(From now on the mc will be called Carl Hudson in every scenario)
"If that's the case, then I won't hold back!"
Kūkai's composure was already on the verge of collapse after failing to land a single hit. Now, with Chiriku lifting the restrictions, he immediately surged his body with chakra. His aura flared, and his movements became sharper, faster, and more aggressive as he launched himself at Carl with renewed force.
Carl, seeing the shift, smiled faintly. "Now this is getting interesting."
As Kūkai's speed and strength surged, Carl's footwork shifted—no longer the light, darting steps of the Swallow Form. Instead, his frame settled low, grounded, and powerful. A fierce energy exuded from him as he transitioned into the Tiger Form, meeting Kūkai's attack head-on.
In his past life, Carl had mastered Xingyi Quan, specializing in the Five Element Fists—Splitting, Drilling, Crushing, Pounding, and Crossing—as well as the Twelve Animal Forms: Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Crocodile, Rooster, Swallow, Harrier, Snake, Tai Bird, Eagle, and Bear.
Later, during his time immersed in the brutal, unforgiving world of Life and Death Fist, he exchanged techniques with countless masters. He had delved into Bagua, Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Shaolin, Praying Mantis, and more. His martial foundation was not just strong—it was terrifyingly deep.
The evasive footwork he'd used earlier was drawn from the Swallow Form, agile and elusive. But now, faced with Kūkai's brute-force approach, he brought out the Tiger Form—direct, explosive, and lethal.
"He's not even using chakra…"
One of the nearby monks muttered in disbelief, echoing the stunned expressions around the training ground. The crowd, who'd gathered earlier hoping to see the prince embarrassed, now stood in awe.
They could feel it—Carl's strikes held no chakra, no ninjutsu support. He was overpowering Kūkai with nothing but pure physical strength and masterful technique.
"The Tiger Leaves the Cage!"
Carl twisted past a punch aimed for his head and surged forward, his hands shaped into claw-like arcs. With a growl-like exhale, he thrust both palms toward Kūkai's abdomen.
"This is over."
Even with chakra-boosted speed and strength, Kūkai's experience was still limited. His training in the monastery had been intense but predictable. Carl, however, had fought for survival countless times in his former world—against opponents who didn't pull punches, where one mistake meant death.
But just as Carl's tiger claws were about to land, Kūkai vanished in a puff of smoke.
A stone dropped to the ground where he had been.
"Substitution…"
Carl's eyes narrowed. In that instant, he understood. Even after a month of studying ninjutsu, he still hadn't fully internalized how freely it could shift the flow of battle. His martial instinct had momentarily made him forget that not everything followed earthly logic.
A sudden wave of heat struck him from behind.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Carl's eyes widened. He spun instinctively, just in time to see a massive ball of flame roaring toward him. Kūkai, now behind him six meters away, stood with a heaving chest, hands still in the fire-release seal.
The Fireball Technique wasn't just flashy—it was lethal. Kūkai had expertly used the Substitution Technique, retreating and launching a counterattack the moment Carl's blow would've landed.
Among the three basic jutsu—Transformation, Clone, and Substitution—Substitution was by far the most practical. While Clone was useful for misdirection and Transformation could fool the inexperienced, Substitution had real tactical value.
Even elite jonin relied on it to escape danger or flip the tide of battle in an instant.
However, the Substitution Technique also came with its disadvantages.
First, its range was limited. If one tried to substitute too far—especially in an open field where the enemy used wide-range destructive ninjutsu—it was almost tantamount to suicide.
Second, it required a nearby object to swap places with. In barren or wide-open spaces, unless one had prepared a suitable item in advance, substitution wasn't even an option.
Third, there was always a brief delay after performing the technique. If the user didn't have cover—like trees or buildings—their position could be easily exposed. A skilled opponent could exploit this brief window and strike fatally.
So while the Substitution Technique was often used in high-level battles, its effectiveness depended heavily on both the environment and timing.
Carl was still new to the world of ninjutsu. Had he understood a bit more about ninja tactics, he might have immediately searched the area when Kukai disappeared, identifying the most likely point of reappearance behind the substitute.
"Junior Brother, I'll take this victory."
