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-Konoha, year 28-
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*Dip*
*Dip*
*Dip*
In an underground tunnel system, Ryoichi was walking alongside a man in black attire and an Oni mask. As they walked, Ryoichi slowly observed the manmade tunnel carefully, the rhythmic sound of water drops and dim light coming from the torches on the wall reminded Ryoichi of dungeons from video games.
"Can you now explain what my training entails," Ryoichi spoke, breaking the silence that has been maintained since they left the Hokage office.
"Your training has two phases," Oni replied, his voice sounding hoarse like someone who has screamed nonstop for months.
"The first phase will cover all the basic education and Genin-level Shinobi training. Basic education in geographical areas of Elemental Nations and its history, their language dialects so you can blend better with the environment. You will also learn about their Rulers and their relationship with Konoha, and lastly, basic mathematics which you have to improve as you grow as a Shinobi.
"I can see the need for other subjects but why mathematics?" Ryoichi questioned as he grimaced internally, maths was his least favourite subject in his previous life.
The masked Anbu didn't reply to Ryoichi's question, instead, he tossed a bunch of kunai into the air, and after they reached some distance, he threw another one. The last kunai collided with others at seemingly random, each time its speed and velocity increased, and its direction changed, at the end of its random collision it was at least 10 times faster than it was originally thrown.
Ryoichi watched the kunai coming in his direction in slow motion. He tried to dodge it, but his body was too slow compared to his senses. Just as the kunai was going to penetrate his left eye, a hand suddenly appeared in his view and caught it, leaving Ryoichi astonished at both the speed of the kunai and the Oni's hand.
One thought crossed Ryoichi's mind after looking at Oni's speed.
'So mother wasn't using her full speed to steal my dango?'
"That's why mathematics are important… they are needed for not only high-level Shurinkin-jutsu but also for high-speed combat. They are good for sharpening your calculative abilities."
"Yeah…" Ryoichi nodded dumbly as they continued walking.
Ryoichi waited for Oni to continue and explained the second phase, but he didn't, instead he led Ryoichi deeper into the tunnel, taking random turns once every while.
Seeing the Oni having no intention of talking, Ryoichi questioned again. "What is the second part?"
But even after Ryoichi questioned the masked Anbu, he didn't get any response which made him repeat the question.
After hearing Ryoichi's question again, Oni stopped walking and turned around, facing Ryoichi who also stopped walking.
Ryoichi saw Oni's emotionless eyes scanning him carefully through the two eye holes.
"Second phase…" The masked Anbu spoke in his ever-broken voice.
"It will be true Anbu training where you will learn advanced stealth, information gathering, tracking, and sensing. You will learn to use poison and how to detoxify them, same with the human body and medical ninjutsu, you need to learn them to know the best way to "subdue" and heal yourself and your allies. You will also need to learn how to get information out of the captured enemies. And lastly you'll learn to handle interrogation both on yourself and others, we'll also build your poison and pain resistance during this part."
Ryoichi's expression didn't change outwardly, but inside there was turmoil. He was fine with most of the second phase, but torturing. As much as the thought of torturing other humans leaves a bad taste in his mouth, he's more scared of the fact what would happen after it.
Ryoichi knows how scary his mental adaptation could be. He who had never even hurt a stray dog, took only mere hours to get used to killing animals and butchering them. So he knows that getting used of "butchering" humans will also not take that long.
"Honestly kid…" Oni spoke again, breaking Ryoichi's line of thoughts. For a moment Ryoichi saw a flash of pity passing through the Anbu's emotionless eyes as he continued.
"…I don't know what Lord Second is thinking by bringing a child here, but remember this training has broken even battle-hardened Shinobi's much less a child barely reaching my waist…"
"…I'm aware…"
"Then let's go"
Ryoichi and Oni resumed their walk, taking random turns in every few seconds. Ryoichi noticed the whole tunnel system was covered with unknown sealing Justsu that hindered senses, even Haki was having a problem sensing anything.
But Even if he was having problems with mapping the whole tunnel system with his senses, he didn't care because he clearly remembered every step he had taken since entering here and could trace them back perfectly.
After walking for another 10 minutes they reached a big hall that was guarded by two masked Anbus.
"We're here…" Oni muttered making Ryoichi nod. Ryoichi counted the time it took them to reach here, around 30 minutes- 28 minutes and a few seconds to be exact. He doubted the tunnel system was this long.
'Probably Oni took me through the longest root. This tunnel system is like a maze with multiple entrances and exits, each probably with a different purpose.'
"Ohh! Oni-san you're here and you even brought a guest!" Said an Anbu that appeared out of nowhere.
Rhoichi scanned the Fox-masked Anbu carefully, his cheerful voice and excited body language spooked Ryoichi, especially in this gloomy environment.
It's normal for people to turn cold after going through cruel training like Anbu's, but this guy not only seems normal but also laughing excitedly.
'He's either broken or just ba-joker shit crazy?'
"Fox… this is the one Lord Second talked about. You will be training him." Oni replied while pushing Ryoichi towards Fox. Ryoichi can see even Oni was keeping a distance from this Fox guy.
"Wow~ such a cute boy~ I hope he doesn't brake too quickly, mmhh!" Fox said with a moan.
'Is this guy a perve-' Ryoichi's thought got interrupted by Fox who Shunshinned behind him and hugged him!
