Chapter 34: Techniques and Affinities
The morning passed like a blur.
Wake up. Help Hoshino-san in the kitchen. Get swarmed by kids. Eat breakfast while dodging their chaotic energy.
Then came the academy.
Lecture after lecture, technique after technique, all of which barely registered as I found myself counting the minutes until dismissal.
I wasn't impatient, just… distracted.
After yesterday's realization, a new layer had been added to my approach toward strength. If I was going to become powerful, I couldn't afford to follow the conventional route. I needed something uniquely mine.
The bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Murakami, are you listening?"
I blinked, glancing at the classmate who had spoken.
"Not in the slightest."
He gave me a flat look before sighing and walking off.
I followed soon after, blending into the sea of students as they flooded out of the academy gates.
Today, I had something far more important to focus on.
…
The Lotus Store was livelier than ever.
Even from outside, I could hear the murmur of voices, the shuffling of feet, and the occasional "Irasshaimase!" from the salesgirls.
Stepping inside, I was met with the sight of customers browsing the shelves, some engaged in quiet conversation while others haggled over prices that the salesgirls weren't going to lower.
The store's uniformed salesgirls—all dressed in elegant green haori—moved gracefully between the shelves, assisting customers with practiced efficiency.
I nodded in contentment. Business was thriving.
Weaving through the crowd unnoticed, I made my way to the back office, slipping inside without drawing too much attention.
Hina was already waiting, a stack of neatly arranged papers in front of her.
"You're late." She arched an eyebrow.
I scoffed, taking a seat across from her. "I was at the academy. Y'know, being a normal student and all that."
She hummed in amusement before sliding a scroll toward me.
"Here's the list of D-Rank and C-Rank techniques currently available for purchase."
I reached for the scroll, eyes scanning the titles.
And… wow.
The list was long.
—
D-Rank Techniques
Taijutsu
Kōdo Ashige no Jutsu (Firm Leg Strike Technique) – A basic kick that focuses on strengthening the lower body's impact power.
Tobi Kōgeki no Jutsu (Leaping Assault technique) – A mid-air counterattack using a spinning kick.
Kakuzetsu Tsume no Jutsu (Critical Claw Technique) – A technique that emphasizes precise finger strikes to pressure points.
Rakka Hane no Jutsu (Falling Feather technique) – A controlled fall technique that reduces impact from high jumps.
Sokubaku Te no Jutsu (Binding Hand technique) – A gripping technique that focuses on wrist control to subdue an opponent.
Kawazu Gake no Jutsu (Frog Hook technique) – A low sweep that hooks an opponent's ankle to trip them.
Shinden Ken no Jutsu (Thunderclap Fist technique) – A short-range palm strike that generates a sudden shockwave on impact.
Ninjutsu
Sokumen Kaze no Jutsu (Side Wind technique) – A weak but fast burst of wind meant to disrupt an opponent's vision.
Fukusū Nami no Jutsu (Multiple Waves technique) – Generates consecutive bursts of water pressure, useful for low-power ranged attacks.
Shibari Suna no Jutsu (Binding Sand technique) – Manipulates sand to trap an opponent's feet momentarily.
Tobi Dashimasu Iwa no Jutsu (Jumping Stone technique) – Uses earth chakra to push off the ground for a momentary boost in movement.
Sukoshi Kaji no Jutsu (Minor Fire technique) – Produces a small flame, mostly used to ignite flammable objects.
Mitsubai Hari no Jutsu (Scattered Needles technique) – A technique that hardens dust and sand into tiny projectiles, shooting them forward in a spread.
Kaze Ittō no Jutsu (Wind Slash technique) – Uses chakra-infused wind to extend the reach of a weapon's slash by a short distance.
Genjutsu
Hitosashi Genkaku no Jutsu (Finger Illusion technique) – Distorts the opponent's depth perception for a few seconds.
Bokyaku Ne no Jutsu (Forgetting Sound technique) – A sound-based illusion that creates a brief lapse in memory, useful for evasion or deception.
Usurai Kage no Jutsu (Thin Ice Shadow technique) – Creates the illusion of multiple moving shadows, confusing an opponent's ability to track movement.
Mabayui Hikari no Jutsu (Blinding Light technique) – A simple Genjutsu that makes a target momentarily experience intense brightness, causing distraction.
