Naruto: Becoming Stronger through Bonds

Chapter 2: The 'Legacy' Left By Parents

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"Master Ervin, today we will focus on Chakra extraction training."

In the courtyard of the wooden house, Ervin listened attentively as his tutor, Ebikin, explained the techniques and key points of Chakra extraction.

What is a special Jōnin?

They are ninjas whose strength falls between Chūnin and Jōnin. Those promoted to Jōnin rank due to exceptional talent in a specific field are called special Jōnin.

Ebikin is one such special Jōnin, recognized for his outstanding teaching abilities. The skills and experience he offers in Chakra extraction far surpass those of the instructors at the ninja academy.

It is during this foundational training that the gap between ninjas from prominent clans and civilian ninjas begins to emerge.

Even with similar physical fitness and mental energy, ninjas from established clans are able to extract Chakra more efficiently. This advantage translates into greater Chakra reserves and faster recovery times compared to their civilian counterparts.

Ordinary individuals must rely on ingenuity to compete with the powerful ninja clans. To become stronger, one must seek out a skilled mentor—though such mentors are often members of these clans. Over time, this dynamic leads to the formation of factions within the ninja world.

Although Ervin has the advantage of both resources and lineage, he does not allow himself to become complacent. Instead, he trains even harder than most, fully aware of the realities of this world.

In the end, strength is what commands respect in this extraordinary world. Without it, any respect one receives is either superficial or born out of fear of one's connections.

Having lived a mundane life in his previous existence, Ervin now has the means to change his fate. He is determined to seize this opportunity and strive to become the man of destiny.

However, he only began this rigorous effort at the age of five.

Chakra is an energy derived from extracting life force from the cells and blending it with mental energy in precise proportions. Training too early can be detrimental, as the body may not be ready for such exertion.

For instance, Konoha's most filial son suffered from over-development and premature maturity, likely leading to his health issues.

Thus, restraint is essential for young trainees.

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The two-hour class passed quickly. After bowing to each other in gratitude, Ebikin left, satisfied with his pupil.

Ervin was not just the grandson of Shimura Danzō and connected to the Hokage—it was his intelligence and sensibility that stood out. He grasped the lessons quickly, saving his teacher unnecessary effort.

Unlike other young ninjas, who required emotional management as if they were children needing constant coaxing, Ervin displayed maturity beyond his years.

Once the lesson concluded, Ervin returned to his room. A servant promptly brought his dinner along with a bitter medicinal tonic meant to replenish energy. Ervin grimaced but drank the herbal concoction in one gulp before starting his meal.

From a scientific perspective, the number of times a cell can divide in its lifetime is finite. Utilizing Chakra in battle inevitably accelerates this process.

Yet, even without extracting Chakra, cellular division continues, and most humans succumb to aging due to organ failure rather than the exhaustion of cellular division limits.

By carefully managing Chakra usage and maintaining the body's health, a ninja can fight without significantly shortening their lifespan.

Ervin learned this principle from his grandfather, Shimura Danzō.

Despite his age, Danzō still nurtured dreams of becoming Hokage. This ambition made him particularly vigilant about his health and longevity.

In another person, such behavior might appear as a show of misplaced passion for youth.

But for Danzō?

He was destined to be remembered as the shadow who bore the world's burdens—the infamous "Pot Shadow."

After dinner, Ervin returned to the house.

'I wonder what the old man has been up to. He hasn't shown himself these past few days.'

In this sprawling mansion, apart from the servants and guards, he was the sole resident.

Lying on the bed, he summoned the system panel with a single thought and switched to the personal attributes page.

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[Name: Shimura Ervin]

[Gender: Male]

[Age: Six years old]

[Date of Birth: April 1, 46th year of Konoha Calendar]

[Chakra Attributes: Fire (Genius), Wind (Genius), Yang (Excellent)]

[Total Chakra: 6.1 Standard Genin]

[Chakra Control Talent: Genius]

[Mastered Ninjutsu: Three Body Technique (Proficient), Wind Style: Great Breakthrough (Normal), Fire Style: Blazing Fire (Normal)]

[Nature Transformation: None]

[Special Talents:

Wishing your son to be a dragon

Mom loves you

Senju bloodline (thin, under development)

Swordsmanship genius

Stealth Grandmaster

Dango-making Grandmaster

Fan-making Grandmaster]

[Strength Rating: The bully of the ninja school—you're the one who bullies others; no one dares to mess with you.]

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For someone with a system, this panel was disappointing.

However, considering that he had only acquired the system a few days ago, and that apart from one unit of standard Genin-level Chakra gained through the system, the rest of his progress had been achieved through his own hard work, it wasn't entirely bad.

For a six-year-old, Ervin had already met the graduation standards of the ninja academy.

The system classified attributes and ninjutsu mastery into levels.

Talents were ranked as: Ordinary, Good, Excellent, Genius, Ultimate, and Broken Limit.

Ninjutsu proficiency was categorized as: Entry, Normal, Proficient, Grandmaster, Ultimate, and Broken Limit.

The genius level of talent was akin to the famed prodigy of Konoha, Kakashi, while the Ultimate level referred to someone like the Third Hokage, revered as the "Professor of Ninjutsu."

Based on the current panel, Ervin's potential seemed capped at the level of an Elite Jōnin. With great effort, he might barely touch the edge of the Kage level.

But then...

Ervin's gaze fell upon the first two talents in the "Special Talents" section, and he froze.

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[Wishing your son to be a dragon: Your father, whom you have never met, holds extremely high expectations for you. All existing attribute talents will be upgraded by one level.]

[Mom loves you: A mother's love is the most profound emotion in the world. Before her death, she left you a priceless gift. This talent unfolds in three stages:

1. The first stage: The host awakens the Senju bloodline inherited from their mother. This bloodline develops automatically with age and ceases to grow after reaching adulthood.

2. The second stage: Once the host officially becomes a ninja, all talents are upgraded by one level (this includes breaking the limit for most talents, though some special talents cannot be upgraded).

3. The third stage: Upon reaching adulthood (16 years old), the host receives continuous blessings from their mother's love, doubling their total Chakra reserves.

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Parental love…

Ervin recalled the gentle woman he had met only once. His emotions grew complicated.

He knew his mother had been a member of the Senju clan.

Back in the day, Senju Tobirama had encouraged intermarriage between the Senju and other ninja clans, as well as with civilians. While this weakened the clan's strength in the short term, it increased the likelihood of geniuses emerging from civilian families.

However, awakening the Senju bloodline was no easy feat.

His mother had left him the greatest gift—a gift that compensated for the system's lack of an initial "starter package."

- She really thought of everything for me.