"You're getting a new special training course. Your new teacher will be teaching you kenjutsu."
Kenjutsu? I've never wielded a blade but conductive steel weapons are common for lightning-release users.
Sadly the greatest kenjutsu user Konoha has ever had Sakumo Hatake has long died without leaving much of his skills to his son Kakashi.
It can't be Kakashi, not only is he busy with his own team, but Anko knows the importance of not messing with the written plot as much as possible.
"So who's it going to be?"
Anko smiled.
"Don't worry, you're going to loooove~ her"
Anko is up to her antics again… I'm not sure if my punishments are serving as incentives instead in her head.
Should I start withholding on her?
No… the last thing she needs is to add neglectment to her fetish tier list.
While pondering what to do with Anko another woman with purple hair lands behind me, her hair was long and straight, wavering after her landing with body-flicker.
She doesn't have the mask on her pretty face but everything about her screams ANBU, black bodysuit with grey armor on top and even the Anbu mark tattooed on her shoulder.
This was Yugao Uzuki, I remember her mostly for how she got traumatized after her boyfriend Hayate died after spying on the Sand village entourage and learning about Orochimaru's Konoha Crush plan.
He died without being able to tell anyone and then got revived and sealed in the 4th war against Akatsuki after a sentimental fight against Yugao.
I look back at Anko for a moment and I understood what she was trying to do…
***
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***
I never mentioned Yugao but I did mention Hayate in the list of casualties which were inevitable if we were going to let Orochimaru spring his plan into motion before interfering.
I share a quick mental message with Anko.
'Really Anko? They are still very much in love…'
'You don't have to, but it would save her at least some pain…'
Without much time to dwell on it, I just give an open answer.
'I'll see how it goes, no promises…'
I turn back to Yugao
"Hello, Yami Yuumo, nice to meet you."
"Yugao Uzuki, I'll be teaching you kenjutsu."
Yugao turns to Anko.
"Are you really~ sure about this?"
"Yes, he can take it."
"Good luck Yami~~~ Now leave a clone with me and go have fun."
I let Anko leave with a clone, it does make sense my actual body get to exercise as I learn.
But I was vastly underestimating… exactly why I couldn't leave my clone to do this.
"Here, take this"
Yugao threw me a katana, it was relatively long, over a meter long with barely a curve but with a blunt edge, clearly for practice purposes as it didn't seem very sharp either.
Definitely not a weapon an Anbu would use while remaining alert or hiding, but more of a weapon to carry in a scroll and release once a fight has broken out.
"This is the first time I've picked up an actual blade so go easy on me."
"They didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"...guess you're about to find out."
In the first couple of hours, Yugao taught me the basic stances and moves to be used with a katana while having me repeat each dozens of times and correctly every move and mistake I made.
"You have talent for this Yami."
"Really? I thought I was doing pretty badly."
"You were, you have little innate feeling for it. But you are doing exceptionally well at correcting every mistake and not repeating them."
"I see…"
I was forced to learn to control most muscles voluntarily during my time as a zombie.
The experience I got from controlling each muscle and the mental endurance in keeping my cells alive translated into discipline.
Truth be told after the first week keeping all my cells alive had become an instinctive feeling to the point I think even if I got a limb cut off it would do the same as Hidan's and rely on any chakra it contained to remain alive as long as possible once my cells start starving for oxygen or sugars.
Once Yugao was adequately satisfied with my forms, she pulled out her blade and faced me.
"We can start your real training now."
I take the hint and assume a balanced stance, waiting for Yugao's instruction on what we were going to do exactly.
Her blade shined brightly with the sun.
... did I just see a leaf fall on it and get cut?
"Don't die"
Yugao says before charging at me with her sword.
Caught a bit in surprise I lose precious moments before focusing and moving my blade to deflect her's.
As I push her blade outwards Yugao follows the movement and rotates.
Seeing the incoming horizontal swing but with my sword deflected away from me I barely manage to take a step back resulting in her sword swinging right in front of me, cutting the tip of my short jacket.
As I got distracted by the narrow escape and my vision was covered by Yugao's flowing purple hair, spread out like an umbrella and hiding her body a familiar pain was felt once more…
Yugao's sword pierces and exits through my back as my face crunches in the familiar pain of getting my heart pierced.
"I just got that fixed you know?"
Yugao smiles.
"Welcome to your pain tolerance and death combat training. Next time I'm not stopping at just your heart, but I will spare your head at least."
Yugao pulls out her sword. After a couple of strings of blood shoot out over 5 meters into the distance the hole fixed itself.
Several drops of blood also shot randomly with a few few landing on Yugao herself.
Senju vitality is one hell of a cheat…
Over the next hour I had my heart pierced 5 more times, had countless deep cuts in my arms and chest and nearly got decapitated twice.
I also got my arm cut off 3 times, each time requiring Yugao's medical help to attach it back.
The objective of the training it turns out was both to train me to ignore pain during combat and interrogation while also preparing me to fight as my body is injured or in outright zombie-mode.
It was also the most extreme possible way to practice swordsmanship, constant life-or-death struggle without needing to fear actual dying was both the most realistic and fastest training one could possibly have.
As the cherry on top, after I was left dead as a tired dog from training with Yugao, I then had my clone dissolve and flood my brain with Anko's infiltration training she had been working on during that time.
The afternoon training wasn't any better...