Naruto: The Ultimate Shinobi

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

The chapter got you itching for more? Read ahead and get exclusive content before anyone else? Join me on Patr -e-on! Your support would mean the world to me.

( | [email protected]/FictionGoat | )

Read up to chapter 12 on P@treon.

. . . .

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

" Finally... "

Toshi mumbled, noticing the leaf sticking to his palm. He raised his hand into the air and turned it palm-down, expecting the leaf to fall. But...it didn't.

To his surprise, the leaf stayed in place. Toshi had been at this for hours, and his body was starting to feel weak from the chakra he had used. He had already given up trying to make the leaf stick to his forehead—it was simply too difficult. Though, later had figured out why, by going over the 'textbooks' given to him on Chakra.

Chakra is produced in the heart and travels through the body like an intricate network of ethereal veins, much like a spiritual circulatory system. When activated, individuals can guide their chakra to flow toward specific areas, where it is released through one of the three hundred and sixty-one tenketsu.

The farther a tenketsu is from the heart, the harder it is to control the chakra flowing to it. This explained why managing chakra in the tenketsu on the forehead was particularly challenging for a complete newbie.

Realizing this, Kaito knew continuing the leaf concentration exercise on his forehead was a waste of time and energy. Instead, practicing the exercise on an area closer to the heart would help him get used to the sensation of controlling chakra more effectively.

And it worked. After a few long tries, he managed to succeed, though it left him too exhausted to continue. Still, it was a breakthrough—one that pushed him a step forward.

The chakra he had been trying to control was mostly expended and wasted. Imagine chakra as having a numerical value of 100, representing a person's total available chakra. Depending on the user's skill, only a portion of this energy might be used effectively, maybe 40% to 50% for someone with decent control. The remaining energy is lost, dissipating like water leaking from a poorly sealed pipe.

For Kaito, his lack of control meant his efficiency was abysmal. It was as if he could only tap into 2% of his chakra, while the remaining 98% spilled away uselessly, evaporating into nothing. This inefficiency not only drained his reserves rapidly but also left him feeling physically and mentally exhausted after each attempt. Completely spent, and with his stomach growling and his body trembling from fatigue, he knew he wasn't in any state to continue.Expending one's complete chakra reservoir could result in death...and Kaito wasn't exactly eager to die twice. Walking over to the kitchen, he opened the cupboard in search of something decent to eat.

His brows furrowed. "Ramen cups, of course..." he groaned. The cupboard was packed with an overwhelming stack of ramen cups. While ramen might be quick and easy to prepare, it was one of the worst foods for nutrition, especially for someone his age. At twelve, proper nutrition and protein were essential for exceptional growth. His body was still in its crucial developmental stage, and what he ate now could greatly affect his physical and mental development.

Ramen was loaded with empty calories, high sodium levels, and unhealthy fats. It lacked the essential vitamins and nutrients his growing body needed, such as calcium for strong bones, iron for healthy blood, and proteins to support muscle development. Constantly eating ramen could lead to fatigue, weakened immunity, and stunted growth. Worse, the excessive salt intake could strain his kidneys and even cause dehydration—a terrible combination for someone already drained of chakra.

Eating cup after cup of ramen didn't just fail to fuel his body; it actively worked against his efforts to grow stronger. Kaito sighed, realizing that relying on this junk food wasn't just inconvenient...it was holding him back.

He grabbed a stool and started taking each ramen cup out one by one, tossing them into a garbage bag. When he reached the last pack, he checked the expiration date and groaned. "It's expired... that's even worse," he muttered. Kaito shook his head in disbelief. At this point, he wasn't even surprised that he had done poorly in the Academy. With a sigh, he tossed the last ramen cup into the bag, tying it up before adding it to the growing pile of garbage. Dusting off his hands as if wiping away the situation, he felt a small sense of relief.

