Training the Flowing Iron Block

But Uchiha Makoto knew this still wasn't enough.

Not nearly enough.

Uchiha Makoto knew that Kakashi had graduated from the Ninja Academy and become a Genin at five, a Chunin at six, and a Jonin at twelve.

His little accomplishments really amounted to nothing in the world of Naruto.

"Still a long road ahead." Uchiha Makoto sighed.

"Makoto, what are you sighing about?" Obito came over. "Can't get it right? I'll teach you!"

"No need." Uchiha Makoto shook his head. "I just think... the Three Basic Techniques are too easy."

"Easy?" Obito's eyes widened. "What's easy about them? I've been practicing for ages, and my clone is still transparent!"

"That's because your chakra control is poor," Uchiha Makoto said. "You have to distribute your chakra evenly. Not too much, not too little."

"How do you do that?" Guy came over too. "Every time I make clones, one's fat and one's skinny."

"That's because your chakra output isn't steady." Uchiha Makoto thought for a moment. "Try this. Imagine your chakra is water flowing out of your body, then splitting into two streams. One stays where you are, and the other becomes a clone."

Obito and Guy exchanged a glance, then closed their eyes at the same time.

"Imagine... water..." Obito muttered to himself.

"Evenly... distributed..." Guy looked utterly serious.

Five minutes later.

Obito's clone was still transparent.

Guy was still Guy. Taijutsu really suited him best.

Uchiha Makoto put a hand to his forehead. These two clowns.

"Forget it," he said. "Just keep practicing."

"Makoto," Obito suddenly asked, "do you think anyone can train the Three Basic Techniques to... a really powerful level?"

Something stirred in Uchiha Makoto's heart.

Here it was.

His chance had come.

"Sure," he said, feigning nonchalance. "I've heard some powerful ninja can use the Transformation Technique to turn into any object. Their Clone Technique can create solid clones that fight just like the original. And their Substitution Technique doesn't need a wooden log. They can substitute themselves directly with chakra."

Obito and Guy's mouths fell open.

"Solid clones?" Guy clenched his fists. "Wouldn't that mean having another me?"

"Chakra substitution?" Obito kept imagining the possibilities. "Wouldn't that mean... being able to substitute yourself anywhere, anytime?"

"Exactly." Uchiha Makoto nodded. "So the Three Basic Techniques might look simple, but their potential is enormous. Master them, and they're no worse than those advanced Ninjutsu."

Obito and Guy exchanged a glance, then both turned to Uchiha Makoto.

"Makoto," Obito asked cautiously, "can... can you reach that level?"

Uchiha Makoto smiled.

"Not right now," he said. "But someday... maybe."

"How long is someday?" Guy asked.

"When I'm a little stronger," Uchiha Makoto said. "When I have a little more chakra and a little better control."

"How long will that take?" Obito sounded a little disappointed.

"Not long," Uchiha Makoto said. "I build up chakra very quickly."

Cheng's tone was quite calm as he said this.

But Obito and Guy believed him.

Cheng nodded in satisfaction. The daily brainwashing was indispensable.

"All right, keep practicing. Build a solid foundation first."

"Yes!" Obito and Guy were brimming with enthusiasm.

Now they no longer saw the Three Basic Techniques as mere basics.

If they wanted to become real ninja someday, they had to master the Three Basic Techniques.

On the training ground, Obito was still struggling with his transparent clone.

"Clone! Clone! Clone!"

His hands were almost cramping from forming hand seals, but the figure he produced still looked like a ghost, dispersing at the slightest breeze.

Guy wasn't doing much better.

His clones were visible, at least, but one was as fat as a ball and the other as thin as a pole. Standing together, they looked just like a father and son.

"Makoto..." Obito looked miserable. "Does the Clone Technique have something against me?"

Uchiha Makoto looked at the two clowns and sighed.

"It doesn't have anything against you," he said. "You have something against chakra."

"What does that mean?"

"It means your chakra control is shit. Both of you."

Obito and Guy exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads together.

There was no arguing with that.

They had been practicing for almost a month, and their Three Basic Techniques were still a mess.

The Substitution Technique was even worse.

Every time Obito used it, the wooden log appeared, but he stayed right where he was.

Guy could manage the substitution, but he always ended up in the wrong place. Once, he had substituted himself into a tree and gotten stuck among the branches, unable to get down.

"Makoto." Guy raised his head, his gaze determined. "I'll definitely master the Three Basic Techniques!"

"Me too!" Obito clenched his fists. "I'm going to become a ninja like you!"

Looking at them, Uchiha Makoto felt a little touched, but also wanted to laugh.

He was touched because these two goofballs really did work hard.

He wanted to laugh because... their efforts seemed to be directed the wrong way.

"Forget it." Uchiha Makoto waved a hand. "Set the Three Basic Techniques aside for now. Today, we'll start training the Flowing Iron Block."

"The Flowing Iron Block."

Obito and Guy both froze.

Uchiha Makoto walked up to Obito.

"You beat Aoki with Iron Body last time because Aoki was stupid," Uchiha Makoto continued. "If he'd been a little smarter and noticed you couldn't move, what would you have done if he'd gone around behind you or attacked from a distance with Ninjutsu?"

Obito thought about it, and broke into a cold sweat.

That was true.

He had stood there without moving. If Aoki had gone around behind him, he wouldn't have been able to do a thing.

"So Iron Body can't just be about standing there taking hits," Uchiha Makoto said. "You need to be able to move."

"Only a localized Iron Body, strengthening just one part of your body while leaving the rest free to move, will be useful on a real battlefield."

Obito and Guy exchanged a glance.

That... sounded reasonable?

Uchiha Makoto smiled. "That's what we're practicing today."

He had Obito and Guy stand in position.

"Step one: feel your chakra," he said. "Don't mold it. Feel it. Feel it flowing through your body like water."

Obito and Guy closed their eyes.

Five minutes later.

"Makoto..." Obito said quietly. "I can't feel it."

"Me neither," Guy said. "All I feel is hunger."

Uchiha Makoto put a hand to his forehead.

"Fine, let's try another approach," he said. "Imagine you're peeing."

"Huh?" Obito and Guy opened their eyes at the same time.

"When you pee, doesn't a warm stream flow out of your belly?" Uchiha Makoto's expression didn't change. "That's what flowing chakra feels like."

Obito and Guy blushed.

But... that kind of made sense?

They closed their eyes again.

This time, Obito felt it first.

A warm current started in his belly, slowly moved downward, then spread throughout his body.

"Makoto!" he shouted excitedly. "I felt it!"

"Good." Uchiha Makoto nodded. "Now try controlling it. Make it flow into your right hand."

Obito gave it a try.

The warm current obediently flowed toward his right hand.

"Then make it solidify," Uchiha Makoto said. "Like water freezing into ice."

Obito tried again.

The warm current stopped in his right hand, then... hardened.

It hadn't really hardened. It just felt that way.

"I did it!" Obito opened his eyes and looked at his right hand. "Makoto, I did it!"