Admiration from the Kids
As the duel ended, Satoru was still staring blankly at the broken wooden sword in his hand.
Everyone present was stunned by the battle, but the ones most excited weren't the teachers—it was his students.
A whole group of kids, with their eyes shining in admiration, swarmed around him like a school of fish.
"Sensei, that was amazing!!"
"Satoru-sensei, where did you learn swordsmanship like that!?"
"Teach us! I wanna learn how to swing a sword as beautifully as you!"
Satoru blushed slightly, still unused to receiving such open praise.
Before he could even respond, he felt a small finger poke at his arm.
Mitarashi Anko—a lively little girl with short black hair and mischievous, gleaming eyes—was poking at his biceps while tilting her head in curiosity.
"Sensei, can you teach me how to get muscles as cool as these!?"
Satoru: "…"
"What the hell is going on?"
Before he could react, even more kids joined in.
Kamizuki Izumo—usually calm and reserved—was trying to keep his cool, but the awe in his eyes was obvious.
Kotetsu Hagane—his somewhat airheaded best friend—was practically bouncing in excitement.
Uchiha Tekka—a young member of the Uchiha clan—stood quietly, his sharp gaze fixed on Satoru, clearly intrigued by his skills.
And then…
One of the girls suddenly grabbed his hand, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Sensei, your skin is so smooth! Do you use skincare products!?"
The entire training ground went silent for three seconds.
Satoru: "…???"
The other teachers: "…???"
Ayane, who had been standing nearby, barely suppressed a chuckle, the corners of her lips twitching slightly.
Satoru sighed and rubbed his forehead, already feeling exhausted despite the day just starting.
"Do you really think I have money for skincare when I can barely afford food?"
The students: "…"
"That makes sense… but why does it sound so tragic!?"
Chakra in Taijutsu – A Ninja's Secret
Once the excitement settled, Kakashi suddenly stepped forward, his sharp eyes more serious than usual.
"Sensei," he spoke, his tone calm yet filled with curiosity. "Does regular taijutsu involve chakra?"
Satoru raised an eyebrow but quickly nodded.
"Of course, and that's what separates a ninja from an ordinary fighter."
Seeing the children's curiosity, Satoru elaborated:
"Basic taijutsu relies solely on physical strength. But a ninja incorporates chakra into their movements, increasing power, speed, and reaction time."
"Without chakra, a normal punch wouldn't be enough to break stone or wood. But with the proper chakra control, even a child can crack a wall."
The students gasped in amazement.
Satoru continued:
"A ninja can also channel chakra into their legs for enhanced speed or reinforce their body by spreading chakra over their skin for added defense."
Gai's eyes burned with passion.
"YOSH! That means I can get even stronger, right, Sensei!?"
Satoru smirked, but his gaze turned sharp.
"Yes, but controlling chakra is key. If you apply it incorrectly, you could end up hurting yourself."
Obito clenched his fists, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"So chakra isn't just for ninjutsu… It can enhance taijutsu too?"
Satoru's Thoughts
After answering their questions, Satoru fell into deep thought. He could feel the gap between himself and the true elites of this world.
His body was absurdly strong, but overall…
Right now, he was only on par with an average Jonin.
The reason was simple:
His only real strengths were swordsmanship and a handful of basic ninjutsu.
Renji was strong, but he had suffered internal injuries from his previous battles. Moreover, their duel had strictly been swordplay.
If Renji had used ninjutsu freely, Satoru would have lost.
"I need to get stronger."
But the real question was—how?
He analyzed the two biggest obstacles in his growth.
Obstacle #1: Not Enough Chakra
His body was monstrous thanks to the Celestial Elixir and his One Piece-like physique, but…
His chakra reserves didn't match his physical abilities.
Right now, his chakra levels were only at the low-tier Jonin level.
"If I could increase my chakra reserves, I could sustain my fighting abilities for much longer."
"My body alone is already a massive advantage."
If he could expand his chakra pool, he wouldn't just be relying on speed and reflexes to dodge—he could take full advantage of his physical strength.
Obstacle #2: How to 'Become a Genius' Without Suspicion
He couldn't just suddenly start using advanced jutsu out of nowhere.
In the ninja world, jutsu were family and clan secrets. Large clans never shared their techniques with outsiders.
Some were even willing to die to protect their clan's jutsu.
If a nobody like him suddenly mastered a bunch of high-level jutsu, it would raise way too many red flags.
"I need a natural way to make people believe I'm a genius… without attracting unnecessary suspicion."
"If I don't, someone like Danzo will definitely take interest in me."
He needed a plan.
He needed a logical path to becoming stronger—one that wouldn't make people question where his power was coming from.
A Crucial Decision
Satoru took a deep breath before flashing a small grin.
"Alright, if that's the case…"
"First, I need to refine my chakra control."
"Then… I'll start showcasing my talent in a way that makes sense."
His eyes gleamed with newfound determination.
His journey to becoming a true ninja was only just beginning.
(TBC in Chapter 25 – A Foolproof Plan to Become a Genius!)
That's the English translation, keeping the Naruto anime/manga feel intact while ensuring the flow is smooth and engaging. Let me know if you want any tweaks!