Chapter 10: Mastery is Earned, Not Given
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Hikaru stood in the middle of the training field, his body sore from the previous days of relentless training. His muscles ached, his chakra reserves were constantly being pushed to their limit, and yet he had never felt more alive.
Kosuke had pushed him harder than anyone ever had.
And it was working.
His movements were faster. His dodging had become instinctive. His chakra control was leagues beyond where it had started.
But he wasn't done.
Kosuke tossed him a kunai. "Alright, brat. Let's see if you actually learned something."
Hikaru caught the kunai, flipping it in his hand. His breathing was steady, his heartbeat calm.
Kosuke smirked. "Come at me."
Hikaru didn't hesitate. He pushed off the ground, chakra flaring in his legs as he closed the distance between them. He threw the kunai as a distraction, shifting his weight to feint left—
Kosuke's eyes glinted. He moved before the kunai even left Hikaru's fingers.
Hikaru expected that.
He twisted at the last second, dropping low to sweep Kosuke's legs.
Kosuke stepped back—just barely.
A flicker of surprise crossed the older man's face. "Not bad."
Hikaru didn't stop. He couldn't.
He followed up with a quick strike, aiming for Kosuke's ribs. The older shinobi deflected the attack with ease, but Hikaru had already moved to the side, adjusting his stance.
Kosuke raised an eyebrow. "You're finally thinking on your feet."
Hikaru smirked. "You're finally not holding back as much."
Kosuke's grin widened. "Alright. Let's up the stakes."
Before Hikaru could react, Kosuke's chakra flared.
A burst of speed sent Kosuke forward, closing the distance faster than Hikaru could react.
Hikaru barely managed to raise his arms in defense before a powerful kick slammed into his forearm, sending him skidding back.
His feet barely touched the ground before Kosuke was on him again. No wasted movement. No hesitation.
Hikaru gritted his teeth. Adapt. Think. React.
He dug his heel into the dirt, twisting his body mid-slide.
Instead of trying to block Kosuke's next strike—he let himself fall backward.
Kosuke's punch whistled over his head, missing by inches.
Hikaru planted his palms into the ground and kicked upward, aiming for Kosuke's chin.
Kosuke tilted his head slightly, dodging, but Hikaru was already moving again.
He pushed off the ground, twisting mid-air. A flick of his fingers sent a kunai flying straight for Kosuke's blind spot.
Kosuke smirked.
The kunai never reached him.
A blur of motion. Kosuke's hand snapped up, catching the kunai mid-air without even looking.
Hikaru barely landed before he felt the cold metal pressed against his own throat.
Kosuke was behind him.
"Dead," Kosuke murmured.
Hikaru swallowed hard.
Kosuke stepped back, flipping the kunai before tossing it back to him. "That was better. You actually made me move this time."
Hikaru wiped the sweat from his forehead. "And yet, I still lost."
Kosuke chuckled. "Of course you did. You're fighting a veteran shinobi. You're not supposed to win."
Hikaru exhaled. "Then what's the point of all this?"
Kosuke's smirk faded. "The point is that every time you fight me, you last longer. Every time you get knocked down, you learn how to stand back up."
Hikaru clenched his fists.
Kosuke was right. He hadn't landed a solid hit, but he had forced Kosuke to react.
That meant he was getting faster. Smarter.
Kosuke sighed. "Alright. Enough fighting for now. Time to focus on your Wood Release again."
Hikaru straightened, taking a deep breath. His Wood Release was still weak. Every time he used it, the branches were too thin, too fragile.
He needed more control.
Kosuke walked up to him, pointing at the ground. "Try growing something again."
Hikaru nodded, kneeling down. He placed his hand against the soil and focused.
Not force. Not brute strength.
Guidance.
His chakra seeped into the earth, moving carefully, patiently.
The soil shifted.
A sapling sprouted, growing slowly, its tiny leaves trembling in the breeze.
Kosuke watched. "Better."
Hikaru frowned. "But still weak."
Kosuke nodded. "You need to understand something about your Kekkei Genkai. Wood Release isn't just about molding earth and water together. It's about life. It's about will."
Hikaru narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Kosuke crouched beside him, poking at the small sapling. "Do you think Hashirama Senju's Wood Release was strong just because he had a rare bloodline? No. His jutsu were so powerful because he had willpower strong enough to reshape the world."
Hikaru stared at the sapling, Kosuke's words sinking in.
Wood Release wasn't just about chakra control.
It was about intent.
What was he trying to create?
What was he willing into existence?
Hikaru took a slow breath and placed his hand on the sapling.
Instead of just feeding it chakra, he focused on what he wanted it to become.
Stronger. Sturdier. Unyielding.
The sapling trembled—and then, it grew.
Its trunk thickened slightly, its branches widening, the once-weak leaves darkening into a richer shade of green.
Kosuke grinned. "Now you're getting it."
Hikaru's system flashed.
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[Wood Release Skill Improved]
→ Basic Growth Jutsu Unlocked
→ +2 WIS, +2 CHAKRA
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Hikaru exhaled, staring at his work. He had done it.
Kosuke clapped him on the back. "Good work. But we're just getting started."
Hikaru smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Because for the first time since arriving in this world, he truly felt like a shinobi.
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To Be Continued…