Two weeks later, the Training Grounds.
"97, 98, 9...9, 100!"
Thud.
Musashi collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air like a fish out of water.
Two weeks ago, after successfully extracting chakra, he didn't push it further. His body's fatigue warned him that overdoing chakra extraction would damage his system.
That kind of damage was bad news for Taijutsu training.
With the Eight Gates as his ultimate goal, he absolutely could not allow his body to take unnecessary damage.
So, after testing his aptitude, he went to Daiki Nojiri's house to ask the elders there for some basic knowledge on ninja training. He put chakra training on hold.
A strong body was the source of chakra and the foundation of a ninja's life.
After half a month of training, he could feel his body changing rapidly.
His stamina and vitality were leveling up.
After a short rest, he recovered some energy. Musashi got back into push-up position.
"1, 2... 34, 35, 36..."
His small body trembled, but he kept repeating the motion with determination.
Footsteps approached, but he didn't get distracted. His eyes were glued to the grass beneath him.
"41, 42, 43..."
The footsteps got closer and stopped right in front of him.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a glimpse of green pant leg.
Thump! Thump!
Musashi's heart rate spiked.
Is it finally him?
Two weeks ago, he had subtly asked around and found out that a "weirdo in green spandex" trained at this specific ground. Since then, Musashi had been camping out here.
He brought his lunch and stayed all day, rain or shine.
Finally, the wait was over.
Heart pounding like a drum, he still finished his second set of 100 before collapsing onto the ground again.
"Young man! You look cool even when you fall!"
A boisterous voice rang out. Musashi looked up and saw the figure he had been hoping for.
Green spandex, a glossy bowl cut, bold features, and a smile so bright his teeth practically sparkled.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Once he caught his breath, Musashi spoke, his small face serious.
"You can laugh at me, but please do it from the sidelines. Don't disturb me."
"I am dedicating all my energy to training, forging my body, and sharpening my will!"
"I cannot waste a single second."
"Pouring my life out in sweat... THAT is my Youth!"
With that, he started another set.
"1, 2... 14, 15..."
The reaction he expected didn't come immediately. As Musashi did his push-ups, his mind raced.
What's wrong? No reaction?
Did my script fail to trigger the keywords?
Anxious and confused, Musashi finished the set and looked up.
What he saw was a face streaming with tears and snot.
Might Guy: ╥﹏╥
Might Guy: "Booohooo... Such moving Youth! It makes my blood boil with passion!!"
"Young man! Let us ignite the flames of Youth together!!!"
Watching the dramatic display of emotion in front of him, Musashi could almost hear the sound of crashing waves and rushing wind. A rising red sun seemed to appear in the background, morphing into the green figure before him.
Suppressing his excitement, he responded.
"Yes! Let it burn! YOUTH!!!"
---
Ichiraku Ramen
"Musashi, what have you been doing these past few days? You look exhausted every day." Ayame looked at Musashi's trembling hands with concern.
"Big Sister Ayame, I'm just exercising."
"Exercising? You aren't even old enough for the Academy yet, are you?" Little Ayame looked at Musashi, who was a head shorter than her, in surprise.
"That's right. But a strong body is the prerequisite for becoming an excellent ninja. My goal is to be like my father—a great ninja who burns bright for the Leaf!"
"Really? Our Musashi is amazing!"
"But even if you want to be a ninja, you have to take care of your body. Look at you, your hands are shaking just washing a bowl. Put it down, let me do it."
"No way! This is my job!"
"Oh, it's fine." Ayame's eyes crinkled into a smile as she looked at the serious-faced Musashi.
This cute little kid looks adorable when he's serious.
"No! Big Sister Ayame, finishing one's work is also a form of training. I absolutely, positively cannot slack off! This is my Ninja Way of Youth!"
Musashi refused firmly.
"But... Big Sister Ayame, you really are so gentle. Any man who gets to marry a girl like you would be incredibly lucky. (˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)"
Ayame: (⊙＿⊙)......⁄(⁄⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄⁄)⁄`...
"Oh! You little rascal, talking nonsense!"
