*Waterfall Village, Forest Clearing – Afternoon*
A month of relentless taijutsu had honed Sasuke's body into a weapon. Every movement was precise, his reflexes sharp, and his stance carried the weight of a young warrior tempered by exhaustion and determination. Bruises and scars still lingered, but they no longer slowed him.
Shisui stood across the clearing, his single Sharingan eye calm but sharp. He had long since witnessed Sasuke's mastery of fire. Now, it was time for a new challenge: wind chakra.
"You've already mastered fire," Shisui said, voice even but commanding. "That flows naturally. Today, you will learn to wield wind chakra. Precision, focus, and guidance are everything. Use what I gave you."
Sasuke's eyes flicked to the dagger resting at his waist—the one Shisui had gifted him on his birthday. Its subtle curve, the elegant yet dangerous shimmer of its chakra-forged steel, the faint red gleam along the edge… it was as if the blade itself breathed with latent energy.
He drew it carefully, holding it in both hands. "Understood," he said, voice steady despite the flutter of excitement in his chest.
Shisui nodded. "Good. The blade will conduct your chakra. Let it guide the wind. Do not force it; feel it, direct it, merge with it."
Sasuke inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to concentrate. He felt the energy gather in his core, flowing outward to his hands and into the dagger. The metal seemed to hum faintly, resonating with his chakra. With a flick of his wrist, a sharp gust of wind shot forward, slicing through the clearing. Leaves and small stones were lifted into the air, spiraling gracefully before settling back down.
Shisui's eye flicked up. "Better. Now move. Step, pivot, lunge—let the wind follow your motion naturally. Become one with it."
Sasuke ran through the clearing, spinning and thrusting the dagger, the wind responding to every arc and twist. At first, the gusts scattered unpredictably, but he adjusted, letting chakra and motion flow together. The blade guided the currents, amplifying their precision, shaping them like extensions of his own body.
"Excellent," Shisui said, stepping closer. "Wind is unstable—unlike fire, it doesn't burn; it strikes. One misstep, and it will miss, or worse, fail you. Read it, feel it, anticipate. Make it part of you, not just an external force."
Sasuke's muscles burned, sweat pouring down his face, but he did not stop. He twisted and lunged, every step in harmony with the dagger, every flick of the blade a conductor for the wind. Small vortices followed his strikes, arcs slicing through the grass, whipping the leaves into spirals. Each motion sharpened the connection between his body, chakra, and weapon.
Shisui circled him silently, observing every movement. "Good. Control comes not from force, but from unity. Your body, your chakra, your weapon—they must act as one."
After several exhausting minutes, Shisui finally stepped back. "Enough for today."
Sasuke dropped to his knees, chest heaving, the dagger still warm in his hands, humming faintly with residual wind chakra. His Sharingan flickered faintly as he tried to catch his breath.
"You've done well," Shisui said, crouching beside him. "The wind obeys you because you've learned to listen, not just push. But remember—this is only the beginning. Mastery comes from integration. One day, all your chakra natures will move as one, synchronized with your body and intent."
Sasuke nodded, determination burning bright despite his exhaustion. "I… I'll master it."
Shisui placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Tomorrow, we combine this wind chakra with your taijutsu foundation. Then you'll see what it truly means to move as an Uchiha warrior."
Sasuke rose slowly, trembling but upright. Sweat streaked his face, muscles screaming in protest, yet his eyes blazed with resolve. The river's soft murmur filled the clearing, a reminder that time moved forward relentlessly, carrying both challenge and growth.
Shisui watched him, knowing Sasuke's potential had only begun to reveal itself—but confident the boy would rise to meet it, step by step, wind by wind, strike by strike.
*Next day*
The sun had barely risen, and mist still clung to the edges of the forest. Sasuke's muscles ached from the previous month's taijutsu and wind chakra training, but he welcomed the burn. Today, Shisui promised, was the first day of true integration—melding body and chakra into a single, unstoppable force.
Shisui stood across the clearing, cloak set aside. His single Sharingan eye tracked Sasuke's stance, noting the subtle improvements in balance and rhythm.
"Today," Shisui said, voice calm yet commanding, "we combine your taijutsu foundation with wind chakra. Every strike, every pivot, every movement must carry energy. Your body is the conductor; your chakra is the instrument. Use the dagger I gave you to guide the flow."
