Ninjutsu Speculation

Gentle Fist...

She had indeed gained an initial grasp of the basics of Gentle Fist.

However, there was still a vast gulf between "learning" and "mastering" it, one she had yet to truly cross.

The difficulty of training was far beyond what most people could imagine.

What's more, applying it in actual combat was another matter. Once she faced a real opponent, the focus she had on the training ground would vanish, leaving her flustered and fumbling.

"Shouldn't we avoid striking the pressure points directly?" Akimichi Denji stepped in at just the right moment to defuse the situation.

Hinata turned a grateful gaze toward Akimichi Denji.

"That's right. That's precisely why the vital organs inside our bodies, soft and lacking the protection of bones, are both the source of our explosive power in battle and our fatal weakness! They're the primary targets of Ninja Tool Throwing and Taijutsu strikes."

He pointed to the area around the kidneys. "Take this spot, for example—the kidneys. They don't just filter blood; under the stress of battle, they also secrete essential hormones that make us react faster, grow stronger, and feel less pain! But if they're ruptured by a powerful blow..."

Iruka's voice suddenly dropped. "Internal bleeding can cause shock and organ failure in a very short time, even... death!"

The teaching pointer moved up, landing precisely on an eyeball. "And then there are the eyes! Vision is how we perceive the battlefield, anticipate attacks, and perform ninjutsu! But the eyes are also extremely fragile. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what happens if you lose them."

Master Sea Iruka's explanation sent ripples through Akimichi Denji's mind, each one growing larger than the last.

He wasn't shaken by the consequences of such injuries. Rather, he was fascinated by the truths they revealed about the human body's potential and limitations.

The human body's strength... had its limits.

Whether it was the explosive power of the muscles, the speed of the nerves' reactions, or the organs' ability to withstand stress, all were bound by biological ceilings.

And yet a bold idea, like a match flaring in the dark, suddenly ignited his thoughts.

But what if... what if I could bypass those natural constraints?

What if I used chakra—or the panel—to intervene, artificially stimulate the body, and precisely promote the secretion of hormones that lay dormant within it?

Could I make adrenaline surge like a volcano whenever it was needed?

Could I make neurotransmitters travel faster than the body's limits allowed?

No, this wasn't just wishful thinking! There were already real examples of this!

A gleam flashed in Denji's eyes. The Taotie Technique!

The essence of this Akimichi Secret Technique was to use chakra to force the stomach's ability to digest and absorb food to superhuman levels!

It was just that its effects were mainly focused on digesting food rather than directly boosting one's explosive power in the moment, so its impact in battle wasn't immediately obvious.

The essence of the Multi-Size Technique was also to use chakra to stimulate muscle cells and gain strength beyond the body's normal limits.

But this crude "enhancement" came with a tremendous chakra cost and a terrifying burden on the body. The price was steep.

Akimichi Denji felt that he had glimpsed something extraordinary.

Once the idea took shape, more supporting examples came flooding in.

The Inuzuka Clan's Beast Mimicry Ninjutsu! Through secret techniques and chakra, it directionally and unnaturally enhanced the olfactory system, creating top-tier sensory ninja.

Even the Sharingan's and the early Byakugan's extraordinary abilities to perceive, copy, and even anticipate—weren't they, at their core, the result of deep chakra-based modification and enhancement?

However, ninjutsu that could directly, efficiently, and safely enhance the body's fundamental organs must have been unimaginably difficult to develop. Each technique was powerful enough to become the core secret art by which a clan secured its place and ensured its legacy! Such techniques were guarded closely and never shared with outsiders.

But...

Akimichi Denji's gaze was drawn, as if by a magnet, toward the interface in the depths of his consciousness, visible only to him.

There, the number of Wish Points glimmered softly.

An unprecedented and tempting possibility exploded in his mind!

I possess world-shaking wisdom!

Secret techniques for enhancing the organs, which others need generations of their clan's efforts to develop...

For me, perhaps all it takes is enough "Wish Points"!

If that's possible, I can take the title of "Ninjutsu Professor" for myself.

At lunchtime, everyone basked in the warm sunlight and the aroma of food.

The four members of Ino-Shika-Cho gathered together.

Hinata ate her lunch in small bites, her cheeks faintly red. Every now and then, she stole a glance toward a certain red-haired figure.

Nearby, Naruto had edged over beside Sasuke.

The classroom was filled with scattered conversation, soft chewing, and the drowsy calm unique to the afternoon.

"Huh?!"

Naruto Uzumaki's startled cry shattered the peace.

"You're going to Denji's house after school, too?" Naruto sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his blue eyes wide as he stared at the impassive Sasuke Uchiha beside him.

Sasuke didn't even raise his eyelids. He gave a cool "Hm" through his nose in reply.

"Is there no food at the Uchiha Clan's house? You're going to mooch a meal at the Akimichi Clan's, too?"

"Idiot, Naruto! It's your house that has no food!" Haruno Sakura instantly flew into a rage. Without a second thought, she slammed a punch into Naruto's head and shouted angrily, "Only someone like you, who has no parents to cook at home, would think about mooching meals every day!"

Clutching the fresh lump on his head, Naruto grimaced in pain and hunched his shoulders in a wounded little curl.

Sasuke's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he shot Sakura a cold glance—he deeply disliked her tactless habit of rubbing salt in people's wounds.

He spoke slowly:

"I'm going this afternoon. My brother asked Denji to let us train together."

"Denji's going to coach you?" Haruno Sakura asked in disbelief.

Naruto nearly leaped up. "How could that be? Isn't Denji a dead last, just like me?"

He seemed to recall something, scratched his head, and muttered under his breath:

"Uh... although last time he did... barely beat you and me..."

A few veins bulged on his forehead. He quietly clenched his fists beneath the desk, feeling that being around these classmates who didn't know how to talk was pure torture.

He ground out an explanation. "It was my brother's idea! Training together is just more efficient!"

The commotion had already drawn everyone else's attention.

Yamanaka Ino sidled up beside Akimichi Denji like a little fox who'd caught the scent of gossip, her lovely eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Is that true?"

Before Akimichi Denji could answer, Akimichi Choji, who had been eating with his head down, swallowed his food and nodded honestly, adding offhandedly:

"Mm, it's true. And the Hyuga Clan head also asked my brother to let Hyuga Hinata train with him."

"Hinata...?" The smile on Ino's face froze instantly, and her voice rose a notch, colored with obvious surprise.

Beside her, Nara Shikamaru groaned inwardly and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Oh, no..."

At that moment, he hated that the Nara Clan had no Escape Jutsu.