CHAPTER 32

Three months had passed, and the three Genin had made remarkable progress.

Through relentless combat training under Orochimaru's direct supervision, they had been pushed to their limits. Facing Orochimaru's ruthless attacks, they had no choice but to constantly adapt and refine their skills, maximizing their potential in ways they hadn't imagined.

Updated Status - Uchiha Kiyo (10 years old)

Chakra: 134 units / 134 units (Potential: 156 units)

Nature Transformation: Fire Release, Earth Release (Beginner)

Ninjutsu: Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall (Simplified Version), others unknown

Other Techniques: Fire Sealing Technique, miscellaneous

Under three months of extreme training, Uchiha Kiyo's progress had accelerated to an unprecedented pace. His chakra reserves had nearly doubled, a rate of improvement nearly unheard of for a Genin. The same could be said for his teammates. Sarutobi Shuo's chakra reserves had grown to approximately 50 units, which highlighted one of Uchiha Kiyo's key advantages—his chakra growth was noticeably higher due to his self-developed cultivation method.

With the same training intensity, Uchiha Kiyo's chakra not only increased more significantly but also scaled at a higher ratio than Sarutobi Shuo's. The primary reason was the structure of his training. By constantly pushing his limits and then reinforcing his body through targeted conditioning, his physical enhancements allowed him to sustain greater chakra growth. Additionally, his solid three-year foundation in body training had created a stable base for accelerated improvement.

Nawaki Senju's chakra reserves, however, were on an entirely different scale.

Uchiha Kiyo could no longer accurately measure Nawaki's chakra levels. His method of estimation relied on his personal sense of one unit of chakra, but as his own chakra grew, his ability to assess other people's reserves also improved.

Even so, when it came to Nawaki Senju, his chakra was simply beyond measurement. Uchiha Kiyo could only make a rough estimate—six to seven times his own reserves, meaning approximately 1,000 units.

That realization nearly shattered Uchiha Kiyo's confidence.

"How is this even possible?" he thought.

It was one thing to acknowledge that bloodline played a role in a shinobi's strength, but seeing such an overwhelming gap firsthand was almost soul-crushing. Nawaki Senju was a direct descendant of the Senju Clan, inheriting their infamous "Body of the Sage"—a genetic trait that granted high vitality and immense chakra reserves. On top of that, his grandmother was from the Uzumaki Clan, known for their monstrous chakra pools. Even if Nawaki hadn't inherited the full power of both clans, the combined bloodline effects had given him a natural advantage that was impossible to ignore.

However, Uchiha Kiyo was not the type to wallow in jealousy.

He believed in scientific progression over blind reliance on genetics. After a brief moment of self-doubt, he shook off his frustration and refocused on his training. His Uchiha bloodline was nothing to scoff at either.

Training Continues

While Sarutobi Shuo and Nawaki Senju were engaged in an intense sparring match, Uchiha Kiyo was off to the side, practicing Earth Release techniques.

When it came to Earth Release, Uchiha Kiyo had to acknowledge Orochimaru's sheer brilliance. The ninjutsu scroll Orochimaru had handed him three months ago contained a B-rank Earth Release technique, one that should have been far beyond his current capabilities due to his chakra limitations.

However, Orochimaru had modified the technique, simplifying its chakra structure and reducing it to a C-rank level. The result was a more manageable jutsu that Uchiha Kiyo could practice efficiently, using only dozens of chakra units rather than hundreds.

The technique in question was the Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall (Simplified Version). Orochimaru's reasoning was clear—Earth Release was the best fit for Uchiha Kiyo's fighting style. Since Uchiha Kiyo relied on strategy and control rather than brute force, defensive and terrain-altering jutsu would greatly enhance his combat effectiveness.

Interestingly, Orochimaru hadn't even considered whether Uchiha Kiyo naturally possessed Earth Release. He simply assigned him the jutsu, assuming that he would eventually develop the affinity through training.

What Orochimaru didn't know was that Uchiha Kiyo already had an Earth affinity. Not that it mattered. Even if Orochimaru had known, he wouldn't have cared. His philosophy was simple—if a shinobi is talented enough, they can master any jutsu, regardless of their chakra nature.

Mastering the Technique

By the end of the three-month period, Uchiha Kiyo had fully mastered the simplified Earth Flow Wall technique. His prior four years of studying hand seals and chakra flow had paid off—he had managed to successfully cast the technique in just half a month.

For the remaining time, he focused on improving his execution speed and refining his control, ensuring that he could use the technique effectively in combat.

A week ago, Orochimaru had evaluated Uchiha Kiyo's progress. Though he didn't offer any praise, his expression showed subtle approval. After confirming Uchiha Kiyo's mastery of the technique, he handed him a new scroll and left.

The new jutsu was Earth Release: Earth Spike—a technique that formed spiked stone formations from the ground. While still a C-rank technique, it was significantly more advanced than the Earth Flow Wall.

Unlike before, Uchiha Kiyo didn't need to reconstruct the entire chakra flow from scratch. He already had experience from his previous Earth Release training, which meant fewer new chakra cycles needed to be developed.

Within just one week, he had already broken down the technique's structure and was ready for his first live test.

The First Successful Attempt

Uchiha Kiyo took a deep breath, calming himself before forming the necessary hand seals.

As the seals progressed, he carefully controlled his chakra, guiding it through a complex sequence of internal pathways—a method he had refined through his personal studies of chakra circulation and jutsu mechanics.

Over the past four years, Uchiha Kiyo had been developing a theory of chakra cycles.

By analyzing the flow of chakra through different parts of the body, he discovered that specific patterns could trigger different effects in ninjutsu, much like how Fuinjutsu (Sealing Jutsu) worked with predefined scripts.

To streamline his research, he began categorizing these chakra cycles using a labeling system.

"A" Cycles corresponded to brain-related chakra flows.

"B, C, D, E" Cycles represented different limbs.

The torso and internal organs were divided into further subcategories.

Multi-part cycles were assigned multiple letters, indicating combined chakra pathways.

Through this method, he hoped to simplify jutsu learning and create a systematic way of memorizing chakra movements.

As he completed the final "B1" and "B5" cycles, he focused his chakra into the ground.

Rumble.

Three sharp stone spikes erupted from the soil, each five centimeters thick and ten centimeters long.

"Success!"

A wave of excitement washed over Uchiha Kiyo. His theory was working. If he continued refining this methodical approach, he could eventually master jutsu at an unprecedented speed.

Perhaps this was the secret behind the Uchiha Clan's famed ability to instantly copy jutsu with the Sharingan—not just visual mimicry, but an innate understanding of chakra mechanics.

For Uchiha Kiyo, this was just the beginning.