''Fine,'' Renjiro responded. His sensory training had been a bit frustrating and he needed to find a way to vent about it. Maybe this spar would be a great opportunity to do so.
Without further ado, they quickly made their way to an empty sparring area and started preparing themselves for the spar.
Kaito had yet to awaken his Sharingan, so to keep the fight fair and interesting, he decided not to use his dojutsu. He needed to know what level other normal kids in this world were at.
The sparring area, marked by a circle drawn in the dirt, became the arena for their friendly yet intense exchange of blows. Some Uchiha children gathered around, their eyes fixed on the impending clash between the two boys.
Kaito stood at exactly four feet (121 meters) which was just three inches shy away from Renjiro's height (130 meters). This was considered tall for someone their age.
His onyx hair and obsidian eyes framed his oblong face. With his lithe and agile figure, Kaito's well-built body was over-emphasized.
'Hopes he makes this worthwhile.' Renjiro Thought.
Kaito's opening move was a blur of swift kicks and punches. Renjiro, with his innate fast reflexes, dodged Kaito's initial onslaught, showcasing a keen ability to read his opponent's movements.
'He is fast,' Renjiro thought.
Kaito, however, countered with a series of quick jabs, testing Renjiro's defensive capabilities.
'But not fast enough.'
Renjiro absorbed Kaito's attacks, his movements fluid and calculated. Kaito weaved through Renjiro's defences, aiming to exploit any opening.
Renjiro showcased a blend of taijutsu and reflexes inherited from both the Clan's technique, Inceptor fist, and from his unique battle style, which he had been developing to counter the clan technique from his spars with Miwa.
Kaito, on the other hand, relied on precision and swift manoeuvres.
'Kaito favours speed and agility, but he often commits to his attacks. If I can anticipate his next move, I can turn the tide in my favour.'
Renjiro, with a sudden burst of energy, executed a sweeping kick, aiming to catch Kaito off guard. Kaito, however, anticipated the move and countered with a graceful spin, narrowly evading the attack.
'Renjiro's defence is solid. I need to find openings and capitalize on them.' Kaito's movements became more unpredictable, a whirlwind of strikes designed to keep Renjiro on the defensive.
A flurry of high-speed kicks and evasive manoeuvres marked the climax of their spar. Renjiro, drawing upon his reflexes instilled in him, avoided a spinning kick from Kaito.
Sensing an opening, Renjiro executed a precise counter, a sweeping leg movement that unbalanced Kaito momentarily.
As Kaito stumbled, Renjiro seized the opportunity, launching into a rapid combination of strikes.
Kaito caught off guard, struggled to regain his footing.
"Renjiro Wins!" The Chunin who was overseeing the spar shouted before continuing, "Make the seal of Confrontation."
'I hope he got what he wanted, I always admire a trier. With that said, I have been neglecting my taijutsu. Maybe it's the lack of proper opponents.
The only person I can go at without pulling punches is Miwa, but her missions always keep her out of the village.
Man, I just hope that guy was old enough now so that I can learn a thing or two from him. Maybe I should start looking for his father. I am sure things will change for the better once I graduate from the Academy.'
After forming the seal of confrontation, Renjiro did not see the need to stick around and immediately headed home.
"What were you even thinking challenging him? He's already at the top of the class in the academy."
"What does that make him better than me?"
"He did not even use his Sharingan while fighting you and still won."
Before Renjiro exited the ground, he caught a glimpse of a sibling squabble between Kaito and Sora. If one were to see the situation, they would think it was an older sister scolding a younger brother.
Renjiro just smirked at the interaction before he headed home. Although he was on cordial terms with Sora, it was none of his business after all.
They were allowed to leave at their own pleasure as long as they partook in any activity. Since Renjiro was living off the clan, doing the bare minimum was okay.
After he reached his abode, Renjiro decided to review his fight with Kaito. Although he massively handicapped himself, it was very informative.
"Although I am far much better than the rest, I am still far from my best. I need to find a way to balance my Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. There is no need to lean towards one side as there are monsters in this world who require insane amounts of power to even think of going against them.
Since I will be focusing on my sensory practice for the next one and a half months, there shouldn't be a huge change in my schedule. But when I start my next year at the academy, I have to substitute my daily workouts with Taijutsu in the meantime.
I also need to plan for when I should start studying Fuinjutsu. I want it to be a main component in combat."
Renjiro concluded by simplifying his schedule in the following order. After waking up, he would start with his physical workout, followed by his Taijutsu practice.
After a break, he would work on his sensory practice for the majority of the day. He would then work on his Ninjutsu in the evenings, meditate then call it a day.
He would continue with his basic routine until the end of his two-month break before starting his second year at the Academy.
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As the second year at the Konoha Ninja Academy commenced, a palpable shift occurred in the curriculum. The rigorous theoretical classes of the first year made way for a more hands-on approach, more practical, emphasizing practical applications of ninja skills.
The History in the Second year went far much deeper than the one they covered during their first year. The previous year's history focused on the flashy parts of Konoha's History like the village formation and duel between Hashirama/Madara and the like, stuff that made great stories rather than dry telling.
They would now start covering the skirmishes and the relationship between the five major shinobi villages. They would also cover the first Shinobi War which was a major turning point for the Shinobi world.
For the more recent History, like the Second Shinobi War and the fall of Konoha's Ally Uzushiogakure, that would be left for more advanced years at the academy.
The other theoretical class apart from History would be strategic thinking and planning. Here the students would learn how to analyze battlefield situations, anticipate enemy movements, and formulate effective strategies to achieve their objectives.
Emphasis was placed on critical thinking, decision-making under pressure, and the importance of adaptability in combat scenarios. Of course, they would start with simpler scenarios and then gradually increase the intensity during their third year.
With those two as the only theoretical classes, that left room for four practical areas of focus. They were combat manoeuvres and techniques, weapon throwing, taijutsu/ hand-to-hand combat and chakra control.
For combat manoeuvres and techniques, the students learn about various tactical formations, ambush tactics, and specialized techniques for different combat scenarios.
The curriculum includes hands-on training sessions to familiarize students with executing tactical manoeuvres effectively in simulated battles. Moreso when it comes to working in three, four or five-man cell teams.
The latter three would build upon what they covered the previous year. For weapon throwing, they would be training with the Kunai, shuriken and Senbon as opposed to only one weapon as they did the previous year.
For Taijutsu they learn the basics of punching, kicking, grappling, and blocking, akin to the fundamentals of white belt karate or judo.
Emphasis was placed on developing physical strength, agility, and coordination essential for hand-to-hand combat scenarios. All this was so that they could not mess with their clan's taijutsu while also giving proper foundation to civilian ninjas.
Lastly, Chakra control would start exercises focusing on regulating chakra flow, enhancing control and precision in chakra manipulation. Verbal discussions introduce students to the various applications of chakra in ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu.
After Ryuji gave them an overview of the second year during their first day in class, Renjiro started looking forward to the second year. There were some skills that he would learn which could propel him to great heights when mixed with his strength.
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