The morning passed in a blur for Murakami.
Wake up. Help Hoshino-san in the kitchen. Get swarmed by kids. Eat breakfast while avoiding their chaotic energy.
Then came the academy.
He sat through the lessons with his body present but his mind elsewhere, counting the minutes until dismissal. It wasn't impatience, just distraction.
Yesterday's realization had shifted something in him. If he intended to become powerful, following the standard path wasn't enough.
He needed something uniquely his, something the academy or the shinobi system could never give.
The bell rang, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Murakami, are you listening?" a classmate asked.
Murakami blinked, only now noticing the boy staring at him.
"Not in the slightest," he replied flatly.
The classmate sighed disappointedly and walked off.
Murakami rose from his seat and left the class. Soon, he joined the stream of students pouring out of the academy gates.
He wore a calm expression despite his focus sharpened on his next destination.
Today, he had something far more important to attend to.
…
The Lotus Store was as lively as ever.
Even from outside, Murakami could hear the murmur of voices, the shuffle of feet, and the familiar chorus of "Irasshaimase!" from the attendants.
Stepping inside, he was greeted by the sight of customers browsing the shelves, some speaking quietly, others attempting to haggle over prices the attendants had no intention of lowering.
The uniformed attendants, dressed in elegant green kimono, moved gracefully through the aisles, guiding customers with the efficiency of well-trained professionals.
Murakami nodded in quiet satisfaction. Business was thriving.
He slipped through the crowd with practiced ease, making his way toward the back office without attracting undue attention.
Inside, Hina was already waiting for him, a stack of neatly arranged papers sitting on the desk.
"You're late." She raised an eyebrow without looking up. There was only one person daring enough to barge into her office in this manner.
Murakami scoffed as he took a seat across from her. "I was at the academy. You know…being a normal student and all that."
Hina hummed lightly, amused, before sliding a scroll across the table toward him.
"Here's the list of D-Rank and C-Rank techniques currently available for purchase."
Murakami reached for the scroll and unrolled it, his eyes scanning the titles.
And…wow.
The list was long.
[D-Rank Techniques]
Taijutsu
Kōdo Ashige no Jutsu (Firm Leg Strike Technique) – A basic kick that focuses on strengthening the lower body's impact power.
Tobi Kōgeki no Jutsu (Leaping Assault technique) – A mid-air counterattack using a spinning kick.
Kakuzetsu Tsume no Jutsu (Critical Claw Technique) – A technique that emphasizes precise finger strikes to pressure points.
Rakka Hane no Jutsu (Falling Feather technique) – A controlled fall technique that reduces impact from high jumps.
Sokubaku Te no Jutsu (Binding Hand technique) – A gripping technique that focuses on wrist control to subdue an opponent.
Kawazu Gake no Jutsu (Frog Hook technique) – A low sweep that hooks an opponent's ankle to trip them.
Shinden Ken no Jutsu (Thunderclap Fist technique) – A short-range fist strike that generates a sudden shockwave on impact.
Ninjutsu
Sokumen Kaze no Jutsu (Side Wind technique) – A weak but fast burst of wind meant to disrupt an opponent's vision.
Fukusū Nami no Jutsu (Multiple Waves technique) – Generates consecutive bursts of water pressure, useful for low-power ranged attacks.
Shibari Suna no Jutsu (Binding Sand technique) – Manipulates sand to trap an opponent's feet momentarily.
Tobi Dashimasu Iwa no Jutsu (Jumping Stone technique) – Uses earth chakra to push off the ground for a momentary boost in movement.
Sukoshi Kaji no Jutsu (Minor Fire technique) – Produces a small flame, mostly used to ignite flammable objects.
Mitsubai Hari no Jutsu (Scattered Needles technique) – A technique that hardens dust and sand into tiny projectiles, shooting them forward in a spread.
Kaze Ittō no Jutsu (Wind Slash technique) – Uses chakra-infused wind to extend the reach of a weapon's slash by a short distance.
Genjutsu
Hitosashi Genkaku no Jutsu (Finger Illusion technique) – Distorts the opponent's depth perception for a few seconds.
Bokyaku Ne no Jutsu (Forgetting Sound technique) – A sound-based illusion that creates a brief lapse in memory, useful for evasion or deception.
