Grant Marshall, the world-changing ninja

It had been a few weeks since I was reborn into this new world, and by now, I had started to understand the basics of the chakra system and how it worked. I wasn't fully capable of controlling it yet, but I could feel it flowing through me—like a subtle current just beneath my skin. The first step was to learn how to access it, but that was easier said than done.

I had never been a patient person, not in my past life, and certainly not in this one. But there was something different about this body, something that made me feel like I could learn more, understand more than others my age. Every moment felt like it was a chance to get ahead, to accumulate the knowledge I would need for the future.

I sat cross-legged on the floor, my small hands placed flat on the ground. It was a simple chakra control exercise, something all kids my age were taught to do. The goal was to feel the chakra moving through your body and control it, making sure it didn't leak out of you uncontrollably. The instructors said it would make a difference when performing jutsu later, and I could tell they weren't wrong.

But for me, this wasn't just practice—it was a chance to experiment, to see how far I could push the limits of chakra control. It wasn't just about moving the energy around; it was about understanding it, harnessing its potential. I remembered all the things I knew from my past life, the scientific principles I'd studied, the theories about energy and forces that governed everything. Maybe chakra wasn't all that different from the forces I used to study.

I closed my eyes and focused. The sensation of chakra flowing through me was subtle but unmistakable. I wasn't sure yet how to measure it or make it do what I wanted, but I could feel it moving beneath the surface, like a low hum in the back of my mind.

"Focus," I murmured under my breath, though I wasn't sure if anyone could hear me. It wasn't as though there was anyone to talk to. I was still young, still learning, but in my heart, I knew there was so much more to chakra than anyone had taught me. I could feel it calling to me, pulling at the edges of my mind, like a puzzle I was determined to solve.

I let the chakra flow freely for a moment, just to see what would happen. It was strange—more than just energy, it felt alive, like it was waiting for me to understand it. But I stopped before I let it get too far. I couldn't afford to make a mistake. Not yet.

"Not bad," I muttered to myself, breathing a little easier. It wasn't perfect, but I knew I could improve.

I wasn't supposed to be this aware of chakra at my age. But I had always been different, and even in this new world, I felt like I had a grasp on things others my age couldn't even dream of. They were content to play and train without much thought. They were happy to follow orders and learn slowly, one step at a time. But not me. I wasn't interested in being like everyone else. I wanted to understand. I wanted to know how this world worked at a deeper level.

But my teachers didn't know that yet. No one did. They thought I was just a quiet kid, always off in the corner, always practicing by myself. And they were right, to an extent. I wasn't one for making friends or playing with the other children. I was too focused. Too driven. I was just a kid, but I already knew that I had to get ahead.

And there were so many questions I had. So many things that didn't make sense. Things I knew I needed to figure out. Like how chakra could be harnessed, controlled, and used for more than just combat. What if there was a way to mix chakra with science? Could I find a way to manipulate it in ways no one else had thought of?

I scribbled some notes on a piece of paper in the corner of the room, my tiny hands holding the pencil with a focus far beyond my years. The characters were written carefully, each one precise, as I wrote down everything I had learned so far about chakra, the basics of elemental affinities, and the way chakra moved in the body.

But there was a problem—no one else would be able to read this. I had learned to write in English in my past life, and that's what I used now. The foreign language felt more familiar, even though no one in this world knew it. It made me feel like I had a secret, a personal way to record my thoughts, and keep them hidden. I wasn't sure if it was paranoia or just a habit from my old life, but I kept all my notes in English.

As I wrote, I felt a sharp tug at the edge of my awareness. It was chakra, pulsing from somewhere within me. It was growing, changing, and I knew that I couldn't just sit around waiting for things to come to me. I had to push myself further.

I didn't know it then, but this would be the beginning of my journey to unlock something more—something that no one else had access to. The more I practiced, the more I would understand the deeper layers of chakra, of energy, and how to bend it to my will.

But for now, it was enough to just keep going. Keep learning.

End of Chapter 5