The Right Way to Raise an Uchiha

Four Years of Change

Thus, Uchiha Kenji refused to enter the orphanage. With financial support from the village and assistance from his clan, he managed to establish an independent life.

In the blink of an eye, four years passed.

During this time, Kenji carefully crafted his persona—one that was ordinary. To outsiders, he never stood out too much, always maintaining an unremarkable presence.

This was the character Uchiha Kenji had deliberately designed for himself: a boy traumatized by the death of his parents, withdrawn, and even somewhat fearful of death. While he had not yet had the opportunity to display this supposed fear of death, that moment was approaching. He would soon be enrolling in the Ninja Academy, and during his self-introduction, he would cement his carefully constructed image.

Though he had no prior experience in acting, Kenji was confident he wouldn't fail in his performance. In some ways, it wasn't really acting—this persona wasn't far from his true self.

Of course, Uchiha Kenji himself would never admit that.

Over the past four years, he had also determined his exact place in history.

It was now the 28th year of the Hidden Leaf (Konohagakure) calendar—post-First Shinobi War but before the onset of the Second Shinobi War. This was good news.

At the very least, he didn't have to worry about the Uchiha clan's eventual genocide. Additionally, given the current timeline, he could graduate normally, and by the time war broke out, he would have had several years to prepare and grow stronger.

With this rare opportunity for development, Uchiha Kenji had no intention of wasting time.

After much planning and revision, he had formulated a preliminary strategy for himself.

That didn't mean he had spent these four years idly. While he had yet to refine chakra, he had not neglected physical training in the slightest.

That's right—Uchiha Kenji had deliberately avoided chakra refinement!

This wasn't due to negligence or lack of knowledge.

Despite the fact that children in the Naruto world generally develop quickly, refining chakra too early can be detrimental. Normally, it is only safe to start chakra refinement around the age of six, as earlier attempts could cause physical harm. This is precisely why the Ninja Academy sets its entry age at six.

Then why are clan-born ninjas sometimes able to refine chakra earlier?

Because established ninja clans have specialized methods—medicinal baths and other techniques—to strengthen a child's body and mitigate the risks of early chakra refinement. These treatments not only prevent physical damage but also enhance overall physical capabilities, giving clan-born children a distinct advantage over their peers.

Although Uchiha Kenji is a member of the Uchiha clan, he is fortunate enough to have access to medicinal baths and the opportunity to begin chakra training early.

However, there's a major obstacle—money! Even among the great ninja clans, only those of high status can afford medicinal baths and early chakra cultivation. This is because the cost of these baths is extremely high, making them inaccessible to most families.

That said, while even major ninja clans cannot afford to provide medicinal baths for every child, they do ensure that their young members begin chakra training well before entering the Ninja Academy. In most cases, children start refining chakra about six months before enrollment.

Typically, two to three months before the academy opens, clans gather their school-age children for training. Chūnin or even jōnin-level instructors guide them, ensuring they not only learn to refine chakra but also gain early exposure to their clan's signature techniques. For example, Uchiha children are often taught shurikenjutsu, a core skill of their clan.

This training gives clan-born children a significant advantage over civilian-born students. The gap isn't just two months—it's about quality and efficiency. Unlike the academy, which spends an entire semester just teaching students how to refine chakra (with some taking half a year to succeed), clan instruction is far more effective. Most children from ninja families can extract chakra proficiently within a month of training.

This means that by the time they enter the academy, young clan members have already spent up to six months training—giving them a considerable head start over their civilian peers.

For the past four years, unable to refine chakra, Uchiha Kenji dedicated himself to physical training. Using his knowledge of medicine from his past life, he carefully optimized his workouts to push his body's limits without causing harm.

Now, his efforts are paying off. He can do 100 push-ups in one go and jump three to four meters high with ease!

Beyond physical training, Uchiha Kenji also immersed himself in books. Since he couldn't refine chakra or train nonstop, he made use of his time by expanding his knowledge, ensuring he was as prepared as possible for the challenges ahead.

For Uchiha Kenji, who possessed exceptional learning abilities and had been admitted to one of the top ten universities in his previous life, reading was a natural and effective way to acquire knowledge.

The Uchiha clan, as one of the most powerful and historically significant clans in Konoha, was well-endowed with resources. Within their compound, they maintained an archive—a reference room similar to a library. While it did not contain high-level ninjutsu scrolls or the clan's most secret techniques, it housed a vast collection of foundational knowledge, which was more than sufficient for someone like Uchiha Kenji.

For four years, Kenji dedicated nearly half of his time to studying the scrolls available in the Uchiha archives. His first focus was on medical knowledge.

Unlike his previous life, where medicine followed scientific methodologies, this world had its own system of medical ninjutsu. Understanding it was crucial—not only to ensure his own survival but also to lay the groundwork for his future pursuits. After all, a ninja who couldn't heal himself was at a significant disadvantage. More importantly, Kenji was well aware that his future path would involve research, much like Orochimaru. The study of medical ninjutsu would be indispensable for various experiments, making it a skill he needed to master early on.

In addition to medical ninjutsu, Kenji devoted significant effort to learning about sealing techniques.

The Uchiha clan, having existed since the Warring States period and possibly even earlier, had accumulated extensive knowledge in various ninja arts. While their expertise in sealing techniques couldn't rival that of the Uzumaki clan, their archives still contained valuable information, more than enough for a beginner like Kenji to establish a solid foundation.

Sealing techniques held a unique status in the ninja world. Among all known jutsu systems—ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and even sage techniques—sealing techniques stood out for their sheer utility and priority. Even the progenitor of chakra, Kaguya Otsutsuki, had been sealed away for centuries rather than defeated outright. The Flying Thunder God Technique, mastered by Minato Namikaze, also relied heavily on sealing principles. In fact, it was Minato's deep understanding of seals that enabled him to refine and utilize the technique to such an extraordinary degree.

Understanding the importance of sealing, Kenji made sure to establish a firm grasp of its fundamentals.

Beyond medical ninjutsu and sealing, Kenji also read extensively on other topics, primarily focusing on the core principles of ninjutsu. A strong theoretical foundation would allow him to maximize his potential as a shinobi and researcher in the future.