Sasuke drew the dagger from its sheath, its curved edge gleaming faintly in the morning light. He gripped it firmly, feeling the familiar hum of residual wind chakra coursing along the metal.
"Focus," Shisui instructed. "Step, strike, move—let the wind extend your body. The flow begins with your legs, travels through your torso, and guides your arms and weapon. Anticipate, don't react."
Sasuke inhaled deeply, centering himself. With a sudden burst, he lunged forward, dagger slicing through the air. A controlled gust followed, slicing leaves from the trees and stirring the mist into spirals.
Shisui advanced, lightly blocking and evading Sasuke's strikes, forcing the boy to adjust constantly. Each feint and pivot tested Sasuke's ability to flow with his own energy, to anticipate the consequences of the wind, and to maintain balance under strain.
"Again," Shisui commanded. "Faster. Integrate your movement with the chakra, don't let them act separately."
Sasuke sprang into motion, spinning, thrusting, and leaping. The dagger conducted his wind chakra perfectly—gusts followed every swing, arcs of energy extending his reach, cutting and striking as naturally as his limbs moved. The clearing became a blur of motion: twirling dust, swirling leaves, and wind slicing through the air with precision.
Shisui's single eye followed every movement, occasionally tapping Sasuke with a light strike to test reaction speed. "Too wide. Tighten your angles. Let the wind follow the blade, not precede it."
Sasuke adjusted immediately. His strikes became tighter, faster, cleaner. Wind arcs followed exactly where he intended, no longer scattering. He began chaining attacks seamlessly—one spin into a lunge, a pivot into a thrust, a roll into a sweeping strike—all enhanced and extended by the blade-guided wind.
Shisui nodded, a faint smile crossing his face. "Better. Now imagine an opponent, unpredictable and agile. Every step, every feint, every strike must carry intent. Make your movements a storm."
Sasuke's body moved as though possessed by a rhythm only he could hear. Gusts of wind whipped around him, dagger strikes slicing the air, spinning, weaving, striking—each one synchronized with footwork and breath. He could feel the synergy, the flow between body and chakra. For the first time, his movements felt unstoppable.
Finally, Shisui called, "Enough!"
Sasuke collapsed to his knees, chest heaving, dagger still humming faintly with residual wind chakra. Sweat streaked his face, muscles screaming, yet his eyes glimmered with exhilaration and determination.
"You've done well," Shisui said, crouching beside him. "You've begun to merge body and chakra. This is only the beginning, but you're already moving faster, striking more accurately, and controlling your energy in a way most can only dream of. Rest now, and tomorrow we push further."
Sasuke nodded, gripping the dagger tightly. The wind stirred around him even as he stood still, a whisper of promise and power.
Shisui's eye lingered on the boy, weighing potential and possibility. *This boy… he will become a force unlike any the Uchiha have seen. But patience. Step by step. Wind by wind.*
The forest clearing settled into quiet once more, the hum of the dagger fading, leaving only the soft rustle of leaves and the distant river—a perfect backdrop for the birth of a young prodigy.
---*another time skip for 2 months*
---
### **Updated Power Levels (3 Months Later)**
* Sasuke – **5100 → 5800**
* Naruto – **295**
* Sakura – **100**
* Shikamaru – **150**
* Choji – **180**
* Ino – **115**
* Hinata – **100 → 115**
* Kiba – **200**
* Shino – **240 → 250**
* Neji – **650 → 800**
* Lee – **350 → 400**
* Tenten – **140 → 142**
* Itachi – **45,000 → 47,200**
* Shisui (sick) – **24,300 → 25,400**
* Hiruzen – **24,333**
* Danzo – **17,230**
* Homura – **8,540**
* Koharu – **7,880**
* Kakashi – **13,800**
* Might Guy – **13,900**
* Orochimaru – **39,800**
* Jiraiya (base) – **39,200**
* Tsunade (Training)– **29,600 → 32,000**
* Onoki – **21,500**
* Ay (Raikage) – **28,300→ 29,300**
* Killer Bee – **27,500 → 28,900**
* Rasa (Kazekage) – **21,000 → 22,800**
* Yagura (base) – **17,800 → 20,500** (healed)
* Obito (as "Madara") – **47,000**
* Black Zetsu – **5000**
* White Zetsu (average clone) – **1900**
* Pain (Nagato) – **48,000**
* Konan – **25,300**
* Sasori – **27,400**
---
**End of chapter 21**