The ice clone nodded in satisfaction and gestured back toward the scroll. "Good. Now, let's go over this formation again. You'll be the main support, guiding your team into the best positions while they handle the front line."
Kana frowned as she studied the scroll more intently. "Akane-chan and Maki-chan are gonna be on the offensive… right?" she asked, rubbing the back of her neck. "And Ken-chan's handling ranged attacks?"
"Exactly. It's about positioning, leveraging each person's strengths. If you don't put them in the right spot, things will fall apart quickly," the ice clone explained patiently. "Also, lay off on the 'chan', they're not the only ones you'll be leading. A leader needs to be indifferent towards all their subordinates."
Kana sighed, leaning back a little. "Okay okay fine. Can't even call my kids by their nicknames. Alright, let's go over it again."
Meanwhile, over on the other side of the training ground, Yuki observed Kenshin's second attempt at Wind Burst. He focused harder this time, his movements more controlled.
The burst of wind chakra from his palms was steady, allowing him to propel himself backward smoothly without losing balance.
Yuki gave a small nod of approval. "Better," she said. "You're getting a feel for the chakra control. Now, let's see the Gust Bullet."
Kenshin nodded, his expression serious. He started concentrating wind chakra around his body, condensing it in his forearm, the energy forming a dense, gauntlet-like layer.
With a quick thrust, he shot a condensed bullet of wind from his hand. It streaked through the air with impressive speed, hitting the target Yuki had set up far away across the training field, roughly half a kilometer (.33 miles approximately).
But instead of piercing through it cleanly, the bullet wobbled slightly in the air, losing some of its force before impact.
"Not stable enough ," Yuki commented, folding her arms. "You need to work on maintaining control better and making sure it doesn't sacrifice power for range."
Kenshin exhaled, his brows furrowed in concentration. "I know. It's hard keeping the chakra thin but powerful at the same time. I keep losing the balance right before I fire it."
Yuki gave him a stern look but offered a small hint of a smile. "That's why we're training. Keep at it—control is everything with wind jutsu. You're progressing faster than I expected, so don't let frustration slow you down."
Akane was watching from a distance and noticed that the bullet didn't spin. And since from her original world she knew that by spinning a bullet, the trajectory stabilizes and it's power is increased because there's less drag.
She walked up to them and told Kenshin this." I have an idea. Since your chakra is present in the bullet, a good idea would be to add a spinning motion during shooting. That should stabilize the trajectory and maintain it's power. Try it."
Kenshin nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Thanks, nee-san. I'll try it."
They continued practicing, with Yuki giving pointers on his form and chakra control and Kenshin using Akane's advice and trying to make the bullet spin. After several more tries, Kenshin's Gust Bullet became sharper and more focused, landing with stronger impact against the targets.
By the time the sun began to dip lower in the sky, the team had made noticeable progress. Kana was finally starting to understand the strategy behind formations.
Akane and Maki joined them later in the day, working on their individual skills while Kana wrapped up her study session with Yuki's ice clone.
As they regrouped near the end of the day, Yuki turned to Kana, her expression more relaxed. "You've made good progress today, Kana. I'm actually surprised at how well you did once you actually put your mind to it."
A faint smile creeped onto her face. "Tomorrow's mock battle will be your real test. Remember—don't just think about what you would do. Think about what's best for your team."
Kana nodded slowly, still not entirely happy about the amount of studying, but she understood the importance now. "Yeah, yeah. I'll figure it out."
Yuki's gaze softened as she turned to Kenshin. "You too, Kenshin. Keep working on your chakra control, especially with the Gust Bullet. It'll be crucial in tomorrow's battle. But try not to kill your opponents, it's not an actual battle."
Kenshin nodded, feeling a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. "I'll be careful.Thanks for today, Yuki-sensei."
As they headed home, Kana leaned closer to Kenshin, her voice low but amused. "I'm really not cut out for this Jonin thing, am I?"
Kenshin chuckled, nudging her gently. "You'll get there, Mom. You just need to stop thinking of yourself as a one-woman army."
Kana sighed dramatically. "But that's the best part!"
Akane laughed from beside them, shaking her head. "Well, tomorrow, we'll see just how good a leader you can be, mom.*
Kana grinned, her playful demeanor returning. "You bet! I'll lead you guys to victory, even if I have to drag you with my chains."
As they approached the house, the setting sun bathed the village in a warm, golden light. The three of them were feeling the day's exhaustion, but the thought of dinner made it easier to ignore.
Kenshin smirked. "I guess that'll be me. Unless you want to handle it, Mom?"
Kana waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, I did breakfast and lunch. You handle dinner, you're better at it anyways."
"Good answer," Kenshin teased, earning a playful nudge from Kana.
When they reached the house, Akane stepped inside first, stretching her limbs as she headed toward her room. "I'm going to bathe first," she announced. "I need to get rid of all this sweat."
Kana smirked. "Then I'll join!" She said enthusiastically, hopping towards the bathroom with Akane, tossing her clothes all over the floor. But after a stern look from Akane, she reluctantly picked them up and put them aside.
Kenshin laughed as he made his way to the kitchen. "Ahh, children, so energetic. Don't take too long, or you'll miss dinner."
As the two went to the bathroom, Kenshin started preparing dinner. His thoughts drifted to the upcoming mock battle.
He knew Kana had her doubts about leading, but he had faith in her. Despite her childish personality, he knew Kana could step up when it counted.
Dinner came together smoothly, and soon the smell of grilled fish, rice, and miso soup, alongside some dishes from his other world, filled the house. Kenshin set the table just as Akane and Kana joined him, looking refreshed and ready for the meal.
"Looks delicious as always," Kana said with a wide grin, grabbing her chopsticks. "You made some new stuff too."
Akane nodded in agreement, taking her seat. "You're spoiling us, Kenshin."
Kenshin chuckled, taking his place at the table. "I'll take that as a compliment. Eat up. We've got a big day tomorrow."
As they dug into their meal, the atmosphere around the table was light, filled with casual conversation and laughter. It was a brief moment of calm before the challenge that lay ahead.
Kana, leaning back after finishing her meal, glanced at Kenshin with a mischievous grin. "You know, I've got this whole leading thing figured out. You just follow my orders, and we'll be fine."
Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you've got a flawless plan, Mom."
Akane smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "Let's see if you can actually make us listen tomorrow."
Kana laughed, her spirits lifted by the banter. "Oh, you'll listen, alright. My adamantine chains have spikes in them. And I'll keep poking you with them until you listen."
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Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. And as always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.