"Time to take these bad boys out..." Kaito murmured with a tired sigh. He grabbed the garbage bags and opened the door to his apartment. Walking down a flight of stairs that ran alongside his building, he felt an odd pull—like a gut feeling, an invisible thread guiding him forward, just as it had before.

Kaito walked around the worn-out building and spotted a giant dumpster. With a sigh, he tossed the garbage bags inside, hearing them land with a dull thud.

The morning air was still fresh, and the sun had barely risen. After spending the entire day and night before trying to control his chakra, a new day had finally begun. Yet, even now, Kaito struggled to wrap his head around his situation. Just yesterday, he had been in a city, surrounded by towering skyscrapers and the constant hum of cars. Now, he was here—in the world of Naruto.

As he stood there, a nagging question crept into his thoughts. "What exactly brought me here?" Kaito wouldn't describe himself as an atheist—he believed in God, or at least in some higher power. But the idea of heaven and hell? That felt harder to accept. To him, concepts like good and evil were relative, changing depending on the society or culture. What one group praised as virtuous, another might condemn as wrong. Morality, it seemed, was never as simple as black and white.

One society could believe that murder is good because it reduces overpopulation and preserves resources. But if that's their belief, does God still grant them a place in heaven? What seems virtuous to one group might be abhorrent to another. This moral ambiguity made it difficult to define absolute good or evil. Yet, he wasn't one to delve deeply into questions of religion when he lacked both knowledge and the means to verify any evidence. Religion, after all, was built on faith and belief.

Now, however, finding himself in another world challenged his earlier assumptions. Perhaps heaven and hell didn't exist as he once thought. Or maybe he was caught somewhere in between—a liminal space where he could decide his ultimate path. He wasn't purely good, nor was he completely bad. Could this strange second chance be a way for him to prove himself? To choose which direction his soul would ultimately take?

The possibilities felt infinite, leaving Kaito uncertain about what to believe or expect.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the village in hues of orange and gold, Kaito returned to his room. Exhausted, he decided to sleep despite his empty stomach. Eating expired ramen wasn't worth the risk, even if hunger gnawed at him.

. . . .

_______________________

______________________________________

. . . . .

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) in the body functions similarly to chakra in a sense. ATP serves as the primary energy currency of the cell, storing and releasing energy required for biological processes. When the body performs tasks like muscle contraction or nerve signaling, ATP is broken down into Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP), releasing energy to power those actions. The body then regenerates ATP through processes like cellular respiration, allowing energy stores to replenish.

In the same way, chakra can be thought of as an energy source that fuels various physical and mystical actions, such as jutsu or enhanced physical aspects. When a ninja expends chakra, they are tapping into their finite energy reserves, just as cells use up ATP. To regain chakra, the body needs rest, nourishment, or focused training to recover its energy, paralleling the way cells regenerate ATP to restore their energy supply. 

So getting enough sleep and eating properly are fundamentally important for maintaining health and energy. What you eat plays a critical role, as different foods provide specific nutrients that can speed up recovery and energy restoration.

After a good night's sleep, Kaito headed out to the village to buy proper food, focusing on vegetables and protein-rich meals. However, he had to be extremely cautious with his spending since he was on a very strict budget he couldn't afford to exceed.

Although the village allowance covered his bills, it left him with barely enough money for personal expenses. His budget was so tight that most months, he could only afford instant ramen and a case of water to get by. It was no surprise why this boy was so skinny.

Kaito wandered through the city, going from vendor to vendor, trying to find the cheapest yet most nutritious food he could afford. Despite his struggles, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer beauty of the village. Compared to the bustling, modern city of his world, this place was simple.

But it was that very simplicity that made it so appealing—refreshing, even. Without factories polluting the air, every breath he took felt pure and invigorating. The air was so clean it seemed almost like premium air, as if each inhale gave him a bit of strength.

