Uchiha Guardian Aura's Metamorphosis

In the blink of an eye, a week passed.

Uchiha Hayato had become well-acquainted with the upper echelons of the Police Force, and even Shisui was now able to engage in a certain level of communication with these clansmen.

However, Hayato received an unexpected mission—or rather, a specific program organized by the Police Force.

He was to teach the children of the clan.

Upon learning of this, Hayato's first instinct was to refuse.

Tekka, however, wore a look of disapproval. "That's where you're wrong. We rely on the clan's resources to grow, so sometimes we need to give back."

"I just don't feel I have the qualifications."

Hayato waved his hand. He knew his own situation best; his growth relied on the system, and his skills were far too disorganized.

He was nowhere near the level required to teach others.

Even Shisui, who possessed the necessary qualifications, only taught things like the Body Flicker Technique and genjutsu.

Shisui, standing to the side, offered a different opinion. "I actually think you should give it a try, Hayato. These are the clan's children; the basics are the simplest, but they are also what require the most attention."

Basics?

Hayato blinked, understanding what Shisui meant.

He was proficient in all five elemental natures, and combined with Uchiha shuriken techniques and some Body Flicker maneuvers, he used them with great skill during sparring sessions.

"Then I'll give it a try." Thinking this, Hayato nodded in agreement.

In the evening, Hayato arrived at the Uchiha training grounds.

It was already filled with over thirty little ones.

As Hayato scanned the group of kids, he couldn't help but pause—Uchiha Itachi was standing right there in the crowd.

Shisui, who had followed him, spoke up. "Itachi heard you were the one teaching, so he wanted to come by."

Hayato nodded. At seven years old, Uchiha Itachi would likely be applying for graduation from the Ninja Academy before long.

Despite his seven years, while his face still held a trace of baby fat, his eyes lacked any of the innocence or playfulness one would expect from a child.

"Hello, Senior!"

A chorus of high-pitched, youthful voices rang out. Hayato's expression remained unchanged, and he simply nodded at the children with a gentle smile.

This demeanor helped the kids relax a little. One little girl even raised her hand and said loudly, "Senior, you look really handsome!"

Hayato looked over and was taken aback. The little girl had beautiful, long black hair, a tear mole under her right eye, and was wearing a purple coat.

This appearance...

Hayato smiled and nodded in response. "Then, my handsome junior, what is your name?"

"Hehe." The girl, praised by Hayato, looked embarrassed. "My name is Uchiha Izumi. Please take care of me, Senior!"

Sure enough, it was Uchiha Itachi's classmate and childhood friend.

"My name is Uchiha Hayato. I am your instructor for today. Please take care of me as well," Hayato said, pushing his thoughts aside and addressing everyone.

Shisui moved to the back, sat cross-legged, and listened quietly.

With Uchiha Izumi having broken the ice, Hayato took the opportunity to have the children introduce themselves.

Once everyone had finished, Hayato raised his hand to signal for silence.

He then picked up a wooden board from the ground, stood it up in front of him, and wrote a few words with a piece of chalk.

"Today, let's start with the most fundamental concepts."

"Chakra refinement," Hayato looked at the children. "Who can tell me what chakra refinement is?"

The crowd was quiet for a moment, then Uchiha Izumi, in the front row, raised her hand.

"Senior, it's energy. You need chakra to use ninjutsu."

Hayato nodded. "Anything else?"

The children sitting on the floor looked at each other. It wasn't that they didn't know, but Izumi had already provided the most fitting answer.

Hayato pointed to his stomach. "Chakra is energy, but where does that energy come from? It comes from the food we eat and the water we drink, which is converted into the nutrients needed by the one hundred and thirty trillion cells in our bodies, and—"

Hayato then pointed to his head. "The experience we gain from every practice session, the willpower we forge, and the mental energy accumulated from falling down and getting back up time and time again—that is spiritual energy."

"The product of the average mixture of your own spiritual energy and physical energy is called stamina," Hayato said softly. "It only becomes chakra when we need to convert our stamina to use a 'jutsu' through 'hand seals'."

Uchiha Itachi was staring straight at Hayato, and even Shisui couldn't help but look serious.

"So, can anyone describe what it feels like when you refine chakra?"

Hayato looked levelly at the children and asked softly.

"It feels like peeing!"

A child who was clearly missing a front tooth suddenly spoke up, and a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Hayato chuckled at the sight, but nodded in agreement. "That's a very accurate description. When you first start refining, haven't you all noticed that sensation in your gut? When you suddenly become aware of it, it feels exactly like what he just said."

"It gets better after a few days, but what happens after that? Most people feel the same way every time they refine, right?"

At Hayato's words, everyone fell silent; it seemed that was indeed the case.

"You have all been refining chakra for a long time now. Have you noticed that it still feels the same as when you first started, and the total amount just won't increase?"

"I believe most of you can perform the Three Body Technique by now, but if this amount remains stagnant, do you think you can continue to progress?"

Uchiha Izumi looked thoughtful, then turned to Hayato with an expression that suggested she wanted to speak.

"Uchiha Izumi, you may ask your question," Hayato said with a smile.

"Senior, what is the reason for this?"

When Uchiha Izumi asked, she looked slightly distressed, as she was experiencing exactly that.

"Because when you refine chakra, you are using brute force."

Hayato set down the wooden board, pinched a handful of sand with his fingers, and then pointed to some small pebbles.

"Physical energy is the sand—it's everywhere, and everyone has it. But the small pebbles are spiritual energy; they are scarcer than the sand and must be accumulated through practice. Chakra is the mixture of sand and pebbles. Do you understand?"

Everyone nodded one after another.

Hayato then mixed the sand and pebbles together and added some larger stones. "So, if this is the product you are refining, do you think your meridians can circulate it?"

"Senior, then what should we do?"

Hayato looked up to see it was Uchiha Itachi, and he chuckled softly.

He finally decided to speak up.

Hayato held the mixed product in his palm and began to shake it continuously. The sand leaked out, leaving only the pebbles in his palm. "This is what chakra should be—sifted."

Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly, then said uncertainly, "Purification?"

"Exactly," Hayato nodded. "Refining consists of 'refining' and 'extracting.' Most people only know how to 'refine' but not how to 'extract.' They mix physical energy and spiritual energy together and send it out directly. It looks like a lot, but it's actually just sand."

"True chakra is about sifting out the sand and sending only the pebbles."

"When you first tried to perform the Clone Technique, why did you fail? Because your meridians were sluggish when you sent it out, and half the energy you exerted was wasted along the way."

"Senior, is there a way to solve this?" Uchiha Izumi asked.

"Yes. Every day when you refine chakra, don't be in a hurry to send it out. Keep it in your body first, circulate it a few times, and then release it. Of course, it might hurt a little at first."

"Once you form this habit, you won't feel so sluggish when performing ninjutsu."

The little ones couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Neither the Ninja Academy nor their elders at home had ever explained it like this; they had never broken it down and fed it to them so clearly.

Shisui, who was sitting at the very back, had already begun to experiment. After applying the method Hayato described once, he raised his hand and released a clone.

Shisui observed the process carefully, and after a long while, he had a sudden realization.

So that was it. No wonder Hayato was so proficient in using all five elemental natures!

Thinking of this, Shisui couldn't help but look up at Hayato. Hayato's control over chakra was definitely something no ordinary person could compare to.

Meanwhile, Hayato was already looking at the Uchiha Guardian Aura on his system panel.

It was currently undergoing a quiet transformation.