C-Rank Techniques
Taijutsu
Haya Kyori no Jutsu (Swift Distance technique) – A movement technique that allows for short bursts of speed.
Kawazu Happa no Jutsu (Frog Leaf technique) – A leg-strengthening technique that increases jump height for aerial attacks.
Shinsei Ishi no Jutsu (Sacred Stone technique) – Hardens the user's skin upon impact, allowing them to block strikes with their body.
Hayabusa Otoshi no Jutsu (Peregrine Drop technique) – A rapid aerial slam using the opponent's body weight against them.
Taka Tsume no Jutsu (Hawk Talon technique) – A precise grappling maneuver that allows the user to seize an opponent's limb mid-air.
Ninjutsu
Dorobō Tsuchi no Jutsu (Thief's Earth technique) – Softens the ground beneath an opponent's feet to cause instability.
Kaze Rasen no Jutsu (Wind Spiral technique) – A wind-based projectile that spirals unpredictably, making it harder to dodge.
Enko Bunshin no Jutsu (Smoke Clone Technique) – Creates a clone made of smoke, which disperses upon impact, leaving a lingering smokescreen.
Nagareboshi Hi no Jutsu (Shooting Star Fire technique) – A fire projectile that splits into smaller embers mid-air, covering a wide range.
Kaikō Suna no Jutsu (Open Sands technique) – Loosens the terrain beneath an opponent for tactical advantage, turning solid ground into loose sand.
Fukumen Suiryū no Jutsu (Veil of Water Flow technique) – Enhances movement in water, reducing resistance and allowing for smoother combat underwater.
Tsuiseki Suna no Jutsu (Tracking Sand technique) – A technique that marks a target with nearly invisible grains of chakra-infused sand, allowing the user to track them.
Tengai Shikō no Jutsu (Dome Formation technique) – An earth-based partial barrier technique that raises a half-dome of stone for temporary cover.
Genjutsu
Sōshitsu Kanashimi no Jutsu (Loss of Sorrow technique) – A Genjutsu that numbs emotional responses, making an opponent temporarily lose their will to fight.
Shiryō Kurai no Jutsu (Dark Apparition technique) – A fear-based illusion that makes the opponent sense an ominous presence behind them.
Makurayami no Kōshō no Jutsu (Midnight Negotiation technique) – A psychological Genjutsu that distorts the passage of time, making a short moment feel much longer.
Kanzashi Otome no Jutsu (Hairpin Maiden technique) – A deceptive Genjutsu where the user appears momentarily fragile or weak, luring opponents into overextending.
B-Rank Techniques.
Taijutsu
Ryūsui Kōgeki no Jutsu (Flowing Water Assault technique) – A continuous flurry of strikes that seamlessly chain into one another.
Yari Shisō no Jutsu (Spear Stance technique) – A defensive stance that allows for extended reach in close combat, using kicks and hand strikes like a spear.
Ninjutsu
Kazaguruma Kaze no Jutsu (Windmill Wind technique) – A technique that creates multiple spinning wind currents, allowing thrown weapons to curve unnaturally.
Ganmen Jōheki no Jutsu (Face Fortress technique) – A technique that hardens the user's face against blunt impact, allowing for headbutts without injury.
Jishin Shibō no Jutsu (Earthquake Palm technique) – Slams a chakra-infused palm into the ground, creating a localized tremor.
Genjutsu
Yami Uta no Jutsu (Song of Darkness technique) – A Genjutsu that gradually dulls an opponent's senses the longer they listen to the user's voice.
Kage Omoshi no Jutsu (Shadow Weight technique) – Makes an opponent feel as if they are sinking into the ground, slowing movement.
I leaned back, rubbing my chin.
"This is a solid selection…"
Hina smirked. "Naturally. Our Lotus Store only provides quality."
Ignoring her self-satisfied tone, I tapped the paper thoughtfully.
There were plenty of interesting techniques here, but something nagged at me.
What were my chakra affinities?
Randomly picking Ninjutsu without knowing my affinity would be like investing in a sword when I might be better suited for a spear.
I turned back to Hina. "How much for a chakra paper?"
She blinked, then waved a hand dismissively. "A single one? Dirt cheap. Barely a few hundred ryo."
I hummed. "Have one of the salesgirls grab some."
Hina nodded, calling over a nearby employee and sending her on the errand.
