaw. This isn¡¯t working. He needed control over the pacing. He needed to create space. Threads. Renkai flicked a finger. A near-invisible chakra thread caught the kunai he had thrown earlier. He yanked. The kunai zipped backward toward Itsuki¡¯s blind spot¡ª ¡ªbut Itsuki sensed it. Without even looking, he tilted his head at the last second, letting the kunai graze past his ear. Fast. Too fast. Renkai¡¯s mind sharpened. If he can react to blind attacks, then baiting him won¡¯t work. He needed to trap him. Itsuki¡¯s foot pressed into the ground¡ªhis weight shifted forward. A burst step. He was about to go all in. Renkai¡¯s hand was already moving. He whipped a kunai at the ground between them. Itsuki barely reacted. A normal kunai? Not a threat. He rushed in. And then¡ª The seal activated. A sharp pulse of chakra burst outward from the kunai¡¯s impact point. It wasn¡¯t an explosion, but a disruptive force¡ªone that staggered the movement of anything within its radius. Itsuki¡¯s charge broke. His forward momentum stuttered¡ªhis body slowed for half a second. Half a second was all Renkai needed. His hand flicked¡ªthree kunai shot toward Itsuki, no longer hindered by his relentless speed. Itsuki twisted sharply, deflecting one, dodging another¡ª But the third sliced across his shoulder, leaving a thin red line. A hit. The first solid hit of the match. The watching students murmured in surprise. Itsuki landed, his breath steady, his expression unreadable. Then¡ªhe grinned. ¡°Didn¡¯t see that coming.¡± He rolled his shoulder, testing the minor wound. ¡°You planned that from the start, huh?¡± Renkai didn¡¯t respond. He didn¡¯t need to. Itsuki adjusted his stance. Still aggressive¡ªbut slightly more cautious. Good. The kunai trap had worked. But barely. If Itsuki had reacted even a little faster, he would¡¯ve dodged completely. It¡¯s not enough. The speed gap was still massive. And now that Itsuki knew about the seal, he wouldn¡¯t fall for it again. Renkai exhaled. I have one more shot at this. If he didn¡¯t finish this soon, Itsuki would close the gap. Renkai took a step back. Itsuki narrowed his eyes. ¡°Running?¡± Renkai didn¡¯t answer. Instead¡ªhe lifted both hands. And pulled. The chakra threads attached to his previously thrown kunai all snapped forward at once. Itsuki¡¯s eyes flickered in understanding¡ªbut too late. Four kunai infused with Lightning Release¡ªall controlled by four separate threads¡ªripped toward him from different angles. The death zone. Itsuki reacted instantly. A burst of movement¡ªa blur of sidesteps, ducks, and desperate blocks. The kunai sliced through the air, skimming past his arms, legs, and ribs¡ªeach one barely missing. For the first time, he was forced back. He landed at the edge of the sparring ring, panting slightly. His hands trembled. Renkai¡¯s attack had almost hit. Itsuki grinned, exhaling. ¡°That was really frightening.¡± Renkai didn¡¯t move. His vision blurred slightly. The exhaustion hit all at once. Lightning chakra. Kunai control. Trap-seal activation. All of it had drained him. If the fight continued any longer¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t have enough stamina to keep going. Itsuki straightened. Renkai tensed. But then¡ª Itsuki smirked. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t step out, but if I rush in again, you¡¯ll land another hit.¡± He exhaled. ¡°Yeah, no thanks. Not worth it.¡± Renkai blinked. Itsuki lifted a hand in surrender. Gasps rippled through the crowd. ¡°I give up,¡± Itsuki said casually. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like getting impaled.¡± Silence. Then¡ªTakeda Genji raised a hand. ¡°Winner: Renkai.¡± The murmurs grew louder. Some students stared at Renkai, their expressions unreadable. Takeda Genji, however, simply watched him. As Renkai stepped off the ring, feeling the fatigue settle into his bones, he caught the way his instructor¡¯s gaze lingered. A flicker of something unreadable. Later¡ªwhen the matches ended and students began leaving¡ªthe instructors gathered near the training fields, discussing the results. Genji crossed his arms. ¡°His style is¡­ unconventional.