Chapter 26: Let's Treat It as a Group Activity
The next day, at the academy's training grounds.
Besides Naruto Uzumaki, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame—who were already familiar faces—nine other students had arrived early, drawn by what Tsuruma Nobuyuki had said the night before.
Nobuyuki quickly scanned the group and noticed that, compared to the previous night, Sasuke Uchiha and three others were missing.
Standing at the edge of the training grounds, he addressed the group in a calm voice:
"My insight is actually quite simple."
"If you want to improve your chakra control more efficiently, you just need to refine chakra at a set time and for a set number of repetitions every day."
"This way, your body and mind will gradually adapt, and your proficiency in chakra refinement will naturally improve."
The reaction was immediate.
Disappointment spread across the faces of those listening.
Kiba Inuzuka, who had been particularly eager, scowled and spoke up loudly:
"Nobuyuki, are you messing with us?"
"There's no way it's that simple!"
Though the others weren't as blunt as Kiba, their expressions made it clear that they felt the same way.
Nobuyuki, however, remained unfazed. He simply shrugged and said:
"Whether I'm messing with you or not—you can decide for yourselves."
His composure caught some of them off guard. A few students exchanged uncertain glances. While some remained skeptical, others started to wonder if there was something more to his words.
Eventually, four students—those who thought he was just making things up—left.
The five who stayed were Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and three civilian students: Iris, Yagi, and Kitahara.
Among them, Yagi and Kitahara were background characters—practically invisible in the academy.
Iris, however, was slightly more notable. If Nobuyuki remembered correctly, he was the one who accidentally caused Naruto and Sasuke's infamous kiss on the first day of school.
It was clear that the students who remained had some degree of trust in Nobuyuki.
However, that trust was limited.
While they didn't think he was outright lying, they also weren't fully convinced that his method would actually work.
For a moment, the atmosphere was tense.
Then, Shikamaru Nara finally spoke up, his expression thoughtful:
"Nobuyuki, why do you think refining chakra at a fixed time and place will improve chakra control?"
Nobuyuki considered his words for a moment before answering:
"The principle is actually quite simple."
"The process of becoming proficient in chakra refinement is just the process of adapting your body to extracting chakra."
"The reason many of you struggle to extract enough chakra is that your bodies simply aren't used to it yet."
"My method aims to train your body to adapt by refining chakra regularly, just like how muscle memory works in physical training."
"Additionally, setting a daily routine for chakra refinement creates a sense of ritual. This, in turn, builds confidence, which indirectly improves proficiency."
Shikamaru rubbed his chin and muttered, "Theoretically speaking, that makes sense…"
But before he could finish, Kiba Inuzuka immediately protested:
"If your method really works, then why hasn't anyone else used it before?"
Shino Aburame, who had remained silent until now, adjusted his glasses and responded in a quick, matter-of-fact tone:
"The reason is simple."
"Ninjas cannot afford to be bound by rigid routines. If they get used to refining chakra in a set pattern, enemies could predict and exploit their habits."
Nobuyuki's eyes widened slightly.
That explanation…
It made sense.
The shinobi lifestyle was unpredictable. Missions often required adapting to constantly changing conditions, and rigid routines could make a ninja vulnerable.
At the academy, classes were intentionally disrupted and rescheduled to prevent students from forming predictable habits.
Under these circumstances, a method like fixed-time chakra refinement would never become mainstream training.
"That explains why no one uses it."
But before Nobuyuki could reflect further, Kiba groaned in frustration:
"So what, does that mean your insight is useless?"
He looked genuinely irritated. Even though he had doubted Nobuyuki's claim earlier, part of him had still hoped it would work. Now, it felt like a wasted effort.
At that moment, Choji Akimichi—who had been quiet the entire time—raised his hand and spoke hesitantly:
"Um… I think you guys are missing the point."
"If Nobuyuki's method was useless, then how did he get so strong?"
"And don't forget—he even defeated a senior from the second year!"
Choji's words seemed to flip a switch in everyone's minds.
"That's right!"
Naruto Uzumaki's eyes lit up.
"If Nobuyuki is so strong, then his method must work!"
Without hesitation, Naruto rushed over to Nobuyuki's side, grinning widely:
"Nobuyuki! Those guys don't believe you, but I do! I'll train the way you said!"
"But wait… I have a question!"
"How do you decide the exact time for refining chakra? Tell me the details!"
Nobuyuki raised an eyebrow but answered casually:
"I refine chakra every morning before sparring with Iruka-sensei."
"If you don't know how to set a routine, just train with me in the mornings."
"But just so you know—this method won't be as useful to you."
Kiba, who had been hesitant before, immediately felt a surge of competitiveness.
"If Naruto's doing it, then there's no way I'm letting him have an advantage over me!"
"Then count me in!" Kiba shouted.
Seeing this, Iris, Yagi, and Kitahara—who weren't particularly strong-willed—followed suit, giving in to peer pressure.
Choji, on the other hand, didn't particularly care about chakra refinement.
But the idea of hanging out with his classmates every morning sounded kind of fun.
Still, he glanced at Shikamaru, waiting to see what he would do.
Shikamaru let out a long sigh, scratching his head.
"Setting a fixed time every day sounds like such a drag."
But when he saw Choji's hopeful look, he finally gave in with a defeated sigh.
Meanwhile, Shino Aburame quietly blended into the group, making his decision without a word.
Looking at the crowd that had suddenly formed around him, Nobuyuki let out a helpless laugh.
"Naruto doesn't think things through, but what's your excuse?" he muttered.
"Fine, whatever."
"If we're doing this, we're doing it together."
"Let's just treat it as a group activity."
Naruto grinned ear to ear.
"Group activity? I love those!"
"Especially the ones that don't leave me out!"
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