Naruto: Power in Play

"Here, for you."

One day, when Ando's classes were over and he was about to retire to his dorm, a stranger handed him a scroll. Ando looked at the item with skeptical look, and cranked his neck up to look at the person who offered it.

"Uhh, what is this?" He asked, voicing his confusion.

"A scroll, recollecting some much more advanced chakra theories and knowledge."

Ando looked at the smiling face of the gray-haired instructor, and felt puzzled. Though, he didn't overthink it and quickly snatched the scroll. "Thanks."

Ando turned the scroll over in his hands, the texture of the parchment unfamiliar. He then glanced up at the gray-haired instructor again.

"Who are you? And what's this for?"

 "My name is Mizuki, I don't have a last name. I'm an orphan just like you." Mizuki's courteous smile became a tad bit gentler as he introduced himself. "I've noticed that you've been working hard. This scroll contains knowledge that'll help you push beyond the basics you've been learning."

He paused, as though considering his words carefully. "You're... different, Ando. You don't have a clan's resources to rely on, but that doesn't mean you can't excel. This is just a little something to help you get there."

Ando blinked in surprise. He felt genuine kindness emanating from the man. And in the academy, it was something he was not used to. He couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious. "Why me?"

Mizuki chuckled softly, folding his arms. "Why not you? Hard work deserves to be rewarded. You're not content to stay in the shadows like the other students, are you? I see a lot of potential in you."

 "What's inside that scroll will give you an edge. It's not the kind of knowledge everyone gets access to. You'll be able to hone your chakra control, learn more efficient techniques. Maybe even outclass those clan kids who think they're so far above you."

"And the catch?" Ando remarked. To which Mizuki shook his head.

"There's no catch. Just progress. Consider this gift like something you have received from the academy. Think of it as... a teacher helping out a student who deserves more than he's been given."

Ando hesitated for an instant before finally slipping the scroll into his bag. "I see… thanks,"

He acted as though he did not think too much about the situation. He walked off without another word, putting Mizuki's entire existence behind him. Once back into his dormitory, he casually greeted his roommates who had become mere acquaintances by this point, and hurried to open the scroll.

On it were a few introductory words, along with an instruction to come to Mizuki if he ever encountered trouble understanding the content of the scroll.

To Ando's surprise, it was actually a storage scroll. There were three seals drawn on its body, and above them was an instruction about how to use the seals. What's more, the seals were apparently reusable.

"Mizuki really went all out with this." Ando thought aloud. Contrary to their earlier interaction, Ando was not as clueless as he appeared about the identity of the teacher. How could he ever forget the name of the first antagonist in the series?

As inconsequential as the man was, Ando remembered him as the one who spilled the beans on Naruto's jinchuriki status, and also the one who allowed the protagonist to gain the overpowered shadow clone jutsu.

Ando did not want to get too involved with the man. He was bound to do something stupid and risky down the line, but he honestly couldn't resist the scroll. Anything related to chakra theory was of utmost importance to him, especially now that the gains from his daily physical training had slowed down.

The scroll contained three items, advanced chakra theories and exercises, introduction to the theory of seals, and a chakra nature paper slip.

Ando was grinning from ear to ear as he observed the items, attracting the attention of his roommates. But they soon ignored him. The two have taken a stance, one in which they would do their best not to get involved into Ando's matters. And on his part, Ando did his best not want to drag the two into his troubles.

Ando set the two books aside, his attention wholly captured by the chakra nature slip. With eager anticipation, he pinched the center of the slip and carefully channeled his chakra into it. A moment later, the paper began to crumble into fine dust, confirming that his chakra nature was earth. His grin stretched as wide as it could, though he silently lamented that it couldn't grow any wider—at least, not yet.

[Chakra Affinity paper used!]

[The Chakra Affinity Stats have been unlocked!]

[Earth nature affinity: 14/20]

[Fire nature affinity: 4/20]

[Water nature affinity: 2/20]

[Wind nature affinity: 0.5/20]

[Lightning nature affinity: 1/20]

[MAIN AFFINITY: Earth]

[You gain the following bonuses when using earth natured techniques]

Increased defensive strength: Earth based jutsu gain a 40% boost in durability and defensive capabilities.

Stability and Stamina: Reduces chakra consumption by 35% for Earth jutsu.

Ando looked over the prompt in amazement. The chakra nature slip could tell him what his charka nature was, but nothing could beat having an exact idea about how high his affinity was.

Ando first rejoiced over the discovery. But he soon realized that he had no clue about how to train his chakra nature. With wind, he had seen how Naruto had been training it himself. He also understood the variant for fire. But when it came to water and earth, he was completely clueless.

Thankfully, he had the advanced chakra theory book. At least, he would have a lead. Ando fiddled with the book and observed the material. It felt brand new. The probability of it being specially printed for him was quite high.

Ando opened the book, and just after reading the introduction, he realized how devious Mizuki was.

The book boasted the term "advanced" in its title for good reason. Most of the subjects it delved into were abstract to the point of being incomprehensible to someone lacking prior exposure. Take chakra nature transformation, for instance—it demanded a foundational understanding of the possibilities or concepts involved before one could grasp what the text was discussing. The same held true for topics like physical enhancement and, naturally, chakra seals.

