Chapter 17: The Limits of a Shinobi
Shinobi have limits.
This was a truth Hikari had long understood. But as Iruka's lecture unfolded, her grasp of those limits deepened.
The universal struggle for shinobi? Insufficient chakra.
They trained in taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu—all built upon chakra—yet overlooked the core issue:
How does chakra grow?
Iruka delivered the final verdict: Chakra cannot be artificially increased.
Chakra stems from the chakra nucleus absorbing energy. Physical and mental energies both derive from a shinobi's life force, an innate, unchangeable capacity.
But… if that were absolute, why did stronger bodies correlate with more chakra?
Just as the question formed in Hikari's mind, someone voiced it.
"Sensei, then why does more physical strength mean more chakra?" Sakura, ever the diligent student, raised her hand.
Iruka nodded approvingly.
"An excellent question, Sakura. This leads us to a fundamental truth, one discovered by the Third Hokage, the 'Professor of Shinobi.' It corrects a millennia-old misconception."
He paused for emphasis.
"It's not that a stronger body produces more chakra. Rather, only those with abundant chakra and life force can strengthen their bodies at all.
Many argue, 'If we eat more, won't our chakra grow?' This is wrong. Food must be digested, converted into energy. Without sufficient life force to absorb it, you'd just… burst.
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Chakra determines strength?
Hikari's mind reeled. Iruka's words shattered her assumptions.
If true, every shinobi's ceiling was fixed at birth.
Without vast life force, all training would eventually hit a wall—until their vitality drained away.
Her gaze snapped to Naruto.
Slouched at his desk, he scribbled notes halfheartedly. Yet within him blazed a supernova of chakra, so dense it seemed liquid.
The Uzumaki's monstrous vitality. The near-infinite chakra of the Nine-Tails. The life-giving Ashura lineage.
Some stood atop the heavens from birth.
And her?
Hikari closed her eyes, feeling the turbulent chakra within. After absorbing the Three-Tails' flesh, hers had doubled.
Did tailed beast chakra enhance my life force?
Too many unknowns. She'd need to investigate later.
Coming to the Academy was the right choice.
Iruka, it seemed, was far from ordinary.
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"Due to these limits, shinobi specialize into three types," Iruka continued.
- Ninjutsu users minimized physical training to stockpile chakra for explosive, short-term battles.
- Taijutsu users channeled chakra into their bodies, excelling in endurance despite smaller reserves.
- Genjutsu users, the rarest, nurtured their minds with chakra—unpredictable and lethal.
"These divisions exist because no one has enough chakra to master all three."
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Ding-ding-ding—
The bell rang. Before Iruka could dismiss class, students bolted from their seats.
He sighed. Youth never changes.
They'd only grasp this lesson's value when they hit their limits years later.
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Classroom Chaos
With Iruka gone, the room buzzed. Hikari, the enigmatic new girl, drew curious stares—but her reputation kept most at bay.
Except for Naruto.
Still hunched over his notebook, his pencil scrawled like a wounded animal.
"What're you writing? Let me see!"
The tall boy from earlier yanked the notebook free. The pencil tore a jagged line across the page.
"Hey! Give it back!" Naruto lunged.
"Make me!" The boy held it high, grinning as Naruto strained on tiptoes.
A fist to the gut solved that.
"OOF—!"
The notebook fell. Naruto snatched it up, but three boys tackled him.
"Beat the monster!"
Fists and kicks rained down. Naruto curled around the notebook, shielding his face.
Nearby, Hinata trembled, lips bloodless. Shikamaru held back a furious Choji and Kiba, his eyes locked on Hikari.
Why isn't she moving?
This was her notebook. Her friend.
Yet she sat, still as stone.
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