Chapter 23 : Years of Growth

In the training yard of the Koshinada dojo, the sun filtered through the wooden pillars surrounding the arena, as the sounds of quick footsteps and the striking of feet on the ground echoed.

In the center of the yard, a boy and a girl were competing, both dressed in the traditional training attire of the dojo. Despite their age difference, their movements reflected the expertise gained from long hours of practice.

The girl, no older than ten, was agile and light, moving with lightning speed like a breeze passing through trees.

Her small frame gave her an advantage in speed, as she rushed suddenly toward the older boy, who appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years old. He dodged her strikes gracefully, despite being larger in size, and countered with calculated, powerful moves.

The boy's steps were more grounded and balanced. He didn't rely on speed as much as on strength and focus.

Each of his strikes was measured, targeting the girl's weak points with precision. He attempted to knock her down with a strong side kick, but she leaped nimbly to evade it, landing in a perfect defensive stance, ready to retaliate.

The girl swiftly aimed a strike at his left side, taking advantage of his forward momentum, but he was alert. Suddenly, he shifted his body to dodge the blow and grabbed her wrist in an attempt to unbalance her.

The girl seized the moment, quickly attempting to break free with a swift motion, while using her leg to deliver a low kick to his legs, but the boy was faster, jumping back confidently to avoid the hit.

Their breaths grew heavier as the sparring continued, with signs of fatigue beginning to show on the girl. Her young face started to reflect the growing strain, and her breathing became heavier and quicker.

In contrast, the boy remained composed, showing no visible signs of exhaustion.

In a swift moment, the girl made an unexpected move—she retreated quickly, then leaped into the air lightly, attempting a strong strike toward the boy's head. But the boy was prepared. He skillfully caught her foot while she was still airborne and spun her around before gently but firmly placing her on the ground.

"Alright, that's enough for today." The voice of the woman overseeing the sparring session came in a calm tone, signaling the end of the practice.

At her words, the students immediately stopped, then approached her and bowed their heads respectfully. "Yes, Sensei."

The students were Isamu and Chikage, after six years had passed since Isamu crossed into this world. Now, he was a handsome twelve-year-old, with black hair and dark eyes that reflected all the traits of the Uchiha clan. Chikage, on the other hand, had turned ten, though she still appeared slightly younger than her age.

The woman observing the sparring session was Koshinada Miko. The previous years hadn't left much of an impact on her appearance, as she remained youthful and strong. She looked at them with a faint smile and said, "You can now rest until the evening session."

...

After finishing his daily training, Isamu returned to his room, as usual, after showering to change clothes before the evening session. He sat quietly, surrounded by the sound of silence, and summoned the data panel in his mind out of habit, something he had ingrained in himself after crossing into this world six years ago. With intense focus, he began to examine his stats, noticing the subtle changes that had occurred in his abilities as a result of his continuous training.

Age: 12 years

Chakra Units: 390 (High Genin level)

[Abilities]:

Sharingan (Uchiha Clan's Bloodline Ability): Level 1Description: Grants the ability to read and analyze the opponent's movements with precision, but requires intense focus to activate.Progress: (3/10) – Recently awakened, still in the process of development.

[Skills]:

Clone Technique (Rank E): Level 1

Description: A ninjutsu technique that allows the user to create illusory clones to distract opponents or set up surprise attacks.Progress: (2/10) – Still in the early stages of training, basic skills need improvement.

Transformation Technique (Rank E): Level 1

Description: A ninjutsu technique that allows the user to temporarily transform into another person or object, enabling disguise or infiltration.Progress: (4/10) – Still in the early stages of training, basic skills need improvement.

Substitution Technique (Rank E): Level 1

Description: A defensive technique that allows the user to quickly replace their body with another object, such as a tree log or stone, to avoid surprise attacks.Progress: (1/10) – Still in the early stages of training, basic skills need improvement.

Taijutsu: Level 1

Description: A fighting style that relies on physical strength, close-quarters combat techniques like kicks, punches, and rapid movements to enhance offense and defense. This style depends on both speed and power to gain an advantage in close combat situations.

Progress: (4/10) – The trainee has made progress in learning basic and intermediate moves. His understanding and mastery of taijutsu have reached a level equivalent to an intermediate student, capable of executing kicks and punches with reasonable speed and accuracy, though improvement is still needed in reacting quickly to highly skilled opponents.

Jujutsu: Level 1

Description: A combat style based on physical strength and grappling techniques, with a focus on balance, controlling the opponent, and using dynamic movements to disable or subdue the opponent without the need for weapons.

Progress: (9/10) – The trainee has reached the level of a highly skilled fighter in jujutsu, meaning he can apply advanced techniques to control his opponents. He possesses a deep understanding of balance and control, enabling him to exploit weaknesses and restrain his opponent swiftly and effectively.

[Dimensional Gate]:

Discovered Worlds: Naruto (Original World), Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple (Current World)Unknown Worlds: 0

Isamu began reviewing his stats, feeling a mixture of pride and concern. "My chakra levels have reached high Genin. It seems the merging of two souls, along with my rigorous physical training over the past six years, has significantly contributed to refining my chakra capacity. Normally, the chakra amount at my age would be between 180 and 200, based on the original owner's talent. While this is notable for an average ninja, compared to true prodigies, this number is still small."

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "As for the Sharingan, my teacher removed the seal on my chakra channels three years ago, after establishing a strong foundation in jujutsu and improving my physical fitness. Yet, I still struggle with training this ability. Its use requires a large amount of chakra, and every time I try to activate it, I feel my energy draining quickly. Sometimes, I think the ninjas of moderate and low ability within the clan, who lack a large chakra reservoir, are lucky not to awaken this power. Possessing something great but being unable to use it can make one feel powerless."

Isamu continued thinking, "It's like owning a luxury car but not being able to drive it. It's frustrating."