Nara Secret Arts

"Teacher Shikaku, I wonder what you intend to teach me?" Yin Xiang asked, looking at Shikaku.

"Teach you? Let's start with chakra control." Shikaku thought for a moment before replying.

"I'm already quite proficient with that." As Yin Xiang spoke, he jumped up and hung upside down from the ceiling.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to be quite so capable." Shikaku smiled upon seeing this.

"Let's just get to the point about why the Third Hokage asked you to mentor me." Yin Xiang dropped from the ceiling and stood before Shikaku.

Shikaku felt a sudden sense of unease. This child... he really is as extraordinary as the Third Hokage said, he thought to himself.

"Just say what you need to say, Teacher Shikaku. I don't like beating around the bush." Yin Xiang continued.

"Very well. The Third Hokage wants me to train you into an excellent advisor so that you can wholeheartedly assist the future Hokage." Shikaku spoke the truth.

"So that's why you brought in someone from the Nara Clan, the clan with the highest IQ in Konoha?" Yin Xiang smiled as he said this, though he thought, They want to control my combat power, develop only my intellect, and rely on my precognition to help the future Hokage? They want to bind me firmly to Konoha. That old man—even if he didn't do this, I have no intention of betraying Konoha.

"Hmm, you are very clever; you certainly have the makings of an advisor." Shikaku nodded in approval.

"I want to learn the Shadow Manipulation Technique," Yin Xiang said, looking directly at Shikaku.

"Huh? You really don't like beating around the bush, do you? That is our Nara Clan's secret technique; how could I possibly pass that on to you?" Shikaku was taken aback. He knew the boy was blunt, but he hadn't expected it to reach this level.

"Don't worry, I would never leak your clan's secret techniques. There's no benefit for me in doing that."

"Asking me for that is like asking the Hyuga Clan for their Byakugan or the Uchiha Clan for their Sharingan. They would never give them to you." Shikaku offered an example. Indeed, obtaining their bloodline limits was an impossibility.

"You want me to protect Konoha, yet you won't teach me anything. What, are you going to transplant your brain into mine?" Yin Xiang curled his lip.

"Haha, that's likely impossible." Shikaku chuckled. "Mentoring you personally is still very beneficial for you. While I cannot teach you the Shadow Manipulation Technique, I can teach you my combat logic, combat methods, and tactical maneuvering."

"What about ninjutsu?"

"Er... aside from my clan's secret arts, there really aren't many other ninjutsu. You should already know simple things like the Three Body Technique." Shikaku felt a bit awkward.

"Eh, alright then." Yin Xiang sighed.

"Don't look so disappointed, hey!" Shikaku shouted at Yin Xiang's reaction. Many people would kill to have him as a teacher, and he wouldn't even consider them!

"If you want me not to be disappointed, then teach me the Shadow Manipulation Technique. Who knows, I might even be able to develop something more profound!"

"Hmm?" Hearing this, Shikaku was stunned again. "That's impossible. Our clan's secret arts have been used for so long without further development; how could you possibly do it?"

"If you don't believe me, so be it. If you won't teach me, I'll just research it myself." Yin Xiang curled his lip again. "But if I manage to develop a more powerful version of the Shadow Manipulation Technique later, don't expect me to teach it to you."

"You're quite confident, aren't you? Fine, let's see what you're capable of. If you truly can research the Shadow Manipulation Technique on your own, I will let you see my clan's secret scroll." Shikaku smiled.

"It's a deal," Yin Xiang said with great confidence.

"Alright, that's it for today. Meet at Training Ground Three tomorrow." After saying this, Shikaku prepared to leave, but he didn't expect Yin Xiang to be faster. With a flash of black light, the boy vanished before his eyes.

"Fly... Flying Thunder God?" Seeing this, Shikaku finally understood just how remarkable the boy before him truly was.

After a moment of shock, Shikaku regained his composure and left the classroom.

Meanwhile, Yin Xiang had used the Flying Thunder God to return home instantly. He did this to send a message to the Third Hokage, letting him know that he was the son of the Fourth Hokage and had inherited Minato's true techniques, proving that there was no need for the Third to be so guarded against him.

Sure enough, when Shikaku arrived at the office and told the Third Hokage about Yin Xiang's Flying Thunder God, the Third was surprised, but a smile appeared on his face.

"It seems you've become Yin Xiang's messenger," the Third laughed.

"Even knowing I would be his messenger, I had to come. This child is exceptional in both strength and intellect... I fear he is perfectly suited to be trained as the successor to the Hokage," Shikaku said, standing before the Third.

"The boy's origins are relatively clear, but we have no way of knowing if the Insoro Clan has any ambitions."

"Yin Xiang fled to Konoha as a newborn and grew up here. He only knows his surname is Insoro and doesn't even know what the Insoro Clan is. How could he have any ambitions?" Since Shikaku was to be Yin Xiang's team leader, the Third had shared his background.

"We know almost nothing about the Insoro Clan. Yin Xiang has shown extraordinary talent since he was young. Just a few days ago, Kakashi told me that Yin Xiang masters Wind and Lightning Ninjutsu just by looking at it. Although the power isn't sufficient yet, this is already unheard of."

"What? He masters it just by looking? How could such a person exist..." Hearing this, Shikaku could not remain calm. He might have... taken on a truly incredible student.

"But... Yin Xiang told me his only dream is to live a peaceful life," Shikaku said after a moment of reflection.

"Forget it, it's too early to say. Yin Xiang is still young; just train him well," the Third said, waving his hand.

"Then, regarding my clan's secret arts..." Shikaku looked at the Third. Although they were clan secrets, if the Third gave the go-ahead, Shikaku would consider teaching them to Yin Xiang.

"No rush. Let's see how Yin Xiang goes about his research first." At this, the Third laughed again. What an interesting little brat.

"Yes." Shikaku nodded and left.

Back at his place, Yin Xiang had already begun researching the Nara Clan's secret arts.

"Ninjutsu in this world requires the use of chakra. In other words, manipulating shadows is essentially injecting chakra into them." Yin Xiang stared at his own shadow, his hands forming the seals he had learned from the Nara Clan.

He then began to try every possible way to inject his chakra into the shadow.