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Chapter 36 - Months Passed...

Kazeo exhaled slowly, watching the thin cloud of dust settle between his fingers. The scroll lay open before him, the inked diagrams and instructions staring back.

"Alright, Dust Swirl. Let's see what you've got."

He knelt on the floor, scooping up a fistful of dust which he picked from outside. It felt coarse against his palm, dry and light. The idea was simple—infuse it with chakra, create a controlled mini-cyclone and manipulate its flow. Summoning a single shadow clone, he cracked his knuckles. "Let's get to work."

He only created one because chakra efficiency mattered. Through trial and error, he had figured out how long his clones lasted when actively using chakra:

One clone: ~2 hours during jutsu learning.

Three clones: Only 30 minutes each.

Performing an E-rank jutsu: One clone lasted 40 minutes but if he made three, they dropped to 10 minutes each.

He learned this the hard way. Once, he had made three clones to train, only for them to dispel in rapid succession—a flood of disjointed memories crashing into his mind at once. His head had pounded so badly he thought he'd pass out.

----

He could spam an E-rank jutsu 170 times before depleting his chakra completely. A test he had run months ago with Wind Levitation Jutsu, nearly collapsing at the end. Since then, he had stuck to a system, one clone for learning, no exceptions.

"In the future, when my chakra grows, I'll juggle multiple clones and learn several things at once. But for now... I have to remain patient."

The moment his hands formed the necessary seals, a faint swirl of dust began rising. It took him only four hours to perform Dust Swirl successfully for the first time.

But performing wasn't enough. Proficiency mattered.

And so, for two days, he repeated the technique, refining its speed, control, and efficiency until he could conjure and disperse it easily. Only then did he move on to the next jutsu.

-----

Mornings were peaceful in Konoha but not for Kazeo.

He was already up with his muscles aching, sweat dripping down his back as he pushed himself through another set of push-ups. His breathing was steady and controlled but the burn in his arms reminded him that growth demanded pain.

"Just ten more..." he gritted his teeth, forcing his body down again. "No, twenty."

Strength wasn't a luxury in this world; it was a requirement. A shinobi too weak to fight, too slow to run, or too fragile to endure… was a dead shinobi. He had no plans of being one.

Once he finished his strength training, he sprinted around the streets, letting the crisp morning air fill his lungs. His muscles screamed, his legs begged for rest but he kept going. By the time he finished, his breath came in ragged gasps, but there was no time to waste. Chakra training came next.

He sat down in his room, closing his eyes, feeling the familiar hum of energy pulsing inside him. With practiced ease, he molded his chakra, directing it into his hands as he performed a simple wind release technique. The air around his palms twisted, forming small, controlled currents that were sharp enough to slice leaves drifting through the air which he thrown earlier.

He trained wind jutsus for forty minutes.

By the time he finished, his chakra reserves were nearly half according to his calculation. The academy schedule was tight, and there wasn't a single class that let him practice elemental jutsus. So, before heading out, he created one shadow clone and handed it a brush and paper.

"Practice calligraphy. No slacking off." he muttered. The clone gave him an exasperated look before nodding. He wasn't going to pretend he enjoyed it but calligraphy demanded practice and it was compulsory in two of his subjects.

At the academy, the first class was Chakra Theory and History, followed by Leaf Concentration and Tree Walking training. After that came flexibility training, Taijutsu spars, Fuinjutsu classes, and then Deception and Seduction classes.

Three days a week, either the Fuinjutsu or Deception class was replaced with Shuriken Throwing training.

Except for the theory class in the morning, he didn't have a single class where he could practice chakra nature training or work on controlling chakra strings. However, he usually took a much-needed power nap during the theory class due to chakra exhaustion.

To make the most of his time, he used up nearly all his chakra before heading to the academy. This way, he could train again at home later as by the time he returned, his chakra would have recovered within an hour or two.

------

Similarly, nearly two months passed, and Kazeo learned all the jutsus he had noted from the scrolls.

For E-rank jutsus, he could learn a single jutsu in less than a day, but he still dedicated two days to mastering each one. For techniques like Air Step, Sharp Breeze, Breeze Palm, and Breeze Barrier, he spent three to four days since they could serve as the foundation for more powerful jutsus in the future.

For D-rank jutsus, he could perform them within a day but took three days to master each one. However, for jutsus like Breakthrough, Air Control, Silent Whisper, and Wind Clone, he spent three to five days to refine them properly.

Since he had already started learning Body Flicker, even if not completely, it made performing Swift Step much easier. The same applied to Gale Slash and Gale Wall, as he had invested extra time in mastering the fundamentals of Sharp Breeze, Gale Palm, and Breeze Barrier, making their execution feel much smoother.

The two jutsus that took him the most time were Silent Whisper and Air Control. Learning them was relatively easy, but mastering them proved to be a challenge—he still couldn't confidently say he had perfected them.

In Silent Whisper, the wind had to flow in the intended direction for the message to transmit properly. Otherwise, he either needed to use more chakra, or the message would become slightly distorted. Initially, when he first learned it, he could only send a single word from his clone to himself—even within the house. However, after two days of practice, he managed to send a full sentence, but only if the wind was either still (like in his room) or flowing in the right direction. Complete clarity without distortion would only come with further mastery and continued practice.

After reaching a decent proficiency, he decided to move on to the next jutsu.

Air Control was exactly like telekinesis, just as he had imagined. If he could make something fly using Wind Levitation, then he could take complete control over it—moving it forward, backward, up, down, or even changing its direction at will. He had already reached a decent level of proficiency, and today was the last day he planned to practice it for now. However, he had made a vow—to master both Air Control and Wind Levitation without using a single hand sign before becoming a Genin.

