....Jin wasn't selected. He was depressed, the academy Year started and Shin and all the others, were going through special training, in the village training grounds. Jin's father said, 'So you didn't get selected, so what? Jin, this is only a chance to show everyone that you're not weak. Join the academy with all the other students. If they think you don't have what it takes to be special, show them wrong by perfecting your basics. Learn with full dedication, and the WILL TO WIN!!'
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Listening to his father's words, Jin got motivated to start training.....the whole year he trained in basics at the academy, with full dedication and underwent many promotions. Just in a year, he was at a level, where the only test left for him to pass was the one for the special training. He took the exam, and once again he failed in the last round. The next year, he tried again but to no success, he failed again at the final round...
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By this, Shin and the others had been training with Ryo sensei for Three years and had gotten much stronger. Dissapointed in himself, one fateful day, Jin was wandering out of the village, in the woods, he kept walking until he finally came up to a river. At the river, he saw an old man, somewhere around in his 50's, he saw that the man seemed to want to cross the river, but the bridge was broken...
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.....He said with a firm voice, ' Old man, do you need help?' . The old man replied by saying, ' That's nice of you to ask young man, here, take my bag. He threw his bag over to Jin. Jin, even though he caught in mid air, fell hard to the ground. He had never expected a man so old to be carrying something as heavy as that bag around.
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He picked the bag up and asked the old man, ' What are you even carrying in this bag, old man? '. The old man said, ' Hmm, oh, nothing much, just a little stuff for food and some things for house repairs. I hope it's not too heavy for you!!!!'. Jin carried his bag by wearing it so that it would, hang from his shoulders on resting on his belly. He asked the old man to hop on his back, and crossed the river slow and steady....
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The moment he reached the other side, the old man said, ' Thank you, young man, not many people would have done that in order to help me.' Jin, already depressed, mumbled to himself, ' Sure, I am useless any other way, so !!!' The old man, kind of understood his mumbling and said, 'Something wrong?'
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Jin said ' It's nothing.....it's not like you would understand!!' The old man said, 'Try me!!'. Jin told him everything that had happened, in detail. He also added, ' I'm 15, while the selected few are only 13!! It's a shame!!', the old man heard him and replied ' Nonsense, age doesn't matter, it's talent that determines strength.'
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Jin: So you're saying I have no talent!!
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Old man: You're taking it the wrong way!! I'm saying you think you don't have talent.
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Jin: Alright then, tell me old man, what is my talent!!!
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Old man: You will know when the time comes.....ahh, there it is, my home. Thank you so much Young man. Listen, pay attention to the smallest qualities of yours and the most eminent one will be your talent.....alright then, hope you have a good night.
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Jin was confused at what the old man just said, he went home wondering, about the advice given to him by the old man. Next morning he came to the same river, in hopes of finding the old man!! And he did. He wanted to ask him what he meant, so he decided to help the Old man get to his home again, the bag was again very heavy, but he didn't care.
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On the way, when he placed his question in front of the old man, the old man said, 'All in good time, young man, all in good time.'
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.This kept going on for a month. Finally, one day, on the way, Jin snapped!! He said that, 'I can't take it anymore, old man!!! I need you to tell me what my talent is!!!!'. The old man said, 'Really!!!?? You still haven't figured it out yet!! You complicate things too much boy, pay attention to little things, look at it this way, you've been helping me get home since a whole month, everyday, in hopes that you can you will find the answer. You carry such wait on your shoulders to help me, without complaining!!....
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.....Still don't get it, do you? (old man strikes Jin on his head) Foolish little boy, the answer is .....
. . . THE WILL . . . .
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...It's your will to win, that's your talent!!'
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Jin: Are you kidding me? That sounds useless!! A mere quality cannot be taken as a talent!!!
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Old man: What do you mean?
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Jin I have been trying for 3 years straight to meditate and be able to pass heat through my hands, and I have failed, again and again!!
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Old man: Passing heat through your hands!! I thought they taught you ninjutsu in the village, well, whatever if you think mere will is not enough to be called a talent!! WATCH THIS!!
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.....The old man ran towards the river with inhuman speed and jumped from this side to the other side of the river....
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. Jin was shocked by what he just saw. The old man said, ' Well, if you wish to learn anything from me, feel free to follow me to the house, you know the address right!!??