He Was Only Six!

Itachi performed a set of taijutsu he was best at. It was clearly Uchiha-Style Taijutsu, though Konoha-Style Taijutsu also bore traces of Uchiha-Style Taijutsu.

Uchiha-Style Taijutsu had been designed around the clan's characteristics. More precisely, it was meant to prepare them for awakening the Sharingan in the future.

It therefore contained many deceptive movements that, when paired with the Sharingan, could create exceptionally powerful illusionary afterimages.

And the Sharingan was not merely an eye for genjutsu; it was also an eye for ninjutsu. It could swiftly discern ninjutsu, allowing one to learn and replicate it.

Of course, it was not only an eye for ninjutsu. It could also replicate other people's taijutsu forms.

Without question, it was an ocular technique with immense practical utility.

It was precisely because of that immense utility that everything about the Uchiha's development revolved around the Sharingan. As far as taijutsu was concerned, all that mattered was achieving good synergy with the Sharingan.

They had pushed taijutsu's supporting role to the limit.

After all, once one had the Sharingan, there was greater potential in developing ninjutsu. As for maximizing the body's capabilities, what they valued most was Uchiha-Style Kunai Techniques, which complemented Uchiha-Style Taijutsu.

Before awakening the Sharingan, it was the Uchiha's most valued self-defense skill. The Uchiha Clan's research in this area had indeed reached the pinnacle, and this choice was not wrong either. After all, being broad but unfocused was worse than specializing in a single field.

Before awakening the Sharingan, specializing in the Uchiha's peerless kunai techniques gave one sufficient ability to kill enemies and protect oneself. After awakening the Sharingan, one would naturally become more well-rounded.

Sandaime had no intention of criticizing the Uchiha's choice to still, in a sense, undervalue taijutsu.

After all, the Uchiha's chosen path suited the vast majority of less exceptional Uchiha. Nor would it hinder the prospects of outstanding Uchiha.

However, the Uchiha considered those capable of awakening their eyes to be outstanding.

But in Sandaime's view, Itachi's excellence was by no means limited to awakening the Sharingan.

At last, Itachi finished the set of taijutsu he was proficient in.

Sandaime had Itachi come a little closer.

Itachi stepped forward, and Sandaime touched a finger to the center of his forehead.

It looked like an ordinary touch, yet Itachi felt a surging Aura.

"What did you see?"

"A Crane."

Itachi's answer was somewhat dry.

Sandaime nodded and looked at Itachi. "It seems your spiritual energy is innately very powerful."

That fit the traits of a genius from the Uchiha Clan.

"What was that just now?" Itachi asked with great concern.

He could not help but care. He had not sensed any Chakra fluctuations just now.

They had been so close, and the finger had already touched his forehead. He should have felt something.

Yet why had he seen the illusion of an extraordinarily majestic Crane spreading its wings and soaring into the sky?

"That was Fist Intent."

"Fist Intent?"

"It is the manifestation, through martial arts and boxing, of a martial artist's inner pursuit. Only with Fist Intent can one truly bind one's essence, energy, and spirit into a single rope... Put in terms you can understand, it allows you to truly integrate your thoughts, spiritual energy, and life force."

"Then what is Fist Intent?" Itachi asked the crucial question.

Sandaime silently watched Itachi before saying, "You may regard it as your ninja way."

"Ninja way..."

Itachi lowered his head and murmured the words.

Only by having a ninja way could one truly integrate one's thoughts, spiritual energy, and life force?

Then what was my ninja way?

Itachi closed his eyes. Suddenly, he smelled the bloody stench mingled with gunpowder smoke. Before his eyes seemed to appear piles of corpses. Sweat gradually formed on his forehead as he recalled killing, with a single stroke, the person he had saved.

Because that person had tried to kill him.

"Itachi."

Sandaime's call brought him back to his senses.

He raised a hand to wipe away his sweat and looked at the old Sandaime, who was watching him calmly.

