Learning (Part 2)

The energy known as chakra flowed through his body. At first, Hanyu needed to perceive it in real-time and deliberately guide it to follow the established pathways, but after several hours, it began to circulate naturally, much like blood flowing through his veins.

Yet, even having controlled chakra in the most rudimentary way, Hanyu could already feel the changes occurring within him. It was far more than just sharper senses or stronger limbs; the abundant power made every cell in his body active, even giving him the illusion that he had stepped into a brand-new level of existence.

There was indeed an indescribable barrier between ninjas who could command chakra and ordinary humans, which was why Hanyu, having just stepped from one side to the other, could feel such a distinct transformation.

Rushing all the way from Konoha to the border of the Land of Fire was something the previous Hanyu could never have achieved, but for the current him, it was just barely manageable. Although the group had stopped to rest once after the initial break, and he had been as exhausted as a dead dog by the time they set up camp for the night, he had ultimately managed not to fall behind. This was, of course, because everyone had accommodated his pace; after all, they were now part of the same team.

Even if they didn't care about Hanyu, they had to consider Sanshao's attitude and her physical condition.

During a subsequent rest, Sanshao taught him the hand seals for the twelve basic techniques used by ninjas, and he committed them firmly to memory while moving with the team. Fortunately, when faced with such precious knowledge, Hanyu's memory was exaggeratedly good.

After nightfall, a campfire was lit in the ninja squad's temporary camp. Although they were near the border of the Land of Fire, they were technically still within its territory, meaning they were within the actual controlled zone of Konoha. In the deep darkness ahead of them lay a defensive line composed of countless Konoha ninjas.

It was precisely because of their existence that war would never reach this side of the defensive line.

Therefore, the campfire lit at night was not an act of carelessness by Sanshao's group; the dancing flames were a testament to their trust in the Konoha ninjas fighting and bleeding on the front lines. Furthermore, even if a few scattered enemies were to infiltrate this far, they would have to contend with the kind of ninjas present in this squad.

Kagami Uchiha and Mitokado Homura—to say nothing of the former bearing the Uchiha name, the mere fact that both were disciples of the Second Hokage was proof enough that they were no ordinary individuals.

"Let the two of us take turns on watch tonight. Lady Sanshao is quite exhausted, and as for the youngsters... it seems we cannot place such trust in them," Mitokado Homura said to Kagami Uchiha. In terms of combat, they were the only truly reliable members of this squad.

"To be precise, one is too young, and the other is simply useless," Kagami Uchiha said, shaking his head. If not for Sanshao's insistence, they certainly wouldn't have brought Hanyu along on this mission, though... it wasn't as if he couldn't understand her actions.

Watching Hanyu, who had collapsed face-first onto the ground and lay motionless, Kagami Uchiha's memory drifted back more than a decade to when he first began following the Second Hokage; he had been about the same age as Hanyu then.

Seeing the Uchiha lost in thought, Mitokado Homura didn't say much and walked off to take his turn on watch. Despite sharing the same master, the two had rarely communicated along the way, or rather, they had never really communicated much at all. This wasn't because they had a poor relationship, but rather that a teacher shapes their students; how could a man as gloomy and calculating as the Second Hokage ever produce talkative disciples?

Every single one of Senju Tobirama's disciples was a serious, stern individual. As time went on, aside from the Third Hokage, who required social skills for his daily duties, the rest eventually evolved into stone-faced men.

As the night deepened and the campfire burned down to mere embers, Hanyu finally woke from his stupor. To be precise, he was woken up by hunger.

Only then did he remember that he hadn't eaten a single bite since that morning.

He sat up, pulled a small bottle from his ninja pouch, poured out a pill the size of a large booger, and popped it into his mouth. This was the Military Ration Pill, the super-compressed biscuit essential for ninjas at home or on the road, whether killing or looting.

As it slid down his esophagus, Hanyu instantly felt a sense of fullness flood his stomach. It made him feel like it was more of a stimulant than a ration.

Just as he woke up to sneak a snack, Mitokado Homura, who was on watch, stood up abruptly.

"Lady Sanshao, we have a situation."

Sanshao, who had been dozing against a large tree, opened her eyes quickly upon hearing the report. Seeing the three ninjas in the team enter a state of high alert, she didn't waste words and asked directly, "How many?"

Mitokado Homura looked at Kagami Uchiha, who opened his blood-red eyes and replied, "Only one squad."

"About the same number as us?" Sanshao's expression remained as calm as ever. She glanced at the distant darkness, then at Hanyu, who was sitting there looking bewildered, and beckoned him over.

"Hanyu, listen closely. You heard it just now; someone is approaching our camp, and we judge them to be enemies. You must prepare to fight. Listen well: I am going to teach you a ninjutsu. You are already familiar with the chakra circulation for this technique—it's the one I told you about earlier. The rest is simply guiding the chakra energy out through hand seals to form the technique. The sequence of seals is 'Ox-Monkey-Rabbit-Rat-Boar-Rooster.' The key to the technique is to mobilize your chakra as you begin the seals and release it when you finish. Do you understand?"

"Wait, Lady Sanshao, you are teaching him a high-level elemental technique. It's too early for him; it's impossible..." Kagami Uchiha hadn't understood what Sanshao was planning at first, but upon hearing the seals, he couldn't help but try to dissuade her.

But Sanshao raised a hand to stop him. Hanyu was already familiar with the chakra flow for this technique, and now she had given him the seals; the only question left was whether he could mobilize enough water-attribute chakra when performing it. She turned back to Hanyu and asked, "Did you hear clearly?"

"I heard the seals and memorized them, but..." Hanyu had indeed memorized the sequence, but was that really all there was to the technique?

Moreover, he hadn't even learned the most basic ninjutsu. He understood the nature transformation of chakra, but judging by the Uchiha's words, Sanshao seemed to be asking him to perform a high-level technique. Could someone who had just learned basic arithmetic solve a problem in advanced mathematics?

"It's not as hard as you think. Have some confidence in yourself. Didn't you defeat a ninja even when you knew nothing?" Sanshao encouraged him. She stood up, leaning against the tree trunk behind her, and gave Hanyu a push from behind.

Staggered by the push, Hanyu stumbled forward a few steps and stood at the very front of the squad... as if telling the approaching enemies that he was the centerpiece of this team.