Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

"Zixu, how's your shuriken and kunai practice coming along?"

It had been a month since the ninjutsu class started. Along with refining his chakra control, Zixu had nearly mastered the Clone Jutsu, only needing to perfect the final touches.

The one who asked was Hyuga Chinano. After spending time together, both she and Aburame Hatsuizumi had started to understand Zixu's views on the Will of Fire. They admitted that Sarutobi Hiruzen's policies were inconsistent with the ideals of the First Hokage. However, they weren't entirely ready to abandon the Third Hokage's leadership or fully align with Zixu's perspective.

"I've been practicing a lot. My hands are in good shape. I think I can hit six or seven out of ten shuriken."

Of course, that was a lie. In reality, his progress had skyrocketed after grasping chakra control. His fusion template training had increased from 5.5% to 6% within the past month. His dynamic vision had improved so much that, with deliberate effort, he could briefly enter a bullet-time-like state. However, this ability burned through his stamina. The cost of an enhanced physique was a monstrous appetite—if he didn't figure out a way to make money soon, he'd probably starve.

"Really?" Chinano narrowed her pale eyes. "Last time, you almost took out Gouda Takeshi during the shuriken test."

"That was an accident," Zixu brushed it off. Then, shifting the conversation, he asked, "By the way, where's Hatsuizumi? Haven't seen her around lately."

Lately, the three of them had been training together. With the upcoming practical class, they were officially grouped as a team. Chinano's competitive nature had ignited—she was determined to take down that Uchiha girl in battle.

"No idea. Probably family business." Chinano's voice remained cool, but Zixu had learned that was just how she spoke. "The Aburame clan is mysterious. Their movements are hard to predict."

"That's a shame. I wanted to study her bugs a bit more. If they absorb my chakra, can I control them? Or will they evolve into something else?" Zixu muttered to himself. His interest in Bug-based Reconnaissance remained strong.

Pulling out a handful of shuriken, he aimed at the wooden training post. Eight of ten found their mark, while the other two landed just short.

"This is probably my limit for now. If we still can't beat Uchiha Gen's group, well... guess there's nothing I can do."

Chinano frowned, hesitating as if to say something, but in the end, she merely sighed and adjusted the headband on her forehead.

"Maybe you're right. Let's call it a day."

Zixu was used to her blunt way of speaking. He gave a casual wave before heading off. He still needed to refine the Clone Jutsu. If his clones could help with work, maybe they could solve his food problem. He felt confident in his physical state, but he wasn't sure if his clones would inherit that strength—or vanish upon taking a hit, as recorded in the scrolls.

On his way home, he passed by a ramen shop and indulged in a massive meal. Satisfied and full, he left the restaurant—only to spot a familiar figure hurrying down the street.

"Hatsuizumi?"

The girl froze at the sound of her name, turning to face him. Though her light red glasses hid her eyes, Zixu immediately noticed the puffy redness around them. She had been crying.

"A-Ah… Zixu, I… I'm fine…" Her voice wavered, betraying her words. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

Zixu frowned.

"Come on, let's talk somewhere else." Without waiting for a response, he took her hand and led her toward their usual training grounds. She resisted at first but quickly gave in, allowing him to pull her along.

Once they reached the clearing, Zixu turned to face her.

"Alright, tell me. Who bullied you?"

In that moment, he embodied the image of an ambitious young ninja—someone who valued his comrades and took responsibility for them. Maybe that wasn't an act. Maybe he had always been this kind of person.

Hatsuizumi met his gaze, her lips trembling. She couldn't hold back any longer. Her tears spilled over as she threw herself into his chest, clutching at his clothes.

Zixu let out a soft sigh and patted her on the back.

"It's alright. Just let it out. But tell me—what happened?"

After a while, her sobs quieted. She hiccupped before managing to speak in broken sentences.

"They… they burned my bugs… Wuuwuu… Bugs…"

Zixu's expression darkened.

"Who burned them?"

"Yuan Ye…" Her voice quivered. "He said… He said my insects were disgusting… He called me a monster… I—I'm not a monster! My bugs are innocent!"

Her pain was evident. She didn't care about being insulted herself—she had gotten used to that. But harming her insects? That was unforgivable.

Zixu exhaled slowly, his expression cold.

"Uchiha Gen's group, huh?"

Hatsuizumi bit her lip, nodding.

"Listen," Zixu said firmly. "Don't cry over this. Crying won't change anything. If we want to protect what matters to us, we need strength. That's all there is to it. Don't worry—I'll make sure Yuan Ye gets what's coming to him during the practical class."

He wasn't just saying that to comfort her. He genuinely intended to teach that bastard a lesson. However, he couldn't go overboard. His retaliation needed to be subtle, controlled—enough to put Yuan Ye in his place without drawing unnecessary attention. It was a balancing act.

