Copying Ninjutsu

Early the next morning, Uchiha Mika didn't continue tutoring Uchiha Cheng. She still had to go to work at the hospital. She'd originally planned to take Uchiha Cheng with her so she could look after him, but she hadn't expected him to stubbornly refuse and insist on training by himself.

Mika had no choice but to leave him some pocket money to buy lunch. Before she left, though, she also gave him a Ninjutsu Scroll and told him to try practicing on his own.

After Mika left, Uchiha Cheng went out alone.

This time, he didn't choose the wooded area he'd visited the day before. Instead, he headed for the Uchiha Clan's Training Ground.

He'd awakened the power of the Sharingan just last night. The Sharingan could perceive, copy, and hypnotize, and it could copy Taijutsu and ninjutsu that didn't rely on kekkei genkai.

People often practiced ninjutsu at the Uchiha Training Ground, so he planned to go there and try copying a few techniques.

The Uchiha Clan's Training Ground was right next to their compound, both located on the outskirts of the village. The grounds were divided into several sections. One was used for the Police Force's daily training and wasn't open to the public. The rest was where ordinary shinobi practiced every day.

Although this was his first time going there, he found the Training Ground with ease.

The Training Ground was very spacious. After all, as one of Konoha's prestigious clans, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't have been given a cramped training area, whether in terms of money or status.

Perhaps because it was during working hours, there weren't many shinobi at the Training Ground—only four or five. They were all young, practicing a few common techniques.

Uchiha Cheng sidled over, took out the sunglasses he'd casually bought on the way, and secretly activated his Sharingan.

Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu. An offensive technique. Not bad—copied.

Water Style: Water Wall. A defensive technique. Not bad—copied that too.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. Not bad. Wind Release is powerful—copied.

Nice kunai-throwing form. That accuracy is impressive. Not bad—copied that too. I'll practice it later.

The Uchiha Clan members were so focused on their training that they never thought to be wary of a three- or four-year-old child.

Once he'd copied enough, Uchiha Cheng walked off to the side and found an empty patch of ground. He prepared to practice the ninjutsu his mother had left him.

He opened the Ninjutsu Scroll and read it carefully.

It was Earth Spear. Uchiha Cheng was a little surprised. He remembered this technique well: in the original story from his previous life, Kakuzu had used it to withstand an Explosive Tag attack. It was one of the very few defensive techniques in Naruto.

Earth Spear hardened the skin for defense or offense. When both hands were hardened, the arms turned black. It was a little like the Armament Haki in One Piece, except that Lightning Style countered it.

For him, defensive techniques were essential. Shinobi were high-attack, low-defense fighters. Defense was far more important than offense.

In terms of strength, Uchiha Madara was powerful enough, right? Yet without Susanoo, he was stabbed to death by Senju Hashirama. In terms of status, Nawaki was high-ranking enough, right? He was a direct descendant of the First, yet an Explosive Tag blew him to pieces. And then there was Nagato. He had the Rinnegan to protect him and the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan, yet an Explosive Tag crippled both his legs, leaving him unable to walk ever again.

If he learned this technique, at least he wouldn't have to worry about getting blown up by an Explosive Tag or riddled with kunai once he went to war.

But this was an Earth Style technique, and he wasn't sure if he had an affinity for Earth. He hadn't tested his chakra nature yet.

Still, he steeled himself and decided to give it a try. It couldn't hurt to learn. In the original story, the entire Allied Shinobi Forces could use Earth Style later on. Why shouldn't he be able to?