If I thought that the last day was exhausting... Well, the next one was worse. Kabuto-san made my morning miserable when he put me to run three miles without using chakra, as a warm-up. The situation got even more complicated when he added his chakra blades to our fight. My fighting skill improved a bit, I wasn't hurt at all at the end of our training. I used his advice and tried to find a pattern in his fighting style, and I did. Even though he added those chakra blades, I used what I learned from Kimimaro-kun and managed to be an acceptable taijutsu user. Even Kabuto-san congratulated me.
Orochimaru-sama has been even worse than Kabuto-san. I trained with him countless hours, perfecting my air bullets from all points of view. I succeeded to make sixteen bullets and launched them twelve meters away. Orochimaru-sama seemed satisfied with my development. He taught me about the Wind Release: Breakthrough too. I've been so excited when he demonstrated the jutsu. I could use that trick for short-range too. Anyway, he showed me the signs, and demonstrated how that gust of wind that came out from his mouth, was able to destroy an entire wall. That was awesome, but I couldn't do it from the first try. The same annoying breeze that came out on the first day, was bothering me again. It was stronger than the first time, but not the right thing. When I succeeded to make it half as big and powerful as his, he left me free.
After such training, I skipped lunch and went straight to bed. I was out of chakra and restoring it was necessary in order to be able to train with Kimimaro-kun.
It felt like only two minutes passed when Kimimaro-kun came to take me. It was hard to leave that warm and comfy bed, but I had to. I dragged my legs to that meadow, carrying the katana, which Kimimaro-kun chose for the training. I was still sleepy, but nothing in the world could make me lose to him today. I wanted him to praise me too.
Unfortunately, he tormented me with 50 push-ups, 50 squats, 50 crunches, and 50 chin-ups. I bet he had a lot of fun seeing my 'excited' face.
"Good. The warm-up is done. Now, if you are able to remain on your feet during our sparring, I'll teach you swordsmanship."
I sighed inwardly. He gave me a hard challenge, but I had to do it. As I said, I wanted to be praised by him. All I had to do was to stay on my feet.
I took my fighting stance, weighing my options. As I noticed, he was the offensive type. He was attacking directly and with amazing speed. Only a smart trick could help me to avoid his attacks because winning the fight was out of question.
I was lucky that he wasn't using his Kekkei-Genkai yet, so I defended myself as much as I could. I figured that he was so focused on me, so the best trick would be to use some clones or substitutions. I will use something that Hayato-sensei taught me. I made three shadow clones and used a substitution jutsu right after that. I substituted myself with a flock of butterflies behind some trees, masking my chakra as much as I could. While he fought my clones, I threw some shurikens in his direction and when he was aware of them coming, he destroyed my clones and used one of his bones as a kunai, trying to dodge the shurikens.
But to his surprise, I weaved the right signs and used Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu. The shurikens multiplied and he couldn't dodge all of them, which made him end up with his sleeves ripped and three deep wounds, two on his right arm and one on his left cheek. When I saw the blood, I ran to him panicked. What took me by surprise, was the fact that I didn't realize how and when, but I was put on the ground and immobilized. The time passed, but he didn't seem to realize. He kept me captive there further, glancing at me with those emerald orbs.
"Kimimaro-kun? Can... you let go of me?"
"You lost." He said, with a sudden smile. "But I have to admit, I am impressed. You did very well."
"Thank you. And I'm sorry. Are you alright?"
"What are you sorry about?" He asked, confused.
"I hurt you. You're bleeding."
He started to laugh, and it was such a pleasing sound.
"Just some scratches, Mikura. I don't expect any kind of mercy when we spar, because I won't show mercy either. As long as we don't hurt each other for real, everything will be fine."
"OK. Got it."
"Now that we still have time, I may show you how to use that katana." He said, giving me the warmest smile I've ever seen.
"But I lost..."
"So what? I changed my mind."
"OK..."
I took the katana, feeling a bit uneasy because of the sharpness of its blade. What if I'll hurt him? Tsch! Like I will ever manage to touch him with it. I wasn't sure how should I hold it in my hands. At least it wasn't heavy.
Kimimaro-kun made his own katana using one of his bones, and with all the patience in the world, he showed me how to hold it, how to defend myself with it, and how to attack. It wasn't easy at all, and I was quite disappointed by my lack of natural skill. I was aware that I couldn't master swordsmanship from the beginning, but I truly felt that it wasn't for me. That was not my weapon.
He told me to try an attack, and I did. I was defeated in a blink of an eye. The tip of his bone-katana was an inch away from my neck, and my katana was somewhere around us, probably a few meters away. I gulped, forgetting about my miserable fail when my gaze got locked on his piercing emerald orbs. He was so beautiful in his fight mode. Those dangerous and intense eyes, his gracefully moves, his powerful attacks. He was so... deadly.
"If you'll keep staring at me like that, I'll have to do something about it, Mikura." He said in a serious tone.
"W-what?" I asked confused and a bit scared.
"Just kidding." He said with a faint smile.
