First Encounter with Haku

While Kakashi taught the three kids how to climb trees to improve their Chakra control, Jimo also began training on his own.

Kakashi judged that Jimo's Chakra control had already surpassed his own. After all, Kakashi certainly couldn't precisely control a Chakra Jade from such a distance and use it to shatter Zabuza's Water Dragon.

Besides, Jimo had learned how to climb trees long ago.

"Big Brother Jimo, could you teach me how to get stronger?" Tazuna's grandson mustered his courage and went to find Jimo.

Earlier, they'd had an unpleasant clash while Kakashi was taking a break. But after seeing Jimo make short work of the dozen or so men Gato had sent, Inari had changed his opinion of them.

Or rather, he'd changed his opinion of Jimo alone.

"You're still too young. If you start training too early, you won't grow tall, Inari." Jimo ruffled Inari's hair. Unlike the dead-fish-eyed kid in the original story, Inari had plump, soft cheeks.

He was clearly being well cared for by Tazuna and Tsunami.

Jimo took out a few coins and asked Inari to buy food for lunch. Then he headed to a spot beneath a waterfall.

"There's no Gravity Chamber in this world, and I can't find enough weights to make a Turtle Shell like Master Roshi's." Jimo watched the waterfall plunge down from above, took off his clothes, and dove in.

By now, he'd developed the Kamehameha—Little Goku's self-taught version—into the Kamehameha: Beginner Version all on his own.

He'd also developed the Afterimage Fist into the Double Afterimage Fist.

But it wasn't enough. Not nearly enough. Judging by his fight with Zabuza's clone, Jimo's strength was considerable, but it was still only somewhat greater than that of an ordinary adult.

Jimo trained his body under the pounding current. Even Sakura, who brought him lunch, called him a "freak."

"This kid's Taijutsu talent... He ought to go train with Gai." Kakashi sat in a tree, watching Jimo in the distance while teaching the three kids.

Jimo trained all day, but still felt he wasn't progressing fast enough. So he told everyone he wouldn't return to Tazuna's house and would camp there instead.

Kakashi could tell that Jimo's Chakra reserves had increased at a terrifying rate during this period of training.

He told Jimo not to push his potential too hard, then had Naruto and the others bring him a tent and sleeping bag before leading the team back.

An ordinary Chunin would have a hard time posing a threat to Jimo.

The next morning, Jimo hadn't yet recovered from the previous day's exhaustion.

Then he heard rustling outside his tent.

He opened it and saw a woman with long, waterfall-like hair crouching nearby, gathering herbs.

The woman turned and saw Jimo waking up. She froze for a moment.

"Hey, morning!" Jimo rubbed his eyes and put on the clothes he'd left to dry by the campfire overnight.

"Why are you sleeping here? Aren't you afraid of the wild animals?" The woman smiled gently, as though her smile could melt ice.

"Nope! The wild animals here are all my friends..." Jimo clapped his hands, and two gray wolves bounded out of the forest.

"Big Gray, Second Gray, did you catch anything?"

The two wolves wagged their tails as if they understood him.

"No? Then come have breakfast with me!"

Jimo went to the river and sent a Chakra Jade exploding into the water, sending plenty of fish flying onto the bank.

"Why does this system keep unlocking skills that seem so useless..." Jimo muttered.

After he perfected the Kamehameha, System Bro had given him a reward package. In the end, out of a pile of useless skills and items, he'd chosen "Chopper's Translation."

So last night, before going to sleep, he'd rounded up every animal in the forest, from black bears to rabbits.

Jimo skewered the fish on sticks and set them beside the campfire to roast. Meanwhile, he started washing up nearby.

"What brings you here, big sister? Not many people come around here."

"I came to gather herbs!" the woman said, showing Jimo the herbs in her basket.

"That must be hard work..."

"You too. You're up so early to train."

Jimo created several Shadow Clones to help her gather herbs. The woman stared in amazement.

After a while, she thanked him and hurried away.

Deep in the forest, at Zabuza's hideout

"You saw that kid?" Zabuza lay on the bed, waiting for Haku to apply medicine to his wounds.

"I did. He's an interesting little fellow."

"Do you think you can hold him off?" Zabuza turned to ask.

"I... I'll do my best..." Remembering Jimo's terrifying Chakra reserves and how he could move freely under the waterfall's pounding current, Haku could only answer that way.

"I see... So he's gotten even stronger in that time... The Genin of Konoha are all monsters..."

Because of Jimo's involvement, Zabuza's injuries were much worse than they'd been originally. Kakashi, on the other hand, completed his rehabilitation sooner than expected.

After seeing Jimo use the waterfall's pressure to train his body and make a qualitative leap in his Chakra reserves, Kakashi joined in too.

"Jimo, do you... always train like this..." Kakashi sat cross-legged beneath the waterfall, struggling to refine his Chakra. He found that training this way really did make his Chakra reserves grow, little by little.

At the same time, Jimo's freakishness had completely changed Kakashi's understanding of him... This kid was just like Gai... A complete physical freak... No, he was even more extreme than Gai.

Naruto and Sasuke were curious about this way of training and joined in, but the moment they stepped under the waterfall, its powerful current pinned them against the rocks, leaving them barely able to breathe.

If Kakashi and Jimo hadn't noticed in time, they might have become the first ninjas ever killed by a waterfall.

Watching everyone, Inari's opinion of them had long since changed.

Jimo hadn't taught Inari any ninjutsu, but he had taught him the Turtle Hermit Fist.

"Remember, what I've taught you is only the basics! Exercise well, study well, play well, eat well, and rest well! That's my creed! Live a full and satisfying life! Your strength is meant to protect the things you cherish, not to commit violence or oppress others!"

Jimo passed the creed of the Turtle Hermit School on to Inari and helped him successfully find his sense of Ki.

The rest of his training would depend on his own determination.

For the next few days, Jimo did exactly as he'd said and stopped training. He spent his days playing with Inari and teaching him the basics, helping Uncle Tazuna at the construction site, or accompanying Lady Tsunami on shopping trips.

In short, he never went into the forest to train again.