Naruto: Blacksmith

Confident in his progress so far, Kuro felt it was time to take the next step: learning ninjutsu.

That day, he requested permission to be absent from school.

Upon returning home, he closed the door behind him and turned on the light.

He sat in the center of his small dojo, pulled out the training scroll Itachi had given him, and unrolled it to read carefully.

Learning ninjutsu isn't just about understanding how it works; it also requires meeting two fundamental conditions: Chakra Shape Transformation and Chakra Nature Transformation.

Leaving aside exceptions like special jutsus, 99% of ninjutsu depends on shape.

Shape transformation allows chakra to be molded to give structure to the ninjutsu. For example:

Earth Flow Wall: Chakra takes the shape of a wall.

Water Dragon Bomb: It adopts the form of a dragon.

Great Fireball: It transforms into a sphere of fire.

The complexity of the shape determines the level of control needed to execute the jutsu. The greater the control, the more versatile the result. Even the same jutsu can be used in completely different ways if the shape transformation is sufficiently creative.

However, shape transformation alone isn't enough.

To learn ninjutsu, mastering Nature Transformation is also essential, which converts chakra into one of the five basic elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Lightning).

Take, for example, the Great Fireball Jutsu.

This ninjutsu doesn't just require molding the chakra into a sphere; it also requires transforming it into fire so that it burns.

Without transforming the chakra's nature into fire, all you get is a simple ball of energy, with no destructive power.

Of course, there are exceptions like the Rasengan, which doesn't require a nature transformation but demands extreme control over chakra shape.

The Rasengan, with its constant compression and rotation, is one of the most demanding ninjutsu in terms of control.

If someone can learn the Rasengan, mastering other ninjutsu in the future becomes much easier.

Additionally, some seemingly simple jutsus, like the Nara and Akimichi clans' secret techniques, also involve changes in the Yin and Yang elements of chakra.

In summary, shape transformation is related to chakra control, while Nature Transformation determines its attribute.

Kuro had already practiced basic exercises like tree climbing and water walking, which covered the initial requirements for learning ninjutsu.

However, Chakra Nature Transformation was an entirely different challenge, something even many Jōnin found difficult.

In the anime, Naruto managed to accelerate this process using shadow clones, but even with that method, mastering a single attribute could take years of practice.

That's why most ninjas don't master more than one or two types of Nature Transformation. Even the most experienced Jōnin are usually limited to a few attributes.

The mastery of multiple attributes is what distinguished the Third Hokage and Kakashi as unique ninjas.

Their ability to use a wide variety of ninjutsu stems from their skill in changing chakra nature in multiple ways.

Because chakra nature is too difficult to change.

And what about Itachi and Sasuke, who could learn the Great Fireball Jutsu at such a young age?

Well, not everyone is a genius.

Itachi already displayed amazing abilities at the age of five, and Sasuke wasn't far behind in following his footsteps.

Kakashi, on the other hand, mastered multiple ninjutsu before graduating from the academy, and at 13 years old, he created the Chidori, which combines advanced shape and nature transformations.

Kuro, however, knew he didn't have that level of natural talent.

But that didn't discourage him.

He was confident he could master all Nature Transformations. Although he didn't have Naruto's innate abilities, he possessed larger chakra reserves and a much faster recovery rate, thanks to the crystals he had consumed and the Kurama Ring.

But before taking that step, there was something he needed to do first: determine his chakra attributes.

Although he had a rough idea, he preferred to confirm it to be sure.

He took out a chakra paper he had purchased beforehand and transferred his chakra to it.

The paper reacted immediately to the slightest amount of chakra.

One side wrinkled, another burned, one part became soaked, another crumbled like sand, and the center split cleanly, as if cut by a blade.

Observing these changes, a smile appeared on his face.

"Indeed, it's all the elements."

Chakra has a total of seven natures: Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, Wind, Yin, and Yang.

Everyone is born with at least one.

Usually, Yin or Yang combined with one of the five natural elements. However, it's possible to acquire more natures over time.

Characters like Obito, Sasuke, and Naruto originally had only two or three attributes, but upon obtaining the power of the Six Paths, their natures expanded to six.

Kuro didn't know how many attributes he originally possessed, but since absorbing the crystals, he was sure he had at least six chakra natures.

The reason they weren't seven was that his physique was tied to Yang. Kuro wasn't sure if he possessed Yin among his original attributes, but if he didn't, then it was Yang combined with five natural elements.

However, if his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan could use techniques like Tsukuyomi, it would confirm he also had the Yin element.

The Yin Element is a nature based on spiritual energy, used to create forms from imagination.

On the other hand, the Yang Elementrelies on physical energy, which controls life and gives substance to those forms.

Generally, jutsus related to the body and chakra belong to the Yang element, like those used by the Akimichi and Senju clans.

Conversely, jutsus related to spirits, like most genjutsu or the Nara clan's secret techniques, depend on the Yin element.

With a clear understanding of his chakra attributes, Kuro began considering which nature to practice first.

The training scroll Itachi had given him contained methods for mastering the Fire element, along with a list of the Uchiha clan's secret jutsus based on that style.

On the other hand, thanks to the anime, Kuro knew how to practice the Wind element, although the process was more complicated.

Logically, he should choose the Fire element.

But due to his knowledge of the story, he had certain reservations about that style. While Fire was glamorous and powerful, it wasn't particularly useful against certain opponents.

Instead, the Wind element offered more possibilities.

If he trained the Rasengan and developed his control, he could eventually create advanced ninjutsu like the Rasen Shuriken

Additionally, mastering the Rasengan process would help him improve his chakra control, making it easier to learn other ninjutsu in the future.

However, there was a big problem.

Training with either the Fire or Wind elements caused too much commotion. Even if he chose a remote place to practice, it would be difficult to avoid detection by the Hokage or the ANBU.

"So…"

"I need to find a way to train openly."

Not only did he need to justify his training, but he also had to secure permission to be absent from the Ninja Academy for an extended period.

Graduate early?

That would be foolish.

Graduating too soon would force him to take on risks and dangerous missions without a stable environment to develop himself.

Even characters like Naruto and the others took significant risks upon graduating, but Kuro wasn't going to follow that path.

Instead, he planned to deliberately perform poorly at the academy, ensuring he repeated the grade if necessary.

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