To Get Rich, First Build Roads

When Natsuhiko arrived at the training ground, he saw the other students studying meridian scrolls.

He clapped his hands to gather everyone and said:

"You all just witnessed the power of the Eight Gates. And, I think it exceeded all our imaginations."

The students nodded excitedly, marvelling at the power of the Eight Gates.

Asuma, who had rejoined the group, couldn't wait to ask:

"Sensei, are we going to learn the Eight Gates too?"

The three boys looked at Natsuhiko with anticipation, while the girls seemed a bit reluctant, not as interested in the appearance of a person using the Eight Gates.

Natsuhiko smiled:

"Of course... not."

"Eh—"

The boys' faces fell while the girls breathed a sigh of relief but still felt regret.

Natsuhiko shrugged:

"Not to mention, we're a sealing jutsu research group, not a taijutsu research group."

"More importantly, practising the Eight Gates isn't as simple as you think—no, it's a hundred times harder."

"The prerequisite for using the Eight Gates is years of overload training, which makes your body and meridians strong enough to minimise the damage caused by the raging chakra when opening the gates."

"So, practising the Eight Gates means giving up everything else and dedicating all your time to endless, brutal training."

"And even if you train your body well, using this forbidden technique inevitably damages your body, potentially leaving you disabled and unfit to be a ninja."

"Are you mentally prepared for that?"

Natsuhiko glanced at everyone with a teasing look.

The students, facing a challenge, lowered their heads and immediately dismissed the idea of practising the Eight Gates.

Then they couldn't help but look at the still crying Might father and son.

For a forbidden technique with such harsh training conditions, probably only those two could master it.

Then they heard Natsuhiko say:

"However, we can still learn from this technique's principles."

Everyone listened attentively again.

Natsuhiko said, "As I mentioned earlier, the Eight Gates' training principle overloads training to gradually make the body and meridians capable of handling more chakras."

"This means that, like other body parts, meridians can also be strengthened through training."

"And this partly answers Ebisu's question from earlier."

"Ninja talent isn't entirely determined by birth; postnatal training also plays a crucial role."

Ebisu, Rin, and Kurenai, three students with less chakra, brightened up.

Natsuhiko then snapped his fingers.

Several life-sized 3D meridian model projections appeared beside him.

"These are the meridian data I collected from some ninjas wearing this training suit a few days ago."

He walked to the nearest meridian model projection and said:

"First, let's see what's unique about this person's meridian system."

The students curiously gathered around the meridian model, circling it.

At first glance, it seemed no different from the usual meridian system diagrams.

But Rin, comparing several models, quickly noticed something.

Hesitantly pointing to the head of the meridian model, she said:

"Sensei Natsuhiko, isn't the meridian near the mouth thicker than usual?"

Natsuhiko smiled and nodded.

"Correct. Normally, meridians near a ninja's hands, feet, and mouth are more developed. But this ninja's meridians are even thicker than usual."

Upon closer inspection, they found that the meridians were thicker than those in the hands and feet.

"That's because this ninja's speciality is the Great Fireball Jutsu," Natsuhiko explained.

"The key to this technique is gathering chakra in the mouth and chest, transforming it, then exhaling it all at once."

"This ninja, working at a barbecue shop for years, has constantly used this jutsu, thus training the related meridians to be incredibly tough and thick."

Everyone suddenly understood except Obito, who was speechless.

I am using the Uchiha clan's Great Fireball Jutsu in such a way?!

Natsuhiko moved to the next meridian model projection, pointing at the hands:

"Similarly, this is a medical ninja skilled in using the Chakra Scalpel."

"It's easy to see that his hand meridians are also thicker than usual."

The students nodded in understanding.

Natsuhiko then introduced each meridian model, showing the differences in the meridian systems of various types of ninjas.

After everyone finished examining the models, the Might father and son, who had finished crying, came over.

Natsuhiko nodded to Might Duy and snapped his fingers again.

Another meridian model projection appeared beside him.

But this time, it was visibly different.

It seemed more significant than the other models.

Natsuhiko explained:

"It's obvious that, unlike the other models with particularly thick parts, this one is overall more developed, resulting in a higher chakra capacity, hence greater combat power."

"This is the meridian system that Mr Might Duy trained through years of practising the Eight Gates."

Everyone was amazed and looked at Might Duy with admiration.

From the earlier explanation, they understood that those ninjas had trained specific parts of their meridians over years of repetitive practice.

What kind of rigorous training had Mr. Might Duy undergone to train the entire meridian system like this?

Feeling everyone's gaze, Might Duy scratched his head, a bit embarrassed.

Seeing his father admired for the first time, Might Guy couldn't help but rub his nose and grin foolishly.

Natsuhiko continued:

"From these meridian models, we can see that, aside from elemental transformations, ninjutsu training is similar to Eight Gates or taijutsu training, involving repeated meridian widening and strengthening."

"Many times, the improvement in ninjutsu power isn't due to a sudden breakthrough but from enough practice to widen the relevant meridians."

"It's like the roads on the ground. Roads weren't there initially, but they became more common as more people walked on them."

Ebisu: "Sensei, that makes a lot of sense. Who said that?"

Natsuhiko: "I did, of course."

Everyone looked at him with admiration.

Returning to the main topic, Natsuhiko said:

"So, ninja training is essentially this."

"Although many books describe it in vague terms, what we're doing is the hard labour of building roads."

"To get rich, first build roads. This principle applies to ninja training as well."

"Many ninjas realise this."

"However, limited by their inability to see their meridians and fearing damage from improper practice, they can only train by repeating their known ninjutsu routes, unable to strengthen all their meridians."

"But you are different with the training suits and meridian scrolls."

"You can clearly see your meridian conditions, create targeted training plans, and safely expand and strengthen your entire system."

"In practice, we'll adopt a strategy combining taijutsu training and actively using chakra to widen meridians, aiming to develop an efficient and safe meridian training method."

"This way, a well-developed meridian system will provide the strongest foundation no matter which direction you pursue."

"So, this project is called the 'Foundation Plan.'"

After hearing Sensei Natsuhiko's plan, everyone was excited, feeling it was very feasible.

Who knew learning sealing jutsu came with a foundation-building package? Such a deal!

Only Obito was speechless.

The Hyuga clan, who could see meridians, naturally had no issues.

The Sharingan couldn't see meridians directly but could see chakra flow.

So, the method Sensei Natsuhiko mentioned was already used within the Uchiha clan, but only the geniuses received such treatment.

Was Sensei Natsuhiko challenging the eye jutsu clans?

As a Uchiha who often copied others' ninjutsu and taijutsu, Obito finally understood how those affected felt...

Next, Natsuhiko let everyone move freely, analyse their meridian systems as he had suggested, and make plans.

Due to the grand promises Natsuhiko made, everyone was enthusiastic about researching their meridian systems.

It wasn't until sunset that they reluctantly took off their previously despised training suits and ended the first research group activity.

Natsuhiko, looking at the pile of sweaty, tight suits, fell into deep thought.

Washing machines were still a rarity. He needed to develop a washing technique.

The Water Cutting Sword technique might be helpful to...

But for now, Infant Three would have to bear the burden.

(End of this chapter)

P.S. Chapters 103-105 are up on my Patreon. A total of 7000+ words. Do support me there. winks

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