A Unique Substitution Technique

After all the commotion at Training Ground No. 9, Yichen was already exhausted. Fortunately, there was nothing unusual going on with the Barrier Team. After returning home, Yichen went to bed early, deciding to leave everything until the next day.

Early the next morning, fully refreshed, Yichen did not go straight into his morning training. Instead, he first refined some Chakra, then began practicing the Substitution Technique with a bucket of water.

Following the planned steps, Yichen first converted the Chakra within his body into Earth Release Chakra, then filled every corner of the water in the bucket with it.

At that moment, Yichen clearly felt that Earth Release Chakra's innate sturdiness had some effect. Having received that feedback, Yichen did not hesitate and immediately performed the Substitution Technique.

In an instant, Yichen appeared beside the bucket. The bucket was now empty, while the water inside had taken on Yichen's appearance and appeared where he had originally stood.

However, unlike the Transformation Jutsu, the Yichen created by the Substitution Technique could not perform many difficult movements. It merely made several terrified expressions, which Yichen had prepared beforehand. The more panicked it looked, the more likely it was to confuse an opponent.

Yichen, who had been swapped to the side of the bucket, raised his hand and threw a Little Stone he had prepared earlier. The stone struck the substitute squarely in the abdomen.

Unlike other substitutes that turned back into wood with a bang after being attacked, Yichen's substitute began collapsing from its abdomen, spreading outward like a cave-in as it turned back into water.

Seeing this, Yichen fell into thought. It seemed this was also a characteristic of this new Substitution Technique, which used Earth Release Chakra together with water as the substitute object.

At that thought, Yichen wanted to give this Substitution Technique a special name. What should he call it?

Water Clone? Would that get confused with Water Clone?

Anyway, it was just his own name for it. It should be fine. Mm, he would call it Water Clone.

After succeeding once, Yichen did not try again. The Chakra in his body was only enough for one more use, and he would still need Chakra for daytime training.

After quickly washing up, Yichen hurried toward the cafeteria. Refining Chakra had taken quite a while just now, and he was about to be late.

The Water Clone was only a minor interlude in his training. With the miraculous effects of Training Ground No. 9 helping him, it had not cost Yichen much time.

Yichen's life became regular again. Every day, he practiced the Three Basic Jutsu, naturally focusing on the Wood Clone and Water Clone, since those were life-saving skills.

There was the same tedious physical training and taijutsu practice as always, along with Barrier Team work, where he passed the time by reading every day.

Yichen had thought this regular life would continue for a long time, at least until his Chakra Amount was enough to cast C-rank Ninjutsu.

Who would have thought that only around two months later, Captain Bunji would come looking for him again? He first tested Yichen's grasp of theoretical knowledge, then asked about the growth of his Chakra Amount.

Perhaps both had barely met the standard, because Bunji handed Yichen's task of guarding the archives room to someone else and brought him to a practice room.

The Barrier Team's practice room did not contain taijutsu equipment such as wooden posts, dummies, or targets. Instead, it was filled with raw materials for making scrolls and Talisman Paper.

The practice room Yichen had come to this time was naturally the one for making scrolls. Although he had never handled the materials inside before, he had learned about all of them in detail from books.

Though he was somewhat curious upon seeing the actual materials for the first time, he did not lose his composure and simply waited for Bunji's arrangements.

There were not many people in the practice room, only four. Two were practicing on their own, while the other two consisted of one teaching and one learning.

Bunji led Yichen over to the two people in the middle of a lesson and pointed to the middle-aged Ninja teaching scroll-making methods. "This senior is Meishe, one of the finest scroll-making masters in our village."

"Senior has been in the Barrier Team for many years. Nearly everyone in our Barrier Team learned scroll-making under his guidance. From now on, you will study under Senior Meishe first."

Yichen hurriedly greeted the middle-aged Ninja. "Greetings, Senior Meishe."

Yichen knew this older Chunin Meishe. He had been among those who had previously asked Yichen to copy books.

At that moment, Meishe had just finished teaching. He nodded at Bunji and said, "Leave him to me."

Having received his answer, Bunji did not linger and left directly.

After Bunji left, Meishe looked at Yichen. "Yichen, right? I didn't expect you to finish the theoretical learning stage so quickly. Just as Bunji said, you're a good child with ambition."

After a pause, Meishe continued, "From the books you copied before, I could see that your hand was very steady. Your Chakra control should be quite good. Here, take this knife and cut this material along this line."

Only then did Yichen realize that the old man had made him copy books for this reason. Ninjas truly could not be judged by ordinary standards.

He could not underestimate these seniors. A casual little action was enough for them to gather the information they wanted.

Putting those thoughts aside, Yichen took the small knife and examined it. To his surprise, it was a special metal knife capable of conducting Chakra.

Yichen's first thought was actually, If I sold this knife and exchanged it for medicinal ingredients, how many days would that cover? Money really had driven him mad.

