Chapter 35: Searching the Library!
{1st Floor, Konoha Library, Konohagakure}
{12:21 PM, 25th Jan 13 Yrs ANB}
{3rd Person POV}
After finding out about his affinity Ren rushed back to the library, he first went searching in the Wind release section for any jutsus that would fit with the fighting style he had in mind.
'Wind is not known for its defensive properties, it is purely an attack-focused element so I would have to go to some other element for the defensive jutsus. I should be able to learn at least the basic C Rank Jutsus from other elements considering I was able to master the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu given wind is weak against Fire.'
Ren first decided to focus on selecting an attack jutsu, there were quite a lot of D-rank jutsu but there were very few C Rank jutsu by comparison. Ren ignored the 50+ scrolls in the D rank portion for now and instead focused on reading through the C Rank jutsus.
There were just 20 C rank wind release jutsus in the archive, of them, only 5 of them were in line with his fighting style. Ren took out a blank scroll from his pouch and began making a list of the jutsus that he felt were suited for him.
'''...Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, Description: The user breathes wind from their mouth, blowing away whatever is in front of them. The technique itself is quite simple, but its power varies significantly depending on the user's skill and how strong they make the winds. Pros: Can be used without extensively diving deep into wind nature transformation. Can be used with only 5 hand signs and with time they can be reduced to 1 or even zero.
...Wind Release: Whirling Shuriken, Description: The user infuses a regular shuriken with wind chakra, causing it to spin rapidly and move unpredictably, making it harder for enemies to dodge or block. Pros: Can be combined with the Advanced Shurikenjutsu to confuse and attack opponents.
...Wind Release: Air Bullet, Description: The user focuses wind chakra into their mouth and fires compressed air bullets at their opponents, capable of causing concussive damage. Pros: Can be used with only 3 hand signs and with time they can be reduced to 1 or even zero. Con: Weak in power.
...Wind Release: Gale Trap, Description: The user sets up a trap by laying down a hidden layer of wind chakra on the ground. When an opponent steps on it, it triggers a burst of wind that can knock them off balance or immobilize them temporarily. Pros: Utility jutsu that can be used quickly in the field if the channeling method can be changed. Cons: Not effective against sensor-type shinobi.
...Wind Release: Whirlwind Shield, Description: The user creates a swirling vortex of wind around them, acting as a protective shield that can deflect incoming projectiles and weaken some incoming jutsus. Pros: Quick to use with only 3 hand signs. Cons: Not effective against Elemental ninjutsu, can only be reliably used to block incoming projectile...'''
...
'Most of the other jutsu doesn't have much utility and are just bastardized versions of jutsu from the other element. Hayate sensei told me to select 3 jutsu, I should select the attack and utility jutsu from the wind element and then select a defensive jutsu from either water or earth release. Though Earth release should be better as Earth has better defensive properties.'
Ren looked through the list he had made, and in the end, he selected Wind Release: Great Breakthrough and Wind Release: Air Bullet as the two jutsus from the Futon element. Both of these jutsu are ranged techniques and while one of them can be used for a more lethal attack the other can be used as both a temporary shield and a utility jutsu to stop and produce smokescreen effects.
After that Ren focused on reading and memorizing these two scrolls, it didn't take him long to memorize the hand seals and how he needed to mold his chakra. The part that he was stuck on now was that both of the scrolls talked about changing his chakra into wind nature and then forming the jutsu around it, and he did not know how to do that.
'I have been able to use the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu because I learned the jutsu from the skill scroll that I got from the bounty system, and then just grinded the skill till I became proficient in changing some of my chakra into Fire-natured.'
Ren opened his status block and looked at the new attributes that had appeared after the chakra control stat.
...
[Status Window]
[Name: Ren]
[Title: Rookie of the Year]
[Level: 22 Next Level: 21,500/30,000]
[Chakra: 580/580]
[STR: 78{-30}]
[VIT: 80]
[END: 88]
[DEX: 138{-70}]
[INT: 64]
[CHA: 58]
[Control: 50%]
[Fire: 20%, Wind: 0%, Water:0%, Earth: 0%, Lightning: 0%]
...
'In the worst case scenario, I could use the same method I used for Fire Release to grind all of my Nature Transformation control to 100%, if they could even reach 100%, I think that there would be some natural barriers that wouldn't allow me to have 100% efficiency into changing the nature of my chakra into any element I want.'
The 20% after fire indicated how much chakra Ren would be able to convert into fire-natured and waste the rest of it. So if he wanted to use the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu as an example, he would have to spend 125 chakra in order to mold 25 Fire-natured chakra, in addition, to use that jutsu he needed another 100 chakra to mold and control the jutsu. So in the end, if he had perfect control over both the fire element and his own chakra he would need just 75 chakra to use the jutsu instead of the 225 he needed now.
'Hayate sensei would know of a way for me to practice Wind nature manipulation otherwise it would take me a long time to learn these two jutsus through trial and error.'
Ren picked out the only defensive skill he found in the C-Rank Earth Release section, Earth Release: Earth Shore Return. After striking the ground with both hands, the user pulls out a slab of earth in front of them from the ground. The defense is not perfect though, and the effectiveness of the technique depends on the terrain. Also, since this technique only guards against frontal attacks, the enemy can easily attack from the side or even from above.
