Once home, Fujimoto Tōma set the three scrolls on his desk. Beside them lay a strip of chakra paper he’d picked up on the way.
He took the paper first.
Chakra flowed into it.
The strip split cleanly down the middle, while the half in his hand crumpled slightly.
"...Wind and Lightning," Tōma murmured.
That matched expectations. His father, whom he’d never met, had reportedly used Wind Release. His mother’s affinity was Lightning. Inheriting both wasn’t surprising.
It also wasn’t extraordinary.
Wind and Lightning together didn’t naturally form a kekkei genkai. Even if they did, Tōma had zero interest in experimenting. Bloodline fusion was a fast track to the hospital if it went wrong, and there was a reason kekkei genkai were rare.
According to Tōma’s understanding, they were the result of either extreme genetic coincidence or reckless experimentation.
Neither appealed to him.
Unless someone handed him Uzumaki-level vitality, Tsunade-level medical support, and Might Guy’s physique all at once, he wasn’t touching that path.
And if he did have all that, he wouldn’t need bloodline techniques in the first place.
Wind and Lightning were fine.
They opened doors in theory. In practice, techniques like Rasenshuriken demanded absurd chakra reserves and Sage Mode. Chidori required exceptional dynamic vision.
Without those conditions, one ruined the user or missed entirely.
Sage Mode was on his long-term list, but not now. As for enhanced vision, Tōma had no intention of transplanting anyone’s eyes. Even if he could get them, the chakra drain alone would cripple him.
Later, maybe he’d find a workaround. For now, it was pointless speculation.
He rolled the chakra paper aside and reached for the scrolls.
The Three Basic Techniques.
He read quickly, including Iruka’s annotations.
They were simple. Efficient. Practical.
Transformation Technique. Clone Technique. Substitution Technique.
One hand seal. Three hand seals. Five hand seals.
Difficulty scaled accordingly.
As expected, hand seals acted more as guides than triggers. Chakra manipulation determined whether the technique actually worked. Memorizing signs without internal control was meaningless.
Which led to a dangerous but obvious conclusion.
If chakra manipulation became precise enough, hand seals could be minimized.
Late-stage shinobi proved that point daily.
As for priorities, Tōma decided quickly.
Transformation only needed functional proficiency. Clone was optional practice. Substitution, however, demanded focus.
It was simple, versatile, and life-saving.
At five seals, it currently took him close to two seconds to perform. Against a fast opponent, that was unacceptable.
He needed it under one second.
Training began immediately.
He guided his chakra as described, formed the seal, and pictured a clear image.
"Transformation Technique."
Smoke burst outward.
When it cleared, a slender kunoichi stood where Tōma had been.
He froze.
Then caught his reflection in a mirror.
A heartbeat later, the transformation dropped.
"...So it worked on the first try."
That was unexpected.
He cleared his throat and looked around to make sure no one was watching.
Fine. Transformation practice would be... limited.
He repeated it a few more times, refining accuracy. The figures became smoother, proportions cleaner. That was enough.
Clone and Substitution came next.
By the time Fujimoto Sana returned home, Tōma had already produced imperfect clones and executed substitution successfully, though not smoothly. His chakra control couldn’t quite keep up with his hand seal speed yet.
Still.
First contact. First success.
That meant something.
"So," Tōma muttered to himself, "I guess I really am talented."
The front door opened.
"Welcome home, Mom," he said, stepping into the living room.
"Ta-daa!" Sana announced proudly, holding up a scroll. "Guess what this is!"
"Shadow Clone Technique," Tōma answered calmly.
"...You’re no fun," she pouted. "Shouldn’t you be more excited?"
"I am," he said, and smiled.
Satisfied, she handed it over.
"I asked my old teacher," she said. "He told me Shadow Clone really isn’t suited for you."
"I know," Tōma replied, gripping the scroll tightly. "But it suits me."
She sighed. "I figured you wouldn’t listen. That’s why I exchanged it anyway. If it were another B-rank technique, it probably wouldn’t have worked."
"Why not?" Tōma asked.
"Because Shadow Clone isn’t exactly a secret anymore," Sana explained. "Other villages copied versions of it long ago. There’s no need to keep it restricted. But most B-rank techniques are still tightly controlled."
That made sense.
Regardless, he had it.
His next stage was clear.
"Oh, right," Tōma said. "I won’t be home for dinner tonight."
"...What?" Sana narrowed her eyes. "You don’t like my cooking anymore?"
"Not that," he replied, then explained about Iruka and the ramen.
Her expression softened.
"Alright," she said. "Don’t stay out too late."
Tōma nodded.
Tomorrow, training would truly begin.