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Watching Yuichi Yuuki continuously step onto the tree, then fall, hitting the cushion with a dull thud, Yuhi Kurenai blinked.
Although Yuichi Yuuki kept falling, she noticed that the height he reached each time was different. Each fall seemed to come with an adjustment, and the next attempt saw him climb a little higher.
"Yuichi is so amazing." Yuhi Kurenai looked at Yuichi Yuuki, admiration shining in her eyes.
Then, she clenched her hands. "I can't slack off either!"
This training routine lasted for four days. Yuhi Kurenai's talent for chakra control was far stronger than Yuichi Yuuki's—she was a natural genius.
If Yuichi Yuuki's progress was slow and steady, like a snail, Yuhi Kurenai was more like someone casually walking—still not too fast, but much faster by comparison.
Standing vertically on a tree trunk, three meters above the ground, Yuichi Yuuki fell into silence as he glanced at Yuhi Kurenai, who was nearing the top of the tree.
He couldn't help but remember that he had a training boost title, didn't he?
[Ninja Student: Wearing this title enhances ninjutsu effects by 10% and increases training effectiveness by 20%.]
Looking at the glowing blue panel in front of him, Yuichi Yuuki grew even more silent.
With a 20% training boost, this was the best he could manage? Just how bad was his chakra control talent?
In truth, Yuichi Yuuki wasn't lacking in talent. In terms of physical strength and chakra reserves, he surpassed many of his peers. But when it came to chakra control, he was at a disadvantage. The more chakra one had, the harder it was to control; the less chakra, the easier.
Because of his Uzumaki lineage, his chakra reserves were enormous, making it much harder to manage.
Meanwhile, Yuhi Kurenai, a prodigy in genjutsu, relied heavily on chakra control. If she didn't have a natural talent for chakra control, how could she later become a jōnin specializing in genjutsu?
Comparing himself to her made Yuichi Yuuki feel like a lost cause.
She had reached the top, while he had only climbed two and a half meters.
As he pondered this, Yuhi Kurenai's voice broke his thoughts.
"I did it! I made it!"
Yuhi Kurenai stood at the top of the tree, looking absolutely thrilled.
With a light push of his feet, Yuichi Yuuki rolled in midair and landed back on the ground with a smile.
If he was being outdone by Kurenai, then so be it. If she was happy, he was happy too.
Yuhi Kurenai gracefully descended from the tree trunk, planting her feet firmly on the ground. She stood with her hands behind her back and looked at Yuichi Yuuki with a pleased expression.
"Look! I can climb trees now!"
She looked so eager for praise, like a kitten waiting for approval.
Yuichi Yuuki smiled and ruffled her hair, "As expected, Kurenai is the best!"
"Hehe." Kurenai giggled innocently, then offered, "I can teach you the key to tree climbing, Yuichi~"
"Then I'll be sure to listen closely!"
Not only Yuichi Yuuki, but Asuma Sarutobi and the others also gathered around.
They had all heard the commotion Kurenai made earlier and came over to congratulate her with smiles, but they didn't miss the chance to mock Yuichi either.
Sarutobi Asuma laughed, "Yuichi, you're so lame!"
Uchiha Obito, removing his goggles, added, "Yeah, Yuichi's totally lame!"
Yuichi Yuuki chuckled at the two, "Oh, so you guys are feeling brave?"
Sarutobi Asuma quickly hid behind Uchiha Obito and shut his mouth.
Obito, oblivious, continued, "I'm super brave, you know!"
"Well then, let me show you something cool." Yuichi Yuuki grinned as he pulled Obito toward the training ground.
Watching them go, Sarutobi Asuma sighed in relief and shook his head. "Good thing I'm smart. Otherwise, I'd end up like Obito."
Hatake Kakashi, who had been observing, chuckled lightly. "Do you really think he'll let you off that easily?"
Having hung out with Yuichi long enough, Kakashi knew his habits well.
Asuma's face froze at Kakashi's words. He glanced nervously at his silver-haired teammate, "He won't, will he?"
Just then, Obito's scream echoed in the distance, causing Asuma to shiver. He coughed and said, "I just remembered I have some unfinished business. See you guys later!"
Without waiting for a response, Asuma dashed down the mountain with impressive speed.
He knew very well that no one here would let him off just because he was the Hokage's son. That was why he enjoyed spending time with them. Here, he was simply Asuma Sarutobi, not the Hokage's heir.
But at this moment, he kind of wished they would treat him like the Hokage's son, just this once—so he could avoid a beating.
After a while, Yuichi Yuuki returned, satisfied, with Uchiha Obito trailing behind him, covered in dust.
"Where's Asuma?" Yuichi asked, noticing the missing person.
"He ran off," Kurenai replied, scratching her head.
"Huh?" Yuichi was taken aback. "Why'd he run away?"
"He was afraid you'd get back at him," Might Guy called out from where he was doing push-ups.
"!!!"
"Am I really the kind of person who holds grudges over small things?!"
Yuichi looked at them, feigning disbelief, his face showing mock hurt.
Kakashi and Obito stared back at him blankly, their expressions clearly saying: "Yes, you are."
"You disappoint me," Yuichi sighed dramatically, "I just wanted to loosen up his muscles."
"Hehe," Kurenai giggled. It wasn't often you saw someone so adept at lying with a straight face.
"Enough talking, back to training," Yuichi declared, brushing off the teasing.
"I'm going to practice treading water!" Kurenai raised her hand enthusiastically.
They had explored the training grounds over the past few days and found a small stream nearby. The deepest part barely reached Yuichi's waist, making it perfect for practicing the water-walking technique.
Perhaps that's why Minato Namikaze chose this spot for their training. If left to their own devices, they wouldn't have found such an ideal place—secluded, peaceful, with all the right elements for training taijutsu, ninjutsu, and chakra control.
As they resumed their training, Minato Namikaze quietly returned to Konoha.
"Even though I could use the Flying Thunder God to get home faster, sometimes it's nice to just walk back," Minato mused with a smile as he strolled through the village streets.
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