Chapter 35: In Forging
------------One Year later--------------
After months of hard work and my gifts, I was as far as everyone else is concerned, an extraordinarily talented blacksmith as well as a creative creator.
' I'll take it '
The days blurred into nights as I delved deeper into the art of forging, forging not just weapons but the destiny I sought to carve for myself and my clan. Arata, the blacksmith of the Nara clan, became not just a teacher but a companion in this journey. Under his guidance, I honed my skills, not just in the physical act of crafting but in the intricate dance of metallurgy, elements, and inscriptions.
' There was a certain beauty in understanding this science, it also had the benefit of calming me through repetitions of motion '
As the weeks turned into months, I expanded my repertoire of weapons. Chakrams, knuckle knives, Deer Horn knives—each an extension of my compatibility and proficiency.
I trained with all of them after I crafted these weapons and needless to say they suited me well. The thrill of really connecting with a weapon that resonated with my essence, allowed me to know all those weapon masters I knew throughout life and fiction, it also raised my respect for Tenten.
' I'm sure she worked hard to master every weapon but hard work alone wouldn't have cut it, the affinity she had for weapons was also a significant reason for why she was able to be so proficient with many weapons despite her age '
You can't go back to fighting with other weapons if you have found the one that was just right for you, it wouldn't do you any good at all to ignore it.
In my case the resonance wasn't just physical; it was also an alignment of purpose. Each weapon I crafted held the promise of being more than a tool—it was to become an ally, an embodiment of my will.
While I did not become a master of these weapons within these months, I became proficient enough that I can trust myself to actually use them in battle. A large part of it was to the people who sparred with me for this.
The clan ensured that I would have experience in fighting with usual weapons so that I could understand further how to combat the opponents using them.
The league wasn't any lesser, they teleported over Pokemon like Marowaks, Samurotts, Bisharp, the Tinkatink Line and the Timburr line.
Needless to say, I was getting beat every day.
' Part of that's my fault because I specifically told them as long as I have all my limbs and is not dead, they can fight for real '
The enthusiasm shown by some of them would mistake them for a pokemon that hates humans, but no, they just respect my determination and do their best to make me ready.
' Though my body curses me dearly for it '
But the results speak for themselves, as befitting of a physique of monsters, my body took every punishment, took notes on it and upgraded it.
A torn muscle? Broken bone? no problem. Whatever concern one would have for pushing my body at this age would be dismissed after watching it heal and become better every time it does.
All I needed was food and ample rest, and by ample I mean just a few hours and the body would do all the work.
' Needless to say, everyone wanted to take full advantage of that '
After a deep examination of my body as well as the results found by the advanced equipment we had access to, they like me realized that I didn't have any reason at all to limit my physical training.
Hell, they found it more reasonable to focus on the physical aspect instead of skills right now. But I still insisted on continuing with my routine.
The main reason is to grow my chakra reserves, I know they are going to be massive enough when Madara comes back, but I need a little more chakra for the current one portraying as Madara to save as many as I can.
I know my physique is my greatest foundation but even if I focus on just it for the remaining time, I still won't reach the needed power to halt Obito for more than a minute with just my physique, not when I'm not even a teenager.
So I still need to practice jutsus. Haki on the other hand is simple because the very act of battle causes it to grow, the harder the battle the better the gains. It goes along very well with physical combat so I focus on that during every sparring session as well.
Needless to say after a year of relentless training I actually felt like an SI when I saw my status screen
•
Name: Shikamaru Nara
Title: Nara Heir
Age: 6 years and 3 months
Stats:
Strength: B-
Speed: B
Dexterity: B
Intelligence: B+
Stamina: B+
Wisdom: B
Luck: C+
Chakra: B+
Chakra Control: B+
Haki:
Observation Haki: B
Armament Haki: B
Conqueror Haki: B
Skills:
Strategic Level 7
Sleeping Level 7
Language Level 9
Calligraphy Level 10
Hiding Level 9
Killing Intent Level 12
Dungeon admittance Level Max
Umbrakinesis Level 8
Drawing Level 7
Heat Resistance Level 7
Forging Level 8
Dressmaking Level 3
Close Combat Level 10
Weapon Handling Level 8
Handsigns Level 5
Pyrokinesis Level 5
Geokinesis Level 2
Techniques:
Leer Level 5
Scary Face Level 3
Shadow Binding Level 8
Shadow Dragon Slayer Art Level 5
Protect Level 4
Endure Level 5
Foresight Level 4
Substitution Level 5
Henge Level 3
Ember Level 5
Hone Claws Level 4
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique Level 3
Fire Release: Exploding Flame Shot Level 4
Dig Level 4
Rock blast Level 2
•
As one could say I had lived up to my identity as a person with a system, It's true that I'm not the strongest or even the best of anything yet but I can damn well say that I'm on my way.
