Kapitel 49: Chapter 49: Preparations Before the Trip

At the training ground on the outskirts of Konoha Village, TenTen stood beside a water basin inscribed with a summoning pattern. She filled it with water, carefully spread out a scroll on a nearby stake, and began forming hand seals under Kirito's watchful eye.

"Summoning Jutsu: Water Elemental Gate!" she declared, slamming her hand onto the scroll.

A low hum resonated as the chakra flowed into the scroll, creating a small black dot at the center of the summoning symbol. Within moments, cold water began trickling out of the dot. Across the training ground, the water in the basin started bubbling in response.

"It worked!" TenTen exclaimed, clenching her fists in excitement. Her joy was infectious as she turned to Kirito with a beaming smile.

[As expected, TenTen has a natural aptitude for spatial ninjutsu,] Kirito thought with satisfaction. Watching her master the Elemental Gate in less than two days, he couldn't help but feel proud.

"Now that you've nailed it, do you want to practice more, or should we head out to test it in the field?" Kirito asked.

"Field test, of course!" TenTen replied with fiery determination.

The two had brainstormed ways to utilize the Elemental Gate in battle. One promising application involved placing a summoning formula at the bottom of a deep ocean trench and connecting it to a scroll. By channeling high-pressure seawater during a fight, TenTen could unleash devastating attacks.

"But finding a reliable source of flames is still tricky," TenTen mused. After all, water could be accessed in various locations, but a "sea of fire" was far less common.

"Don't worry about it for now," Kirito reassured her. "We can test the water element first. Once we see how it performs, we'll figure out the flames later."

"Good point," TenTen agreed, setting aside her worries.

After packing up their training tools, the two decided to map out their journey over tea. They found a quaint refreshment shop named Jasmine Flower, tucked beneath a tall, shady tree.

Kirito unfurled a map on the shop's outdoor table while TenTen secured the corners with their tea cups.

"There are only two viable seas for the summoning setup," Kirito began, pointing to two marked locations: one near the Land of Water to the east and another between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning to the north.

"The eastern sea is closer," TenTen noted, her eyes scanning the map.

Kirito nodded. "Right, and there's a trench here that seems perfect for the setup."

He traced three small marks on the map with a toothpick—two in the north and one in the east near the Land of Water. "The northern trench is out. The frigid temperatures and ice make it too dangerous to dive there. The eastern trench is our best bet."

"Agreed," TenTen said, twirling her toothpick thoughtfully.

"Here's the plan," Kirito summarized. "We'll head east from Konoha to the Land of Waves. From there, we'll take a boat to the trench and set the summoning formula."

"Got it," TenTen replied. "I'll pack tonight, and we can leave first thing tomorrow."

"I'll report to Master Guy and notify the village," Kirito added.

After finishing their tea, they parted ways to prepare for the journey. Kirito made his way through the bustling streets of Konoha in search of Guy. To his surprise, he found him at Konoha Hospital, where he seemed to be looking for Kirito.

"Kirito," Guy said, his expression serious. "Sasuke is in bad shape—broken ribs, a fractured wrist, and severe mental trauma from genjutsu. He's in a coma."

Guy explained that Sasuke had encountered Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, members of the Akatsuki organization, during his pursuit of Naruto and Jiraiya. Sasuke had confronted his brother, but the encounter ended in brutal defeat, leaving him gravely injured.

[Itachi's back...] Kirito thought. Though he had been so focused on refining his Elemental Gate that he'd momentarily forgotten about Itachi's return, he wasn't particularly concerned. The Akatsuki were better off staying out of his way.

At Sasuke's hospital room, Kirito used medical ninjutsu to heal his physical injuries. "The mental damage is beyond my capabilities," he explained. "He'll need rest to recover fully. He should wake up in time."

"Thank you," Guy said, his face relaxing slightly. "Naruto and Jiraiya are already searching for Lady Tsunade. Once she returns, she can heal Lee's injuries as well."

[I wonder if we'll cross paths when they return,] Kirito thought briefly.

"By the way, Master Guy," he said, "I wanted to inform you that TenTen and I will be leaving the village for training. We'll be gone for a while."

Guy's expression shifted from concern to enthusiasm. Gripping Kirito's shoulder, he exclaimed, "Ah, youth! TenTen is a wonderful companion! Train hard, my boy—this is the essence of youthful passion!"

With a dramatic thumbs-up and his signature sparkle, Guy gave his blessing.

Kirito stood stoic, unbothered by Guy's exuberance. However, the little leopard on his shoulder wasn't as composed—it squirmed in Kirito's grip, its tiny body pinched into various undignified shapes.

Back at his home, Kirito began assembling supplies for the trip: food, tools, scrolls, and maps. As he packed, his thoughts drifted toward the journey ahead.

[The eastern trench will be our first step. After that, who knows where this experiment will take us.]

Despite the uncertainties, Kirito felt a spark of excitement. The combination of exploring the unknown and perfecting their new technique gave him a sense of purpose.

(End of this chapter)

>>>>>