08 - Guiding Another's Flame

---Ryouma's POV---

"Shuriken Shadow Clone!"

I watched as Rin tossed a single shuriken into the air and immediately formed a series of hand seals. Her movements were getting faster, more precise with each practice session. In an instant, the single flying shuriken multiplied into dozens, clattering against the wooden target.

"Yay! I finally succeeded, Ryouma!"

We were in a secluded section of the forest on the outskirts of Konoha's third training ground, a spot I had meticulously scouted using my Rikugan after several rounds around the village.

Before starting our session, I'd set up three detection seals—basic but effective for warning us of any approaching chakra signatures.

The area was rarely visited, and a river meandered nearby, making it an ideal place for—err, not romantic rendezvous—but intensive ninja training.

I approached the target Rin had just struck, examining the depth of the embedded shurikens and nodding in satisfaction. The spread pattern showed remarkable improvement from her previous attempts.

"The power is decent, and the number is sufficient. Congratulations, Rin, you've completely mastered this technique."

Now, what kind of training task should I assign her next? I pondered this question.

Since she joined my training sessions, she had steadily learned basic chakra control exercises like tree climbing and water walking. Each session built upon the last, her progress remarkable even by my standards.

In terms of ninjutsu, I had taught her the Shadow Clone Technique and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.

"Before we move on," I said, pulling out a leaf, "show me your chakra control exercise from last time."

Rin nodded eagerly, took the leaf, and began channeling her chakra. The leaf trembled slightly between her fingers.

"Good. Your chakra flow is more stable now," I noted. Most ninja focused on power, but control was what separated the elite.

Currently, Rin was already far stronger than other ninjas of her age, even those from prominent clans—she could already be considered a genius.

Well, though the title of "genius" was somewhat cheap in the shinobi world.

As I was lost in thought, Rin blushed faintly upon hearing my praise. She placed her hands behind her back and lightly tapped her toes on the ground as she said, "Ehehe, it's all thanks to you, Ryouma!"

In truth, she wasn't entirely wrong. While her natural chakra control abilities were not bad, achieving this level of prowess at her age wasn't something that could be attained through effort alone.

"Let's try something new," I said, moving closer. "Channel your chakra while I guide it."

"It feels different from before..." Rin's eyes widened as she felt the subtle changes in her chakra flow.

"I'm showing your chakra a more efficient path. Remember this sensation."

While hard work was important, what truly made a difference was the "boost" I had discreetly provided. My Rikugan granted me extraordinarily precise chakra control, and through physical contact, I could guide and control another person's chakra flow—provided they didn't resist.

Naturally, Rin didn't resist my assistance. By maintaining contact, I could help her manipulate her chakra, accelerating her learning process significantly.

Back to the matter at hand, her chakra nature was fire and water. Teaching Fire Release techniques was straightforward since I myself had a fire nature, and the Aotsuki family archives contained plenty of Fire Release jutsu.

Water Release techniques, however, were another matter. I couldn't think of any reliable sources to acquire decent Water Release jutsu at the moment. For now, we'd focus on Fire Release training.

"Rin, your next training mission will be even tougher, so don't get too complacent with your current achievements."

"Got it, Ryouma-sensei!"

"Just Ryouma is fine..." I sighed, knowing it was pointless. This 'sensei' thing is getting out of hand.

"Yes, Ryouma-sensei!" She beamed at me, eyes twinkling with mischief. That innocent smile couldn't fool me—she knew exactly what she was doing. Even after all our training sessions together, she insisted on the title.

I shook my head with a slight smile. 

"Excellent, Rin. Your next training goal is..."

I plucked a leaf from a nearby tree, pinched it between my fingers, and suddenly ignited a flame, reducing the leaf to ash in seconds.

"...this."

"Whaaaat?"

Rin blinked in astonishment, and she quickly asked with genuine curiosity, "How did you do that? You didn't even form any seals, yet the leaf caught fire on its own? Tell me, please?"

"Ahem."

I cleared my throat, straightened my expression, and began my lecture in earnest.

"This is called chakra nature transformation. It's an advanced chakra technique, and even many jonin struggle to master it. Watch carefully—chakra nature isn't just about element type."

