The Beginning of Release Techniques and Magnet Release

Time quietly passed amid the wind and sand of Hidden Sand Village. Shaye had been enrolled for half a year now. To him, the ninja academy's lessons still brought more pain and torment than enjoyment. He was always at the bottom in physical training, and his shuriken throws were weak and crooked due to his lack of arm strength. The only thing worth praising was his academic performance—his photographic memory and strong comprehension allowed him to far surpass the others in theoretical knowledge.

Yet his chakra training had fallen into a strange stalemate. He was no longer the child who could not fuse energy; in class, he could extract chakra skillfully and with extraordinary stability. However, the amount... was still minuscule, like a guttering candle in the wind. It was so weak that he could only sense its existence. Maintaining the most basic chakra extraction exercises was already his limit, let alone supporting any actual ninjutsu training.

His body, this barren land, could provide far too little "physical energy," severely limiting his potential. Still, these six months of training had not been without benefits. His already formidable mental control had been honed to become even more refined and precise through day after day of trying to "squeeze out" and "refine" that meager chakra. His control over chakra was likely far more precise than that of classmates whose chakra reserves vastly exceeded his own.

One day, Shaliu returned home unusually early. Seeing his son's slightly gloomy little face after failing another physical fitness test, he fell silent for a moment before suddenly saying, "Shaye, you've been training your chakra for some time now. Today, I'll help you test your chakra affinities."

"Chakra affinities?" Shaye looked up, curiosity flashing in his eyes. He had learned in theoretical classes that chakra possessed basic affinities, which formed the foundation for learning corresponding release techniques.

"Mhm." Shaliu nodded and carefully took a sheet of specialized chakra paper from an old locked chest at home. The paper looked precious, and its edges had already yellowed somewhat. "Focus your chakra and inject it into this paper. Remember, don't overexert yourself. Just a trace is enough."

Shaye solemnly accepted the test paper and held his breath in concentration. He focused all his attention on his fingertips, mobilizing that faint but utterly obedient strand of chakra and carefully injecting it into the paper.

The next moment, the chakra paper changed.

The middle portion of the paper suddenly became damp and soft, as though it had been soaked in water. But upon closer inspection, it resembled the moist feel of soil instead! At almost the same time, the edges of the paper abruptly dried out and wrinkled. Then, with a soft "hiss," an incredibly fine yet unmistakably clear cut appeared!

"This is..." Shaliu's pupils contracted slightly, and an expression of confirmation appeared on his face. "Earth affinity... and wind affinity! As expected, dual affinities!"

Earth represented the land—solid, heavy, defensive.

Wind represented airflow—sharp, swift, cutting.

These two seemingly opposing affinities had appeared in his son at the same time.

Shaye watched the paper change, realization gleaming in his dark eyes. So this was the innate nature of his chakra.

"Having affinities is only the first step." Shaliu put away the test paper, his tone stern. "To perform the corresponding release techniques, you need to learn complex hand seals, guide chakra to circulate in specific ways, and, more importantly... have enough chakra to sustain it." He glanced at his son, and the implication was obvious—given Shaye's current chakra reserves, he was still far from being able to perform even the most basic release technique.

But Shaye was not discouraged. Knowing the direction was better than fumbling around blindly.

"Father, does our household... have any training materials on these two affinities?" Shaye asked. He knew his father had once been an official member of the puppet corps before transferring to logistics, so there might be something left at home.

Shaliu hesitated, but ultimately nodded. He rose and walked to the innermost part of the room, moved aside an old cabinet, and revealed a hidden compartment in the wall behind it. Inside were several scrolls covered in dust.

"These are some of the basic Wind Release and Earth Release training notes I used in the past, as well as... some puppeteer notes." Shaliu's voice was low, as though he had recalled bygone days. "You can read them, but remember, don't force yourself to practice, especially in your current condition."

Shaye accepted the scrolls carefully, as though they were priceless treasures.

In the days that followed, aside from completing his schoolwork and "playing" in the maintenance squad, Shaye gained another activity—studying the scrolls his father had left behind.

These scrolls were old, and the writing had become somewhat blurred, but their contents were extremely solid. In particular, they contained detailed discussions and practice methods concerning the shape transformation of wind-nature chakra and the nature transformation of earth-nature chakra. Shaye became utterly absorbed in them. Although he could not put the knowledge into practice, his theoretical understanding accumulated at a rapid pace.

One night, while reading a scroll analyzing the structure of Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall, he noticed that its spindle seemed thicker than usual. Curious, he squeezed it and discovered that the spindle was hollow! He carefully opened the seal at one end of the scroll and poured out a smaller, older parchment roll.

When he unfolded the parchment, the writing on it was even more ancient, seemingly research manuscripts. The opening mentioned concepts such as "magnetic force," "iron sand," and "particle manipulation." What followed were complex conjectures, formulas, and records of failed experiments. One name appeared repeatedly—"Second Kazekage Lord Shamon"—and his grand vision was called Hidden Sand's Treasure.

The manuscript also mentioned attempts to fuse the nature transformations of wind and earth chakra to produce a brand-new kekkei genkai capable of manipulating the magnetic force of iron sand—Magnet Release! However, the records showed that the research had encountered an enormous bottleneck. It seemed to lack some critical factor and had never succeeded. In the end, it had been labeled an "impractical fantasy," and the materials had been sealed away.

Shaye's heart pounded wildly!

Magnet Release! He had heard the term in the village before. It was an extraordinarily powerful kekkei genkai, the pride of Hidden Sand Village! So its origins could actually be traced back to the Second Kazekage, Shamon! And his father had secretly preserved these early research materials?

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning: his father Shaliu bore the surname Sunna, different from the surnames of the successive Kazekage, but the Second Kazekage had been renowned for developing ninjutsu, especially Sand Release and the concept of Magnet Release... His father had such secret research manuscripts hidden at home... Elder Chiyo's particular care for his father...

When all of it was connected, it pointed to a shocking possibility—his father Shaliu was very likely a descendant of the Second Kazekage Shamon's clan! Perhaps only from a distant branch, with blood too diluted to inherit Magnet Release, but still preserving the unfulfilled research dream of his ancestor!

Perhaps this manuscript was something Elder Chiyo had allowed, or even hinted, for his father to preserve out of regard for the deceased Second Kazekage and their distant familial connection? That also explained why his father, merely a Chunin, could hold a position like logistics squad leader.

An overwhelming sense of excitement enveloped Shaye. This was not merely precious research material—it pointed him toward a unique path that might allow him to break free from his body's limitations!

Although the manuscript recorded failed research, to Shaye, who possessed knowledge of physics from his past life and formidable analytical skills, these records of failure were the most precious treasure of all! They showed him which paths led nowhere, while the remaining possibilities were worth exploring from an entirely new perspective!

Weak body, little chakra?

If... he could master the technique of controlling the magnetic force of iron sand, could he use an extremely small amount of chakra to leverage immense power? Like the principle of a lever?

He stared at the complex conjectures and formulas on the manuscript, an unprecedented fire blazing in his eyes.

This path, opened by the Second Kazekage yet left unfinished, might be continued by him, a soul from another world, in a different way!

(End of Chapter)