There were quite a few 'familiar faces' in Zhao Yi Qianming's class.
Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, and others…
With so many clan heirs here—even the Hokage's own son in this class—it wasn't hard for Zhao Yi Qianming to guess he'd been placed in the so-called elite section. Looks like showing off a little during the entrance exam had paid off; at the very least he wouldn't be treated as a background extra.
Once he entered the Ninja Academy, Zhao Yi Qianming began formal shinobi training. What he cared about most was how to refine Chakra.
Fortunately, since Chakra is the foundation of all techniques, the teachers taught Chakra extraction methods in the very first week.
Compared to Kakashi, Obito Uchiha, and others who had already begun studying—or even mastered—various Ninjutsu, Zhao Yi Qianming had started a good ways behind. To catch up, he would have to work that much harder.
In his previous life, Zhao Yi Qianming hadn't been a fitness buff; if anything, he was one of those 'brainy, simple-limbed' types.
But this time he'd landed in the Naruto world during wartime—and he'd chosen to become a shinobi. He could only keep driving himself to train so he wouldn't fall behind.
He even set up a few imaginary rivals for himself. Whenever he felt like slacking, he would picture a future where he wasn't strong enough and got cut down by powerful ninja with ease.
He rarely spoke to others and often imagined his own death; it was an oppressive way to live. Fortunately, he was already used to this loneliness and didn't fear it.
Chakra is an energy produced by combining one's spiritual energy and physical energy; it is the basis for performing Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu.
According to Madara Uchiha, the God Tree was the origin of the world, and the Chakra of all shinobi comes from it.
Chakra has three components. First, physical energy drawn from the body's 130 trillion cells; second, spiritual energy strengthened through training and accumulated experience; third, if one trains in Senjutsu (Sage Arts), natural energy gathered from the environment.
As a war orphan without any Kekkei Genkai, Senjutsu became Zhao Yi Qianming's best path to establish himself.
Canon says there are only three sacred places where one can train in Senjutsu: Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest. But since there's no confirmed successful Senjutsu user from Shikkotsu Forest in the source material, Zhao Yi Qianming, to be safe, set his sights on Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave.
Between Jiraiya and Orochimaru, if he had to choose a master, Jiraiya would naturally be the pick. Orochimaru's mind was unfathomable, his obsession with forbidden techniques extreme—following him carried far too many risks.
Of course, the choice wasn't his to make. At the moment, neither Jiraiya nor Orochimaru would spare a glance for a war orphan.
What Zhao Yi Qianming could do now was display more talent—enough to surpass even Kakashi—so he might catch the attention of such powerhouses.
Having lived twice, Zhao Yi Qianming's original soul had crossed into this world. The most outstanding thing about him at present, therefore, was his spiritual energy.
A four-year-old with the life experience of someone in their twenties naturally possessed a formidable mind.
Perhaps because of his strong spiritual energy, Zhao Yi Qianming advanced quickly in refining Chakra—almost on the very first day the teacher taught the method, he managed to extract Chakra.
He also discovered that controlling Chakra came very easily to him. His total reserves were small for now, but that didn't stop him from testing the extent of his gifts.
He recalled how, in the original story, Sakura Haruno's Chakra control was extremely precise. She even inherited Tsunade's mantle, relying on her superb control to soar in strength and earn a place among the strongest of her generation.
Before apprenticing under Tsunade, Sakura was just a kunoichi with no standout gifts. Afterwards, her strength skyrocketed, enough to rank among the 'Twelve'—the recognized top tier of their cohort.
Beyond inheriting Tsunade's teachings, an even more important factor was that Sakura possessed a kind of dual personality—or a 'second soul.'
Shizune had followed Tsunade for many years yet never matched the progress Sakura made in just three, which shows how much powerful mental strength can aid a shinobi.
Zhao Yi Qianming already had the soul of someone in his twenties, and the soul of this life would continue to grow alongside it. Given time, he believed his spiritual power would become truly formidable.
If he could harness that mental strength well, he might achieve great things in the future.
Feeling the flow of Chakra running through his meridians, Zhao Yi Qianming felt power suffuse his body. This was the capital he needed to survive—his stake for living in the brutal world of shinobi.
Discovering his own talent filled him with confidence. Even so, he didn't lose himself in it. Keeping one's place clear is the wise course: he knew he had only taken the first step, and there was a very long road ahead.
Every shinobi in this world has their own training methods, and Zhao Yi Qianming laid out a regimen for himself.
First, daily endurance runs to build stamina. Frog jumps, jump rope, push-ups, striking wooden posts, sit-ups—he kept up with all these simple body-training exercises.
Extracting Chakra became a daily compulsory lesson.
Beyond that, he practiced Shuriken and Kunai throwing with tireless diligence.
These tools might not decide battles at the highest levels, but for Genin and Chūnin, Shuriken and Kunai are often the keys to victory.
Sleep, to Zhao Yi Qianming now, was happiness; every time he lay down, he slept deeply—but the hours were pitifully short.
The knowledge taught at the Ninja Academy was vital to him; it was his only venue for direct contact with shinobi instruction. Daily fundamentals were even more important. As a result, he slept only about five hours a day, spending nearly all other time training.
He had never imagined he could push himself this hard. Every day, watching himself drenched in sweat, he couldn't help a wry smile. 'If I'd worked this hard in my previous life, maybe I'd have achieved even more.'
But that life was over. All he could do now was fight to live in this world.