章節 68: 68. Bonds of the Village
The Hidden Leaf Village had transformed in the wake of Ryusei and Team 7's return. Everywhere you looked, there was a renewed sense of purpose and vitality. Shinobi from every corner of the village trained harder, pushing their limits, inspired by the powerful energies that now flowed through the village's walls. The once serene streets were now filled with the sounds of sparring, the buzz of chakra techniques being refined, and the occasional explosion of energy as new jutsu were tested.
In the early morning light, Shikamaru and Choji stood on the training grounds, watching as a group of younger shinobi practiced under the watchful eyes of their instructors. Shikamaru, hands in his pockets as always, had matured in ways that went beyond his typical laziness. His mind, sharper than ever, was now focused not just on strategies for battle, but for village leadership. Anon's restructuring of the Anbu had shifted how he saw everything; preparation was no longer an option—it was a necessity.
"Man, it's a drag, but I guess this is the life we're living now," Shikamaru muttered, squinting against the morning sun. "Everyone's training like crazy. It's almost like we're expecting something big."
Choji, standing beside him, had undergone a transformation of his own. His frame, still large and powerful, moved with a new grace, the result of his training with void energy. His signature Expansion Jutsu and Human Boulder techniques had evolved—he could now channel void energy into his movements, warping space around him as he rolled through the battlefield, making it nearly impossible for his enemies to predict where he would strike.
Choji chuckled, stretching his arms over his head. "We kind of are expecting something big, Shikamaru. You know Ryusei wouldn't have pushed the entire village to train this hard unless something serious was coming."
Shikamaru sighed, watching as one of the younger shinobi unleashed a poorly-formed jutsu, causing an explosion that left the field covered in dust. "Yeah, I know. I just miss the days when everything was simpler."
Choji grinned, the easygoing humor in his eyes a reminder of the younger days when they weren't constantly preparing for disaster. "Well, at least we're all stronger now. I can't wait to try out my new techniques in a real fight."
Shikamaru gave him a sideways glance. "Don't get too eager. If Ryusei's right, the kind of fights we're looking at won't be anything like we've seen before."
Choji smirked, his hand resting on his enlarged kunai pouch. "That's exactly why I want to see what I can do."
Meanwhile, across the village, Hinata stood on a quiet hill overlooking the training grounds where the Hyuga clan was in full training mode. Her eyes, sharp and focused, took in everything. She had come a long way from the shy girl who could barely muster the confidence to speak her mind. Training under Ryusei had given her more than just strength—it had given her an unshakable belief in herself.
Her Byakugan, always a formidable asset, had been honed to a near-perfect level, allowing her to extend her Gentle Fist technique with unprecedented precision. She could now strike enemies from greater distances, manipulating the flow of their chakra in ways even her father had never imagined. As she watched the younger members of her clan practice, she couldn't help but think of Naruto.
"Naruto…" she whispered to herself, a faint smile crossing her lips. His boundless energy, his determination, and his unwavering belief in their village had always inspired her. They had both grown so much since Ryusei's return, but the bond between them had remained strong, deeper even. She could feel it every time they trained together—an unspoken connection that was only growing stronger.
Hinata's father, Hiashi Hyuga, approached, standing beside her in silence for a moment before speaking. "Your progress has been remarkable, Hinata."
Hinata looked up at him, her soft eyes meeting his stern gaze. "Thank you, Father."
Hiashi nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's no longer just about your Byakugan. You've harnessed the energy Ryusei brought back with him. The void energy—your mastery of it is unlike anything I've seen in our clan."
Hinata nodded, a sense of pride swelling within her. "I'll use it to protect our village."
Hiashi's gaze softened slightly, though his posture remained rigid. "Good. The village will need your strength in the days to come."
Not far from the Hyuga training grounds, Kiba and Shino were deep in the wilderness, honing their respective skills in the dense forest outside the village. Kiba, always impulsive and aggressive in his approach to combat, had refined his techniques in ways that made him far more dangerous than he'd ever been before.
