Chapter 12: 12: Path of Chakra and Science in the Shinobi World
Shiraishi's room had a simple and low-key environment.
Aside from the necessary living essentials, the most prominent feature was a large bookshelf that occupied nearly half of the room.
The bookshelf was filled with various books—ranging from basic physics, chemistry, biology, materials, and machinery in the ninja world.
Some of the knowledge contained in those books was beyond the understanding of people their age.
Ruri believed that even among the aduts in the Uchiha clan, very few would bother reading such books. They preferred to focus on practical and powerful ninjutsu, showing little interest in this kind of literature.
Ninjutsu was the dominant subject in the shinobi world, and subjects like mathematics and biology were considered relatively minor. Consequently, books of this nature weren't very popular in Konoha's bookstores.
Although the shinobi school offered some education on these subjects, most students lacked interest.
"What's the use of reading these books? You should spend more time studying ninjutsu" Ruri expressed her dissatisfaction while looking at Shiraishi.
Shiraishi confidently smiled and responded, "Ruri, your statement is a bit discriminatory. While the power of Chakra is infinite, the power of science is also formidable. What Chakra can accomplish, science can achieve as well."
In fact, Shiraishi believed that combining science and chakra was the correct path to unlocking the potential of this world.
He firmly believed that one day the people in this world would discover this truth.
As an advocate of integrating chakra science, Shiraishi eagerly anticipated the future of this field.
"Is that so? Have you seen the enormous forest outside Konoha? It was created in an instant by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, using wood release. Can your science achieve such feats?" Ruri promptly raised an example.
"..." Uh... well, that's something science can't do.
While science can be used to create forests, it cannot replicate the instantaneous creation of such a massive forest. Even with the scientific advancements of his previous life, achieving such an instant magical effect was impossible.
Furthermore, the immense power possessed by the First Hokage, capable of suppressing an entire era, or even ordinary shinobis conjuring water, fire, and lightning out of thin air, all violated Shiraishi's understanding of normal scientific development.
That was the magic of chakra.
"So, compared to powerful ninjutsu, your so-called science still falls short. You can study it, but don't delve too deep. A ninja should focus on being ninja"
Ruri hoped that Shiraishi would concentrate on studying powerful ninjutsu and improving his own strength. It wasn't that he couldn't learn about science, but he needed to prioritize his pursuits.
They were Ninja.
The destiny of a ninja was to fight.
To survive in battle, to die in battle.
If they wanted to live well, strength was the key.
"I understand. I will take your words into serious consideration," Shiraishi assured Ruri, listening attentively to her advice.
Ruri felt relieved that Shiraishi seemed to heed her advice. She didn't want to witness the decline of Shiraishi's genius.
The days without an opponent were extremely boring, leaving her feeling lonely. When she discovered that Shiraishi had the potential to challenge her, she was genuinely delighted.
Ruri didn't stay long and left after their conversation. Once Ruri was gone, Shiraishi immersed himself in his studies.
To him, Ruri's words entered through one ear and went out the other.
As someone with a higher education background, he believed in focusing on developing his own unique traits.
Self-awareness was crucial.
Furthermore, during his scientific research, he could also dedicate his spare time to improving his strength.
After all, there would be less and less time for comfort in the future. If he didn't supplement his knowledge now, it would become increasingly challenging to find the time to study calmly later on.
It was a pity that he didn't have a laboratory for experimentation. Having one would greatly aid his studies and ninjutsu practice.
"Well... come to think of it, many laboratories at school are vacant and unattended..."
This was mainly due to the lack of students attending the medical tutoring class and the general disinterest in the tedious medical courses. Consequently, many laboratories remained idle and unmanaged.
In contrast, students were more enthusiastic about flashy types of ninjutsu.
This could work. As long as he didn't get caught, there wouldn't be any consequences.
.....
A few days later,
Shiraishi cleared out a 20-square-meter cubicle within his own house. The small space became even more crowded with the addition of the experimental equipment.
Although the compactly arranged equipment couldn't fully meet Shiraishi's needs, it should be sufficient for his initial research. Learning medical ninjutsu, as well as studying other subjects, required the use of these tools.
Some of the experimental equipment and materials were obtained from the school's laboratory. These items were common, easily replaceable, and had no distinguishing marks.
The labs had already been closed and blocked off. Shiraishi's actions were conducted in secrecy, minimizing the chances of being discovered.
This allowed Shiraishi to save some money. Most of the things he bought were second-hand or inexpensive equipment from shops in the village.
In this era, there were already foundations of science, but there wasn't a complete and unified concept of science. Chakra application still held a dominant position in the shinobi world. Science was like a forgotten samurai, out of touch with the current era's mainstream.
After this period of understanding, Shiraishi realized that using medical ninjutsu as the starting point for chakra science might make his path smoother.
As he touched the cold experimental equipment, Shiraishi's eyes gleamed with a hint of nostalgia. In his previous life, during high school, university, and even while working in a hospital, he often interacted with these peculiar devices due to his profession. They had become familiar companions to him.
The types and uses of the equipment were different from what Shiraishi was accustomed to. However, by reading the instructions, he could skillfully categorize the equipment and materials and develop a systematic research plan.
The only setback was his limited funds. The inheritance left by his parents in this life couldn't be considered lacking, but it wasn't connected to wealth either. Shiraishi knew that scientific research required financial support.
He would have to find the raw materials himself.
Fortunately, the forest in Konoha offered plenty of free resources. However, for now, he needed to focus on learning medical ninjutsu.
The days of studying were fulfilling and enjoyable. Shiraishi's innate accumulation was far greater than that of his peers. In his previous life, he was a senior doctor, and many aspects of medical science in both worlds were similar, with only the terminology and wording being different. The essence remained the same.
The only distinction was the involvement of chakra.
Shiraishi concentrated on this aspect.
With a solid foundation in medical knowledge, he didn't have to start from scratch. Instead, he identified key points and unfamiliar areas to focus on.
It didn't take long for Shiraishi to grasp this part, and within a month, he had mastered it.
However, to fully understand and consolidate the theoretical knowledge, it would likely take a year or even several years of comprehensive study.
Attempting to achieve comprehensive theoretical mastery in just one month would be a foolish dream.
The medical ninjutsu scroll that Ruri had given him contained several practical techniques and the insights and experiences of medical shinobis. It helped Shiraishi avoid many detours in his independent study of me
dical ninjutsu.
Shiraishi was sincerely grateful to Ruri. Without her help, he wouldn't have progressed so rapidly.