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Using Chidori to defeat Hatake Kakashi should be thrilling, right? Yuki Yuichi mused as he glanced at Kakashi, who was walking ahead, dragging Might Guy along.
Suddenly, Kakashi felt a shiver down his spine. He turned around to find Yuki Yuichi staring at him, seemingly lost in thought. Kakashi scanned the area nervously but, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, dismissed it.
It must be my imagination, Kakashi thought. There's no way someone would want to harm me. I don't have any enemies in Konoha.
Relieved, Kakashi continued forward as the group quickly arrived at the training ground. The moment Guy laid eyes on the equipment, his energy spiked.
"Wow! This place is incredible!" Guy exclaimed, his eyes shining.
Uchiha Obito stood tall, hands on his hips, adjusting his goggles as he confidently declared, "Calm down, Guy! You'll get used to it!"
Obito pounded his chest, continuing with enthusiasm. "Just be like me, an upright man!"
"Yeah!" Guy nodded vigorously. "This is the place where youth shines! Let's go! Two hundred push-ups first, then five hundred punches, and fifty frog jumps!"
Without hesitation, Guy dropped to the ground and began his intense workout.
Asuma Sarutobi and Obito stared at him in disbelief.
"Has he always been this intense?" Asuma asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes," Yuichi replied with a nod. "Guy isn't naturally talented in ninjutsu, so he pours everything into taijutsu."
Having known Guy for a long time, Yuki Yuichi understood him better than anyone else—even better than Guy understood himself.
"What dedication," Asuma sighed before steeling himself. "I can't fall behind! Time to practice my Fire Style!"
Determined, Asuma headed to the area where he had been practicing ninjutsu the day before. Kakashi, seeing Guy's serious training regimen, knew he couldn't afford to slack off either.
Obito and Kakashi soon began their own practice as well. Yuhi Kurenai was about to resume practicing the Dragon Fire Technique when Yuki Yuichi gently stopped her.
"Huh?" Kurenai looked at him in confusion, unsure of why he stopped her.
Yuichi smiled and pointed to a nearby tree. "Let's practice chakra control."
"Now?" Kurenai asked, surprised.
"Yes," Yuichi nodded. "We can focus chakra to our feet and walk up the tree trunk. It's great for improving chakra control."
With that, Yuichi approached the trees, ready to demonstrate. He took a deep breath, lifted his foot, and pressed it against the tree trunk, letting the chakra in his foot cling to the surface. Feeling confident, he lifted his other foot off the ground, placing it on the tree as well.
But as he tried to balance the chakra in both feet, it slipped out of control. He fell instantly, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Grimacing, Yuichi dusted himself off. Although he wasn't seriously hurt, the fall was definitely painful. Thankfully, he had quickly activated a taijutsu stance to soften the impact.
"Yuichi, are you alright?" Kurenai hurried over, concern etched on her face.
"I'm fine," Yuichi replied, giving a slight smile. "Looks like I'll need to get something to cushion my fall."
He started down the hill, calling back to Kurenai, "You can keep training here. I'll grab something and be back."
Kurenai nodded. "Okay."
The training ground was located behind Hokage Rock, and there were several shops below the rock. Yuki Yuichi soon found a ninja tool shop and stepped inside.
"Hey, kid! What can I do for you?" A kind-looking older man greeted him from behind the counter, showing no disdain despite Yuichi's young age.
Although the shopkeeper seemed friendly, Yuichi knew better. Ninja tools were essentially the arms trade in the ninja world, and anyone selling them had to be shrewd and experienced. Still, outward appearances could be deceiving.
Scratching his head, Yuichi asked, "Do you have any mats for sale? Ones for tree climbing practice?"
The shopkeeper's eyes twinkled with understanding. "Of course, we've got a few options. We have mats for 3,000 Ryo, 5,000 Ryo, 7,000 Ryo, and 10,000 Ryo. Which one are you looking for?"
"What's the difference between them?" Yuichi asked.
"The more expensive ones provide better cushioning," the shopkeeper explained with a smile.
Yuichi considered this. He had about 14,000 Ryo saved from his Uncle Shinku, and he wanted to be frugal. The cost of food for two people came to about 360 Ryo per day, so setting aside 4,000 Ryo for food would still allow him to buy two of the 5,000-Ryo mats.
Thinking it over, Yuichi finally decided. "I'll take two of the 5,000-Ryo mats."
He handed over the money, and the shopkeeper brought out two mats sealed in plastic bags with the air sucked out.
"Here you go, little customer," the shopkeeper said. "When you're ready to use them, just tear open the bags, and they'll expand back to normal."
Leaving the shop with the mats in hand, Yuichi walked down the street, glancing at his purchase. His thoughts drifted as he looked around.
The ninja world was filled with contradictions. They had advanced technology, like vacuum-sealed packaging, yet still used primitive methods like farming with hoes. Computers existed, but information was still often delivered by messengers or summoned animals.
These inconsistencies left Yuichi feeling a mix of amusement and frustration. The ninja world could achieve so much more, but many innovations never seemed to reach their full potential.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Yuichi continued his walk, preparing for the next stage of his training.
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