The next morning, some people were awakened by a knock on the door. Shintaro and the others packed their clothes and opened the door, only to find Nara Shimizu outside.
Shimizu was holding some pork and said apologetically, "Sorry, I used to stay in this cabin. I don't usually eat meat, so the fridge is full of local vegetables from the Nara Forest."
"I was too busy yesterday and neglected this matter for a while. I'll make it up to you today."
Kurenai repeatedly expressed her gratitude and took the pork.
Shimizu continued, "You caught six deer outside the door, right? I'm here to take the antlers. This is your reward for today."
Shintaro accepted the reward. Although he and Asuma only helped capture the deer, the reward was still significant.
The price of deer antlers is very high, meaning the labor cost is also much higher.
Shintaro asked about hunting again, and Shimizu said, "Do you still have the map?"
Asuma returned to the cabin and brought out the map.
Shimizu said, "There is a resource breeding chart of the forest at the back of the map. Some animals here are domesticated by the Nara Clan. You cannot hunt them, which means you can capture them as long as they are not in the area."
Shintaro was very surprised to hear this. Besides deer and other rare animals domesticated by the Nara Clan, the forest also has many wild animals.
Shimizu hurried away.
Kurenai then put the meat in the fridge, walked out, and said, "One of us should go to town today to buy a cutting board."
Asuma scratched his head and said apologetically, "Sorry, I broke it. I'll buy it."
Shintaro didn't mind and added, "Also, buy a pair of bows and arrows, no, buy two pairs of bows and arrows."
Asuma understood and smiled, "No problem."
He then went to town to buy the cutting board and bows and arrows.
Kurenai and Shintaro were patrolling together at this time. Kurenai asked, "You and Asuma are sleeping close together on the floor. Can you sleep comfortably?"
Shintaro said, "I feel a little disgusted."
Kurenai smiled and said jokingly, "Then you should sleep in bed with me."
Shintaro replied seriously, "That's not impossible."
Kurenai was shocked by her own words. She blushed like a ripe apple and quickly changed the topic, "By the way, when did your relationship with Asuma improve? Wasn't it difficult to deal with before?"
Shintaro explained, "There were some conflicts we hadn't talked about before, but now that we've discussed them, everything is fine."
Although Kurenai didn't fully understand, she nodded in relief, "That's good. I was always worried about your relationship."
After patrolling a few times, Shintaro and Kurenai returned to the cabin to rest.
This time, Asuma also returned with the items.
He handed the cutting board to Kurenai and gave Shintaro the two pairs of bows and arrows he had brought.
Shintaro opened the bows, tried them out, and said, "Although it's not a good bow, it can still be used."
Asuma said, "No choice. There's only one shop in town that sells bows and arrows, so you have to make do."
So Kurenai stayed in the cabin to rest, and Shintaro went on patrol with Asuma, taking the bows and arrows they wanted to try out.
"I'll start with the most basic teaching. Hold the bow in your left hand and the arrow in your right. Place the arrow on the bow like this, hold the end of the arrow with three fingers, grasp the arrow shaft with your index and middle fingers, hold the bow tightly with your left hand, and then use strength to draw the arrow and open the bow."
As Shintaro explained, he took a stance with the bow and arrow ready, while Asuma watched carefully.
Shintaro then aimed at a small rabbit hopping in the distance.
An arrow shot out with a whoosh, hitting the rabbit's head.
From that distance, it was no problem to shoot the rabbit, but hitting the small rabbit's head accurately showed his excellent skill.
Asuma clapped in admiration, Shintaro waved his hand and said, "It's nothing."
Asuma then imitated him, drawing the bow and nocking an arrow, aiming at a large tree in front, and shooting the arrow, but he missed the target.
He smiled awkwardly, but seeing Shintaro not laughing at him, he continued to try and nocked another arrow.
This time he took longer to aim, ensuring he wouldn't miss before releasing the arrow.
With a thud, the arrow hit the edge of the large tree, not accurately, but it hit the target.
Asuma put down the bow and arrow and smiled happily.
Shintaro said, "Yes, it's very accurate after contact."
Asuma said, "I need to practice more and strive to reach your level in the future."
Shintaro said, "It's not easy to reach my level."
The two men then laughed.
Asuma put down the bow and arrow, took out his chakra blade, handed it to Shintaro, and said, "I promised to teach you how to use wind attribute chakra before. I have nothing to do now, so I'll teach you."
The characteristics of wind attribute chakra are thin and sharp. Therefore, don't think about increasing its destructive power. Just refine the chakra to be thinner and sharper, the better.
"Just like this." Said Asuma, pouring chakra into it, and the chakra blade immediately filled with chakra, like a blade of wind light.
Shintaro had to admit that Asuma was indeed excellent in the wind attribute.
He didn't immediately imitate him with the Six Eyes but tried to mimic it himself based on the key points Asuma mentioned.
Shintaro then poured chakra into it, and they both threw it at a large tree.
As a result, this time Asuma's blade pierced through the large tree as usual, but Shintaro's chakra blade only penetrated halfway.
"Still not thin enough." Said Asuma.
Shintaro walked over, pulled out the chakra blade, and tried again. This time he still didn't use the Six Eyes.
It's not difficult to inject Wind Element Chakra into it, but it's somewhat challenging to keep it thin and sharp as Asuma said.
Even though Shintaro didn't use the Six Eyes, he didn't succeed on the first try, but he already had experience, so this time the chakra blade pierced through the large tree.
Asuma was used to being surprised by the other's talent, but seeing Shintaro catching up so quickly in a field he was good at, he couldn't help but lament, "I really taught an apprentice..."
Shintaro said, "Don't worry, [Rasengan] will definitely compensate you."
He pulled out the chakra blade stuck in the ground and asked, "Does this blade have a name?"
Asuma shook his head and said, "No."
Shintaro mentioned the name he had just thought of, "Tsubame no Hamono, what do you think of this name?"
Asuma recalled the two people throwing the knives. The short blades filled with chakra flying in the air indeed looked like swallows flying.
He took the knife handed over by Shintaro and said, "That's a good name. I'll give it to you."
The patrol mission in the Nara Forest passed boringly yet interestingly day by day.