Chapter 2
Endure
The most brutal lessons in the academy were the taijutsu. It would happen only once a week for the new students, at least for now. Utakata quickly grasped the ideology of Mist's standard taijutsu. It was brutal and offensive. Aside from basic blocking, the instructor didn't teach anything else on defense. To them, the best defense is an offense.
The instructor told them to aim for vital body parts—eyes, neck, kidneys, heart, and so on. Once the introduction was done, the instructor paired them and let them have it at each other. Utakata thought that the instructor took much pleasure in this lesson. Fifteen kids from Mist's clans or shinobi families were in the class. That meant that fifteen unlucky kids would be paired with them.
Utakata didn't understand at first why the instructor would put kids with no training and malnourished bodies against children who had lived along the shinobi arts for all their lives. Even if they weren't good, the difference was too big. It didn't take long for Utakata to understand why. He and the rest were dummies for these kids to test their skills. They were moving and breathing dummies.
Utakata wasn't as lucky as kids from wealthier families, who wouldn't fight the bigger kids or orphans who fought against other orphans. But at least he didn't have to spar with someone from the Hoshigaki clan. They were still kids, but their bodies were made differently. Possessing fish attributes made them stronger. Their skin was thicker, and they were cruel kids who showed no sign of compassion.
Then there were Hozuki clan members with flexible bodies, making it almost impossible to hurt them. At least they weren't as strong and had powerful bodies as others, yet, as they were too young, but it didn't matter because nobody could even defend against them, so there was no hope for someone able to hit them.
And there was the Karatachi clan. They were more normal than the other founder clans of the Mist. What they lacked with unique attributes, they compensated with excellent skills. They weren't brutal and sadistic, but their efficiently made quick work of others. Utakata was on receiving end of one of their members. At least his spar ended fast and didn't leave any lasting wounds.
Other kids have gotten quite a few nasty bruises. The instructor didn't care how much force they directed in their hits as long as nothing was broken. At least, that is what Utakata hoped was the limit of the injuries they could receive. Otherwise, the other limit would be until nobody died from the spars; everything was allowed. Utakata really didn't like when the instructors were so unclear.
Maybe it was good luck, or perhaps the instructor cared and didn't let anyone break their bones for a month Utakata had spent in the academy. Only three more kids were gone that month, leaving the class with forty-two students. Utakata has finally gained some weight and wasn't looking like he only had bones supporting his skin. So, there was that.
As much as Utakata didn't like the physical training and its brutality, the other lessons started to pick up Utakata's attention. Apart from history and trying to brainwash kids, there were lessons about tactics, ninjutsu, genjutsu theories, and survival skills that the instructors would teach them. Utakata learned quite a bit from these lessons, and it was only a month since he started to study.
The food didn't get better, but Utakata more than enjoyed everything he was given. Ultimately, he had nothing to complain about and continued to struggle with the training. With eyes set on his goal to survive and live a better life, he endured everything thrown at him. Would it be exhausting stamina training, brutal beating in sparring, or long hours learning about Mist's history from quite a biased instructor, it didn't matter. Utakata endured it all.
"Hey, Utakata," Jin got Utakata's attention as they ate dinner after physical training. "Are we getting stronger?"
"I think so," Utakata answered.
"I don't feel stronger," Jin said. "No matter how hard I try, I never managed to hit my opponent in sparing. I wonder if I will ever be able."
"We are sparring with kids from shinobi clans, Jin," Utakata replied calmly. "It will take more than a month to be able to fight them on the same terms."
"Will we last that much?" Jin asked. "I don't think I can go on for much longer."
"Eat," Utakata responded with a calm voice. "A little more, and your body will get used to the training. Then we can stand head to head with these kids."
"I hope so," Jin mumbled as he finished his food.
Utakata saw that Jin was forcing himself to eat, maybe because he got a nasty bruise last week. He has been struggling with the training more than usual. Utakata could only hope that Jin would be able to endure a bit more. He was the only one Utakata talked to. It was nice to have someone to talk with, even if both Jin and Utakata didn't speak much.
…
Spring was halfway done, and the warmer weather started showing up. Utakata was happy as he didn't feel the cold winds through his wore down jacket anymore. The wind began to get refreshing and not biting. The sun warmed the ground, and it wasn't as wet, and Utakata's socks didn't get soaked just from walking on the ground with his tearing shoes.
"Watch where you are running, lowlife," Kazaki Hozuki, one of the most annoying bullies in the academy, slammed at Jin as he ran by my side. "You getting in the way."
Utakata would have avoided him, but he was focused on running and staying in his tempo to notice the bully running at Jin. Utakata still didn't get used to his sensor abilities with so many people around, and being tired didn't help with focus. Hoping neither Jin nor him had become targets, Utakata helped Jin up.
