Chapter 89: Learning the Three Basic Ninjutsu
Time passed quickly; it had been two months since Souta was trained to walk on water.
After practice, Souta would sometimes sit at the edge of the pond, soaking his wet feet while gazing at the reflection of the twilight sky.
The surface of the water rippled gently as the cool desert wind began to blow, carrying the sounds of night insects hiding in the crevices of the rocks.
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Now entering the third month, Souta began a new lesson: learning three basic Ninjutsu techniques, which consisted of Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique), followed by Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Technique), and finally Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique).
The Ninjutsu training hall was filled with the smell of black ink from the Jutsu scrolls, the whiteboard covered in sketches of hand seals, and the sound of the teacher explaining in a firm tone. Souta sat cross-legged on the hard tatami floor, sweat dripping from his temples as he strained to catch every word.
For Souta, this lesson was very important and meaningful, as it was the first time he was truly learning a Ninjutsu.
His heart raced every time he placed his hand on his chest, trying to feel the swirling Chakra in his abdomen.
Souta's slender fingers sometimes trembled slightly as he formed the seals. Occasionally, he would bow his head, feeling embarrassed each time his clone disintegrated into a puff of smoke in front of his friends' gazes.
Although Souta had been secretly studying Kugutsu no Jutsu, learning it quietly on his own and being taught by an expert were two very different things.
In the past, in the stuffy back room of the Puppet Theater, Souta practiced alone, accompanied only by the creaking of old wood and his heavy, labored breaths.
Now, in the spacious Ninja Academy hall, Souta could ask questions directly, hear corrections from his teacher, and try again and again without the fear of being discovered.
For two full months, Souta worked as hard as he could to master the three basic Ninjutsu. Every night, after returning from the Theater Building, he continued to practice in the corner of his cramped home.
A small oil lamp flickered dimly beside him, casting a wavering light, while the shadows of Souta's fingers danced on the dull wall, forming seals as if weaving dreams that had yet to bloom.
Sometimes Souta's hands would freeze, his fingers stiff as they formed half-finished seals. His lips would move silently, softly reciting the Jutsu incantation, almost just a whisper between his breaths.
Meanwhile, the desert wind outside slapped against the fragile window, scattering fine dust that danced in, settling on the floor, on the paper, and on Souta's trembling shoulders.
Even though Bunshin no Jutsu was not very useful because it wasn't truly real and resembled more of an illusion, Souta still worked hard to learn it.
His first clone barely had a face, just a thin mist with shadowy eyes. Souta could only sigh and try again. His breath was white in the cold night air of the desert.
But for Souta, the most valuable of the three basic Ninjutsu was Kawarimi no Jutsu, because with this Ninjutsu, he could swap places with his puppet during a fight.
He imagined himself being chased by an enemy, then suddenly disappearing—his opponent would only see a wooden puppet the size of a human, with a kunai lodged in its chest.
While Henge no Jutsu was also good, it was not very useful beyond changing appearances, because even if one changed to look like someone else, the voice would still be different, making it easy for others to recognize.
That's why, for Souta, Kawarimi no Jutsu was far better. He preferred the trickery of the puppet over disguising himself as someone else. A face could be copied, but a voice was the hardest secret to fake.
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Chapter 90: The End of the Third Year
Now entering the fifth month, Souta has begun studying basic Taijutsu, which consists of a combination of punches and kicks.
In the second year, Souta learned basic Taijutsu: simple defensive and offensive movements. Now, he hears the sound of his palms striking the training pads, echoing in the solid-sand training hall.
Dust flies every time Souta kicks hard. His hands and feet are bruised, and his ankles sometimes turn blue, but Souta's eyes never dim.
Now in the third year, Souta is learning how to fight using punches and kicks. The shouts of other students blend with the beating of Souta's heart.
Every time Souta misses a punch, his teacher strikes his shoulder with a wooden stick, signaling him to try again.
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Time passes quickly, and now it is the seventh month, where Souta learns techniques for defense and evasion in combat.
That afternoon, the desert wind blows fiercely, lifting fine sand into the training field. The students line up facing each other, wooden shurikens flying swiftly.
Souta runs sideways, deflecting one, but accidentally lets another fly just inches from his cheek. Souta's breath is quickening, sweat mixed with dust clings to his chin.
This is learned to endure as best as possible and for as long as possible while continuously avoiding incoming attacks.
The teacher shouts from the edge of the field, correcting foot positions and deflection techniques. Sometimes Souta feels a sting in his arm, the result of scratches from the blunt wooden weapons, which are still painful.
In addition to being taught theory, Souta and the other students also practice by running while avoiding attacks from blunt wooden shurikens and kunai.
The sound of wood bouncing off the ground breaks the evening silence. The sky above slowly turns red, as if dripping blood over their heads.
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Now entering the ninth month, where Souta learns the Introduction to Basic Combat Formations in a team, where he will be trained to cooperate with three other students.
They stand in a circle drawn in the sand with white chalk. Eyes meet, hands signal, and feet move quickly to change positions.
The mistake of one person can create an opening, and the teacher does not hesitate to throw a sandbag at the back of the inattentive student.
Typically, in a Ninja mission, a Ninja team consists of four people, usually one Jonin and three Genin, but there can also be one Chunin and three Genin.
Souta begins to learn to listen to the breaths of his teammates, read their eye directions, and move silently. Sweat drips, breaths are quickening, but no one speaks a word.
That is why this training is so important. Souta, who is used to working together in the Puppet Theater, now only needs to adjust his steps with three other heads.
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Now entering the eleventh month, where Souta learns the use of basic traps in combat.
They are taken to the backyard of the Academy, where dry grass mixed with sand covers thin ropes that are half-hidden.
Souta bends his knees, feeling the ground with his palms. Sometimes he hears the sound of traps being activated — the sound of breaking branches, taut ropes, or sandbags falling from the branches of dead trees.
Here, Souta is first taught the theory, then begins to practice recognizing a trap and setting one up.
Souta's hands are dirty with wet sand, and the tips of his fingers are scraped from frequently pulling thin wires or tying knots.
That night, in the Puppet Theater, Souta imagines his traps moving in sync with the wooden puppets on stage.
For these two months, this is what Souta continues to learn, and finally, the Third Year comes to an end. The desert sun sets slowly, leaving a golden orange hue on the walls of the Academy.
Souta stands at the gate, gazing at the pond he once crossed. In the eyes of the child, shadows of the future flicker — secret weapons, dancing puppets, chakra sticking to the soles of his feet, and the dark stage where all performances finally begin.
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