"Thank you, Perverted Sage!"
"I can definitely do this!"
Naruto's voice echoed across the training ground, brimming with confidence and excitement. After days of nonstop practice, sweat soaked through his clothes, yet his eyes still shone brightly.
"It'll only take me two days to completely master Sanpō Fūin!"
Jiraiya laughed heartily and rubbed Naruto's head with his large palm. "Good. Then let's move on."
Naruto felt warmth spread from the top of his head, and he couldn't help but grin. Without wasting another second, he threw himself back into intense training.
"Sanpō Fūin…"
"Sanpō Fūin—!"
"Sanpō Fūin!!"
His chakra surged, seals formed rapidly beneath his feet, and sealing formulas flickered into existence. Naruto repeated the technique again and again, refining every detail under Jiraiya's watchful eye.
Elsewhere.
Sasuke Uchiha gasped for breath, pain flooding every inch of his body. A burning sensation coursed through his muscles and veins, as if his cells themselves were screaming. His vision wavered, and for a moment he thought he might collapse.
"Again, Sasuke?"
Kakashi Hatake lounged lazily atop a massive boulder nearby, casually flipping through his book, his tone indifferent.
Sasuke's legs finally gave out. He dropped to his knees with a heavy thud, hands digging into the dirt as he struggled to stay conscious.
Kakashi showed not a hint of sympathy.
"The Sharingan's visual power," Kakashi said calmly, "can be enhanced in two ways: through intense stimulation and by continuously pushing it to its limits."
"Every training session, every moment you force yourself beyond exhaustion—that's when your vision begins to grow."
He closed his book slightly and glanced at Sasuke. "When combined with Lightning Release, the ninjutsu I taught you becomes even more effective. It strengthens both your Sharingan and your chakra control at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone."
Sasuke forced himself upright, though his face was deathly pale and his body trembled violently.
Then Kakashi added casually, "Or do you want to lose to Naruto?"
Those words struck like lightning.
A surge of adrenaline flooded Sasuke's body, forcibly squeezing out every last bit of strength he had left.
"Ahhh—!"
His Sharingan spun wildly, its visual power flaring once more. Brilliant lightning erupted from his palm, crackling violently as chakra condensed.
"Chidori!!!"
Buzz—!
BOOM!
The deafening roar of thunder split the air as Sasuke lunged forward. In a single strike, the lightning blade smashed through a massive rock, splitting it cleanly in half.
Kakashi finally shut his book and nodded in approval.
"Well done, Sasuke."
"Indeed… you're the most suitable person to learn Chidori."
"You possess both the Sharingan and Lightning Release chakra similar to mine. Very few people meet those conditions."
Sasuke panted heavily, staring at the scorched marks on his hand and the shattered boulder before him. A sense of pride and accomplishment quietly rose within his chest.
"Chidori, huh…"
"Kakashi-sensei, bu—"
Kakashi smiled faintly, his visible eye curving into a crescent.
"Although I'm known as the Copy Ninja," he said lightly, "I also have original techniques of my own."
"Chidori is my signature move."
"Well? Isn't it impressive?"
Sasuke was silent for a moment, then bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."
He understood better than anyone how much effort Kakashi had invested. Teaching him the Sharingan's control methods and entrusting him with Chidori was Kakashi's way of accelerating his growth—and keeping him from falling into Orochimaru's grasp.
"There's no need to thank me," Kakashi replied casually. "If you truly want to repay me, then become stronger."
"I understand," Sasuke said firmly.
Without another word, he returned to training.
---
Hyuga Clan, Clan Head's Residence.
"I never imagined Hinata would be able to create her own ninjutsu," Hyuga Hiashi said, his tone filled with rare praise. "This Protective Gentle Fist Eight Trigrams Palm… it's truly impressive."
"Although it can't compare to the absolute defense of Rotation, it's far more versatile and consumes much less chakra."
"Well done, my daughter."
It was the first time Hinata had ever received such praise from her father.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Father…"
Hiashi's expression hardened. "But do not become arrogant."
"This technique has sufficient defensive power, but its offensive capability is lacking. It may keep you safe, but it cannot guarantee victory."
