Chapter 7: Preparing for the Hunt

[Shinji's Perspective]

After countless beatings and what felt like a lifetime of back pain, I had finally managed to control my chakra without interference from other energies.

Lying on the ground, I watched ninja birds fly overhead, savouring the rare moment of peace.

Of course, Jiraiya wasn't about to let me enjoy it for long.

"Finally! You did it!" he cheered before grabbing me and hurling me into the air like a sack of rice.

"Hey! Put me down! I'm not a kid!" I yelled as I flailed ten meters above the ground.

Thankfully, Shiro and Kuro had my back. My two shadowy companions materialized, growling as they yanked me free from Jiraiya's grasp, standing protectively in front of me.

Seeing their reaction, I smiled and patted their heads, reassuring them. Jiraiya, on the other hand, just chuckled, clearly amused by the entire ordeal.

"What are they? They don't look like summoned creatures, and they emerge from your shadow by a hand seal I have never seen before," he observed, curiosity flashing in his eyes.

I shrugged. "I don't know exactly what they are, but they saved my life once. Now, they're my guardians—my family."

Half a lie, but it wasn't like I could explain their true origins.

Jiraiya hummed in thought. "I've never seen creatures like them before… ones that form a natural bond with a shinobi and reside in their shadow. Do you think there are more of them?"

I hesitated before answering, "I don't know… but I feel like there might be. Maybe more will come as I grow stronger."

He nodded, lost in thought. Probably already trying to figure out the limits of my abilities.

While he pondered, I reflected on what I had just achieved. I had discovered a way to separate my chakra from my cursed energy, but more importantly, I had devised a method to make them work together.

By using my shadow as a conduit, I could connect with nature chakra without disrupting my body's balance. This allowed my chakra to resonate with my cursed energy, strengthening both without interference. It was a game-changer.

An added bonus? My shadow had awakened a new ability—I could now store objects within it. Sure, I still had to bear their weight, but it was perfect for training. Instead of wearing weighted gear, I could store heavy objects in my shadow, increasing resistance without restricting my movement.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I almost didn't hear Jiraiya dismissing the afternoon's lesson.

"Take the rest of the day off, Shinji. You've earned it. But get some rest—starting tomorrow, your training will be different."

I sighed as I made my way back to my apartment.

'One hell after another…'

[Jiraiya's Perspective]

As I watched Shinji run off, I couldn't help but marvel at the kid's potential.

Without my help, he had figured out a way to balance his energies. All I did was guide him through basic chakra manipulation—he was the one who figured out how to make it work.

Back at Mount Myoboku, it had taken me months to gain proper control over nature chakra. Shinji had done it in a week.

I smirked. 'Maybe I should crank up his training and see just how much he can handle…'

Unaware of the hell I was about to unleash upon him, Shinji was likely busy experimenting with his newfound powers, completely oblivious to the suffering that awaited him.

[Shinji's Perspective]

After returning home, the first thing I did was take a hot shower.

For the first time in a week, my body wasn't in constant pain. I lay on my bed, savouring the feeling… but before I could drift off to sleep, I sat up and began searching for something.

My father's sword.

It was a long, curved blade—longer than a standard katana, but not quite an odachi. Its guard was square-shaped, decorated in gold, and the hilt was wrapped in crimson cloth.

The blade was too big for me to wield properly, but I knew I'd use it in the future. So, with a grin, I stored it within my shadow.

'The longer an object is imbued with cursed energy, the more it adapts to its user… It might even become a cursed object in the future.'

Satisfied, I finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I was back in the training field, running laps, panting heavily.

'I really shouldn't have told Jiraiya about my shadow storage…'

I winced as I remembered how the day had started.

When I arrived at the training ground, Jiraiya was already waiting, holding a scroll. He greeted me with a smirk. "Starting today, we're shifting focus to your physical training. Strength and taijutsu are just as important as ninjutsu. Since you're still growing, we can't risk overloading you with weights, so I've designed a specialized training regimen. You'll follow it daily—even when I'm not in the village. Got it?"

"Yes, Sensei!" I replied, full of energy… before I actually looked at the scroll.

It was filled with brutal conditioning exercises, along with chakra control drills like tree climbing and water walking. I had just wrapped my head around it when I had a 'brilliant' idea.

"Sensei, I discovered a new ability in my shadow yesterday…"

And just like that, I had doomed myself.

After explaining my shadow storage and weight limitations, Jiraiya took the scroll and made a few adjustments.

"Throw some heavy stones into your shadow," he ordered. "Start with 20 kilograms. Increase the weight gradually as you get stronger. This will train both your body and that weird ability of yours at the same time."

And that was how I ended up running laps around the training ground with 20 kilograms weighing me down.

'Who the hell trains a five-year-old like this?'

As the days passed, my suffering continued. But so did my growth.

My physical strength increased drastically, and my chakra reserves steadily expanded since I drained them almost every day. At the same time, I trained my cursed energy, sharpening my control over my powers. Unlike chakra, cursed energy didn't enhance my physical abilities as much, but it heightened my mental processing speed and perception. It was more effective on my soul and techniques than on my body.

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

And then, just like that, Jiraiya was leaving.

"Shinji, keep up with your training, but make sure to rest. I know you love getting stronger, but recovery is just as important as exertion," he advised.

For the first time in three months, he actually told me to rest.

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're feeling okay, Sensei? You didn't hit your head or something?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Brat. Anyway, don't get into trouble while I'm gone."

I smirked. "Don't you get caught peeping at bathhouses. You might not make it back."

The shinobi guards around us barely held back their laughter.

Jiraiya gave me a flat look. "Cheeky brat. Looks like you didn't get enough training. Maybe I should start your kenjutsu lessons when I return."

He turned and disappeared down the road, leaving the sound of explosive laughter behind him.

As he vanished in the distance, I left the village gate, heading toward a ninja tools shop.

Because if I was going on a rabbit hunt, I was going to need some explosive tags.

What better way to hunt a horde of rabbits than with a few well-placed explosions?