Haruto showed no trace of panic.
Looking into the bloodshot eyes of the charging boar, he coldly spat out two words.
“Filthy beast.”
Before his voice had even faded, his figure flickered slightly.
A sharp flash of cold light streaked through the dim forest like lightning.
The wild boar, which had been charging forward at full speed, suddenly lost its balance and slid sideways into the woods under the force of its own momentum.
Crash—!
Its enormous body smashed through several thick trees before finally collapsing to the ground.
Blood gushed out instantly, staining the forest floor red.
Haruto stood quietly behind the boar’s charge path.
His short sword pointed diagonally toward the ground as a drop of warm blood slowly slid from the blade’s tip.
One strike.
Instant kill.
The two-meter-tall beast had already been decapitated.
Only now did its massive head roll away and tumble to the side, still steaming.
With a flick of his wrist, Haruto shook the blood from the blade and smoothly sheathed it.
“Kill one to warn the rest. That should keep the idiots away.”
His cold gaze swept across the dark forest on both sides.
The hidden eyes watching him immediately retreated.
Ignoring the carcass, Haruto continued onward.
Not long after he left, countless carnivorous beasts swarmed over the boar’s body.
Within less than a minute, nothing remained except a pile of white bones.
Twenty more minutes passed as he traveled through the forest.
Soon, the thunderous roar of rushing water reached his ears.
Haruto finally arrived beneath a massive waterfall.
In front of it lay a grassy clearing several hundred meters wide.
Kakashi had clearly been waiting for some time.
As expected, he was holding his signature orange book and reading with great interest.
Sensing Haruto’s approach, Kakashi closed the book and turned around with a smile.
“You’re here pretty fast.”
“Much earlier than I expected.”
He sniffed faintly.
A trace of blood still lingered in the air.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“Looks like you had a little warm-up exercise on the way here.”
Haruto brushed some dust off his clothes.
“Not bad.”
“Just cleaned up a few pieces of wild game blocking the road.”
Kakashi’s playful attitude disappeared.
Walking over to Haruto, he spoke seriously.
“Before I teach you any ninjutsu, we need to figure out your chakra nature.”
“Here. Channel a bit of chakra into this paper.”
“This is chakra test paper.”
“It’s expensive.”
Haruto nodded and took the paper without saying much.
Truthfully, he was curious as well.
What exactly was hidden within this body’s potential?
The moment chakra flowed into the paper, a shocking scene unfolded.
The test paper was first sliced neatly in half by an invisible force.
Then both halves wrinkled into crumpled balls.
One half suddenly crumbled into dust.
The remaining half split apart again.
Part of it became soaked with water.
Another part burst into flames and turned to ash.
Haruto blinked.
He was stunned.
Wasn’t that reaction a little excessive?
Beside him, Kakashi sucked in a sharp breath.
His eye nearly popped out.
“F-Five chakra natures?!”
He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
A person born with all five elemental chakra natures was extraordinarily rare in the ninja world.
Many powerful shinobi eventually mastered all five through decades of training.
But Haruto was only six years old.
This wasn’t training.
This was pure innate talent.
Kakashi stared at him like he was a priceless treasure.
“I thought your talent was already incredible.”
“Now I realize I underestimated you.”
“You’re a monster-level genius.”
“Abnormal physique.”
“Ridiculous chakra reserves.”
“And now all five chakra natures…”
“It’s like heaven is personally feeding you with a spoon.”
Kakashi was usually lazy and laid-back.
Yet even he couldn’t suppress his shock.
This kid’s build was simply too luxurious.
Luxurious enough to make people jealous.
Meanwhile, Haruto didn’t find it all that surprising.
After all, he had already transmigrated into another world.
Having an unusual physique seemed perfectly reasonable.
In fact, he suspected he possessed more than just the five elemental natures.
There was a good chance he also had Yin Release and Yang Release.
As a result, he remained unusually calm.
Looking at Haruto’s dead-fish expression, Kakashi nearly lost it.
“Hey!”
