Chapter 3: First Jutsu and Curiosity

"The flow I build up using my breathing is disrupted whenever I try to control the flow intentionally." Shiki spoke to himself.

"I'm doing something wrong or this whole breathing thing can't be applied to chakra. After all, even the simplest use of chakra requires controlling it with intent. What I was doing was just partially controlling it through breathing which is useless." He concluded.

The objective was to enhance his chakra flow through breathing, not control it as that was to be done through intent for other applications. His self created technique also did not appear on his status when he checked so it was clearly missing something.

"Still having only this little bit of chakra ought to make it very easy to influence it so if I'm going to develop a breathing method to enhance its flow, it has to be before my reserves increase or it will only get harder." 

Thinking this, Shiki did not even attempt any chakra exercises for boosting control and capacity just yet and focused on trying to perfect his breathing technique instead.

Despite this snag, his hard work was actually showing benefits. Shiki could enter his special breathing state very quickly and without much effort.

The effects when using this breathing method were obvious too.

He could temporarily enhance his physical abilities by a very minor degree and, when focusing on recovery, the breathing allowed his stamina and even mental energy to replenish much faster than normal. Slowly but surely, Shiki was approaching his ideal breathing.

He was still unable to enhance his chakra but at the very least, the breathing technique was showing great results on the physical aspect

On another note, Shiki was also planning for his future in the village, after all, it was not a world where he could afford to just take it easy.

He didn't want to either.

After a life of lying down, Shiki craved excitement.

He didn't want peace, he wanted problems.

Still no reason to be dumb about it. If planning is done right, it can boost an experience rather than detract from it. Shiki firmly believed so.

As for his initial plan, it was very simple. All orphanage kids were tested for their potential as shinobi and greatly encouraged to enroll into the academy to become loyal goons for the village.

While having his choices made for him did not sit well with his wish for freedom born from his previous life, said life also made him rather used to others making his choices for him so he was not that bothered deep down, old habits die hard after all.

Still, showing talent in the academy and hopefully attracting attention from some higher ups eager to train a loyal shinobi with no affiliations to any clan and free of any background issues was the idea. This would net him support and resources for his growth.

As for his talent, Shiki knew it was never going to be a problem, courtesy of his trait. He could quite possibly achieve even higher levels than Shinobi Jesus himself if he played his cards right.

Until he was of age though, he was just going to focus on his original idea, if no results came before he was five which was the age the other children were taken away, he would then give up and focus on the already developed techniques instead of trying to invent his own.

Fortunately, that did not come to pass as he did manage to develop something. Shiki's first original jutsu, the beginning of his passion for jutsu development.

'Nirvana Art: Three Bodies Breathing Method'

All of Shiki's bodily functions were optimized and enhanced. Things like the transportation of oxygen and nutrients, how efficiently the energy was spent along with how much power the body could actually generate, all improved.

His chakra flow sped up and became intensified but his control did not degrade with the sudden increase of power. In fact, the flow was smoother and easier to control and manipulate.

'This is what I've been looking for." Shiki thought.

This was Shiki's first Nirvana Art, his own brand of Hidden Jutsu.

Rather than the Seven Heavens Breathing Method showcased in the anime, Shiki's jutsu showed greater similarities to the Total Concentration Breathing of Demon Slayer.

An all round enhancement that could be maintained for a long period of time despite not being as explosive as things like the Eight Inner Gates or the Seven Heavens Breathing Method.

With enough time, Shiki felt he could not only improve the boost from his jutsu but also figure out a way to maintain it at all times like the Total Concentration Breathing Constant.

It was not like he had much else to do anyways.

So why not attempt to improve on his new creation that was, in his opinion, full of potential for further development.

As time passed, Shiki's invention of jutsu and experiments with chakra were resulting in a sort of accelerated maturation, not in the sense of him growing bigger but he was far more agile and physically adept than a normal child his age had any business being.

It had even caught the attention of others, resulting in regular gossip taking place amongst the orphanage staff.

"So that child is gone again . . ." The head lady of the orphanage could not even conjure up the energy to be worried anymore, as she sighed those words.

"Yes . . ." The supervisor that had been in charge of looking after the children during their playtime outside responded. His tone, subdued and tired.

He had not been the only supervisor in the position, neither had it been his and others' first time in said position.

Still, he was a former shinobi that retired due to injury so the fact that a child of not even three years of age could so consistently give him the slip did indeed hurt his pride slightly.

"Oh well. Just resume your duties, he'll come back on time for dinner like usual. No need to bother looking for him or anything. Don't forget to give him a scolding when he's back though." The aged lady declared before heading off.

The male supervisor stopped her with a question however.

"Why scold him though? He's not going to listen, neither is he going to stop so . . ." His voice went lower and lower along the sentence until he trailed off as the head lady started getting angry.

"Because otherwise, the rest of the kids will start thinking what he's doing is fine which is not good now is it?" She questioned.

"No ma'am!" The male supervisor straightened up and responded loud and clear, making the lady huff and briskly walk off while grumbling about youngsters these days not knowing how to instill discipline.

"Not like you can instill discipline in that snow haired brat either ma'am." The supervisor whispered to himself before scurrying off after hearing a yell.

"I heard that!"

*

While such conversations went on in the orphanage, Shiki did basic training to get familiar with his body in the surrounding forest.

Dashing around, acrobatics, tree climbing, and so on.

After he got more comfortable, Shiki also began to incorporate chakra training exercises like sticking leaves to himself on various parts of his body using chakra.

First just a single one on his forehead while standing still but because that proved surprisingly easy, he quickly started upping the number, even stacking leaves to male it harder on himself before transitioning to his other training while still making the leaves stick to himself.

Tree walking, water walking, bursts of movement by expelling chakra from his feet . . .

As time went on, Shiki's practice methods became more and more elaborate.

Like trying to emit chakra from other tenketsu in his body beyond the limbs and more challenging still, trying to weave it into shapes after doing so, a practice he had very little success with.

Unbeknownst to him however, a certain individual was watching his practice with great curiosity, from a great distance, using rather outrageous sensory abilities.

*

Sitting in their room, in a rather illustrious noble residence within a closed compound, a very honored individual "watched" Shiki's training with their Mind's Eye while closing their other senses to the world around them.

This too had become a routine that provided great entertainment to this individual.

'How this child came up with such a highly intense yet effective training schedule and actually managed to keep it up without giving in or harming himself is truly inconceivable.' They thought as they watched Shiki go through his routine

To them people were easy to read, no evaluate. They could not lie to them, nor could they hide their inner darkness from them.

Because of this, sensing the people in the village was most definitely not a pleasant activity that they enjoyed or did often.

Meeting people directly was even more disliked as such interactions only wore them down further, a world without falsehood might seem appealing but all it would result in, was being constantly battered by the filth in others' heads.

One day however, a rather interesting chakra signature got caught in their passive senses, one that made curiosity bloom in this tired personage's heart.

+++++

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