"What you must do is preserve your defensive foundation, use the Byakugan's insight to identify your opponent's weak points, and defeat them with a single decisive strike."
"The first thing I will teach you is how to further enhance your Byakugan's visual power. The second is precise strikes to vital chakra points—the ability to end a battle in one move."
He continued, "If an enemy understands the Hyuga Clan's abilities, they will maintain distance and rely on long-range attacks. In that case, you must find ways to close the distance—or counter with long-range techniques of your own."
"This technique is called…"
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm."
Hinata's heart tightened. Her father had truly considered everything, designing this path specifically for her.
"Yes, Father!" she said firmly.
"I… I will work hard!"
Hiashi nodded softly.
As he watched his daughter grow, emotions welled up within him. Once abandoned by the clan's expectations, this girl now shone with brilliance of her own.
Perhaps this was what it meant to break one's fate.
Hinata, you are stronger than I ever imagined.
---
Two days later, night had fallen.
Naruto was still immersed in relentless training.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Sanpō Fūin!"
Jiraiya was out gathering materials with a telescope, though unfortunately it was already too late to spot any suspicious figures.
Just as disappointment crept in—
"I did it!"
"I finally did it!"
Before Jiraiya could even turn around, Naruto had already appeared behind him, grinning widely as he activated the sealing technique.
"Sanpō Fūin!"
Naruto and his two shadow clones activated the formation simultaneously. Glowing runes spread rapidly, linking together as a transparent green chakra pyramid barrier rose from the ground, instantly trapping Jiraiya inside.
Jiraiya stared in shock. "You actually pulled it off?!"
He reached out and touched the barrier. It was solid—far more difficult to break than expected.
"This kid… he's unbelievable."
"Is it because of the Uzumaki bloodline?"
"No… while the Uzumaki Clan excels at sealing techniques, this has nothing to do with physical constitution."
"This is Naruto's own talent and effort."
Jiraiya burst into laughter. "Well done, Naruto!"
Naruto released the barrier, scratching his head proudly as he waited for praise.
"You've exceeded my expectations," Jiraiya said seriously. "I thought mastering both the Single Thread Light Formation and Sanpō Fūin within a month would already make you a genius."
"I never expected you to learn both in just three or four days."
Jiraiya's heart stirred.
This was far faster than he had anticipated—but perhaps that wasn't a bad thing.
"Naruto," he said slowly, "there are two final techniques I intend to teach you."
"If you master them, and pass the Chūnin Exams, your strength will rival that of a jōnin."
Naruto froze for a moment, then exploded with excitement.
"That's awesome, Perverted Sage!"
"What are they?! What are they?!"
Jiraiya smiled. "The first isn't purely a sealing technique. It's closer to a barrier ninjutsu."
"Barrier: Heavenly Canopy Formation."
"This is a sensory barrier. Once deployed, it creates an invisible spherical field that detects all movement within—enemy traces, actions, everything."
"It's one of my signature techniques, and I've never taught it to any other student."
Naruto's heart surged with joy.
"Perverted Sage! This is perfect for me!"
"Hinata has the Byakugan, Sasuke has the Sharingan. Compared to them, my perception totally sucks!"
"If I have this technique, I won't need to rely on them—I can sense enemies myself!"
Jiraiya nodded. "True, but it consumes a huge amount of chakra. Even if you master it, you can't keep it active all the time. Only use it against specific enemies."
"Got it!" Naruto replied eagerly.
"Then what's the last technique?!"
Jiraiya gazed toward Konoha in the distance, his eyes lingering on the Hokage Rock.
"The final technique is the Diamond Sealing Chains—one of the Uzumaki Clan's most powerful sealing arts."
"It's said to be strong enough to restrain even the Nine-Tails itself."
Naruto's breath caught.
"However," Jiraiya continued, "it's incredibly difficult. And the most important thing is…"
"I don't actually know how to use it."
Naruto: "..."
"If you don't know it, Perverted Sage, how are you supposed to teach me?!"
Jiraiya laughed loudly. "Even if I don't know the technique, I know where to find the scroll."
"The rest… you'll have to figure out yourself."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)