Naruto: The Sarutobi Who Can't Spark

Four months into the academy, Raijin still hadn't learned Shadow Clone Jutsu from the promised Elders.

Haruko hadn't visited him since the month before he started at the academy. Although Elder Sohei had promised to teach him the technique, the promise remained unfulfilled. During breaks from training, Raijin tirelessly searched for Haruko or Sohei, but no matter where he looked, they were nowhere to be found.

'Are they occupied with some tasks? I don't think Elder Sohei would resort to something as underhanded as breaking a promise.'

When Raijin returned home, he practiced the Body Flicker technique until he collapsed from exhaustion. He had been working on the technique since the start of the academy, but the D-rank jutsu remained frustratingly difficult. It still required hand signs and that maddening five-second delay, which felt like an eternity.

Once he finished practicing Body Flicker, Raijin moved on to his electrical exposure training. This method of exposing his body to controlled electricity helped improve both his lightning control and his lightning release as usual. Despite his limited free time since starting at the academy, he never discontinued his electrical setup, maintaining a gradual voltage increase as part of his routine.

He hadn't increased the voltage of the electricity but rather extended the duration of his exposure.

Electrical signals can disrupt nerves, muscles, and other tissues, causing pain, unconsciousness, or even death if the body cannot handle the shock. Raijin understood this all too well; he had experienced it beforehand.

His taijutsu had leaped bounds when incorporated with lightning chakra. The combination made him faster and greatly increased his strength. His cells and tissues could now withstand small lightning discharges, making even his kicks, punches, or slight pushes extraordinarily powerful. But now that he could briefly incorporate lightning into his taijutsu, Raijin had set his sights on a different goal.

The primary purpose of his electrical exposure now was to enhance his nervous system for faster neuron activation. While the idea was far-fetched and verged on the impossible, in the world of chakra and its unique laws, it seemed theoretically achievable.

If Raijin could develop the ability to send stimuli directly from neurons to his brain with lightning-enhanced speed, he might unlock a method to defend against Genjutsus. Such an advancement would be groundbreaking. However, this training would require a Shadow Clone for safety precautions for increasing voltage in electrical exposure.

Neurons conduct electrical impulses through Action Potentials. These impulses allow neurons to send and receive signals throughout the body in both physical and electrical forms. Each neuron in the brain has a long cable-like axon that extends away from the main part of the cell. Thousands of tiny neurons run through these axons, which serve as the brain's transmission cables for electrical impulses.

A Genjutsu is created when a ninja controls the chakra flow through their target's cranial nerves, affecting and disrupting their five senses. This technique is often used to generate false images or trick the body into experiencing sensations such as pain.

Lightning Release can counter this by sending a controlled shock through the nervous system, forcing the brain to reset and break the illusion's hold on perception. The electrical impulse directly stimulates the neurons, overriding the Genjutsu's interference with their natural action potentials.

By activating the neurons in the brain and simulating normal action potentials, the false signals caused by the Genjutsu can be disrupted. This process effectively "overloads" the illusion with reality, returning the brain to its normal state. Achieving this level of precision was Raijin's long-term goal for his electrical exposure training.

However, without mastering the Shadow Clone Jutsu, Raijin had to pause this aspect of his training. The lack of a clone to ensure safety made it too risky to experiment with excessively high voltages.

…

"Let's skip class this week," Satoru said in a hushed voice, glancing around to ensure no one else could hear except Raijin and Yuuto.

Students from Class 1-A were making their way to the training ground, where today's lesson focused on shurikenjutsu. While not solely a training session, their instructor, Kaiyo, allowed them to handle kunai and practice throwing at wooden targets.

"Everyone, let's learn about Shurikenjutsu …." Kaiyo announced, his voice commanding attention.

The students watched attentively as Kaiyo demonstrated various techniques explaining the importance of stance, grip pressure, and the kunai's release. His movements were fluid and precise, and when his kunai struck the target's center with ease, a collective gasp arose from the young audience. After his lecture and demonstration, the students were visibly eager to begin their own practice.

Lining up with varying degrees of confidence, the students clutched their practice kunai as they awaited their turn. Kaiyo observed them carefully, corrected their stances, and offered tips so that they could improve.

When Satoru stepped up, his months of secret training became evident. His stance was steady, and his form precise. As he released the kunai, it flew true, landing close to the center of the target. Kaiyo's approving nod didn't go unnoticed.

Next came the children from prominent clans, their inherited skills shining through as they executed their throws with practiced ease, impressing both their peers and Kaiyo.

Kaiyo observed his students with a mixture of pride and curiosity. 'No prodigy like last year's Itachi Uchiha,' he mused, 'but this batch has promise.' His gaze lingered on Satoru, impressed by how the orphaned boy had managed to match the performance of children from established ninja clans.

For Satoru, his success in shurikenjutsu was the validation of four months of relentless training, finally placing him on par with his more privileged peers. Yet, as he watched Raijin's effortless precision, doubt crept in. 'Could any other students replicate Raijin's Clone Jutsu?' Satoru doubted it.

He knew Raijin wouldn't show his full capability until asked. Satoru thought, 'Raijin must be my goal for now.'

As the practical session concluded, Kaiyo collected the students to prepare for their afternoon classes. He announced the next subjects: Science and Geography. The shift in topics brought a noticeable change in Satoru's mood.

