Chapter 44: Training
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Everything is possible for one who believes.
Mark 9:23
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*RING-RING* *RING-RING*
Disrupting the serenity of the dull terrain was the loud chimes of a clock, announcing the arrival of dawn, thus, alerting the miserable yellow-haired youth to arise from his slumber. Stopping the clock, he reclined to the wall, shoulders lumbered, and eyes hunched. The terrain was messy and minimalistic, and to accentuate the loneliness, the terrain was also just... devoid of life. The youth bore an expressionless visage, caring not for the upcoming trial ahead.
Today would be another boring day in this accursed world, where he would be scorned by the populace, and he knew not the reason.
His name was Uzumaki Naruto, and every morning, he would find himself lamenting his plight, traversing memory lane and recalling a vast array of indignant interactions, directed solely at him. Every time he traversed the landscape, minding his own business, the pretentious gazes of those around were sufficient to make his stomach churn. The denizens of Konoha would emanate this contemptuous aura of revolt against him, and he could never fathom why.
Just why was he born like this?
Why was he scorned?
All he wanted was to be recognised.
To be one of them.
All he wanted to do was play...
Frolick like the other children, engage in joyous snowball fights...
But most of all...
He wanted to be respected. He wanted to feel like he belonged, but no.
Everyone cast him aside.
In the eyes of everyone else, he was forsaken!
As such, it gnawed at him daily.
It was frustrating.
It was sad.
...
But that's how it used to be.
Today, things would be different...
Those hunched eyes, devoid of life, flickered with vitality. The boundless sapphire in the youth's eyes brightened, and his face became incandescent. The scene warped, cramming the world in a kaleidoscope of blurry colours, and finally, the transition was complete. The world regained clarity, and the youth's eyes scanned the terrain with awe, comparing it with his past, gloomy self. It was a weird and awry change, but it was good. An ecstatic grin graced his lips, and breaking the hush of the surroundings, sounded a tone laced with joy; "Oji-chan is gonna train me today!"
Without haste, the youth bolted out of his blankets and rushed into the bathroom to wash up and get changed...
Before long, the bathroom door creaked open, and he emerged from within, donned in an orange t-shirt and cobalt blue tracksuit. Right now, he was standing in the middle of the vacant corridor that was dressed in inviting yellow. Not a single sound was heard, and soon enough, he ventured forth, his footsteps like light taps echoing in the vacancy. His heart raced in anticipation before he ushered into the tranquil living room.
*WHOOSH*
Pervading the ambience was a vicious squall, like a robust wind with the force of a hurricane! It momentarily caused Naruto's heart to palpitate out of his chest. Locating the source to be coming from outside, Naruto hobbled over to the glass-cased door at the back, which led to the back garden, and there, he found himself ensnared and in awe by the view he was presented with.
Standing in the centre of the garden was a tall lean man, showing only his back to Naruto. Donned in skintight attire consisting of a black vest and tracksuit, his perfectly toned muscles hinted at heightened diligence and bodily discipline. Furthermore, his dismissal of the dangerously plummeting temperature signified his attunement to the freezing cold.
Naruto, who stood behind the glass, found himself trembling, rubbing his hands to warm himself.
The man in the garden assumed a battle stance, withdrawing both clenched fists, and keeping them beside his hip (like Goku when he charges Ki). A wispy mist exited his mouth with his exhale, and his mental state had attained piqued calmness.
Like standing in a river, yet despite the ferocious squall that threatened to tear him asunder, not a single ripple formed in the lake.
And finally, his left fist rose at breakneck speed, with a simple punching motion. A fatal gust followed suit, dispersing the blanket of snow in the process, serving as a testament to his frightening power.
Naruto's eyes gleamed in excitement, and his cheeks blushed red as he observed this breathtaking phenomenon, and he yelled, "WHOOOAAA, AMAZING!"
He was so awe-stricken, that he hadn't realised he shouted. His glistening pupils reflected the image of his uncle's back, as well as his bright scarlet hair that whipped against the incessantly furious winds.
Naruto's fascination piqued, and he was now more eager than ever to partake in the training program prepared by his uncle. The youth found himself glued to the scene, unaware of the sound of rapidly approaching taps from behind...
"BOO!"
"ARGH!"
