Naruto: A Shinobi’s Burden

Ring

Ring

Ring

Slowly opening my eyes, I looked out the window next to my bed, only to see the dark sky.

"Aaaah." Looking at the wall clock, which showed 6:00 a.m., I let out a resigned sigh as I got up.

I really hate waking up early. Unfortunately, the day waits for no one, and more importantly, I have a "date" with Haruto in just an hour.

I stretched a bit before washing up, making breakfast, brushing my teeth, and cleaning.

Once ready, I glanced at the clock again, which now showed 6:37.

I quickly left my house and headed toward Haruto's place.

Once there, I took a deep breath before lightly knocking on the door.

Knock

Knock

"Coming!" A shout followed before Haruto opened the door and gave me a smile.

"I see you're quite punctual, huh?" He gave me a small smile before inviting me in.

"Excuse me," I said softly, taking off my shoes.

"Come with me. We'll start right away," Haruto said as I followed him to the backyard of his house.

"Sit with me," he said as we sat cross-legged, facing each other on the ground.

He thought for a moment before looking at me intently and starting to speak.

"Tell me, Akuma, do you know what chakra is?" he asked, giving me a doubtful look.

I started nodding but then shook my head halfway.

While I know some basics about chakra, I never delved deep enough to understand its more complex forms beyond walking on water, trees, etc.

Haruto gave me a look of understanding—it seemed he had expected this.

"Listen carefully, Akuma. Chakra is the combination of two types of energy: physical energy—this is the strength in your body, like when you run, jump, or lift something heavy—and spiritual energy—this is the energy that comes from your mind and spirit. It's like the focus and willpower you use when trying to do something difficult, like solving a problem or staying calm." He cleared his throat before continuing.

"When you mix these two energies, you get chakra. It's like mixing water and soil to make mud—the result is something new and powerful that you can use to perform jutsus." He paused to let me absorb what he had just said. He continued when I nodded.

"To use chakra, you first need to learn to control it. Imagine chakra is like a rubber ball: if you squeeze it too hard, it slips out of your hands, but if you don't squeeze it enough, it doesn't do anything. You have to find the perfect balance."

"Chakra manipulation is like shaping mud with your hands. You can move chakra through your body to do things like walking up a tree or jumping very high."

"And chakra transformation is when chakra turns into something else, like fire, water, or wind. It's like taking the mud and turning it into a pot or a figure. Each element has its own 'shape,' and shinobi learn to mold their chakra to imitate it."

I nodded, trying to memorize the content of his explanation.

"This is the basics of chakra. However, there are more complex forms." He paused briefly before continuing.

"Kekkei Genkai—these are special abilities that only certain families or individuals can use. It's like they have a secret recipe to make something unique with chakra. Examples of this are the Sharingan and Byakugan of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, respectively."

"These abilities are hereditary—you're born with them, and they can't be learned."

"There are also things called Kekkei Tōta, which are even rarer and more powerful. They're created by combining three types of elemental chakra to form a unique jutsu. In the current world, the number of people who can do this can probably be counted on one hand." He finished explaining, clearing his throat before speaking again.

"In short, imagine chakra is like a box of crayons. Physical and spiritual energy are the basic colors, like red and blue. When you mix them, you get new colors (chakra). Then, you can use those colors to draw (perform jutsus). Some people have special crayons (Kekkei Genkai) that no one else has, and others can mix three colors to make something unique (Kekkei Tōta)." He finished before asking,

"Any questions?"

I was a bit stunned as I processed his words. "E-Eh, no, Haruto-san. I understood what you just explained, but I have one question. If elemental jutsus are about molding chakra to transform it into an element, then how do genjutsu work?"

Haruto stroked his chin for a moment before giving me an appreciative look. "I didn't expect you to ask this so soon," he said, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'm not an expert in genjutsu, but imagine you're standing by a calm river. The water is so still that you can see your reflection. This reflection is like your perception of the world—what you see, hear, and feel. But a genjutsu is like someone throwing a stone into the water."

"The genjutsu user is like a stealthy ninja who approaches the river and throws the stone without you noticing. Their chakra is the stone, and when it enters your mind (the water), it creates ripples that distort your perception. Those ripples are the illusion you see, feel, or hear."

"And to break the genjutsu, you need to calm the ripples in the water and restore the original reflection."

"There are two ways to escape a genjutsu. The first is to realize you're in one and then perform a Kai. However, if the user is skilled enough, you might not even realize you were in a genjutsu, even after it ends."

"The second way is to seek help from an ally. It's like having someone stand next to you by the river and forcefully calm the water (your mind), helping you escape the genjutsu."

Haruto finished, taking a deep breath before exhaling.

"Now then, kid, any other questions?" He gave me a confident smile.

I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed by his obvious smugness.

However, I couldn't help but admire his teaching skills. He even used analogies to make things easier to understand. Maybe he was a teacher at the academy.

I shook my head at his question. "No, Haruto-san. I understood everything. Thank you!"

Haruto raised his chin slightly before giving me a mischievous, playful smile. "Well, since you know the basics, we'll start your training. Today, we'll focus on physical energy." His smile widened.

A shiver ran down my spine at his malicious expression.

"P-Please be gentle, Haruto-san."