It wasn't like he planned to graduate early or had any desire to kill people with his jutsus or shuriken. His goal was simple—survive the missions, stay hidden during Orochimaru's and Akatsuki's attacks, and eventually reach the age when his chakra would be nearly half that of a tailed beast. After that, he would figure out a way to return home.

As for his body, he still wasn't sure why he had pushed himself so hard from the beginning. Was it to gain an edge over other kids? A bit of excitement from being in the Naruto world? The thrill of watching Might Guy and lee's fight in the anime? Or simply the satisfaction of progressing faster than in his previous life due to chakra? He didn't know. 

But one thing was clear—he had originally planned to reduce his physical training. That was until Hiruzen warned him that without it, he wouldn't survive for long. So, in the end, he had no choice but to push himself even harder. Still, he had made one firm decision—he would only graduate after completing all six years of the academy.

Ending his thoughts, he made his way toward the library to study Earth-style jutsus.

Once he learned a few, his training regimen would change—he would practice both Wind and Earth jutsus daily until he awakened his sensory abilities. After that, he would resume training in Body Flicker Jutsu, this time with the goal of mastering it completely.

------

As soon as Kazeo entered the library, his feet instinctively carried him toward the Earth-style jutsu section. Without hesitation, he began browsing through the E-rank and D-rank scrolls, carefully examining each one.

It took him nearly five hours to go through all the scroll names, understand their functions, and compile a list of jutsus he deemed worth learning. By the time he finished, he stared at the final list with a tired but satisfied expression.

It contained :

E-Rank jutsus -

Dirt wall

sand Camouflage

Rock Grip

Dust cloud

Pitfall trap

Minor Rock shield

Soft ground

mud spit

D-Rank jutsus-

Mud puddle

Mud wall

Mud shot

Swamp grip

Stone fist

Pitfall collapse

Moving earth wave

Rock spikes

Rock concealment

Subterranean Travel

Stone shuriken 

Headhunter jutsu

After reviewing the list, Kazeo started reading the scrolls again to gain a deeper understanding of each jutsu. Earlier, he had only focused on selecting the ones he wanted to learn. Now, he carefully read their descriptions.

Dirt Wall – Creates a small dirt wall for basic defense. It can block weak projectiles but breaks easily. The wall is only about waist-high and can be destroyed with a strong strike, but it provides enough cover for a strategic retreat or counterattack.

This seems like a downgraded version of the Earth Wall used in the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Sand Camouflage – Allows the user to blend into sandy terrain but doesn't erase their presence completely.

This would only be useful in the Land of Wind... unless I combine it with Dust Cloud and Body Flicker.

Rock Grip – Coats the hands in stone, improving grip strength and making it easier to climb or hold weapons.

This might be a weaker version of the Rock Fist Jutsu used by the Tsuchikage.

Dust Cloud – Kicks up dust to obscure vision, useful for distractions or quick escapes. However, the dust settles quickly and can be dispersed by strong winds, making its effectiveness short-lived.

Pitfall Trap – Softens the ground to make an enemy trip or lose balance.

Mostly used for setting traps, whether for animals or enemy ninjas.

Minor Rock Shield Jutsu – Forms a thin layer of rock over a targeted body part, like the forearm or shin, to provide minor protection. It can block kunai or light punches but won't withstand stronger attacks or jutsu-enhanced blows.

Soft Ground – Temporarily softens the ground to reduce fall damage.

Similar to Air Cushion, but it could serve as a foundation for Headhunter and Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu.

Mud Spit – Spits mud to blind opponents or make surfaces slippery. The mud hardens over time, making it useful for sticking objects together or sealing small openings.

This feels like a weaker version of Mud Shot.

Mud Puddle – Turns the ground into sticky mud, slowing down enemy movement.

This could be the basic form of Jiraiya's Swamp of the Underworld technique.

Mud Wall – A sturdier version of Dirt Wall, offering better defense against physical attacks. The wall can extend around the user for partial cover but is still breakable with stronger attacks and vulnerable to water-based jutsu.

Mud Shot – Fires a ball of hardened mud that can cause blunt damage or stick to an enemy.

It could stagger opponents or even seal their mouth or eyes temporarily.

Swamp Grip – Thickens the ground to trap an enemy's feet, restricting movement.

This should be particularly effective against speed-based fighters.

Stone Fist – Hardens the user's hand with stone, increasing punching power. It makes hand-to-hand combat deadlier, capable of breaking bones or shattering weak defenses. However, it slightly reduces hand speed.

Pitfall Collapse Jutsu – An advanced version of Pitfall Trap, creating a deeper, wider hole that's harder to escape. The unstable edges make climbing out even more difficult.

Great for ambushes or controlling the battlefield.

Moving Earth Wave – Pushes a wave of soil forward, knocking enemies down and disrupting their footing.

The downside is that the user must remain stationary while performing it, making them vulnerable.

Rock Spikes – Raises sharp stone spikes from the ground to pierce or block enemies.

Only works if the user is standing on earth or rock.

Rock Concealment – Allows the user to blend into rock surfaces, making them harder to detect.

Unlike Sand Camouflage, this provides better cover in rocky environments, making it useful for ambushes.

Subterranean Travel – A weaker version of Earth Military Movement, allowing limited underground movement.

I can only stay underground for five to ten seconds before needing to resurface for air.

Stone Shuriken – Creates durable rock shuriken that hit harder but are heavier than metal ones.

They might be slower, but they'll be useful if I ever run out of regular shuriken.

Headhunter Jutsu – Allows the user to drag an opponent underground, leaving only their head exposed.

Perfect for capturing or immobilizing enemies, but since it requires close combat, using it is risky.

After reviewing everything, he rolled up the scroll with a satisfied nod. Even the weaker ones will help build a strong foundation.

With his plans set, he sealed the scroll away and left the library after noting how to perform them.

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