Geography had become one of Satoru's strong suits. His knowledge of the elemental nations and their territories improved steadily.

Science, however, continued to be a stumbling block; its abstract theories clashed with his practical approach to learning.

History, though, was bearable. Tales of the First Hokage's valor and Konoha's legendary ninjas stirred his ambitions, fueling his dreams of becoming a great ninja himself.

After classes ended, Satoru caught up with his friends. "Did you both think about it?" he asked, referring to his earlier suggestion about skipping class.

"Um… What if we get caught?" Yuuto Aburame, ever cautious, voiced his concern. It was visible that he was hesitant even behind his dark glasses. Raijin, standing beside them, maintained a thoughtful silence.

"We won't get caught", Satoru assured them with confidence. "We would go towards the forest to train. No one would suspect us of skipping classes just to train more."

"Train?" Raijin raised his eyebrow in surprise, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Yuuto Aburame widens his eyes in disbelief, "So, you want to skip classes just to train?"

"Yes, we would spar with each other. I heard from a senior that sparring helps develop our abilities and increases our strength faster than regular training."

Raijin had a bitter smile as he recalled his past experiences with skipping classes. Those times had been spent either partying or watching movies. While the mass bunks would make teachers suspicious, he and his two friends had often sneaked away to visit new places and relax. This peculiar motivation to skip classes purely to train seemed almost absurd. 'Must be a consequence of living in a world dominated by ninjas,' He mused to himself.

Unbeknownst to the trio, Kaiyo had overheard their entire conversation. He wouldn't have resorted to eavesdropping had he caught Satoru's mention of skipping class. Intrigued by their boldness, Kaiyo's curiosity got the better of him. Rather than confronting them directly, he stealthily lingered nearby to learn more about their plan.

The next day, under Satoru's enthusiastic leadership, Raijin and Yuuto followed him into the forest. Raijin, having frequently visited the forest in the past, felt at ease among the towering trees. He recalled hauling logs as part of his physical training and climbing cliffs to learn to balance his body.

As they reached the forest, Satoru's attention was drawn to a river flowing south from the Konoha village. His face lit up with a mischievous grin as he turned to Yuuto. "See? This is why I brought the fishing rod and some bait," he said, holding up his supplies triumphantly.

"Cool…" Yuuto murmured, his tone laced with wonder and a little bit of excitement. He had never ventured into the forest near the village before. Constantly under the surveillance of his parents, his life had been devoid of the freedom to explore or try anything adventurous.

His parents' overprotection had ensured he avoided mistakes but left him emotionally stifled. This lack of independence was why he felt no pride in his Aburame lineage, seeing it as more of a burden than a legacy.

The trio began fishing, with Satoru catching half of their haul. However, when it came time to clean the fish, he faltered, clueless about the process. Raijin stepped in, deftly cleaning all the fish they'd caught and even teaching the others how to scale and gut them. Both Yuuto and Satoru tried their hands at cleaning one fish each but ended up making such a mess that Raijin politely asked them to leave.

After enjoying their freshly cooked fish early in the morning, they ventured deeper into the forest. By the time the sun stood high above the horizon, they found a sprawling tree whose shade stretched for several yards.

It was there that they decided to spar.

During their sparring session, Raijin's dominance became evident. His superior skills left Satoru and Yuuto completely overwhelmed. With neither of them knowing any jutsu, they relied solely on taijutsu, only to find themselves repeatedly clobbered. Yuuto, still unable to properly control his insects with chakra, struggled to keep up. Meanwhile, Satoru, with no jutsu to assist him, found himself thoroughly outclassed in every exchange with Raijin.

Yuuto, frustrated by his inability to match Raijin in taijutsu, struggled to accept his shortcomings. Meanwhile, Satoru's determination burned brighter with each defeat. His resolve to train harder and study more grew evident in his focused gaze. Even when they joined forces to take on Raijin, their combined efforts fell short.

Raijin fought the bare minimum while trying not to crush their confidence completely. He made a few mistakes here and there, hoping the duo would catch him, but they weren't that skilled to attack the weakness yet.

Raijin, however, fought with deliberate restraint. He kept his movements minimal, ensuring he didn't completely shatter their confidence. Intentionally making small, exploitable mistakes, he hoped the duo would catch on and capitalize, but they either failed to recognize or swiftly react to those openings.

From a concealed vantage point, Kaiyo's clone observed the trio with growing intrigue.

Raijin's prowess was impossible to ignore. While Satoru's progress was commendable and Yuuto performed as expected, it was Raijin's skill set that truly captured Kaiyo's attention.

The clone noticed Raijin's calculated approach, focusing his strikes on disrupting his opponents' movements rather than inflicting any real harm. His deliberate restraint and effortless composure, even after eight consecutive spars, painted a picture of an unusually capable young ninja.

"Not even breaking a sweat after the sixth sparring match. Truly remarkable," the clone mused.

The training session primarily revolved around taijutsu, supplemented occasionally by wooden kunai. Raijin utilized the kunai sparingly, relying almost entirely on hand-to-hand combat. Notably, he refrained from incorporating lightning jutsus. It was rather challenging for him to avoid exploiting their weakness unconsciously.

By three o'clock, the trio began their descent from the forest, casually making their way home maintaining an air of normalcy.

Meanwhile, Kaiyo's clone, having witnessed the entirety of their session, quietly dispelled itself. The memories of the day's events flooded back to the original.

***