The First day of school, filled with the surprisingly engaging yet fundamentally simple lessons, finally drew to a close. While his clones continued their rigorous training regimen, Akashi decided to head home, a sense of anticipation bubbling within him.
"I'm home!" he announced as he stepped through the doorway.
He was immediately taken aback to find his father waiting for him in the genkan. This was an unusual sight; his father, as Grandfather Ashina's trusted right-hand man, was typically consumed by village affairs.
"Wow, you're home early today," his father remarked, a warm smile gracing his features. "I was certain you'd be occupied with academy-related matters, given its recent opening."
"Haha, well, let's just say I… persuaded my father-in-law to grant me a couple of months' leave," his father replied, a hint of playful mischief in his eyes.
He took a couple of months' leave? Akashi's mind reeled. From his recollections, his father had been the epitome of dedication, a workaholic who seemed to thrive on the constant demands of his position. Vacations were an alien concept in his father's world.
Why, Pops? What prompted this sudden change? He hoped it wasn't related to the looming threat of war. They were still far from prepared, and the need for at least one more allied clan loomed large.
"Well, you see, Akashi," his father explained, his tone softening with a familial warmth, "it is a cherished tradition within our clan for fathers to personally instruct their sons in the intricate art of Fuinjutsu when the time is right. So, I decided to take some time off to dedicate myself to teaching you. I will still attend to my duties, of course, but only during your school hours."
Nice! Akashi's heart leaped with excitement. The moment he had been eagerly awaiting had finally arrived. The legendary sealing techniques of the Uzumaki were about to be unveiled to him. Hopefully, all that calligraphy practice will finally pay off.
"
When do we begin?" Akashi asked, barely containing his eagerness.
"Right now. Follow me. I've already prepared a space for you in my study."
As he trailed behind his father, Akashi could sense the genuine happiness radiating from him. He understood. Just as a father in his previous life might eagerly anticipate taking his son on his first fishing trip, this was the Uzumaki equivalent – a deeply personal and significant rite of passage.
They eventually reached his father's study, a room within their home that Akashi had never before entered. He knew it housed important documents, some dating back generations, even predating his father's birth. His father pushed open the door, revealing a spacious chamber lined with shelves overflowing with scrolls and bound books. At the far end of the room stood a large, imposing desk cluttered with stacks of seemingly unfinished paperwork. Adjacent to it was a smaller, neatly organized desk bearing fresh, pristine paper and an array of meticulously arranged writing implements.
"Intrigued by the books and scrolls, are you?" his father asked, noticing Akashi's wide-eyed gaze.
"Yeah, a little. I remember you mentioning that this room held important documents. Are those them?"
"That's right, these are the very documents I spoke of. Most of the journals you see are from our ancestors, filled with their groundbreaking ideas and invaluable data from their pioneering experiments with Fuinjutsu. And those scrolls lining the walls are filled with… unfinished seals." His father's eyes held a distant, almost wistful look. "Perhaps one day, when you become a true Seal Master, you can attempt to complete some of them."
Unfinished seals? Akashi's mind buzzed with possibilities. Any avid fan of the Naruto world understood the immense, often untapped potential of advanced sealing techniques.
"I'll definitely give it my best shot once I'm skilled enough," Akashi affirmed.
His father chuckled. "You had better hurry and catch up, or else your old man here might just beat you to completing some of these himself."
So, he's been working on these all this time. The scattered, incomplete documents on his desk suddenly made perfect sense. Akashi couldn't help but wonder what intricate seals his father had been attempting to perfect.
"Well, son," his father gestured towards the smaller desk, "this will be your workspace. Every day after school, I expect to find you here, diligently practicing."
Walking over to his designated desk, Akashi noticed a thick, bound book lying open. The title, neatly inscribed in elegant kanji, read:
"Fuinjutsu Book 1: Beginners."
Opening the book, he found page after page filled with individual symbols, each meticulously drawn. Finally, at the end of the first chapter, he saw it: the basic Explosive Seal.
"So, this book teaches the fundamental symbols used in Fuinjutsu and also demonstrates how those symbols are combined to create functional seals?" Akashi inquired.
"Exactly," his father confirmed. "And as you progress through the subsequent books, the symbols will become increasingly complex and… intentionally confusing." This looks deceptively intricate, Akashi thought. Luckily, the Shadow Clone Jutsu is practically cheating when it comes to rote memorization and practice. The only downside will be the inevitable headaches after absorbing all that knowledge.
"Alright," his father continued, his tone becoming more serious, "before you begin, there are two absolutely crucial principles to understand when it comes to Fuinjutsu. The first is the absolute perfection required in drawing the symbols. Even the slightest deviation can render the entire seal useless, or worse, dangerously unstable. The second is the method by which we inscribe our seals. Whenever you write, you must consciously direct your chakra into the ink.
