In the following days, Uchiha Kiyo's routine remained structured and disciplined.
Following his meticulously crafted schedule, his main body adhered strictly to his training regimen. Meanwhile, his shadow clones carried out additional tasks, ensuring maximum efficiency in his development.
The arrangement wasn't just about the main body's schedule. The five shadow clones had ample time to focus on their respective duties.
At its core, the shinobi world adhered to the principle of survival of the fittest—without strength, one was nothing. Research and theories, while valuable, couldn't provide the same security as raw power. Even with ten hours of daily training, there was still so much more to cover—body conditioning, chakra control, ninjutsu mastery, and even the refinement of sealing techniques.
Thus, when allocating responsibilities to his shadow clones, Uchiha Kiyo prioritized practical training.
While the main body managed his personal affairs, the five clones focused on chakra nature transformation and the development of his bloodline limits.
During his designated research time, Uchiha Kiyo made significant progress in refining his theories, particularly regarding the classification of body refinement realms.
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The Concept of Body Forging
Despite their physical fragility, shinobi had historically relied on jutsu to compensate for their weaknesses. This approach had become the accepted norm.
Various techniques had been developed to address bodily shortcomings—defensive jutsu, body-hardening techniques, and even physical augmentation methods that enhanced one's durability.
Even taijutsu in the shinobi world primarily revolved around combat techniques rather than direct bodily enhancement. While training regimens included push-ups, kicks, and striking drills, these were aimed at improving endurance rather than fundamentally transforming the body.
Even with proper nutrition, the effects of standard physical training were limited. The body absorbed nutrients, but much of it was used to replenish lost cells rather than permanently enhancing one's physique.
Uchiha Kiyo's training method differed in its core principles. His self-cultivation technique facilitated the circulation of bodily energy, nourishing every part of his form. Unlike conventional exercises, his training didn't just increase strength—it improved the fundamental composition of his body.
Recognizing the lack of a defined system for body refinement in the shinobi world, Uchiha Kiyo devised his own classification.
He termed this system Body Forging, borrowing inspiration from various martial cultivation theories.
Although he had no intention of completely replicating the physical cultivation paths found in fictional stories from his past life, he believed that a structured division of body refinement stages was necessary.
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Classification of Body Refinement Stages
The term "bodybuilding" in his system referred not just to physical strength but to the overall state of the body.
For example, while Otsutsuki clan members weren't necessarily stronger than someone like Might Guy in terms of sheer power, they had vastly superior longevity, recovery abilities, and overall survivability. This wasn't a difference in physical training but rather a gap in life levels.
Thus, Uchiha Kiyo formulated three fundamental stages of body refinement:
1. Early Stage: The Foundation of Body Refinement
Most shinobi fell within this category. Their bodies were stronger than ordinary civilians, but they lacked any fundamental transformation.
This stage had three sublevels:
Entry Level: Basic physical conditioning, similar to that of a standard genin.
Intermediate Level: Equivalent to the strength of most jōnin-level shinobi.
Peak Level: Those like the Third Raikage, Fourth Raikage, and Might Guy—shinobi who had refined their bodies to the limits of conventional taijutsu training.
2. Mid Stage: Blood and Marrow Refinement
Advancing past the basic level, shinobi entered a stage where their blood and genetic structure began to evolve.
The key distinction in this phase was that bodily enhancements at this level could be passed down to future generations. In other words, this was the stage where bloodline limits (Kekkei Genkai) emerged.
Shinobi with Kekkei Genkai, regardless of their individual physical strength, inherently belonged to this realm due to their genetic advantages.
This was evident in their chakra reserves—bloodline shinobi generally possessed more chakra than those without such traits.
This phase signified the first major qualitative shift in a shinobi's body.
3. Late Stage: Comprehensive Evolution
Beyond bloodline mutations, the next step required a complete transformation of the body's genetic makeup.
Unlike the transition to the mid-stage, which could be achieved through a singular bloodline awakening, advancing to the late stage required a combination of intensive training and multiple genetic optimizations.
A shinobi's body had to reach its absolute peak within the mid-stage, essentially overflowing with power. Only then, through the awakening or development of a second bloodline mutation, could they break through to the late stage.
The transformation in this realm was holistic—rather than just adding another genetic trait, the body itself underwent a profound restructuring to harmonize all abilities.
Uchiha Kiyo theorized that this was akin to a perfect synergy between body and chakra, where the body's cellular composition itself adapted to various chakra attributes.
While this idea remained speculative, he believed that continued refinement of his body would eventually lead to tangible results.
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The Link Between Body Refinement and Chakra Nature Transformation
Long ago, Uchiha Kiyo had classified nature transformation into various levels based on depth of comprehension and effectiveness in ninjutsu.
While he had improved his control over chakra properties, he always felt that something was missing.
Recently, his research into spiritual energy led him to a realization—perhaps higher levels of nature transformation required not just chakra control, but also bodily adaptation.
Previously, he assumed that improving nature transformation meant refining his understanding of elements or developing new combinations.
However, his latest insights suggested a different approach.
If his physical body naturally aligned with certain chakra properties, would his chakra inherently carry those transformations?
Would that allow for multiple nature transformations to be used simultaneously—one controlled by the body and another by the soul?
If so, chakra wouldn't require a separate nature transformation process, as it would already contain elemental attributes from its source.
This raised a crucial question—could nature transformations be layered?
If chakra produced through this method already possessed elemental affinities, would further transformations enhance or stack upon them?
If the answer was yes, then his entire approach to nature transformation would need to be redefined.
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A New Path Forward
With these revelations, Uchiha Kiyo was convinced that his training approach was on the right track.
The integration of body, soul, and chakra would become his primary focus.
If successful, this method wouldn't just improve his ninjutsu—it would elevate him to a higher life form, pushing him beyond the limitations of normal shinobi.
And this, he realized, was the true essence of Forging Realm.
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