"It's nothing. I just..."

Sandaime was holding a smoking pipe that had appeared from who knew where. After taking a puff and exhaling, he said,

"It seems your state of mind is not very stable."

"...I'm sorry."

Thinking he had disappointed Sandaime, Itachi lowered his head in shame.

But Sandaime shook his head.

"Train your body well."

"Train my body? You mean, practice taijutsu diligently?"

"That's right." Sandaime nodded.

He raised a hand and gently stroked Itachi's head. "Your spiritual energy is far stronger than your physical energy. Such strength is not always a good thing. Your mind will become more sensitive. If your body is strong enough, it can better bear your spiritual energy and stabilize your mind."

"...Thank you for your guidance."

Itachi bowed deeply.

He could hear the goodwill in Lord Third's words.

Moreover, he truly had been troubled by his unstable mind.

Those nightmare-like memories kept resurfacing in his mind whenever something stirred his emotions.

When he saw a withered blade of grass, when he watched the sun set, when he saw a bird nearing death...

Lord Third's words had undoubtedly shown him the way.

So it was because his spiritual energy was too powerful.

Then he would follow Lord Third's advice and train his body properly.

Seeing Itachi become somewhat invigorated, Sandaime took another puff from his pipe.

What he had said was not entirely false.

But it also gave Itachi an excuse to convince himself, so that he would have the motivation to escape his inner predicament.

After all, a martial artist needed to uncover the strength within.

In that respect, Itachi was still not qualified. He needed to properly temper his foundations.

"Do you know how to do a Horse Stance?" Sandaime suddenly asked.

"A Horse Stance?"

Itachi was somewhat puzzled, though not by the term Horse Stance itself.

Itachi quickly assumed a Horse Stance.

"..."

This world was complicated. In certain taijutsu techniques, Sandaime had seen some quite familiar moves, clearly derived from National Martial Arts forms.

So the existence of the Horse Stance was not surprising.

But on second thought, Sandaime found it quite normal. After all, he remembered that the world he had come to seemed to be from some Japanese anime.

He also remembered watching Dragon Ball.

The creators of Japanese anime had probably incorporated Chinese elements again.

For example, the meridians through which Chakra circulated—wasn't that exactly the same sort of thing?

So it was perfectly normal for Horse Stances to exist in this world.

Of course.

The understanding of the Horse Stance here was rather Japanese in style.

It was meant to train one's core strength.

Though that understanding was not exactly wrong.

It still fell somewhat short of the Internal Family Boxing approach in National Martial Arts, which excavated one's inner potential.

Watching Itachi focus on his Horse Stance, Sandaime took another puff and began tapping and adjusting Itachi's body as he instructed him.

"This part is wrong. Draw this part in a little. Rise and fall slightly like this. Do you feel a faint tingling here? Keep sensing it carefully. Feel where that numbness is rising from, then focus around that point. You should do this..."

Not long after.

Sandaime stopped giving instructions.

He took another puff from his pipe.

Perfect.

After being guided only once, Itachi had basically grasped the knack. It could not help but remind Sandaime of his own clumsy performance when learning the Horse Stance from his master.

Though Itachi was not yet qualified in terms of a martial artist's heart, his talent was truly beyond reproach!

There was not much to criticize about his heart, either.

After all, he was only six years old!

I'm planning to change the book's title. It should be <Transmigrating into Sandaime: Orochimaru, You Be the Hokage>.

Synopsis: A National Martial Arts grandmaster who failed to achieve Bao Dan transmigrated into the Third Hokage, yet all he wanted was to focus wholeheartedly on martial arts.

It was just after the Nine-Tails' Rampage, and Konoha was a complete mess. He wanted to retire even more, passing the position of village leader on to someone worthy.

He had a disciple named Orochimaru?

You're the one!

He immediately summoned Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru, you will be the Fifth Hokage."

Orochimaru, who had been preparing to flee: "?"