When Uchiha Hayashi walked to the other side of the training ground, Kushina, Mikoto, and Nonou finally stopped chatting.
"Are they finished over there?" Mikoto asked, standing up.
"Not yet, they just started practicing. But it'll be a while, so I can teach you for now," Hayashi replied.
The energetic Kushina tossed her red hair back, her expression full of drive. Nonou, however, remained calm. She had just begun learning shuriken techniques, and even Kushina, who wasn't particularly skilled, could still be her teacher.
Hayashi studied the girls' expressions carefully before asking, "How have you been practicing the chakra nature transformation I taught you?"
He had previously given them a short training session, focusing on Wind Release for Kushina and Lightning Release for Mikoto.
"It's going well, I've made a fair amount of progress," Mikoto said, nodding obediently.
She was always diligent and precise, working hard to complete every exercise Hayashi assigned. Kushina, on the other hand, hesitated.
"Kushina?" Hayashi prompted gently.
"I've been practicing too," she said, sticking out her tongue in a cute, guilty gesture. She couldn't admit she had mostly been distracted.
"So… not much progress, then?" Hayashi asked with a smile.
"It's really difficult. I even asked the Third Hokage for advice, but he said it wasn't suitable for my age yet," Kushina quickly found a convenient excuse.
"Is that so? But the Third Hokage mastered all five chakra natures as a teenager," Hayashi remarked, crossing his arms.
"Really? I thought he didn't know either. Next time, I'll pull on his beard," Kushina said playfully, though her threat only made her look more adorable.
Mikoto and Nonou chuckled at her antics.
"Alright, I'll settle the score with you later. Mikoto, show me what you've learned," Hayashi instructed.
Mikoto nodded and formed the hand signs silently. Thunder rumbled as a beam of lightning shot from her hand into a wooden stake nearby.
"Not bad," Hayashi said, examining the scorched mark. "Consider this the introductory stage. You've grasped the basic instability of Lightning Release. In other words, you've learned how to amplify the damage with this chakra nature."
Mikoto nodded softly, standing tall. Kushina didn't look impressed, having seen stronger techniques, while Nonou watched with envy. As a first-year student, she was still a beginner.
"You have two paths ahead of you. The first is to continue refining Lightning Release, eventually mastering all aspects of its nature. This builds a solid foundation, making later techniques easier. This is the path I followed, focusing on mastery before combat readiness."
"If you choose this route, progress may be slow at first. You'll need patience to grow stronger steadily."
Hayashi's voice was calm but firm, and the girls listened intently. As a squad leader entrusted by Orochimaru, he had a responsibility to teach them thoroughly.
"The second path is to focus directly on increasing Lightning Release's offensive power, even if you skip some foundational study. This makes your strength grow quickly, but you'll need to compensate for gaps in your knowledge later."
Hayashi gave a subtle nod. Kakashi had followed the first path, mastering Lightning Release before developing Chidori, eventually becoming a Jonin. Sasuke had taken the second path, learning Chidori first and filling in the foundational knowledge under Orochimaru's guidance.
"I'll choose the second one," Mikoto said after a moment of thought.
"Good," Hayashi said, motioning for Mikoto to activate her Sharingan. "Watch carefully. I'll slow down my demonstration this time."
The Sharingan enhanced her perception, allowing her to observe details invisible to normal sight. While the Sharingan cannot copy Chidori, it provides insight into how the Lightning Release chakra behaves.
Hayashi focused the Lightning Release chakra in his hand, transforming its nature, and explained as he worked. The chakra darkened and grew increasingly unstable.
"See, this is the introductory stage of Lightning Release transformation. As you progress, the chakra becomes volatile, and you'll need precise control to stabilize its core while pushing its instability to the limit."
The explosive crackle of lightning filled his hand, followed by an unexpected chirping sound of birds. The cacophony subsided, leaving the distinct, piercing energy signature that defined Chidori.
"At this stage, Chidori is complete," Hayashi said.
"Seems simple," Mikoto murmured.
Hayashi laughed, recalling how top students in his previous life always said the same thing after understanding a technique.
"This is an A-rank ninjutsu, like Rasengan. Combined with Lightning Release chakra's cell-level activation, it has tremendous speed and piercing power. With the Sharingan, its tracking ability is enhanced, making it a technique tailor-made for the Uchiha clan."
Mikoto deactivated her Sharingan, nodding seriously as she considered every detail of what she had observed.