"Keep your guard higher."
bam
"Position your feet better, you must always maintain an optimal stance."
bam
"Keep your back straight, try to angle your body sideways to expose yourself less…"
bam
"Hold your stance, relax your muscles during the movement and contract them at the end to be smoother and more powerful, do not tense up."
bam
"Work on your reach, you must always manage distance and identify everything you can hit and everything that can hit you."
bam
"Hip work is very important, you must work on each block to make them effective."
bam
"Block outside your body, staying inside keeps you in the danger zone. Today's lesson is not about working inside the guard, focus on efficiency."
bam
It had been a month since I had started training relentlessly under my uncle. I had trained physically to endure the learning of the katas and the fighting style of our clan.
Chakra was wonderful. It allowed me to maintain great endurance and prevented any muscular issues that training could have caused. It also helped repair muscle tissue.
Because of it, I could train without fearing injury to my child's body. On top of that, I followed a diet rich in protein, as well as vitamins and carbohydrates.
For the past two days, we had begun training katas and hand to hand combat. The pace was extremely intense, and every mistake was punished with a strike from a staff.
However, I learned quickly. I felt like I had been made for this. My body adapted fast, but there were many hidden details in our clan's style that I still struggled to grasp.
According to my uncle, our fighting style was very refined. It blended many styles together, and our katas had proven their worth in the clan's past battles.
It was therefore essential that I learned everything exactly as I was taught.
Once I mastered the basics, we would begin ninja arts, then chakra manipulation and its application on the body, before finally tackling the practice of Shoton.
However, in my free time, I trained to manipulate my chakra. I tried sticking leaves to my forehead, but it was still difficult to hold them for more than ten minutes.
"Jun, that's enough kata training. Let's move to combat, take your guard," my uncle said as he raised his stance, interrupting my thoughts.
I raised my guard, and my uncle suddenly attacked with a straight punch.
It was fairly slow, so I prepared my block, but he feinted and sent his foot instead.
I slid a step backward, but he followed with a spinning kick. I shifted to the left and struck toward his torso. He easily parried the blow, grabbed my arm, pulled me in, and sent a kick to my stomach, which I barely blocked with my free arm.
I immediately felt the strength behind the strike, which destabilized me. Without stopping, he applied an arm lock and pinned me to the ground.
"Not bad, there's progress, but you need to get used to taking hits. I am your sensei, but in a real situation it will be your enemy who wants to kill you. You must never lower your guard. Again!" he said, letting me get back up, though with difficulty.
Once again, I raised my guard and prepared myself to take hits and deliver some of my own.
Third person POV
The Asai Clan was bustling with activity. Despite its small population, the people were united and lived their daily lives.
The clan was not very large. There were two training fields for the few ninja who populated the village, and a large main avenue lined with small shops.
Houses were built around this avenue, connected by narrow dirt paths
.
The clan was surrounded by a two meter wooden palisade. Small single person outposts were installed around the main gate leading to the great avenue.
Walking along the main avenue, Jun was seen with a kunai in hand, spinning it between his fingers.
It had now been three months since he had begun training intensively every day, pursuing the path of a ninja.
He stopped beside a small shop whose sign read Hanae's Restaurant.
The restaurant was quite simple. Its rustic facade was discreet and did not draw much attention.
Jun entered the restaurant, and as soon as he stepped inside, his nostrils were assaulted by the smell of spices.
Used to the scent, he walked toward the counter, sat down, and waited a few seconds.
Quickly, the owner shouted from the kitchen, "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
A young woman in her twenties emerged from the kitchen. She had long black hair, almond shaped eyes, a long pointed nose, and full lips.
Hanae appeared, wiping her hands on her apron. Her long black hair was tied in a messy ponytail, and a warm smile lit up her face.
"Oh, Jun! So, how is your training?"
Jun sat at the counter, placing his kunai in front of him.
"It's going well. My uncle says I learn fast, but…" he pretended to think for a moment. "I still have a lot of work before mastering the basics."
"That's already a good start. I'm proud of you." She leaned on the counter, looking at him closely. "And your mother? She must be worried…"
Jun lowered his eyes, thoughtful.
"She's taking care of the shop. I think she's starting to accept my training, but I know she still worries."
Hanae nodded, understanding.
"Do you want your usual dish?"
Jun smiled.
"Yes, please."
—
After enjoying his meal and chatting a little with Hanae, Jun headed to the clan's training field, where he reunited with his uncle.
"Jun, you are two minutes late. You will do three laps around the field after the lesson. We are going to begin your chakra training. Come sit on the tatami," he said, pointing to a mat placed at the center of the training ground.
Jun walked forward, brooding over his punishment, and sat down on the tatami.
Once settled, his sensei spoke again.
"First, feel your chakra. It is inside you, within your veins. Try to move it and guide it. Now, make the same hand signs as me."
Haito performed three quick hand movements. The instant he stopped, a crystal snowflake appeared in front of him.
"You see, Jun, this is the Crystal Release. By forming hand signs, I condense and shape my chakra, then I use it to create a snowflake. Go on, try."
Following his instructions, Jun replicated the same signs while focusing on his chakra, then released it, forming the same snowflake as his uncle.
"When I formed the signs with my hands, I felt my chakra move, taking on a specific form, before being released into space, crystallizing the molecules in the air into snowflakes. Fascinating."
"Very good, Jun. Now let's move on to something harder," Haito said. This time, he made only one hand sign and created multiple crystal shuriken.
"You may not succeed on the first try, Jun, but this is the next step."
Nodding, Jun performed the same sign. It helped him concentrate his chakra, shape it, and then he finished the jutsu, attempting to crystallize a shuriken.
Unfortunately, only a portion formed in the air before deteriorating and falling to the ground.
Looking at the crystal debris on the ground, Jun could not help but look dejected.
"Hahahaha," Haito laughed.
"Why are you laughing at like that!" Jun shouted, annoyed.
"Don't make fun of me, I'm just starting!"
"Haha, don't worry. What makes me laugh is your defeated expression. What I showed you is a simple jutsu, but it requires great control, which is why it uses only one hand sign.
You still need a lot of practice before you can do it without signs. Here," he finished, throwing a book at Jun that he had just taken out of his pocket.
"This, my dear, is a book on mastering our art. Do not lose it, and study it well."
Understanding that he had been tricked, Jun was first disappointed. Then, as he received the book, he could not help but smile happily.
"Thank you, Haito, you're the best!" he said before opening the book.
"Haha, not so fast! I know you're eager, but you must take the time to read. To finish our training, I'm taking you to eat at Hanae's."
"Oh, great!"