Chương 6: Chakra Amplification

The next morning, Dongye Zhen woke up right on time. Between the multiple rounds of chakra extraction and the late-night "flirtation" with natural energy—resisting its decomposition while playing a high-stakes game of tug-of-war—his "nightlife" had been surprisingly busy. He had wondered if he'd wake up mentally exhausted, but to his surprise, he felt lighter than air. His mind was clearer than ever.

Refreshed and invigorated. It seemed those filtered wisps of white natural energy had a nourishing effect on both the body and the spirit. He'd need more time to observe and confirm this, but for now, the outlook was promising. His parents, still recovering from their alcohol-induced stupor, remained fast asleep. Zhen didn't disturb them. He followed his usual routine: heating up some hard-boiled eggs, bread, and milk from the fridge. After a nutrient-dense breakfast, he headed straight for the training ground.

He didn't know if the sun ever shone on Los Angeles at 4: 00 AM, but he knew for a fact it didn't shine on Konoha at 5: 00 AM. Despite the late night and lack of a full eight hours of sleep, he felt zero drowsiness.

Full of energy. With natural energy as a supplement, he wouldn't have to worry about sleep deprivation hindering his growth. His daily window for training and study had just widened significantly. In his previous life, this would have been dubbed the"Sacred Body of a Natural-Born Workhorse." But wait—I'm literally cultivating supernatural powers now. Why the hell would I be anyone's workhorse?

"I don't eat beef!" Zhen quickly began his daily physical regimen, but today was different. He was now a "semi-shinobi" capable of refining and utilizing chakra. He sat in meditation, formed the Ram seal, and felt his spiritual and physical energies weave together seamlessly, flooding his pathways. When he stood back up, the world looked entirely different. His body felt incredibly light, and his dynamic vision had sharpened. The leaves fluttering down from the trees seemed to move in slow motion.

With a lightning-fast motion, Zhen reached out and plucked a leaf mid-air, holding it up to examine it. The veins were crystalline and clear; the entire image was burned into his mind. His eyesight and short-term memory had clearly received a boost. After a few moments of contemplation, he walked up to a massive tree and delivered a solid front kick. The tree didn't snap—proving he wasn't quite at the "tree-breaking" level yet; he was still just a "noob" who had only just learned to use chakra.

But the power increase was undeniable. The tree shuddered violently, and leaves rained down like snow. Zhen's hands became a blur, catching two handfuls of leaves in rapid succession. His reaction speed had spiked. Thoroughly excited by the comprehensive physical buff, Zhen began running laps. Instantly, he became like an arrow released from a bow, blurring across the training ground at a speed far beyond his previous limits.

As he ran, he felt so light he thought he might actually take flight—though "Mother Earth's" gravity was quick to remind him that flying was still off the table. He couldn't fly, but he could certainly jump. Ninja didn't walk on the ground like "normal" people anyway; they spent their lives leaping from high places. Zhen looked up at the branches of a nearby tree while at full sprint. He loaded his legs and sprang into the air, the landing point rushing toward him.

"Wait, no! Too much power! I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die! Aaaagh!" Zhen overshot his target branch. With a sharp cry, he slammed chest-first into a tree further ahead, sticking to the trunk like a poster. He slid down to the ground and lay in the grass, eyes glazed over as he stared up at the canopy. It took a good while to catch his breath. When he finally stood up, his left hand was nursing his face while his right rubbed his back, his face contorted in pain.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. His first "high-power" jump had been a disaster; he hadn't mastered the ratio of strength to distance. He looked at the surrounding trees, thought for a moment, and then performed a dozen small jumps in place, gauging the relationship between effort and height. Once he had a feel for it, he cautiously leaped onto a low branch. He eyed the next landing spot, estimated the distance, and sprang.

Another miscalculation—not enough power this time—but he didn't hit a tree. He scrambled to grab the branch with both hands and swung himself up to stand on it. He kept going. In the gaps between the trees, a small figure moved like a long-tailed macaque learning to navigate the forest. He moved slowly at first, his brain seemingly running calculations for every jump. As time passed, his movements became more fluid, the distance between jumps grew, and his speed increased.

Once his chakra was depleted, he sat cross-legged on a branch to refine more. However, the second extraction yielded significantly less than the first. The sky brightened as the sun crested the horizon. Finally, during one more leap, Zhen felt his body go soft and his foot slip. He lost all momentum and plummeted toward the ground.

Thud. He didn't hit the grass. He landed in someone's arms. Zhen looked up. It was his father. He had no idea when Jirō had arrived at the training ground. Seeing his son panting for breath, Jirō carried him out of the woods and set him down in a clearing. Seeing this "precocious" brat—who usually did everything with calculated confidence and never made a fool of himself—now covered in bruises and dirt, Jirō was secretly having the time of his life.

Finally, the kid looked like a child who had just received a new toy. He couldn't help but tease, "Hit a tree, did you?" Zhen felt the warmth of the morning sun and refused to admit it. Instead, he countered, "Mr. Dongye, did you hit trees when you were a kid too?"" Ahem!" Jirō didn't admit it either. He quickly pivoted the conversation.

"Feeling like your chakra has run dry? Wondering why you could extract it multiple times last night but couldn't even manage two full rounds today before getting 'exhausted'?" Clearly, he'd been lurking in the shadows for a while. Zhen understood the physics of it.

"Last night, the chakra I extracted eventually bled back into my body, allowing me to practice multiple times. Today, I actually used the chakra. That's it, isn't it, Father?"

"Your theoretical knowledge is solid. That's exactly it. While you are a genius in my eyes—starting with a decent chakra pool—you're still only four years old. That 'decent' amount is only relative to kids your age or maybe those two or three years older. Overall, it's still very little. Don't go wild like this anymore. Over-extracting will mess with your health. Right now, your priority is growing up. Got it?"

"I understand, Father. Thank you for the reminder." Zhen admitted he'd let his excitement get the better of him.

"Good. Let's get you home." Zhen climbed onto Jirō's back as they left the small forest and entered the streets. The shops were already opening, steam rising from breakfast stalls. Pedestrians—both civilians and shinobi—were out buying groceries or grabbing a bite. The "hustle and bustle of the mortal world" made Zhen feel like he was in a dream. It reminded him of his previous life, when his father would carry him to the market. Just like then, he was currently leaning against a broad, dependable back.

By the time they got home, Hui had already prepared breakfast. Expecting a high energy demand today, she had made much more than usual. Zhen washed up, and without even changing his dirty clothes, began devouring the food. He was starving. Hui smiled and placed her hands on her son's face, a soft green glow emanating from her palms. After a moment, she moved to treat the bruises on his back.

Medical Ninjutsu. The miraculous and efficient healing of the Shinobi world. The benefits of having a medical-nin mother were clear: someone to teach you, and no hospital bills. It was a "Happy Buff" that was far more useful than any "God-like power" buff. Once the treatment was finished, Hui looked at her son seriously.

"Injury and pain are the best teachers. They let you know that becoming a powerful shinobi isn't easy. Even a genius can't afford to be reckless or arrogant. You have to take it one step at a time."

"They are indeed good teachers. Don't worry, Mom. I'll be more careful from now on." Jirō chuckled and ate his breakfast in silence. Every shinobi went through this. Sometimes, lectures were useless; only the taste of pain left a lasting impression. No matter how miraculous chakra was, it couldn't be mastered overnight. It required time, patience, and control.