Drawbacks

He really did not want too many creditors of favors. The Nara family had been military strategists for generations; no matter who led Konoha, they would make excellent Tool People.

As for Kurenai Yuhi?

Without some golden finger backing him up, he really did not dare entertain thoughts of marrying an older woman. He would not compete with Shikamaru for that job.

"Just the basic introductory knowledge of genjutsu. It would be best if Teacher Shikaku could teach me." Sasuke made his attitude as sincere as possible, intending to keep his eyes on Shikaku for now.

Shikaku nodded. "Shikamaru, I'll explain it to Sasuke. Listen carefully too. Our family's talent for genjutsu may not compare to the Uchiha bloodline limit, but we have some aptitude for learning genjutsu."

The salted-fish Shikamaru's eyes had already started wandering. "Yes."

"Sasuke, have you tested your Chakra nature?"

"With Chakra Test Paper, I tested positive for Lightning Style and Fire Style Chakra natures. Of course, there's also the Uchiha Yin Release Chakra nature."

"Do you understand Yin and Yang nature Chakra as well? Sasuke, how do you understand Yin Release Chakra?"

"Chakra generally refers to the product of spiritual energy and physical energy mixed in equal proportions. My shallow understanding is that Yin Release Chakra should be spiritual energy in a higher proportion, or perhaps entirely pure spiritual energy."

Shikaku continued to question him patiently. "Then how do you understand spiritual energy?"

Sasuke began to hesitate. This was not something covered in the textbooks. "Things like thoughts and willpower?"

Shikaku added, "If that were all, how would you control such intangible things as thoughts and merge them with physical energy? Spiritual energy is, first and foremost, a type of energy. Spiritual is merely a label. That label can be attached anywhere; do not limit it to where you think it belongs."

"Fire can be spiritual. Water can be spiritual. A game of shogi can be spiritual. I can be spiritual, and so can you."

"But the energy within them is the foundation that supports the existence of the spirit."

This was starting to sound like some kind of philosophy...

As for the answer, he had heard one before.

When Shikaku paused, Sasuke tried giving the answer he knew.

"So spiritual energy is me, and I am spiritual energy?"

Shikamaru turned his head to glance at him with a baffled expression.

Shikaku wore the expression of a teacher pleased with a teachable student. "Good. Let's begin the next stage of Nature Transformation training."

Sasuke regretted it. He should not have opened his mouth. If he could do it over again, he would never raise his hand to answer in class.

It was like when a teacher asked, "Do you understand?"

Then one student below the podium recited a standard answer they had found somewhere.

And the teacher happily moved on to the next lesson.

Spiritual energy, my ass. This was practically driving him crazy!

"You're an Uchiha, so you definitely know Fire Style, right? How did you train the Chakra Nature Transformation for Fire Style back then?"

Sasuke recalled for two seconds. "My father demonstrated the Hand Seals once, then told me to circulate Chakra directly and cast the Great Fireball. So I started practicing immediately. At first, I could barely perform it at all. After exhausting my Chakra every day for over a month, I was finally able to release it normally."

"My father said I lacked talent and was nowhere near Itachi Uchiha."

Shikaku rubbed his forehead.

"Well, that teaching method isn't unheard of. Practice makes perfect, after all."

"But your father was still too strict. Learning ninjutsu directly without foundational Chakra Nature Transformation training—being able to release an elemental ninjutsu after just over a month meant your talent was already very good."

Sasuke could only humbly say, "There are still many people better than me."

"But."

Shikaku changed the subject.

"The results of training this way have drawbacks. I wonder if you've noticed them yourself."

"Teacher, you mean?"

"Do you remember what your Chakra was like when you first learned to refine it?"

Shikaku used his shadow to grab a dead leaf.

"Don't use Fire Style Chakra. Just use ordinary Chakra and inject it into the leaf. Give it a try."

Don't use Fire Style Chakra?

Don't use Fire Style, don't...

The leaf caught fire.

It went smoothly. Far too smoothly.

"Although training this way made your Fire Style more natural and fluid, it also became a bad habit. It will create minor obstacles when you learn ninjutsu of other elements."

"Your Uchiha Sharingan can't possibly train only one type of elemental ninjutsu, can it?"

So that was it. That really was it! Teachers were fucking great.

"I've learned a lot. Thank you, Teacher Shikaku."

"I'll first explain the introductory training for spiritual energy. As for your Chakra issue, reinforce your foundation from the beginning afterward. You can stop using Fire Style for a while and force yourself to try ninjutsu of other elements. It's fine even if the casting fails. Use that to disrupt the ingrained memory of Chakra refinement."

"Do you have ninjutsu of other elements?"

Uh, should he say yes or no?

This was clearly one of those moments where answering "no" would earn him a small reward from an NPC.

Although Nara Shikaku was not that old, he was still a shrewd man.

Sasuke's hesitation meant he had some.

The fact that he had not answered directly meant he was embarrassed to lie.

And Shikaku had no intention of teasing a child like some old woman, either.

"I'll teach you a simple Mist Technique. My Chakra doesn't have Water Nature Transformation, so the results aren't very good when I use it. Don't laugh at me."

Water Style: Mist Technique (D-rank Ninjutsu)

Ox - Snake - Ram

"It doesn't matter which meridians you release Chakra from. Just spread it outward according to your intention. Of course, you can also make use of the environment."

As Shikaku formed Hand Seals, wisps of mist drifted up from the snow in the courtyard, instantly creating the effect of dry ice being fanned across a stage.

"Did you learn it?"

Sasuke had kept his Sharingan active while watching. After all, he had not known it would be as simple as just three seals. Still, the Sharingan's ability to observe Chakra flow was useful.

"I learned it."

Sasuke formed Hand Seals...

That wasn't quite right. Again.

The second time, without Shikaku continuing to release it, the surrounding mist still grew somewhat denser.

"Thank you, Teacher Shikaku."

Shikaku looked toward his own son again.

Shikamaru sighed and began forming Hand Seals.

After repeating it five times, mist rose from the teacup beside him and swirled around him once.

He had succeeded.

If he made Dad lose face here, his allowance would probably suffer.

After checking their in-class assignment, Shikaku nodded.

"Now, back to the main topic: introductory training for spiritual energy. Shikamaru, go bring some incense sticks or coil incense."

When Shikamaru returned, he lit a stick of incense, and his expression became calm and focused.

"This training does not require you to mobilize Chakra."

A thin stream of blue smoke began to bend, curling into a ring and no longer rising.

The Sharingan saw no Chakra traces at all. Unlike the Chakra Shikaku had used for the Mist Technique earlier, this was another kind of light, ethereal energy.

"First achieve this much, then we'll proceed to the next stage."

"Sasuke, the Sharingan is naturally convenient, but if you can complete the training without using it, your foundation will be more solid. Understand?"

This was not because Shikaku was worried about him progressing too quickly. If he truly wanted to suppress Sasuke's training progress, he could simply refuse to teach him.

It looked like this was all he would teach today. There had truly been plenty of useful material.

Sasuke stood and bowed in thanks. "I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Shikaku."