Chapter 17: D-Rank Mission
Morning at Konoha's Mission Hall was filled with the faint, herbal scent of mugwort leaves. Ninja who had just finished their patrols gathered at the counters to submit their reports. The hurried sound of footsteps and the soft rustle of scrolls being opened and closed blended into a busy morning symphony.
Akimichi Dōtō stood in the corner of the hall, his round face looking a little serious. His fingers unconsciously brushed against the ninja gear pouch at his waist.
"Sensei!" Kotetsu Hagane's loud voice cut through the noise. He jogged over with light steps, followed closely by Kurenai Yūhi and Izumo Kamizuki.
Akimichi Dōtō opened the scroll in his hand. On the yellowed paper, the mission details were written in charcoal.
"D-Rank Mission: Clear the blockage in River Channel Number Five."
"After the heavy rain last week, debris has piled up in the river's flow, causing the rice fields downstream to flood. If left alone, it will disrupt the villagers' planting season. Sensei has taken this mission for you. We're heading out now!"
By the time the three of them arrived at River Channel Number Five with Akimichi Dōtō, the morning sun had just begun to creep over the tops of the willow trees along the riverbank.
Dry branches floated on the surface of the water, along with broken wooden barrels and even trash thrown away by villagers. Near the bridge pillars, thick mud had piled up so heavily that the flow of the water had slowed to a crawl.
Kurenai Yūhi crouched down and touched the water's surface with her fingertips. Her brows knit slightly. "It looks like there are broken stones in the water. If we clean it up directly, our hands could get hurt."
Akimichi Dōtō leaned against a tree by the river.
"This is the mission area. The rest is up to you. Let Sensei see what you can do."
Izumo leaped lightly. His feet touched the trunk of a willow tree, chakra spreading evenly across the soles of his feet. Like a gecko, he clung firmly to the bark.
He quickly climbed to the top, his gaze sweeping over the river's flow. It didn't take long for him to spot three main blockages—one beneath the bridge pillar, one at a bend in the river, and another formed by a pile of stones hidden just below the water's surface.
Seeing Izumo climb the tree so easily, Kotetsu couldn't help but shout in surprise, "Izumo, since when can you do that?"
Izumo smiled. "It's a chakra control technique. I'll teach you later."
He signaled for Kurenai Yūhi to come up.
Kurenai, who had already mastered tree climbing practice, followed Izumo up and also saw the three blockage points he indicated.
"Kurenai, I'll handle those three blockages. You stay up here and guide me. Kotetsu, you stay on the ground and take care of anything I throw to the shore."
Kurenai nodded. Kotetsu, seeing Izumo standing calmly on the surface of the water, couldn't hold back his admiration. "Wow, Izumo, you're really amazing."
Akimichi Dōtō quietly nodded, acknowledging Izumo's chakra control skills.
By the time noon approached, thanks to the teamwork of all three, every blockage point had finally been cleared.
During their lunch break, Akimichi Dōtō led them beneath a large, sturdy oak tree.
He hopped lightly and stood sideways on the trunk.
"In terms of chakra control, Izumo is the best so far, followed by Kurenai, and Kotetsu is the one who's lagging behind the most. For tree climbing, it looks like Izumo and Kurenai have already passed. Kotetsu, now it's your turn."
Kotetsu took a deep breath and placed both feet against the trunk. But the moment he exerted force, his chakra surged out of control and rushed into the soles of his feet.
A sharp crack echoed as the bark split, and he lost his balance and fell back down.
Akimichi Dōtō explained patiently, "Don't rush. Use the breathing method—inhale for four seconds, hold for two seconds, exhale for six seconds—to stabilize your chakra. Imagine this: when you drink water, you don't squeeze the bowl until it shatters, right? Chakra control works the same way."
Kotetsu tried again. This time, he slowed his breathing, letting the chakra flow gently into his feet.
Even though he still wobbled a little, at least he managed to stay on the trunk for three seconds.
Akimichi Dōtō nodded. "Keep training like this. Let your body remember this feeling."
Then he turned to Kurenai Yūhi and Izumo. "Come with me to the riverbank."
When they reached the river, Akimichi Dōtō said to Izumo, "Walking on water doesn't seem to be a problem for you anymore. Try explaining the difference between that and tree climbing."
Izumo Kamizuki nodded. "Walking on water is a bit harder. We have to continuously release chakra and feel the interaction between our chakra and the water's surface."
Akimichi Dōtō nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Kurenai. "Kurenai, can you walk on water yet?"
"Not yet, Sensei." Kurenai shook her head.
"Then you practice water walking here." Akimichi Dōtō turned back to Izumo. "Izumo, your Genin fundamentals are already very solid. Come with Sensei. I'll teach you a Ninjutsu."
Watching the two of them leave, Kurenai felt a twinge of jealousy in her heart.
"Izumo-kun is going to learn another new technique again…"
Inside the forest, Akimichi Dōtō's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood. In the next second, he appeared beneath a willow tree several meters ahead.
"The Ninjutsu Sensei is going to teach you is the Body Flicker Technique."
"The Body Flicker Technique is a basic mobility Ninjutsu for ninja. Through a 'chakra burst plus extreme muscle control,' a ninja can move at high speed. It's an essential skill for Chūnin-level ninja and above."
"When using it, focus chakra in your legs, release it in an instant, then adjust your center of gravity so you don't lose balance while moving."
Izumo took a deep breath and gathered chakra in both of his legs.
Following Akimichi Dōtō's guidance, he released the chakra all at once. His body shot forward. Although it wasn't as fast as Akimichi Dōtō's, he still managed to move a full two meters.
Akimichi Dōtō clapped his hands. "Your first attempt and you already made it this far—that's impressive. It seems your body control is very strong too. Next, practice controlling your direction. Try to turn while you're moving."
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