Chapter 22: Chakra Affinities
The sun dipped below the horizon.
Hikari trailed behind Might Guy, her teddy bear backpack now slung over his shoulders. She had no idea about Shikamaru's brooding or worries—not that she cared. For her, blending in with these seemingly mature but emotionally underdeveloped kids was child's play.
Naruto's Nine-Tails was already within her grasp. Once he learned to control it, getting a chunk of its flesh wouldn't be hard. The Academy's social dynamics were under control, ROOT hadn't extended an invitation, and while the Third Hokage still eyed her with suspicion, he wouldn't act rashly.
Finally, some peace.
She exhaled inwardly. Waking up on a battlefield, fleeing Kirigakure, enduring Konoha's scrutiny, the Hyūga clan's cold shoulder—she'd used Might Guy to break through it all and enter the Academy. Now, she could finally catch her breath.
"Guy."
Hearing her call, Guy—who'd been sneakily studying the mysterious Kiri-nin—jerked his head upright, then remembered she'd spoken to him and whipped it back around.
"Y-Yeah? What's up?"
Hikari frowned at his bobblehead antics. That nervous energy… Had Kakashi already spilled her secrets while she was at school?
"Do you know where I can buy chakra paper?"
"Chakra paper? The ninja tools shop has it. I'll take you."
After a moment's thought, Guy led her to a store near the Academy.
Chakra paper was made from special trees sensitive to chakra, reacting differently based on the user's affinity. It was the standard method for testing a shinobi's elemental nature.
Today's lesson had covered chakra affinities, reminding Hikari she'd never tested hers.
With the Three-Tails' power inside her, Water Release was a given. Wind was likely too. But Earth, Fire, and Lightning? No clue.
Not that it mattered.
Affinities could be trained. To achieve Kekkei Mōra, mastering all nature transformations was mandatory—whether innate or learned. Without the Rinnegan or Sage Body, she lacked Naruto and Sasuke's direct path to the Six Paths.
But her Byakugan's supreme chakra control…
Maybe merging all seven chakra natures was the Byakugan's evolutionary path. Fusing them into Kekkei Mōra, triggering its ascension?
The Tenseigan on the moon felt like brute-forcing it—evolving the Byakugan first, then reverse-engineering a pseudo-Six Paths mode.
And for the Shikotsumyaku? Shikotsumyaku: Sōshigon?
How could she evolve her bone kekkei genkai?
Her mind raced. The Sharingan's progression was well-documented, but the Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku were like neglected stepchildren—zero clues. She'd have to theorize her own path.
"We're here."
Guy stopped in front of a ninja tools shop, its flamboyant sign reading: "Full Marks Armory."
Not Tenten's family's place, Hikari noted, scanning with her Byakugan. No twin-bunned girl in sight.
Inside, weapons covered every wall—kunai, shuriken, bandages, weighted leg wraps, blades of varying lengths, even meteor hammers and wire coils. The pricier shelves held explosive tags and storage scrolls, while the top displayed jutsu scrolls at eye-watering costs.
A middle-aged shinobi haggled with the shopkeeper over a bag of kunai.
"Hey, Guy! What'll it be today?"
The round-faced shopkeeper—eyes narrowed into shrewd slits—greeted them after wrapping up his deal. Guy was a regular, always ordering custom training gear. His… unique fashion sense made him unforgettable.
"One chakra paper, plus two ten-kilo weighted leg wraps," Hikari said, pointing at the paper under the counter.
The shopkeeper glanced at Guy, who nodded, then fetched the items. Guy dutifully paid.
Soon, the expensive chakra paper was in Hikari's hands.
It felt softer than regular paper but otherwise unremarkable.
She pinched it between her fingers and channeled chakra.
"Hiss—"
Guy and the shopkeeper gasped in unison, drawing stares from other customers.
The paper dampened, wrinkled, split, ignited, then crumbled to dust.
"Five affinities?!"
"Like the Third Hokage!"
"This girl's something else!"
The onlookers murmured in awe before returning to their business. Unless it was their kid, no one had time to gawk.
Hikari raised an eyebrow, letting the remnants fall.
Was this the Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku's synergy? Or natural talent?
Either way, having all five affinities would save her years of training.
"Do you have the Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll?" She eyed the top shelf—mostly elemental techniques.
The shopkeeper's demeanor warmed. A five-affinity prodigy was free advertising.
"No Shadow Clone, but Water Clone? I'll give you 20% off—80,000 ryō."
"No. It has to be Shadow Clone."
The Narutoverse's ultimate cheat code? Water Clone couldn't compare.
Mastering seven nature transformations wasn't a one-person job. With Kaguya's revival a decade away, she needed efficiency.
"500,000." She held up five fingers. "For the Shadow Clone Jutsu. A million for the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu."
The shopkeeper's throat bobbed.
Jutsu scrolls were pure profit—endlessly replicable. A million ryō? He could buy a copy, resell it, and keep the original.
Hikari slapped a stack of bills on the counter. "100,000 ryō deposit. We'll pick it up in three days."
"Three days might be—"
"If you can't do it, I'll find someone else. But my memory's terrible—I might forget which shop sold me that chakra paper."
The shopkeeper gaped. This girl saw right through him.
"Fine. Three days." He'd eat the extra cost. The chakra paper hype was worth it.
Guy stood there, baffled. One second, they were testing chakra; the next, sealing a deal.
"Hikari, Multi Shadow Clone is a forbidden jutsu. It's illegal to sell."
"True. But gifting it to a genius? Just a private exchange." The shopkeeper grinned, handing Guy the weighted wraps.
"Let's go, Guy."
"Come again!"
As the shopkeeper fawned over Hikari, Guy—lugging the weights—felt like the odd one out in his own village.
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