Usurai Kage no Jutsu (Thin Ice Shadow technique) – Creates the illusion of multiple moving shadows, confusing an opponent's ability to track movement.
Mabayui Hikari no Jutsu (Blinding Light technique) – A simple Genjutsu that makes a target momentarily experience intense brightness, causing distraction.
C-Rank Techniques
Taijutsu
Haya Kyori no Jutsu (Swift Distance technique) – A movement technique that allows for short bursts of speed.
Kawazu Happa no Jutsu (Frog Leaf technique) – A leg-strengthening technique that increases jump height for aerial attacks.
Shinsei Ishi no Jutsu (Sacred Stone technique) – Hardens the user's skin upon impact, allowing them to block strikes with their body.
Hayabusa Otoshi no Jutsu (Peregrine Drop technique) – A rapid aerial slam using the opponent's body weight against them.
Taka Tsume no Jutsu (Hawk Talon technique) – A precise grappling maneuver that allows the user to seize an opponent's limb mid-air.
Ninjutsu
Dorobō Tsuchi no Jutsu (Thief's Earth technique) – Softens the ground beneath an opponent's feet to cause instability.
Kaze Rasen no Jutsu (Wind Spiral technique) – A wind-based projectile that spirals unpredictably, making it harder to dodge.
Enko Bunshin no Jutsu (Smoke Clone Technique) – Creates a clone made of smoke, which disperses upon impact, leaving a lingering smokescreen.
Nagareboshi Hi no Jutsu (Shooting Star Fire technique) – A fire projectile that splits into smaller embers mid-air, covering a wide range.
Kaikō Suna no Jutsu (Open Sands technique) – Loosens the terrain beneath an opponent for tactical advantage, turning solid ground into loose sand.
Fukumen Suiryū no Jutsu (Veil of Water Flow technique) – Enhances movement in water, reducing resistance and allowing for smoother combat underwater.
Tsuiseki Suna no Jutsu (Tracking Sand technique) – A technique that marks a target with nearly invisible grains of chakra-infused sand, allowing the user to track them.
Tengai Shikō no Jutsu (Dome Formation technique) – An earth-based partial barrier technique that raises a half-dome of stone for temporary cover.
Genjutsu
Sōshitsu Kanashimi no Jutsu (Loss of Sorrow technique) – A Genjutsu that numbs emotional responses, making an opponent temporarily lose their will to fight.
Shiryō Kurai no Jutsu (Dark Apparition technique) – A fear-based illusion that makes the opponent sense an ominous presence behind them.
Makurayami no Kōshō no Jutsu (Midnight Negotiation technique) – A psychological Genjutsu that distorts the passage of time, making a short moment feel much longer.
Kanzashi Otome no Jutsu (Hairpin Maiden technique) – A deceptive Genjutsu where the user appears momentarily fragile or weak, luring opponents into overextending.
B-Rank Techniques.
Taijutsu
Ryūsui Kōgeki no Jutsu (Flowing Water Assault technique) – A continuous flurry of strikes that seamlessly chain into one another.
Yari Shisō no Jutsu (Spear Stance technique) – A defensive stance that allows for extended reach in close combat, using kicks and hand strikes like a spear.
Ninjutsu
Kazaguruma Kaze no Jutsu (Windmill Wind technique) – A technique that creates multiple spinning wind currents, allowing thrown weapons to curve unnaturally.
Ganmen Jōheki no Jutsu (Face Fortress technique) – A technique that hardens the user's face against blunt impact, allowing for headbutts without injury.
Jishin Shibō no Jutsu (Earthquake Palm technique) – Slams a chakra-infused palm into the ground, creating a localized tremor.
Genjutsu
Yami Uta no Jutsu (Song of Darkness technique) – A Genjutsu that gradually dulls an opponent's senses the longer they listen to the user's voice.
Kage Omoshi no Jutsu (Shadow Weight technique) – Makes an opponent feel as if they are sinking into the ground, slowing movement.
…
..
Murakami leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin as he studied the list.
"This is a solid selection…" he murmured. He could already see the prospects of all these techniques. 'They were incredibly useful but…'
Across from him, Hina smirked with unmistakable pride. "Naturally. The Lotus Store only provides quality."
He ignored her self-satisfied tone, tapping a finger thoughtfully against his chin.