As the fireball shot toward Carl's back, a hint of triumph crept onto Kukai's face.
He had to admit—Carl's combat skill was astonishing. But this was the difference between a warrior and a ninja. Ninjas rose to power and replaced samurai not through brute strength, but through the art of ninjutsu.
"Not yet."
Carl's voice was calm—and confident.
In an instant, his chakra surged. The innate energy, the unique chakra of the Fire Temple ignited within him. His muscles tightened, reflexes heightened, and with a sudden burst of strength, he leapt into the air.
The move was graceful, precise—White Crane Spreads Its Wings—and it carried him just out of reach of the incoming fireball, which roared past beneath him and exploded against the ground.
"What?!"
Kukai's heart dropped.
Until now, he hadn't even realized—Carl had never used chakra during their entire fight.
"Tiger Descends the Mountain!"
The moment Carl landed, he exploded forward like a force of nature. His stance shifted once again, his aura now fierce and oppressive. With the speed of a pouncing predator, he closed the distance between them.
Kukai's pupils shrank as Carl's fist grew rapidly in his vision. The momentum, the sheer will behind the punch overwhelmed him. All at once, Kukai's fighting spirit collapsed, and he instinctively shut his eyes—bracing for the blow.
But it never came.
A moment passed. Then another. No pain. No impact.
Instead, a steady, respectful voice reached his ears.
"Thank you for your guidance, senior brother. I've learned a lot."
Carl's fist hovered just two centimeters from Kukai's face—still, unwavering. His control was absolute. The battle was over, and he had chosen not to humiliate his opponent.
Kukai opened his eyes slowly, shame flickering across his face. "Junior Brother… forgive me. I've let you down."
"You fought well," Carl replied with a sincere smile. "It was an honor."
"Alright, that's enough."
Chiriku stepped forward, his expression unusually warm. "Kukai, you've improved. Keep at it. As for you, Carl—come with me."
The ninja monks nearby, who had been observing the fight, could now feel a distinct shift in Chiriku's demeanor.
They had never seen the abbot look at someone like that before—like he had just uncovered a priceless treasure.
And who could blame him?
Carl's performance, especially once he activated his chakra, had surpassed the average Genin level entirely. In pure taijutsu alone, he had reached the standard of a Chūnin—one who specialized in close combat.
With proper instruction in ninjutsu, and some practice integrating those techniques into his style, Carl would become a formidable Chūnin in no time.
And in the future? If he continued growing…
He could become an elite Jōnin.
That was no small feat.
In the major Hidden Villages, elite Jōnin were still a rare and respected rank. But here, in the Temple of Fire, such a figure was even more valuable—especially since Chiriku was currently the only one at that level still alive.
Who would have thought? The prince he'd accepted for politics and prestige—whom he expected to just teach flashy tricks—might become one of the Temple's greatest weapons.
The Buddha must truly be watching over them.
And yet, what Chiriku had seen today… was only the tip of the iceberg.
Carl had held back many of his most dangerous techniques. This was just sparring—not a fight to the death. If it had been the latter, the outcome would have been much more brutal.
Calm yourself. Don't let it get to your head. Stay grounded.
Taking a slow breath, Chiriku suppressed the excitement bubbling within him and turned toward the temple's practice room.
"Yes, Master."
Carl offered a traditional Buddhist salute to the gathered monks and quickly followed, leaving behind a trail of wide eyes and hushed whispers.
________________________________________
CHAPTER 9
"You did well just now," Chiriku said as they stepped into the training room. "But there's still plenty of room for improvement."
His earlier smile had faded, replaced with the serious expression of a true mentor.
"When attacking, don't just focus on the opponent's exposed flaws," he continued. "More importantly, watch their hands—look for signs of hand seals. The moment you realize they've vanished, don't freeze. Move instantly. Keep your awareness sharp, especially for blind spot attacks."
Carl stood silently, listening with full focus. He didn't let the victory get to his head. Instead, he asked questions, raised observations, and reflected on the flaws in his performance.
His combat experience was deep—but it was based on the rules of another world. A world without chakra, without ninjutsu. A world of warriors where strength and skill alone determined life and death.