¡± One of the older instructors frowned. ¡°That kunai trap¡­ it wasn¡¯t just about skill. That was real battlefield tactics.¡± Another nodded. ¡°He didn¡¯t just react¡ªhe forced his opponent into a bad position. That¡¯s¡­ not how an Academy student should be fighting.¡± Genji hummed. ¡°It¡¯s advanced for his age. And the barrier f¨±injutsu he developed¡­¡± He trailed off. Renkai wasn¡¯t just another Academy student. He was something else entirely. Chapter 20 Renkai adjusted his grip on the kunai, feeling the familiar weight settle in his palm as he crouched at the edge of the training field. The morning sun filtered through the leaves above, casting dappled shadows across the ground. His breathing was steady, controlled. Every movement felt sharper¡ªhis body finally catching up to the level of his mind. Months of proper meals, real sleep, and relentless training had reshaped him. The malnourished frame he had once carried was gone. His reflexes were quicker, his endurance better. Even his face had lost the sharpness of childhood, taking on a more defined look. Not that he¡¯d bring it up. Especially not with Rika, who had been insufferable about it. Perched on a low branch above him, she grinned down with an infuriatingly smug expression. ¡°You know,¡± she mused, swinging her legs, ¡°if you keep this up, you¡¯re actually gonna be not half-bad looking.¡± Renkai didn¡¯t glance up. ¡°That¡¯s an oddly specific observation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± she continued, ignoring his dry tone. ¡°Couple more centuries, and the girls in the village might start noticing you. Maybe you¡¯ll even get fan letters.¡± He sighed, sealing away a kunai in his wrist storage seal. ¡°That sounds like a waste of paper.¡± Rika burst into laughter, nearly slipping off the branch. ¡°See, this is why you¡¯re hopeless. Not a single romantic bone in your body.¡± Renkai glanced up. ¡°What does that have to do with training?¡± ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± She smirked. ¡°But it¡¯s fun watching you struggle with the concept.¡± He shook his head, but a small part of him was¡­ weirded out by the thought, given his mental age. His mind drifted back to his own self-evaluation. His f¨±injutsu had improved immensely¡ªseals now activated faster, with greater efficiency and impact. His Lightning Release and chakra thread manipulation had become more refined, allowing for mid-air trajectory shifts and increased attack speed. His barrier technique had been modified to reduce chakra waste, deploying only when necessary. Today was the perfect time to test it all. The Academy training grounds hummed with anticipation as the next fight was called. Students gathered around the sparring ring, their hushed murmurs filling the air with excitement. Renkai stood at the edge of the ring, his expression unreadable, rolling his shoulders as he sized up his opponent. Shimura Daichi. A clan heir. Unlike some of the louder, flashier students, Daichi carried himself with measured confidence. He wasn¡¯t an Uchiha or a Hy¨±ga, but his skill set was refined. The Shimura clan specialized in strategic warfare and relentless pressure combat¡ªand Daichi embodied those principles with his near-perfect projectile accuracy and mid-range Fire Release techniques. Renkai knew exactly what kind of fight this was going to be. Daichi exhaled as he stepped forward, rolling his wrists. His expression was calm but sharp. ¡°You¡¯ve been making quite the name for yourself,¡± he said, voice smooth. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s deserved.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Renkai said nothing. He simply raised his hands, fingers lightly brushing the kunai holsters at his sides. From the sidelines, Rika grinned. ¡°I wonder how this will go.¡± Shigeru crossed his arms. ¡°Daichi¡¯s a specialist. If Renkai¡¯s not careful, he¡¯ll get overwhelmed.¡± Rika smirked. ¡°Yeah? And if Daichi¡¯s not careful, he¡¯ll get outplayed.¡± Takeda Genji, their instructor, raised his hand. ¡°Begin.