By the time Tian Yu woke up, it was already noon.
His sister, Tian Tian, had left him a few rice balls for lunch before heading to their family's ninja tool shop to help out. This left Tian Yu alone at home.
Without wasting time, he quickly finished his meal, filling his stomach just enough to keep going. Then, without hesitation, he rushed into the backyard forging shed and resumed his practice.
Time passed in a blur.
Three days flew by in the constant rhythm of hammer strikes and roaring flames.
For Tian Yu, forging wasn't just about creating kunai.
Each strike of the hammer strengthened his muscles, increasing his endurance. The repeated motions of pulling the bellows and handling heavy iron were tempering his body just as much as they were shaping the weapons.
Even more surprisingly, through this process, his chakra control was improving significantly. He could now extract and mold chakra with greater ease, and his reserves had slightly increased.
Compared to the standard chakra refinement techniques taught in the Hidden Leaf Village, this forging method seemed to be even more effective at reinforcing both his body and chakra network.
Tian Yu knew—this training wasn't just an alternative; it was a legitimate path to becoming a ninja.
His foundation was now just as strong, if not stronger, than any other aspiring shinobi his age.
---
On the fourth day, as he was forging another Clone Kunai, a familiar notification echoed in his mind.
[Ding! New Task: Gather Clay (1000g)]
[Reward: Basic Forging Blueprint – Substitution Kunai]
Tian Yu's eyes flashed with intrigue.
Substitution Kunai?
His mind instantly deduced its possible function. If the Clone Kunai worked similarly to the Clone Jutsu, then this Substitution Kunai might mirror the standard Substitution Technique.
The mission itself wasn't difficult.
Clay was abundant in the backyard, so he quickly dug up a pile of dark brown earth and completed the task.
[Ding! Mission Complete!]
[Reward Issued: Basic Forging Blueprint – Substitution Kunai]
Immediately, new forging knowledge filled his mind.
[Substitution Kunai]
Forging Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
Special Effect: Instantly activates the Substitution Technique upon contact.
The forging process was similar to the Clone Kunai, though slightly more complex. However, thanks to his prior experience, Tian Yu found himself adapting quickly.
Excited to test this new design, he immediately got to work.
Unfortunately, luck was not on his side this time.
The first attempt—failure.
The second attempt—failure again.
It wasn't until his third try that he finally succeeded!
At that moment, another wave of information flooded his mind.
[Substitution Kunai]
Infuse chakra into the kunai, and upon activation, instantly swap positions with the kunai to evade attacks.
Tian Yu's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Just as he expected!
The Substitution Technique, one of the most essential survival skills for shinobi, was now something he could replicate using his forged weapons.
Among the Three Basic Jutsu—Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Transformation Jutsu—the Substitution Technique was the most practical in battle. Even Chunin and Jonin relied on it frequently.
And now, with his Substitution Kunai, he could achieve the same effect instantly, without the need for hand seals.
This was a game-changer.
A weapon like this could be the difference between life and death in combat.
Determined to refine his skills further, Tian Yu grabbed another iron ingot and resumed forging.
---
The familiar clang! clang! clang! of metal striking metal echoed throughout the shed.
Another five days passed in the blink of an eye.
By the time he took a step back to admire his work, Tian Yu had successfully crafted:
15 Clone Kunai
10 Substitution Kunai
His forging proficiency had also significantly improved:
Clone Kunai: 77%
Substitution Kunai: 45%
But before he could take a break, another system notification rang in his ears.
[Ding! New Task: Gather Fine Sand (1000g)]
[Reward: Basic Forging Blueprint – Transformation Kunai]
Tian Yu's brows raised slightly.
With this, he would have all three kunai variations needed to replicate the Three Basic Jutsu.
The task was simple, and he quickly collected fine sand from the backyard to complete it.
Soon, a new blueprint appeared in his mind.
Another ten days passed as Tian Yu dedicated himself to relentless forging.
His routine was simple: eat, sleep, forge.
The work was monotonous, yet he remained undeterred. Every moment at the anvil was a moment spent refining his strength, chakra control, and craftsmanship.
And the results spoke for themselves.
His physical endurance had noticeably increased. His chakra recovery speed was faster than ever. If he were to engage in actual combat, the combination of his raw strength and these specialized kunai would make him a formidable opponent—even for an average Genin.
His completed inventory now included:
30 Clone Kunai
20 Substitution Kunai
15 Transformation Kunai
Furthermore, his forging proficiency had risen to:
Clone Kunai: 100% (Guaranteed success, no failures!)
Substitution Kunai: 85%
Transformation Kunai: 55%
Additionally, his forging speed had drastically improved.
What once took him three hours to forge a single kunai, now only took thirty minutes.
Checking his status panel, he noted the changes:
[Host: Tian Yu]
[Age: 6 years old]
[Forging Level: Beginner]
[Unlocked Weapons: Clone Kunai (100%), Substitution Kunai (85%), Transformation Kunai (55%)]
[Self-Created Weapons: None]
Satisfied with his progress, he finally stepped out of the forging shed and joined Tian Tian for dinner.
After they finished eating, Tian Yu remained seated, watching his younger sister thoughtfully.
"Tian Tian," he started, "how's your chakra extraction training coming along?"
Tian Tian sighed, sticking out her tongue in frustration.
"Brother, it's so difficult! I've been practicing for more than ten days, but I can only extract a tiny bit of chakra sometimes. And even when I do, it's unstable."
Tian Yu chuckled, nodding in understanding.
"That's completely normal," he reassured her. "Just being able to sense chakra at your age is already impressive. Keep practicing, and you'll improve."
Tian Tian's talent in ninjutsu wasn't particularly remarkable, but as her older brother, he was determined to help her grow stronger.
After all, chakra refinement wasn't something a six-year-old could master easily.
At the Hidden Leaf Academy, students spent their first two years solely learning chakra control. Compared to that, Tian Tian was progressing just fine.
Seeing her disheartened expression, Tian Yu reached into his pouch and pulled out three Clone Kunai.
"Here," he said, handing them to her with a smile. "Something fun to play with."
Tian Tian's eyes lit up as she accepted the kunai, eager to see what made them special.
Little did she know, this was only the beginning.