NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: Chapter 2
"Alright, that concludes today's lesson. But don't slack off when you get home. From today onward, you must take time to refine your chakra every day. You should know chakra is the foundation of all ninja techniques…"
Unknowingly, the morning lesson had already come to an end.
"Sora-kun, it's still early. Want to come to the training ground with me to practice shuriken throwing?"
A voice pulled Sora back from his thoughts. He turned his head to see Shisui, already packed up and smiling as he extended the invitation.
Sora smiled faintly and waved a hand.
"No need. I have other things to do later. We can talk about it next time. Keep up the good work with your training."
He even gave Shisui an encouraging look.
"Alright then… but next time, you have to come with me!"
Sora nodded and watched Shisui leave the classroom before picking up his own bag and heading out as well.
In Sora's training plan, throwing techniques were, of course, indispensable. But the main reason he declined Shisui's invitation was that he didn't want to expose his true talent.
After all, in the past two years, Sora had already perfected the shuriken and kunai techniques taught at the Ninja Academy.
At his current level, to improve further, he needed to rely on his Sharingan's enhanced perception the hallmark of the Uchiha clan's unique throwing techniques.
If he had accepted Shisui's invitation and wanted his training to be meaningful, he would inevitably have to activate his Sharingan.
And what would people think if a five-year-old displayed a fully developed two-tomoe Sharingan?
It would leave jaws on the floor… and make it impossible for Sora to remain low-key.
On the other hand, if he didn't activate his Sharingan and only practiced techniques he had already mastered, it would simply be a wasted day.
So after weighing the pros and cons, Sora decisively refused.
Although his impression of Shisui both in his past life and his current one was good, he didn't want to get too entangled with him just yet.
Walking along the path through the commercial street, the sunlight overhead cast long shadows of the buildings on the road.
Sora closed his eyes slightly, savoring the gentle embrace of the sun, the cool breeze caressing his face, and the lively calls of vendors echoing around him.
For just a moment, his heart settled into a rare, quiet peace.
Walking along the commercial street, Sora let the sun's warmth wash over him as the shadows of the buildings stretched across the road.
He closed his eyes slightly, enjoying the gentle embrace of the sunlight, the cool breeze caressing his face, and the lively cries of the vendors all around. For just a moment, his heart settled into a rare, quiet peace.
But peace, as always, didn't last long.
At that moment, two figures in bright green appeared at the far end of the street. Their clothes, posture, and even their very presence felt completely out of place amid the bustle of the market.
Noticing them, Sora rubbed his forehead helplessly, wiping away imaginary sweat.
"Uncle Dai, Might Guy… you're doing handstands in the middle of the street again? Didn't I already remind you to be mindful of your image?"
At his voice, the taller of the two figures raised his head first.
What met Sora's eyes was a bearded, completely ordinary middle-aged face yet paired with a dazzling grin of perfect white teeth and that unmistakable green jumpsuit, it radiated a unique… "youthful" aura.
"Oh! It's you, Sora! Do you want to join us? On a sunny day like this, you should sweat to your heart's content and let your youth bloom!"
Beside him, the smaller figure hadn't yet looked up, already drenched in sweat and seemingly at his limit. But at the mention of Sora's name, he instantly perked up, head snapping up with a flash of fighting spirit.
"Ah! I can't believe I ran into you here, Sora! Perfect! Let's have another showdown!"
"No, Might Guy," Might Dai interrupted sternly. "Have you forgotten our mission? Enthusiasm is good, but we must finish today's training first!"
"I see, I understand, Dad! Then Sora, let's have our showdown after I finish my training!"
Sora could already feel the strange gazes of passersby settling on him. The two pairs of burning eyes opposite him, full of relentless "youth," made him wish he could crawl into the nearest hole and disappear.
He forced a smile one that was more grimace than grin.
"Ah… well… oh, right! I just finished class and haven't eaten lunch yet. You two keep training. I'll go grab something to eat… and I'll wait for you at the wooden stakes in the forest this afternoon!"
Not giving them the chance to respond, Sora quickly turned and hurried away.
Only when he was far enough that their voices and stares no longer reached him did he finally let out a long sigh of relief.
It wasn't that he disliked them on the contrary, Sora actually enjoyed being around these two pure-hearted, simple-minded people.
But dealing with their overwhelming energy especially in public was nothing short of a torment, both to his body and his mind.
Sora's acquaintance with Maito Dai and Might Guy began two years ago.
After resolving to become strong, Sora started practicing chakra control techniques — tree climbing and water walking — drawing on his memories from his previous life.
At the same time, he dedicated considerable effort to physical training. It was during this period that he happened to encounter the Maito father and son, who were also in the middle of their intense regimen. Seeing their dedication and unique approach, Sora decisively joined them and humbly sought their guidance.
After all, the Uchiha Clan who prided themselves as Konoha's most prestigious clan — relied heavily on their powerful bloodline limit, the Sharingan. To them, this inherited ability was the foundation of their strength.
For this reason, most of the Uchiha, in their arrogance, neglected the development of their bodies in favor of honing their ocular power. Few, if any, would willingly set aside their pride in the Sharingan to focus on physical training
But Sora saw things differently. To him, both the Sharingan and physical prowess were his own advantages. Only by putting in the effort and working hard would those advantages truly pay off.
Sora never considered himself a genius. He firmly believed that there was no genius that effort couldn't surpass and if someone couldn't surpass them, it only meant their effort wasn't enough.
After all, wasn't the man who once came close to defeating Uchiha Madara the perfect example of that?
Sora grabbed a simple meal from a roadside stand before heading to the training ground to start early.
Weighted running, dragging tree stumps, endless kicks, jump rope…
By the time he finished his routine, his clothes were completely soaked with sweat. His legs felt numb and heavy as he finally sat down on the ground with a long sigh of relief, panting heavily.
Before long, two familiar green figures appeared once again in his line of sight.
Maito Dai scanned the area, his gaze falling on the wooden training stake Sora had kicked into a misshapen dumbbell and the long grooves in the ground left by the dragged stumps. For once, a rare look of surprise crossed his face.
"I really didn't expect this," Dai admitted. "I thought what you said two years ago was just childish talk… but you've really kept at it all this time."
Hearing this, Sora's lips curled faintly. He chuckled softly, then spread his arms wide and lay back in a big 'X' on the grass.
No matter what others think… in my eyes, even someone blessed with a powerful bloodline is useless without hard work.
No matter what others think, Sora mused to himself, in my eyes, taijutsu is just as important as ninjutsu. Without proper physical strength, a shinobi can never bring out their full potential.
Upon hearing this, Maito Dai was momentarily startled. Then, as if realizing something, he suddenly burst into loud laughter:
"Hahaha! You're absolutely right! Without taijutsu, a shinobi can never show their full potential!"
"But remember, Sora — you can't bite off more than you can chew. Someone who spreads themselves thin between two paths will always be inferior to someone who masters one," Maito Dai suddenly sobered, his voice unusually serious.
Sensing the change in Dai's tone, Sora sat up straight, his expression solemn.
"I understand, Uncle Dai. But… I'm confident that I can walk both paths to their extremes."
For a moment, Dai stared at him — then suddenly threw his head back and laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! I knew I didn't misjudge you! That's how youth should be!"
Returning to his usual boisterous self, Maito Dai stepped closer and clapped Sora on the shoulder with a hearty smack that made him wince slightly.
To continue...