Special Training

Amada approached the village chief under the guise of a passing traveler.

He asked, feigning casual curiosity:

"Old man, what happened here? These signs of destruction look quite frightening."

The village chief sighed:

"It's those damned bandits... They raided us again three days ago, stealing our winter food supplies and wounding several villagers."

Amada continued his inquiry:

"Do you happen to know where these bandits are hiding? We'd like to avoid that area."

The village chief's eyes flickered, and he seemed to hesitate.

He lowered his head, avoiding Amada's gaze, and replied vaguely:

"This... I'm not entirely sure. They come and go like the wind; how could ordinary folk like us know where they head?"

Amada realized the village chief seemed to be intentionally hiding something.

Just as he was about to press for more, the village chief turned away and gestured to them:

"You've come from afar, so you must be tired. Why not rest at my home for a while? It's humble, but better than sleeping out in the wild."

Seeing this, Kushina gently patted Amada on the shoulder, signaling him to hold off on his questions for now.

She smiled at the village chief and said:

"That would be a great help. We were just looking for a place to stay."

The village chief nodded and led them toward the village.

Along the way, Amada noticed that the expressions of the villagers were unusually tense.

Once they reached the village chief's home, Kushina arranged for the students to rest while she exchanged a few pleasantries with the chief.

After the village chief left, she called Amada, Asuma, and Kurenai aside and whispered:

"The village chief's attitude is very strange. We must be careful and investigate in secret."

Nightfall shrouded the entire village, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the darkness.

After confirming that Amada and the others were resting, the village chief quietly pushed open his door and his figure melted into the heavy night.

His footsteps were light and hurried, as if he were afraid of disturbing something.

Passing through several narrow alleys, he arrived at a cluster of dilapidated huts on the edge of the village.

Outside the huts, a tall figure had been waiting for a long time.

The man was draped in a black cloak, his face hidden in shadow, revealing only a pair of cold eyes that glinted with a dangerous light.

As the village chief approached, the man spoke in a low, raspy, and gloomy voice:

"What is the background of the four people who arrived today?"

The village chief bowed slightly, his tone laced with nervousness and respect:

"They claim to be traveling merchants, but I suspect they are ninjas."

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

The man raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of interest.

The village chief swallowed hard and continued:

"They say they are merchants, yet they carry no goods. Furthermore, a woman traveling with three youths is a very strange combination. More importantly, when they heard about the bandits, there wasn't a trace of fear on their faces; instead, they appeared quite calm. How could ordinary people react that way? That is why I suspect they are ninjas, and their target might be you."

The cloaked man was silent for a moment, seemingly pondering the village chief's words.

Then, he let out a cold laugh:

"Hmph, it seems they must be ninjas from Konoha."

Hearing this, the village chief's face showed a flicker of anxiety; he couldn't help but step forward, his voice trembling as he asked:

"That... what about my daughter? You promised that as long as I cooperated, you wouldn't hurt her!"

The cloaked man glanced at the village chief with a look of disdain and menace.

He said slowly:

"Rest assured, as long as you behave, your daughter will naturally be safe and sound. But if you dare to play any tricks..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but the chill in his tone made the village chief shudder.

The village chief lowered his head, his hands clenching into tight fists:

"I... I understand. I will do as you say, just please don't hurt my daughter."

The cloaked man nodded in satisfaction, his tone softening slightly:

"Very good. Remember, your task is to keep those four ninjas occupied. When the time is right, we will deal with them. As for your daughter..."

He paused, a cold smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth:

"As long as you obey, she will return to your side soon enough."

The village chief said nothing more, merely nodding in silence as a flicker of pain and helplessness crossed his eyes.

The cloaked man turned and departed, his figure quickly vanishing into the night.

The village chief remained where he stood, motionless for a long time.

The night breeze brushed past, bringing a hint of chill, yet it could not disperse the heaviness in his heart.

He looked up at the pitch-black sky and muttered to himself:

"I'm sorry... I truly had no other choice..."

He did not notice that on a rooftop not far away, a pair of scarlet eyes was watching everything.

Amada retracted his Sharingan, a cold sneer curling the corner of his mouth:

"As expected, there's a problem..."

Early the next morning, Kushina Uzumaki brought Amada, Asuma, and Kurenai to a small grove outside the village.

Kushina stopped and turned to face her three students:

"I will return to the village this morning to gather some intelligence. You may use this time to train diligently and improve your strength."

As she spoke, she leaped lightly, her feet landing firmly on the trunk of a large tree as if gravity had no effect on her.

She looked down at the three of them and explained:

"This is a basic chakra control exercise. By concentrating chakra at the soles of your feet to create an adhesive force, you can walk on vertical tree trunks. This will greatly improve your chakra control."

Asuma and Kurenai listened intently, their eyes gleaming with eagerness.

However, Amada merely glanced at the tree trunk, leaped lightly, and instantly concentrated chakra beneath his feet.

His figure stepped onto the trunk with ease, and within a few strides, he reached the top of the tree before landing steadily back on the ground.

The entire process was smooth and fluid, without the slightest hesitation.

Asuma widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief:

"You... you already learned this?"

Amada nodded, his tone calm:

"I have already completed this training."

Asuma immediately felt a surge of defiance, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth:

"Hmph, don't get cocky! I'll catch up to you soon enough!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately began to try, but because his chakra control was unstable, he slipped the moment he stepped onto the trunk and fell flat on his back.

Seeing this, Kurenai couldn't help but chuckle, though she quickly composed herself and began to try in earnest.

Although her movements were not as skillful as Amada's, they appeared very steady.

After a few attempts, she was already able to manage a few steps on the trunk.

Kushina watched Asuma and Kurenai's efforts, a flicker of gratification crossing her eyes.

However, when she looked at Amada, she shook her head helplessly:

"Amada, since you have already mastered this training, there is no need to waste any more time. Go and scout for intelligence near the village, but be careful not to alert the enemy."

Amada nodded:

"Understood, Teacher. I will proceed with caution."

Kushina smiled slightly and patted him on the shoulder:

"Go on, I trust in your abilities."

Amada turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the woods.

After watching him leave, Kushina refocused her attention on Asuma and Kurenai.

She walked to Asuma's side and instructed him softly:

"The concentration of chakra must be uniform; you cannot be too impatient. Try to feel the flow of chakra beneath your feet and let it be as steady as water."