'There are many flaws in this jutsu but this will have to do for now...' Ren thought and then he moved towards the sixth section, the scrolls and books on fuinjutsu were calling to him.
"Ren-kun," A familiar voice interrupted him, he looked back and saw Ino coming into the library.
"Hey, how was the first day?" Ren asked giving her a small smile as he continued towards the fuinjutsu section.
"Ugh, don't even get me started on those lazy bast-" Ino stopped herself from cursing but Ren was sure it was because of him.
"You can curse your Jonin sensei, Ino, it's a very reasonable thing to do," Ren replied hiding his smile, it was amusing to see Ino stop herself from saying bastard because he was around.
"Stop grinning you idiot and help me, since those lazy idiots won't do any training I might as well learn a jutsu or two," Ino pouted as she started searching for jutsu not realizing they were in the utility section.
"Here this shou-" Ren was about to throw her the scroll for Earth Release: Earth Shore Return when he paused and pulled out the two strips that he had thrown into his inventory.
'I don't think this would work but then again there is no harm in trying,' Ren thought.
"Come with me," He picked a book called, 'Introduction to Mastery of Seals' from the shelf and pulled Ino back towards the sitting area. There was no one in the library so he gave Ino one of the two half-strips of Chakra paper that he had.
"Here mold some chakra and channel it through this," He instructed.
After giving him a confused look, Ino took the strip of chakra paper from his hands and channeled chakra through it. The piece of paper turned soggy in an instant and water started dripping from it onto the table.
"Not the table geez," He mock scolded getting a frown from Ino, he threw toward her the Earth Release: Earth Shore Return scroll and told her, "here learn this one as a defensive jutsu for protection anyway since water and Earth don't clash, and then you should look into the water release section, that one right there," he pointed at Suiton section.
"Show your sensei that and tell him you have water affinity, he should be able to guide you on how to master it," Ren spoke and Ino nodded, she looked at the soggy chakra paper and then pulled out a storage scroll from her pouch to seal the chakra paper.
"Here take this one as well," Ren gave her the other half of the chakra paper as well, "give it to Shikamaru, I never gave him a gift on his birthday."
Ren looked at Ino's embarrassed expression and nodded to her one more time before he opened the book on 'Introduction to Mastery of Seals'.
'''...Fuinjutsu is mostly used as an auxiliary art, there are several reasons for it to be classified into the support class. It takes a lot of time to set up a preferred battlefield using fuinjutsu, the high requirements one had to pass to even begin moving onto half-decent seals that could provide some advantage in a battle. There was even the fact that the use of seals on the fly, one of its most useful combos was reserved for only seal mastered that have exceptional control of their chakra...'''
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{Training ground #10, Konohagakure}
{3:01 PM, 25th Jan 13 Yrs ANB}
{3rd Person POV}
Ino hummed as she arrived at the training ground for their afternoon training, she got to spend a lot of time with Ren so she was happy for now.
'I was expecting to not meet him for a week, at least his diligence in learning fuinjutsu means predicting his schedule a lot easier.'
Her good mood evaporated as she saw Choji sleeping while Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei were once again scooped up over the shoji board.
'I'm gonna kill them...'
They were supposed to go for a good meal but considering who her teammates were she was sure that all three of them just lazed around and did nothing during their break. She wanted to give them another earful but managed to contain her emotions and instead asked Asuma sensei about water nature manipulation that Ren talked about.
"Asuma Sensei, can you teach me about water nature manipulation, after that, I'll leave you two to your shoji match and practice over by the lake." Ino smiled sweetly as she asked.
Asuma looked at her with a confused look, "Why do you want to know about Nature manipulation, that is advanced stuff as genin you should focus on the basics." Before he could begin another lecture, she unsealed the soggy piece of chakra paper from the storage scroll.
"Here, Ren said belated happy birthday," Ino gave the intact piece of paper to Shikamaru and then turned to show her soggy piece of paper to Asuma sensei but Asuma sensei snatched the chakra paper from Ino and Shikamaru's hands and looked at it carefully.
"Hey, that's mine I need to show it to Dad and weasel some money from him..." Ino replied she had a plan to buy some weights like Ren. He told her she wasn't ready for the resistance seals so maybe she should start with some weights.
"Where did you get this?" Asuma sensei asked seriously, Ino was surprised at seeing the serious expression on his face so she replied, "Ren gave it to me to test my affinity or something. Say sensei you would teach me about water nature manipulation right, I don't want to lose to Ren by a huge margin again... that idiot had a lead of 189 points on me in the final standings..." Ino spoke and then whispered the last part.
Asuma on the other hand had a serious expression on his face and then he looked at the two pieces of chakra paper he gave the normal-looking strip to Shikamaru and told him, "Show this to your dad, tell him he owes me a lot more than 3 bottles of sake."
Asuma grumbled before he spoke, "Alright, I'll teach you but not today, come on it's time for physical conditioning... Ino wake Choji up!"
...
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AN- What do you guys think? Too much jutsu explanation or nah? Plus I added a Stat Comparison Chapter as an Auxiliary one, check that one out for some basic info!
P.S- 11 extra chapters on Pàtreon at - P.atreon.com/Version_401
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