Renjiro deactivated the Chidori still active on his hands and extended a hand to help Hiro up from his crouching position.
"That was better than I expected, Hiro. You almost made me break a sweat."
Hiro accepted the hand and got to his feet, "Why are you lying, Renjiro? You are already covered in sweat. Besides what's wrong with your hands? Is this a side effect of that Jutsu? I can't believe you were this desperate to win."
It was then that Renjiro realized the effect of using the Chidori on both hands, hand on his limbs.
'I felt the pain but I did not pay attention to my hands, I guess I really need to master the jutsu first before using it again. Moreover, the power behind it will increase once I master it.'
Renjiro chuckled and waved his hands at his former teammate, "Ooh you mean this? It is already healing. And the only reason I was sweating was because I was underground and it was hot."
'It's already healing?!' Hiro couldn't help but think.
Turning to Renjiro he asked, "Have you learnt Medical Ninjutsu? I also should if it's this effective. Maybe I can ask Aiko about it."
"Yeah something like that," Renjiro remarked as he did not want to get into the topic. Instead, he wanted to change the flow of the conversation.
"What was the Jutsu you used to trap me underground? I could not even move well when I tried to use the Headhunter jutsu." Renjiro asked.
The Headhunter jutsu was one of the widely used Earth nature jutsus by Konoha Shinobi. This was because it allowed them to momentarily traverse the ground.
The moment Renjiro was trapped underground, he immediately tried to use it but he soon realized that it wouldn't be effective. Hence why he resorted to breaking out of his confinement.
"It's called Earth-Style: Earth Burial. It's an A-rank earth barrier jutsu that I got to learn from the Hatake Clan library after becoming a chunin," Hiro explained, his enthusiasm palpable.
Renjiro's eyes narrowed slightly, 'That's unfair! I was never given such an opportunity! I was just forced to serve in the Konoha Military Force. While I did not actually need the chance, I would like to be appreciated.'
However, he kept his thoughts to himself and simply nodded.
"That's quite a privilege, It is also a crafty jutsu to know," Renjiro remarked, trying to keep his tone neutral.
After talking for a while longer, Renjiro decided it was time to leave. He turned to Hiro, saying, "Well, I should get going, Hiro."
Hiro's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, where are you going?"
Renjiro looked puzzled. "I'm leaving."
Hiro shook his head, "What about the training grounds?"
"What about them?" Renjiro asked, still confused.
Hiro sighed, "We need to pay for it."
"And?" Renjiro replied, still not understanding where this was going and how he was involved.
"You basically destroyed the ground and trees with your jutsus, so you should pay for the damage," Hiro explained.
Renjiro fought the urge to facepalm. "I can't believe you, Hiro. How shameless could you be? You challenge me to a fight, literally, flip the ground on me, lose, and still expect me to pay for the damages?"
'He makes sense there.'
Realizing his mistake, Hiro sighed and reluctantly agreed to pay for the damages himself.
Renjiro couldn't help but think, 'Why is he acting like he did me a favour?'
After sorting out the payment for the training ground, the two friends walked back to Hiro's place. On their way, they passed several Hatake clan shinobis who were also training.
Unlike the private training ground they had just used, these were open for general use by the clan members and cheaper. The air was filled with the sounds of training as kunai hit targets, grunts as sparring partners exchanged blows and the occasional sounds of jutsus being practised.
As they continued walking, they came across a certain grey-haired young boy who seemed to be about six years old. He was diligently practising his shuriken jutsu. His small frame moved with surprising agility as he threw the shuriken one after another.
they stopped momentarily to watch a young academy student practice. The boy's grey hair fluttered as he positioned himself with a kunai, focusing intently before launching it with precision.
"Thunk!" The kunai struck the bullseye with an unprecedented aim.
Hiro, puffing out his chest with pride, commented, "He is impressive, right? He reminds me of myself at his age."
Renjiro couldn't help but chuckle. "You were just beginning your time in the academy and could barely throw a kunai, Hiro." He muttered the words just loud enough for Hiro to hear as he started to walk away, his thoughts trailing off,
'As expected of a future Hokage.'
The young boy, sensing a few gazes on him, looked up and saw Renjiro and Hiro walking away. He thought to himself,
'Huh? Was that Big Brother Hiro? But who was he with?'
The two chunins continued their walk back to Hiro's house. When they arrived, Renjiro said his goodbyes to Hiro and his sister before taking his leave. It was already evening, and the sky was painted with the warm hues of the setting sun.
Upon reaching home, Renjiro found a message from Minato waiting for him. It instructed him to meet at the mission centre early in the morning the next day and reminded him to bring his friend.
'Well, that was quick. I need to prepare myself for tomorrow and the subsequent days as I am sure Minato isn't going to pick easy missions since it'll be the last few he would go on before becoming a Jounin Sensei.'
Renjiro decided to meditate before sleeping, hoping to clear his mind and rejuvenate his spirit. As he settled into his meditation posture, he mused,
"It's been a long day. I have met two future Hokages and one future antagonist."
However, as Renjiro began to meditate, he found himself severely disappointed. The serene experience he had on the floating islands seemed unattainable here.
'Meditating here is now like tasting the spiciest dish and coming back to eat bland food,' Renjiro thought with a sigh.
The vibrant, immersive experience as well as the pure chakra in the floating islands made everything else pale in comparison.
With a sense of resignation, Renjiro decided to call it a night. He knew he needed rest to be at his best for the upcoming mission.
The next morning, Renjiro woke up at the first light of dawn, ready to prepare for the mission ahead. He methodically stocked up on all his seals, ensuring each one was properly organized and easily accessible.
He also gathered other essential equipment, such as rations and weapons, making sure everything was in place. After a quick check to ensure he hadn't missed anything, Renjiro felt ready.
'I guess I should go and get Hiro.'
Renjiro then made his way to Hiro's house to fetch his friend. He had to wait a few minutes as Hiro hurriedly finished his own preparations. Finally, Hiro emerged, looking slightly flustered but prepared for the mission.
"Sorry for the wait, Renjiro," Hiro said.
"No problem," Renjiro replied with a reassuring smile. "Let's get going."
Together, they made their way to the mission centre. The morning air was cool and crisp, and the village just starting to wake up. Renjiro and Hiro walked in companionable silence, both mentally preparing for the task ahead.
When they arrived at the mission centre, they found Minato waiting for them. He was accompanied by two other shinobis.
'Who might they be?' Rnjiro wondered when he first saw them.
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