There were several interesting techniques, but something tugged at the back of his mind…an obvious step he hadn't taken yet.
'...what are my chakra affinities?' he thought.
Choosing random Ninjutsu without knowing his affinities would be pointless.
It was like investing in a sword when his nature might lean toward a spear.
He looked up at Hina. "How much for chakra paper?"
Hina blinked before waving a hand dismissively. "A single one? Dirt cheap. Barely a few hundred ryo."
Murakami nodded. "Have one of the attendants bring some."
Without missing a beat, Murakami cast a genjutsu on himself as Hina called over a nearby attendant and sent her off to fetch the chakra paper.
Minutes later, the young attendant returned, carrying a small bundle of chakra papers instead of just one.
"I thought it would be better to buy them in bulk, just in case," she said with a hint of pride.
Hina nodded, approving. "Good thinking. You're learning."
The girl's face lit up; she bowed quickly before slipping out of the room.
Once the door closed, Murakami released technique causing his figure to reappear in a ripple.
He still couldn't afford to let anyone know he had direct dealings with this store, not yet.
He stretched and picked up one of the chakra papers.
Without hesitation, he pushed his chakra into it.
The reaction was instant.
The paper split cleanly into two halves before crumbling into dust between his fingers.
Murakami's brow creased. He didn't need a guide to explain the meaning; he had watched the anime and lived long enough to put the pieces together.
Earth and Wind.
A short, dry snort escaped him.
What a ridiculous combination.
One was as unyielding as a mountain, the other as restless as a child bored in class.
They weren't supposed to blend.
They clashed like water and fire, like oil and water.
Like cats and dogs.
Like a Nara and mornings.
And yet…
A slow grin tugged at his mouth.
They fit him.
Stubborn yet adaptable. Grounded yet unpredictable. The kind of contradiction that frustrated people to no end.
It was like being wrathful like fire one moment and calm as the sea the next.
That was the kind of contradiction that if not properly nurtured, makes a genius turn into 'trash'.
He wasn't surprised, though.
In long hours of meditation, he had already sensed the prominent nature hiding beneath the surface of his chakra.
It carried weight and solidity, but also a razor-edge sharpness waiting to be shaped.
Murakami exhaled, his gaze steady and thoughtful.
"Earth and Wind, huh?" Murakami murmured as he placed the ruined chakra paper on the desk. "Guess that makes me a natural disaster in the making."
Hina, who was quietly observing, unsure on what to say was assured and finally spoke. "That's… an uncommon combination."
He shrugged understanding her meaning. "Nothing I can't work with."
He knew it wasn't uncommon information and he would be disappointed if Hina, who he was training to be the face of his company, didn't know this much about chakra affinities.
Her lips curved into a smirk. "You're oddly calm about this."
She was reassured seeing Murakami speak with confidence.
Murakami flashed her a grin. "Adaptability is key."
Contrary to information from his past life that made the protagonist have five elements as a symbol of talent, Murakami knew it wasn't.
A truly talented shinobi is usually born with ONE natural chakra affinity.
This single affinity ensures pure specialization, a fast growth in that elemental nature and fewer internal "conflicts" in chakra flow.
And then comes the high potential ceiling. This perfectly fit individuals like Minato with wind, Sasuke and practically the Uchiha with fire until later awakening.
There was also Kakashi with Lightning until he began adding more elements later, becoming The Copy Ninja
This indicated this; Talented prodigies = one affinity, one clean path.
Going further, Being born with multiple affinities isn't a blessing, It means your chakra has multiple directions of flow.
The disadvantage is that you can still grow normally, but training becomes slower, and the person must resolve internal contradictions since earth is heavy, wind is light.
However, this duality creates the possibility of combining into a kekkei genkai.
Fire + Earth → Lava
Fire + Wind → Scorch
Earth + Water → Wood (rare)
But if no combination forms? Then the person becomes a jack-of-two-elements, slightly slower than a single-affinity specialist.
This was the category Murakami found himself in. However, it wasn't a problem for him.
He wasn't seeking fast growth. He could settle for slow and steady because the advantage of this is; with time, the Two affinity individual would end up proportionally more versatile that the One affinity individual.
There were the Three affinities that became more dangerous but extremely rare.
Someone born with three natural affinities has because they are born with a chaotic chakra wrought by conflicting elemental signatures and leading to slower mastery of all three.