His bond with Akamaru had grown even stronger, the two of them practically moving as one entity on the battlefield. Their beast mimicry techniques, already powerful, now included void energy, making them nearly invisible as they moved through the trees. The void energy distorted the space around them, causing their enemies to lose track of their movements in the chaos.
Kiba grinned as he leaped from tree to tree, Akamaru moving in sync with him. "We're unstoppable now, huh, boy?" he called out to his canine companion, who barked in agreement.
Below them, Shino moved silently, his insects swarming around him in a controlled cloud. Shino had always been quiet and methodical, but his growth in the last few years had been undeniable. His ability to manipulate his insects had evolved—he could now send them into the void, allowing them to phase in and out of reality, appearing wherever he willed them to.
Kiba landed beside him, laughing. "Man, we've gotten strong! I can't wait for the next big mission."
Shino, ever calm, glanced at Kiba through his sunglasses. "Strength isn't everything. We need control. The void energy we've harnessed is volatile. If we're not careful, it could consume us."
Kiba scoffed but couldn't help but take the words seriously. "Yeah, yeah. You've always been the serious one, Shino. But you've got to admit—it feels good knowing we've got this much power."
Shino nodded slightly. "Power is a tool. We use it to protect the village, nothing more."
Kiba grinned, throwing an arm around Shino's shoulders. "You've got a funny way of showing it, man. But I get it. We're ready."
Back in the village center, Rock Lee was a whirlwind of motion on the training grounds, his body moving with incredible speed and precision as he sparred with Might Guy. Lee had always idolized his sensei, but now, after years of intense training and the influence of Ryusei's time and void techniques, he had become a force to be reckoned with.
"Youth is eternal!" Guy shouted, throwing a powerful kick toward Lee, who dodged with ease, flipping through the air and landing on the other side of the training field.
Lee, sweat dripping down his face, grinned, his eyes burning with determination. "Yes, Guy-sensei! My youth has never been stronger!"
Guy laughed heartily, his eyes gleaming with pride. "That's the spirit, Lee! You've mastered the time-energy technique I taught you. Now you can open the gates and control the power of youth even longer than I can!"
Lee's heart swelled with pride as he prepared for another attack. He had been waiting for this moment—the chance to prove his strength not just to Guy, but to the entire village.
Ryusei observed the training grounds from a distance, his arms folded across his chest. His gaze settled on Rock Lee and Might Guy as they continued to spar, their movements a blur to anyone without trained eyes. Ryusei had always respected their tenacity and drive. Despite not being able to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, both Lee and Guy had reached incredible heights with taijutsu alone. But he knew they had the potential to go even further.
Beside him, Anon stood silently, his eyes scanning the entire training field, picking up on the subtle energies at play. Void energy rippled faintly in the air, but there was a deeper, more powerful force just waiting to be tapped into—time energy.
Ryusei spoke, breaking the silence between them. "Lee and Guy have the spirit and power to push their limits, but they're still suffering from the damage caused by opening the gates. What if we could change that?"
Anon nodded, his eyes never leaving the two taijutsu masters. "If they learn to harness both void and time energy, they could negate the damage, even while using the most dangerous of their techniques. It's risky, but they're capable."
Without another word, Ryusei and Anon leapt down into the training grounds, landing lightly on their feet just as Lee and Guy paused in their sparring. Guy turned to them, his usual wide grin stretching across his face.
"Ryusei! Anon!" Guy's voice boomed with excitement. "What brings you to the youthful training grounds today?"
Lee wiped the sweat from his brow, a look of admiration on his face as he saw Ryusei and Anon. "We've been pushing our limits, but to what do we owe the honor of your visit?"
Ryusei smiled softly, his eyes locking on Lee's determined face. "We've been watching your progress, and it's impressive. But I think you're both ready to take the next step."
Guy raised an eyebrow, still grinning but clearly curious. "Next step? We've already mastered opening the Eight Gates. What more could there be?"
