Shikamaru's Training Plan

Make a plan for Shikamaru?

Sasuke was beginning to understand Shikaku's teaching approach.

This was not just about making a plan for Shikamaru. It was also a process of organizing his own thoughts and relearning everything he had never received systematic training in.

Think proactively first, then let the teacher correct any mistakes.

It was a sound teaching method. He did not rank people by seniority; he could probably be named an outstanding teacher at the Academy.

"No problem. Give me a moment to think."

"First, just like before, try using Chakra to directly ignite a leaf."

"Second, steadily use the Tiger hand sign to activate Chakra and produce flames. Practice controlling and sustaining the fire."

"Third, practice Fire Style ninjutsu. Usually, people train the Great Fireball, right?"

"But if this is a plan specifically for Shikamaru, I think he should first practice Tree Climbing and Water Walking. They are basic Chakra control exercises and useful in everyday life. Since it's so cold, practicing how to walk on snow without sinking in would be good."

"Chakra with an elemental nature may indeed be more stimulating, as Shikamaru said, so the early preparations are important. Otherwise, there really is a chance of getting hurt. Oh, and burn medicine should be prepared for Fire Style training."

"Teacher, do you think this works?"

This time, Shikaku finally did not offer further suggestions after agreeing.

"What about the schedule? How long did it take you to learn Tree Climbing and Water Walking?"

"I wasn't only practicing Chakra control at the time, and I was still attending school, so it took quite a while. I trained on and off for over a month before I finished."

"While attending school, that was indeed fast. Shikamaru, how long do you plan to take?"

The pressure shifted to Shikamaru.

"Sasuke, I remember Naruto already knows how to climb walls. Has he learned Water Walking too?"

"Yeah, he has."

"How long did it take him?"

"He trained only when he felt like it, starting at the end of summer. It probably took him over two months to learn."

Shikaku looked meaningfully at Shikamaru. "So? How long do you think it'll take you to complete this training?"

Shikamaru said helplessly, "Probably around a month."

Sasuke was curious. "I never thought you'd have a time when you wanted to compete with someone."

Shikamaru disagreed. "It's not that I want to compete. I'm afraid my mom will find out. She likes comparing me to others. If Naruto really outdoes me, I definitely won't have an easy time."

"Then you'd better work hard. Cherish the time before he graduates and becomes a ninja."

Shikamaru looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Sasuke gave Shikaku a meaningful look. "All I can say is, as expected of an Uzumaki. He has great stamina and lots of Chakra. He's just a little slow in the head. If I had his natural gifts, the Uchiha Clan probably wouldn't be his match."

Thinking back to Naruto's pranks, when he could keep running nonstop through both the morning and afternoon, Shikamaru found it hard not to agree. "At least my written grades won't be worse than his."

Sasuke shared a little more of his Cultivation Insights with Shikamaru. "Once you learn it and look back, it's actually simple. You just need to keep your Chakra under steady control. Oh, and when your Chakra is nearly depleted, don't force yourself to keep climbing higher. It's easy to fall and get hurt."

Shikamaru was curious too. "I'm not the type to force myself to suffer. Have you fallen before?"

Sasuke didn't care about such minor failures. "A few times. Naruto sometimes gets fired up out of nowhere and suddenly trains with all his might, so he falls a lot. We usually practice Tree Climbing by the water, since it's safer to fall into the water if you lose your footing."

Their conversation was about finished, and if he stayed any longer, they would be having dinner soon. Leaving now was just right.

"Then I'll take my leave first. Shikamaru, if you need any help with training, you can come find me anytime. Thank you, Teacher Shikaku, for your guidance today."

Shikaku did not make a fuss about making him stay. "No need to thank me. Same to you—come by whenever you want. Even if it isn't about training, it would be nice to come play with Shikamaru or have a game of shogi with him to relax."

"Oh, could I ask you for a favor?"

"A favor?" Sasuke was puzzled by the unfamiliar wording. It sounded a lot like assigning a mission.

"Please go ahead, Teacher."

"That shredded pastry you gave me on New Year's Eve—I'd like to ask you to make some more. I'll pay you for it."

"Teacher, what are you saying? It's just a snack; how much could it be worth? If you need it, just tell me. But if you want to preserve the original flavor and the quantity is small, it would be best to let me know three or four days in advance. The preparation takes quite a while."

"I understand. Such a novel pastry must have a name, right?"

"Dragon Beard Candy. 'Beard' refers to its threadlike structure, and 'candy' describes its texture. Adding 'dragon' makes it sound impressive."

"The name really does suit it."

"May I ask, Teacher, are you planning to give it as a gift?"

"Why?"

"If it's for a gift, I can decorate it with edible gold powder and use better packaging."

Shikaku did not know much about cooking. "Would it taste better?"

Sasuke shook his head. "There's no difference in taste, but it can make it look much more expensive than before. If you need to ask someone for a favor or something similar, the more elaborate the gift, the better."

Shikamaru said, "You aren't really planning to open a shop and sell pastries someday, like Choji said, are you? You definitely wouldn't lose money."

Sasuke casually came up with an excuse. "After the Uchiha Clan uses the Sharingan, the brain gets very fatigued. Sweets can soothe the nerves, so every household in Sasuke's House makes sweets, and there are plenty with excellent skills. But for us, the money from opening a shop can't compare to how quickly we earn money from missions."

Shikaku laughed. "I understand. If I need more, I'll ask. But not this time. They're just for some old friends in the village. I want to share this newly discovered delicacy with them. It goes quite well with tea."

"You brought two boxes last time. Keep the same amount, but could you divide it into ten boxes?"

Sasuke readily agreed, then showed a hint of difficulty.

"No problem, but please don't promote me too much, Teacher. I really don't plan to sell pastries in the future."

He had long been able to make a third Shadow Clone, but it was only convenient to use for training when he was home on break and not busy with farm work.

Spiritual energy?

A plate of incense was placed before each of the two clones.

They each tried different guesses.

He did not know whether he was supposed to think with his brain or empty his mind, like meditation.

Although the rising blue smoke occasionally stirred, he did not know whether that was caused by his breath.

Helplessly, he added two plastic boards as barriers.

By evening, he still had not found the trick.

It seemed to work, yet it also seemed not to work.

Though he had said he could ask Shikamaru for help, Naruto actually visited quite frequently. There was no reason not to make use of a ready-made Tool Person.

Naruto: "What?"

Sasuke dragged him over, told him to stand still and wait for a moment.

He faced one Shadow Clone of Sasuke while another Sasuke observed both him and the clone with the Sharingan activated.

The Shadow Clone Sasuke opposite him used the Substitution Technique!

The Shadow Clone Sasuke turned into a pillow.

Did Sasuke not know how to use the Substitution Technique? No, that couldn't be right. He was incredibly slippery in class. What was he practicing?