After leaving the cave where Kimimaro had been imprisoned with him.
Lin Ze took Kimimaro back to the uninhabited island where he had temporarily stayed before.
"Try attacking me."
Standing on the beach, Lin Ze spoke to Kimimaro, whose eyes still held a hint of bewilderment.
Kimimaro froze for a moment, then nodded.
Pop! Pop!
Several sharp bone spikes instantly pierced through the skin of his palms, stabbing toward Lin Ze.
His movements were crisp and decisive, nothing like those of a four- or five-year-old child.
Lin Ze inwardly praised him. As expected of the Kaguya Clan's purest Shikotsumyaku, his talent was truly astonishing.
He casually sidestepped and flicked his fingers, striking Kimimaro precisely on the wrist.
Kimimaro grunted. The bone spikes in his palms retracted, and he staggered back several steps.
"Decent strength, too slow, and your technique is crude," Lin Ze assessed.
Kimimaro lowered his head, a trace of dejection flashing through his eyes.
"I... I'm only a weapon..."
"Forget that word."
Lin Ze interrupted him. "From now on, you are Kimimaro Kaguya, a ninja with limitless potential, not anyone's weapon."
He walked up to Kimimaro and said solemnly:
"Your Kekkei Genkai is powerful, but it needs proper guidance and arduous training. Blindly relying on your bones will only keep you from progressing."
"Watch my movements closely."
Lin Ze slowed down and demonstrated a set of the most basic Taijutsu movements. Exerting force, moving, dodging-every detail was perfectly clear.
Kimimaro watched with wide, unblinking eyes, striving to imprint every image on his mind.
He had never received guidance like this.
In the clan, those people only locked him up and sent him to fight when needed. No one had ever told him how to become stronger, or why.
An emotion called "hope" slowly began to grow in his