After dinner, the three instructors each cast a genjutsu on their respective students. Within those illusions, the genin were made to experience and dissect what it felt like to be trapped inside one. Then, Uchiha Ze unleashed a large-scale illusion on all three simultaneously. By the time it ended, the kids were mentally fried — their minds spinning like they'd just lived through several nightmares at once.
The next morning, Uchiha Sa resumed their lessons, much like the day before, though this time he reduced the number of shadow clones and increased the focus on chakra control. Thanks to yesterday's beating, today's ninjutsu training went surprisingly well — the teacher taught with enthusiasm, and the students practiced with bright grins despite the exhaustion.
After lunch came kenjutsu practice. They continued basic drills for a while before leaving shadow clones behind and following Ze to learn about traps and mechanical devices.
"Today, just take notes," Ze said as they walked. "After this week, I won't have much free time to train you, so write everything down. When I visit, I'll check your progress. Make sure to supervise each other — spar often, and refine your craft."
He stopped, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"A true swordsman's strength lies in his wrists — power and flexibility. Control over the blade must be absolute, but raw power isn't enough. You need explosive strength — that whip-like snap that sends a shock through the sword and your enemy. Flexibility and rhythm matter more than brute force.
The waist and hips are the pivot of every strike — they connect the stance below and the motion above. Without unity between upper and lower body, your technique floats without root, like a leaf blown by the wind.
Your steps must blend seamlessly with your blade. The body, the hands, and the sword must act as one — not the person leading the sword, nor the sword dragging the person, but both moving in harmony. Step lightly when you must, crash forward when needed. Be unpredictable."
Ze's voice hardened slightly. "And remember — real blade strength doesn't come just from the arms. It comes from the entire body — from legs, hips, and core working in unison. That's what gives the sword its cutting edge.
But brute force isn't everything. You need flow — the agility that lets you shift from one killing strike to the next without pause. When your sword becomes an extension of instinct, when you act without thought, then you've begun to understand."
He paused, eyes gleaming. "The Uchiha style kenjutsu has been passed down for generations — jutsu like Kagutsuchi, Dance of the Sun Halo, Blade of Wind, Flash Cross Sever… Combine these with the Body Flicker Jutsu, and your strikes become so fast they can't be dodged — one blow, one kill. That's enough theory for today. Back to basics — I'll correct your form as you go."
Later, Ze led his apprentices through the forest. "Today, I'll guide you myself. I'll show you where traps are placed, which ones are bait, which are lethal, and how each can be disarmed. Watch closely and take notes.
Tomorrow, you'll start setting traps on your own — two of you laying them, one dismantling. Tonight, we'll return to genjutsu practice. Depending on your progress, I might even teach you a combined illusion technique."
Time flew. A week passed in the blink of an eye. The results were impressive.
Kairen and his teammates mastered Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld and Earth Release: Rock Pillar Prison. Their coordination with Fire and Wind jutsu became seamless — any two of them could perform a combo jutsu without hesitation.
Together, all three could unleash devastating team techniques like Fire Release: Great Flame and Fire Release: Flame Whirlwind.
Their swordsmanship had also improved. Though still rough, each could now perform small personal combos and continue refining their own styles.
When it came to traps, Yasuyuki was a natural prodigy — quick, clever, and precise. Kairen and Honō were slower learners there, but the situation reversed in genjutsu: Kairen excelled at casting illusions, while Honō had a knack for detecting and dispelling them. Yasuyuki, however, was hopeless — his genjutsu were unconvincing, easily broken, and he could barely dispel the simplest of tricks.
At the end of the week, the three knelt before their mentors in deep gratitude. The instructors accepted their bows with pride, offered a few final words of advice, and vanished using the Body Flicker jutsu.
Shouldering their packs, the trio started down the road home. The week's training would take months to fully digest — but each silently swore that the next time they met their teachers, they'd prove themselves worthy of their attention.
---
At home, Kairen's mother couldn't stop fussing over him.
"Eat slowly — and here, have some more! I made your favorite. Look how thin you've gotten! My poor boy must've suffered out there…" She kept piling food onto his plate.
Kairen's father, bowl in hand, reached out with his chopsticks — only to have them smacked aside by his wife. She shot him a glare that said don't even think about it. He quietly accepted his fate.
"Ahh, I'm stuffed," Kairen said with a grin. "Mom, your cooking is the best! When I grow up, I'm gonna marry someone just like you."
His mother beamed. "That's my boy! Unlike some people who didn't even touch their food." Her eyes darted sharply toward her husband.
The man chuckled nervously. "Now, now, I was just letting our son eat more! Eating your food is a blessing. If I could, I'd eat it in this life and the next!" he said, reaching for her hand with a sheepish smile.
Kairen sighed dramatically. "Okay, I'm full — I'll go train before you two start feeding each other again."
As his son disappeared into the yard, his father smiled softly. "He's grown up so much. Sometimes I wonder if I've lost my chance to teach him anything." He turned to his wife. "But you — you were the one who pushed for this special training. You even called in Sa yourself."
She began clearing the table. "After what happened last time, I learned my lesson. I'd rather see him come home tired and starving than bleeding. Ze was the real key to this training. Power alone isn't enough in this world — you need connections, too."
Her husband frowned. "He's safe in the village. What's there to worry about?"
"Safe?" She snorted. "Do you think the Uchiha are really safe here anymore?" Without another word, she turned away, taking the dishes into the kitchen.
Her husband sighed, used to her paranoia by now, and decided to check on Kairen's practice instead of arguing.
---
A year passed.
Captain Uchiha Ankoku hadn't assigned Kairen's team any missions during that time — only occasional guidance from veteran clan members to keep their fundamentals sharp.
Now, as the three teammates sparred at the training grounds, trading blows with their swords, a familiar voice called out:
"Good progress, my students."
They turned, eyes lighting up. It had been a full year since they'd seen their mentor.
"I just received several missions," Ankoku said, tossing them a bundle of scrolls. "Our Fourth Division hasn't taken the field in a long time — it's time to change that. Real combat is the truest test of your training."
They opened the scrolls: five were bandit eradications, three were spy elimination missions.
"I'll be following behind you," Ankoku continued, smirking. "Don't expect me to help — but after each mission, I'll give you feedback. Alright then… Fourth Division, move out! Meet me at the village gate in thirty minutes."
With that, he vanished.
Half an hour later, the team stood ready. Packs secured, headbands gleaming. This was their second time leaving the village — but unlike before, they weren't just rookies anymore. As they raced across the open plains, they could finally afford to look up and enjoy the view.