The result was clear: Reiki, Shisui, and Nozuki won the training battle, relying on their flawless coordination. However, to Uchiha Natsume, their victory seemed like outright cheating.
"Reiki, what do you mean by this?" Natsume asked, struggling to contain his frustration as he approached Reiki, who was tending to the injured Uchiha ninjas. Even though Reiki was helping them now, it didn't erase the fact that he'd used potions in the fight.
"We fought to win," Reiki replied simply, his hands not stopping for a moment. For him, this was a valuable practice, and if one didn't aim to gain experience, then what was the purpose?
"Winning? By using potions mid-battle? That's cheating," Natsume countered, his tone filled with disapproval. "It completely undermines the purpose of training. What meaning does a victory like that hold?"
Several watching Uchiha clan members nodded in agreement. To them, if someone needed to cheat in training, they weren't worthy of Uchiha training at all. The Uchiha clan prided itself on strength, honor, and defeating opponents with their own power—not by using shortcuts.
"Meaning?" Reiki raised his head and looked directly at Natsume. "Natsume-sama, are you telling me the meaning of fighting now?"
"Yes. Fighting should be—"
"About staying alive," Reiki interjected firmly before Natsume could finish. "Surviving is what matters."
"Living like that? It would be better to die honorably on the battlefield!" Natsume argued, his beliefs unwavering. "Living should come with dignity and faith, not the methods you're suggesting."
Reiki paused, then asked softly, "Do you have a family? People who want to see you come back safely, not die 'with dignity' on a battlefield?"
Natsume hesitated for a moment. "They'd be proud of me because their family member is a ninja with honor and faith!"
Reiki met his gaze. "Living is the foundation for your beliefs. If you don't prioritize survival, you'll end up sacrificing your friends and clan members too."
He turned to address the gathered Uchiha, "If the three of us had been your enemies in this last fight, would you be here now, critiquing our 'unethical' tactics?"
Uchiha Chu, who was receiving treatment from Reiki, stirred and added, "Natsume-sama, I think Reiki is right. If we'd been fighting a real enemy, we'd be dead. The tricks and tactics wouldn't matter—we'd already be gone. Discipline is important, yes, but do we expect our enemies to abide by it?"
"Quiet, Chu. You're injured and shouldn't be speaking," Reiki chided lightly, cutting off Chu's commentary. The ninja fell silent, though he looked resolute.
Natsume opened his mouth to respond, but Chu's words seemed to have struck a chord, leaving him in thoughtful silence.
"Let the medical ninja do his work. If there's more to discuss, we can do so once Reiki has finished treating everyone," Uchiha Ze said, stepping in to guide Natsume away from the area.
Shisui, who had been watching tensely from the side, exhaled in relief. For a moment, he'd thought Natsume and Reiki might actually come to blows.
"Get some rest," Shisui said, flopping down with a sigh. "There might be another battle soon. And verbal fights like that aren't my forte."
"Me neither," Nozuki shrugged, grinning slightly. "That's Reiki's battlefield, not mine. I'm just here to help."
"Nozuki, didn't you find this training style comfortable?" Shisui mused. "Fighting with an advantage, knowing Reiki's there to heal… it's a kind of security I've never felt during missions."
"Exactly," Nozuki agreed, chuckling. "With Reiki around, as long as I'm still breathing, I can be back in fighting shape in no time. It's a whole different experience."
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Uchiha Ze turned to Natsume with a curious expression. "Do you really believe Reiki was wrong?"
"If we all fight like that, how are we any different from those who fight with cunning instead of strength?" Natsume replied stubbornly, sticking to his principles.
"But is there a difference? They live; you die," Ze said bluntly, his expression serious.
Natsume bristled. "Which side are you on, Ze?"
"It's not about sides," Ze replied evenly. "I've had more combat missions than you in recent years, so I understand how precious staying alive is. My teammate died in the last war. He's a hero, but I'd rather he had lived to fight alongside me."
Ze's words struck a deep chord with Natsume, bringing up memories of comrades lost. One of those comrades had been a dear friend…
"I see," Natsume murmured. "Perhaps adjusting my approach doesn't mean I'm betraying my beliefs."
With newfound resolve, Natsume headed back to the training ground, ready to embrace a new perspective.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 350 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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