CHAPTER 55

After the meal, everyone left feeling satisfied. The newly graduated shinobi learned a great deal from Uchiha Kiyo and his team about the reality of missions. Similarly, Uchiha Kiyo gained valuable information from them in return.

For instance, he confirmed that Namikaze Minato's jonin instructor was not Jiraiya. This raised questions. What happened to this jonin? Did he die, or was he reassigned? Given that Minato went on to become the Fourth Hokage under Jiraiya's guidance, it was odd that his initial team leader remained obscure.

Despite lacking direct usefulness, this information allowed Uchiha Kiyo to make some educated deductions.

First, Minato was immediately placed in a veteran team. Even though Minato's talents were immense, it was unlikely that the Hokage would assign a fresh graduate to a seasoned squad without pre-training. The most plausible explanation was that someone had personally taken the responsibility of training Minato separately—most likely Jiraiya. Minato learning under Jiraiya would ensure his rapid development without needing a gradual team adaptation period.

Similarly, Uzumaki Kushina's placement suggested another layer of mentorship. Given her heritage as an Uzumaki and her future role as a Jinchūriki, the most logical assumption was that she was under Tsunade's guidance in some capacity. Even if not formally her instructor, Tsunade would have had an interest in her due to her clan's strong ties with medical ninjutsu and sealing techniques.

"This means that, at this stage, the Legendary Sannin have yet to reach their prime, but they're already key figures in shaping the next generation. Orochimaru is directly overseeing us, Jiraiya is likely training Minato, and Tsunade is involved with Kushina."

Though speculative, Uchiha Kiyo felt confident in his assessment.

More importantly, this confirmed something critical—the war had not yet escalated.

"If the Sannin have enough free time to train students, then the Second Shinobi World War won't break out for at least another two years. This means I have a stable window to continue improving."

Returning home, Uchiha Kiyo organized his thoughts.

"With my Gravity Barrier and body-forging technique set on the right track, I can let them develop gradually. Now, I need to focus on the next phase of my training."

While his self-developed body-forging technique granted him higher chakra reserves than an average Uchiha, his total chakra was still limited. Even with over 500 units of chakra, his overall stamina restricted how much he could train daily.

Thus, he needed to refine his approach.

"I need to focus on aspects of training that require minimal chakra expenditure."

He had already developed supplementary techniques like the Gravity Barrier and hardening techniques, which did not heavily tax his reserves. Now, he needed to refine his offensive capabilities.

"Taijutsu is covered with my physical training, and Genjutsu isn't my focus right now. I don't have the Sharingan yet, and studying Genjutsu without it would be inefficient. That leaves Ninjutsu as the most practical path forward."

Ninjutsu Training

"But how should I improve my ninjutsu?"

Uchiha Kiyo pondered his next steps carefully.

"Given my chakra constraints, high-level ninjutsu isn't the best option right now. A better approach is to master a variety of C-rank techniques. Orochimaru already provided a vast number of them, covering all sorts of applications. If I fully understand these techniques, I should be able to grasp the fundamental principles of Earth Release's micro chakra cycles."

The scrolls from Orochimaru were a treasure trove. Most jonin instructors wouldn't simply hand over a collection of ninjutsu, as techniques were typically closely guarded secrets. However, Orochimaru wasn't interested in common ninjutsu, so he had no problem allowing his students to study them freely.

"That's one reason I'm lucky to be in Orochimaru's squad. He isn't concerned with hoarding techniques, which gives me access to a wider variety of ninjutsu than most genin."

But simply learning a variety of ninjutsu wasn't enough.

"I need to go beyond breadth—I need depth. I should focus on refining my nature transformation."

So far, he had unlocked the nature transformations for Earth and Fire. However, his mastery was still shallow, mainly relying on his natural affinity rather than deliberate training.

"The stronger my nature transformation, the more powerful my ninjutsu will become. If I deepen my understanding of nature transformation, I can also begin exploring the fusion of elements to create Kekkei Genkai."

This was where his thoughts became truly ambitious.

The Potential of Kekkei Genkai

The fusion of two nature transformations created a Bloodline Limit (Kekkei Genkai). The fusion of three created a Bloodline Selection (Kekkei Tōta). The fusion of all five led to the legendary Bloodline Snare (Kekkei Mōra), which only the Sage of Six Paths was known to possess.

"These higher-level transformations are incredibly rare. Most shinobi are born with them, but theoretically, they can be artificially developed."

What interested Uchiha Kiyo the most, however, was the adaptation period that occurred when one developed a Kekkei Genkai.

"Theoretically, when a ninja fuses two chakra natures, their body undergoes a transformation to accommodate the new element. This process is similar to developing a new chakra nature from scratch. However, I've heard that this adaptation period also enhances the user's physical attributes."

He had long suspected that this was why many Kekkei Genkai users had superior physiques.

"Ohnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, is a prime example. Even in his sixties, he remains an active combatant, and his strength hasn't noticeably declined. Could this be due to the effects of adapting to Dust Release?"

Ohnoki wasn't alone. Many shinobi with Kekkei Genkai seemed to retain their strength longer than normal shinobi. Was this simply due to genetics, or was it an evolutionary effect triggered by chakra adaptation?

"If awakening a Kekkei Genkai leads to an enhancement of the body, then artificially developing one could have similar benefits."

This theory excited him. Unlike a natural-born Kekkei Genkai user, someone who developed one through training could potentially gain multiple adaptations.

"While the Sharingan is powerful, it's just one evolutionary boost. If I can develop multiple Kekkei Genkai, I could gain repeated enhancements."

However, his enthusiasm was quickly tempered by reality.

"Sigh… these are long-term goals. Right now, I need to focus on strengthening my chakra nature transformation before even thinking about fusing elements."

For now, he needed to focus on refining his Earth and Fire Release techniques to their highest possible level. Only then could he consider combining them to create Lava Release or another variant.

Until then, he had to remain patient.