Naruto: Lost to Hinata on Purpose, and Now Everything's a Mess Chapter 12 12 : Forced Release Of B-Level Ninjutsu

Kakashi watched Riku's execution of the Water Style technique and furrowed his brows. It felt completely different from the Water Style: Water Surface Wave he had taught him.

Riku nodded. "I perford it according to your explanation. Is sothing wrong?"

Of course, Riku was well aware of the difference between the Water Style he had just released and Kakashi's version.

Kakashi sighed helplessly. "Your Water Style: Water Surface Wave is practically turning into Water Severing Wave. That wasn't C-rank power—it's bordering on B-rank, maybe even A-rank."

He scratched his head. "I'm not even sure we should still be calling that jutsu Water Surface Wave."

Riku smiled faintly. "Whatever it's called, this jutsu can completely overpower the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."

Recalling Riku's words earlier, Kakashi let out a wry chuckle. "So you've already figured that out... Yeah, with the power behind your Water Style just now, it can definitely suppress that Fireball Jutsu."

Riku grinned. "That's good, then. Sensei, does that an today's ninjutsu lesson is over?"

He was ready to call it a day.

But Kakashi shook his head. "Your learning speed keeps surprising . I've decided to teach you two more techniques—one Lightning Style, one Earth Style."

Riku hadn't expected that. Three ninjutsu in a single day? And from two different chakra natures, no less.

If he mastered both, he would have command over four nature transformations.

That was a massive leap in strength.

Riku chuckled. "Well, this day turned out to be full of surprises."

Kakashi looked at him with an amused expression. "At this rate, I have to wonder if you're using a Sharingan to copy the jutsu I teach you."

Riku sighed. "I wish I had a Sharingan."

Kakashi paused, staring at the six-year-old standing before him, a kid who just made such a mature statent. He didn't quite know how to respond.

"The Sharingan is a kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan," Kakashi said. "It's not sothing that can be passed around. And even for non-Uchiha, using it cos with a huge burden."

Riku t Kakashi's gaze. The look in his eyes told Kakashi exactly what he was about to ask.

Kakashi hesitated, then offered an explanation. "This Sharingan… was entrusted to by a comrade. Before he died."

"He was from the Uchiha clan. One of my closest friends."

The mory of Uchiha Obito still brought pain. Kakashi had never truly forgiven himself—for failing Obito, for letting Rin die by his own hand.

It was the most painful event in his life.

Sensing Kakashi's shift in mood, Riku smiled gently. "I was only kidding. Whatever you have, the most important thing is that it's yours. Anyway, Sensei, let's move on with the training."

Kakashi had been ready to tell Riku more about Obito, but the boy cut him off so naturally, leaving him little choice.

With a sigh, Kakashi said, "Fine. Before I teach you the Earth Style technique, let's go over the basics of Earth Release."

Riku nodded and paid close attention.

About half an hour passed as Kakashi explained the foundational theory of Earth Style. Riku absorbed it all like a sponge.

"The technique I'm going to show you," Kakashi finally said, "is Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall."

"A defensive Earth Release technique."

"But," he warned, "this one's B-rank. It's a bit advanced."

Riku's eyes lit up. "B-rank? That ans it's really powerful."

He understood well that Earth Style excelled in defense—and this particular technique was one Kakashi himself used often in the future.

Kakashi turned to face away from Riku. "Watch closely. My chakra reserves aren't endless, so I'll only demonstrate once."

Riku gave a nod.

Of course, Kakashi could use B-rank techniques more than once. He could even use S-rank jutsu like Lightning Blade multiple tis. But this was a teaching mont.

With a serious expression, Kakashi wove hand signs and muttered, "Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"

Boom.

A few ters in front of them, the ground rumbled as a solid wall of stone burst forth—over two ters thick, more than ten ters long, and nearly six ters high.

A proper wall of rock.

Its defense was impressive.

But Riku noticed the carved dog heads on the stone and was imdiately speechless.

"Sensei… why did you waste chakra sculpting dog heads into the wall?"

There wasn't just one. There were several.

Kakashi froze. He hadn't even realized. The dog motif was second nature to him—his Summoning beast was, after all, a dog.

Seeing Kakashi's blank expression, Riku let out a helpless chuckle. "Never mind. My turn."

But Kakashi held out a hand. "This is a B-rank jutsu. It takes a lot of chakra. You just released a Water Style technique earlier. If you feel low on chakra, don't push yourself."

After all, Riku was only six years old.

Even with chakra levels higher than the average Academy student, he didn't have that much to spare.

But Riku smiled. "My chakra's a little low, but I can manage Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall."

What he didn't say was that his chakra recovery was abnormally fast. Within minutes of releasing the Water Severing Wave earlier, his chakra had already returned to full.

That was sothing he had no intention of revealing—not even to Kakashi.

It would raise too many questions.

In the shinobi world, chakra recovery was not fast. That's why things like soldier pills even existed.

Without them, it could take an hour or more to recover partial chakra, and a full recovery might take a full night's rest and proper nourishnt.

Only those with special physiques were exceptions.

And Riku knew full well just how special his body was in this world.

He chose silence.

Kakashi stood behind him, ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble.

This ti, Riku's expression grew more focused.

The difficulty of B-rank techniques was far above C-rank.

His hands blurred as he ford the necessary hand seals, each one like an afterimage.

Then he slamd his palms to the ground. "Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"

Boom.

Boom.

A massive surge of chakra erupted from Riku's body.

In front of them, a massive earthen wall rose, over two ters thick, five ters tall, and extending for tens of ters in length.

It had worked.

But the effort left Riku slightly winded.

"Hahh…"

"Finally… success."

He let out a breath, feeling the strain.

"That jutsu nearly emptied my chakra. I really need a larger chakra pool."

At six years old, Riku's chakra reserves were already comparable to an elite Chūnin.

Impressive by any standard.

But even so, releasing Water Severing Wave followed by Earth-Style Wall—both B-rank techniques—was still a massive drain.

Kakashi saw the fatigue in Riku and imdiately stepped closer. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern in his voice.