Musashi: "I'm not talking nonsense. The man who marries Big Sister Ayame must have saved the ninja world in his past life."
Ayame: "...I'm going to check on the customers. You take your time washing. ヽ(○´∀`)ﾉ♪"
Watching Ayame skip away happily, Musashi smiled and went back to fighting with the dishes.
His days working at Ichiraku were peaceful.
On the other hand, his contact with Guy was going very smoothly.
Musashi was at the training ground every day, rain or shine.
Whether Might Guy showed up or not, Musashi trained seriously, never stopping until he had squeezed out every last drop of strength. In the ninja world, kids developed early, and after a while, the changes in his body were becoming obvious.
Guy, who only came by occasionally, would always enthusiastically invite Musashi to "burn his Youth," and Musashi naturally agreed every time.
Over time, their forms of address changed to the much closer "Musashi" and "Big Brother Guy."
"Yosh! Musashi! I knew you'd be here!"
It was evening in a corner of the training ground. Musashi was training alone. Seeing Might Guy approach, he didn't stop until he finished his set.
"Big Brother Guy, how did the exam go?"
"Hahaha! Although it wasn't my first time, a mere Chunin Exam cannot stop the progress of Youth!"
Might Guy laughed loudly, his white teeth flashing blindingly.
"Of course I passed! Starting today, I am an elite Chunin! I'm one step closer to catching up to that guy, Kakashi!"
"I knew it! Big Brother Guy, you were bound to succeed!"
"Musashi! The light of Youth shines brighter than this sunset! Let's have a passionate run! Before the sun goes down, let's race to the main gate of Konoha!"
"I'll do it on one leg! If I don't make it, I'll do 100 laps around the village on my hands!"
"Re... Really? Can I join?" Musashi said excitedly. "That sounds amazing! Big Brother Guy, my training is far behind yours, but I won't back down!"
"I swear in the name of Youth! If I can't reach the Konoha gate before sunset, I'll do 1,000 push-ups! Big Brother Guy, let's start! My Youth is thirsty for action!"
"Wahahaha! Good! START!~"
The setting sun cast a golden glow over the village as two figures, one big and one small, dashed toward the gate like the wind.
Even hopping on one leg, Might Guy left Musashi in the dust.
With a single tap of his toe, he shot forward like a rocket.
Before long, Musashi, chasing from behind, began to feel the pain.
His lungs were protesting. His muscles were screaming.
His body sent a clear message to his brain: I can't do this! Stop!
Musashi's vision began to blur, and he could taste the metallic tang of blood in his throat.
But he kept chasing with everything he had.
It wasn't just to win Might Guy's approval.
Having chosen his path in the ninja world, he had mentally prepared himself for what was coming.
Casual study and half-hearted training wouldn't help him achieve his goals.
He really had to burn his entire youth, to let the flames roar, if he—a commoner ninja—wanted to chase the peaks of the future.
Huff... huff...
Everything in front of him was a blur. He couldn't even tell which way the gate was anymore.
He only knew the ground beneath his feet was solid. When he used the very last ounce of his strength, he fell forward.
He was caught by a solid chest.
"Big... Big Brother Guy... did I... make it?" Musashi asked brokenly, his soul still trying to catch up to his body.
"You made it! Musashi! Sob... You are so moving! This is Youth!"
Under the twilight, Might Guy carried the exhausted Musashi on his back. He walked him all the way back to the entrance of Ichiraku Ramen before setting him down.
"Musashi, I'm leaving tomorrow. Before I go, I want to give you a gift," Guy said.
"Leaving? Where are you going, Big Brother Guy?"
"Becoming a Chunin means shouldering more responsibility. Starting tomorrow, I'll be leading a team on a mission. I won't be able to train with you for a while."
Musashi froze.
The Third Great Ninja War... is it starting?
"Hey, don't worry about me! I am Konoha's Beast!" Seeing Musashi's concern, Might Guy flashed a brilliant smile. He pulled something out of his backpack and held it in front of Musashi.
"Here! This is my gift to you. While I'm gone, you must train hard!"