Izumi's Second Time

When Kiyoshi woke up that morning, his body felt different.

He couldn't quite say how. There was a faint warmth in his chest. Not feverish heat, just a little warmer than his body temperature, as though he'd worn a heat patch to bed and some warmth still lingered.

Dawn was just breaking outside the window. He lay still, and the ledger in his mind turned another page on its own: less than a year until that night.

He sat up and checked the system panel.

[Basic Chakra Refinement Acceleration Card activated]

[Time remaining: 6 days, 15 hours, 22 minutes]

[Effect: chakra refinement efficiency increased by 50%]

So that was it.

He closed the panel, got out of bed, and stood in the middle of his room to refine some chakra. Before, he'd had to "squeeze" the chakra out of his body, like wringing out a towel. It took effort.

Today, the instant he thought about it, his chakra stirred and flowed through his body, as smoothly as water running downhill.

He fell silent for two seconds.

It worked.

He washed up, ate breakfast, and left for school.

He walked a little faster on the way, testing his body's response. Before, when he ran at the Back Mountain, his legs would start aching after three laps. This morning, he'd walked nearly two kilometers, and his legs still felt fine.

His body could do more in the same amount of time. His stamina kept up, and his movements felt a little lighter, too.

He kept walking, his face expressionless.

There was nothing special about the morning classes. During theory class, the teacher explained chakra circulation pathways at the front while he listened from his seat, occasionally jotting something in his notebook.

Before, he'd forget these things as soon as he heard them. Today, for some reason, his thoughts were clear. He remembered every sentence the teacher said, and his mind barely wandered.

He considered it and figured this was probably another effect of the acceleration card. His refinement efficiency had increased, his chakra flowed more smoothly through his body, and his mind had become a little clearer along with it.

At lunch, Nakajima carried his tray over and sat beside him.

"Why were you walking so fast this morning? I called out, but you didn't even hear me."

"Had something to do."

"Always something to do," Nakajima muttered. He shoveled down a couple of mouthfuls, then added, "We've got taijutsu class this afternoon. I heard someone's coming to coach us again."

Kiyoshi looked up at him.

"That's what I heard," Nakajima said around a mouthful of food. "Apparently that senior from the Uchiha is coming again. Izumi, or whatever her name was."

Kiyoshi lowered his head and continued eating.

"Aren't you excited? She's a senior from the Uchiha. A genin!"

"Mm."

"What do you mean, 'mm'? You really are..." Nakajima shook his head and left it at that.

Two in the afternoon, on the training field.

The first-year students were already lined up. Kiyoshi stood among them and scanned the field, but saw no sign of Izumi.

A little later, Iruka came over from the offices, followed by a girl with her hair in a low ponytail.

It really was Izumi.

Today, she wore a fitted black training outfit with protective gear fastened around her waist. She looked a little sharper than last time. She walked to the front of the line and smiled at the students.

"Hello, everyone. We meet again. I'll be your special instructor today as well. I look forward to working with you."

Someone whispered, "Izumi's so sweet."

"The guy who sparred with her last time got beaten pretty badly, I think."

Kiyoshi stood in line, expressionless, and said nothing.

Izumi's gaze swept across the students, paused on Kiyoshi, and then she smiled.

"Kiyoshi, you're here too."

The line fell silent for a moment.

Everyone turned to look at Kiyoshi at once.

Kiyoshi felt their stares and nodded, his face still expressionless.

"Mm."

"Has your taijutsu improved since we sparred last time?"

"Yes."

"Good." Izumi smiled and didn't ask anything else.

But people around him had already begun whispering.

"Izumi knows Kiyoshi?" "That guy with the blank face? How does she know him?" "They were paired up last time, remember?"

After a pause, someone added another comment.

"I heard he calls himself Bro Hao."

"Seriously...?"

"A blank face and delusions of grandeur. What kind of combination is that?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Kiyoshi could tell those stares were still fixed on him.

The system panel flickered silently.

[Awkwardness value +72]

Good. Off to a great start.

Iruka clapped his hands to quiet everyone down, then began assigning groups. The groups were random this time. Everyone would complete a round of basic taijutsu sparring with Izumi, then pair off for free sparring.

Kiyoshi was assigned to the third group.

While the first two groups sparred, he stood to the side and watched Izumi's movements. Her taijutsu was textbook, clean and decisive. Every turn and every punch was steady.

A genin was a genin, all right.

He thought about his own amateurish skills, then about the effects of the Chakra Refinement Acceleration Card.

In seven days, he should be able to take another step up.

When his turn came, he walked to the center of the field and stood opposite Izumi.

Izumi smiled and took her opening stance.

"Come on. Let me see how much you've improved."

Kiyoshi said nothing and charged straight at her.

He threw a punch, and Izumi sidestepped it. He turned with the momentum and swept a kick at her legs. Izumi jumped, flipped in midair, and landed behind him.

"Your reactions are faster than last time," Izumi said, "but your movements could still be smoother."

As she spoke, she brought a knife-hand strike down at him. Kiyoshi raised his arm to block it, and the impact left his arm numb.

A genin really was strong.

He retreated two steps, steadied his breathing, and charged again.

This time, halfway through his charge, his body moved involuntarily. His left foot swung outward, and his right hand swept behind him, putting him in a bizarre opening stance.

Izumi visibly hesitated.

He hurriedly stopped himself, switched to a normal stance, and continued charging with his face expressionless. But it was already too late.

Someone in the line whispered, "What was that pose just now?"

"No idea. Looked like a cramp."

"Not a cramp. More like dancing."

"What kind of dance looks that ugly?"

[Awkwardness value +96]

That one was a loss.

Over three rounds of sparring, Izumi forced him into a corner twice, and he barely managed a draw once.

When they finished, Izumi clapped her hands and said with a smile, "You've clearly improved. Your taijutsu fundamentals are good. You just need a little more actual combat experience."

Kiyoshi stood where he was, took a couple of panting breaths, and nodded.

"Mm."

"Keep practicing. You can do better."