Kapitel 30: Clan Meeting

"You've done well, Team 15," Riku commended, "You've passed the test."

As Riku announced the successful completion of the test, a wave of relief and joy washed over the three genins.

The expressions on Renjiro, Aiko, and Hiro's faces transformed from weariness to pure elation.

'This is where I should have my big 'I told you so moment' with these two, but I'm sure they are worn out from the test maybe next time. They are still kids, after all.' Renjiro thought while smiling wryly.

It had been a long couple of hours for the trio without enough food and rest. Although there was the option of using soldier pills, Riku prohibited them from doing so.

He stated that using them would create a dependency on them. Plus, if they could not last long in this test, then they still have a long way to go in their shinobi careers.

While the trio were still relishing their newfound rest, Riku's expression shifted, and he adopted a more serious demeanour.

He gestured for them to gather around as he began to provide feedback, highlighting areas where each genin could improve based on their performance.

"Renjiro," Riku started, looking at the young Uzumaki with a discerning gaze.

"While your Sharingan proved valuable, there were instances where you relied too heavily on it. Over-dependence can be a weakness. It's crucial to balance your innate abilities with strategic thinking to maximize your effectiveness."

Turning his attention to Aiko, Riku continued, "Aiko, your genjutsu skills are commendable, but there were moments when you hesitated to transition into taijutsu when needed. I know that you excel in Genjutsu but ignoring taijutsu and ninjutsu will not be beneficial for you. You should start working on them to bring them to a decent level."

Finally, addressing Hiro, Riku remarked, "Hiro, your taijutsu prowess is evident, but there were instances where you could have utilized ninjutsu. Your situation is similar to Aiko's. Mix up your techniques to keep your opponents off guard."

The genins listened attentively, absorbing Riku's constructive criticism. Each piece of feedback was delivered with the intention of helping them grow and refine their skills.

"In the heat of battle, it's easy to fall back on familiar strategies," Riku continued, his tone firm but encouraging. "But true growth comes from pushing beyond your comfort zone, adapting to unforeseen challenges, and learning from every experience."

"Remember, the goal was not just to succeed in the test but to continuously improve. Take these lessons to heart, and let them guide you in the future."

"Alright, go home, and get some rest. We will meet the day after tomorrow here same time." After concluding, Riku flickered away.

'Finally! Some time to rest. Wait, does same time mean 5 in the morning, or does it mean the same time he arrived?' Renjiro wondered if the ambiguity in Riku's words was intentional or not.

Following Riku's exit, the others were equally, if not more, tired and they all went back to their homes. The journey back home felt like a series of deliberate challenges as fatigue weighed on them.

Upon reaching his home, Renjiro entered with a sense of relief. The familiar surroundings offered solace, and without much ceremony, he headed straight to his room.

In his room, Renjiro, still in his ninja attire, collapsed onto his bed. The softness of the mattress felt like a luxury after the trials of the day. He closed his eyes, the exhaustion settling into his bones.

As the soft light of evening filtered through the curtains, Renjiro was stirred from his deep slumber by a gentle knock on his bedroom door. A clan messenger stood at the threshold, bearing news that jolted him awake.

"Renjiro," the messenger, who outwardly wore the Uchiha clan symbol, spoke respectfully, "there's a clan meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Your presence is required."

Renjiro, still groggy from the unexpected nap, blinked in surprise at the messenger. He had lost track of time in the embrace of sleep, and the realization that the day had slipped away caught him off guard.

"Clan meeting? I'm not even a part of the clan. Let me just go since I'm getting all these benefits, it's the least I could do."

Renjiro nodded in acknowledgement, expressing his understanding.

"Thank you for letting me know," Renjiro replied, his mind quickly adjusting to the upcoming responsibilities. "I'll be there."

'A clan meeting huh? The only ones I remember were those where the Uchiha plotted the coup. It should still be interesting.'

Shrugging off any lingering drowsiness, Renjiro decided to engage in some light workout for warmup. With determination in his eyes, Renjiro readied himself for a session of intense body workout.

The following day, as the first light of dawn painted the sky, Renjiro found himself in the quiet pre-dawn hours, having spent the night in deep meditation after his rigorous workout. The stillness of the night had offered him a chance to reflect on his actions and how he could improve them.

Soon, the familiar knock on his door echoed through his residence. Tekka, stood outside, ready to accompany Renjiro to the Uchiha Clan Headquarters.

"Good morning Renjiro,'" Tekka greeted.

"Good morning Tekka."

"Are you planning on going to the clan meeting?"

'Do I have a choice?' Renjiro thought.

"Yes, I was just finishing up on my morning routine. Weren't you going to go with Inabi and Yashiro?"

"I was, but then when we reached the hall, we thought it would be good if someone came to accompany you." Tekka smiled.

