Various Training

Weekend!

Naruto unusually did not sleep in. Instead, he got up at five in the morning.

"All right! Today is another day full of energy!"

Naruto changed into athletic clothes, stood before the mirror, and flashed an incomparably bright, sunny smile!

"To catch up to Sasuke as soon as possible and make him acknowledge me—go for it, work hard, fight on!"

Naruto clenched his fists, cheered himself on, and walked out of his home.

The autumn morning was crisp and refreshing. The cool breeze brushed across Naruto's face, making him feel quite comfortable.

A serious expression appeared on Naruto's face. He tightened his clothes, gently exhaled, then broke into a run at full speed.

Naruto ran fast and hard, with no technique whatsoever. It was simply the quickest, most explosive, most stamina-draining way to run—in plain terms, he just took off like hell!

It was still very early, and most people were still asleep. There was almost no one on the streets, but there were exceptions.

When Naruto ran through a street and turned onto Konoha Avenue, Teuchi, dressed in a white chef's uniform, had just arrived at the entrance of his shop.

As he was about to open the door, he heard hurried footsteps coming from the far end of the street. On the otherwise silent road, they were especially noticeable.

Was some ninja from the village training?

Teuchi casually glanced toward the sound, then froze in surprise.

"Naruto?"

"Yo, Teuchi!" Naruto was also delighted to see him and greeted him. Although he stopped running, his feet continued stepping in place.

With a smile at the corner of his mouth, Teuchi asked, "Naruto, are you training?"

"Of course, Teuchi!" Naruto replied excitedly. "Starting today, I'm going to train hard every day!"

Teuchi nodded slightly, folded his arms, and said solemnly, "Then do your best. Hard work never betrays anyone, Naruto!"

"Thanks for the encouragement, Teuchi!"

Naruto shouted.

Teuchi smiled faintly, paused, then continued, "After you finish training, come by. I'll treat you to ramen today!"

"Huh!?"

Naruto's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded with a delighted expression.

"I'll do my best, Teuchi!"

"Mm, go on. I believe in you, Naruto!"

"All right!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto ran off at an even faster speed. Before long, he disappeared from sight.

"Naruto seems to have changed somehow." Teuchi withdrew his gaze, smiled softly, shook his head, and turned to open the shop for the day's work.

Huff! Huff! Huff!

Naruto panted heavily. His lungs burned, sweat drenched his entire body, and his clothes were soaked through. He had already been running for over an hour, and he had been sprinting at full force the entire time. Even with his physique, he felt utterly exhausted.

Keep going! Keep going!

As Naruto silently encouraged himself, Sasuke's words repeatedly flashed through his mind.

"Naruto, Shadow Clones can help you study and train, but you still have to personally handle the most basic taijutsu training. And personally, I suggest that your current goal should focus on taijutsu as well!"

"Taijutsu?"

Naruto wore a confused expression.

"Right!"

Sasuke answered calmly.

"With your current conditions, taijutsu training is best for you. Your physical talent is excellent, and your recovery ability is strong. Training in taijutsu will get you twice the result with half the effort. Besides, taijutsu training is often the toughest. It tempers not only the body, but also one's will and spirit!"

"I see." Naruto scratched his head, then seemed to recall something and hurriedly asked, "But, Sasuke, how did you find out that I have such great physical talent?"

"I beat you up enough times to notice!"

"..."

Pulling himself out of his memories, Naruto had unknowingly arrived at a ninja training ground in a corner of Konoha—Training Ground 3!

Naruto slowed down. Sweat had soaked every inch of his skin, and his body swayed unsteadily as he walked.

After arriving at Training Ground 3, Naruto did not rest immediately. Instead, he pressed his index and middle fingers together, crossed his hands into a seal, and shouted softly.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Ten solid clones instantly appeared in the training ground.

"Everyone! Let's do our best!"

Naruto loudly encouraged the Shadow Clones he had just created.

"All right! X10"

The Shadow Clones answered in unison, then immediately began training in ninja tool throwing, tree climbing, sparring, and more!

Naruto himself looked toward the circular track in the training ground.

"Five hundred laps of handstand running. Start! I absolutely cannot rest until I finish!"

