After departing from Mito's presence, Kyuushin saw that it was still early and decided to take a stroll through Konoha Village. Kushina, who hadn't set foot outside since their arrival, eagerly followed him, a bright smile on her face.
The Senju ancestral home was situated in the northwest corner of Konoha. They walked through several quiet streets before the atmosphere gradually grew more lively. Although it was afternoon, the streets were bustling with people. Most were dressed in traditional clothing, though some wore more casual attire. Kyuushin even noticed a few individuals in ninja gear moving through the crowds, blending in with the other passersby.[1]
Compared to the Uzushio of his memories, Konoha was far more prosperous. Small vendors pushed carts along the roadside, selling handmade goods, masks, bamboo toys, and snacks like taiyaki and dango. The streets were lined with shops selling everything from flowers and clothing to fruits. Of course, the most numerous establishments were the various pubs, barbecue restaurants, and ramen shops.
Kyuushin also observed several foreign merchants guiding horse-drawn carriages laden with goods. In just a few minutes, he counted no less than four or five such convoys, a sight that drew repeated exclamations of wonder from Kushina, who had never seen anything like it.
When they grew tired, Kyuushin bought two fruit juices from a small stall, one for himself and one for Kushina. As he savored the sweet and sour flavor, watching the people come and go, a long-forgotten sense of ease washed over him.
Passing a barbershop, Kyuushin touched his long red hair and, on a whim, walked inside.
When he emerged, his waist-length hair was gone, replaced by a neat, short cut. He shook his head, feeling the satisfying lightness and coolness, and nodded in approval. He didn't know why, but it seemed the members of the Uzumaki clan were fond of long hair; everyone in his memory had flowing locks. For someone who had kept his hair short for decades, the long hair was unbearable, so he decided to have it cut while they were out.
Kushina watched him, her hand covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. He looked like a completely different person.
"Go on, laugh if you want to," Kyuushin said, unbothered by her amusement. With long hair, his features had been more ambiguous, and he and Kushina could have passed for twins. Now, with short hair, the difference was much more pronounced, and there was no risk of being mistaken for one another.
The two continued their walk, and as the sun began to set, they made their way back to their residence.
At dinner, even Mito was momentarily taken aback by Kyuushin's new look, wondering how her newly recognized grandson had managed to change so much after a single afternoon out. She smiled and stroked his head. The freshly cut hair was a bit prickly, but she seemed to find the texture pleasant.
After the meal, Mito didn't keep them for conversation, instead having a servant lead them back to their room to rest. To ease any feelings of homesickness, Kyuushin and Kushina had been given a single room to share, furnished simply with two futons. At six or seven years old, the strict separation of genders was not yet observed.
Kyuushin was more than ready for rest. The day's events had been overwhelming, transitioning from one reality to another. While his body had been active, his mind needed time to fully process everything.
Back in their room, Kyuushin was about to lie down when Kushina spoke from behind him. "Don't forget your evening practice."
Evening practice? Kyuushin searched his jumbled memories and the recollection surfaced. The so-called evening practice was the mandatory Chakra training every night after one began their cultivation.
The clan elders had taught them: "The first step in ninja training is to condense the Chakra within your body. Then, you must familiarize yourself daily with the process until it becomes second nature, ensuring you can call upon your Chakra at any moment to avoid losing your life in a crisis."
The ninja arts had existed for over a thousand years, and the great clans that survived to this day each possessed their own cultivation methods for training their members. The Uzumaki clan had been able to establish Uzushiogakure and an entire country not only because of their innate advantages and powerful sealing techniques, but also because of a systematic method of cultivation.
While "evening practice" might sound insignificant, it was a compulsory routine that laid a solid foundation in childhood. Any Uzumaki who diligently followed these training plans, combined with their natural physical advantages, would easily have the potential to become a Chunin. What came after that, however, depended on individual talent.
With this in mind, Kyuushin wasted no more time. He immediately sat cross-legged on his futon, ready to begin.
Kushina, watching him, was a little dumbfounded. She had assumed that since he had just recovered, he would surely skip a day, which would have given her an excuse to do the same. She hadn't expected him to start without a word, so she reluctantly sat down and closed her eyes to begin her own practice.
Kyuushin, however, hadn't considered slacking at all. He was genuinely curious about ninja training. He had watched the anime countless times in his previous life, fantasizing about what it would be like to be a ninja. Now that the dream was a reality, a little excitement was only natural.
Following the method of Chakra extraction from his memories, he cleared his mind of stray thoughts, focused on sensing his body's energy, and then visualized fusing it with his spiritual energy. Soon, he personally experienced the process of condensing Chakra. It wasn't difficult, and it even seemed to go more smoothly than he remembered.
Next was the practice of hand seals. Hand seals are the foundation of all ninjutsu in the Naruto world; this was an undeniable fact. Even the First Hokage, who seemed to conjure jutsu with a simple clap of his hands, must have started by mastering the twelve basic hand seals.
The principle behind them was simple: they represented the twelve primary ways Chakra could be circulated, with each seal corresponding to one mode of circulation. Therefore, practicing hand seals wasn't just about hand movements; it was also about practicing the internal flow of Chakra.
Watching the anime, performing several hand seals in a second with a blur of motion seemed easy. When actually trying it, Kyuushin realized how difficult it was. He had to focus on forming the correct seals while simultaneously dividing his attention to control the circulation of Chakra within his body. After just one attempt, he could feel sweat beading on his forehead.
Fortunately, this body was not without a foundation. Uzumaki clan members had strong physiques and typically began their training around four or five years old. Kyuushin was six and a half, and with the muscle memory from previous practice, his subsequent attempts became smoother.
However, he could only ensure a relatively smooth sequence when performing the seals in order. If the order was disrupted, he would sometimes get stuck. It was a matter of proficiency. The clan elders required that for hand seals, regardless of the sequence, the Chakra within the body must circulate spontaneously upon forming the seal. Only then was a student considered qualified to advance to the next stage of learning ninjutsu.