A/N:
Hey, I know this might be annoying, but if you could leave some POWERSTONES, it would motivate me a lot and maybe even make me post extra chapters with some sort of Powerstone goal. It's free and won't cost you anything. Thanks.
-------A/N END-------
Eiji had plenty to do, which made the hours move quickly. He fed the boar cub, checked his traps, and gathered herbs throughout the forest. At the same time, every quiet moment stretched out because his mind drifted toward the upcoming training session with Minato.
Half an hour before the agreed time, just after teaching the kids to read and write.
"Matron, I'm heading out," Eiji told the Matron.
"Where are you going, Eiji?" The matron asked, surprised.
"Well, I met someone in the library yesterday, they are gonna help me with a few things, it isn't that far from the orphanage."
"You have friends outside the orphanage, Eiji?" Kota said from another room, surprised.
Mizu hurried over with stars in her eyes. "Eiji-nii, can I meet your friend?".
"Calm down, I met him yesterday at the library, and we aren't friends yet. He said he saw me training alone, so he offered to train together." He explained patiently.
The matron stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, it's good that you're making friends outside, give me a moment, I'll pack you some dinner, and give some to your new friend." The matron continued,"Come on kids, you can help me with dinner, you can follow Eiji next time."
"Awhh Matron, why do we have to wait for next time, Eiji doesn't," Kota complained, but still followed the Matron to the kitchen.
"I'll help too," Mizu said, raising her hands as she followed too.
After a while, the Matron came back, handing Eiji a wrapped bento box that looked enough to feed the orphanage.
"Here you go dear, eat it all okay, make sure to have enough energy when you train"
"I will, Thank you, Matron" Eiji said.
He slipped on his sandals and began walking to the agreed spot, carrying the large bento box in hand, his old kunai strapped on his belt.
By the time he arrived, it was still a half of an hour early, but Minato was already there.
The blond boy was trying to balance on a rope strung between the two trees, arms flailing wildly.
"Hey Eiji, glad you could make it," Minato yelled.
"Hi Minato, are you training your balance?" Eiji asked as he got closer to the rope.
"Yeah, dad said a good shinobi needs to have good control of their body, and balancing on a rope really trains your core. I can balance myself for a long time without breaking a swea- Wh- Whoa-."
Eiji lightly slapped the tree, causing a small abrupt movement on the rope, making Minato lose his balance, flailing his arms to regain balance.
"Looks like you still need practice," Eiji said with a small lift on the corner of his lips.
"Hey, not fair. I said I can hold it for a while, I didn't say I could do it while someone was shaking the rope," Minato complained as he jumped down.
"I did not shake the rope, I just placed my hand on the tree, the rope barely moved," Eiji replied.
"...Sure, you JUST placed your hand," he deadpaned.
"This place looks very good by the way, thanks for inviting me," Enji said, trying to subvert the conversation.
"No problem hahaha, I'm the only one who trains here, so it's nice to have a training partner." Minato's attitude instantly brightened.
Eiji looked around more carefully.
The training area was nestled deep enough in a small grove of thick trees that offered privacy. The ground was relatively clear, flat stones were scattered across the ground in a loose circle, some half-buried. Scattered around were other signs of use: three sturdy training posts that looked like they'd seen better days, tree stumps that had been scattered, creating stepping posts. There were also some marks on the bark of several trees where something sharp had struck them again and again.
Minato walked toward a large, canvas sack leaning against one of the trees.
"I brought some stuff my dad said we could use. They're mostly old, unused practice gear from my family's storage," he explained, pulling a few items out.
First, he retrieved a pair of heavy, sand-filled ankle weights and wrist weights, the canvas faded but the stitching was still solid.
"These are great for resistance training," he said, handing a pair of each to Eiji. "They really make you feel lighter when you take them off."
Next came a set of practice kunai and a handful of relatively old shuriken, good enough to practice throwing. He also pulled out two thick wooden swords. One was a dark, well-worn mahogany color, the other was lighter, showing a few nicks and scratches. Then he pulled out other things from staffs, braces, gloves, and other gear.
"These are my dad's old stuff," Minato said. "He said I can use them as long as I don't lose anything."
Eiji picked up one of the weights, testing its heft.
"They're heavier than they look."
"Yeah," Minato said proudly. "The first time I tried to run with them, I barely moved and almost fell flat on my face."
"We can start with a simple warm-up," Minato suggested.
"Sure"
Minato leaned forward, trying to touch his toes.
"I hate this part," he muttered.
"You're doing it wrong," Eiji said. "Bend your knees a little," showing the correct way.
Minato did, then immediately tipped forward and had to catch himself.
"…I hate this part more now."
"You'll get used to it"
They worked through shoulders, arms, legs, and back, switching between calisthenics, stretching, and dynamic movements.
"Okay," Eiji said finally. "Now, running?"
"Yup"
Minato grabbed the weights and fastened it to his arms and legs, throwing the rest to Eiji. Eiji mirrored him, feeling the immediate, though slight, drag of the weights.
Minato led them through a long path around the training area, running and mixing exercises every few steps like burpees and more, based on Eiji's recommendation. It was here the difference in their inherent physical capabilities began to show.
Despite Minato's energetic start, Eiji's runs were smoother and surprisingly faster than Minato. While Minato was already breathing hard after the Twentieth lap, Eiji was only slightly winded, his movements barely impaired by the added weight.
"Okay," Minato panted, hands on his knees. "Break. Break. Break."
They dropped the weights and collapsed onto a log.
Minato leaned back, staring up through the leaves.
"Wow, Eiji," Minato panted, hands on his knees. "How are you still so fast and not tired, especially with those weights on! My dad said I was already better than most people our age, but you… you move like you're not even wearing them."
Eiji shrugged, taking a deep, controlled breath.
"I told you I'm stronger than some people."
"Yeah, but I didn't realise it was by this much." Minato waved his hands exaggeratedly, to really emphasize.
For the next part, they practiced basic stance work and punches on the training posts. Minato's punches were fast, his movements angular and direct, clearly focused on speed.
'His fighting style is very similar to a fencer or taekwondo.' Eiji analysed.
Eiji's style was the complete opposite. He punched like a boxer, and each strike made the wooden post tremble.
Minato stared. "That's… powerful. Where did you learn that?"
"This just feels the most natural to me," Eiji lied.
'Looks like watching those youtube videos back then came in handy' he thought
"How about kicking? I haven't figured out how to kick, so I sometimes fall when I do try. Look."
Minato demonstrated a basic forward kick. He was quick, but his supporting leg wavered slightly, and he lost balance for a brief moment.
"See? Okay, your turn Eiji, how do you kick?"
Eiji got into a similar stance, sinking his weight low. When he kicked, the movement wasn't as fast as Minato's, but it felt a lot more powerful. His supporting foot stayed flat as he kept his core tight.
"You're lifting your leg high," Eiji pointed out. "Twist your hip into the target, not just your leg, keep your core tight and your supporting foot firmly planted at an angle before you strike."
Minato nodded, practicing the kick again, deliberately focusing on Eiji's advice. His third attempt was noticeably better, more stable, and he managed to drive more power into the strike without losing balance.
"Wow, that was way better! Thanks, Eiji!"
They spent the next hour moving between practicing throwing kunai and shuriken. Minato had technique down pat; his wrist flick was sharp, ensuring his throws flew straight and fast, though he sometimes missed the center of the target due to overeagerness.
Eiji's throws were more clumsy, often spun wildly, didn't stick, or struck sideways.
"You're relying on your arm and shoulder too much," Minato said, walking over to him. "It's all in the wrist. It's like skipping a stone. You have to snap it just right at the end."
Minato stood beside Eiji, slowing down his throwing movements, sticking the kunai. "See? The snap is what sticks it."
Eiji copied the movement, focusing intensely on the small muscular action. His next kunai flew straighter, embedding point-first into the training post.
"Nice, you learn fast," Minato grinned.
"Okay, now let's try these." as he reached back into the sack and pulled out the swords. He tossed one to Eiji.
"Catch"
Eiji adjusted his grip and gave it a careful swing.
*Whip* The air cracked.
"Whoah, I can feel it from here," Minato blinked.
"Sorry, the sword feels a little too light"
"Well yeah, it's a training sword, but it shouldn't be too far off from the real ones. How about a spar? I'll use a kunai, you can use anything you want," Minato suggested.
"Alright, I'll use the sword" They stepped into the center of the clearing, taking their stances.
Minato moved first.
He darted in with a quick feint, then swept low at Eiji's legs. Eiji lifted his foot just enough to avoid it and leaned away from the jab that followed. Minato kept up a flurry of fast, precise strikes, dancing around him with sharp footwork. Eiji deflecting them with small motions, waiting for an opening.
Minato finally missed a strike, giving Eiji a chance to strike. He pretended to strike overhead with the sword as Minato raised his kunai with both hands to block, and quickly drove a palm to Minato's chest, making sure to hold back.
"Hey, that's cheating," retreating a few steps back.
"There weren't any rules set," Eiji replied.
Minato recovered, and immediately changed tactics, now mixing feints and parries to his attack.
"You asked for this"
When Eiji shifted his stance a little too far forward from a feint, Minato lunged. He dove in low, hooked Eiji's arm, and used Eiji's own motion to pull him down.
Eiji hit the ground hard. Before he could rise, he felt a knee to chest and the kunai sticking to his neck.
"Got you. I win," Minato smiled.
Eiji blinked, then laughed. "You did. That was fast."
They lay side by side on the ground afterward, staring at the orange sky.
*Grumble*
"You hungry?" Eiji asked.
"Hehehe, I don't usually push myself this hard when training alone, and the weights really made a difference, good thing I took it off after running"
"You took them off? I thought we were supposed to keep them on the whole time."
"Wait, you still have yours on?" Minato was surprised.
"Yeah, you want them back?"
"Nah, just keep them man, I probably won't use them much.
"Thanks. Wait here for a moment," Eiji nodded and got up.
Eiji returned with a giant bento box. "Matron made us dinner. We should eat before it gets too dark."
Minato slowly sat up, leaning back against the trunk of the tree, watching Eiji unpack the food. Eiji unwrapped the cloth, revealing two large, generously packed compartments filled with rice balls, grilled fish and boar meat, pickled vegetables, and sweet potato skewers. It was still warm and comforting.
"Woah, this looks amazing," Minato said, his exhaustion briefly forgotten. "Your Matron must be a great cook."
"She is," Eiji agreed, handing one half of the meal to Minato. "She insisted on packing enough for two."
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the food replenishing their drained energy. Minato devoured his portion quickly, while Eiji kept his pace, but ate more.
After taking a long drink from his water bottle, Minato leaned back, patting his full stomach. "That was exactly what I needed. Thanks, Eiji."
"No problem," Eiji replied.
Minato looked at Eiji, a serious expression settling on his face. "So, why do you want to get stronger, Eiji? You train harder than anyone I know. Is it for the Academy?"
Eiji chewed slowly on a piece of pickled ginger, his eyes looking off toward the darkening forest. "I want to be able to protect the orphanage. The Matron, Kota, Mizu… all the younger kids. The village is safe for now, but sometimes there are things that happen, little threats. I want to be the one who stands between them and anything bad."
Minato nodded slowly. "That's a good reason. You're like a big brother to them, huh?"
"They're my family," Eiji stated simply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "How about you?"
"For me… I want to be a great shinobi, maybe even Hokage someday," Minato confessed, looking up at the canopy. "I want to be acknowledged, you know? Not just as 'Minato, the son of so-and-so,' but as someone important who can help the whole village. My family has been shinobi for generations, but I want to make my own mark. To be someone everyone looks up to and recognizes."
"That's a big goal," Eiji said, mid bite.
"It is," Minato admitted, grinning. "But you have to aim high, right?"
They sat there for a long time, the silence broken only by their heavy breathing and the rustle of leaves. The exhaustion was gone, and a new friendship was born.
Minato finally pushed himself up. "It's getting dark. I should probably head back."
Eiji sat up as well, feeling a satisfying ache in his muscles. "Me too. Thanks for the training, Minato. I learned a lot today."
"Thanks for pushing me, Eiji. And for the food! I'm looking forward to doing this again." Minato collected his things, carefully packing the training gear back into the canvas sack.
"How about the day after tomorrow? Same time?" Eiji asked, tidying the bento box.
"Perfect. I'll see you then, Eiji." Minato slung the heavy bag over his shoulder.
"Be careful on your way back," Eiji said.
"You too. Tell your Matron thanks again for the dinner!" Minato gave a final wave and sprinted off into the village.
Eiji watched him go, a profound sense of satisfaction settling over him. He was tired, every muscle ached, but he felt stronger, more capable..
He picked up the bento box and strapped his old kunai back onto his belt, starting his walk back to the orphanage, his steps slow but measured, already planning how he would counter Minato next time.
(To Be Continued)
A/N
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