“Do you even realize what having all five chakra natures means?”
Haruto looked at him expressionlessly.
“No idea.”
“But I do know that even if I have five chakra natures, they’re meaningless if I don’t have powerful techniques to go with them.”
Kakashi was momentarily speechless.
After a pause, he sighed bitterly.
“You really are frighteningly mature.”
“In that case, let’s start with the basics.”
“I’ll teach you precise chakra control first.”
A weak foundation led to future collapse.
Kakashi had no intention of rushing things.
Haruto agreed completely.
“Follow me.”
Kakashi led him to the edge of a deep pool beneath the waterfall.
Pointing at the water’s surface, he explained,
“Walking on water is a mandatory exercise for mastering chakra control.”
“Watch carefully.”
“Gather chakra beneath your feet and precisely regulate the output.”
“The key is maintaining balance.”
“Too much chakra and you’ll repel the water.”
“Too little and you’ll sink.”
As he spoke, Kakashi casually walked out toward the center of the pool.
Just as he turned around to explain further, he froze.
Haruto was already standing behind him on the water.
“…”
Kakashi’s voice nearly cracked.
“How did you get over here?”
Haruto looked up.
“The way you just explained.”
“It’s pretty useful.”
“I won’t need bridges to cross rivers anymore.”
As he spoke, he bounced twice on the water’s surface and even jogged in a small circle.
His movements were completely natural.
There wasn’t the slightest sign of inexperience.
Stopping in front of Kakashi again, he asked,
“That’s it?”
“What’s next?”
Kakashi fell silent.
He stared at Haruto and began questioning his entire life.
Back then, even he had spent half a day learning water walking.
This kid mastered it after hearing the explanation once?
He used to think he was a genius.
Compared to Haruto, he suddenly felt like an ordinary person.
After letting out a long sigh, Kakashi adjusted his mindset.
“Let’s go back to shore.”
“Next training exercise.”
“If you instantly master that one too, we’ll skip straight to ninjutsu lessons.”
Haruto nodded.
Walking across the water as if strolling on solid ground, he headed toward the shore.
Despite the turbulent currents created by the waterfall, his body remained perfectly stable.
Watching him step ashore, Kakashi couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
This learning speed is basically cheating.
Meanwhile, Haruto had already become accustomed to it.
This body’s instincts were simply absurd.
“So what’s next?”
Kakashi smiled mysteriously.
“Come over to the forest.”
Haruto had already guessed.
Pointing at a towering tree, Kakashi said,
“The next exercise is tree climbing.”
“No hands allowed.”
“Only your feet.”
“Like this.”
As he spoke, Kakashi placed both feet vertically against the trunk and began walking upward, completely defying gravity.
“The principle is similar to water walking.”
“But it’s harder.”
“You need to use chakra to adhere yourself to the tree…”
“This one probably won’t be easy to learn. It’ll require—”
Before he could finish, he noticed movement beside him.
Kakashi slowly turned his head.
Haruto was already standing at the exact same height.
The two faced each other while standing vertically on the trunk.
Haruto looked perfectly calm.
“This one’s useful too.”
“It’ll make raiding bird nests easier.”
“Kakashi-sama, can we start learning ninjutsu now?”
Kakashi’s mouth twitched violently.
“Are you even human?”
“How are you learning this fast?!”
“Leave me some dignity!”
Haruto shrugged and continued climbing.
Soon, he reached the highest branch and stood atop the tree canopy, overlooking the entire forest.
“Not difficult.”
“The core is still precise chakra control.”
After saying that, he leisurely walked back down.
The entire process was as natural as walking on flat ground.
Not even a single leaf fell.
Kakashi was completely convinced.
Staring at him blankly, he said,
“Your talent is genuinely terrifying.”
“I’ve never seen a monster like you in my entire life.”
Haruto smiled.
“I just learn things a little faster.”
“It’s nothing special.”
That was absolutely a humble brag.
Kakashi complained internally.
When it came to learning ability, Haruto was unquestionably the most talented person he had ever seen.
