Chapter 15: New Heights

Asura woke to a persistent knock on his door. The sound pulled him from his dreams, and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, momentarily disoriented. He glanced at the dim light filtering through the window, indicating it was still early. With a yawn, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and made his way to the door, curiosity piqued.

Opening the door, he was greeted by the tall Uchiha from before, a serious expression on his face. Without a word, the man handed Asura an envelope, his eyes briefly scanning Asura's before he turned and walked away, leaving Asura standing in the doorway, puzzled.

Asura closed the door and turned the envelope over in his hands, his heart racing with anticipation. He carefully opened it, pulling out the card inside. As his eyes scanned the neatly written words, a grin broke across his face.

For killing nine enemy children and creating a proper report for what happened to his squad, he had earned 1,500 contribution points. And as a bonus for gaining a second tomoe in his Sharingan, he received an additional 1,000 points. His total now stood at 2,720 points.

"Wow," he breathed, excitement bubbling within him. This was a significant amount of points, and he felt a rush of pride. Eager to put his newfound points to use, he quickly donned his cloak and armor, strapped on his sword, and made his way to the trade center.

Upon entering the bustling building, Asura was greeted by the familiar sight of Uchiha clan members of all ages browsing through scrolls. The air buzzed with energy as older kids exchanged ideas and younger ones eagerly pointed out scrolls that caught their interest. Asura's heart raced as he made his way to the ninjutsu section, scanning the rows of scrolls with determination.

He perused the scrolls on fire jutsu, excitement coursing through him. After a few moments, he spotted what he had been looking for: the Fire Ball Jutsu scroll, priced at 1,000 points. With a swift motion, he grabbed it, clutching it close as he moved to the genjutsu area next.

There, he found two scrolls that piqued his interest: one for a Sleeping Genjutsu and another for a Hypnotic Genjutsu, which would be useful for interrogation. Each scroll was priced at 500 points.

With a quick mental calculation, he confirmed he could afford both. "Perfect," he muttered to himself, eager to expand his abilities.

Having 720 points left, he moved over to the kenjutsu section, where he discovered the Uchiha Style Beginner Scroll for 500 points. "This is it!" he exclaimed softly, excitement bubbling up again.

After gathering all three scrolls, Asura approached the counter, placing his selections down. The woman behind the counter rang him up, and he handed over his points, watching eagerly as she tallied everything up.

With scrolls in hand and his total points reduced to 220, he left the trade center feeling like he was on top of the world. Asura practically skipped home, clutching the scrolls as if they were treasures.

Once inside his house, he wasted no time. He set the scrolls down, took a moment to breathe, and then unrolled the Uchiha Style Beginner Scroll. The intricate diagrams and detailed descriptions filled him with a sense of purpose. He spent the next two hours diligently practicing the various forms, his sword feeling lighter in his hands with each repetition.

As he moved, he focused on his stance, grip, and the flow of his movements. He practiced each form over and over, determined to master the fundamentals before moving on. He could feel the sweat pooling on his brow, but he pushed through, the thrill of learning fueling him.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally set the scroll aside, satisfied with his progress. Next, he turned to the Sleeping Genjutsu scroll. He carefully read through the instructions, but when it came time to practice, he found himself lacking a suitable partner. It was difficult to gauge his progress without someone to test it on, but he attempted to focus his chakra and visualize the effects of the genjutsu nonetheless.

With limited success and a growing fatigue, he realized it was getting late. Feeling drained but accomplished, Asura decided to meditate, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts drift away, focusing on his breathing and the rhythm of his heart.

After a while, Asura opened his eyes, feeling calmer and more centered. The day had been productive, and he had made considerable strides in his training.

As he prepared for bed, he reflected on the scrolls he had acquired. His heart raced at the thought of all the new techniques he would soon learn. Climbing into bed, he pulled the blanket over himself, the soft fabric enveloping him. Asura's eyelids grew heavy, and soon he drifted into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of fire jutsu, genjutsu, and the path ahead.

He was determined to become stronger, and nothing would stop him.