Naruto: The Medical Ninja

Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Nature of water

Ryu Hamura stood at the water’s edge, his brow furrowed in concentration near a pond. His red-white hair, damp with water and sweat, clung stubbornly to his forehead as he prepared for yet another attempt at the water-walking technique and another failure.

He had been at it for over half an hour, and his legs ached from the strain of maintaining chakra flow as his chakra veins were expanding, and that expansion was the variable that was keeping him from mastering the waterwalking on the pond’s still surface. The thickness of veins was fluctuating, but Ryu wasn’t the type to give up easily. He knew that his body would get used to it after some time.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and channelled chakra to the soles of his feet. Slowly, he stepped onto the water’s surface. He staggered for a moment, struggling to keep his balance with flailing arms.

”Steady...” he whispered to himself, his muscles tensing as he took another step.

But just as he began to feel a sliver of confidence, a sudden gust of wind rippled across the pond, sending small waves lapping against his legs.

”Not again—!” Ryu’s words were cut off by a startled yelp as his foot slipped, and he plunged headfirst into the cool water with a loud splash.

”Gah!” he sputtered, surfacing with a gasp, his red hair plastered to his face. He wiped the water from his eyes and turned towards the shore, where Dan stood, arms crossed, watching with an amused expression.

”Having trouble, are we?” Dan’s voice carried across the pond, laced with amusement.

Ryu swam back to the shore, grumbling under his breath. ”It’s harder than it looks,” he muttered, shaking the water from his hair like a wet dog.

As he squeezed his soaked shirt, he remarked, ”Even the smallest shift in the water’s surface causes chaos. It’s like trying to balance on a moving platform.”

Dan chuckled with amusement. ”You’re doing well, Ryu. Water-walking is one of the more difficult chakra control exercises than tree climbing. It takes time to master.”

Dan continued, ”It’s not just about maintaining a steady flow of chakra like in tree climbing. It’s about adapting to the ever-changing nature of water itself.”

Ryu sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. ”Yeah, well, the water’s winning.”

Dan gave a quiet laugh. ”You’re getting there. But remember, it’s not about fighting the water. It’s about flowing with it. Like a leaf on the surface, you need to move with the current, not against it.”

Unconvinced by the metaphor, Ryu grinned, ”A leaf doesn’t have to worry about chakra control,” he muttered under his breath.

Ryu frowned, considering Dan’s words. He wasn’t wrong. Ryu had been so focused on controlling his chakra output that he hadn’t allowed himself to adapt to the water’s natural movements. Maybe that was the key.

”Alright,” Ryu said, more to himself than to Dan. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and centring himself. He let the tension in his body melt away, focusing on the steady rhythm of his breathing. Slowly, he allowed his chakra to flow more smoothly through his body, not forcing it, but guiding it gently.

Heart rate steady

-Wind speed -minimal

-Water surface: Almost calm; very slight variations

-Analysing data gathered

-Calculating the algorithms for chakra output

-Adjusting chakra as per water fluctuations

Ryu opened his eyes, a newfound sense of calm settling over him. ”Let’s try this again.”

With renewed focus, Ryu stepped onto the water once more. This time, he let his awareness grow and more information from the surroundings enter his mind rather than focusing only on his feet.

-Adjusting Chakra output as per water fluctuations.

He felt the subtle movements of the water beneath him, the gentle rise and fall of the surface. This time, he easily modified his chakra output to match the pond’s rhythm with each change in water level, thanks to [Parallel Thinking] and [Peripheral Awareness].

As he walked, Ryu found himself falling into a natural rhythm. His steps became lighter and more fluid with the hints he received from Dan.

Unbeknownst to Dan, Ryu’s unique ability to think in parallel allowed him to multitask effortlessly. One part of his consciousness monitored the water’s movements while another adjusted his chakra output according to the algorithm his mind had formed for waterwalking.

A smile spread across Ryu’s face as he realised he was no longer struggling to stay afloat, and he has not got it now. He was walking across the water’s surface with growing confidence as he reached in the middle of the pond.

From the shore, Dan watched with a mixture of pride and astonishment. ”Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered to himself. ”The kid’s a natural. I just gave him the hint, and he is already doing it.”

Ryu reached the centre of the pond and turned to face Dan, a triumphant grin on his face. ”I think I’ve got it!” he called out, his voice brimming with excitement.

Dan’s response came in the form of a kunai, hurled with precision towards the water near Ryu. Attached to the weapon was a paper bomb, its fuse already lit.

Ryu’s eyes widened in shock. ”What the—”

The explosion rocked the pond, sending huge waves outward from the point of impact. Waves that his algorithm is not yet accustomed to. The sudden turbulence caught Ryu off guard, and he found himself struggling to maintain his balance. His arms flailed wildly as he fought to stay upright, eventually dropping to all fours in a desperate attempt to avoid falling into the water.

”Hard when the water is turbulent, isn’t it?” Dan called out laughing.

Ryu, panting and struggling to maintain his position, shot Dan a look that was equal parts frustration and determination. ”A little warning next time?” Ryu gasped.

Dan laughed. ”Enemies won’t give you a warning, Ryu. You need to be prepared for anything.” His expression softened as he continued, ”But I have to say, I’m impressed. You’ve made remarkable progress in such a short time. Your chakra control is exceptional.”

-Fine-tuning algorithm for Water-walking with new data

Ryu, still on all fours, slowly pushed himself back up to a standing position, wobbling slightly but managing to maintain his balance on the now-calmer water.

”Thanks,” Ryu said, a hint of a smile returning to his face.

Dan nodded thoughtfully. ”Good, but don’t let it go to your head. True mastery comes from practice and experience.” He gestured to the pond around Ryu. ”Keep at it. Walk until it feels as natural as breathing, even on turbulent water. When you get bored with that, we’ll move on to lightning affinity training.”

Ryu continued his practice, moving across the water with growing confidence. Each step brought him closer to mastery. After some time, he took a seat near the pond and continued with his lightning affinity training, which was also gradually improving fast. He can now generate sparks strong enough to burn dry leaves with just a few moments of concentration.

The next morning, Ryu woke before dawn and started his usual training routine, starting with usual running around the village followed by waterwalking for a change.

Ryu took a deep breath, centering himself, and stepped onto the water. This time, there was no hesitation, no wobbling. He moved across the surface with the grace of a dancer, his feet barely causing a ripple.

While Ryu was walking on the water, someone was hiding behind a tree and closely observing his training. Someone who had been observing him for a long time before he became a student of the Ninja Academy.

Unknown to that someone, someone else was also watching that someone watching Ryu train early morning, and they both had watched Ryu’s entire training process and his methods, from air resistance parachute to weighted drag method.

Akira Uchiha thought, ”From the looks of it, Saya knew Ryu would come to this place. She has been spying on him for a long time, it seems. This explains why she has made such rapid progress in recent months. I am glad I followed her because I would not have discovered it otherwise.”

Her eyes were opened by Ryu’s rigorous yet well-planned workout, which was made while considering his small and developing physique.

”As I thought, he was holding back when he fought me. If I want to have a chance of defeating him, I must train as hard as he does.”

As both the girls were spying on him, Ryu completed his early morning training regiment and headed back home.

As he walked back to the house, Ryu couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had conquered the water’s surface, adapting to its ever-changing nature. It was a small victory, but an important one. Medical Ninjutsu and Fuinjutsu came next, but for the time being he must wait for them and go to the academy to learn the basics.

##PoWeR StOnEs##