Kapitel 12: Waiting in the Mist
'Physical endurance definitely improved,' he reflected, trying to focus on progress rather than worry.
'I can run 5 kilometers without breathlessness, almost 7 if I use chakra to support the muscles. Not bad for a five-year-old body.'
He got into position to begin his walking on his hands. The exercise had become a kind of meditation - a way to empty his mind of the thoughts that plagued him in the night hours.
'This training has given amazing results. I can now keep my balance and walk almost two kilometers. My arms have become almost as strong as my legs.'
The fog thickened around the lake, hiding the moon.
Ren continued his exercises in the growing darkness, mentally cataloging his progress as if to convince himself that he was not wasting time:
Chakra control was stable - the leaf remained attached to his forehead for several minutes
He could hold a small drop of water in his hands for almost thirty seconds
His chakra perception allowed him to detect presences up to about 10 feet away
The calligraphy for the basic seals was now fluid and natural
But there were things he could not learn on his own.
'I no longer had the opportunity to study hand seals,' he admitted in frustration. 'It didn't take Tou-san's departure just now...'
He paused, returning to his feet. The moon was completely hidden now, the fog so dense that he could hardly see the shore of the lake. 'Everything was going too smoothly,' he thought bitterly. 'I must concentrate on what I can do alone.'
He pulled out a kunai and thoughtfully weighed it.
'Maybe I could start weight training. I don't think they have gravity seals here, I'll have to ask Tatsumi. If not, I could use lead bars...'
One week to the beginning of the academy. A week without news from his father. Ren stared into the fog, as if he could discern in it the answers he sought.
'Never did I imagine I would have this feeling of anticipation,' he reflected as he gathered his gear. 'Not just for the academy ... come back soon, Tou-san.'
On his way home, he stopped several times to scan the horizon, looking for a familiar figure in the fog. But there were only shadows, and the oppressive silence of Kirigakure.
The store was still open when he returned. His mother was arranging a new delivery of kunai, her tired face illuminated by the faint light of lanterns.
"You've been to the lake again," she said, not a question. Her eyes studied the traces of training on her son - his damp clothes, his hands slightly abraded by the exercise on his hands.
"I had to ... keep busy," Ren replied, taking a cloth to help her clean the weapons.
"Your father will come back," Yuki said, her voice firm despite the worry in her eyes. "He has always kept his promises."
'I hope so'.
Ren nodded, focusing on the kunai he was polishing. The cold metal under his fingers reminded him of his father's lessons on throwing weapons. 'Another thing I need to perfect,' he thought.
"While we're waiting" his mother continued, "you could help me reorganize the storage room in the back. There are some basic techniques written on the weapon rolls that you might find interesting."
Ren's eyes brightened slightly. His mother had always had a subtle way of helping him with his training.
In the warehouse, among boxes of shuriken and rolls of ninja wire, Ren did indeed find several interesting documents. Detailed descriptions of handles, throwing angles, even some notes on blade maintenance that could come in handy for his future katana.
"These are notes from your father" Yuki explained, pointing to some yellowed papers. "From when he was still a genin. He thought you might need them someday".
Ren studied the familiar handwriting, noting how some passages had been underlined several times. 'Precision comes before power,' one note said. 'One well-placed kunai is worth more than ten thrown at random.'
' Before i would have thought how obvious it is... but now...'
Night had fallen by the time they finished settling in. His mother served him a light dinner, the empty place at the table seeming to scream his absence.
"Tomorrow" Yuki said as they cleared the table, "we could start preparing your equipment for the academy. I've set aside some special pieces that might be useful for you."
"Thank you, Kaa-san" Ren replied. Then, after a moment's hesitation, "Do you think he will be proud? When will he come back?"
Yuki paused, looking at her son with a mixture of sweetness and sadness. "Ren, your father has always been proud of you. From the moment you first opened your eyes." He leaned closer, stroking his hair. "And he will be even more so when he sees how hard you are working."
That night, in his room, Ren mentally prepared a more structured training program for the following days. He had to be ready - for the academy, for his father, for whatever the future held.
'One week,' he thought as he fell asleep. 'One week to get ready. And then...'
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
ItoKun
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