This was the first time he had truly fought a ninja, and Kukai was just a Genin.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Go and digest what you've learned."
Chiriku watched Carl with quiet satisfaction. The young man had skill, yes—but more importantly, he had the right mindset.
He wasn't arrogant. He wasn't careless. He took growth seriously.
Chiriku's thoughts were already racing ahead—formulating a long-term training plan. Starting with ninja fundamentals: theory, hand seals, ninjutsu basics, then chakra control, battlefield analysis, and eventually… real-world missions.
For years, he had carried the weight of the Fire Temple alone. Since the fall of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, only he and Asuma remained.
Asuma had returned to Konoha. Chiriku had returned here, weary and disillusioned, to lead the temple.
He once hoped to raise Sora, Kazuma's child, to carry on the Guardian legacy—but Sora's unstable chakra had made that too dangerous. Chiriku had been forced to stop teaching him ninjutsu altogether.
And now… fate had dropped Carl into his hands.
"Yes, Master."
Carl bowed respectfully and turned to leave the training room.
The guidance from a battle-hardened elite jōnin like Chiriku had opened a new door in his mind. He had a clearer understanding of how ninjas truly fought.
Squeak.
The door shut behind him as he walked down the corridor toward his room. On the way, he passed the training ground—and immediately noticed a change.
The ninja monks who had once looked at him with suspicion or jealousy now avoided his gaze. Some nodded stiffly. Others stole glances filled with a newfound respect—or even awe.
Carl paid them no mind.
In his month at the Fire Temple, he'd rarely interacted with them. Not because of pride, but because—frankly—it was unnecessary.
He hadn't come here to make friends. He'd come to become stronger.
And in his past life, he'd learned one simple truth: when your strength reaches a certain point, people naturally respect you. Even a smile becomes powerful.
Back in his room, Carl resumed his daily chakra extraction training.
His physical and spiritual stats were already impressive—but to increase his total chakra reserves, there was no shortcut. Only consistent practice.
In the ninja world, chakra capacity was partially genetic. Without natural talent, you'd never match monsters like Naruto. But with enough hard work, you could still climb high enough to stand out—and survive.
Once the chakra refining was complete, Carl shifted into another routine. He adjusted his posture, controlled his breathing, and began practicing a technique foreign to this world.
A faint sound—like the purring of a big cat—rose from within his body.
It was the resonance of muscle, bone, and breath: a sign of deep internal harmony. The mark of Xingyi Tiger-Leopard Thunder Breathing.
In his old world, warriors didn't just train their bodies—they broke through limits through stance and breathwork.
Low-level practitioners began with static stances. When they achieved mastery, they moved to breathing techniques—training their organs, bones, and energy from the inside out.
Carl's foundation came from Xingyi, where the central stance was the Three-Body Posture, and the breathing method was the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Method.
Even now, after gaining chakra and learning ninjutsu, Carl had never abandoned it.
Why? Because in his mind, the body was the root. A strong body produced more chakra. A stronger body wielded chakra better. With both combined, true dominance could be achieved.
Stance and breathing didn't exist in this world.
But they were his secret weapon—the method by which he would surpass all others.
The method by which he would overtake them all… from behind.
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A month later, in the pond behind the Temple of Fire.
Carl stood on the still surface of the water, carefully wrapping chakra around his feet as he took each step with caution. He focused on distributing the chakra as evenly as possible to avoid sinking into the pond below.
Since his spar with Kukai, the ninja monk, Carl had officially entered rigorous ninja training under the direct guidance of Chiriku.
One of the most important aspects of this training wasn't just physical—it was the study of ninja fundamentals. Not astronomy, geography, or science, of course. As a former prince, Carl already had a well-rounded academic background. Chiriku assumed he wouldn't need help there.
Instead, his "cultural studies" included identifying ninja tools and understanding the specific use cases of different weapons in various combat situations. He studied explosive tags, soldier pills, and other essential items used regularly by shinobi.
Carl learned the rules all ninjas must abide by, team formations and battlefield tactics, the unspoken codes of conduct between shinobi, and the signature techniques and specialties of the five great ninja villages.
He absorbed common sense knowledge that most ninjas in the world picked up naturally by living in a shinobi village—but that someone raised outside of that system might lack.
