Naruto: Starting with Infinite Chakra

Special metals are exceedingly rare in the world of Naruto. Acquiring them is almost entirely a matter of luck. Even with the major villages devoting extensive resources to their collection, finding them remains a monumental challenge.

"I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to sign in and obtain ninja tools forged from such rare metals," Jiraiya mused inwardly.

"You can start practicing this jutsu now. I'll stay here and point out your mistakes," said Hiruzen Sarutobi.

None of them dared waste the opportunity. They immediately began training.

After all, it wasn't every day that they had Hiruzen Sarutobi, the legendary Professor of Ninjutsu, guiding them in person. Known for his mastery over every jutsu in Konoha, his presence ensured they could avoid countless pitfalls in their training.

This was especially crucial for an A-rank jutsu, which was notoriously difficult to master. Without proper guidance, it could take years to learn such a technique. To put things into perspective, most jōnin typically relied on B-rank jutsu. A-rank jutsu were not only hard to acquire but also exceptionally difficult to execute.

"Orochimaru, don't inject chakra into the shuriken so quickly. That kind of speed makes the chakra unstable. Slow down a bit."

"Tsunade, when you throw the shuriken, don't just rely on your raw strength. You need to combine it with chakra. Remember, chakra is the foundation of all ninjutsu. While your brute strength enhances the Shadow Shuriken Jutsu, it's the chakra that truly makes it effective."

"Jiraiya, you're doing well. Keep it up."

Hiruzen stood to the side, carefully observing their progress. The moment he spotted a mistake, he corrected it immediately.

When training in ninjutsu, time seemed to pass unnoticed. Before they realized it, the sun had set, and the sky grew dim.

Yet, despite training all day, none of them successfully executed the technique.

"Sensei, this jutsu is ridiculously hard to learn!" Tsunade complained, her frustration evident. "I've been practicing relentlessly all day and still can't get the chakra in the shuriken to condense into a clone. Maybe this technique just isn't for me."

"Tsunade, don't be discouraged so quickly," Hiruzen said reassuringly. "It took me three years to develop and perfect this technique. It's normal for you to struggle at first. With consistent practice, you'll master it eventually."

Inwardly, though, Hiruzen couldn't help but think, You think you can learn in one day what took me three years to perfect? Give me some credit, will you?

"Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!"

Jiraiya suddenly flung a shuriken toward a tree and swiftly formed hand seals, injecting chakra into the shuriken with remarkable steadiness.

The shuriken trembled slightly in mid-flight before splitting into two identical copies.

Bang! Bang!

The two shuriken struck the tree, leaving behind two clean holes.

Seeing Jiraiya successfully perform the Shadow Shuriken Jutsu, everyone was stunned.

Tsunade rubbed her eyes vigorously, convinced she must have been seeing things.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence as everyone processed what they had just witnessed. Even though Jiraiya had only created one clone, it was undeniable that he had already mastered the technique. With more practice, he would be able to create a larger number of clones effortlessly.

"This jutsu is ridiculously hard, Sensei. I practiced all day and could only manage to create one clone," Jiraiya complained, retrieving his specially made shuriken with a thread of chakra.

"You've done exceptionally well, Jiraiya," Hiruzen said, recovering from his shock. "To think you've mastered this jutsu so quickly... You've given me yet another pleasant surprise."

Could it be that I've underestimated Jiraiya's talent all this time? Hiruzen mused. He might even surpass Orochimaru.

When Hiruzen had initially taken Jiraiya as a disciple, it had been a calculated political move to secure his position as Hokage by appealing to the common shinobi. He hadn't expected Jiraiya to possess such extraordinary talent. Now, this turn of events felt like a windfall.

Unlike Tsunade, who hailed from the prestigious Senju clan, or Orochimaru, who was a prodigy in his own right, Jiraiya had no familial backing. This meant his loyalty would remain unwaveringly aligned with Hiruzen. As Jiraiya's influence and strength grew, so too would Hiruzen's power and authority.

In the original timeline, Hiruzen had always viewed Orochimaru as his successor, not just because of his unparalleled talent, but because he was easier to control. By elevating Orochimaru to Hokage, Hiruzen believed he could maintain control from behind the scenes.

When Orochimaru defected, Hiruzen had turned to Jiraiya, but the latter's free-spirited nature and disinterest in politics had made him an unsuitable candidate. Jiraiya, guided by the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, left the village in search of the one destined to change the world.

Hiruzen's next choice had been Minato Namikaze, another shinobi with no clan affiliation. By supporting Minato's rise to the position of Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen had hoped to keep his influence intact.

When Obito orchestrated the Nine-Tails' attack, Hiruzen and Danzo had notably refrained from intervening, likely viewing it as an opportunity to eliminate Minato, who had grown increasingly independent.

After Minato's death, Hiruzen reassumed the role of Hokage, cementing his control over Konoha once more.

As for Tsunade, being a member of the Senju clan had always made her an unlikely candidate for Hokage. If not for Orochimaru killing Hiruzen, she might never have been offered the position at all.

Even her hemophobia, developed during the Second Shinobi War, was likely the result of a scheme orchestrated by Hiruzen and Danzo.

'I should start paying closer attention to shinobi from commoner backgrounds,' Hiruzen thought.

'It'd be a shame to let such talent slip through the cracks.'

"Jiraiya," Tsunade asked, breaking his train of thought, "did you figure out some sort of trick to mastering the technique so quickly?"

"Trick? To master an A-rank jutsu? Nah, you just need hands." Jiraiya spread his hands nonchalantly.

The real reason Jiraiya had picked up the jutsu so quickly lay in his innate abilities: his mastery of hand seals and his Sage physique.

With his expertise in hand seals, he could effortlessly memorize and execute even the most complex sequences, saving time and effort. Meanwhile, his Sage physique granted him unparalleled chakra control, allowing him to execute techniques with precision.

Tsunade, however, was unimpressed. She balled her fist, glaring at him.

"Seriously? That's the best you've got?" she snapped.

"You just need hands"? Is that even human logic?

If learning A-rank jutsu were as simple as having hands, they'd be as common as pebbles on the ground.

Even Orochimaru's expression twitched at the remark. He, too, felt an odd sense of insult.

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