It was already noon.
Every day, Tenten left him a few rice balls for lunch before heading to the ninja shop to help out. Kazuki was the only one left at home.
Finishing his meal quickly, Kazuki filled his stomach before rushing into the forging shed, eager to resume his training.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
For Kazuki, forging wasn't just about crafting kunai. The process itself was a form of physical conditioning, strengthening his muscles with each strike of the hammer.
Now, he could feel his body growing stronger.
What surprised him even more was his increasing proficiency in chakra control. He was now able to extract more chakra from his body, refining it with greater efficiency. Compared to the secret techniques of the village's ninja clans, this training method yielded impressive results.
After this forging practice, his foundation as a ninja was no weaker than anyone else's!
[Ding! Task Issued: Gather Clay (1000g)]
System Reward: Beginner Forging Blueprint – Substitution Kunai
On the fourth day of forging, while working on his latest kunai, a familiar system notification suddenly echoed in Kazuki's mind.
Substitution Kunai?
Kazuki speculated that this kunai might function similarly to a Clone Kunai, possibly allowing the user to swap positions like the standard Substitution Jutsu.
The task itself was simple—clay was easy to find.
Heading to the backyard, he soon dug up a small pile of dark brown clay.
[Ding! Task Complete!]
System Reward: Beginner Forging Blueprint – Substitution Kunai Unlocked!
New knowledge instantly flooded Kazuki's mind, revealing the forging process for this unique kunai.
[Substitution Kunai]
Forging Difficulty: ★
Special Ability: Instant Substitution Technique
The crafting method bore some similarities to the Clone Kunai. Thanks to his growing experience, Kazuki found forging it significantly easier than before.
He immediately began his first attempt.
However, luck wasn't on his side this time.
The first Substitution Kunai—failure.
The second—failure again.
The third—success!
On his third attempt, Kazuki finally succeeded!
As soon as he finished forging, additional information surfaced in his mind.
[Substitution Kunai: By channeling chakra into the kunai, the user can instantly swap positions with it, evading attacks.]
Kazuki nodded in satisfaction.
As he had guessed, the effect was identical to the standard Substitution Jutsu.
Among the Three Basic Academy Jutsu, the Substitution Jutsu was widely regarded as the most practical for combat. Genin and Chunin frequently relied on it in battle.
Now, with the Substitution Kunai, there was no need for hand seals—just a chakra infusion would activate the effect instantly.
A kunai like this is rare. I need to forge more!
With renewed determination, Kazuki resumed his work.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The rhythmic hammering echoed through the forging shed.
In just five more days, he had successfully crafted 15 Clone Kunai and 10 Substitution Kunai.
His proficiency with both techniques had risen as well—Clone Kunai mastery at 77% and Substitution Kunai at 45%.
Looking at his completed weapons, Kazuki felt immense satisfaction.
His journey as a ninja had only just begun.
Ding! Mission Released: Fine Sand (1000g)
System Reward: Primary Forging Blueprint – Transformation Kunai
The system's notification echoed in Kazuki's mind once again.
This time, the assigned task was straightforward. Without hesitation, Kazuki submitted the required materials and claimed his reward—a blueprint for forging kunai.
With this, he had now gathered all three essential ninja tools needed to perform the Three Basic Jutsu (Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Transformation Jutsu).
Ten days passed in quiet diligence.
Aside from eating and sleeping, Kazuki dedicated himself entirely to the forge, tirelessly crafting kunai. The repetitive nature of blacksmithing was both tedious and physically demanding, yet he had no complaints. Instead, he viewed it as a form of self-discipline and training.
The results of this effort were evident. His physical endurance had increased significantly, and his chakra recovery rate had noticeably improved. Kazuki estimated that in real combat, the combination of his enhanced physical strength and the tactical use of multiple kunai would allow him to rival a standard Genin-level ninja.
Over the past half-month, his production had been fruitful:
30 standard kunai
20 reinforced kunai
15 specialized transformation kunai
His proficiency in forging specialized kunai had also progressed significantly:
Clone Kunai: 100% Mastery (No defects during crafting)
Substitution Kunai: 85% Mastery
Transformation Kunai: 55% Mastery
With each level of proficiency gained, his forging efficiency improved. Initially, crafting a single kunai took him three hours, but now he could complete one in just thirty minutes.
Updated System Panel
[Host: Kazuki]
[Age: 6 years old]
[Forging Level: Beginner]
[Unlocked Weapons: Clone Kunai (100%), Substitution Kunai (85%), Transformation Kunai (55%)]
[Self-Created Weapons: None]
That evening, after finishing his training, Kazuki had dinner with Tenten.
Afterward, he lingered for a moment before turning to his sister.
"Tenten, I taught you how to extract chakra before. How's it going?"
Tenten stuck out her tongue and sighed. "Brother, it's so difficult! I've been practicing for over ten days, and I can only extract a little chakra sometimes. It's really unstable."
Kazuki nodded, unsurprised by her response. He patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry. Just being able to sense chakra means you've taken the first step. Keep practicing, and it will get easier over time."
Tenten's aptitude for ninjutsu wasn't particularly exceptional, but as her older brother, he was determined to support her progress however he could.
Extracting chakra was no small feat for a six-year-old. Even at the Ninja Academy, students spent their first two years primarily focusing on chakra control exercises. Given that, Kazuki believed that Tenten's progress was actually quite promising.
Smiling, he reached into his pouch and pulled out three Clone Kunai, handing them to her.
"Here, something for you to practice with."