'Is this out of courtesy, or is it genuine?' Renjiro wondered.

After Renjiro finished his preparations, they set out towards the heart of the Uchiha district. On their way, they exchanged their experiences with their new genin teams.

'An obstacle race for a test?! Why did we get the short end of the stick with our sensei? The guy practically forced us through hell.' Renjiro lamented the moment he learnt of Tekka's experience.

As they approached the meeting place, the grandeur of the structure came into view. The meeting hall was an imposing building of polished stone. It stood tall against the backdrop of the morning sky.

Upon entering the hall, Renjiro was met by the clan symbol grandly displayed. The air, scented with a hint of incense, added to the solemn ambience of the space.

'Well, there is a reason they are regarded as one of the top clans not only in Konoha but in all elemental nations.' Renjiro noted after seeing the clan in all its glory.

As more Uchiha clan members gathered in the meeting room, Daichi, the venerable clan head, took his place at the head of the circular table, commanding attention.

Daichi's eyes, weathered by years of experience and responsibility, swept across the room. His gaze then settled on Renjiro and the other three boys who had recently undergone the genin promotion exams. A subtle nod of approval and pride accompanied his gaze.

"Renjiro, Inabi, Tekka, and Yashiro," Daichi began, addressing the genin with a measured tone.

"Your performance in the promotion exam has not gone unnoticed. You've finally become genins and are now qualified to bear the struggles and legacy of our clan."

A murmur of approval rippled through the clan members present, a collective recognition of the genin's achievements.

Daichi continued, "You should work hard to become chunins as early as possible. The village is in need, and the police force needs more numbers to help with the lawkeeping."

'Ah shit, I remember Miwa mentioning something like this.'

Daichi shed light on the pivotal role of the Police force during the clan meeting for the new additions. He emphasized that beyond the prowess displayed in battle, every Uchiha shinobi was mandated to serve in the police force upon becoming chunins.

Of course, this only applied to those who awakened the Sharingan since they needed more time to hone their dojutsu. For the rest, they were to join after a minimum amount of time as genins. They still needed fodder after all.

The Police force played a crucial role in maintaining order, investigating crimes, and safeguarding the village. This mandatory service represented the Uchiha commitment to the village's well-being, instilling in each shinobi the duty to contribute their skills for the greater good.

After Daichi finished, the other Uchiha clan members congratulated Renjiro and the rest for their achievements. The meeting seamlessly transitioned to other matters, such as the patrol schedule and clan resource distribution.

=====

Bless me with your powerful Power Stones.

Your Reviews and Comments about my work are welcomed

If you can, then please support me on Patreon.

Link - www.patreon.com/SideCharacter

You Can read more chapters ahead on Patreon

Kommentar Kommentar von 10

Abstimmen

Kapitel 31: Weights

As the morning sun illuminated the training ground, Riku unleashed his training regimen upon Renjiro, Aiko, and Hiro with a zeal that could only be described as demonic.

His approach to physical conditioning was as relentless as a demon's pursuit, pushing the boundaries of the three genins' endurance with a merciless fervour.

The workout was a symphony of sweat and strained muscles, orchestrated by Riku's seemingly boundless energy.

'I had expected to go to hell after dying then I was happy I came to this new world but it seems the devil sent Riku to come collect his dues.'

Renjiro, accustomed to challenges, found himself in uncharted territory, realizing that Riku's definition of intensity surpassed anything he had ever encountered.

The training made the team miss the good times when Riku was late for their early morning meetup. Just like most good times, which was only one instance in this case, it was short-lived.

In the midst of the gruelling routine, Riku's laughter echoed like a mischievous imp revelling in the chaos it had unleashed. Each drop of sweat seemed to be a tribute to the training demon, and the genins couldn't help but lament as they navigated through a sea of physical demands.

'I want to die!'

That was Renjiro's last thought as he collapsed in training ground 51. Right beside him were Hiro and Aiko, both in similar states. He supposedly lasted longer than the two in the first segment of their training, but that was nothing to brag about, as lasting longer only meant more pain.

"That's for today's workout. Take an hour's break, then we will move to the next segment." Riku declared, seemingly ignoring the fact that none of his students were in a state to listen to him.

The usual day for team 15 began with a brutal awakening as Riku expected them to rise at the crack of dawn, commencing an intense body workout that spanned from 5 am to 8 am, a complete three hours.

Following this early morning crucible, a brief respite arrived as Riku allowed them to take a break until 9 am.

However, as the clock struck 10 am, the next phase commenced. From 10 am to 2 pm, the genins would find themselves entangled in taijutsu battles against the seasoned master himself—Riku.

Despite their concerted efforts, the matches unfolded with a predictable rhythm as Riku, an expert taijutsu specialist, dominated every encounter.

