The Uchiha training grounds were quiet, save for the hum of early morning wind and the distant caw of a crow. Sweat clung to my forehead, and my chest heaved from the last failed attempt. "Still not perfect."
A sword lay by my side, scuffed but familiar now after a few lessons with my father. I wiped a smear of grime from my cheek, eyes narrowing at the subtle twists of my chakra in my arms. The goal today was simple: push my body faster, let my attacks crackle with lightning—not just through the air, but through my own muscles like chakra flow, but on myself and with lightning as the basis.
A few meters away, a Shadow Clone crouched in concentration over a new fuinjutsu seal. The clone's forehead was slick with sweat, just like mine, tracing the intricate pattern designed to immobilize a target. I smirked slightly. At least someone around here was putting in as much effort as I was.
"Not going to the Academy today?" a voice called from behind.
Shisui. Leaning lazily against the edge of the training platform, arms crossed, hair glinting in the sun. Those eyes… already analysing. Observing. I couldn't deny the tension that spiked in my chest.
"Shisui," I muttered. "I'm… busy."
He smirked. "I see. Still working on your personal brand of chaos, huh?" He nodded at the clone and my sword. "Mind if I stick around? Actually… better—let's spar. I've never seen you fight properly."
"…Fine," I said, picking up my sword.
Shisui moved first. A shuriken flicked from his hand, spinning like a silver blur. My body reacted before thought: Body Flicker, diagonal dash, clone intercepting. Sparks flew as metal met metal.
"Not bad," he said lightly, adjusting his stance, Sharingan glinting. "But predictable. You're thinking in lines, not webs. Fight is a net, Kuroha."
I grit my teeth. Lightning surged, wrapping my arm in blue arcs as I lunged. Sword first. The clone mirrored me from a different angle. The two of us converged like two currents flowing together.
Shisui blurred backward with a subtle twist, disappearing midair, then reappearing behind my clone. A kunai whistled toward me. I spun, sword clashing with metal, sparks scattering across the training grounds.
"You rely too much on the clone," Shisui said casually, tossing another shuriken with surgical precision. "Your own body is your weapon. Chakra is your tool, not your crutch."
I took a deep breath, grounding myself. Lightning pulse through my veins. Body Flicker again. Faster. Harder. I slashed forward, not at him, but at a point where I thought he'd be. My clone threw a tiny lightning ball, meant to disrupt him mid-step.
Shisui caught it effortlessly, examining it as if it were a curious trinket. Then he grinned.
"Creative," he said. "But overconfidence is dangerous. You've got speed… but are you thinking three moves ahead? Knowing what your opponent does before he knows – that's how we Uchiha fight."
I pressed forward. Sword, Flicker, lightning pulse into every muscle, body moving in rhythm with the crackle. Shisui vanished, then appeared above me, fireball scorching the ground near my feet. I rolled, slashing diagonally as sparks flew from blade to ground, sliding over molten dirt. I still got burned but it was nothing serious.
Enough. I lunged. Sword in hand, body moving faster than thought. Lightning arcing along my blade, amplifying the strike. Shisui barely shifted, body flicker taking him cleanly behind me. He landed, sliding into a crouch, one hand brushing the dirt, the other releasing a series of shuriken like a cascading rhythm.
„It feels like he doesn't take this the least bit serious! "
I charged, teeth gritted, lightning crackling along my arms, my sword vibrating with electric energy. Every step felt like it could shatter stone. My muscles pulsed, my body a conduit for pure kinetic lightning—Raijin Drive.
Fury, pride, adrenaline—they all collided into one unstoppable motion. My shadow clone had already fallen behind, useless, watching me overreach.
"Show him… show him I'm not weak!" I muttered to myself.
I lunged. Faster. Stronger. The air around me hissed and screamed with electricity. My sword sang, my body blurred. Every Fiber in me screamed for more.
Then my body betrayed me.
Pain. Burning, tearing, hot and bright. My chakra faltered. My speed, my control, all slipping. My body simply could not sustain what my mind demanded.
I was falling—fast.
Strong hands wrapped around my waist before I could hit the ground, lifting me just enough to keep me from cracking against the dirt. My chest heaved; sweat and sparks streaked across my skin.
Shisui's eyes met mine—calm, assessing, but tinged with something amused. "You went full throttle," he said, voice low but teasing. "Better than I expected… but if you hadn't let your emotions run the show, it would have been cleaner."
I sagged against him, too exhausted to argue, chest heaving. "I… I just wanted to—"
"Push past yourself?" he finished for me. "Yeah. Don't do it every time. You could've really hurt yourself."
I lifted my head, barely managing a glare. "It was a one-time thing."
He smirked faintly, stepping back. "Fine. But that 'one time' was not exactly the smartest strategy."
Silence hung between us. My body refused to cooperate—I couldn't even sit upright.
Then Shisui's laugh broke the quiet. Full, warm, easy. "You're ridiculous, you know that?" He shook his head, still amused. "If you'd kept your head, it'd have been impressive. As it is… well, better than you, but not perfect."
I let out a shaky breath, cheeks burning with a mix of embarrassment, frustration, and lingering adrenaline.
The wind stilled, Shisui watched me, one eyebrow slightly raised, arms loose at his sides.
I swallowed, cheeks still warm, and tried to push myself upright—but my body had other ideas. Every muscle trembled, refusing my command.
"I… I can't move," I admitted, voice tight, a mix of embarrassment and exhaustion.
Silence. Shisui blinked, and for a moment, I thought he might say something teasing.
Then he burst out laughing. Not loud, not mean—just full, unrestrained amusement that made the tension in my chest crack just slightly.
"You're hopeless," he said between laughs, shaking his head.
I glared, half annoyed, half grateful, and tried to sit up anyway. My arms gave out.
"Yeah… I think this calls for a rescue mission," Shisui said, crouching and offering a steady hand. "Can't have you collapsing in the training grounds."
He chuckled again, and with surprising strength, lifted me so I could lean against his shoulder. The shadows of the training grounds stretched long as we made our slow, walk back home, we didn't say anything, but it was not awkward, actually it was pretty nice.