But if executed properly, it could also serve another purpose: earning Hatsuizumi's full trust. If she saw him as someone reliable, her chances of joining his side would increase.

Hatsuizumi sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

"O-Okay…" she whispered.

"Good."

"Okay, if you don't have anything else to do, go home and practice first."

After comforting her, Zixu let Hatsuizumi leave. He sighed, feeling a wave of exhaustion settle over him as he walked home. Compared to Konohagakure's propaganda, he was still far behind.

Everyone had their own beliefs, shaped over years, maybe even generations. How could those beliefs be changed with just a few words? Fortunately, both Hatsuizumi and Chinano were still young. Their worldviews hadn't fully solidified yet, meaning he still had a chance to pull them into his cause.

—

At the Academy training grounds, more than 50 students were split into teams of three. Gouda Takeshi, their instructor, stood in front of the class, arms crossed, jotting down results in his notebook.

"The Uchiha Gen team hit 25 out of 30 shuriken, making them the best so far," Gouda Takeshi announced, causing a stir among the students.

"As expected of the Uchiha Clan. They never miss..."

"If it weren't for her teammates holding her back, Uchiha Gen would've probably taken first place."

Despite her teammates' subpar performance, Uchiha Gen looked pleased. She wasn't the type to let minor setbacks bother her.

"Not bad," she said, offering words of encouragement. However, Yuan Ye was less gracious, pouting and muttering.

"It's all because of Maruyama that we got held back. If he hadn't messed up, we would've done even better..."

A chubby boy, Maruyama, lowered his head apologetically. "I won't mess up next time… Please, give me another chance…"

While the Uchiha team had their own issues, the next group up was Zixu's team.

The first to step forward was Hyuga Chinano. As always, she performed with grace and precision. Her shuriken seemed to have eyes, cutting through the air like falling petals. Each blade found its mark at different angles—a perfect 10 out of 10.

Then came Aburame Hatsuizumi. Her accuracy was also high. The first five shuriken hit dead center, showing her skill. But then—

"Ugh, bugs are the most disgusting thing ever," Yuan Ye muttered just loud enough for her to hear. "Seriously, how can anyone stand those creepy things…"

He made a face at Hatsuizumi, his voice dripping with mock disgust.

She gritted her teeth, trying to stay calm. Zixu's words had helped, but at the end of the day, she was still a kid. Yuan Ye's words got under her skin. Her focus wavered—her sixth throw missed. In the end, she landed seven out of ten.

Watching from the side, Chinano's expression darkened.

Zixu's best record in practice had been seven out of ten, meaning that even if he hit his best performance, their final team score would only be 24—one point short of Uchiha Gen's team. They would still lose.

"Damn it… We're still coming in second? I don't want to accept this…" Chinano clenched her fists, unwilling to admit defeat.

Meanwhile, Hatsuizumi lowered her head, clearly feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry... I let you guys down..."

"Just practice more next time. This isn't a battlefield," Chinano muttered, her tone as cold as ever. But despite her blunt words, Hatsuizumi could tell she was trying to comfort her—even if she had a terrible way of showing it.

"It's fine," Zixu said casually. "You just need to work on your concentration. Losing focus in a real battle could get you killed."

Deep down, though, he was seething. He had planned to teach Yuan Ye a lesson during the team battle, but now, after seeing this, he just straight-up disliked the guy.

Starting bullying at this age?

Nah, Zixu wasn't going to let that slide. This was a small step toward changing the ninja world, and he was going to take it.

On the other side of the field, Yuan Ye, feeling confident that his team had secured first place, started running his mouth.

"Man, that must suck for you guys!" he sneered, voice dripping with arrogance. "Always second place. If you wanna blame someone, blame that disgusting bug girl and that half-baked loser. Hahahaha!"

He pointed at Hatsuizumi and Zixu, laughing without restraint.

Gouda Takeshi sighed and gave a half-hearted warning.

"Yuan Ye, watch your words. As a shinobi, you can't just say whatever you want."

But it was obvious he didn't really care. The Academy actually encouraged competition among students. Survival of the fittest was the rule of the ninja world. Those who couldn't adapt were destined to be left behind. That's what the higher-ups preached to the instructors like Gouda Takeshi, so he didn't take the conflict seriously.

Even when Hatsuizumi went home and cried to her family about how Yuan Ye had burned her insects, they barely reacted.

"That's just part of competition," they had told her.

It was just another harsh lesson in the reality of shinobi life.

"Next, Uzumaki Zixu," Gouda Takeshi called.

Zixu didn't hesitate.

Nobody expected much from him. No one believed he could achieve an impressive score.

But Zixu?

He remained calm as he stepped forward, pulled out his shuriken, and locked eyes on the wooden target in front of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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