"Then what is it about?" Rin leaned forward, completely absorbed.

"It's about understanding your chakra's fundamental properties. Like how water flows and fire burns—but more than that. Each nature has its own 'personality.'"

"Wow, that's incredible!" Rin's enthusiasm was as boundless as ever.

"Start with visualization," I continued, holding up another leaf. "Imagine your chakra as a flame. But control is crucial—that's where your excellent chakra control comes in."

"And once you learn to master chakra nature transformation, you'll be able to incorporate it into your jutsu, like this." I believed in hands-on demonstrations over excessive theorizing.

I pulled a shuriken from the ninja tool pouch Rin had gifted me. To make it easier for her to follow, I deliberately slowed my movements.

First, I threw the shuriken, immediately forming hand seals as flames spewed from my mouth, catching up to the shuriken mid-flight and attaching themselves to it.

But that wasn't all—I swiftly formed another set of seals, using the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. The flame-covered shuriken multiplied into over a dozen copies.

Boom!

When the flaming shuriken struck the target, it didn't just stop there—it triggered a chain reaction of fiery explosions.

"This is the enhanced version of the Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson with chakra nature transformation."

"Normally, it only allows flames to adhere to shuriken, slightly increasing their range and damage. It doesn't trigger additional explosions upon hitting the target."

"And in real combat," I added, gesturing to the smoldering target, "this technique has three main applications."

Rin's eyes lit up with understanding. "Area control, distraction, and...?"

"Exactly. The third is force multiplication."

I could have created even more shuriken clones, but since this was just a demonstration, there was no need to go that far.

"Then why not just throw multiple shuriken directly? That way, you wouldn't need to use the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique afterward, giving the enemy less time to react and saving chakra," Rin asked thoughtfully after watching my demonstration.

"That's a good point," I replied. "However, chakra nature transformation is a very delicate technique. Even attaching flames to a single shuriken is already quite challenging. Using the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique afterward simplifies the process significantly. It's a clever combination of techniques."

"Besides, there's a limit to how many shuriken you can throw yourself. Once your chakra reserves improve in the future, combining it with the Shadow Clone Technique will greatly enhance the power of this jutsu, unlocking its true potential."

I had anticipated Rin's question and had a prepared response ready, cunning as ever.

What I didn't mention, though, was the cost. Shuriken, especially during wartime, were expensive. 

When imbued with fire-natured chakra, shuriken would lose their sharpness after use—their tips dulled by the flames.

In training, they could be collected and reused, but on the battlefield, throwing a large number of shuriken without the Shadow Clone Technique would be wasteful.

It was convenient, sure, but I wasn't rich enough to afford such tactics regularly.

Maybe I should start a shuriken investment fund instead of eating at Ichiraku's. 'Hey, Teuchi-san, can I pay for my ramen with slightly used shuriken? Only minor fire damage, I promise. I almost snorted at the ridiculous thought.

Still, the economics of ninja tools was no laughing matter. I watched Rin examining one of the dulled shuriken from our practice, her eyes tracing the scorch marks along its edge. She seemed fascinated by how the fire had changed the metal's properties.

Through my research and observations of other ninjas, I had noticed significant variations in how different ninja executed the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. Some preferred using it with fuma shuriken, while others favored kunai. The most impressive version I'd witnessed was from the Yellow Flash himself, Minato.

His version of the technique was absolutely devastating—while other ninjas' versions might be compared to simple projectiles, Minato's was like a storm of destruction. After careful analysis, I theorized that he must be infusing wind-natured chakra into his technique, which would explain the remarkable difference in power.

This observation had inspired my own experimentation with different chakra natures. Through extensive testing, I discovered that different chakra natures had varying compatibility with different weapons.

My innate chakra natures were fire, wind, and lightning. Fire chakra worked best with shuriken due to their surface area.

Wind and lightning chakra, on the other hand, were more suited to weapons like kunai and senbon. The piercing nature of these chakra types complemented the weapons' natural properties.

It seemed I had a natural talent for research and experimentation, and watching other skilled ninjas had given me valuable insights into improving my own techniques.

"Your progress is excellent, Rin," I said as we wrapped up the session. "Next week, we'll build on what you've learned today."