"The Uzumaki Clan was destroyed, and with it, much of the Sealing Techniques passed down through the generations," Naruto said softly. "If I've inherited this bloodline, then I should also inherit its responsibility."
Jiraiya let out a long sigh before smiling faintly. "No one is forcing you to shoulder that burden. Still, if you don't learn Sealing Techniques, it wouldn't just be your loss—it would be a loss to the Uzumaki Clan itself."
Naruto grinned brightly, his eyes shining with determination. "I get it!"
Then he clenched his fist. "Alright, Perverted Sage, let's start the training!"
"Sealing Techniques!"
Jiraiya chuckled. "Very good."
…As Naruto soon discovered, Sealing Techniques were not fun at all.
Compared to flashy ninjutsu, seals felt closer to pure theory. In fact, almost every ninja capable of mastering this art was either a true genius or someone with broad and profound knowledge across many fields of ninjutsu.
Figures like Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya himself, and Minato Namikaze fell into the former category—geniuses with exceptional talent and understanding. Others, such as Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Obito, Pain, and Uchiha Itachi, possessed extraordinary abilities that allowed them to grasp seals far beyond ordinary limits.
Even when average ninjas learned Sealing Techniques, they could usually only handle low-level applications.
Naruto's current state, however, was anything but ordinary. His academic foundation had already reached a level close to that of a scholarly prodigy. Only because of this could he even begin to understand seals. If this were the Naruto from the original timeline, learning Sealing Techniques would have been nearly impossible.
Jiraiya demonstrated first.
"Deg!"
The moment he finished speaking, complex sealing patterns spread beneath Naruto's feet. A large circular formation expanded outward, dense with strange and intricate runes.
"This—this—!"
Naruto tried to move, only to realize his body was completely immobilized.
"Why can't I move?!"
Jiraiya smiled calmly. "This is the most basic sealing technique: the Single Strand Light Formation. Its purpose is to restrict the target's movement."
"Well? Impressive, isn't it?"
Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So Sealing Techniques are really this powerful? And interesting too!"
Jiraiya nodded. "Unlike ordinary ninjutsu, Sealing Techniques don't rely solely on chakra control. They also require precise sealing patterns. To those who don't understand them, these patterns look like meaningless scribbles."
He unrolled a parchment, dipped his brush into ink, and began drawing. His strokes were smooth and fluid, but the symbols that emerged were incomprehensible, almost like celestial script.
Naruto felt a headache coming on the moment he looked at them. "This is the most basic one?!"
"That's right," Jiraiya said. "This is the sealing pattern for the Single Strand Light Formation—an E-rank seal. In theory, even Academy students could learn it. In practice, very few are willing to."
"Now, you try."
Naruto took out a blank scroll and began drawing. His hand trembled, and the lines quickly went crooked.
"After memorizing the technique," Jiraiya instructed, "you must internalize it. First remember it with your mind, then with your body. Only then can chakra activate it."
Naruto took a deep breath. "Okay!"
He tried again and again. It was boring, tedious, and incredibly demanding—but Naruto had long been tempered by hardship. His academic scores had once risen from near failure to excellence through sheer perseverance. No matter how complex the patterns were, they were still just lines.
Gradually, he found his rhythm.
Then—his talent activated.
Knowledge Acquisition.
Ever since graduating from the Academy, Naruto had rarely used this ability. Once activated, his mind entered an intensely focused state. His comprehension of Sealing Techniques, memory, and reproduction of patterns skyrocketed.
Jiraiya watched in disbelief. "He's already grasped the prototype…?"
He sighed softly, memories of his own youth surfacing. Back then, even Orochimaru had been praised endlessly. Yet Naruto's talent felt different—not innate brilliance, but power forged through effort.
Two hours later, Naruto suddenly shouted, "Perverted Sage! I'm done!"
Jiraiya stared in shock. The sealing pattern was flawless.
"Unbelievable… You really are a genius."
"Now," Jiraiya continued, "use chakra to activate it."
Naruto grinned. "Single Strand Light Formation!"
Chakra threads burst from the ground, rapidly expanding and forming a complete circle around Jiraiya.
Jiraiya laughed in surprise. "You succeeded on your first activation!"
Moments later, he burst free with raw chakra.
Naruto protested angrily. "Why didn't it work?!"
Jiraiya laughed. "First, it's a basic seal. Second, the gap between us is still huge."
Naruto snorted. "Then teach me a stronger one!"
Jiraiya shook his head. "Master this first."
Naruto crossed his arms confidently. "Then I'll master it in one day!"
A familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Host, master the Single Strand Light Formation perfectly within three hours. Failure will result in severe penalties.]
Naruto groaned. "This system really wants me dead…"
But there was no choice.
"Single Strand Light Formation!"
He plunged back into training with everything he had.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)