The Happiness of Deidara in Naruto

Chapter 6: Training

The next day, Deidara was thrilled to discover that he had chakra within him. After all, having chakra meant that ninjutsu was within reach—at least he could practice the Body Flicker Technique.

The Body Flicker Technique allowed for creating intangible clones that could confuse enemies. The Transformation Technique had numerous uses, not to mention the most troublesome ninjutsu from the series: the Substitution Technique.

At least, that's how Deidara saw it.

The scroll given to him by Ōnoki also included the Body Flicker Technique and essential skills that every ninja needed to master, such as tracking, hiding, and fleeing. Although these skills would also be taught at the academy, the scroll contained advanced techniques rather than just the basics.

It seemed he would have plenty to do during the days leading up to the start of school.

Today, Deidara wasn't in a hurry to practice ninjutsu since his chakra had only just emerged, and he couldn't even control it properly yet.

What he needed to do first was to let his chakra move according to his will. Achieving that was quite difficult.

Chakra was a magical force; it wasn't something that could be touched with hands. Instead, it had to be guided and controlled through one's intention. Each person's ability to manipulate chakra was inherently different.

For instance, Sakura Haruno, who was about the same age as Deidara and an apprentice to one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade, likely had excellent chakra control skills. Otherwise, Tsunade wouldn't have chosen her as a disciple.

Tasks like climbing trees and walking on water could be completed after just one try for someone with good chakra control.

Deidara could also use these methods to train his chakra manipulation skills. However, he knew he shouldn't rush it.

His current amount of chakra was simply too low to adequately cover the soles of his feet.

Thus, Deidara decided to postpone this training until he had accumulated more chakra. The same applied to ninjutsu training; looking at them now would hinder the consolidation and refinement of his chakra.

Similarly, chakra refinement couldn't be done too frequently, as that could damage his cells. Therefore, Deidara decided to only refine his chakra at night, just before bed.

So, for the next few days, he planned to focus on physical training during the day while reviewing knowledge and molding a few clay sculptures whenever inspiration struck. In the evenings, he would dedicate his time to refining chakra.

As for financial matters, he didn't need to worry too much. As the orphan of a war hero, he received a monthly allowance adequate for living expenses. Additionally, Ōnoki had arranged for the fees at the ninja academy to be waived.

If there were any parasites in the system, Deidara thought they wouldn't dare to embezzle his funds, especially since he was the Tsuchikage's protégé.

Though Ōnoki hadn't made a grand announcement, he hadn't kept it a secret either. Within just a few days, almost every ninja in the village knew about Deidara's relationship with the Tsuchikage. While he couldn't abuse this connection, at least no one dared to bully him.

Of course, that didn't apply to the games played by children. Every child thinks they're the star of the show. When they see someone else shining brighter, jealousy tends to arise.

Having successfully performed the Body Flicker Technique, Deidara planned to treat himself to a meal. However, when he opened the door, a group of children around his age stood outside, gazing at him with judgmental expressions that seemed to say, "What makes you so special?"

Just then, Kurotsuchi, who had been honing her skills at home for the past few days, could no longer contain herself and ran out. Of course, she had Ōnoki's approval, as she had successfully completed two forms of the Body Flicker Technique: the Substitution Technique and the Transformation Technique.

The first thing Kurotsuchi did upon leaving was rush to Deidara's house.

In truth, Kurotsuchi felt quite lonely. Due to her status, the adults around her treated her with caution, especially the children of those adults.

She had once overheard someone telling their child, "Hey, don't play with Kurotsuchi. If you accidentally hurt her, it'd be a huge offense."

Since then, no one had come to play with Kurotsuchi, and she stopped seeking out friends in return.

As for the bond between Deidara and Kurotsuchi, Deidara knew the truth from his predecessor's memories.

That day, Kurotsuchi had been wandering alone near the edge of the village, lacking playmates. Feeling bored, she decided to enjoy the scenery instead.

She walked to a beautifully landscaped area by the village, filled with mountains, water, and woods.

When she arrived, she found a blond boy standing there, equally solitary, reminding her of her own situation.

The blond boy sensed someone approaching and turned to see her slightly lonely expression.

They both spoke at the same time, "Are you alone, too?"

Then the two figures sat together, laughter echoing in the air.

Running down the path, Kurotsuchi recalled the first time she met Deidara, a smile spreading across her face.

But these past few days, Deidara had been acting a bit strange, with subtle changes in demeanor. However, this version of Deidara seemed even cuter!

Kurotsuchi was a very bright child, and wise kids often mature early. Her thoughts began to wander, and suddenly she realized she had veered off path; this wasn't the route to Deidara's house.

Oh dear, this habit needs correcting! Little Kurotsuchi stomped her foot in mild frustration.

But just as she was about to turn back, she spotted a group of kids nearby following a boy who appeared to be leading them. However, the situation seemed tense rather than friendly.

Kurotsuchi hesitated, but rather than rushing to help the boy, she decided to utilize the knowledge she had gained to stealthily follow the group.

Deidara found a relatively open area and confidently approached the group, addressing them, "This is the place. Let's set the rules. According to the local customs, it's a one-on-one duel! No one else can interfere; otherwise, it's a breach of the rules!"

Inside, Deidara felt quite uncertain. After all, he was just a child. Even though he had made progress with his physical training, he knew that against so many opponents, he wouldn't stand a chance.

Fortunately, Iwagakure valued rules; hearing Deidara's words, the other children paused to consider before they nodded in agreement.

To be continued…