Chapter 11: Fire Release Training
Shen placed the training of the five elemental attributes at the top of his priorities. After all, his current strongest combat methods were attribute-based attacks—but those attacks consumed too much chakra and required intense mental control. Not only did this greatly increase his overall expenditure, but the excessive focus also made it harder for him to react instantly to enemy attacks. In comparison, something like the Rasengan—a condensed mass of chakra—was much easier to use, but its attack speed left much to be desired.
That was why, in the world of Naruto, ninjutsu was indispensable. Leaving aside just how many techniques existed, the sheer variety of ninjutsu capable of handling different combat situations meant Shen had to prioritize developing the five elemental styles. Just look at the Third Hokage—he mastered all five elements. Even when facing the combined might of the First and Second Hokage, he was still able to hold his own and even counterattack a few times. Although those two were merely weakened Edo Tensei versions, the watching ninja were still terrified out of their minds. Even Hatake "Fifty-Fifty" Kakashi couldn't compare.
Forming the Tiger hand seal, Shen activated his chakra, guiding it through the meridians dictated by the seal. Soon, he felt the chakra within his body grow scorching hot. Gathering it in his mouth, he exhaled in one burst—
"Boom~~~~"
A stream of flames shot out from Shen's mouth, startling the maids waiting nearby into shrill screams. After their initial shock, they looked at him with awe.
They had seen people breathe fire before—but those were just parlor tricks. Unlike Shen, those performers relied on fire oil hidden in their mouths or torches in hand. Shen, however, needed none of that. This was real. Only now did they truly understand why Clan Head Yokota valued this young man so highly.
Some of the sharper maids noticed that Shen formed a Tiger seal before releasing the flames, and silently memorized it, thinking they might try it themselves one day.
"Hm, not too difficult… but the flames are too dispersed. Once spread out, the temperature drops. At best, this could only ignite hair or clothing—not enough to directly kill an enemy. If I remember correctly, the Uchiha's Great Fireball rotates, forming a concentrated sphere instead of this scattered output."
"What were the hand seals again? I think it was Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. Hm… let's try it."
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
He completed the sequence of hand seals in just two seconds, gathered the scorching chakra in his mouth into a single point, and expelled it—
"BOOM~~~~~~~"
A fireball nearly half a meter in diameter formed before Shen, spinning as it burned with the continuous output of his chakra.
Startled by the sudden intensity of the flames, Shen's chakra control faltered, and the fireball quickly dissipated.
"Ugh—hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!" Shen rubbed his slightly scorched cheeks, muttering under his breath. "Got a rough grasp of the chakra flow. Next step is precision control—shouldn't be too hard."
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Boom!"
"Still too close… The Great Fireball is meant for short-to-mid-range attacks, but this is practically point-blank. At this distance, I'd be better off just swinging a sword. Again!"
"Fire Release—"
"Boom!"
"Still too close! Again!"
"Fire Release—"
"Boom!"
"Better! Next—expand the attack range!"
"Fire Release—"
"Boom!"
...
The maids watching from the side were completely dumbfounded.
So strong… I want to bear his children!!!
Inside the Yokota clan's main hall, a group of high-ranking members were in discussion.
"So that's the situation. As clan head, I must consider the future of the family. Joining under Lord Shen is currently the most suitable option. As you all know, after our conflict with the Fūma clan, our population has dwindled to fewer than a hundred."
"Of the wandering samurai who once pledged allegiance to us, how many are still willing to stay? And among those, how many are spies from the enemy? It would be better to follow Lord Shen into seclusion to recuperate. With his guidance in mastering this mysterious power called chakra, the Yokota clan will surely surpass its former peak!" Yokota Ruma laid out Shen's situation clearly to the clan's leadership.
"Hm, in that case, I have no objections," one of the elders spoke.
"Neither do I."
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
At this moment, another elder raised a question. "I have a concern. That power called chakra—can we really obtain it? If Lord Shen is truly that powerful, why would he care about our survival? Surely he isn't just some romantic fool who's taken a liking to Kiyomi and is helping us to win her heart?"
"You must understand—he's essentially helping us for free. Just because of Kiyomi? Or our loyalty? He also said he belongs to a clan. If there are many people like him with such power, then why has no one heard of the Ōtsutsuki clan? In the entire world, there seem to be only two with that surname—Lady Kaguya and Lord Shen."
"From their appearances, I can believe they're from the same clan. Pale skin, white eyes, horns on their heads. But where are the others? Why are only these two present? Everyone knows the Divine Tree in the mountains is closely tied to Lady Kaguya, and she only became powerful after consuming its fruit. Before that, had anyone ever heard of her unleashing such overwhelming force?"
"Then can we assume that Lord Shen truly is from the same clan as Lady Kaguya—but they are rivals? And the object of their competition is the fruit of the Divine Tree? His promise to grant us chakra could be his way of cultivating soldiers to fight for him. Right now, he may not be as strong as Lady Kaguya, so he chose us—a clan on the brink of extinction—to nurture in secret. Once we grow stronger, he will use us to challenge her!"
The hall fell silent. Every pair of eyes flickered with uncertainty, unsure whether to support or oppose the clan head.
