Especially for a Chakra-rich monster like Naruto… However, for him, it was a very fulfilling experience.
"Naruto, if you want to improve your precision, it's going to be extremely difficult!"
"This involves the external release and maintenance of Chakra, which is much harder than all the special training you've done before…"
"Are you ready?"
Naruto clenched his fist and said, "Of course!"
Asuma nodded, "Good, let's begin now…"
"Water Walking."
Chapter 86: The Final Bottleneck! Hinata Lends a Hand! Please give me your monthly votes!!!
"Water Walking?!"
Naruto scratched his head frantically, not understanding.
Asuma brought Naruto to a small river in Konoha Village, where the water flowed gently and was calm.
He nodded, "This place is perfect for training."
"Watch me do it once first."
He skillfully gathered Chakra to his feet, then released it externally, like an extension of his own body, transforming the Chakra into a part of his physique, offsetting his own weight. Then… he lightly stepped onto the river, walking along the surface to the other bank.
Then he walked back again.
It was as if he was walking on solid ground.
Naruto watched, both impressed and eager to try.
"So amazing!"
"I'll give it a try too!"
Asuma said, "You've done tree climbing training before. Water Walking is a deeper extension of that. Not only do you need to gather Chakra at your feet, but you also need to release it externally, making it a force to support yourself…"
Naruto nodded repeatedly, then came to the riverbank and took a deep breath.
"Chakra extraction, activation, gathering at the feet, and then…"
"Release!"
Naruto carefully released Chakra from his feet, then tentatively stepped onto the water… Splash—
Without surprise, Naruto fell directly into the water, struggling clumsily.
"Ah—gurgle gurgle gurgle—"
Asuma quickly stepped forward and pulled him out.
"How is it, Naruto? It's not that simple, is it?"
Naruto, of course, was not convinced and immediately took off his wet clothes.
"I don't think it's difficult, Asuma-sensei!"
Asuma smiled, "Very good, having this confidence is a good thing."
Naruto, barefoot, gently stepped onto the water again.
Then… Splash—
Again… Splash!
However, Asuma's brows furrowed slightly.
"Hmm?"
"This Naruto, he seems to be getting much more skilled with each attempt…"
"If this continues, Water Walking training won't be difficult for him at all…"
In reality, it was indeed the case.
In the original work, Naruto's Water Walking training was always unsuccessful because Orochimaru had used the Five Elements Seal on him, disrupting his Chakra. After Jiraiya helped him undo it, he quickly mastered it.
Because Naruto has a vast amount of Chakra, this kind of Chakra external release training is indeed much simpler for him than precise Chakra control.
Sure enough… after only half a day… "Ha! Asuma-sensei, I succeeded!"
Naruto's body was swaying on the surface of the water, stumbling around as if drunk, but he never fell.
Asuma couldn't help but applaud sincerely.
"Naruto, well done."
"I thought this would be the most difficult training, but it turned out to be quite simple for you…"
Naruto, triumphant, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
He also felt that this training was easier than ever before, and he was incredibly excited.
He even stomped his feet back and forth on the water, splashing waves and causing ripples.
Asuma smiled and lit another cigarette.
"Very good, you mastered it in just half a day."
"Now, we can truly begin the Wind Release: Gale Palm training!"
Naruto ran across the water.
Pat pat pat.
Leaving behind ripples of Uzumaki.
"Yes, Asuma-sensei!"
He saluted Asuma excitedly.
Asuma then began to formally instruct him in the mysteries of Wind Release: Gale Palm.
Naruto activated his Shadow Clone. His main body used Wind Release: Gale Palm, while his Shadow Clone used Shuriken Technique.
Instantly, the fierce wind surged, empowering the Shuriken Technique, and indeed, the speed and power doubled!
But this was just the beginning.
Asuma said, "Now, while activating Wind Release: Gale Palm, release Chakra externally and empower the gale. Just as I said before, try to manipulate the wind, and then use the power of the wind to manipulate the Shuriken."
"In other words, you need to make the wind an extension of your body, just like your own arm…"
Naruto nodded repeatedly, "Oh! I understand!"
He also eagerly began his special training.
Gradually, Naruto understood Asuma-sensei's words more and more.
Manipulate the wind, not the Shuriken.
If it was Shuriken Technique, Naruto was not good at it, far inferior to Sasuke.
But if he treated the wind as his own arm… then it would be like directly holding the Shuriken and stabbing the enemy!
Wouldn't anyone with hands be able to do that?!
Of course, it sounds simple, but actually turning the wind into a part of one's body is easier said than done… Naruto continued this training for another full day.
Asuma asked, "How's the progress, Naruto?"
Naruto was a bit disheartened.
"I can master Wind Release: Gale Palm itself, and with Shadow Clone, I can also empower Shuriken Technique. It's just this precision issue…"
"Now I can perform Chakra external release, but I can't skillfully turn the wind into my own arm. It's like… well, it's like my hands and feet aren't obeying me. I can touch the Shuriken, but I can't precisely hold it to hit the enemy…"
Asuma laughed, "Being able to do this is already amazing!"
"The issue of precision is not something that happens overnight."
"Honestly, at your age, being able to complete tree climbing and Water Walking training, and to achieve this level of Chakra control, external release, and maintenance, you are truly a genius among geniuses!"
Naruto shook his head and said, "I'm still far from it!"
"Three days have already passed…"
"Within ten days, I want to develop Wind Release: Gale Palm to its fullest extent!"
Asuma frowned, "Naruto, are you that strict with yourself?"
Naruto sighed.
It wasn't that he was strict; system big brother was forcing him to be strict!
If it was just Wind Release: Gale Palm, then he had already mastered it.
But the system hadn't given him a completion prompt.
Clearly, it wanted him to strive for perfection, to reach a state of absolute mastery.
"Thank you, Asuma-sensei, I will continue to work hard."
He bowed deeply to Asuma, then turned and left.
Asuma watched his retreating figure, took a puff of his cigarette, and showed a relieved smile… Naruto knew that Asuma-sensei had already taught him everything he could.
The rest was pure hard work.
He returned home, ate dinner, and without wasting any time, immediately began training again.
In his dreams that night, when he fought against Sasuke and Neji, he simply abandoned other tactics and focused solely on honing his Wind Release: Gale Palm.
Although this drastically reduced his win rate, and he was beaten repeatedly by the two of them, Naruto's mastery of Wind Release: Gale Palm improved significantly.
The next morning, on the street outside his window, Naruto once again saw the white-eyed girl.
His heart filled with joy, and he quickly invited Hinata upstairs.
Hinata smiled shyly, "Naruto-kun, I haven't been able to come out to tutor you these past few days, I'm sorry…"
"Ah, what are you saying? Even if you come once in a while, it's a huge help!"
Naruto had encountered a bottleneck in his training, so it was a good time to rest temporarily.
He followed Hinata to catch up on his academic lessons, which was like giving his brain a break, calming his emotions quite a bit.
But Hinata, being sensitive, still noticed his worries.
"Naruto-kun, have you encountered another problem?"
Naruto had nothing to hide from Hinata either.
"Um, Hinata…"
"Do you know how to precisely control Chakra external release?"
Hinata was startled, not expecting such a "professional" question from Naruto… But she immediately began to ponder.
"Chakra external release, you mean?"