Treading Water

"All right, all right, let's stop talking about this and get back to training!" Uzumaki Chenhao said as he returned to the small river and set the buns on a rock.

"Let's practice treading water first. We'll need this badly later on anyway. If I don't learn it now and end up in a battle on water later, I'll be in trouble!" After saying that, Uzumaki Chenhao was already eager to give it a try.

Uzumaki Chenhao tightly closed his eyes and tried to concentrate Chakra at the centers of his soles. Once he felt that enough Chakra had gathered, he cautiously placed one foot on the surface of the river.

At that moment, Uzumaki Chenhao had firmly placed one foot on the water. After sensing that it could support him, he slowly set his other foot onto the river's surface as well.

Uzumaki Chenhao was now certain that he was standing on the river. Just as he was about to open his eyes—

Splash!

Caught off guard, Uzumaki Chenhao's entire body sank into the water. The spray splashed onto his face, making it impossible for him to open his eyes.

Damn, I thought I'd succeed on my first try. Looks like even treading water, a basic skill every ninja has to learn, isn't so easy! Uzumaki Chenhao thought silently as he wiped the water from his face.

Uzumaki Chenhao recalled that Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had also taken a week to gradually master treading water.

To be honest, Uzumaki Chenhao was someone who refused to admit defeat. No matter when it was, he was unwilling to accept failure.

After climbing out of the river, Uzumaki Chenhao began trying again.

Second by second, time passed. By then, Uzumaki Chenhao had practiced treading water for nearly three hours.

"Hahaha, I finally succeeded! Hard work really does pay off!"

After dozens of failures, Uzumaki Chenhao finally managed to stand on the river's surface, steadily concentrating Chakra in the centers of his feet.

"Just as I thought, it feels like my feet are stepping on something solid now. It's much better than when I first tried! I have to say, my Chakra control is pretty impressive. I do have my strengths!" Uzumaki Chenhao was so happy that he ran joyfully across the small river.

When Uzumaki Chenhao had first managed to concentrate Chakra on the soles of his feet, he had taken a few steps on the river's surface. He had still been somewhat unaccustomed to it then and nearly fell into the water. But after more than ten failures, he could now walk and run across the water completely freely.

"This is great! Hard work really does pay off. After more than three hours, I've finally mastered the basic skill of treading water!" As he spoke, Uzumaki Chenhao stepped off the river's surface and sat down on the nearby rock.

"It seems I not only have a cheat, but also superhuman Chakra control. I'm something of a little genius! Still, when it comes to Chakra control, I have to admire the Hyuga Clan. Their clan's Chakra control ranks among the very best in the ninja world!" Uzumaki Chenhao said with a smile as he rested on the rock.

At that moment, Uzumaki Chenhao noticed the buns on the rock—the very ones he had bought when he had first come to the Back Mountain.

"I'm starving. I'll eat two buns first, then eat the remaining two after I finish the rest of my training!" As he spoke, Uzumaki Chenhao picked up the buns, put them into his mouth, and began eating.