The trees, the naturally grown foods, the people—everything looked so simple yet so beautiful. The simplest things could hold the most beauty, depending on how you saw them. Even the stone-carved Hokage overlooking the village felt comforting, as if their gaze alone made you safe.

Even though that was far from the truth, it was still somewhat reassuring.

Kaito got his money's worth and headed back to his apartment. Once in his room, the hunger hit him harder; he hadn't eaten in a day and a half. Relying on what he remembered from his previous life, he decided to make some rice and cook beans to fill his empty stomach.

After eating dinner and feeling full, he stored the leftovers in his small fridge. With his hunger satisfied, he felt reenergized and ready to get back to the grind.

Returning to the small table, he crossed his legs and grabbed a leaf, attaching it to his palm. He channeled a bit of chakra into his hand, then moved it through the air and tried to shake the leaf off. It didn't budge, sticking as if it had been glued down.

A smile crept onto his face. Encouraged, he grabbed another leaf and placed it on his other palm. This time, as he circulated chakra into his left hand, he poured in a bit more than usual. The result was immediate—the leaf burst apart, scattering tiny fragments everywhere.

He gritted his teeth. It was clear he had better control with his right hand since he was naturally right-handed. Still, this imbalance was just another challenge he needed to overcome. He rolled his shoulders, ready to keep at it.

He discovered that redirecting chakra into areas of his body that he wasn't accustomed to using required significantly more effort and focus. This stemmed from the fact that his chakra pathways in those regions were less developed or less frequently utilized, making the flow irregular and harder to control.After a couple of hours of practice, he finally got it down. Kaito could now perform the leaf training exercise with both palms, and a small sense of confidence began to bloom within him. With that new sense of confidence, he decided to give it one more try to solidify his progress. The Leaf Training Exercise. 

He removed the flow of chakra circulating through his palms, grabbed the leaf, and pressed it gently against his forehead. Closing his eyes, he focused inward, feeling the subtle flow of chakra coursing through his body like a quiet stream.

He needed to focus, to balance the amount of chakra he used. Too much, and the leaf would explode; too little, and the leaf wouldn't stick. It had to be just right. In his mind, he visualized a faucet slowly turning. Out of the valve, droplets of water began to drip, steady and controlled, mirroring the flow of his chakra as he carefully directed it to the leaf.

'No...not it, just a bit more...' he hummed to himself, focusing intently on pouring just the right amount of chakra to his forehead. Slowly, he removed his hand from the leaf, holding his breath as he watched what would happen.

To his surprise and delight, the leaf didn't fall.

'It stuck!' Kaito exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. He moved his head slightly, testing the hold, and yet the leaf remained firmly attached. Just like that, another step had been cleared.

Knock Knock

A knock came from the door, instantly breaking Kaito's concentration. The leaf exploded into tiny fragments, scattering across the floor. Kaito frowned. "I need to get to a point where I can do this without distractions," he muttered to himself. Still, frustration bubbled inside him—he had just made progress, and now someone had interrupted.

Slowly, Kaito got up from his seat. "Who is it?" he wondered, his heart pounding in his chest. Being an orphan, he didn't have anyone who would visit him, and his poor grades in school ensured that he went largely unnoticed by others. And from what he read, Kaito didn't have any friends.

So, who could possibly be at the door?

The Anbu? Kaito hadn't done anything to warrant even a sliver of suspicion that they might come looking for him. Did they somehow know he had been reincarnated into this boy? That was impossible... Right?

Slowly, Kaito walked over to the door and placed his hand on the knob, his mind racing with possibilities. Should he run? Maybe he could dive through the window. But he was three floors above the ground, and falling from that height would almost certainly kill him.

He really needed to learn the tree-walking technique. In moments like this, it would be especially useful.

With trembling hands, he turned the knob ever so slowly until he heard a soft click.

He opened the door slowly, peeking through the crack...his eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, shit..."

_________________________________

________________________________________________________

Leave a review and comment!

Read up to chapter 12 on P@treon.