Chakra Is Matter? What's the Use of That?

Tomorrow was the first day off from the Konoha Ninja Academy, and the students in class seemed a little restless.

Sasuke Uchiha noticed that his fellow clan member, Uchiha Hui, had already packed up his things before class was even over. He couldn't help finding it strange.

Though they'd only been at the academy for a few days, he'd already gotten to know his classmate and fellow clan member a little.

Iruka-sensei had covered theories his older brother had taught him long ago, but Uchiha Hui listened with particular attentiveness.

Thinking of the rumors going around the clan, Sasuke understood Hui's diligence. But this was the first time Sasuke had seen him act like this.

After class, Sasuke saw Hui slinging on his schoolbag and getting ready to head home. He asked,

"Hui, why are you in such a hurry today?"

Without even turning around, Hui replied, "Sorry, Sasuke—er, Sasuke. My father's going to teach me ninjutsu today, so I have to go."

Before he could finish speaking, Hui had vanished from in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke stared in astonishment. Then an image of his father flashed through his mind. Maybe I'll just go home and find my brother. I want to learn ninjutsu too! Sasuke thought.

As soon as Hui got home, he hurried to find his father.

"Father, you promised you'd teach me ninjutsu today. I want to learn Fire Release—"

"Don't rush. Let's eat while we talk." Seeing Hui in such a hurry, Chuanhe beckoned him to sit down and eat first.

"Hui, since you want to learn ninjutsu, do you know what chakra is?"

Hui looked puzzled and gave the answer he'd learned at school.

"Chakra is formed by mixing physical energy and spiritual energy in a one-to-one ratio."

"Does that mean chakra is energy? Energy plus energy equals energy. That's the logic, right?" Chuanhe countered.

Hui stammered, unable to answer. Seeing him like that, Chuanhe smiled faintly.

"So, is chakra matter or energy?"

"Calm down first. Think it over carefully, then answer me."

Hui slowly calmed his flustered mind and recalled the techniques his father had taught him before—the methods his father called test-taking strategies.

"Chakra is matter. But, Father, what's the use of that? I want to learn ninjutsu! Not this theory I've been studying for ages." Hui spoke slowly, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction.

"How did you reach that conclusion?" Chuanhe asked.

"Father, the way you asked that question was obviously telling me chakra is matter. But what's the use of that? Theory, theory—I've studied theory for so long, and all I can do now is the Fire Ball Technique I figured out on my own. And those obscure Sealing Techniques you taught me are basically useless in actual combat." Hui was gradually losing control of his emotions.

Was his long-awaited ninjutsu lesson going to turn out like this after all?

"I want to become a ninja—a powerful ninja. I want to protect my teammates, protect the village, protect... protect... you, Father!" Hui was getting worked up and blurted out what was in his heart.

"Is this because of those rumors going around the clan? Hui, you don't need to pay them any mind. I don't care about—"

"But I do! If I get strong enough, they won't dare say those things anymore." Hui cut him off.

"I understand how you feel. Everything takes time, step by step. If the kind of strength you're after is like that game you used to like—where you treated your character like a trash can, throwing out skills to smash your opponent—then you can just pretend I never asked you that question." Chuanhe fell silent, then looked at Hui and spoke calmly.

"Sorry, Father. I... I shouldn't have..." Hui tried to suppress his emotions, looking embarrassed.

"Hui, I'm proud that you feel this way. A ninja's strength doesn't come just from powerful techniques. Whether chakra is matter or energy is an important question, but the process of thinking about it matters even more."

"So I won't explain why chakra is matter just yet. Take that conclusion with you and use it to study the ninjutsu I'm about to teach you."

Hui calmed down and looked at his father again. Before he could ask why his father had said "study," Chuanhe set down his empty bowl and stood up.

"You're so eager to learn ninjutsu, so I'll teach you one technique first."

Hui watched as his father swiftly formed Hand Seals. Water welled up in his hand and formed a mirror. A person identical to Hui stepped out of it.

"This technique is called the Water Mirror Technique. It can create an opponent with the same strength. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu—even techniques I don't know—the copy can use them all."

When Hui saw someone identical to himself step out of the mirror, he shivered all over. Then an unprecedented surge of excitement overwhelmed that feeling.

At last, at last he could put an end to this endless theoretical study. Though Hui didn't even know what "theory" meant, the moment he saw the technique, he felt his hard work had finally paid off.

Setting down his bowl, Hui imitated the Hand Seals his father had just formed. His hands moved almost as quickly as Chuanhe's.

"Father, look! I don't need to learn the Hand Seals anymore. What comes after that? How should I practice?"

"I've taught you everything I can. The rest is up to you to develop yourself," Chuanhe said unhurriedly.

Hui's hands froze mid-seal. He slowly lowered them. Just as he was about to ask what his father meant, Chuanhe spoke.

"The ninjutsu and theory you've learned are enough for you to develop this technique. You've finished eating, right? I need to get back to work. I'll be waiting for good news tomorrow morning."

With that, Chuanhe cleared the bowls and chopsticks from the table, put them in the kitchen, and headed straight to his study. Hui was left standing there in bewilderment.

Me? Develop the Water Mirror Technique? In one night? Is he serious? And, damn it, Father, you haven't taught me a single Water Release technique!

Hui walked mechanically into the kitchen, turned on the faucet, and started washing the dishes. Countless thoughts whirled through his mind. Looking at the water in front of him, he found himself filling a bowl. His father had once said,

"There's no substance in this world that water can't dissolve."

Chakra was matter, which meant water could dissolve chakra?

Holding the bowl of water, Hui eagerly began to experiment. He kept pouring his chakra into it until he'd poured all the chakra he'd refined so far into the oily water before him.

Closing his eyes and dipping a finger into the water, Hui began to sense it carefully.

There! It was there! His chakra really was in the water. Though it was gone almost immediately, and soon even he couldn't sense it anymore.

So that's what the water in the Water Mirror Technique is for? Chakra is matter. Maybe that really is a little useful. Hui thought.

But what came next? Water could dissolve chakra, but that didn't seem to offer any real progress toward developing the technique.

Hui began recalling all the techniques he knew. His father had said that the ninjutsu and theory he'd learned were enough to develop this one. Since his father had said so, and the technique was right within reach, Hui had no reason to give up.

Fire Ball Technique, Sealing Technique, Substitution Technique, Transformation Technique, Clone Technique. Wait, Clone Technique?