Hello, You're So Rough, But I Like It!

Menma staggered from the blow, stumbling several steps forward before barely steadying himself!

Tengu's voice came from behind him. "Your intent to attack is too obvious! Second lesson: never let your enemy see through your intention to attack!

Again!"

Menma immediately turned around and closed in on Tengu. His left jab probed while measuring the distance, then his right hand swiftly drove a kunai toward Tengu's carotid artery.

Tengu leaned back slightly to evade the jab, slapped Menma's wrist aside with his right hand, then drove a horizontal elbow into Menma's chest. He quickly forced Menma back several steps before hooking a foot behind his and tripping him.

Tengu looked down at Menma, who had fallen to the ground, and said, "Your weapons aren't just the blade in your hand. Your fists, your legs, your elbows, your knees—every part of your body that can strike an enemy is a weapon!

Again!"

Menma fiercely slapped his left hand against the ground, then pushed off hard and launched a one-handed flying kick!

Tengu leaped into the air, pressed down with his overlapping palms, and used Menma's momentum to jump backward.

Menma pressed his advantage, launching himself forward. He swung the kunai in his right hand in a wide arc toward Tengu's scalp, but Tengu ducked beneath it!

Then Menma drove a side elbow into Tengu, who blocked it with a horizontal arm.

Next, Menma raised his knee and rammed it toward Tengu. Tengu bent over, using a lowered elbow to block and evade!

Menma gripped the kunai in reverse and thrust it straight at Tengu's chest. Tengu twisted aside, then used the motion to seize Menma's weapon-wielding right hand.

After grabbing Menma's right hand, Tengu raised his left elbow and struck Menma in the head.

The heavy blow sent Menma's head jerking back, and he lost his balance. Then his left foot slid backward to brace against the ground, allowing him to steady himself again.

Tengu spun behind him and stomped the sole of his right foot into the back of Menma's right knee. Menma cried out in pain and could no longer remain standing, dropping to his knees.

Tengu turned back around and said, "Your attacks must be fast. Don't give your enemy an opening!

When your attacks have been consecutively evaded, don't stubbornly keep pressing on. Keep thirty percent of your focus on defense, lest your enemy seize the chance to counterattack!

Again!"

Menma got to his feet and launched himself forward, driving a knee toward Tengu's chest!

Instead of retreating, Tengu advanced. He wrapped his arms around Menma's waist and leaned backward, taking Menma down with him.

Menma straddled Tengu's waist on his knees, raised the kunai overhead with both hands, and violently stabbed down at Tengu's head!

Tengu reached out with his right hand and grabbed Menma's hands as they came down, dragging them to the side of his body. When Menma's center of gravity shifted and became unstable, Tengu turned and shoved him away, then slammed an elbow into Menma's head.

Dizzy and disoriented, Menma lay on the ground, staring at Tengu as he rose to his feet. For a moment, Menma's eyes could not even focus!

After getting up, Tengu continued lecturing him. "Don't make your attacks too wide, and don't put all your strength into them. Always keep thirty percent of your force in reserve so you can pull back!

Again!"

Menma swayed as he stood, then swung his kunai toward Tengu's neck.

Tengu ducked beneath Menma's attack, then followed through by diving in and wrapping his arms around Menma's waist. He suddenly drove forward with his shoulder, trying to knock Menma backward onto the ground.

Menma leaned forward and pushed back with both feet, stabilizing his center of gravity.

But Tengu used the momentum to rise, driving his left elbow sideways into Menma's head. Then he hooked an arm around the back of Menma's neck, forced him down, and followed with a knee strike!

Menma struggled to block, but the repeated knee strikes still knocked the wind out of him. Tengu refused to let up, gripping the back of Menma's neck as he jumped backward and used his body weight to force Menma's head down.

With a bang, Menma's face slammed into the ground.

Looking at Menma, who had completely passed out, Tengu seemed to show a trace of pity. He said calmly, "Today's final lesson: when you have the upper hand, attack until the end. Don't give your enemy any chance until they have lost the ability to resist."

But Menma, lying on the ground, could no longer hear a single word.

When Menma woke again, he had already been moved beneath the shrine's eaves.

Tengu had returned to his tall form and was calmly sipping tea nearby.

Menma sat up with a grimace. Every part of his body hurt, especially his head.

He reached up to touch it and winced in pain, then complained to Tengu, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow...

Hey, wasn't that way too brutal?"

Tengu cast Menma a sidelong glance and said casually, "Go tell your enemies that you're afraid of pain and ask them to hit you more gently!"

"Uh... got it." Menma understood the logic, so he immediately stopped bringing it up.

"Good, as long as you understand!" Tengu nodded in satisfaction. "Although your combat ability is poor, to be honest, you learn very quickly! At this rate, it won't be long before I'll have difficulty defeating you through skill alone!"

Menma understood as well. To be honest, Tengu was not particularly skilled at teaching. He would not break down every movement of a fist technique for Menma to learn. Instead, he used battle itself to let Menma experience the way of fighting.

But that was exactly what Menma needed. Through endless practical combat, he needed to carve these techniques into his bones and turn them into instinct. Only then could he use them effortlessly in battle and remain unstoppable!

It was just that the learning process was a little painful.

Menma was not a masochist, so naturally he could not say something as outrageous as, "You're so rough, but I like it." He could only endure in silence and lick his wounds alone!

Menma lifted his head to look at the pitch-black sky and bright stars. "Mr. Tengu, you don't need to use honorifics with me from now on! It feels so distant!

Just call me Menma!"

Tengu lowered his eyes and said softly, "Mm, I understand, Lord Menma... Menma!"

"Hi, Tengu!" Menma grinned. His bruised and swollen face made the smile look utterly comical.

"Alright, you've rested enough. Let's continue training, Menma!" Tengu set down his teacup and walked to the center of the courtyard.

"...No, I haven't recovered yet!" Menma looked on the verge of tears.

"Hurry up. Stop dawdling!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming!"

And so, three days passed in sparring with Tengu.

At last, it was time for his appointment with Gamakichi. Surrounded by a crowd of yokai watching on, Menma refined chakra in the center of the courtyard, preparing for the upcoming summoning ritual!

Boar—Dog—Rooster—Monkey—Ram!

Summoning Jutsu!

A large amount of chakra surged from Menma's dantian, flowed through the meridians of his entire body, and finally gathered in his right palm.

Menma did not know whether it was an illusion, but although his meridians still felt swollen and painful this time, they were much better than before.

With a bang, smoke rose, and a toad carrying a scroll on his back appeared before everyone's eyes.

Gamakichi removed the scroll from his back and presented it to Menma Namikaze with both hands. In a respectful tone, he said, "Lord Menma, I did not fail you. I brought the new summoning scroll you wanted!"