Hyuga Kenjiro was watching Hirito from the corner of his eye.
He knew that ninjas often have unsettling reactions after their first kill.
But it was clear that Hirito was neither vomiting nor trembling. His demeanor was gradually settling, so Kenjiro assumed he was alright.
He thought to himself, "This guy's psychological resilience is quite strong!"
After finding a nearby stream, Hirito jumped in to wash himself off.
Soon after, he came ashore and changed into the new clothes Kenjiro had prepared for him.
The blood-stained clothes? They were burned with fire.
Under the cover of darkness, the three of them hurried on their way.
After returning home, Hirito collapsed onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
He knew war was approaching, but it had never come directly to his doorstep, and he lacked personal experience in such matters.
Tonight's events revealed the cruel reality of the world to him.
When people without power face unrelenting violence, even basic self-defense becomes a luxury.
His mind filled with scattered thoughts, and slowly, Hirito drifted into sleep.
The next day.
Hirito woke up late, a rare occurrence for him.
He'd stayed up far too late the previous night.
Luckily, it was a day off. There were no classes at the Ninja Academy, and he didn't have to pick up Hyuga Hirika.
After breakfast, he stretched and loosened up his muscles before beginning his practice of the Gentle Fist technique.
Two palms, four palms, eight palms, sixteen palms, thirty-two palms, sixty-four palms…
Over and over again.
However, he felt that something was off. His technique was not flowing smoothly.
His posture was correct, his coordination between steps and body was good, and his chakra control was effortless. Yet, Hirito couldn't shake the feeling that something about his Gentle Fist was strange.
After some time, Hirito stopped.
He sat down cross-legged, relaxing his mind and letting his breathing slow, becoming longer and shallower.
He knew why.
Last night's experience hadn't scarred him emotionally, but it had left an impression. His mind needed time to process it.
With that, Hirito began reflecting on the previous night's battle.
"My actions were a bit over the top yesterday..."
"During the fight, I let my anger get the best of me, leading to some imprecise, impulsive moves..."
"My opponents were just regular people. They didn't have chakra or know any ninjutsu, and it was nighttime. The advantage was entirely mine..."
"If I had been more composed, I could have ended things with less force..."
As he analyzed the situation further, Hirito grew calmer.
Later, he made his way to Hyuga Kenjiro's house.
Kenjiro, upon seeing Hirito looking relatively unaffected, nodded to himself approvingly.
In a deep voice, Kenjiro asked, "Now that you've had a real fight, do you recognize your weaknesses?"
Hirito nodded. "There's a big difference between simulated combat lessons and real fighting."
With that, Kenjiro began teaching Hirito the things he needed to pay attention to on the battlefield. While these lessons wouldn't directly make him stronger, they could save his life.
This was the wisdom of a seasoned ninja who had survived many battles. Sometimes, experience was more valuable than raw strength.
Hirito absorbed every word, eager to learn. He didn't miss a single detail.
Without Kenjiro's guidance, he would have had to figure all of this out on his own — but at the cost of his life.
The day off passed quickly, and soon it was time to return to school.
When Namikaze Minato saw Hirito, he was taken aback.
Minato's blue eyes scanned Hirito up and down several times before he scratched his head.
"Hirito, something's different about you," Minato remarked.
In Minato's perception, Hirito's presence had changed. His aura seemed a bit colder, more like that of an experienced ninja.
"People change all the time," Hirito said simply.
Minato's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Hirito, let's spar! It's been too long since we've had a match."
"Not today," Hirito replied with a smile. "Next time, Minato."
Though Minato was eager, he didn't want to push his friend. "Alright!"
Minato, still curious, leaned in and whispered, "Hirito, I've got a little secret for you..."
Hirito raised his eyes, curious.
Is this guy about to talk gossip?
Doesn't he only have eyes for that 'Red Hot-Blooded Women'?
(End of the chapter).