I sighed in relief, and he told me to try again. And I failed countless times. His strikes were just too strong and precise, while mine were just missing the target or countered. That was simply annoying, a thing that made me use a little more power than I intended. Anyway, it was in vain. My chakra level was low, my body started to disobey me and he noticed that too. I've been so damn happy when he said that we were done. All I wanted to do was to get some sleep.
I skipped dinner; I wasn't hungry at all. He scolded me because of my poor nutrition, but I managed to escape. I couldn't stand his presence anymore, not even for a second. I needed to clear my mind because he managed to intoxicate it somehow, and I couldn't understand what was happening to me, not even one bit. I felt like I have been cut by a poisonous kunai or something.
While I was in the shower, I started to realize that I was acting like a fool about everything that happened. I wasn't in the position to get distracted by such confusing and probably trivial things. I was preparing to become a real ninja - and I have been doing it from the begging, even if I didn't realize it when I was at the old hideout - but now it was serious, not just some child's play. Orochimaru-sama had some expectations from me, and I had expectations too. I had to become strong and useful. I had to make Orochimaru-sama proud. And that was my only purpose and dream, at least for now.
***
Said and done, I focused on my training with all I had. In the next five months, I managed to improve my ninjutsu and learned some new techniques. I mastered the Air Bullets and the Breakthrough, being able to do them almost like Orochimaru-sama. I learned Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, which was strong enough to be compared with a real hurricane, but mine wasn't perfect yet. I also learned easier techniques, like Blade of Wind - which consists of emitting chakra from fingertips, creating an invisible sword out of wind; Rotating Shuriken - by infusing wind-natured chakra into shuriken, the user can make them spin, as well as control them in the air; and Wind Cutter Technique - where the user can create one to several blades of wind, which are capable of slicing through their target with ease.
Speaking of blades, I got a bit better with that damn katana, but archery was definitely my thing, so I gave up on swordsmanship. When I tried it for the first time, it has been bad. Very bad. But after the days I've spent trying to hit different targets in different conditions, I got a lot better. With that one, I was advancing fast. I trained so hard, that I was able to hit a target from fifty meters away. Not in a vital point, but it was well so far.
My taijutsu got better too. After increasing my speed, stamina, and strength with a lot of exercises, weights lifting, running, climbing trees, huge rocks, and walking on my hands without using chakra, I became a skilled fighter. Kabuto-san couldn't defeat me that easy anymore. Even Kimimaro-kun had some issues, but he was something else. He was skilled, gifted, he had such a natural talent.
Well, enough with spacing out. It was about the time to train with Orochimaru-sama, so I prepared myself as fast as I could and ran to him. I was greeted by his usual wide smile and his winding moves.
"Mikura-chan, just in time."
I smiled at him, thinking that he became dear to me somehow. The way he was calling me 'Mikura-chan' gave me a warm feeling in my chest. That made me feel like I wasn't lonely. I mean, I always felt lonely at the old hideout, even though I had my senseis and Ren-kun. Being raised there as an orphan, without knowing anything about myself made me feel like that. But since I moved to the current hideout, I started to feel at home. I felt like they were my family. Orochimaru-sama was like a parent somehow, he seemed interested in what I was doing in my free time, and was very kind and patient with me. Kimimaro-kun... well, he was like a big brother, but the way I felt when I was looking at him was anyhow, but not brotherly. He was serious and cold sometimes, but only when we fought. Otherwise, his presence was soothing and comforting. And he was really good looking. And I should stop.
Kabuto-san, on the other hand, was way colder and... uninvolved emotionally. He really seemed emotionless sometimes. But he was nice to me, so it did not matter.
"Very well, Mikura." He said, awakening me from my reverie.
We did a bit of recap today, and it seemed that I was at my max level with all the learned techniques.
"Now, there is something I want to discuss with you." He said, taking me by surprise.
"Yes, sure."
"I will leave this hideout tomorrow."
I widened my eyes. He'll... leave?
"I want you to stay here a couple of weeks, and keep training with Kimimaro-kun. After everything is settled, you both will come too and I shall test your skills."
"But Orochimaru-sama... where are you going?"
"Don't worry, Mikura-chan." He said putting a hand on my shoulder. "You'll like our new home. That's all I can tell you now."
"OK. Then I'll work a lot till then."
"That's exactly what I'm expecting from you. Till we see each other again, take care and remember that you can count on Kimimaro-kun for everything."
"All right. Have a safe trip, Orochimaru-sama."
OK, I wasn't expecting that. I just got used to this place, and I'll be leaving again. But I really trusted Orochimaru-sama, and if he says that I'm going to like the new home, then I will for sure.
I went back to my room, waiting for something to happen. I sat on the bed, looking at the ceiling. I started to get impatient and nervous. With Orochimaru-sama and Kabuto-san gone, I will spend a lot of time with Kimimaro-kun. That was good and bad at the same time.
I tossed and turned in my bed, tired of waiting. What in the world was he doing? I really needed some books to read and some sketchbooks to draw in, or I'll go insane. But for now, all I could do was to go to sleep.