There was a high risk of forming an unstable or rare kekkei genkai like the Jinton Release potential. A custom kekkei tōta of your own creation.
Despite harder to control and refine, it had a longer growth curve
Very few shinobi survive this stage with full talent intact like the 2nd and 3rd Tsuchikages.
As for Four or Five Affinities, it was practically impossible for a natural-born human body and the canon supports this.
No one in canon is born with 4 or 5 natural affinities.
Even Hashirama had only one natural affinity (Water), with the rest learned artificially.
Only the Rinnegan or artificially modified bodies (like Ten-Tails jinchūriki) handle all five, but then there was one individual outlier.
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
With his understanding of this information, Murakami came to comprehend the talent and acknowledge the strength of the Third Hokage.
'It was no wonder he tolerated someone like Danzo despite his attempts at his life.'
These were Murakami's thoughts.
Other than that, he concluded that it was unrealistic unless they're an Ōtsutsuki hybrid or modified
Murakami shook his head and refocused on his current predicament.
Now that he knew his affinities, he could finally begin shaping a proper path forward. Tomorrow, he'd refine his training approach.
For now, he had techniques to sort through.
He leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers lightly against the table as his gaze swept over the extensive t of options laid out before him.
With his affinities confirmed, the selection narrowed itself.
"Alright," he said, tapping the scroll. "Get me all the Taijutsu and Genjutsu techniques listed here. For Ninjutsu, focus only on the Earth and Wind-based ones."
Hina raised an eyebrow, though her smirk stayed in place. "No Fire or Water?"
"Not unless I suddenly awaken a secret affinity," he replied dryly, catching her jab. "No need to waste money on things I can't use."
Her quiet laugh showed her amusement. She reached for her brush and began jotting down the order with quick, practiced strokes.
Once satisfied, she put away the brush and picked a cube by the side and stamped it on the paper, placing a stamp on it and called toward the door.
"Akari-san. Come in."
Murakami cast a genjutsu once again as the door slid open, a young woman stepped inside, dressed in the same refined green kimono as the other attendants, though her composed posture marked her as someone trusted with more delicate tasks.
"Yes, Hina-sama?" she asked with a respectful bow.
Hina passed her the scroll. "Procure these techniques. Use our usual channels. Make sure they're the genuine versions, no incomplete copies."
Akari scanned the scroll briefly before nodding. "Understood. What's the budget?"
Wordlessly, Hina reached beneath the desk and produced a sleek black briefcase. She flipped it open, revealing rows of neatly stacked ryo notes—an amount that would have made most shinobi widen their eyes.
Akari didn't so much as blink.
"This should cover everything," Hina said, snapping the case shut and sliding it toward her. "As always, discretion first."
"Understood." Akari said and tucked the scroll into her sleeve, picked up the case, bowed once more, and stepped out without another word, closing the door behind her.
Murakami released the genjutsu as he watched her leave before glancing at Hina. "You just handed her a fortune in cash without hesitation."
She leaned back, unimpressed by his concern. "You think I hire amateurs?"
"Trust is one thing. Blind trust is another," he pointed out. "What makes you so sure she won't run off with it?"
Although he had some ideas, he still needed to hear her thoughts and intentions behind such an act.
Hina interlaced her fingers atop the desk and smirked. "Because she values her life. And her position here. The Lotus Store pays better than most D-Rank shinobi missions. None of my staff would risk throwing that away."
Murakami hummed thoughtfully.
"Besides," she added, tilting her head, "loyalty isn't just about money. It's about building a place where betrayal doesn't even cross the mind."
Murakami nodded to himself, she was aware of how this situation could go any which way and she would still be on it. It was mildly terrifying that she was this savvy at just 13.
He dreaded what she would be like in a few years time, but he wasn't too bothered by the future since that all depended on his present.
But going back to what she said, he had to admit that the atmosphere in the store reflected the second reason she gave.
The discipline, respect and the quiet confidence of the employees, it wasn't fear that held them together. It was structure and trust.
Not something he'd test personally, but something he could appreciate.
"Fair enough," he said with a stretch of his shoulders. "I'll just wait for the results, then."
Hina's smirk returned. "Smart choice."
And with that, they fell into a comfortable silence as the next stage of Murakami's strength…and his future, quietly began to take shape.