Back in the classroom, Kuroda Ren opened the scroll.
Inside were training methods for chakra control and methods for changing the nature of Water Release chakra.
For the former, the most basic exercises were naturally tree climbing and water walking.
These could be said to be fundamentals that every shinobi had to master.
For the vast majority of Genin and Chūnin, once they completed these two exercises, their chakra control was already sufficient.
There was no need for further training.
Mastering these two exercises was enough to learn most C-rank and B-rank ninjutsu.
However, if one wanted to go further and master more difficult ninjutsu, chakra control had to be improved even more.
There was no standardized training method for this.
The specifics varied from person to person and also depended on the requirements of the ninjutsu one intended to learn.
After all, chakra control involved many different aspects, and different techniques emphasized different areas.
For example, the Rasengan focused on rotation and compression, while the Chidori used Lightning Release chakra to stimulate the body and activate the cells.
There were also some general training methods.
Imai Nobuyuki had recorded several of them in this scroll.
Kuroda Ren wasn’t sure whether the methods were comprehensive, but considering Imai Nobuyuki’s strength, they were probably incomplete to some extent.
There were several advanced chakra-control exercises recorded in the scroll.
For example, using chakra to simulate a hand and “hold” a small knife while carving.
Another method involved condensing chakra into thin threads and weaving them into various patterns.
There were five different training methods in total, each corresponding to a different aspect of chakra control.
They might not be comprehensive, but for Kuroda Ren at his current stage, they were more than enough.
As for the training methods for Water Release chakra nature transformation, those were surprisingly comprehensive.
They covered everything from the most basic exercises to advanced stages of training.
Of course, they were merely training methods.
To truly master them, Kuroda Ren would still have to spend a great deal of time and effort practicing.
Just by roughly examining the contents of the scroll, Kuroda Ren already had a feeling that completing all of these exercises would take a considerable amount of time.
Even with an optimistic estimate, it would take at least several months.
It might even take one or two years.
Fortunately, Kuroda Ren was still young.
He had plenty of time.
If only I had the Shadow Clone Technique.
With my chakra reserves, I couldn’t create hundreds or thousands of Shadow Clones to train like Naruto did, but even creating a few clones would multiply my training efficiency several times.
A thought flashed through Kuroda Ren’s mind.
But even the ordinary Shadow Clone Technique was a B-rank ninjutsu.
The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was an A-rank forbidden technique.
Neither was anywhere near as easy to learn as ordinary C-rank or D-rank ninjutsu.
Even Imai Nobuyuki might not know the technique.
And even if he did, he might not dare teach it to Kuroda Ren.
I wonder if I’ll have a chance to meet Maruboshi Kosuke.
Becoming Maruboshi Kosuke’s disciple should be one of the best choices available to me right now…
Kuroda Ren once again began thinking about finding a “good teacher.”
In his opinion, among the powerful shinobi in Konoha who might potentially accept a disciple, Maruboshi Kosuke was currently one of the best choices.
Of course, this was merely wishful thinking on Kuroda Ren’s part.
Although Maruboshi Kosuke was known as a “perpetual Genin,” his actual position in Konoha wasn’t low at all.
Even the Konoha leadership, headed by Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, sometimes had to listen to Maruboshi Kosuke’s opinions.
Let alone becoming his disciple, Kuroda Ren didn’t even know where he could find him.
“What are you thinking about?”
Yūhi Kurenai poked Kuroda Ren in the arm.
“Things related to training.”
Kuroda Ren put his chaotic thoughts aside and turned toward Kurenai.
“Have you talked to your family?”
“Are you going to train with me after school?”
Kurenai nodded her little head.
“I did.
My dad agreed too.”
“But I have to be home before ten at the latest.”
“If you have to be home by ten, then we should finish training around nine-thirty.”
Kuroda Ren calculated the time.
“Perfect.
I can take you home after training.”
The Ninja Academy usually finished classes sometime after four.
After accounting for dinner, that left roughly five hours for additional training.
That happened to meet Kuroda Ren’s target of five hours of high-intensity training per day.
However, Kuroda Ren seriously doubted whether Yūhi Kurenai could actually last that long.
He wasn’t foolish enough to ask her directly.
Instead, he planned to observe her performance during training that evening.
If she couldn’t keep up, he would persuade her to reduce her training time.
After all, not everyone was as insane as Might Guy.
During this period, Kuroda Ren would occasionally encounter Might Guy and his father training their taijutsu late at night.
The intensity of their training was enough to make even Kuroda Ren, who considered himself rather abnormal, think they were a little too abnormal.
“What are we training today?”
Yūhi Kurenai asked excitedly.
“Taijutsu?”
“Your strength is so impressive.
Do you have some special training method?”
“Taijutsu definitely needs to be trained every day.”
“As for the training method, you’ll find out tonight.”
“Okay!”
Yūhi Kurenai nodded vigorously, looking full of anticipation.
On the other side of the classroom, Sarutobi Asuma watched the two of them chatting happily.
His teeth were practically grinding together.
“Damn it!”
“How can someone as cute as Kurenai be monopolized by you?!”
“I refuse to accept this!”
Sarutobi Asuma was consumed by jealousy.
He wished he could simply switch places with Kuroda Ren.
During the afternoon practical combat class, Sarutobi Asuma decisively chose to challenge Kuroda Ren.
He swore that he would teach Kuroda Ren a lesson.
Seeing this, Imai Nobuyuki couldn’t help feeling a headache coming on.
But Sarutobi Asuma was the Hokage’s son.
And Kuroda Ren hadn’t objected.
Imai Nobuyuki couldn’t find a reason to stop them.
All he could do was remind them:
“Keep the sparring under control.”
“No ninjutsu!”
This warning had originally been directed at Kuroda Ren.
Imai Nobuyuki knew very well that Kuroda Ren had learned Water Release: Wild Water Wave in just one night.
He was even already researching ways to increase the technique’s power.
In Imai Nobuyuki’s opinion, if Kuroda Ren used ninjutsu, Sarutobi Asuma might suffer a serious injury.
That would be difficult to explain to the Hokage.
The two formed the Seal of Confrontation and quickly began fighting.
Kuroda Ren’s taijutsu was strong enough to easily defeat even Hatake Kakashi.
Although Sarutobi Asuma wasn’t weak, he was obviously no match for Kuroda Ren.
He quickly fell into a disadvantageous position.
Asuma knew that if this continued, forget about teaching Kuroda Ren a lesson—he would probably end up embarrassing himself in front of the entire class once again, especially in front of Yūhi Kurenai.
Sarutobi Asuma gritted his teeth.
He immediately prepared to use the ninjutsu he had only recently learned.
He began forming hand seals.
As he formed the seals, Asuma thought bitterly:
As long as I use this technique, your taijutsu won’t matter anymore.
I refuse to believe you can withstand it!
“Wind Release: Gale Palm!”
◇ Bonus Chapter Goals ◇