Chapter 15: First training session & Might Duy's Strength 2

Early chapters: patreon.com/Reborn_noob

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The training ground echoed with the sound of clashing bodies as Yuta intercepted Duy's spinning kick mid-air, his fingers closing firmly around the man's ankle. Dust swirled around them as both fighters maintained perfect balance despite the violent motion.

"Konoha Whirlwind!" Duy transitioned smoothly, planting his palms on the packed earth to deliver a follow-up kick with his free leg. 

His movements were fluid, the result of countless hours spent perfecting his taijutsu.

*BAM!* 

Their collision sent visible shockwaves through the air, the force strong enough to make Uchiha Makoto and Toko wince where they stood observing from the sidelines. 

The younger ninjas had to raise their arms to shield themselves from the debris kicked up by the impact.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Makoto seized what seemed like an opening, forming hand signs with practiced precision before launching a volley of fireballs from his elevated position. The flames licked hungrily at the air as they arced toward their target.

"Look out!" Duy's warning came a split-second too late as Yuta vanished from his position, leaving the fireballs to explode harmlessly against the packed earth of the training ground. 

Makoto reacted quickly, hurling kunai in all directions in a desperate attempt to cover his blind spots.

*Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!* The steel blades cut through the air, only to be deflected or dodged with casual ease. 

Before Makoto could react, Yuta materialized behind Toko, his hand descending in a precise chop to the back of her neck. The young kunoichi's eyes rolled back as she crumpled to the ground unconscious.

"One down." Yuta's smile was calm as he regarded his remaining two opponents. "Distractions get you killed in real combat." His tone carried no malice, only the weight of hard-earned experience.

Duy and Makoto exchanged glances, their bodies tensing in unison. The taijutsu specialist abandoned all caution, his muscles coiling like springs before unleashing another devastating attack. "Konoha Great Whirlwind!" His roundhouse kick came with enough force to make the air whistle, forcing Yuta to give ground.

"They're absolute monsters…" Makoto muttered under his breath, his fingers already moving to form another set of hand signs. When that failed, he resorted to throwing four kunai in a precise square formation, hoping to limit Yuta's movement options.

Yuta moved with economical precision, parrying Duy's relentless strikes while simultaneously plucking one kunai from the air with his free hand. 

The remaining three blades embedded themselves in the dirt at his feet with satisfying *ting-ting-ting* sounds.

Makoto's face fell as he realized the vast gulf between his skills and those of Konoha's elite. The Uchiha's sharingan eyes couldn't even properly track the movements of these two taijutsu masters.

Duy, now fully caught up in the exhilaration of battle, pressed his assault with renewed vigor. Their fists and feet became blurs of motion, each exchange stirring up miniature dust storms that obscured the combatants from view. The sheer speed of their movements created afterimages that lingered in the air.

"I can't even track their movements properly!" Makoto gasped, his sharingan spinning wildly as he struggled to follow the action.

Toko, now regaining consciousness, watched the spectacle with wide eyes. She rubbed her sore neck, her expression a mixture of awe and frustration at having been eliminated so quickly from the exercise.

The two younger ninjas could only watch helplessly as Yuta matched Duy blow-for-blow using nothing but pure taijutsu. 

The fight reached its climax when Yuta blocked a particularly powerful punch and used the momentum to skid backward, putting ten meters of distance between them.

"Take this! Reverse Lotus!" Duy's follow-up kick was so fast it ignited from air friction alone, trailing flames as it arced toward Yuta's chest.

"Strange Strength Fist!" Yuta countered with his own chakra-enhanced technique, his fist glowing blue as it met the flaming foot in mid-air.

*BOOOOM!*

The resulting shockwave forced Makoto and Toko to turn away, raising their arms to protect their faces. A massive dust cloud swallowed the combatants completely, reducing visibility to zero in the training ground.

"What just happened?" Toko yelled over the ringing in her ears.

"Too much chakra interference—wait! Something's coming our way!" Makoto's warning came just in time as a body came hurtling toward them through the dust. 

They barely managed to dive aside as Duy's unconscious form cratered the ground where they'd been standing, his eyes swirling comically.

"Match over." Yuta's calm voice cut through the settling dust as he walked toward the group, barely winded despite the intense battle.

—

After reviving Duy with a quick medical jutsu, the team sat cross-legged on the grass while Yuta analyzed their performance. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the training ground as birds began their evening songs.

"I needed to properly assess your capabilities," Yuta began, his tone professional yet not unkind. "Makoto—you hesitated a full second before using your Fireball technique. In real combat, that's enough time to die three times over. Toko—your peripheral awareness needs work. You didn't sense me approaching from behind at all."

He turned to Duy, who was still rubbing his sore head. "And you…we need to work on controlling your battle frenzy. Losing awareness of your teammates is unacceptable."

Duy nodded sheepishly, his usual boisterous energy temporarily subdued by both the thorough beating and the accurate criticism.

"Now," Yuta clapped his hands together, his stern expression melting into a more relaxed smile, "I believe lunch is in order. My treat. Consider it our team's official founding celebration."

"YES!" The cheer came from all three students simultaneously, even the usually reserved Makoto joining in with surprising enthusiasm at the promise of free barbecue. 

Toko was already on her feet, brushing dirt from her clothes as she debated what cuts of meat to order first.

__________

"So you're looking for those old notes of yours?" Kiko raised an eyebrow as her husband tore through their storage boxes the moment he walked through the door. 

Shaking her head, she returned her attention to feeding their infant son, who gurgled happily in her arms.

Yuta didn't look up from his search. "This isn't my first time teaching. I need to review what skills are essential at their level. Proper fundamentals make all the difference."

"Ah-ha!" Yuta emerged victorious from a cloud of dust, clutching a thick, yellowed scroll. "Thank goodness I never threw this out!"

Kiko sighed dramatically. "A miracle indeed, considering how you treat your belongings."

—

The next morning at Team Yuta's training ground, Uchiha Makoto accepted the proffered scroll with reverent hands. His dark eyes widened as he read the title aloud: "'Twenty-One Days: Ninjutsu from Novice to Master'?"

"Indeed." Yuta nodded sagely. "My personally compiled training manual. For the coming weeks, you'll divide your time between this, chakra control drills, and taijutsu practice."

Makoto and Toko bowed deeply. "We won't disappoint you, sensei!"

As Makoto departed with his new treasure, Toko trailing behind, Duy bounced on his heels. "What about me, Yuta? What's my training?"

"Continue your usual regimen," Yuta said, "but report to the hospital every third day. Kiko will monitor for accumulated damage." He fixed Duy with a stern look. "No hiding injuries - they'll limit your future growth."

Tears welled in Duy's eyes. "Yuta…you truly understand the springtime of youth!" He struck a dramatic pose, imaginary flames erupting around him. "I'll train twice as hard to honor your faith in me!"

—

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen contemplated recent revelations. 

Memories of last night's visit to the Might household played through his mind - Duy's awestruck expression when answering the door, his rapt attention during their conversation, the shining admiration when Sarutobi shared words of wisdom.

'Simple souls are so easily inspired,' the Sandaime mused. No wonder his motivational speeches fell flat with jaded chūnin—he'd been targeting the wrong audience all along.

Taking up his brush, Sarutobi penned four bold characters: "Will of Fire." 

He admired the flowing strokes with satisfaction. Those fresh-faced Academy students would soak up his guidance like parched earth welcoming rain. 

Yes, Konoha's tender young leaves required careful nurturing… and he was just the gardener for the job.