Time passed second by second. The morning sun had slowly begun to rise in the east, and the warm dawn light shone across Naruto's face. He had already completed five hundred laps of handstand running, but his entire body was trembling violently, and his heart pounded nonstop. This was what it looked like when his body had reached its absolute limit.

Rest for a while. You're exhausted...

You've trained for a long time today. It's time to rest for a bit...

With weather like this, shouldn't you be sleeping comfortably at home right now?...

Naruto panted heavily. It seemed as though voices constantly whispered in his ears, tempting him to give up.

Hmph!

No!

Uzumaki Naruto would not admit defeat that easily!

Remembering his promise with Sasuke, Naruto's eyes instantly filled with determination. His exhausted body also seemed to gain a little more strength.

"Then next is..."

Suppressing the urge to collapse and rest, Naruto removed his upper clothes and lay facedown on the ground like a taut bowstring. His hands and feet pressed firmly against the ground like the roots of an ancient tree. Supporting himself with both hands and feet, he kept his body in a straight line, his head naturally positioned, and his breathing even!

Plank!

Static movement training!

Basic physical training could roughly be divided into two categories: dynamic exercise and static exercise!

Dynamic exercise trained the body's explosive power. Sprinting, high jumps, handstand running, and the like were all dynamic exercises, capable of stimulating muscular explosiveness more effectively.

Static exercise trained balance, stability, and flexibility. Yoga, horse stance, Knee Raise Hold, planks, and the like trained muscular endurance and coordination!

Naruto had already finished sprinting and handstand running. What he needed to do now were planks and horse stance.

With Naruto's simple-minded nature, he naturally could not have thought of such scientific training methods. Sasuke had designed this basic physical training plan for him!

These basic, simple exercises were the best training methods for Naruto!

Konoha, at Haruno Sakura's home.

In the courtyard, Sakura continuously manipulated the little water ball in her hands. Under her control, the little water ball gradually transformed into a human shape. Its facial features and figure slowly became clear as well...

"Hahahaha, I finally succeeded!"

Sakura revealed an excited expression and cried out happily. A tiny liquid creature appeared in her palm, with a figure and appearance very similar to Sasuke's.

"Sakura, why are you being so noisy this early in the morning?" Her mother, Haruno Mebuki, entered wearing a cheongsam adorned with the family crest and scolded her. "How many times have I told you to pay attention to your ladylike image!"

"Ah! Sorry, Mom." Sakura blushed, quickly dispelled the little liquid figure, and apologized.

"Oh, right, Mom!" Sakura seemed to remember something. She stepped forward, hugged Haruno Mebuki, and pleaded coquettishly, "Mom, can you teach me ninjutsu?"

Haruno Mebuki asked irritably, "You still want me to teach you ninjutsu? Have you even understood everything you're learning at the Ninja Academy?"

"Of course." Sakura quickly nodded and revealed a confident smile.

Haruno Mebuki pondered for a moment, stroked her daughter's pink hair, and asked, "What ninjutsu do you want to learn?"

"Water Release!"

Meanwhile, at the Uchiha Clan Compound, inside the training ground.

Sasuke stood with his legs in a bow stance, his left hand holding the scabbard and his right resting on the sword hilt. He focused his mind and held his breath, his eyes fixed like lightning on a small artificial hill thirty meters away without moving.

Although Sasuke appeared completely still, chakra had long since been poured into the katana in his hand, turning it incomparably red.

Tiny, nearly imperceptible strands of chakra continuously collided and moved in molecular motion, increasing their temperature and explosive force!

At the same time, Sasuke continuously built momentum, gathering the momentum of his blade!

Finally, Sasuke moved. He was either perfectly still or shockingly swift!

Sasuke instantly drew his blade. A crimson flash suddenly lit up, and a brilliant flaming blade like a red moon tore through the air. Carrying searing heat, it slashed toward the distant artificial hill with lightning speed. Wherever it passed, even the hard soil and rocks on the ground were scorched red!

Boom!

The five-meter-tall artificial hill was sliced directly in half. Only after the flaming blade light had flown far away did the hill split apart and crash heavily to the ground under the pull of gravity, sending dust flying everywhere!

Sasuke silently watched the artificial hill for a long while before slowly exhaling. With a flexible turn of his wrist, he sheathed the katana in a steady, unhurried, and graceful motion.

Sword Leap Flame complete!