Training Ground 3 looked like someone had already fought a small war there.
That was normal.
Naruto had been "warming up."
Which meant sprinting in circles, shouting "YEAH!!", and occasionally tripping over his own enthusiasm.
Sasuke stood off to the side with the expression of someone who had accepted—grudgingly—that this was his life now.
Ethan arrived carrying a small canvas pouch.
"Alright," he said. "Today we're doing controlled chakra bursts."
Naruto's eyes went saucer-wide.
"YOU MEAN—LIKE—BOOM?"
"No," Ethan said.
"Not boom. Controlled boom."
Naruto nodded solemnly as if he understood.
He absolutely did not.
Sasuke murmured, "This is going to end badly."
---
I. The Lesson Begins — "Chakra is momentum, not fire."
Ethan drew a straight line in the dirt.
"You're both learning how to shift chakra while moving. Today we push that a little further."
He pointed at Naruto.
"You're going to deliver a burst of chakra at the moment of contact. Not before. Not after. Exactly on impact."
Naruto blinked.
"What am I hitting?"
Ethan smiled.
He pulled out a weighted wooden dummy head.
Naruto's grin became feral.
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.
Ethan mentally apologized to the tree behind them.
"First," Ethan explained, "you channel chakra into your fist.
Second, you don't let it leak.
Third, you release it all at once.
Just enough to knock it back—not enough to injure yourself."
Sasuke crossed his arms.
"This takes Jonin-level focus."
Ethan shrugged.
"Then you should have fun learning it."
Sasuke froze, recalibrating that challenge.
Naruto pumped his fists.
"LET'S DO THIS!"
---
II. Naruto's Attempt #1: "The Comically Tragic Failure"
Naruto planted himself in front of the dummy.
He inhaled.
He exhaled.
He whispered, "Chakra… don't betray me…"
Then he charged.
Too much chakra.
Way too much.
He slammed his fist forward—
—missed the dummy—
—tripped over his own leg—
—flew past Ethan—
—went airborne for a solid three seconds—
—and crashed into the river with a spectacular splash that soaked Sasuke from the knees down.
Sasuke stared at his wet pants in absolute offense.
"…I hate this training."
From the river, Naruto shouted, "I'M GOOD!"
Ethan sighed—affectionately.
This was fine.
This was normal.
This was Naruto.
---
III. Sasuke's Attempt: "The Almost Perfect Failure"
Naruto climbed back out of the water dripping and triumphant.
"Okay okay—my chakra slipped! I got this!"
"After Sasuke," Ethan said.
Sasuke nodded sharply, stepped in front of the dummy, and positioned himself like he was preparing to assassinate a tree.
His chakra gathered in his fist—clean, polished, laser-focused.
He struck.
A clean hit.
Controlled.
Perfect for—
The dummy didn't move.
Naruto blinked.
"…Did you forget the 'boom' part?"
Sasuke inhaled silently through his teeth.
Ethan patted Sasuke's shoulder.
"You controlled it too much. Good precision. No release."
Naruto grinned.
"My turn again!"
Sasuke muttered, "…Please no."
---
IV. Naruto's Attempt #2: "The Almost Boom"
Naruto approached the dummy with serious purpose.
He spread his stance.
He channeled chakra—less chaotic this time.
He whispered something motivational that sounded like "bite me, loser Sasuke energy."
Then—
He dashed forward.
This time, his footwork held.
His chakra stayed inside his fist instead of detonating in random directions.
His eyes locked onto the target.
He struck.
A burst of blue chakra cracked out—
—but Naruto forgot one important detail:
He braced wrong.
The dummy shot backward five meters—
—Naruto shot backward six.
He landed on his butt with force.
Ethan winced.
Sasuke's mouth tugged upward.
Naruto groaned, "Ow. That's progress, right?"
Ethan offered him a hand.
"That's real progress."
Naruto brightened instantly.
---
V. The Breakthrough — "He learns to feel first."
Ethan set the dummy back in place.
"Close your eyes," he said gently.
"Oh, and try not to fall asleep this time."
Naruto snorted.
"Ha ha. Funny."
"Close them."
Naruto did.
Ethan spoke softly, rhythmically:
"Don't think about punching.
Think about the energy.
Feel where chakra wants to go.
Don't push it. Let it travel.
Let it build…
and wait for the moment your body says 'now.'"
Naruto's breathing shifted.
Sasuke watched from the side with a hint of awe he'd never admit.
Naruto opened his eyes.
No yelling.
No posing.
No hype.
Just focus.
He stepped forward.
Raised his fist.
Chakra gathered—clean blue, bright but not chaotic.
He struck—
—and the dummy blasted backward in a straight, perfect line, smashing into the far training post.
Naruto froze.
Sasuke froze.
Ethan smiled.
Then Naruto screamed.
"LET'S GOOOOOOOO!!!"
He jumped high enough Ethan had to catch him mid-leap to stop him from headbutting a bird.
Sasuke muttered, "…Show-off."
But there was no bitterness.
Just quiet, reluctant pride.
---
VI. Panel Response — "Node Progression Confirmed"
The air shimmered in front of Ethan's eyes.
[NODE UPDATE: Child Hero Stabilization]
[BOND RESONANCE: Naruto → C+ to B]
[Skill Imprint Available: 'Burst Step' — Unlock?]
Naruto ran circles around the field yelling, "I DID A REAL NINJA ATTACK!!!"
Sasuke, behind him, whispered:
"…Teach me that next."
Ethan nodded gently.
"You're ready."
Sasuke's eyes burned with quiet fire.
Naruto shouted from the distance, "HEY SASUKE I WANNA FIGHT YOU NOW!!"
"Absolutely not," Sasuke replied.
Ethan laughed.
---
VII. Closing — "A team forming without knowing it"
By sunset:
Naruto was still energized.
Sasuke was still pretending he wasn't impressed.
Ethan was quietly proud of both.
Naruto punched the air again and again.
"Ethan!! Look!! BOOM!! BOOM!! I CAN DO BOOM NOW!!"
Ethan nodded.
"You can. And you did."
Sasuke glanced at Naruto.
Then at Ethan.
"…Thank you," he said softly.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't dramatic.
But Ethan heard all of it.
And the Node hummed in approval.
Tomorrow, they'd start applying bursts to actual movement combat.
But for tonight?
Tonight, a kid felt like he wasn't a failure.
A rival felt like he wasn't alone.
And Ethan felt like he was exactly where he was needed.