For most academy students, the natural course of action would be to skim through the introductions, get lost in the labyrinth of complex theories, and eventually seek help from the very person who provided the scroll—Mizuki. At that point, the advantage would shift entirely to Mizuki, giving him the initiative to further his plans. It was a straightforward scheme, one that Ando had no doubt would work—if he were just an ordinary orphan.

Fortunately, his situation was not that simple. He came from a world where technical concepts and abstract studies were the bread and butter. What's more, he had decades of exposure to fantastical concepts thanks to the internet, and other technological advancements. Ando would not go so far as to say that understanding the book would be child's play for him, but at the very least, it would be a fair game.

Ando looked at the table of content, and skipped straight to the part about chakra nature and transformation.

"To transform chakra is to change its very essence."

Ando's brow furrowed. The book described how each element had its own set of principles that governed its behavior.

Fire was described as an unstoppable force—volatile, always expanding, always consuming. The book encouraged the user to feel their chakra in their core and allow it to flare outward like a flame, chaotic yet powerful. To properly transform chakra into fire, you had to be the fire. Let it grow, let it burn within you, but always maintain control, lest it burn you from the inside out.

The imagery was quite strong, he remarked. But the concepts were not so simple to grasp. It would be a challenge for most. And of course, there had always been exceptions. People like the Uchiha, prodigies like Kakashi, and more.

Shaking himself free of those random thoughts, Ando turned the page, moving on to the next element: Water.

It was the direct opposite of fire: fluid, adaptable. Water didn't resist; it flowed around obstacles, took the shape of its container, and moved with grace. To transform chakra into water, one had to envision their energy as something that could shift and bend without breaking, like a river coursing through rock. The book emphasized flexibility, the ability to change form in response to the environment. Ando could see the logic there, his mind instantly linking it to the way strategy worked—moving around problems rather than blindly confronting them head-on.

Next came Earth chakra. The book described it as the embodiment of solidity, strength, and resilience, but it wasn't limited to defense. Earth chakra possessed a hidden ferocity, capable of reshaping the battlefield itself. While it was known for its stability and endurance, Earth chakra could also be a powerful tool of offense, capable of overwhelming opponents with sheer force. And surprisingly, it also had high compatibility with stealth.

The exercise outlined how to channel chakra into the ground, without having it dissipate into nothingness, allowing it to spread out and merge with the earth. That was probably the easiest part of it, the next step consisted of trying to condense it into something as solid as rock—or shape it into something far more dangerous.

Earth chakra users could create walls and barriers, yes, but they could just as easily turn that control into spikes, landslides, or crushing fists of stone. Earth was the element that could both protect and destroy.

The key was in the user's mindset: Earth chakra could stand strong like a mountain, but with enough control, it could shift like an earthquake, capable of shattering defenses and destabilizing the ground beneath an enemy's feet. Its power lay in manipulation of the terrain itself, altering the very ground of battle to attack, trap, or annihilate.

The book made it clear: Earth was not just the element of endurance, it was also the element of overwhelming force, capable of reshaping the battlefield at will. In the right hands, it could shift from an immovable defense to a crushing offense in an instant.

Next came the wind and lightning part. But Ando was not too interested in the elements he had no primary affinity for. He preferred to focus on the Earth element.

The complexity of chakra transformation didn't intimidate him. It was a system, one that could be learned, dissected, and understood. It was just another layer to peel back. Another system to adapt to and master.

Ando put the book aside and started thinking, the concepts still swirling in his mind. If Mizuki was the one who had written the book, then Ando would have to change his evaluation of the man. His character may not be exemplary, but as a teacher, he was skilled.

Ando was considering how he could take advantage of the man's attention to wring out as much benefit as he could. But at the moment, he was far too green to even begin to attempt to train his chakra nature transformation. The book offered new venues where he could focus his training into, but that was all.

Ando's chakra control skill still had room for improvement. Even at level 12, it was far from the level of mastery he desired. The act of directing chakra to his legs remained a struggle, a clear reminder that he had more work to do. He knew that tree walking—the next step in chakra control exercises—was looming ahead. But as things stood, he wasn't ready to tackle it yet. Skipping steps wasn't wise; progress required patience and a solid foundation.

The book about chakra nature did motivate him though. He casually skimmed though the other parts of the book, the parts about physical enhancement were particularly interesting. But in the end, he could only put it aside.

He did not even look at the introduction to the theory of seals. For one, it was already close to dawn, and two, while seals were particularly versatile, he was sure he was not qualified to learn or practice it yet.

Ando set himself a new goal: master the leaf sticking method, and get a much more advanced technique.

After closing the book, Ando did not go to bed. Thanks to gamer's mind, he was still fresh enough to train. He procured some dried leaf from his pockets and placed them all over his face, and then added two more on the back of his hands. He then started meditating.

Time passed by as Ando settled into a routine. He still trained with Chika in the morning, and fought with every occasion he got. Some clan members would occasionally come to him to express their interest, but as the days passed by, Ando's desire to join a clan wanned—overshadowed by his pride and desire to maintain his freedom.

And so, another month passed by uneventfully. By now, it had been 5 months since Ando had been reincarnated into the Naruto world.

AN: Sooo, it seems i have uploaded the wrong chapter a while ago. If not for Maverix74's comment, i would not even have realized it. Sorry for the mix-up!