After I'd recovered most of my strength, I took a bandage from my ninja pouch, bit it open, and slowly wrapped it around myself. Teacher Orochimaru sat on a rock ahead, silently wiping the Kusanagi Sword.
Once he'd finished cleaning the sword, he finally beckoned me over. His face had turned cheerful again.
"Akatsuki, I've been rather harsh with you. You don't blame me, do you?"
I hesitated, then said, "No. I know you're only doing what's best for me, Sensei. I'm the one who couldn't keep up with your pace. I should work harder."
Sure enough, he nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Akatsuki, do you know what your strengths are?"
Why was he suddenly asking me that?
Thinking back to the fight, I pondered for a moment before answering cautiously, "My... my brains?"
"Besides your intelligence and tactics, your greatest strengths are your chakra and your ability to control it." A smile played at the corner of Orochimaru's mouth as he casually stated what made me special.
"So your strongest point is ninjutsu. All ninjutsu requires chakra, and its power is directly tied to the amount of chakra you have and how you control it."
I listened to him in a daze, then nodded after a long while.
Yes, that was what Fugaku had said, too.
"Then do you know your weaknesses?"
I lowered my head and thought again, counting them off on my fingers. "I'm weak, slow to react, and have poor stamina. Taijutsu is my weak point."
Even though I excelled at ninjutsu, a ninja was always walking the line between life and death. It was your weaknesses that mattered more.
That was why I took my taijutsu training so seriously, going for a morning run day after day, year after year.
But no matter how hard I worked, I still couldn't make up for the gap in my taijutsu.
I thought of Might Guy's back and felt a little helpless.
Sometimes, hard work was a talent, too.
"Good answer."
Orochimaru nodded, then suddenly drew the Kusanagi Sword. Cool, gusting Wind Release chakra flowed steadily toward its blade.
"Akatsuki, watch closely."
When the chakra gathered to a certain point on the blade and green waves of energy appeared, he lightly swung his arm. A blade of wind shot from the Kusanagi Sword and slashed into the thick earth with a clang, leaving a deep mark!
"This is Wind Release chakra changing in nature. It's sharp and light, and can coat a blade. With enough chakra, this sword could cut through anything."
I stared at him, not understanding what he meant.
"Still don't understand?"
He leaned closer and whispered gently in my ear.
"An ordinary sword becomes a weapon that can pierce anything when coated in chakra. What about a person?"
My mind went blank for a moment. I felt as if I'd almost grasped something.
"Akatsuki, your strength is chakra, and your weakness is taijutsu. What do you think would happen if you combined chakra with taijutsu?"
His words hit me like a revelation. I snapped to attention and stared at Orochimaru in disbelief.
Orochimaru didn't elaborate. He only smiled and handed me a piece of paper. "This is Chakra Paper. It can test your chakra nature."
"I need to know your chakra nature before I can guide you properly."
I stared blankly at the Chakra Paper that had appeared in the original story, trying to remember. After a long while, I suddenly realized I didn't think I'd ever taken this test as a child.
I'd never tested my chakra nature.
Then why did everyone in the Uchiha Clan know what it was?
I sensed something odd flicker past, too quickly to catch, leaving behind only a faint shadow.
"Now, put your chakra into it."
Though I already knew the result, I was still curious. I looked up, took the paper, and slowly fed chakra into it.
As the chakra flowed in, the paper first crumpled tightly. Then one half burst into flames, while the other tore into shreds. Orochimaru silently watched beside me. Only after the paper had completely vanished did he narrow his eyes and say, "The first nature to manifest is your primary nature—the one you use most naturally."
"I didn't expect your primary nature to be Lightning Release rather than Fire, Akatsuki."
"What?"
His words surprised me, too.
Born into the Uchiha Clan, I'd instinctively assumed my Fire Release would be stronger than my Lightning Release. No one in the clan had even let me try Lightning Release, so I'd always treated Fire Release as my primary weapon.
But my primary nature...
"Was it really Lightning Release?"
I was shocked, but a thrill surged through me!
Damn, Lightning Release! What a cool nature!
"Lightning, Fire, Wind, in that order," Orochimaru said. "Those are your three natures. Fire and Wind are tied for second."
"Most ordinary ninjas only have one nature. Elite Chunins and Jonin can learn two or more. Those born with multiple natures usually benefit from a Kekkei Genkai. That's thanks to your Uchiha bloodline."
"So that's how it works..." I asked curiously, "Sensei, how many do you have?"
"I'll tell you later."
Tch. If you don't want to say, just say so!
"Your primary nature is Lightning, and Lightning Release is the most aggressive and destructive of all the natures. It's suited to mid- and close-range ninjutsu. But it's difficult to control, and it consumes a great deal of chakra." He suddenly gave me a mocking look. "But you haven't learned any Lightning Release Ninjutsu yet, have you?"
"No, Sensei."
He was right. Lightning Release Ninjutsu was too dangerous, and Konoha was in the Land of Fire, where Lightning Release was very rare. No one at school or in the clan had taught me any Lightning Release Ninjutsu, let alone how to learn it on my own.
After all, there weren't many ninjas who were skilled in Lightning Release.
But what did Lightning Release Ninjutsu have to do with taijutsu training?
"Lightning Release Ninjutsu has one thing in common. When you use it, it can increase the body's activity." Orochimaru had clearly guessed what I was thinking. "That's why most Lightning Release ninjas are skilled in taijutsu and swordsmanship."
So that was it... That was how it worked!
"We generally call this method of using ninjutsu to enhance taijutsu Nintaijutsu."
"Nin...taijutsu?" I froze.
"Nintaijutsu is the use of chakra to activate the body while performing taijutsu, producing incredible speed and power," Orochimaru explained. "It's what I just told you about combining chakra with taijutsu."
"When you learned to walk on water using chakra, didn't you wonder how such a thin layer of chakra could support your body?"
When it came to textbook knowledge, I quickly raised my hand to answer. "I learned this! Chakra is an extremely powerful form of energy. Its power is proportional to the amount used, so it can support a ninja while running, jumping, climbing cliffs, and doing all sorts of things."
Orochimaru nodded. "That's only the power of chakra applied to the body's surface. Apply it directly to the body, and it can strengthen your physique, vastly break through your physical limits, and take you to a new level."
"That's Nintaijutsu."
"...Break through my physical limits and take me to a new level..." As I understood, my eyes gradually widened.
This technique could strengthen my body!
If I could learn it, maybe taijutsu wouldn't be my weak point anymore!
I could become a taijutsu expert, too!
I excitedly looked up and saw Orochimaru's body blocking the sun. Rings of shadow appeared around his outline, glowing dimly.
Then a hand reached out, carrying an inhuman chill.
"So, are you willing to learn?"
Before you continue