As the muffled voice reached Tatsuma's ears, he promptly swung the door ajar, only to discover Minato lacing up his shoes, a ninja tool pouch hanging nonchalantly from his waist. Minato shot Tatsuma a glance and quipped, "You are unusually late today"
Observing Minato geared up for training, Tatsuma playfully waved his hand and retorted, "No field today. Jiraiya dumped a couple of Ninjutsu scrolls on me; let's tackle the fine art of transcription together."
"Really?"
Minato's contented smile remained as Tatsuma retrieved the two scrolls, making his way towards the training room. Following suit, Minato entered the room, producing two pens and two blank scrolls.
While Minato maintained an immaculate home, it was clear he possessed more possessions than Tatsuma, especially in the training room. In contrast to Tatsuma's relatively bare bookshelf, Minato's collection was diverse.
Textbooks, literature, and the biographies of renowned ninjas adorned Minato's shelves. He had nearly amassed them all, from mundane tomes to the extraordinary. The cost of these ordinary books typically hovered around one hundred and fifty ryo, a price that Minato, could easily afford.
Tatsuma has the means to purchase books as well, yet he refrains from doing so. Given his exceptional talent, distractions are a luxury he cannot afford. He finds satisfaction in saving the little money that remains each month, fostering a sense of security.
Minato, displaying his usual hospitality, pulled a chair from the dining room and arranged drinks and snacks for Tatsuma. Only then did they settle down face-to-face at the desk. Handing the Needle Jizo scroll to Minato, Tatsuma remarked, "Minato, your generosity knows no bounds. Merely transcribing a scroll, and yet you've gone to such lengths to treat me. I, too, have something to propose."
Having received the scroll, Minato flashed a smile and proposed, "Shall we determine who can transcribe it faster?"
"You truly get me," Tatsuma replied with a grin. Both of them eagerly unrolled the scrolls, revealing not only the basics of Ninjutsu and hand seals but also a trove of personal insights inscribed in small characters.
They delved into the intricacies, exploring the significance of each hand seal. For instance, the choice of the Snake Seal as the final seal for Needle Jizo came with explanations, thanks to Jiraiya's detailed annotations.
The Needle Jizo technique, with its unique effect of embedding and subsequently releasing hair into the ground, was thoroughly discussed. Jiraiya had crafted the method by drawing inspiration from the principles of various Earth Release Ninjutsu.
Many Earth Release Ninjutsu culminate with the Snake Seal, as it facilitates a smoother communication of Chakra with the earth. This parallels the Tiger Seal, aiding the practitioner in harmonizing the Fire Release Chakra generated within the body.
Jiraiya's Wild Lion's Mane Jutsu follows a similar thematic structure. Not only did Jiraiya meticulously detail each hand seal, but he also expounded on the technique's application and provided strategies for its coordination with other jutsu.
Despite Jiraiya's somewhat mediocre drawing skills, he adorned the explanations with abstract figures, underscoring his earnest effort to convey the nuances of these two Ninjutsu. It was clear that Jiraiya was committed to elucidating all the crucial points.
Upon perusing these meticulous notes, Tatsuma finally grasped why Jiraiya dedicated three days to complete a single scroll record. In the realm of instruction, Jiraiya left no room for carelessness.
Minato took a quick glance before focusing on the scroll in Tatsuma's hands. It became evident that Tatsuma's scroll harbored more detailed content, placing him at a slight disadvantage in their impromptu competition.
Considering Tatsuma's peculiar yet remarkably robust competitive spirit, Minato took the initiative and suggested, "Tatsuma, how about we take turns transcribing?"
"No! I'll prove to you that I am the best at transcribing in the world!" Tatsuma insisted, affirming his unwavering determination.
Tatsuma flatly declined, putting the honor of the speed and endurance honed through twelve years of relentless homework copying before entering university in his previous life on the line. He was resolute about emerging victorious in this match!
Flexing his fingers, wrists, and elbows, Tatsuma prepared for the challenge. Meanwhile, Minato meticulously filled the inkwell on the inkstone. After both took a sip of their drinks, they quietly grasped their pens, dipped them in ink, and simultaneously began transcribing on the blank scrolls.
Initially, Minato managed to keep pace with Tatsuma's speed, but as time elapsed, a subtle shift occurred. Minato started feeling a bit overwhelmed; the extended exertion on his arm resulted in a dull ache spreading through his elbow and forearm.
Glancing at Tatsuma, Minato observed that Tatsuma deviated from the pen-holding technique taught by the senseis. It resembled more of a chopstick grip, with his fingers positioned closely to the pen tip and his wrist resting directly on the table.
Not only was Tatsuma's speed superior, but his characters also possessed a standard and aesthetically pleasing quality. Witnessing this, Minato's competitive spirit, sparked by Tatsuma, began to stir.
Minato, not one to cling to stubbornness, swiftly adapted. In the blink of an eye, he altered his pen-holding technique. Emulating Tatsuma's approach, he discovered that with his wrist supported, not only did his hand fatigue less, but he also gained better control over the pen.
As two individuals singularly focused on their task, employing this technique for transcription proved remarkably efficient.
They continued transcribing, and for the first time, Minato realized that writing could be this physically taxing.
On the table, the drinks, apart from the initial sip, remained untouched by both. After all, this was a competition, and indulging in too many sips could pose a disadvantage during potential bathroom breaks – the same logic applied to snacks.
It wasn't until dusk that Tatsuma finally set down his pen, leaned back, closed his eyes, and began deep breathing. He harbored no inclination to declare victory. Several hours of intense focus on writing had indeed taken a toll.
Having eased his mind, Tatsuma glanced at Minato and realized that Minato remained blissfully unaware of having already completed the transcription. Despite the intense concentration, Minato was on the verge of concluding.
Not wanting to disrupt Minato's focus, Tatsuma quietly rose and left the training room. His routine task involved raiding Minato's refrigerator, an action that held no reservations for either of them. Cooking was a shared responsibility, with Minato often reciprocating the gesture without hesitation at his house.
With a simple dish of fried fish and miso soup prepared, Minato eventually emerged from his room. Upon seeing the meal ready, Minato admitted with a weak smile, "Tatsuma, this is the most convinced I've been of losing."
"Haha~ In other talents, maybe I'm not as skilled as you, but in this particular aspect, I won't lose to anyone."
"Ding~ [Stamina+2], [Wisdom+2], [Ninjutsu+6]"
The gains this time took Tatsuma somewhat by surprise, not due to their insignificance, but because of their unexpected abundance. Moreover, it elevated the limit of his weakest talent, Ninjutsu, adding considerable value.
In the midst of Tatsuma processing these improvements, Minato interjected, saying, "While transcribing just now, I had some thoughts. Needle Jizo, this Ninjutsu, can actually be broken down into several steps for separate practice."
Upon hearing this, Tatsuma finally grasped the reason for rewarding an increase in the Ninjutsu talent limit. It turned out that Minato wasn't merely transcribing the scroll; he was also delving into the content. Reflecting on this, Tatsuma furrowed his brow and then remarked:
"You're absolutely right. Considering these two Ninjutsu as a whole, the B-rank difficulty is undeniably too challenging for us at the moment. However, if we break it down, the difficulty of each step will decrease. Perhaps we can expedite our learning of this Ninjutsu. Well done, Minato. You came up with this so quickly."
Tatsuma's praise this time was sincere. As a ninja proficient enough to drop the Ninjutsu Development talent, Tatsuma couldn't help but recall the iconic Ninjutsu that employed a segmented learning approach, a technique that Minato would later create in the future... The Rasengan!
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