MTLNOVEL Chapter 28
My training had finally begun. The first steps? To refine my body and learn how to fight properly.
Tetsu was different — a Hyuuga who fought with swords, yet was extremely skilled at it.
A jounin with a youthful appearance, always relaxed.
He certainly hid tricks and abilities I couldn't even imagine.
Our first day of training was a one-on-one fight — but with one small detail that couldn't be overlooked.
"You're going to fight blindfolded, Riku," Tetsu said.
"Blindfolded?! How am I supposed to fight like that? That doesn't make any sense..." I muttered.
"No complaining. I want to see how you do. Also, jutsus are off-limits for now."
I admit I was a little stressed, but I still trusted his judgment. So I blindfolded myself and got ready to begin.
The battlefield was silent. Now without sight, my other senses became sharper.
"Listen to my footsteps and follow my voice. That's the only advice I'll give. I'm starting now."
As soon as Tetsu said that, he started moving — approaching silently.
It was almost impossible to tell where he was. I had never been in a situation where I couldn't see my opponent — at least not one I hadn't stumbled into by accident.
I remembered the times when Itachi and Danzou used the barriers I had created to ambush me. I took several hits then.
One, two... four... six... ten hits in a row that I couldn't block.
My passive ability >Battle Instinct< activated each time — but always a fraction of a second too late.
I started to get frustrated with the situation.
"Nice skill, huh, system? It's completely useless."
"You're still thinking, aren't you?" Tetsu said, his voice now behind me.
I turned just in time to take another hit — this one to the gut. I doubled over, spitting from the impact.
"Clear your mind if you want to 'predict' my attacks. Or don't — getting smacked around a bit isn't so bad, is it?" he said. Even without seeing him, I knew he was smiling.
I decided to try following his advice — but not before taking several more hits.
[Battle Instinct activated.]
[You've been hit. Damage received.]
[Battle Instinct activated.]
[You've been hit. Damage taken.]
[Battle Instinct activated.]
[You've been hit. Damage taken.]
Those notifications were more annoying than helpful — but I had to push past them or keep playing punching bag.
"You keep thinking," he said. "Clear your mind," he said. "This is way harder than it looks, sensei."
So I started breathing deeply, focusing on every sound around me.
I had only recently started meditating — I knew what to do, I just couldn't do it.
But when I finally managed to ignore the pain and stay focused, I began to perceive the battlefield differently.
Tetsu came at me again, ready to strike — but this time, I felt the wind shift just before he reached me. And then, in my mind, I saw a clear image of my sensei.
[Battle Instinct activated.]
[You blocked an attack.]
[You blocked an attack.]
[You blocked an attack!]
It was a relief to hear those notifications — and an even bigger relief to feel like I had made real progress.
I instinctively took off the blindfold, proud of myself for blocking the attacks — and promptly got punched in the nose, falling flat on my back.
"Ouch..." I put my hand on my nose.
"Oops, sorry! Congratulations, Riku. After taking quite a beating, you finally managed to defend some of my blows. What did you do differently?" Tetsu said.
"I... thank you. Well, I started focusing on my surroundings, feeling the wind before your attacks, and reacting in time," I said, taking my hand off my nose and starting to get up.
"Interesting way to figure out my next moves. Now put the blindfold back on — let's continue training," Tetsu smiled.
'You're not helping me like you, sensei...' I thought, grumbling a little as I returned to training.
*
In the hours that followed, I continued training blindfolded. This time, I managed to dodge and block many of Tetsu's blows, and I also began to predict where the next attacks would come from.
The Battle Instinct was an extremely useful skill, but to master it, I first needed to improve both my physical and mental abilities.
Tetsu's advice was also essential to my improvement during training.
When we finally stopped, I was drenched in sweat, blood, and bruises, while Tetsu had only a few scratches from my counterattacks.
I was breathing heavily, exhausted.
"I think that's enough for today, Riku. Let's eat," my sensei said.
I nodded, excited to finally eat, and we headed to Yakiniku Q. While we were eating, Tetsu asked me how my battle with Danzou had gone.
I told him everything in detail, but I also embellished the story and my achievements a little. It was important to show I was a great ninja.
He smiled at the end, but remained silent.
"Is something wrong, sensei?" I asked, confused by his behavior.
"You remind me a lot of a former teammate," he said.
"What was he like?"
"Ah, her name is Anko. We haven't spoken in years — she's on an important mission. Your attitude and your taste for spicy food are a bit like hers," he said, continuing to eat.
'Wait... He was on Anko's team?! That means...'
"And who was your sensei?" I asked while eating a piece of meat, trying to hide my curiosity.
"Orochimaru, one of the Sannin," Tetsu replied calmly.
My heart raced.
"You were trained by Orochimaru?!" I said, raising my voice.
"Keep your voice down, Riku!" he said, glancing toward the curtain that separated our dining area. "People around here don't like that name very much..."
"I-I know..." I lowered my voice. "I just didn't expect you to have trained with him. I mean, the guy's a legend, right?"
"Yeah... And he also did a lot of bad things. No wonder he's being hunted for deserting Konoha. What do you think of the meat here? It's kind of dry..." he said, trying to change the subject.
I understood it wasn't a comfortable topic for him, so I changed the subject too. But it lingered in my mind.
'My sensei was one of Orochimaru's students...'
*
[System Activated: Character Information]
[Basic Information]
Name: Senju Riku
Age: 13
Innate Ability: Mokuton
Ninja Rank: Genin
Level: 13
[Attributes]
Strength: 20
Agility: 19
Intelligence: 25
Endurance: 22
Chakra Control: 28
Chakra: 380/380
Stamina: 300/300
HP: 300/300
EXP: 5300/6200
Available Attribute Points: 0
Technique Points: 0
[Active Techniques]
Mokuton: Contained Root
Mokuton: Wooden Stakes
Mokuton: Wooden Prison
Mokuton: Defensive Sprout
Mokuton: Great Forest Technique
Mokuton: Wooden Clone
Mokuton: Birth of the World of Trees
Mokuton: Root Sensing Technique
Suiton: Water Palm
Suiton: Water Arrows
Suiton: Spiral Current
Doton: Stone Skin
[New Techniques Obtained!]
Suiton: Spiral Current
Description: Creates a dense, sharp spiral of water that spins around Riku's body and can be fired to cut, push, or deflect projectiles. Can be shaped like a whip or fired in a straight line.
[Unlocked Systemic Abilities]
Strategic Analysis (Active)
Description: Allows for a quick and tactical read of the environment, enemies, or social situations. Displays contextual data based on your attributes and history.
Battle Instinct (Passive)
Description: Your body has developed an automatic response to unexpected threats. Whenever Riku is surprised, the first defensive or evasive action may be automatic, even without conscious command.
....
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