For most of the ninja monks at the Temple of Fire, such knowledge wasn't useful—they rarely left the temple. But for Carl, a direct disciple destined to be an elite jōnin, it was vital.
Otherwise, if he traveled outside and confronted foreign shinobi without this foundation, he'd be at a natural disadvantage—or worse, lose his life through ignorance.
Chiriku knew the risks well—he had suffered many of them himself when he first left the temple to explore the world and later joined the Twelve Guardian Ninja.
Fortunately, he had formed a close friendship with Asuma Sarutobi, a ninja born and trained in Konoha. Asuma had taught him a wealth of valuable shinobi knowledge, and in return, Chiriku passed along the Temple of Fire's secret techniques.
In addition to theoretical study, Carl was trained in chakra control. He began with tree climbing—focusing chakra to his feet to stick to vertical surfaces—and eventually moved on to walking on water, which he was now practicing.
As for actual combat training, that had been put on hold since his fight with Kukai.
Chiriku had told him there was no need to rush into more battles. Carl's current fighting ability was already solid—what he needed now was the knowledge and chakra control necessary to start learning higher-level ninjutsu. Once he acquired new techniques, he would return to combat to integrate them into his personal fighting style.
Carl had to admit—coming to the Temple of Fire had been one of the best choices he'd made.
Even in the Hidden Leaf Village, it would be rare to find a jōnin who would train a student this thoroughly, with such dedication.
And despite his memories of Naruto from his previous life, the truths of this world ran far deeper than anything he'd remembered from the anime. Time had blurred many details, and the reality was far more complex.
As Carl focused on balancing atop the water, he heard footsteps approaching. He glanced up.
Chiriku walked over, holding several small rectangular paper slips in his hand.
"Yes," Chiriku said with a nod, watching Carl's chakra flow with interest. "Your control over chakra has improved a lot."
________________________________________
CHAPTER 10
"Master!"
Seeing Chiriku appear, Carl stepped nimbly on the water's surface a few times and jumped in front of him, his movement light and graceful as if floating over the water.
Chiriku nodded with satisfaction.
"Starting today, I'll begin teaching you some D-rank ninjutsu. But before that, we need to test your chakra nature."
As he spoke, he pulled out a small slip of paper and handed it to Carl.
Carl looked at it carefully. "This is... chakra paper, right?"
"Yes," Chiriku replied. "I covered chakra nature and chakra paper in our theory lessons."
Chiriku's eyes held a trace of expectation. Though the Temple of Fire's secret techniques only required the chakra of the Sage lineage and didn't rely on elemental affinities, he still hoped Carl would possess multiple chakra natures. It would greatly expand his future potential.
"I remember," Carl said, nodding. "I know how to test it."
He held the chakra paper between his fingers and slowly infused it with a bit of chakra.
Carl already knew what chakra attributes he had—he had tested himself before. Now he was simply revealing them to Chiriku.
Under the influence of Carl's chakra, the chakra paper first caught fire, then dampened with mist and extinguished. Next, it wrinkled up, split in two, and finally crumbled into fine scraps that drifted to the ground.
"Fire, water, lightning, wind, and earth—you have an affinity for all five basic chakra natures!"
Chiriku's expression changed from a pleased smile to one of astonishment and then disbelief.
He had hoped Carl might have three chakra attributes, which was already extremely rare. But five?
Such talent was nearly unheard of. Even among the elite of the ninja world, those who possessed all five elemental chakra natures could be counted on one hand. Fewer still could master them. Even among the kekkei genkai and clan elites, five-elemental affinity was rare.
Having all five attributes didn't automatically make one as powerful as the Third Hokage, who was famed for his mastery of all elemental ninjutsu. But it did mean the potential was there.
At the very least, Carl would never need to fear being countered by someone with a specific elemental advantage.
Fire beats wind. Wind beats lightning. Lightning beats earth. Earth beats water. Water beats fire.
When two equally matched ninjas fight, the one with an elemental advantage often comes out on top. But Carl? He wouldn't need to worry about that.