This special ink is crafted from unique materials and is highly reactive to chakra. However, if you ever find yourself in a wartime scenario, devoid of ink and seals, remember this: your own blood can serve as a potent substitute. Blood is often a superior conduit for seals due to its intimate connection to the user's chakra. That is why certain specialized groups utilize blood for their unique sealing techniques, but that is a topic for another time. Now that you have a basic understanding, why don't you try inscribing the first symbol?"
Glancing down at the pristine sheet of paper, Akashi picked up the delicate fude (brush), dipped it in the viscous black ink, and cautiously attempted to channel a small amount of his chakra into the bristles. The ink seemed to eagerly draw in his energy, a subtle hum resonating from the brush.
Wow, this stuff really does absorb chakra, Akashi marveled internally. I wonder what materials they use to create it.
Returning his focus to the paper, he carefully began to inscribe the first symbol. Thanks to his Mind's Eye, he could vividly see his chakra adhering to the page, becoming an integral part of the ink's composition. It didn't take long before he completed the first rudimentary seal.
"What the…?!" His father's voice was a mixture of astonishment and disbelief. "I… I'll chalk that up to beginner's luck. Continue writing the rest of the seals in that section, and I'll let you know if you make any mistakes."
A wave of quiet satisfaction washed over Akashi. He refocused on the task at hand, his concentration absolute. The world around him seemed to fade as he meticulously drew each intricate symbol, ensuring every line and curve was perfect. Unbeknownst to him, as his focus intensified, a faint red ring momentarily flickered within his eyes, subtly enhancing the precision and fluidity of his movements with the brush.
Luckily, his father's complete attention was fixated on Akashi's hands, watching in stunned silence as his son gracefully and flawlessly completed the entire Explosive Tag on his very first attempt.
"Akashi, stop." His father's voice, though still laced with disbelief, now carried a note of urgency.
Akashi immediately pulled back his brush, careful not to smudge the final stroke. The fleeting red ring in his eyes vanished. "Did I mess up?" Tch. It was going so well too. I was just about to finish.
"Actually, Akashi, it was the complete opposite. Your execution was flawless. And that… that is precisely the problem. Most Uzumaki struggle with the very first seal, often making numerous errors. But you… you were about to complete the entire tag perfectly on your first try."
"What?! Am I… actually a genius at this?" Akashi blurted out, genuinely surprised.
"Then why did you tell me to stop?"
"I stopped you because you could have inadvertently detonated the seal at the very end there," his father explained, his gaze serious. "You see, there's one more crucial aspect of Fuinjutsu that I hadn't yet mentioned. I didn't think it would be necessary to teach it to you at this stage, as you technically shouldn't have even reached this level of proficiency on your first attempt. But here we are. You see, Fuinjutsu seals are comprised of two distinct types of symbols."
What? I almost blew us up? And now there are even more rules to Fuinjutsu?
"What are these two types of symbols?" Akashi couldn't help but ask, his curiosity piqued despite the near-disastrous revelation.
"Well, I might as well teach you now that you've progressed this far," his father said, gesturing towards the completed Explosive Tag. "The first type are the parameters. These symbols define the conditions required to activate the seal. For example, the ones you just finished writing dictate that the Snake hand seal will trigger the explosion. As seals become more intricate, so too do their activation parameters. The second type of symbol, the one you were about to inscribe – the kanji for 'Explosion' – is the directive. It explicitly states the desired outcome of the seal. Later on, directives can become far more complex and aren't always represented by simple kanji, like the intricate symbols within the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style. But we're getting sidetracked. The reason I stopped you from writing the 'Explosion' directive is that if it's not inscribed with absolute precision and a thorough understanding of the underlying chakra flow, it can detonate prematurely. And I wasn't willing to risk that until you had significantly more experience."
Akashi stared at the seemingly simple Explosive Tag, a newfound respect for the depth and complexity of Fuinjutsu blossoming within him. Looks like I'm going to have to invest a lot more time and focus into this than I initially anticipated.
"Thanks, Dad," Akashi said, a newfound appreciation for his father's guidance evident in his voice. "I'll stick to practicing the parameter seals for now then."
"Hm, good," his father replied, a proud smile returning to his face. "I can't wait to tell your mother about your progress. You are, without a doubt, the most naturally talented individual I have ever witnessed in the art of Fuinjutsu." With that, Akashi spent the next couple of hours diligently practicing the parameter symbols from the first book, his mind now fully engaged in the intricate dance of chakra and ink.
"Alright, Akashi," his father said, stifling a yawn, "let's call it a night. You have school tomorrow morning. You need to be well-rested."
"Hai, hai," Akashi replied, his mind already buzzing with the possibilities that lay within the ancient art of Uzumaki sealing. The ink had embraced his chakra, and the secrets of the seals were slowly beginning to reveal themselves.
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End of 17th chapter