'He's fast!!!' Ryoichi thought while getting lifted by Fox.
"Let's go Ryo-chan~ we need to test your skills hehe~"
Fox Shunshinned Ryoichi to a training ground and asked him to fight him without holding back.
"Ryo-chan~ don't hold back Oni-chan needs to know your level to properly train you, okay?~"
"Got it…"
"Here I come Ryo-chan~," Fox said playfully before dashing towards Ryoichi. His speed was fast, but it was enough for elite Academy students to react.
Ryoichi's months of muscle memory kicked in as he instinctively used the first kata of basic Taijutsu which was very similar to Karate's first kata.
Ryoichi's left hand blocked Fox's punch while his right was already near Fox's face, his feet also taking a proper stance, squeezing as much power as possible from his small body.
Fox easily caught Ryoichi's punch and sunk his knees in Ryoichi's stomach making his lungs release air in them.
"Kaaahh!!!"
Ryoichi landed a few meters away from Fox and tried to breathe desperately.
"Ara~ is that all you can do Ryo-chan, If that really is the case, Oni-chan will be really disappointed~"
'Fuck! Who is this Hisoka x Joker shit, agh!'
With pain assaulting his body and Fox's taunting affecting his mind, Ryoichi lunged at Fox again only to be mercilessly kicked back to his original location.
"Ya know Ryo-chan~ Lord Second praised you quite a lot, but I don't really know what he saw in you. I know dozens of Uchiha and Hyuga kids better than you." Fox taunted again, making Ryoichi recklessly lunge again.
Fox audibly sighed at the sight before kicking Ryoichi again, but this time his kick didn't connect Instead Ryoichi rotated his body mid-movement with inhumane dexterity and turned it into a round kick which also made Fox's kick sail past him.
Ryoichi's kick almost connected, but Fox Shunshinned back at the last moment.
"Interesting, interesting, interesting! That last moment dodge, that body control, and not to mention you followed the same pattern to catch me off guard, mmhh Ryo-chan such a naughty boy~" Fox analysed and charged again, this time with Genin level speed. But to Fox's surprise, Ryoichi dodged his kick with little to no movements.
Fox delivered furry of attacks only for Ryoichi to dodge or block them all easily. Wanting to see how much more the kid could take Fox increased his speed abruptly, catching Ryoichi off guard, but he still managed to tilt his body and avoid the attack from a hair breath.
Ryoichi and Fox went for a couple of minutes before Ryoichi started showing signs of fatigue.
Although his blank face didn't displayed any, Ryoichi was having a skull-splitting headache from abusing his bullet time.
He ignored his condition and engaged Fox again, aiming to at least land a blow on the Anbu who was suppressing his power.
Fox on the other hand was impressed, he was using a speed where even new Genins would not last long, but a barely four years was dodging and blocking his attack, and if any managed to get past the kid's guards he shrugged them off despite grimace that appears on his face.
Fox was impressed with the kid's tenaciousness and reflexes but what impressed him most was his learning speed. Ryoichi was never repeating the same mistake twice and was learning his own attack pattern, even if he was using basic Taijutsu. The only way he could defeat the boy is to overwhelm him with either speed or strength.
He can also overwhelm him through his sheer experience. After all, no matter how fast the kid learns he can't overcome the gap of decades of experience in a single spar.
"Nice, nice, nice show me more~" Fox laughed madly as he attacked Ryoichi with an even faster speed that was too much for Ryoichi to handle.
Fox tricked Ryoichi with a faint and landed a solid kick on him only for Ryoichi to burst into smoke.
"A log? A no-sign Substitution Jutsu!" Fox muttered when suddenly his instinct screamed. He quickly rotated his body and letting a Chakra-coated kunai sail past his neck.
"How? I've never seen someone doing Substitution Jutsu without hand signs!" Fox said as he wiped the trickle of blood coming from his neck.
Fox didn't get much time to think as Ryoichi lunged at him again, resuming the fight. And as the fight continued Fox started to get irritated. He can't comprehend how an opponent who's not even Genin level fighting him on that level? Yes, he's not using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu even his Taijutsu is at a basic level, but still, all his physical capabilities are suppressed to peak Genin level at this moment. Even Sharingan users can't fight this big gap, or else their Senju clan would have conquered long ago.
Amidst all his thinking and irritation, Fox made a small mistake which was so small that even new Chunin wouldn't notice, but Reyoichi caught it and made Fox lose balance with a low ankle kick, and launched a punch towards the misbalanced Anbu.
But Ryoichi's strained brain forgot Fox was a Jonin and an elite one who even completed the Anbu training. So, a punch landed on his stomach completely knocking both the air and consciousness out of him.
"…"
"What a monster… don't you think Oni-san"
"Yeah…" Oni's hoarse sounded as he appeared beside Fox.
"But how are you gonna explain this to his mother."
"Ahh! You mean that klutz?"
"The very same "klutz" who ruthlessly rejected your proposal during clan training days."
"Cruel! Oni-san~ reminding me of those embarrassing days."
"Anyways just place the kid in his bed since Ayame should still be at work"
"Thank you Oni-san you're the best~" Fox exclaimed as he tried to hug Oni only for a sharp sword to stop him.
"If you try to touch me again I'll cut your arms…"
"…che! You're no fun~"
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[AN: If you want to read more go to my Patr*on/41_Claws. There are 10+ advance unedited chapters on it…]
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