Every physical stats aside is at grade B, which means I'm already better than standard Chunnins in physique now. There are also new additions to both skills and techniques.
Not to mention that everything has leveled up, even the new skills are quite good.
' True, the Geonkinesis and related skills could be better but considering it's not even my element, I'm on a pretty good pace right now '
I also lived up to my promise of being a Shadow dragon slayer, I haven't shown it to my family but they have noticed the ferocity of my shadow when I use it now, I just wanted to ensure that I could do it to a level that even my fiercest naysayer would have to admit that this was an entirely different path that Nara hasn't taken.
Also I wanted a real opportunity to show off my efforts, to show my family that my path of training wasn't wrong.
' It's going to be awesome '
Then there is the matter of my weapons, I spar with the basic version of them instead of a few prototypes we have created upto this point.
The current prototypes of Chakram and Chain Sword right now are made of a blend of chakra metal ore and meteor ore.
Thanks to the fact that the system could even do the enchantment instead of me carving it or drawing it, we saved a lot of time.
Fun fact; I have the option to make script visible by the flow of energy in a certain manner or I can make sure that no one can find it. I tried both options out
The larger the script the smaller the letter it becomes when enchanted. It's also in an orderly manner as well, not entirely unpleasant to look at, which is also a plus.
I also tried to see if we could use machines to produce weapons after using precise machinery with instructions to carve the script on the same blend of ore. The script needs to be activated by the energy flow before the weapon becomes enchanted, without the flow of energy the script is nothing more than a design statement. The results proved that while general scripts could be added the personal ones were a no-go.
The weapons enchanted by the machine could be used by anyone with the correct energy while the ones created by the system have the option of being personalized in a less time-consuming way. Personalizing a weapon is far easier when the system does it than when you do it yourself.
For example, if you want to ensure that everyone other than you has to get shocked when they hold your weapon, then when you're drawing or carving the script you have to pour your chakra into it. Do you want to make sure that it can be bound to your bloodline? Blood script. Do you want to make sure that on the off chance, there is a person with the very same chakra presence as yours to also be shocked? Use blood, chakra, yin/soul. That's as secure as you can get when a person does it himself.
The system on the other hand, select the option you want and it's done in an instant. It's unfair on so many levels but I'm still learning of doing it myself because I want to be prepared on the off chance that I lose the system.
True, it's a long shot, but it never hurts anyone to be prepared. The system needs to be a tool rather than a way of life for me.
Right now we have found more than 50 formulas and of that, there are only 12 that I even want. While it would be great to have an answer to every situation the fact remains that the blend cannot frankly contain that many enchantments, It's not a matter of metal it's also a matter of enchanting it.
Until you can find the formula that synchs your very thoughts with a weapon, it would be foolish to enchant every formula. Even if we separate every script into different sections, it's hardly easy to maintain and fight with ease when you have that many things on your weapon.
A very simple difference would ensure that you do not get what you desire. For example, it would be hard to just activate the fire enchantment when you are smothering the entire weapon in chakra to ensure that it doesn't crack from the enemy's blows.
So what I'm looking for are passive enchantments. The enchantments for reinforcing, resistance, smooth flow, etc should be passive while the enchantments for recognition, automatic return, size manipulation and the like should be active.
While it seemed like I would achieve the things I wanted for my weapon, I knew that it would take time. I could only hope that I could get it before my time runs out.
' Maybe I'm underestimating what I have, yet the fact remains what I'm planning to build isn't something ordinary '
What I planned on building was anything but ordinary. I could probably say that I was being most ambitious with the project than even the Kages could.
So ambitious was my idea that the beginning of it is when I have found every formula for the enchantments I need, then I would need further ores for it, would inscribe to an even further intelligence preferably with a hint of my soul to act as an overseer over it and that's just the weapon part of it.
It would be less of a weapon and more of an artifact once I'm done with it. It's going to be so good that I don't doubt that it will have its own voice and try to take over the world after I'm gone or several hundred years down the lane if people who inherit don't match the requirements I set.
It's going to be something that I can be truthfully proud of doing, something that I won't regret.
I know that every time I get stronger I have a better chance of survival in this world, just as I know that even if I tried my best there would be people whom I would just have to kill to ensure the best, I'm going to do what needs to be done, but I'm not going to be proud of it.
And I hope that never changes, that this world won't change that in me.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone