- Training grounds
Ren pulled small packages wrapped in dark cloth from his bag.
"What are these?" Jun'ko asked curiously.
"Weights," Ren replied, showing the rudimentary bracers. "Two kilos each, for wrists and ankles."
Jun'ko examined them with a grimace. "They're... how should I put it... hideous?" She turned to Aoi for support. "Couldn't you have made them prettier?"
"They're just bags with bits of lead," Ren explained. "Aesthetics weren't a priority."
"Technically," Aoi began hesitantly, "adding weight to the limbs could compromise..."
"Oh, shut up!" Jun'ko interrupted. "Don't be difficult. We can't waste Ren's goodwill. This is the first time in... months that he's been acting like the old Ren."
They exchanged a meaningful look. Ren caught the hint of concern in their eyes.
'Whether or not they become enemies in the future, it doesn't matter now,' he thought. 'The important thing is that they are able to survive the times to come, and then...'
"So, I'm ready, let's begin?" Jun'ko's enthusiastic voice interrupted his thoughts. She had already applied weights and was trying to move gracefully, failing miserably.
Sparring began with Jun'ko. Her movements, usually fluid, were now heavy and imprecise. After a few exchanges, they moved on to Aoi, who was showing similar difficulty adjusting.
"Remember," Ren said as he corrected Aoi's posture, "this is between us. No one is to know about the weights."
They moved on to practicing Kanashibari no Jutsu (Paralysis Technique). Aoi, with his surgical control of chakra, was making rapid progress, although he lacked the spark of creativity that allowed Ren to visualize innovative ways of applying the technique.
"Did you hear that the ceremony is in a week?" Jun'ko asked as they rested. "I can't wait! They say they'll decorate the whole village!"
"I hope Yagura-sama brings the change we need," Aoi commented, wiping away his sweat. "His skills are revolutionary, and his approach to leadership seems more... modern."
"Times are changing," Ren muttered, more to himself than to the others.
"Oh, come on!" Jun'ko nudged him lightly. "Don't be so serious! It'll be exciting to see the youngest Mizukage in history!"
'You have no idea how exciting this is going to be,' Ren thought, but only smiled faintly.
They continued training until dusk, alternating between taijutsu and ninjutsu. Ren subtly guided their movements, suggesting corrections and adjustments without ever showing too much of his true skill.
The mist was thickening as they decided to end it. "Same time tomorrow?" Jun'ko asked, rubbing her aching arms.
"Technically," Aoi interjected, "we should rest for at least a day to let the muscles..."
"Oh, shut up!" Jun'ko laughed, tossing him a towel. "You and your technicalities!"
As he watched them walk away into the fog, Ren felt a pang of... something. Affection? Concern? He couldn't quite put his finger on it.
The sun was setting as Ren headed to a secluded area just beyond the courtyard. 'Time to check the results,' he thought, starting to methodically remove the weights.
The first movement was telling. He felt incredibly light, almost as if he could float. With an experimental leap, he was surprised at the distance he had covered.
'This is... unexpected,' he mused, performing a series of basic movements. His speed had increased significantly, but he immediately noticed the problem: his muscles, accustomed to the extra weight, were struggling to coordinate with this new freedom of movement.
He performed a sequence of kata, repeatedly finding himself overextending his strikes or losing his balance slightly. 'It's as if the body is expecting resistance that isn't there anymore,' he analyzed. 'If I were to remove the weights before a fight, I would need at least a few hours to readjust.'
Replacing the weights, he made a mental note: 'Add occasional sessions without weights to maintain familiarity with both conditions.'
Back in the courtyard, he took out his tanto for his evening kenjutsu practice. As he performed the forms, his mind wandered to the possibilities.
'The tanto is excellent for close combat,' he considered as he completed a sequence. 'But perhaps I should expand my arsenal. A nodachi for long reach? Or perhaps a wakizashi to complement the tanto...'
He stopped mid-move, an idea forming. 'I might ask Takeshi to forge a longer blade for training as well. Variety in weight and length would help me develop a deeper understanding of kenjutsu.'
The evening found him in his room, surrounded by his fuinjutsu designs. Tatsumi's teachings on understanding fundamental patterns were slowly taking shape in his mind.
'If each seal is a dance of elements,' he mused as he studied a particular pattern, 'then it's the choreography that matters, not the individual steps. I don't have to memorize specific seals, but understand how chakra flows through the patterns.'
The night wore on, but Ren continued to study, determined to decipher the secrets hidden within these ancient forms.
'It's all connected,' he thought as his fingers traced a particularly complex pattern. 'The kenjutsu, the fuinjutsu, even the weights... each element of my style must flow naturally into the other, like ink flowing across paper to form a perfect seal.'