Even his younger self couldn’t compare.
Kakashi had graduated at five.
Become a Chūnin at six.
Become a Jōnin at twelve.
Records that remained unmatched.
Yet he had to admit that Haruto’s raw talent had already surpassed his own.
The most frightening part was that the kid didn’t even realize it.
To him, it all seemed perfectly normal.
“Enough being modest.”
“Since your fundamentals are solid, let’s get to the main topic.”
Kakashi’s expression turned serious.
“Tell me every ninjutsu you know.”
“I don’t believe the Great Fireball Technique is all you’ve got.”
This kid was far too mature.
He was definitely hiding things.
Haruto didn’t conceal anything.
Counting on his fingers, he said,
“Besides Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique…”
“Water Release: Great Water Sphere Technique.”
“And Earth Release: Earth-Shattering Palm.”
“That’s all for now.”
Kakashi nodded.
“Mhm.”
“Basic D-rank techniques.”
“Only the Great Fireball Technique barely qualifies as C-rank.”
Haruto was perfectly satisfied.
“I think they’re pretty good.”
“For civilian ninja like us, ninjutsu are trump cards.”
“Being able to learn three techniques already makes me happy.”
After all, he had acquired them entirely through observation at training grounds.
That wasn’t easy.
Used properly, those three techniques were more than enough to handle ordinary Genin.
Kakashi smiled.
“Good attitude.”
“Since your Fire Release affinity is so strong, I’ll start by teaching you a C-rank Fire Release technique.”
Haruto smiled and waited.
“Aren’t you curious why I’m not teaching some flashy high-level technique instead?”
Haruto shook his head.
“Not really.”
“You can’t eat an entire meal in one bite.”
“C-rank techniques have the best cost-performance ratio.”
“Reasonable chakra consumption.”
“Good power.”
“They’re not nearly as weak as you make them sound.”
Many Chūnin and even Jōnin relied primarily on C-rank techniques in actual combat.
A trace of admiration flashed through Kakashi’s eye.
“You’re more practical than I expected.”
“Alright.”
“The technique I’m teaching is also C-rank, but it’s famous.”
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”
The signature technique of the Uchiha Clan.
Although officially C-rank, in the hands of experts it rivaled many B-rank techniques.
Haruto nodded.
“Of course.”
“The Uchiha Clan’s signature Fire Release.”
“Far stronger than the ordinary Great Fireball Technique.”
“The flames are more condensed.”
“But aside from Uchiha clan members, very few outsiders seem to know it.”
Kakashi nodded.
“Correct.”
“It is indeed an Uchiha trademark.”
“But I’m one of those rare exceptions.”
“Interested?”
Haruto rolled his eyes.
“Is that even a question?”
“If I refuse something this good, I’d be an idiot.”
“The practicality is incredible.”
“It’s useful for both suppression and direct offense.”
In the original story, the technique was famous for never killing anyone.
But that depended entirely on who was using it.
If Haruto cast it and someone dared tank it head-on, he’d respect their courage—
Then scatter their ashes afterward.
Kakashi laughed.
“Smart.”
“That’s exactly why outsiders covet this technique.”
“It may only be C-rank, but when used properly, it can display B-rank destructive power.”
Haruto respectfully bowed.
“Then I’ll be relying on Kakashi-sama’s guidance.”
Kakashi waved his hand.
“Can you stop calling me ‘sama’?”
“It sounds too distant.”
Haruto tested the waters.
“Then… just Kakashi?”
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
“That’s not impossible.”
“A little disrespectful, though.”
“Why not try calling me Kakashi-sensei?”
Haruto shrugged.
“Sure.”
“I didn’t realize you enjoyed being a teacher so much.”
“Kakashi-sensei.”
The corner of Kakashi’s mouth lifted slightly.
“It’s just a title.”
“Don’t overthink it.”
Haruto waved dismissively.
“Alright, alright.”
“Let’s get started, Kakashi-sensei.”
