Uchiha Tajima lowered the sword in his hand to the groin and said, "The groin is a weak point of the human body, but a strike there isn't necessarily fatal. It only causes intense pain. So don't treat the groin as a target. Your eyes should see only three places: between the eyebrows, the throat, and the heart!"
With that, he swiftly swung his sword. Silver light flashed, and a faint mark appeared on each of those three weak points!
His stern eyes fixed on Kangetsu and the other three as he barked, "These are your targets. Swing the swords in your hands and drive them into these three weak points until your bodies react instinctively, striking those very spots.
"Remember, ninja exist to kill. We have all sorts of enemies, all sorts of foes who bear grudges against us. It's kill or be killed. One word: kill. If you don't kill me, I'll kill you. So make killing your instinct, your habit. Etch these movements deep into your minds."
Another streak of silver flashed, and Uchiha Tajima's sword was back in its sheath. His piercing eyes swept over the four boys, then a bitter smile touched his lips. "Work hard and become strong. Only then can you survive in this world. Only then can you avoid the pain of parting from those you love, in life or in death."
With that, he silently left the room and slowly walked away. A glistening drop fell as he spoke words laden with sorrow: "You must stay alive!"
His voice faded away, and the drop fell to the ground, landing on a blade of grass.
Yet it left behind endless sorrow and longing!
In this Warring States Period, being alive could be called an immense blessing. For ninja, however, living was an immense torment!
They walked the edge between life and death at every moment, constantly guarding against ambushes, constantly worrying about the safety of their families and children. It was exhausting, utterly exhausting, but they could only endure in silence. Only on the day they died could they find release. That was what it meant to be a ninja-the origin of the word "endure" in their name!
A glint appeared in Kangetsu's cold eyes, his gaze holding a trace of understanding. Perhaps this was the first time Kangetsu had felt a sense of kinship with his father.
He slowly drew his sword with his right hand. A flash of light gleamed beneath the sun, yet it held none of the sunlight's warmth, only endless chill and menace!
Kangetsu slowly approached a nearby human dummy. Looking at the points already marked on it, he gradually raised his sword!
The moment he swung, three more streaks of silver flashed. The other three children drew their swords and each approached a human dummy!
Uchiha Madara turned to look at Kangetsu and the other two, a faint smile touching his lips. "Izuna, Kangetsu, Meigetsu. You'd better train hard! I don't want to lose my three little brothers!"
With that, he began swinging his sword. Kangetsu, however, smiled faintly and said, "You don't want to lose your three little brothers, but you'd better not leave us first, big brother!"
His lips curved upward, but his hands did not slow as he, too, swung his sword!
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