More importantly, multiple chakra natures enabled powerful combinations of jutsu. Using wind-style to fan a fire-style jutsu could amplify its power to devastating effect, creating a compound attack that surpassed either technique on its own.
"Master? Master?"
Carl stepped forward to get Chiriku's attention. The monk was still frozen in awe.
Chiriku blinked, finally snapping out of it. "Ah... Yes! Very good. Five chakra attributes... Very, very good!"
He exhaled slowly, trying to calm his excitement. Carl's stoic composure only impressed him more. As a prince, his demeanor was always steady—but even now, after learning he possessed a chakra nature most ninjas would kill for, he remained calm.
Chiriku had explained the significance of chakra nature in their earlier lessons. He was sure Carl knew exactly what it meant—and yet he remained as composed as ever.
"Master," Carl asked calmly, "can I start learning ninjutsu now?"
Chiriku nodded quickly, regaining his focus. "Of course. Today I'll teach you a D-rank fire-style ninjutsu: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu."
He led Carl to the training ground, where he began demonstrating the hand seals and chakra manipulation needed to perform the technique.
As Chiriku watched Carl begin to copy the hand signs, a thought lingered in his mind:
It's a shame the Temple of Fire's ninjutsu collection is so limited...
Most of their jutsu were E-rank or D-rank, with only the two secret techniques reaching A-rank. The temple had always emphasized taijutsu—ninjutsu was treated as a support tool.
At first, Chiriku believed Carl's natural fighting ability meant he would excel in physical techniques. But now, seeing Carl's rare five-element chakra nature, it felt like a waste to not let him fully embrace ninjutsu as a primary strength.
If he focused only on close combat, that would be a massive loss of potential.
---------------------------
Another month had passed—it was now the final day of Carl's third month in the world of Naruto.
On this day, he specifically requested a day off from Chiriku and returned to the Prince's Mansion, which he hadn't set foot in for the past three months.
"Jinai, how's the task I gave you coming along?"
Inside a lavishly furnished room, Carl sat comfortably, sampling the exquisite dishes laid out before him, while addressing Jinai, the loyal steward of the Prince's Mansion.
Jinai knelt respectfully beside him and reported in a calm, steady voice.
"Your Highness, ever since I received your instruction three months ago, I've selected a servant from the palace with a talent for commerce. I then funded the formation of a caravan under his name.
Currently, due to your noble status and influence, everything has been running smoothly. The caravan has already begun to turn a profit."
In this world, money didn't mean everything—strength was king. But money could buy time, remove obstacles, and open many doors, especially for someone in the early stages of their journey to power.
The Temple of Fire lacked a diverse range of ninjutsu, so Carl had considered offering bounties on underground channels. While he couldn't expect to obtain high-level A- or S-rank techniques this way, C- and D-rank ninjutsu were certainly within reach for the right price.
And if there was ever a target he needed eliminated that he couldn't take on himself, he could simply place a bounty.
Plenty of rogue ninja were willing to kill for the right amount of money—especially members of the Akatsuki, such as the infamous Undying Duo, known to take missions purely for profit.
After all, Chiriku and the Temple of Fire were ultimately destroyed because someone had placed a 30 million ryo bounty on Chiriku's head. The reward was too tempting for Hidan and Kakuzu to ignore.
Given his unique starting position as the Prince of the Land of Fire, Carl knew he had to take full advantage of it. It would be a waste not to.
Though he wasn't a businessman himself, he could always assign others with the right talents. Backed by his royal status, conducting business inside the Land of Fire would be smooth—at least for now.
"Don't kneel, come sit and eat with me. Did you get what I asked for?"
Carl's smile grew more relaxed—he was clearly pleased with Jinai's progress.
Jinai let out a silent sigh of relief at the prince's approval. She rose and took a seat opposite Carl at the low table. From inside her robes, she retrieved a finely crafted box and placed it gently in front of him.
"Yes, Your Highness. I've acquired it. This is the finest one we've been able to find so far."
To Jinai, the current Carl seemed subtly different from the prince she once served.
He still didn't speak much—but now, his presence had grown stronger. His aura was sharper, more composed, more... commanding.
She quietly attributed the change to Carl's rigorous ninjutsu training under Master Chiriku at the Temple of Fire.