Chapter 114: Seals, Laughs, and Training
As soon as the door clicked shut behind Kushina, Daichi slumped against the wall, releasing a long, exaggerated breath. His hair was still a bit messy from the encounter, and the look of pure relief on his face was almost comical.
"Trust me," Daichi muttered, shaking his head, "I resisted until I had nothing left."
Haruto chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Nothing left?" he echoed with amusement. "Bit dramatic, don't you think?"
Daichi gave him a half-hearted glare before both of them burst out laughing, the tension Kushina had left behind fading quickly. It had been a close call, sure, but Haruto couldn't help but feel that it had worked out better than expected. Sure, he had been caught, but showing off his sealing skills had been a stroke of luck. Maybe it would pay off in the long run.
With a playful grin, Haruto stretched his arms. "Alright, what's done is done. Wanna help me with some hunting before we start training? I've got two new jutsu to work on after our evening workout."
Daichi perked up immediately. "Two new jutsu, huh? I've got a new water jutsu myself. C-rank this time. I'll get the hang of it, but it'll take some work."
Haruto nodded, not surprised. Both of them had been working hard, so it made sense that they'd be given new jutsu to master. "C-rank, huh? Nice. Maybe you can show me once you've nailed it."
Daichi grinned. "Maybe, but I'll probably need your help first."
As they started walking, Daichi suddenly turned to Haruto, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Hey, think I could learn Body Flicker too? Seems useful."
Haruto chuckled, shaking his head. "You're trying to be everywhere at once, huh?"
"Exactly," Daichi laughed. "Think it's possible?"
"Yeah, it's doable," Haruto said, giving him a nod. "We'll work on that too. But first, let's hunt."
The two of them set off toward the outskirts of the village, the forest growing thicker as they entered their usual hunting grounds. The silence between them was comfortable, broken only by the occasional snap of a twig or rustle of leaves. They had been doing this together for a while, so their teamwork was practically seamless. The hunt was efficient, with Haruto leading them through the thick brush and Daichi following close behind, eyes sharp for any signs of movement.
By the time they were done, they had caught enough game for dinner—rabbits and a wild boar. After quickly cleaning up, they headed back to their usual clearing to train.
Haruto's mind was buzzing with the two jutsu he had lined up. One was Lightning Release: Lightning Ball, a C-rank jutsu that required delicate control of chakra to create a compact sphere of lightning that could be used for ranged attacks. The other one—Shadow Clone Jutsu—he planned to work on later, when he was back home. It wasn't something he wanted to practice out here, not yet. There was still a lot to figure out.
Meanwhile, Daichi was working on his new technique, Water Release: Water Whip. The first few tries ended with the water splashing uselessly against the ground, much to Daichi's frustration.
"Don't force it," Haruto called out, taking a quick break from his own training. "Let the chakra guide the water naturally."
Daichi paused, taking Haruto's advice to heart. He closed his eyes, gathering his focus before trying again. This time, the water whipped out with a satisfying crack, slicing through the air.
"There you go," Haruto said, giving an approving nod.
Daichi grinned, clearly satisfied with his progress. "Guess I just needed the right nudge."
As the sky turned from orange to deep purple, they continued their training, pushing each other to refine their techniques. Haruto's first few attempts at the Lightning Ball jutsu fizzled out, but by the end of the night, he had a small, controlled sphere crackling with energy in his hand. The next step was testing its range and power, but for now, he was happy with the progress.
Finally, they called it a night and began making their way back to the village. Haruto turned to Daichi with a grin. "Wanna grab some dinner? I've got enough to cook up a feast."
Daichi's stomach growled in response, and he laughed. "Definitely! But tomorrow, dinner's on me. Let's invite Shuisi too, make it a full team thing."
Haruto nodded, already thinking about what they'd cook tomorrow. "Sounds like a plan."
As they walked back, the weight of the day's training settled in their muscles, but it was the good kind of exhaustion. They chatted about the techniques they'd learned, the challenges ahead, and the camaraderie they were building. Tomorrow promised more of the same—more progress, more laughter, and more pushing their limits.
And tonight, Haruto had another plan—he'd finally tackle the Shadow Clone Jutsu when he got home, adding another powerful tool to his growing arsenal. For now, though, the evening meal with Daichi was the perfect way to end a productive day.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone