Shiba First person POV
The sun had barely gone over the horizon as I stood in the training grounds once more, my new katana at my side. Zoro and Erza had pushed me to my limits over the past week, honing my skills in swordsmanship. But now, we were taking things a step further—.
"Alright, Cap'n," Zoro said, standing with his arms crossed, eyeing me up and down like a hawk. "You've got the basics down, but today, we're focusing on something different."
I raised an eyebrow. "Different?"
Zoro unsheathed one of his swords, holding it loosely in his right hand. "Swords are more than just weapons you hold. Your body can become a sword too. Your hands, your fists—they can cut just as sharply as a blade if you do it correctly."
I blinked, trying to wrap my head around that concept. "Wait, my hands… as swords?"
Zoro nodded. "Yeah. Think of it like chakra control, but you focus that energy into your strikes, turning them into blades. It's an advanced technique, but once you get the hang of it, you can attack with just your hands and still cut through metal."
He demonstrated by slashing at a nearby boulder with his hand, chakra-infused energy slicing clean through it like butter. My jaw dropped.zoro has chakra and if he could do that, the I could do that, it would change the way I fought.
The training was brutal. My hands ached after just a few hours of trying to mimic Zoro's technique, but he was relentless. Each time I faltered, he would bark out corrections or shove me back into position. He wasn't letting me off easy, and I didn't want him to. I knew that with this new skill, I'd be that much more dangerous in combat.
In the afternoon, Erza joined us, and her focus was on something equally as challenging—precision. "Now that you're learning to turn your body into a weapon," she said, twirling a kunai between her fingers, "you also need to master distance combat. Your aim with shuriken and kunai needs to be as sharp as your swordsmanship."
I nodded, wiping the sweat from my forehead as she set up targets at various distances. "No problem. I've practiced throwing weapons before."
"Not like this, you haven't," Erza replied, smirking.
For the next few hours, Erza drilled me relentlessly, focusing on pinpoint accuracy. She didn't just want me to hit the target; she wanted me to hit specific spots with deadly precision. And while my aim wasn't terrible, it was far from Erza's level. She could hit a target while mid-air, spinning, moving, and blindfolded. Me? Well, let's just say I had some work to do.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted, but I couldn't deny the progress I had made. Zoro's techniques had already begun to take root in my fighting style, and Erza's emphasis on precision was helping me see combat in a whole new way. As we wrapped up training, I found myself walking alongside Erza, the evening breeze cooling my sweat-covered skin.
"Hey, Erza," I started, curious about something that had been on my mind for a while. "Do you still have your requip magic? You know, from your old world?"
She looked at me, her crimson hair catching the last rays of the sun. "I do, but it's not quite the same. I can still requip my weapons and armor, but instead of using magic, I've learned to use chakra. It's… different, but the concept is the same."
I nodded, fascinated. "That's pretty amazing. I mean, being able to summon whatever weapon or armor you need in the middle of a fight? That's a huge advantage."
Erza smiled softly. "It is. But it's not just about the weapons or armor—it's about how you use them. Every weapon has a purpose, and it's up to the wielder to understand that purpose.".
"So," I said, breaking the silence with a smile, "what's your favorite food?"
Erza blinked, surprised by the sudden change in conversation, but then she laughed—a sound so rare from her that it made me smile too. "Strawberry cake."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? The warrior queen Tatiana likes strawberry cake?"
She nodded, a little embarrassed. "Yes. It's… comforting."
I grinned. "I'll have to remember that. We'll need to get some after training one day."
"What about you?" she asked, her gaze softening. "What's your favorite?"
"Me I like anything and everything," I admitted, thinking of the warm, comforting food my mom used to make when I was a kid.
We walked in silence for a while longer, the training grounds behind us, the village quiet in the distance. It was peaceful, a rare moment in the life of a shinobi. As we reached the mansion, I realized how much I had come to appreciate having Erza and Zoro around. They weren't just my teachers—they were my friends, comrades. People I could rely on and trust.
Erza glanced at me as we reached the door. "You've improved a lot this past week, master. Keep training, and you'll be a force to be reckoned with."
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride swell in my chest. "Thanks, Erza. I couldn't have done it without you… or Zoro's constant insults."
She chuckled. "Well, he does have a unique teaching style."
For the next half-month, the training continued. Every day, I pushed myself harder, splitting my time between taijutsu, swordsmanship, and chakra control. I could feel myself getting stronger, faster. And with each passing day, I grew more confident in my abilities. But I knew I still had a long way to go hoping that I could survive the fateful war that is coming.
AN: MORE POWER STONES = MORE CHAPTERS