Anon stepped forward, his voice calm and serious. "The Gates are powerful, but they take a toll on your body. What if we told you there was a way to negate the damage—allowing you to open the gates without suffering the consequences?"
Lee's eyes widened, his heart pounding at the thought. "Negate the damage? Is that even possible?"
Ryusei nodded. "It is. If you can learn to harness both void and time energy, you can control the flow of time within your own body. That means, when you open the Gates, you can prevent the damage by manipulating the time around your cells, reversing the wear and tear as it happens."
Guy blinked, his grin faltering for the first time. "Time energy? I've heard of it, but I never imagined it could be used like that."
Anon crossed his arms. "Void energy works differently. It can bend space around you, allowing you to avoid attacks entirely, but more importantly, it can allow you to minimize the physical strain on your body when performing high-impact techniques."
Ryusei took a step closer to Lee, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've already mastered the physical side of things, Lee. You've pushed your body to its limits and beyond. Now, you need to learn to control the space and time around you."
Lee's eyes gleamed with determination. "I'll do it. I'll learn whatever it takes to become stronger!"
Guy, always full of enthusiasm, clenched his fists, his grin returning full force. "Of course we will! The power of youth never stops growing! If you think we can take our taijutsu to the next level, then count us in!"
Ryusei and Anon exchanged a glance before Ryusei gestured to the side of the training field. "Follow us. We'll begin your training."
At the Edge of the Training Grounds
The four of them stood in an isolated part of the field, away from the other shinobi. Ryusei and Anon stood opposite Lee and Guy, their expressions serious as they prepared to teach techniques that went beyond anything Lee and Guy had ever encountered.
Ryusei held out his hand, a soft glow of energy forming around it. "First, you need to feel it. The energy of time flows all around us, but it's subtle. You have to focus. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and sense the flow of time within yourself."
Lee and Guy exchanged glances but followed Ryusei's instructions without question. They closed their eyes, their breathing slowing as they focused on the sensations in their bodies. At first, there was nothing, just the usual hum of chakra within them. But then, after a few moments, Lee felt something—a faint, almost imperceptible rhythm, like the ticking of a clock inside his own cells.
"I… I can feel it," Lee whispered, his eyes still closed. "It's faint, but it's there."
Guy, too, felt the strange flow of energy within him. "This… this is incredible!"
Anon nodded. "That's the flow of time within your body. It's always there, but most people aren't aware of it. Once you learn to control it, you'll be able to reverse the damage caused by opening the Gates."
Ryusei stepped forward, his voice steady. "Now, focus on that flow. Imagine it moving backward, reversing. Feel the cells in your body rejuvenating, healing."
Lee's brow furrowed in concentration. He could feel the flow of time within him, but controlling it was another matter. He imagined the energy reversing, imagined the strain on his body easing, the damage from his past battles being undone. It was difficult, but slowly, he began to sense a change—a subtle easing of the tension in his muscles, a lightness that hadn't been there before.
"I… I think it's working," Lee said, his voice filled with awe.
Guy, ever the optimist, was already smiling. "Amazing! To think we can control the very flow of time within our own bodies!"
Anon watched them carefully. "Now, let's try something more advanced. Once you've mastered controlling time within yourself, you'll need to combine it with void energy. This will allow you to not only negate damage but to avoid it entirely by bending the space around you."
Ryusei demonstrated, his hand moving through the air as he manipulated both time and void energy. The space around his hand warped slightly, bending as though reality itself was shifting. "Void energy allows you to manipulate space. When combined with time energy, you can dodge attacks at the last possible moment, even when they seem impossible to avoid."
Lee's eyes were wide with excitement. "I'll master this, I swear!"
Guy nodded enthusiastically, his fists clenched with determination. "Yes! With these techniques, we'll become stronger than ever! The power of youth will burn even brighter!"
Ryusei and Anon exchanged a knowing glance. The excitement in Lee and Guy's eyes was unmistakable, but they knew the road ahead would be difficult. Still, if anyone could push beyond their limits, it was these two.
Ryusei smiled softly. "Let's begin."
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票