Minutes later, the girl returned, carrying a small bundle of chakra papers instead of just one.
"I thought it would be better to buy them in bulk, just in case," she explained.
Hina nodded approvingly. "Good thinking. You're learning."
The girl beamed before bowing and stepping out.
Once the door closed, I sighed and released my Transformation Jutsu, letting my disguised features fade. I still couldn't let people know that I had any dealings with this store.
Rolling my shoulders, I picked up one of the papers.
And without hesitation, I pushed my chakra into it.
The reaction was immediate.
The paper split in two parts before crumbling to dust.
I frowned. I didn't need anyone to tell me what this means. I watched the anime after all.
Earth and Wind.
I snorted.
What a ridiculous combination.
One was as immovable as a boulder, the other as restless as a bored kid in a lecture. They weren't supposed to mix. They clashed. Like oil and water. Like cats and dogs. Like a Nara and mornings.
And yet…
I grinned.
They fit me.
Stubborn but adaptable. Grounded but unpredictable. The kind of contradiction that drove people crazy.
Still…
I wasn't surprised.
During my usual meditation sessions, I had already noticed hints of this. My chakra had a certain weight to it, but also a distinct sharpness.
I exhaled.
"Earth and Wind, huh?" I mused, tossing the ruined paper aside. "Guess that makes me a natural disaster in the making."
Hina, who had been watching in silence, finally spoke. "That's… an uncommon combination."
I shrugged. "Nothing I can't work with."
She smirked. "You're oddly calm about this."
I flashed a grin. "Adaptability is key."
And really, that was the truth of it.
I had my affinities now. That meant I could start making real progress.
Tomorrow, I'll start piecing together my approach.
For now?
I had a lot of techniques to consider.
I leaned back, drumming my fingers against the table as I stared at the extensive list of techniques. Now that I knew my affinities, it was time to narrow my selection.
"Alright," I said, tapping the scroll with my index finger. "Get me all the Taijutsu and Genjutsu listed here. As for Ninjutsu, focus only on the Earth and Wind-based ones."
Hina quirked an eyebrow, but her smirk remained. "No Fire or Water, then?"
"Not unless I suddenly awaken a hidden affinity," I deadpanned. "No point in wasting money on things I can't use properly."
She chuckled, clearly amused by my practicality. "Fair enough." With a flick of her wrist, she grabbed a separate notepad and began scribbling down the order. Once done, she tore off the page and called toward the door.
"Akari-san, come in."
The door creaked open, and a young woman entered. She wore the same elegant green haori as the other salesgirls but carried herself with a quiet confidence that set her apart.
"Yes, Hina-sama?" she asked, bowing slightly.
Hina slid the list across the desk. "I need you to procure these techniques. Use the usual contacts. Make sure they're the genuine versions, no knockoffs or incomplete manuals."
Akari took the list with a nod, scanning the contents briefly before looking back up. "Understood. The cost?"
Without a word, Hina reached under the desk and pulled out a sleek, black briefcase. She popped it open, revealing neatly stacked rows of ryo bills. The sheer volume was enough to make even a seasoned shinobi pause.
Akari, however, remained unphased.
"That should more than cover it," Hina said, snapping the case shut and pushing it toward her. "You know the drill—discretion is key."
Akari nodded once before tucking the list into her sleeve and grabbing the briefcase. Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode out, shutting the door quietly behind her.
I raised an eyebrow at the exchange, then shifted my gaze back to Hina. "You just handed her a fortune in cash. No hesitation."
She rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "You think I hire amateurs?"
"Trust is one thing, but blind trust is another," I pointed out. "What makes you so sure she won't run off with it?"
Hina smirked, lacing her fingers together. "Because she values her life. And more importantly, her position here. The Lotus Store pays better than most shinobi missions. None of my employees would be stupid enough to throw that away."
I hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Besides," she continued, tilting her head, "loyalty isn't just about money. It's about creating an environment where betrayal isn't even a thought."
I had to admit, she had a point. The way the salesgirls worked, the respect they showed her—it wasn't just fear or financial security keeping them in line. There was genuine trust.
Still, I wasn't about to test that theory myself.
"Fair enough," I said, rolling my shoulders. "Guess I'll just sit back and wait, then."
Hina smirked. "Smart choice."
And with that, the next real investment in my strength had begun.