บท 28: Ch28. Apprentice 2
Ringo followed her new sensei, Rei, to the training ground 66. The only training ground with a lake in the middle.
She could see a clearing bordering a lake and tilted her head when she saw a gorgeous fifteen-looking girl with neck-long blue hair with an origami rose stuck in them, reading a book, sitting cross-legged on the lake as she held the book in one hand. She was clothed in a pure black long-sleeved kimono with dark-blue roses pattern all over, also reaching only mid-thighs as Rei's. She wore black skirt with the same rose pattern and her hands had black fingerless gloves on them.
The girl raised her head and her amber eyes pierced Ringo as they narrowed, clearly showing her purplish eye-shadow. They observed every nook and cranny of Ringo's body, while the girl's crimson lips set themselves in a frown. Ringo shuddered at the intense scrutiny that gaze held and felt like a prey stalked by a predator.
The girl promptly snapped the book shut with her fingers, making it go puff. Ringo was baffled. She didn't see any storage scroll anywhere!
Konan saw the small skinny redhead and with a sigh, approached Rei.
"Who is the girl." She asked uncaringly.
"Apparently, this is my new apprentice. Ringo, her name." Rei rolled his eyes.
"Oh... so? What are we gonna do with her?" Konan's eye twitched. She valued her alone time with Rei. Having an 'apprentice' was ruining that time. Now she had to find out if Rei was up for some good old-fashioned accident in the field for the girl.
"We will teach her." Rei shrugged, dashing Konan's hopes. "Obviously."
Konan clicked her tongue but nodded nevertheless. Rei decided... she would follow. But the second the girl tried something... Kukuku.
Ringo could only shudder at the look the blue-haired girl gave her. She was not like those naive retards in the academy. She knew the girl was asking if they should off her! A chill passed through her spine at the dismissive uncaring way the girl said it too!
Unconsciously, Ringo moved closer to Rei. He at least wasn't out for her blood.
Rei took out a slice of paper and handed it to shaken Ringo. She looked at him with a questioning gaze.
"Show me how far you are with raiton."
Ringo nodded and focused. The paper slowly started wrinkling. It took her two minutes to get it all wrinkled.
Rei nodded at her, not praising, nor admonishing her.
"Good enough for your age." He said aloofly at her look and shrugged. "You have a natural talent for it and all you need is practice. I didn't see any bad habit in your raiton chakra creation."
Ringo saw Rei take out two swords and throw one to her. She barely managed to catch it, looking at her sensei.
"Okay, show me your kenjutsu."
Ringo didn't need to be told twice. She loved sword-fighting. She ran at her sensei, slashing towards his abdomen but...
Rei saw Ringo's eyes trail to his leg even though the slash was aimed at his stomach. He sighed at the obvious tell and simply stepped back, letting her sword sail harmlessly in front of him and promptly hit her head with the blunt side of his sword.
"There. Dead." He said and removed his sword from her head, waiting for her reaction.
Ringo pouted. But then she raised her sword, rushing at Rei again. Rei smiled at that and sidestepped her swipe. She was determined. He swatted her head as her body was about to pass his, making her face-ground.
"There. Dead." He said in amusement but noted that she did not let go of her sword. That was nice. As long as she was alive and held her sword, there was hope for her as a swordsman.
Rei crouched down to the sprawled form of Ringo.
"Your eyes. You are looking where you are going to strike." He told her lazily.
Ringo sat down and mulled over his words. Then she slowly nodded.
Not long after that, they were again standing opposite each other with their swords in their hands. This time though Rei threw his sword at her, handle first. Ringo caught it in her free hand, bewildered.
"Dual-wielding. Your dream is Kiba, isn't it? So you have to start learning." Rei smiled at the girl who beamed at him in happiness.
The girl ran at him, slashing her right sword at his chest. He sidestepped. Ringo's left sword was instantly in his face. He leaned his head to the left, making the blade miss. Rigo didn't wait as her foot was instantly aimed at his stomach. He caught it and threw Ringo away.
"No kicks until you are older and stronger, kid."
Ringo nodded but wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and rushed at him again, heedless of the big bruise on her cheek she gained when she fell on the ground.
His swords were a flurry of swipes but Rei weaved through them with apparent ease. After a few minutes, Ringo started to get tired but more vicious.
Rei quickly dragged his foot back as Ringo's left sword aimed to pierce it, instead, piercing the ground. He had to relocate his other leg more to the right to dodge another slash of Ringo, making the space between his legs wider.
That was when Ringo forcefully slashed the sword piercing the ground upwards, right towards Rei's crotch. She was getting closer, and closer... Her heart jumping at being able to hit!
But then Ringo felt a chill through her spine as Rei appeared behind her, his hand reaching over her shoulder and clasping a slice of paper glimmering in bluish futon chakra, an inch from her throat. She gulped. Ringo was aware where her head would fly if that even nicked her throat. Sweat started to flow down her forehead.
"Konan..." Rei sighed.
"What! She aimed at your crotch! Your crotch belongs to me! She deserves punishment!" The girl, Konan, pouted childishly but her eyes still glared at Ringo. Ringo vowed to never aim at the crotch when sparring with her new sensei. Un... that was a fair trade for keeping her head on her shoulders.
Unknowingly, the respect Ringo held for the blue-haired girl, Konan, rose high. As did the fear she felt towards the impassive girl who was deliberately looking for a reason to take her head off.
Rei only sighed and gave Konan a look. Both him and Konan knew that he could dodge the slash whenever he felt like it as he was strengthening his body for years with nature chakra in preparation for Sage Mode. His body strength and speed were far above the norm!
Even if Ringo's sword hit his crotch… shuddering thought… and he would never let it hit, it wouldn't do much. His body was too strong for that. A non-chakra metal sword wielded by a nine-years old girl without any chakra in it? It wouldn't do anything.
...
Two hours later, Ringo was glad the kenjutsu spar was over. She was drenched in sweat, panting on the ground as she still clutched the two swords.
Ringo felt miserable. Sure, she was very tired. But most of her sweat was due to resisting the killing intent Konan showered her in. Ringo knew Konan was training her with it. At least partially. She really hoped it was not real!
Konan put the girl under enough pressure that she managed to move and get used to it, then, she increased it. Rei decided to train the girl, so she will be trained. Konan wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than jonin-level strength in two years! Not when the girl has so many resources at her disposal! Even as an orphan, just coming to the Kiri Library means better knowledge than what Konan had and she managed. It was only due to Rei but she did learn! Konan decided she would observe the girl very, very closely. She was sure the old coot Mizukage had some plans for Rei and the girl just might figure in them. But plots and schemes aside...
If the girl has Rei to help her and the shinobi library to boot, then she will either learn or be discarded! No waste of time will be tolerated! Not when that time could be used for more meaningful things! Like snogging!
Rei knew the look on Konan's face. He could only wryly chuckle at it.
Just seeing it, he was sure the following years would be rough for Ringo. Konan, as a dutiful 'wife', had no patience for someone wasting the time of her 'Danna-sama'. Especially since Ringo was heavily intruding in their alone time.
Rei could only sigh and pray Ringo would survive it!
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