¡± Daichi moved first. His hands flicked, sending three kunai flying in perfect arcs, each one aimed to limit Renkai¡¯s movement. Not a single wasted motion. Renkai dodged, pivoting at the last second¡ªjust as a fourth kunai came from below, bouncing off another kunai in a ricochet trajectory. Ah. That¡¯s how he fights. Daichi didn¡¯t just throw weapons¡ªhe manipulated their paths, using angles, terrain, and timing to overwhelm opponents. But Renkai wasn¡¯t an easy target. Instead of dodging wildly, he stepped into the narrowest opening, avoiding only what was necessary. His fingers twitched¡ªchakra threads snapped to life, latching onto the thrown kunai. A yank. The kunai Daichi had thrown reversed course, whipping back toward him. Daichi tilted his head, barely dodging. ¡°Not bad.¡± His hands blurred. ¡°But not good enough.¡± Fire Release: Ember Scatter! A burst of mid-sized flame projectiles ignited in midair, chasing Renkai like homing missiles. Tracking projectiles? That¡¯s a problem. Instead of trying to outrun them, Renkai reacted¡ªthrowing kunai upward and pulsing lightning chakra through them. The moment his kunai met the flames¡ªthey detonated mid-air, disrupting Daichi¡¯s jutsu. The watching students murmured. ¡°Whoa, did he just¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªuse his own kunai and chakra nature to disarm a Fire Release jutsu?¡± Daichi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his posture shifted slightly. A hint of caution. Perfect. Renkai kept stepping back. Letting Daichi press forward, forcing him to attack again and again. To an outside observer, it looked like he was on the defensive, barely keeping up with Daichi¡¯s relentless assault. Ducking, weaving, deflecting¡ªjust surviving. But that was the point. Every dodge was deliberate. Every movement was calculated. Daichi was too focused on his aggression to notice what was really happening. He was being herded. Step by step, strike by strike¡ªRenkai was dictating the battlefield without Daichi realizing it. Finally, the moment came. Daichi dashed forward, preparing another kunai strike¡ª And his foot landed near one of Renkai¡¯s thrown kunai from earlier. The trap activated instantly. A chakra pulse erupted beneath him¡ªnot an explosion, but a disruption field. His movement faltered for a second. A second was a huge time gap in a fight. Threads snapped taut. Daichi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What¡ª?!¡± He wasn¡¯t just being slowed¡ªhe was surrounded. Four kunai, already placed around the battlefield, suddenly jerked toward him at impossible angles¡ªall controlled by Renkai¡¯s chakra threads. A death zone. Daichi reacted on instinct¡ªtwisting, barely dodging one kunai while blocking another¡ª But the third grazed his leg. The fourth sliced across his forehead, leaving a thin red line. The entire match had turned in an instant. Daichi stumbled back, panting slightly. ¡°¡­You were leading me into that the whole time, weren¡¯t you?¡± Renkai finally spoke. ¡°From the first kunai you threw.¡± Daichi chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Damn. You¡¯re a worthy opponent.¡± But before he could fully regain his footing¡ª Renkai moved. In an instant, he shot forward, faster than ever before. A flick of his wrist¡ªmultiple kunai launched into the air. Daichi reacted immediately, dodging the first wave with great effort¡ªonly to be met with the second wave. Before he could process it¡ª Renkai was already behind him. A sharp push to the back¡ªa f¨±injutsu seal imprinted onto his skin. Chakra disruption. The kunai suspended mid-air¡ª Inches from every major critical point on Daichi¡¯s body. Silence. Takeda Genji raised a hand. ¡°Winner: Renkai.¡± Renkai stepped out of the ring with a confident smile on his face. From the sidelines, Rika leaned forward, grinning. ¡°Well, well. As always, you really are a pain in the ass to fight.¡± Shigeru exhaled. ¡°He didn¡¯t just win. He controlled the entire fight.¡± Rika nudged him. ¡°Told you.¡± Daichi walked over, shaking out his wrist. ¡°You ever fight fair?¡± Renkai glanced at him. ¡°Do shinobi ever do?¡± Daichi snorted. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± For all his bravado, he didn¡¯t seem bitter. If anything, he looked¡­ intrigued.