How Much Longer Do I Have to Watch?

Sunlight filtered through the thinning morning mist, spilling across the Training Ground.

Renye's small figure knelt on the ground, his palms charred black, covered in the scars left by failed Fire Release techniques.

He gasped for air, his Chakra completely drained.

He stared at the Training Ground, now scarred and battered by his own efforts, frustration weighing heavy on his heart.

"This is too hard... I'll never learn it..."

Just then, Tobirama Senju's stern figure appeared at the Training Ground.

He watched Renye in silence, his gaze deep and piercing.

"Giving up at the first setback?" Tobirama Senju's voice was cold, yet carried an unyielding authority. "Did you think growing stronger would be easy?"

Renye looked up, meeting Tobirama's eyes, a complex light flickering within them. "Uncle, I wasn't planning to give up..."

Tobirama Senju walked over slowly, stopping in front of Renye.

"Ninjutsu is like your heart. When you're consumed by the fear of failure and thoughts of giving up, it naturally won't obey you."

He leaned down slightly, glancing at Renye's scorched palms. "It's not that you can't learn it—it's that you're not firm enough, not focused enough."

Renye gritted his teeth. "I'll try harder."

"Hard work isn't blind repetition. It's learning from failure and constantly adjusting." Tobirama Senju straightened up, his gaze fixed on the distance.

"Training in ninjutsu is like climbing a peak. Every step is grueling, but as long as you don't give up, you'll reach the summit one day."

Renye took a deep breath, slowly rising to his feet, his fighting spirit blazing.

"I understand, Uncle."

He was about to gather his Chakra again when Tobirama Senju's voice came from behind him: "It's about time. You need to go to school."

Renye froze, suddenly remembering he still had school to attend.

For a moment, it felt like the sky was caving in.

He'd trained for hours, and now he still had to drag himself to miserable classes—who could handle that?

He looked at his charred palms, then back at the scarred Training Ground, a pang of reluctance in his chest.

He'd just started to find his rhythm, wanted to push forward with his training, but now he had to stop.

Tobirama Senju seemed to read his thoughts, frowning slightly. "What you learn at school is just as important. Knowledge and combat ability go hand in hand."

"Don't think ninjutsu training is all it takes to become a great ninja."

Renye quickly replied, "I understand, Uncle. I'll study hard!"

With that, he stretched his stiff body and headed toward the kitchen.

He needed to make breakfast and a lunchbox for the day.

With his Chakra depleted, his body was screaming with hunger. He had to replenish it with food to restore his Chakra.

After breakfast, Renye trudged off to school, miserable as ever.

Ninja Academy, Class A.

The morning lessons were cultural classes, covering topics including but not limited to:

Explaining the geographical advantages and defensive traits of the Five Great Nations' hidden villages (Konoha, Kirigakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure).

Summarizing the components of Chakra and how to improve its quality and control through training.

Listing three different Chakra natures (Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, Wind) and their counter-principles, with examples.

As for cultural class, Renye didn't keep his earlier promise to study hard. Instead, he lay his head on the desk and fell fast asleep.

The teacher droned on and on at the podium, lecturing on ninjutsu theory, but the words were like distant, muffled noise, unable to penetrate Renye's ears.

His breathing gradually steadied, his body fully relaxed, and he slipped into a dream.

The whispers of classmates around him, the occasional rustle of turning pages—none of it woke him.

He'd trained too hard this morning. He was exhausted. He needed a good nap.

If you like this book, don't forget to bookmark it so you don't lose track.

Motoya Nara yawned in boredom, noticed Renye was asleep, and followed suit, dropping his head onto the desk.

It wasn't until the school bell rang that Renye slowly stirred awake.

He looked around in a daze, saw that the classroom was empty except for himself and Motoya Nara, still slumped at his desk, and realized school was already over.

After sleeping all day, his physical fatigue had faded.

Renye stood up, stretched, and woke Motoya Nara. Together, they left the school.

"Renye-kun, good thing you woke me up in time, or I'd have overslept again," Motoya Nara said, still shaken.

Last time, his parents found out he was late because he'd fallen asleep at school.

And then he got a thorough beating from them...

"No big deal." Renye waved a hand dismissively.

Motoya Nara's personality suited his tastes, so the two of them got along fairly well.

Just then, they heard two familiar voices from the alley.

"Still acting tough, huh?"

"Finally got you cornered!"

Renye's expression turned odd. "Those two actually managed to corner someone?"

He recognized the voices of Rin Uchiha and Hikaru Uchiha.

"Renye, who did they corner?" Motoya Nara asked, curiosity plain on his face.

The two were decent fighters in their class, solidly mid-to-upper tier.

He wondered who'd managed to provoke them.

"Probably Yuki Hyuga," Renye said uncertainly.

He'd overheard them earlier, plotting to corner the "King of Show-offs" in the alley and beat him up...

"Yuki Hyuga?" Motoya Nara's eyes flickered. "Now this should be interesting."

They exchanged a glance, understanding each other's intent.

Lowering their footsteps, they crept quietly to the corner.

There, Rin Uchiha and Hikaru Uchiha had Yuki Hyuga surrounded.

Facing their encirclement, Yuki Hyuga showed no fear.

He struck first, thrusting his palm forward. An invisible Chakra shockwave slammed into Hikaru Uchiha's chest.

The latter flew backward, shattering a wine jar at the alley's end, and fell unconscious.

One move, and he was out cold.

Of course, that was partly because Hikaru Uchiha hadn't been on guard and took the hit full-on.

Their combat experience was too weak—they hadn't expected him to attack so suddenly.

"Bastard, attacking from behind!"

Seeing her comrade unconscious, Rin Uchiha roared and launched her own attack.

Yuki Hyuga's expression didn't change. He lightly tapped his feet against the ground, dodging with nimble grace, while curling his fingers into a palm and striking out with the Eight Trigrams Palm in an instant.

Rin Uchiha reacted quickly, sidestepping the attack and swinging her fist back toward his face.

Yuki Hyuga's pupils contracted slightly, the veins of his Byakugan clearly surfacing. Pale blue Chakra gathered in his palm as his strikes grew faster and faster.

Under this onslaught, Rin Uchiha was forced back step by step, until a Gentle Finger strike hit her Sleep Point, and she collapsed to the ground.

Before losing consciousness, only one thought filled her mind: How is this guy so strong?!

Renye and Motoya Nara stared, eyes wide with shock. They hadn't expected Yuki Hyuga to end the fight so decisively.

Just then, Yuki Hyuga slowly turned and looked toward the alley entrance.

"How long are you two going to keep watching?"