Yichen cast aside the unrealistic thought, gripped the handle with his right hand, and began channeling Chakra into it.

Although it was his first time handling Chakra Metal, Yichen smoothly attached Chakra to the blade.

Holding the knife, he lightly drew it from top to bottom across the marked sheet of paper. The paper was neatly divided into two halves.

Meishe watched Yichen's smooth sequence of movements, then took the paper Yichen had cut and carefully examined the edge. The longer he looked, the more astonished he became.

The cut was exceptionally smooth and neat. The naked eye could not even detect the slightest unevenness. That was remarkable. When ordinary people drew a line with a ruler, careful inspection would still reveal unevenness.

This was one of the benefits brought by Yichen's powerful soul. He had exceptionally smooth control over his body, something that had already shown itself during his previous physical training.

This was not an ability unique to Yichen. In fact, many clan Ninjas with powerful Yin Release had this talent.

For example, the Uchiha Clan. Their powerful Mental Power allowed them to learn advanced, precise kunai-throwing techniques.

The Hyuga Clan had originally been a clan that inherited the Sage Eye, yet they developed the Gentle Fist taijutsu.

Although Meishe knew a little about Yichen's background, he had not expected his control to be so strong.

Not only was his control over his body strong, but his Chakra control was strong as well.

One had to know that not everyone could immediately learn to use Chakra Metal.

Hadn't the Young Ninja who had been studying under Meishe beside them been so shocked by Yichen's display that his mouth hung open?

Ninjas with strong Chakra control were suited for many professions. Aside from direct combat types like genjutsu, there were also Medical Ninja, Sealing Jutsu, and more.

Naturally, that also included meticulous work like making scrolls and Talisman Paper.

"Good, very good. Yichen, your Chakra control is excellent. You can skip the beginner training directly. Combined with your solid theoretical knowledge, you can move straight on to the third step. Come, let's first learn how to make Blank Scrolls." As he spoke, Meishe led Yichen to a large table Not far away, explaining and demonstrating the method of making Blank Scrolls at the same time.

"Scrolls come in different lengths. In theory, every different type of scroll should have its own exclusive dimensions. But that would be troublesome to produce, so we generally use several standardized sizes."

"However, those standards are not completely fixed. They depend on how large a Blank Scroll the Ninja turning it into a functional scroll needs. If the user is highly capable, a Blank Scroll with the same function can be made smaller for easier carrying."

"Of course, if a scroll has a different purpose and requires a different type of Sealing Jutsu to be inscribed on it, its size will also differ. That is why some uncommon scrolls have specially customized dimensions."

"What we are making now is one of the most common standard sizes. This type of scroll is used to seal items Ninjas carry every day, such as kunai and Ration Pills."

As Yichen listened to the explanation, he carefully watched Meishe's movements. These steps were not actually difficult, and there were not many places where Chakra was needed. Most of the steps could be done by ordinary people as well; they simply could not do them as precisely as Ninjas.

Following Meishe's method, Yichen tried several times. After correcting a few more mistakes under Meishe's guidance, he successfully made a Blank Scroll.

Meishe took Yichen's scroll and inspected it carefully, then examined it in detail with Chakra. "Though there are still some details that could be improved, this scroll can already be considered a finished product. It can be sent on to the next stage, where Sealing Jutsu can be inscribed on it."

After a pause, he added, "However, your handling of many Chakra-related steps is not precise enough, so this scroll will have fewer uses after it is made. Here, examine this scroll and see where it differs from yours."

Yichen took the Blank Scroll Meishe had brought from the side. Using the method Meishe had just used to inspect his own scroll as a reference, he carefully measured the relevant data and used Chakra to examine several key parts of the scroll.

Somewhat puzzled, he said to Meishe, "Senior Meishe, there seem to be differences in several places. The scroll you gave me seems to have a tighter connection between the paper and the wooden handle. But I don't understand why that is."

Meishe was startled by Yichen's response again and sighed. "That's truly impressive. If your age were not right there in front of me, I would hardly believe you were a beginner."

As he spoke, he took the scroll back from Yichen, pointed to the connection between the paper and wooden handle, and began carefully explaining the details.

One explained meticulously while the other listened attentively, and neither noticed the passage of time. The others in the room, however, exchanged looks. They had not expected Yichen, a newcomer, to begin learning material they had not even mastered themselves. They did not even know where to begin complaining.

Time passed quickly. It was only when a Young Ninja in the room reminded them that Meishe and Yichen realized it was already late at night and well past the end of the workday.

Yichen was somewhat excited. He had learned many things today. This was the first time a senior had carefully taught him experience from a Ninja field.

Though it was not combat experience, it was still enough for Yichen to draw inferences from it. He believed that even if Meishe taught him only this once, as long as Yichen spent time digesting what he had learned, it would greatly benefit the growth of his strength in the future.