Chapter 32: The Path of Strength and Precision
Tsunade watched as Kiyoshi struggled to maintain his balance on the water, her arms crossed as she let out a small sigh. He was improving, but not nearly fast enough to meet her standards.
"Alright," she finally said, snapping Kiyoshi out of his concentration. "You'll practice these on your own. I don't have time to babysit you every step of the way."
Kiyoshi wiped some sweat from his brow and nodded. He had expected as much.
"You master all three to my satisfaction," she continued, her sharp gaze making it clear she would accept nothing less, "and only then will you move on to step two."
Kiyoshi straightened. "Which is?"
Tsunade smirked. Instead of answering, she turned on her heel and took a few steps away. Then, without warning, she raised her foot and slammed it down.
The ground shattered.
A deafening crack echoed as deep fissures split the earth, spiderwebbing out in all directions. Dust shot into the air, and a powerful shockwave rippled outward, making Kiyoshi stumble slightly despite standing several meters away.
His breath hitched. Even though he had expected something big, witnessing it in person was an entirely different experience.
Tsunade stepped back, shaking some dust off her sleeve. "All of that power," she said, looking at him expectantly, "comes down to precision."
Kiyoshi swallowed. "Precision?"
She smirked. "That's right. Chakra-Enhanced Strength isn't just about dumping chakra into your fists or feet and hoping for the best. If you do that, you'll waste energy, overstrain your body, and worst of all—" She tapped a knuckle against her own forearm. "—you might break yourself before you break your opponent."
A chill ran down Kiyoshi's spine.
"Too little chakra, and it's just a normal punch. Too much, and the backlash can shatter your own bones," she continued, her tone firm. "The key is to release the perfect amount of chakra at the exact moment of impact. Not before, not after."
She pointed at the cracked ground. "That's why step one is crucial. If your chakra control isn't flawless, you won't even get to attempt step two."
Kiyoshi exhaled slowly. No pressure.
Tsunade crossed her arms again. "Step two isn't just about learning to punch harder. Your body needs to be able to handle it. Strengthening your physical conditioning is the foundation."
She listed them off:
1. Strength Training – Building muscle to withstand the strain of high-impact techniques.
2. Endurance Training – Enhancing stamina so he wouldn't burn out after just a few punches.
3. Durability Training – Reinforcing his body to absorb the recoil of his own strength.
"A weak body with powerful chakra control is just as useless as raw strength with no control," Tsunade said. "You'll need both. That means rigorous training, and if you can't keep up, you're better off quitting now."
Kiyoshi clenched his fists. Like hell I'm quitting.
Satisfied with his expression, Tsunade stretched and turned away. "That's all for today. Practice step one until you perfect it. Then we'll talk."
And with that, she left.
Kiyoshi stood there for a moment, staring at the shattered ground before exhaling.
Master step one first. Then survive step two.
Simple enough.
…Right?
---
After leaving Tsunade's place, Kiyoshi made his way home, his mind still buzzing with everything she had said. Perfect step one first. Then move to step two. Simple in theory, but execution was another matter.
Arriving at his house, he wasted no time. Without a pool to practice water-walking, he focused on the two exercises he could do: Leaf Concentration and Tree Climbing.
He started with the leaf exercise, sitting cross-legged as he placed a small leaf on his forehead. Slowly, he concentrated his chakra into a steady flow, keeping the leaf in place. It was tedious but necessary—chakra control was the foundation of everything.
Once he felt satisfied, he moved on to tree climbing. He sprinted toward a nearby tree, channeled chakra into his feet, and ran up the trunk. A few steps in, his chakra wavered, and he lost his footing, flipping back and landing gracefully.
"Tch." Kiyoshi clicked his tongue. Still not perfect.
He kept at it, climbing over and over, gradually improving his balance and chakra output.
After an hour, he wiped sweat from his forehead and prepared to rest for a bit, but then he noticed something—he still had plenty of chakra left.
At first, he was surprised. Then, realization struck.
Of course… it's the Chakra Affinity Booster.
It boosted his chakra growth fivefold, accelerating his recovery and reserve expansion. Its effects were remarkable. Not only was he refining his control, but his chakra pool itself was growing faster than normal.
Besides, these techniques didn't consume much chakra. The leaf concentration and tree-climbing exercises were about precision, not raw power, making them efficient training tools with minimal chakra drain.
A small smirk played on his lips.
I can push myself a little further.
Curious, he rummaged through his parents' old ninjutsu scrolls. They had left behind a large collection—mostly fire and earth-based techniques, with a few lightning ones mixed in.
As he sorted through them, his hand brushed against a worn-out scroll tucked at the very back. A small note was pasted on it:
"To Kiyoshi, only attempt this when you have enough chakra, and it must be practiced under my or your mother's supervision. – Your Dad"
Kiyoshi stared at the message, his fingers tightening around the parchment.
His father's handwriting… His mother's name included…something stirred within him.
Even in their final moments, they had thought of their son, preparing for a future they wouldn't be in.
A deep ache settled in his chest, but instead of sadness, this time, he felt warmth.
They weren't the only ones.
He thought back to the previous day—Shigeru, Sayaka, Emiko. The past Kiyoshi might have felt alone, but he wasn't. People had always been there for him.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
Alright then. Let's see what this is.
With newfound determination, he unrolled the scroll—and his eyes widened.
Shadow Clone Jutsu.
This… this is exactly what I need right now.
If he could use shadow clones, he could speed up his training exponentially.
Kiyoshi eagerly scanned the instructions. So that's how it works… He already knew about the jutsu in theory, but this scroll provided a detailed breakdown:
✔ The correct chakra distribution
✔ The precise hand signs
✔ The chakra pathways required
But I still need an expert's guidance.
As a high-level jutsu, creating shadow clones required fine-tuned chakra control. He could attempt it alone, but it would be safer—and far more efficient—if someone experienced guided him.
Kenshiro.
The next time they trained, he'd ask Kenshiro for pointers.
For now, he memorized the sequence of hand signs and practiced molding his chakra accordingly. After a few failed attempts, he decided to take a break and return to the exercises he could already attempt.
Placing the Shadow Clone Scroll aside, he grabbed two fire-style ninjutsu scrolls and headed to his backyard.
It was time to practice a technique he had been eager to learn—
The Great Fireball Technique.
One of the most iconic fire-style techniques in the world. He had seen Uchiha clan members use it with frightening ease, but he knew better—this wasn't an easy jutsu.
It required: ✔ Proper chakra molding ✔ Controlled breath control ✔ Perfectly shaping the fire upon release
Alright. Let's do this.
He formed the hand signs: Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger.
Taking a deep breath, he gathered chakra into his lungs, then released—
Fwoosh!
A small burst of flame shot forward… then flickered out.
Kiyoshi sighed. Too little chakra.
Again.
Hand signs. Deep breath. Push the chakra out properly.
Fwoosh!
This time, a larger flame erupted, traveling a short distance before dispersing.
He smirked. Getting there. He already had some insights in Fire release jutsus as he had already gotten Fire Release: Flaming Palm Technique which is an advanced Fire Release Jutsu.
After several more tries, he managed to produce a decent-sized fireball, though not as massive as he wanted. His throat was slightly sore from all the heat, but he could tell he was improving.
His stomach growled.
Kiyoshi blinked, then looked up at the sky. How long have I been training?
No wonder. I haven't eaten since morning.
He patted his pocket, feeling the small amount of money he had brought with him.
There's only one place I want to go.
Grinning, he grabbed his jacket and headed out.
Tonight, he was finally going to eat the meal he had been craving since returning from his mission.
Ichiraku Ramen.
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