Renjiro's eyes slowly fluttered open, his vision blurred for a moment before adjusting to the faint light of the setting sun.
The world around him seemed calmer, more still than it had been before he started meditating. He blinked a few times, his mind groggy but alert.
Something felt different—off, but in a good way. He inhaled deeply, feeling the cool air fill his lungs before exhaling slowly.
His gaze drifted downward, and he grimaced at the sight. His clothes were soaked in blood—his own, no doubt.
His hands were caked in dried red stains, and as he touched his face, he realized that the same was true there. Blood crusted around his nose, ears, and even the corners of his mouth. He must've been bleeding for hours without realizing it, too deep in his meditation to notice.
"Well, it seems like I've caused quite a mess," Renjiro muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly.
His tone was light, but there was an edge of discomfort. The blood didn't bother him much; as a shinobi, he'd seen far worse.
But seeing it spill from his own body, covering him like a second skin, gave him a strange sense of disorientation. Despite the filth, though, Renjiro felt something else entirely beneath the physical exhaustion.
A strange lightness.
His body, though battered and bruised, felt… stronger. His chakra, though slightly drained, moved with more fluidity than before.
'It wasn't even this easy when I open the gates.' Renjiro surmised.
Tenjin's massive form shifted nearby, and the eagle turned his sharp gaze toward Renjiro, his eyes scanning him from head to toe.
"How do you feel?" Tenjin asked, his voice calm yet filled with curiosity.
Renjiro wiped at his face, smearing some of the dried blood as he inspected his hands again.
"Honestly? Aside from the filth covering me, I've never felt better."
He paused for a moment, rolling his shoulders and flexing his fingers. "Though I do feel a bit drained. Not surprising, considering the beating my body took from that Natural Energy."
Tenjin nodded, his gaze approving. "Good. That drained feeling is likely your regeneration at work. It's been working overtime to keep your body from collapsing under the pressure. Your body's natural response to the exposure is impressive, but you're still adjusting."
Tenjin continued, folding his wings slightly. "Since you seem to be done with the first level, it's time we move forward. I'll teach you the basics of Lightning Release. You'll need to master it before we can move on to the next step."
Renjiro's eyes lit up at the prospect, excitement bubbling within him. "I'm ready for it."
Tenjin's sharp beak tilted slightly in acknowledgment. "But first, you'll need to clean yourself up. No sense in training while covered in blood."
Renjiro let out a sigh of relief. "Glad you said it. I was just about to ask if there was a place I could wash off." With a quick hand sign, he activated one of his storage seals, summoning a fresh set of clothes from within.
"I always carry an extra set for situations like this."
Tenjin nodded and gestured with his wing toward a nearby stream that flowed down from the mountain. The clear water glistened in the fading light of the sun, offering Renjiro the perfect place to wash off.
After a quick cleanup, he changed into his clean clothes, the cold water refreshing against his skin despite the lingering ache in his body.
Once he was ready, Renjiro returned to the plateau, where Tenjin awaited him. The eagle wasted no time and immediately began the lesson.
"The first technique I'll teach you is the Lightning Shuriken," Tenjin said, his voice instructive. "It's one of the most basic Lightning Release techniques, but don't underestimate its power. It requires precise control of your chakra, which you should already be adept at."
Renjiro nodded, focusing intently. "Lightning Shuriken? Sounds simple enough."
Tenjin continued. "You'll need to channel your lightning chakra into a concentrated form, shaping it into the form of a shuriken. Once thrown, it can paralyze an opponent if it makes contact, or even disrupt their chakra if they try to block it with a defensive jutsu."
Renjiro activated his Sharingan, the tomoe spinning as he analyzed the technique in real-time. The red eyes glowed faintly as he visualized the process.
He gathered his chakra, focusing on his Lightning Release affinity, shaping the raw energy into something more tangible. Sparks flickered between his fingers as the chakra coalesced, and with a sharp breath, he shaped the energy into a spinning shuriken of lightning.
"Got it," Renjiro muttered, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. With a swift motion, he hurled the Lightning Shuriken toward a nearby rock.
The shuriken hissed through the air, crackling with electricity before colliding with the stone in a burst of sparks, leaving a small charred crater behind.
"Impressive," Tenjin remarked, his tone approving.
"Now, let's move on to something more advanced."
They spent the next few hours going over various techniques, each more difficult than the last. Tenjin introduced Renjiro to the Lightning Spear—a concentrated bolt of lightning that could pierce through solid defences, and the Thunder Clap—a shockwave of electrical energy that could paralyze opponents within a certain radius.
Each technique required immense control and precision, but Renjiro's Sharingan allowed him to grasp the nuances quickly, replicating each move with relative ease.
By the time they finished, Renjiro's body was drenched in sweat, and his chakra reserves had taken a significant hit. Still, he felt exhilarated.
Learning these new techniques felt like levelling up in more ways than one. Tenjin, ever the vigilant mentor, watched closely, noting Renjiro's progress with silent approval.
"Now that you've mastered these basics, we'll move to the next level," Tenjin said, his massive wings stretching out as he prepared to take off again.
"But be warned—the second level will be much more intense than this."
Renjiro took a deep breath, steeling himself. "I'm ready."
Once more, he climbed onto Tenjin's back, and with a powerful push, the eagle ascended into the sky.
The second level of the mountain awaited them, its energy even denser and more overwhelming than before. The climb felt longer this time, and Renjiro could feel the pressure increasing with each passing second.
'Aah, there it is. The familiar pain.' Renjiro grimly thought.
By the time they landed on the second plateau, the pain had returned, sharp and relentless, digging into his muscles and bones.
For the next two days, Renjiro battled through the pain, meditating for hours on end until his body acclimatized to the new level of Natural Energy.
It was a gruelling process, each minute stretching into eternity as the pressure bore down on him, but he persisted. Tenjin taught him new jutsu once he had adjusted, each more powerful than the last.
From what Renjiro could tell the jutsus were probably A Rank. A rank higher than the one he was taught when he was in the first level.
This time, it was Lightning Dragon Jutsu, a jutsu that summoned a serpent-like dragon made entirely of lightning. Its power was immense, capable of destroying even large structures in a single strike. Tenjin also introduced him to Thunder Wall, a defensive technique that created a barrier of lightning, capable of reflecting most physical and chakra-based attacks.
Renjiro's Sharingan proved invaluable once again, allowing him to quickly grasp and master these jutsu. Yet, even with his rapid progress, the toll it took on his body was immense. By the end of the two days, Renjiro was utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically.
As they ascended to the third level, the climb felt even more difficult. This time, the Natural Energy was suffocating, pressing down on Renjiro with an almost physical force.
The air felt thick, and his body screamed in protest. It took nearly a week for him to fully acclimatize, pushing his regeneration and chakra control to their absolute limits.
Despite the hardship, Renjiro persevered, knowing that greater rewards awaited him at each level. By the time he had finished adjusting, he felt stronger, and more in tune with his chakra than ever before.
His Sharingan spun lazily as he surveyed the plateau, waiting for the next set of lessons.
"So, we're moving on to S-rank jutsu now, right?" Renjiro asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.
He had been looking forward to this—the pinnacle of Lightning Release techniques.
But Tenjin shook his head. "No, not yet. You'll need to complete the fourth level before I teach you any S-rank jutsu."
Renjiro's face fell slightly. "Seriously? I thought I was ready."
"You are close, but the fourth level will push you beyond your current limits,"
Tenjin replied, his golden eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Once you've conquered that, you'll be ready."
Renjiro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, I'll trust your judgment. But tell me—what's it going to take for you to teach me how to create a Kekkei Genkai?"
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