บท 24: Chapter 24

"And that's precisely why I decided to train you during the six months you'll be staying with us," Ryugi's voice pulled me out of self-flagellation.

"Really?" I stared at the elder Uzumaki with hopeful eyes.

"Absolutely true!" he nodded. "But before we begin, tell me, what ninja arts have you chosen as your main focus?"

"Medical ninjutsu primarily, since with such skills and regeneration from our kekkei genkai, I'll be practically invincible as long as I have chakra. Plus, high-level medical ninjas are extremely rare, and no one will send them into battle recklessly," I answered after some thought.

"Then comes fuinjutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu, followed by taijutsu and kenjutsu. But overall, I don't intend to limit myself to narrow specialization."

"Hmm, interesting choice! You'll have to study medicine in Konoha, as we mainly focus on combat medical ninjutsu here, but there are very few of them. Uzumaki almost never suffer from common illnesses and can survive even fatal injuries for others".

"I recall the Nara clan is famous for their medicines and medical practices, so you'll delve into that at home. I'll brush you up on the basics of fuinjutsu, and as for ninjutsu, only when you're a bit older, otherwise you might end up rupturing your chakra pathways during elemental technique conversion. Your control for genjutsu is too poor at the moment, so even the most primitive techniques won't work. Not to mention that among the Uzumaki, this field isn't popular for quite obvious reasons. As for taijutsu and kenjutsu— you're wrong to put them last! A sufficiently fast opponent could be next to you before you could finish any technique. But again, it's pointless to train them now, as you're still too young, and almost all our styles are designed for teenagers and adults."

Listening to Ryugi break it all down for me, all I could do was obediently nod, confirming my understanding of everything said. That's what experience means—no doubt he's taught more than one student, considering the number of offspring and their children.

"Given all that, what are we going to do?" I asked.

"Our top priority right now is achieving perfect control for using medical ninjutsu and genjutsu, as well as increasing your available chakra volume and developing the ability to at least partially conceal your chakra," Grandpa answered.

"That's the main focus. Once you can create at least four clones without strain, we'll focus on your physical conditioning while they refine your control."

"Weight training?"

"No, your body is still growing, so it's best not to do that, or you'll end up short for life," Uzumaki shook his head and patted his impressive biceps.

"The bodies of the vast majority of our clan members are built for strength, and as you age, striking power will naturally come with minimal additional effort on your part. So, we'll focus on stretching, agility, and speed. With your new seal, it'll be very effective."

"Is everyone here using such seals?" I asked.

"Without exception! Actually, at the moment, I have the exact same seal active—it really helps keep you in shape without constant training," Uzumaki grinned. "And as for fuinjutsu, either I or someone else in the family will work on it on a free day, and if there's energy left, in the evenings of regular days."

"Quite a schedule!" I muttered to myself.

"Yes, training you will have to be much tougher than our other children, primarily because you're lagging so far behind almost all your peers in almost every aspect," Grandpa said seriously. "Plus, we only have six months to spare, and I intend to cram as much as possible into that time! Torn muscles and chakra depletion will be commonplace, so if you're not sure you can handle it—better decline now."

What? Backing out of a challenge, even if it means going all out?! I'd rather die than give up! Shaking my head vigorously, I stared expectantly at Grandpa.

"Watch that you don't regret it later, because there won't be any indulgence for you!" Ryugi smirked sadistically, and I realized that the next six months were going to be hell!