"You two!" The instructor seeing us started to shout. "Stop slacking off. You will run another lap."
Utakata could only sigh at the disregard the instructor had for them. But what could he do but endure? Helping Jin up, they started to catch up to the other kids. Not only were their pace ruined, and they had to sprint to catch up to others, they had to run another lap. While Utakata was still relatively fine, Jin was struggling.
By the end of the run, Jin had his hand pressed on his side, and his breathing was heavy and, from the looks of it, painful. Utakata concluded that Jin's bruise hadn't healed yet, and running and other physical activities had taken their toll on him. At least they could rest for today. Utakata helped Jin to his bed and left to eat dinner as he could see that Jin didn't have the strength to go.
The food didn't taste as good as usual. Still, Utakata gulped it all down before long. Utakata knew that Jin was probably hungry, and breakfast would not be able to satisfy him. No food could be taken from the cafeteria, but Utakata hid a loaf of bread on his jacket sleeves. It wasn't much, but at least Jin will have something in his stomach.
"Bunch of lowlifes," Utakata turned to Kazaki Hosuki, who sat beside a couple of the kids and took their food from them. "You should be happy to sit and eat with someone like me. What else do you want?"
Utakata could only shake his head and leave before he was targeted too. From his observations, Utakata concluded that it wasn't simple bullying. The members of the founder clans saw it insulting that they had to study and train with lowlifes as Utakata. It angered the bullies, and they let the anger on them.
After investigating a bit, Utakata found that usually there weren't that many orphans and lower caste students in the academy. After the Second Great Shinobi War, only a couple of talented orphans would attend the academy per year. But this year, kids like Utakata were the majority of the students. To the children from prestigious clans, it was the greatest insult.
Utakata didn't care what the bullies who call themselves the future of the Mist thought. It only proved his hypothesis about the upcoming war. The leaders of the Mist knew that they would soon need expendable soldiers. That was the fate of them. They would be trained to go to the frontlines and die for the Mist.
Utakata wasn't upset or surprised about it. He knew what would lay for him in the future long ago and only confirmed it while studying at the academy. It changed nothing but only made him more determined to survive. Survive the academy, the war, and everything that will be thrown at him. He will do it for a better life.
Still confirming his fate, it started to make more sense why they were put with the members of the clans in sparring. The instructor didn't teach them how to fight. They were teaching them how to survive. How to survive the lethal attacks and get used to fighting stronger people than themselves. That is what they will have to do in a couple of years.
Utakata returned to his dormitory with those heavy thoughts on his mind. He found Jin still lying on his bed, but he seemed to have managed to wash himself at least. Utakata gave him the loaf of bread before heading to bed himself. Jin only managed to mumble his thanks before he devoured the bread. It was better to eat it fast before anyone noticed it.
…
Utakata was used to getting up from his sleep at a specific time. Just before the instructor came to wake them and they were ordered to eat, Utakata thought they did so because they wanted to make them used to receiving orders. It always started with small things like getting up, eating, and washing up. He could tell that with how things were going, they would begin to do whatever the instructor wanted without question.
Part of Utakata refused to be a lamb for them to shepherd, as they wanted, so he would get up before the instructor told them to. It was a diminutive form of rebellion that nobody noticed, or at least he hoped nobody noticed. The last thing he wanted was for the village to consider him rebellious or dangerous and be killed off.
"Get up, pups!" This instructor had the sternest expression of everyone in the academy, and it said a lot.
Utakata looked around, seeing everyone follow up on the order as they stood by their beds and waited for the following orders. They became too used to following them that it scared Utakata how well the Mist produced obedient soldiers. It was clear that the method was well thought out and implemented.
"Jin, are you all right?" Utakata always would find himself standing beside Jin in the morning.
"I am fine," Jin could barely utter these words through his teeth.
He didn't look fine to Utakata. He didn't look like he had slept well or at all. His breathing was irregular and painful. At this point, Utakata was very concerned about Jin, as he could see he was barely standing. Utakata kept his gaze on Jin as the instructor walked around the dormitory, checking it for something and looking over the kids.
Jin collapsed on the floor before the instructor approached them, clutching his side. Without thinking, Utakata went to check on him. He got Jin's hands away and lifted his shirt to see a nasty purple bruise on his stomach before the instructor got to them. Utakata didn't need to be a doctor to know it was terrible.
The instructor got to them, and, seeing the bruise, he only sighed before ordering the rest of the kids to go to eat while he picked up Jin and carried him away. Somehow, Utakata knew he won't be seeing Jin ever again. Those who could not endure would be disposed of. That was what Utakata learned from the academy. Now forty-one children were attending this year.