Naruto shrieked at the sudden intervention, staggering back and falling with a thud. Portrayed in front of his delicate eyes was a gorgeous woman, whose silky black hair tied in a ponytail reached the waistline, and her obsidian black eyes gleamed in affection. A playful grin graced her cherry lips, and she mocked, "Haha, I got you good."
Naruto's shoulders slumped, and he made a mental note to get back at his aunt. Crossing his arms, he whined with a large pouty face, "Oba-chan."
Bearing witness to his unpleasant shift in attitude, Kaede's eyes became puppy-like, and she shrieked like a maiden in love; 'KAWAI!'
Kaede extended her arm, gesturing to lift Naruto, and she giggled.
Kaede lifted her nephew before ruffling his head, to which Naruto's cheeks reddened.
"Good morning dear," Kaede cheerfully greeted.
Naruto returned, "Good morning oba-chan."
*TAP* *TAP*
The invasion of another source averted the gaze of the aunt and nephew duo, revealing it to be a petite tomato-haired female, who came with a coat wrapped around her, and a steaming hot cup of tea in her baby hands.
She looked at Naruto, and greeted, "Good morning."
Naruto returned with a warm smile, "Good morning."
Observing this interaction, Kaede couldn't help but squeal like a maiden in love, "KAWAAAI!"
She was just extremely fond of these children.
*WHOOSH*
Naruto suddenly felt a chilly breeze brush his back, sending a chill down his spine. Looking back, a figure intruded his peripheral vision, and slid the glass door closed. The chill he felt came from the momentary breeze when the door was ajar. The man was none other than Namikaze Hayato. With a grin, he greeted everyone, "Good morning everyone."
The rest returned in unison, "Good morning."
Kaede announced, "Alright then everyone, let's have breakfast."
Everyone nodded in consensus, and before long, they indulged in their meals. The table carried the animated and cheerful conversation of the family, and finally, arrived the long-awaited moment Naruto had been eager of this whole week...
Training.
Kaede and Karin stayed, reclined against a chair, embracing the warmth of the house. Naruto, on the other hand, found himself trembling as he nestled with the contagious cold of the outside world.
As he spared a glance toward his carefree aunt and sister, veins protruded by his temple at their vexing nonchalance... it just irked him.
It was as though they were deliberately making fun of him!
"You'll get used to the cold Naruto," a hoarse tone infiltrated his ears.
Naruto turned his gaze away from the female duo, to his uncle, who poised with a reassuring thumbs up.
Somehow, his uncle's assurance forged an impetus to toil all day long, and so, he saluted, "Yeah."
Hayato, with a smile, voiced, "Alright then Naruto, for starters, how about I assess your fitness? From there, I'll assign an appropriate training drill."
Naruto nodded along, "Okay."
Raising a finger, Hayato ordered, "First of all, let's start with light stretches and a little jogging to warm up."
With a bright smile, Naruto affirmed, "Yes."
...
Naruto's face contorted in agony, as he now found himself in jeopardy, unable to lift himself any longer. He was currently doing push-ups.
"C'mon Naruto, one more, you can do it." Hayato motivated while watching the struggling youth who hissed through grit teeth. Naruto persevered, and with a burning determination, he vowed to lift himself one more time...
Just one more...
However, he could no longer push through, as he had hit the hilt of his limits.
"You're gonna be Hokage, remember?" Hayato reminded, which entered like an echo in Naruto's ears, resonating at the molecular level!
Suddenly, something within Naruto was reignited, and his eyes sparkled, brimming with untamed and wild vivacity. The ensuing process was equivalent to adding fire to gasoline, and thus, his lips parted agape and he released a thunderous warcry;
"ARRRGGHHHH!"
Naruto yelled, pushing through sheer will, and successfully did another push-up.
Nevertheless, the training continued...
...
"C'mon Naruto, one more, you can do it." Hayato motivated, kneeling at eye-level, and watching his struggling nephew who hisses through grit teeth.
This time, Naruto was doing sit-ups.
Remembering his ambition to become Hokage, Naruto yelled, "ARGHHHHHH!"
...
"C'mon Naruto, one more, you can do it." Hayato motivated, kneeling at eye-level, and watching his struggling nephew who hissed through grit teeth.
This time, he was doing squats.