Though he acted indifferent, hearing the word sensei still pleased Kakashi.
In the ninja world, that title wasn’t given lightly.
It represented inheritance.
Acknowledgment.
Rather than immediately demonstrating the technique, Kakashi first spent a long time explaining the theory behind Fire Release nature transformation.
This was knowledge unavailable in any library.
Haruto listened with complete focus.
Not the slightest impatience appeared on his face.
As he absorbed the information, he even felt his mental strength growing rapidly.
As expected.
The experience of an elite Jōnin is priceless.
This half hour of teaching is worth more than a year of figuring things out alone.
Kakashi was equally surprised.
Most children would’ve fallen asleep halfway through such a boring lecture.
Yet Haruto listened with sparkling eyes.
After finishing the theory lesson, Kakashi led him to the edge of the pool.
“Watch carefully.”
“I’m going to demonstrate the standard execution of the Great Fireball Jutsu.”
Haruto immediately entered full study mode.
Kakashi’s expression sharpened.
To accommodate a beginner, he intentionally slowed his hand seals.
Every seal was performed clearly.
“Snake – Ram – Monkey – Boar – Horse – Tiger.”
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!”
The seals completed.
Kakashi’s chest expanded.
Chakra instantly transformed into scorching flames within his throat.
BOOM—!
A massive stream of fire erupted outward.
It quickly condensed into a gigantic fireball five to six meters wide above the water.
The blazing sphere shot toward the waterfall carrying terrifying heat.
When it struck the cascading water—
BOOM!
The impact produced a deafening explosion.
Sssss—
Huge quantities of water instantly vaporized.
Thick white steam filled the air.
Haruto felt the heat wash over him.
“Amazing.”
“This is leagues above the Great Fireball Technique.”
“They’re both C-rank, but this is a genuine killing technique.”
“No wonder the Uchiha Clan treats it like a family heirloom.”
“Every Fire Release ninja probably dreams of learning this.”
Looking at the gradually dissipating steam, Kakashi smiled.
“That’s true.”
“In all of Konoha, excluding the Uchiha Clan, you can count the people who know this technique on one hand.”
“You have to admit.”
“The Uchiha really are experts when it comes to fire.”
Then he looked at Haruto.
“Did you understand what you saw?”
“Have any ideas?”
“The difficult part is the instantaneous compression and explosive release of chakra.”
“Even I needed some special assistance to learn it.”
Haruto blinked.
“Special assistance?”
Then he immediately understood.
The Sharingan.
Kakashi didn’t seem interested in hiding it.
He reached up and lifted his forehead protector.
The crimson eye beneath was revealed.
Three tomoe slowly rotated within the pupil, radiating an eerie light.
Haruto pretended to be surprised.
“That’s… the Sharingan?”
Kakashi smiled.
“You know quite a bit.”
“That’s right.”
“The Uchiha Clan’s kekkei genkai.”
“I copied this technique using this eye.”
“It’s also the reason I’m known as the Copy Ninja.”
Haruto hadn’t expected Kakashi to be so open with him.
That level of honesty represented tremendous trust.
He cooperatively showed a look of admiration.
“Copy Ninja?”
“You can learn someone else’s ninjutsu just by watching once?”
“That’s completely unfair.”
Kakashi laughed.
“More or less.”
“As long as it’s not a kekkei genkai or certain secret techniques, I can copy most ninjutsu.”
“You know what a kekkei genkai is, right?”
Haruto nodded.
“I’ve read about it in the library.”
“It’s basically a special release created by combining two chakra nature transformations, isn’t it?”
Kakashi looked surprised.
“You’ve done quite a bit of reading.”
“That’s correct.”
“And this Sharingan is also a type of kekkei genkai.”
“A dōjutsu, specifically.”
Haruto nodded thoughtfully.
“Alright.”
“The theory and demonstration are finished.”
“Now it’s your turn.”
“Let’s see how much you can understand.”
Standing in place, Haruto slowly raised the corners of his mouth.
A confident smile appeared on his face.