The score stood at an overwhelming 18-0, all victories leaning in Riku's favour. Undeterred by the defeats, Riku forced them to engage in at least three battles every day.

Today, the trio, fueled by the determination to break the 18-0 streak, moved with a newfound intensity. It was weird that the hour-long break Riku gave them did wonders, and they actually recovered most of their strength.

'Must be chakra.' Renjiro noted.

Despite being in this world for close to three years, the capabilities of Chakra never stopped to amaze Renjiro. It was like a gift that keeps on giving. But that was for later now, Renjiro needed to focus on their spar with Riku.

Renjiro darted with speed, launching calculated strikes. Aiko also launched her own kicks and punches. Hiro, the agile force, aimed to disrupt with unpredictable manoeuvres.

Yet, Riku moved like a blur, effortlessly countering every strike. His movements were fluid and precise, a nod to years of experience he had accumulated. The battle unfolded in a mesmerizing dance, each clash resonating with the clash of steel and flesh.

Despite their concerted efforts, the genins found themselves constantly outmanoeuvred.

"Yes, Faster!" Riku's voice echoed through the training ground, a mix of amusement and encouragement.

As the battle reached its conclusion, Riku, with a satisfied nod, acknowledged the progress they had made. The 17-0 streak had changed. It was now 18-0.

"Good job guys," Riku said with a mocking smile on his face.

Although Riku continued to accumulate the wins, it was not as easy as before for him to win. The team was clearly making visible progress when it came to taijutsu.

'A win is a win.' Renjiro surmised.

It was impossible to better a jounin with their current strength. They could only do so if the jounin was largely holding back, but Riku was not that type of person.

He knew if he did so, his students might become conceited. So he preferred to show them how far they still need to go to become decent shinobis. So lasting longer than before against Riku was more than enough to depict their progress.

"I think it is time to include ninjutsu in your training," Riku said with a thoughtful look on his face before he continued, "Since it would actively reduce the time we spend on the current segments, I guess I will have to just increase the intensity of all the segments."

'Increase the Intensity? There's even more to this? I might have actually chosen the wrong career here.'

His last statement killed the all signs of life that were coming back to his students' eyes as they thought they were getting some sort of relief. Depleting chakra reserves was worth it to them if they could be able to avoid any physical contact with Riku.

Renjiro, having endured the gruelling training regimen under Riku's relentless guidance, returned home with a body that bore the echoes of exertion.

Aware that meditation was not only a personal practice but a vital means of restoring his depleted chakra reserves, Renjiro sought solace in the quiet of his room. With closed eyes, he assumed a meditative posture.

Drawing upon the chakra within, Renjiro entered a meditative trance. His energy flow, disrupted and intensified during the day's training, now found equilibrium. Each breath became a rhythmic dance, harmonizing with the pulse of his chakra network.

'I need to buy weights, even with Riku's demanding training, my body has only seen minuscule improvements. I should have enough money to get them, so I do not need to disturb Miwa with this.'

Renjiro emerged from his meditation with a new sense of refreshment. He prepared to the town in search of training weights.

These specialized weights, intricately inscribed with Fuinjutsu, were used by shinobi seeking to enhance their physical strength and speed through intensive training.

Renjiro made his way through the familiar streets of the village. In the town's market area, with its array of shops and vendors, Renjiro sought out merchants known for dealing in unique shinobi equipment who might offer such specialized tools.

Entering a shop adorned with various ninja tools, Renjiro inquired, "Hello, do you have training weights?"

'Ooh, what a nice and respectable boy.' The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman, thought before replying, "Yes we do. What type do you want?"

"What types are there?"

"We have three types of training weights. The first two are of the chainmail variant. The first type is designed for the limbs. They are worn on specific limbs with the singular purpose of accelerating and refining the shinobi's movements.

The second type of weights is the full-body armour type. It covers the whole body, especially the torso and legs. This weight allows the user to exert control over the additional burden by manipulating the weight distribution through chakra infusion.

The last type, which is the most expensive out of the three, comes in the unique form of a seal. It is a seal matrix inscribed on chakra-infused paper. This compact yet formidable weight adheres directly to the user's skin. But I can't sell this to you."

"Why?" Renjiro was perplexed, because why would she tell him about it if she couldn't sell it to him? This made him just want to buy it more!

"The seal requires a fully matured body and since you are a chi-, I mean a young shinobi, you'll be at risk of stagnating your natural body growth if you use it."

'That makes sense. Although some risks pay off, I don't want to take this one.'

"Okay."

'The first type is most likely what Rock Lee was wearing while I have no problem with it, the second type would be better since it covers more areas of the body than just the limbs.' Renjiro thought.

"Then I will take the second type of training weight. How much is it?"