Remembering his ambition to become Hokage, Naruto yelled, "ARGHHHHHH!"
...
And finally, to end it, Hayato instructed Naruto to run around the garden until he collapsed...
...
"Huff, huff, huff, huff..."
Pervading the ambience were the laboured gasps of a near-dead youth, who lay on the billowy snow, staring at the porcelain white sky above. His eyes slouched, signifying he may succumb to slumber at any moment.
"Not bad Naruto, your fitness level is pretty good. I didn't think you were already pretty well-seasoned... I can tell you put in some work to exercising." A deep, and soothing tone pierced Naruto's ears, jolting him from his stupour.
"H-Hai," Naruto affirmed, bathing in the glory of his uncle's compliments.
Hayato, bearing a contemplative expression poising a finger beneath his chin, declared, "Right, with Kaede's help, I'm gonna construct a training program for you."
"O-Okay," Naruto affirmed.
*TAP* *TAP*
The faint sound of footsteps lingered, thus, alerting the uncle-nephew duo. While Kaede walked along with pocketed hands, Karin hopped along with enthusiasm while humming a melodious tune. She stopped in front of Naruto, and knelt down to pamper him, "Are you okay?"
However, there was this strange twist in her tone, making her worries sound less meaningful...
A tone laced with sarcasm!
Understanding her fake sympathy, veins bulged by Naruto's temple, and he flippantly replied, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Kaede approached her husband, and advised, "Dear, don't you think you should take a break? Naruto might get a cold."
Nodding in agreement, Hayato aligned, and instructed, "Alright then Naruto, let's take a break. We'll continue in the afternoon."
Naruto's lips broke into a brilliant smile, expressing his jubilance at the shift in dynamics. 2 hours had elapsed since the training started. On top of that, the drastically lowered temperature was starting to vex him, so much so, that he so desperately sought for rejuvenation in the warm confines of his home.
Staring at the innard of the house, tears glistened by the creases of his eyes, and Naruto, without a moment of hesitation, hearkened to his uncle's proposal, and approved, "Hai."
And so, Naruto happily strolled along.
Tucking Hayato's arm, Karin probed, "Papa, can we do shuriken training?"
Upon exhortation, Naruto's stroll came to a halt, and ears perked as he eavesdropped on the impending discussion.
A satisfactory smile graced Hayato's lips, and he ruffled Karin's head, to which she slightly blushed. Hayato informed, "You're asking the wrong person."
Arching a brow, Karin felt a warm clutch on her shoulder, subsequently assessing the source to be her graceful mother who had a confident glare.
Kaede asserted, "If we're talking shurikens, I'm the expert here."
The trio heard weighed footsteps, only to be invited by Naruto's infectious vigour, who urged, "I wanna train too."
Hayato and Kaede briefly eyed each other tacitly, before chuckling. They were well aware the rambunctious yellow-head would return for more; he was just like that.
Thus, started the Shuriken training:
"So Karin-chan, I'm gonna show you once, and I want you to follow," Kaede instructed, to which Karin nodded. Her scarlet eyes didn't flicker once, as she steeled herself to triumph through this ordeal.
Pocketing her pouch, Kaede extracted a single shuriken. She pulled her arm slightly back, but quickly burst it forward, letting the item fly.
It was an efficient manoeuvre, and while rapid, retained grace. Upon release, her silky black hair momentarily scattered, while her unflinching gaze remained on the shuriken, as though anticipating only the best outcome.
*CRUNCH*
With a resounding crunch, the target embedded in the tree was pierced right through the centre; Bullseye!
Karin observed with awe, gazing at her mother with newfound admiration. The stunning figure known as Kaede wore a lax expression, knowing full well she would strike the bullseye. She turned her gaze back to Karin and offered her a shuriken and chanted, "Your turn."
Karin shook from her reverie, and accepted the shuriken with trembling hands. Entering a temporary state of cogitation, she replayed Kaede's graceful manoeuvre in her mind, attempting to mimic her action.
Quite frankly, it wasn't all that amazing, but Karin, with her acute visual analysis, could pinpoint the efficiency behind Kaede's delicate grace. It was something Karin wanted to replicate, so, she attempted to imitate her mother's posture.
Pulling her arm back, Karin's movement mirrored Kaede's and...