"You make a valid point. But the reality is this: the Yokota clan is no match for the Fūma clan. We are on the verge of annihilation. If we want to survive, we need Lord Shen's protection."
"As for following him—we have no other choice. Even if the Fūma clan is gone, do you think there won't be others? Earth Demon clans, Fire Demon clans… To outsiders, a weakened Yokota clan is nothing more than a piece of fat meat waiting to be devoured. If we don't want to die, we must seek a powerful backer. And right now, is there anyone stronger than Lord Shen?" Yokota Ruma understood the elder's concerns and did not punish him, knowing everyone present truly cared for the clan.
"We could pledge ourselves to Lady Kaguya instead. Isn't she stronger than Lord Shen?"
"Hmph. Fool. Around the shrine alone are countless clans stronger than ours. Why would Lady Kaguya need us?"
"Exactly. And ever since Lady Kaguya consumed the fruit of the Divine Tree, her temperament has changed drastically. Over the years, those who defied her have been slaughtered in the tens of thousands. Compared to her, I would rather follow Lord Shen. From the clan's perspective, he is clearly the better choice."
...
"Then it's settled. I will inform Lord Shen of the Fūma clan's location. Tomorrow, he will deal with them. Whatever method he uses, one thing is certain—we will be safe from tomorrow onward. Once Lord Shen finds the Slug Sage in Shikkotsu Forest, we will follow him into seclusion. Any objections?" Yokota Ruma concluded.
"None!" ×N
At that moment, a loud explosion echoed from outside, startling everyone in the hall.
"What was that? Where did that sound come from? Could it be the Fūma clan attacking? Impossible—we set up numerous defenses at the base of the mountain. There's no way they could breach them without any warning!"
"Hm? That direction… isn't that Lord Shen's residence—the Azure Courtyard?"
"Oh? The lord's residence? Should we go take a look?"
"Mm. Let's go."
Thus, a group of Yokota clan elders headed toward Shen's residence. It didn't take long before they arrived in the courtyard. What greeted them left them completely stunned—
Shen stood inside the pavilion, repeatedly spitting out massive fireballs toward the sky above the pond. The surrounding flowers and plants had already been scorched yellow by the heat, making it unmistakably clear that those fireballs were absolutely real.
"Th-this… is this the so-called chakra?"
"It's unbelievable! Too powerful! If our Yokota clan could wield such power, we would be invincible!"
Unlike the others who were reacting with shock and excitement, Yokota Kiyomi calmly stepped forward and approached Shen.
"Lord Shen, what are you doing?"
"Hm? Oh, it's you. Did my training disturb you?" Shen had been so absorbed in his training that he hadn't even noticed Kiyomi approaching.
"No, it's just that the commotion here was quite loud. We thought the Fūma clan had attacked, so we came to check. We apologize for disturbing your training," Kiyomi said respectfully.
"Heh, I suppose my training was a bit too noisy. There's no need for you to cover for me. Anyway, I'm about done for today. Sorry for the disturbance," Shen replied with a faint smile. He wasn't the type to let others take the blame for his own mistakes.
"So, who are they?" he asked, turning his gaze toward the group of Yokota elders standing along the corridor outside.
"They are the senior members of the Yokota clan. They were just discussing the matter of following you, my lord. Right after concluding their discussion, they heard the loud noise from your side and came to check, worried that someone might have disturbed you."
"Oh? I see. Then what was the result of your discussion?" Ōtsutsuki Shen naturally understood that these people had come to see him—the powerful figure they had yet to meet. It just so happened they witnessed his Fire Release training, which conveniently spared him some potential trouble in the future.
"All of the senior members have unanimously agreed to follow you into seclusion and train."
"In that case, I'll teach you the method of cultivating chakra right now. Go call them over—I'll explain everything at once to save time," Shen said, glancing at the tense group in the distance.
"Yes." Kiyomi walked over, explained the situation, and led the group to stand outside the pavilion.
"We, the stewards of the Yokota clan, pay our respects to Lord Shen." The group bowed respectfully.
"Mm, rise. I will now teach you the method of chakra cultivation. However, there are a few things I must clarify in advance—so that later on, you don't come blaming me for giving you improper methods."
"We wouldn't dare!"
"Whether you dare or not doesn't concern me. I simply don't want unnecessary trouble later."
"Listen carefully!
"First: I have two cultivation methods—one is lower-level, the other is advanced. However, I can only teach you the lower-level one. It's not that I'm unwilling to share the advanced method, but rather that you're incapable of cultivating it. The impact of natural energy is not something beginners like you can withstand. At that point, it wouldn't be training—it would be suicide."
"Second: your results will depend on individual talent. Don't come complaining that one person succeeds in three days while another takes five and blame the method. I trained using the same approach."
"Third: given your age, you are already past the optimal period for chakra cultivation. While it's still possible for you to train, your results will inevitably be limited—unless you encounter some extraordinary opportunity. Otherwise, you won't compare to those who begin training from a young age."
"The best age to begin chakra cultivation is around three years old. At that point, a child can understand instructions, and their mental energy is active. However, training should remain light at that stage—do not overdo it. Once they reach six, when their bodies begin to strengthen, they can start training more diligently."