*CRUNCH*
A solid crunch sound permeated the stillness, and Kaede's nonchalant visage morphed into that of shock, as evidenced by her widened eyes.
It was a bullseye!
She was pleasantly surprised. Before long, Kaede broke into a breathtaking smile, and with a slight tremor in her voice, she vocalised, "W-Whoa, Karin-chan, that was amazing."
She ruffled her daughter's head, to which she giggled in response.
Naruto, baffled by this ordeal, hobbled over to his uncle, "OJI-CHAN, I WANNA TRY, I WANNA TRY!"
Without haste, Hayato extracted a shuriken from his pouch, and warned, "Alright, go to oba-chan, and she'll teach you."
Naruto bluntly replied, "Okay," before frivolously snatching the weapon from his uncle. With a predatory gaze, he focused on the target in the distance, and with no grace at all, he hurled the shuriken at breakneck speed!
*CRACK*
A sound akin to that of shattering glass echoed in the air!
Naruto excitedly ran over to the target section, casting a cursory sweep over the region, only to be left dumbfounded by the absence of the weapon.
'Hmm, that's strange, didn't I throw it here?' Naruto pondered. Unable to locate it, Naruto sought help, and called, "OJI-CHAN, I CAN'T FIN-!"
Naruto immediately paused as his eyes met with the lifeless eyes of his uncle. Hayato's shoulders were slouched, and he seemed to be gazing into the distance mindlessly. As such, Naruto warily followed his uncle's line of sight with increased vision...
His magnified vision passed his sister, whose complexion had paled significantly like that of a carcass. Karin stood there stupefied, unable to move, besieged by fright, as though she had seen a ghost!
And before long, the situation had finally registered in Naruto's mind; his wild haymaker of a throw flung at tremendous velocity, shattering one of the room windows, and tainting the ground in glass shards!
A result that had been instigated by Naruto's reckless manoeuvre!
The formerly joyous aura shrouding the family had quickly diminished...
(Well, that escalated quickly.)
Kaede's shock subsided, and she addressed to Hayato in a peeved tone, "Dear, shouldn't you have warned Naruto?"
Hayato was speechless, inwardly arguing, 'Of course I'm the one who's gonna be blamed.'
A deadpan ambience shrouded the terrain, and Naruto found himself trembling due to his audacious movement.
Kaede let out an exhausted sigh, and alleviated the mood with a clap of her hands, "Alright, it was an accident. Let's worry about that later."
Hayato supported with a thumbs up to his devastated nephew, "Yeah, no worries Naruto."
Naruto, with a solemn look, addressed his apology; "I'm sorry."
Noticing his genuine influx, Kaede quickly reassured, "It's alright dear. To be honest, it's quite funny, haha." Kaede chortled at the end. Moreover, Hayato mocked, "Are you crying Naruto?"
With large pouty cheeks, Naruto rebutted, "I'm not!"
Before you knew it, the former enthusiasm was rekindled!
***
And so, the day slowly waned, marking the arrival of dusk. Today proved to be a fruitful day for the yellow-haired youth, who, alongside the seasoned tutelage of his uncle and aunt, immersed himself in training.
Karin also chimed in, learning new things through the course of the fruitful training session.
However, with the arrival of night, an unfortunate incident occurred...
"Cough!"
A red-haired female lay on the bed, enveloped by the warmth of her thick quilt. Due to the severe decrease in temperature, the pitiful youth had fallen victim to the ominous cold! She was none other than Uzumaki Karin.
Kaede flailed her wooden spoon, clearly peeved by this dilemma, while Hayato admitted defeat, and backed into a corner with his hands raised apologetically.
Kaede raised an accusing finger at her husband, chiding him for being the primary reason for Karin's abnormal motivation today. As a result of that, she was now bedridden!
But the main issue was even when Kaede had warned him several times to come back inside due to the severe weather, Hayato paid no heed to her worries.
As such, Kaede's imminent wrath was understandable, and now Hayato had to pay the price!
Meanwhile, Naruto, who observed their interaction, could only perform a perfunctory smile, while squealing inwardly, 'Oba-chan's scary!'
***
Sorry if this was a boring chapter.
Turned out to be a longer chapter than I thought, and my writing may have started to suck later on, so I apologise.
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone