Chapter 39 Partner Training

Little Roy bows. The boy bows at his master along with 2 others.

One is a woman. She has long orange silky hair. Seems to be in her 20s. Beautiful and always smiling. She seems to be gentle...but...

"Yeah!! Are you ready to train, Roy?!", she asked intensely.

"Uh-um, yes master...", Roy trails off.

"Call me master Omi! Gushiken Omi! And I'll teach you the ways of the blade!

In the elemental style of Flame, Thunder, Light, and Wind!", Omi intensely explained.

"Sorry, Omi, but I'm the one who should teach him Wind Style.", Bakin interrupted.

"Oh... Well then, I'll teach you those elements, other than wind, in the arts of the sword!!", Omi intensely replied.

"Y-yes, master!", Roy bowed.

Little Roy is a tad bit intimidated by the lady. He also thinks that Omi is being unnecessarily loud but Roy couldn't complain since Omi is the one who's going to teach him other elements that Bakin couldn't.

Then Roy looks over to his other master. An old man. He seems to be balding but his beard says otherwise. His beard is long flowing hair. It seems to be transitioning from black to white. The old man approaches the 2.

"Now now, lower your voice, Omi. Can't you see Roy isn't a little bit uncomfortable by this?", he said.

"Huh... I guess so... But I can't help but be excited to train this little boy into becoming a man!!", Omi intensely admitted.

"Shush, Omi... Roy isn't like you. In fact, I can see a bit of Beni when he was a boy within him. Quiet, well-disciplined, and even seems to be cool and calm. Isn't he, Bakin?", he asked.

"Well...yes, Elder Wasuke...", Bakin agreed.

"Though there is nothing wrong to be intense. There is something ill, however, if you don't know when to stop and calm down. If Omi is to teach you how to be energetic, I'll teach you how to relax and move like the flow of water. Harden yourself like ice in tough situations. Know that nature is there to aid your battle. And finally, the earth will be your strong foundation for becoming powerful.", Elder Wasuke explained.

"Um... I'll be teaching him Earth Style, Elder Wasuke...", Bakin interrupted.

"Oh...in that case, forget about that last part. I think I haven't introduced myself. My name is Wasuke Furikawa. You can call me Master Wasuke.", Wasuke introduced himself.

"Ye-yes, Master Wasuke.", Roy bashfully said.

Beni then appears out of a corner. Seemingly curious about what's happening. Seeing Beni, both Omi and Wasuke bow to him. Bakin just stands there, feeling annoyed to see him.

"So how's training been?", Beni asked.

"We're about to start, sir.", Omi replied.

"Hmm... I think I haven't told you this.", Beni muttered.

"Told us what, Beni?", Wasuke asked.

"Train him in the same way I was trained when I was a boy like him. Like an adult.", Beni ordered them both.

Bakin gets an even annoyed looked on his face and crossed his arms. Omi is suddenly worried for Roy. Wasuke gulps and nods.

"But, sir! It would be too much for Roy to handle. He has to train all elements while you had to focus only 2.", Omi interjects.

"That's the very same reason why you should do it. He has much more potential to become the strongest than I am. What? Are you doubting my son? Are you doubting me?", Beni scarily said.

Hearing this. Omi shuts up and stands up properly.

"N-no, sir!", Omi quickly said before staying quiet.

Beni then looks at Wasuke. Wasuke looks back with the same expression Beni has.

"Elder Wasuke, the reason why I chose you to train him was that you were a part of my training back then. You've experienced this once; I want you to do it again. This time, with my son, Roy.", Beni informed.

Wasuke fidgets with his beard while closing his eyes. Thinking… He's remembering that time where he was training Beni. The torture Beni went through to earn the title "Twilight Ninja". Then Wasuke opens his eyes. Finishing his thinking.

"You're right about one thing, he has the potential to become even stronger than you are. But what I might do to him may destroy him. Do you want me to do it?", Wasuke stared seriously at Beni.

Beni holds his gaze, unchanging. Beni nods to this, agreeing to let Roy go through tremendous training.

"Very well, I'll put him through the same way you went, Beni.", Wasuke declared.

"Thank you, Elder Wasuke.", Beni thanks him.

Beni then stares at his younger brother. Bakin looks at Beni with anger. Beni then turns and walks away, not even uttering a word to Baki and leaving the 3 masters to train Roy.

Omi suddenly feels relieved seeing Beni leave. Then she faces both Roy's masters.

"Are we really going to train him that hard on Roy?", Omi asked.

"Of course, there will eventually be someone much stronger than Beni. And that person has to be Roy. The reason why we live in peace is because of the Twilight Ninja's protection. If we wish to continue this peace, Roy must be the one to replace Beni's job. Understand, Bakin?", Wasuke turned to Bakin.

Omi looks at Bakin as well. Bakin looks away, avoiding their gazes.

"If you wish to train Roy the hard way, then I won't stop you, but I get to decide how difficult I would train Roy when it's my turn!

I know you all think that Roy-boy is like Beni, but he isn't. He's much gentler and caring than Beni. So I won't make him like my idiotic brother. Got that?", Bakin replied.

Omi nods in agreement. Wasuke fidgets with his beard again and thinks for a second.

"I'll have just to train him even harder just to compensate for your lack of training him.", Elder Wasuke said.

"Tch!", Bakin uttered.

Bakin is mad but he couldn't do anything. The only thing he could do is go easy on Roy while the rest do so as they wish.

Roy doesn't understand what's happening. He's scared and confused...but that isn't enough to stop what's coming on his way.

________________________________________________________________

Roy walks towards Varari. Then he gives all of the colored crystals to her.

"Time to find out what your affinity really is.", Roy said.

"Ok... So how do I this?", Varari asked.

"Hold one of them and concentrate. Those crystals are easy to use, even a child could activate one of them. Depending on their affinity. Remember this, Varari.

FLAME is the Red crystal.

WATER is the Dark Blue one.

ICE is the Light Blue thing.

EARTH is Brown, signifying the color of dirt.

NATURE is Green, the main color of plants.

THUNDER is the Orange crystal.

WIND is Gray because you can't really see air.

LIGHT is Yellow.

And DARK is Violet.", Roy explained.

Varari then grabs the violet crystal. She wrinkles her eyes and the crystal emits dark energy, showing that darkness is in her affinity.

"Wow, it is easy to use.", Varari commented.

"Mhm. But we already know that you can use dark power, let's see what else you can use.", Roy said.

Varari nodded. She then grabs the red crystal. Varari focuses. Nothing happens. Varari focuses even harder. Still, nothing happens. Roy sighs and grabs the red crystal.

"Don't tire yourself focusing on this crystal. It just means you're incapable of using Flame. Try this.", Roy gave her the earth crystal.

Varari holds it with her thumb and index finger and concentrates. The crystal starts to glow and small pieces of rocks surround Varari's hand. Varari's surprised by this and gives Roy a happy expression like she did something amazing. Roy just smiles at this.

"Hm, seems like Earth is one of your affinity. Grab another crystal.", Roy said.

Varari then grabs the dark blue crystal. Nothing happens. She then drops it and gets the orange crystal. No reaction at all. Varari starts to lose her smile seeing this. Roy notices this.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Not all of us can be the Ultimate Ninja. Most ninjas I know have 2 - 4 elements in their affinity, that doesn't mean you can't be strong at all. More elements don't mean you'll be much powerful than the one who has fewer elements. I mean...the Twilight Ninja proved that.", Roy said.

Varari reacts to hearing this. Then she turns to face Roy after hearing Roy's father.

"Twilight Ninja? Your father?", Varari asked.

"Yeah, my father... Someone who only has 2 elements in his affinity. I fought him many times, but I haven't even beaten him once. He truly is the strongest ninja out there.", Roy informed.

"Yeah, I heard that he rivals the Vantablack Emperor.", Varari shared.

"Ah... The Vantablack Emperor, the one in charge of the Violent Darkness Clan. Someone who was said to be born from the darkness. Molded by it. Grown from it.", Roy replied.

"Well, he is at the top of the Pyramid Rank.", Varari said.

"Yeah, he is- waits, what? Pyramid Rank?", Roy was caught off guard by her statement.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you don't know about it. Let me explain.", Varari responded.

Varari then draws a Pyramid on the dirt and 6 horizontal lines on it. Roy sits beside her, looking at her drawing.

"Let's start from the bottom.

Rank 7, these are mostly comprised of slaves from enemies clan, which is all of them, or people who betrayed them. I could have been one of them, but I guess the chief in my small village spared me from that fate.

Rank 6, these are normal villagers. The citizens in the clan.

Rank 5, these are merchants and blacksmiths. People who make weapons and money.

Rank 4, the soldiers of the clan. These are trained ninjas to fight for the clan.

Before I left, I was in this rank.

Rank 3, these are the elites of Rank 4. People who have grown much powerful than they were before and are promoted to be in this rank. The man you fought, the one who has no name, I think he is supposed to be in this one.

Rank 2, these are the personal guards of the Vantablack Emperor. The best of the best. They swore to give their lives to him. I think there are only 5 of them to have this rank.

And finally, Rank 1. This is the rank only for the Vantablack Emperor. The most powerful dark ninja there is. If I'm being honest, I don't even know if he exists. He doesn't show his face to his people, only the 5 ninjas in Rank 2. Some people even doubt that he exists... Even I stopped believing once.", Varari explained.

"Well, he isn't. I heard stories from my father. If someone outside of the clan tells stories about him, saying that they met face to face, then hey, it means the Vantablack Emperor is real.", Roy replied.

"I figured as much... If the Violent Darkness Clan made enemies with every single clan in Japan and survived this long, then there's got to be a high power protecting it.", Varari theorized.

Varari then grabs the gray crystal. Focusing on it and then…..

Wooosh...

A gentle breeze blows in a certain direction. Roy hovers his hand at one end of the crystal to feel the small wind flowing on his hand. Roy nods at her.

"Wind is also your specialty. Maybe we could ask Master or Mr. Date to help you. They're both are an expert of using the wind.", Roy said.

"Well, so are you. You did say that we'll train each other. Not your uncle and not Mr. Date. Just the two of us.", Varari reminded him.

Varari then places her hand on Roy's lap and leans on Roy trying to get closer to him to feel him up close. Roy can feel his heart beating fast. He wants to get even closer to Varari but...

"But you should remember this Roy. If you have a problem, a girlfriend won't solve that. You need to care for yourself first by solving that problem and then get the girl.", Bakin advises Roy.

Roy remembers what his master said. Then he quickly stands up. Varari falls but catches herself and looks up to Roy.

"We'll...start training now...", Roy said.

Then Roy walks away. Away from Varari. Varari's confused and a bit sad, but she follows him anyway.

"Let me ask you one question, which element would you like to focus on first? Earth or Wind?", Roy asked.

Varari crosses her arms and closes her eyes. Thinking this very thoroughly.

"Earth is a good element to use. From the way I see, you use it to defend yourself and even counterattack the enemy with it. The problem is though, is that we aren't always fighting surrounded by earth, just like that time we fought the wolves on the roof. So I can't always use it.

Wind is also a good element. You use it to push people around to make time for a follow-up attack. Even combining it with some elements. And unlike Earth, the air is everywhere, you can apply it in any situation.

Ugh! This is so difficult to choose.", Varari was on the fence.

Roy just watches as Varari suffers from not being able to choose. Varari's thinking too much that Roy starts seeing smoke rise from her head. Roy sighs seeing this. Then Roy grabs something in his pocket and looks at the occupied Varari.

"Varari, catch.", Roy called.

Roy then tosses it to Varari. Varari hears his call and manages to catch the thing Roy threw. Varari opens her hand to see a 1-yen coin.

"Heads for the wind. Tails for the earth.", Roy said.

Varari then understands what he's telling. She looks at the coin, then flips it. It's on the air for a few moments. Then gravity pulls it back. Varari catches it but is surprised to see Roy near her. Roy and Varari are only a breath away. Varari flinches back but soon relaxes.

"You really are a ninja.", Varari commented.

"What?... Nevermind. What is it?", Roy asked.

Varari looks at her closed hand. Roy does as well. Varari slowly opens it.

"Seems like you're learning air first.", Roy said.

"Alright, here.", Varari tries to give back the coin.

Roy looks at the coin and looks at her. Then he turns around and walks away.

"Keep it, you might need it more than I do. You can use it whenever you choose between 2 things. Come here.", Roy replied.

Roy walks towards the center of the area, signaling Varari to come to him. Varari looks at the 1-yen coin in her hand. She puts it in her pocket before exhaling. Then Varari follows Roy.

"So, how can use the power of the wind?", Varari asked.

"Stand up straight.", Roy ordered.

"Um... Alright...", Varari was confused but she did what Roy told her to do.

"Put your hands together like you're doing a prayer to whatever high power you believe in.", Roy added.

"Like this?", Varari asked while doing what she was told.

Varari put the palms of her hands together. Roy approaches her. Then he raises her arm a bit.

"There. Much better.", Roy commented.

Roy's close to Varari. Very close. Varari can feel her heart jump a bit.

"Focus.", Roy immediately said.

"Ri-right.", Varari focuses.

Roy then moves away from Varari a little bit. Then Roy looks at Varari from top to bottom, trying to see if Varari has more flaws in her form. Roy doesn't. Roy nods at Varari.

"Close your eyes.", Roy told her.

Varari does what she was told and closes her eyes.

"Breath.", Roy added.

Varari breaths slowly and steadily. She did this for a few seconds.

"Feel the air surrounding you. The gentle breeze flowing right on you.", Roy gently said.

Varari tries to feel the air around her but she couldn't.

"I can't...feel anything.", Varari commented.

"Concentrate harder. This is important for your training.", Roy replied.

Varari focuses even harder than before by being concentrating intensely. Roy facepalms himself and sighs.

"When I say, "concentrate harder", I meant to relax even so. Clear your thoughts. Return to the basics of life, which is breath. Without it, there would be no life. Breath. Breath deeply but steadily.", Roy taught her.

Varari hears this and relaxes. She then takes a deep breath and exhales, trying to clear her mind. Repeating this process multiple times. Roy nods at this.

"Good. Now feel the air that is flowing right at this moment.", Roy said once again.

Varari continues to relax and breathe deeply but steadily. Then Varari feels a gentle breeze flowing beside her. It's a different feeling than what people normally feel like towards a breeze of air.

"I felt it!", Varari yelled.

Unfortunately, Varari loses her concentration, letting her stop feeling that thing she felt before. Roy sighs seeing this.

"Well, at least you felt it, but you lost your state of focus.", Roy said.

"Dammit!", Varari exclaimed.

After tha, Varari tries to get back her concentration but she couldn't. She's a bit tilted at this and wants to go back to that state. Varari can't concentrate because of her anger at losing it. Varari thinks of something. Varari then opens her eyes and looks at Roy. Roy looks back while raising his eyebrow.

"Roy, sorry for asking this but what is the importance of this....training?", Varari asked.

Roy crosses his arms then closes his eyes. Roy soon explains the reasoning for this training to Varari...

"Our sense of touch, one of the most important senses of our body. We can feel something. We can also determine how hard or how soft we are holding that thing. Thanks to the sense of touch.", Roy explained.

"Like holding a glass of water. If we hold it too hard, we might break it. If we hold too gentle, you might let go of it and drop the glass of water. Thanks to our sense of touch, we can tell how gentle or how hard should we hold our glass of water.

The wind is the same as that, Roy-boy.", Bakin added.

Little Roy is amazed at what his master said, understanding what Bakin means. Bakin then cups his hand and a small ball of wind appears. Visible for Roy to see and even feel.

"Remember this, Roy-boy. We must feel the state of the wind we control. It could be a gentle breeze in the air.", Bakin added.

The small airball blows a soft wind towards Roy. Little Roy feels a little bit relaxed because of the gentle breezing flowing on him. Suddenly, the wind grows stronger and stronger. Little Roy struggles to stand up and not be pushed by the powerful gust of wind. Roy holds his ground and the wind soon stops. Little Roy takes a couple of breaths before looking at his master.

"Or it could be a strong typhoon to blow anyone away. Your enemies and even the people you care about.", Bakin seriously said.

"So you need first learn how to control the wind. And you can't control it if you can't feel it. Understand, Varari?", Roy asked.

"Ye-yeah... Was the strong wind necessary?", Varari questioned him.

"It's an example that you need to see and feel.", Roy answered.

The small ball of air in Roy's hand slowly dissipates. Disappearing insight. Roy then claps his hands.

"Alright, stand up again. This time, feel the air for about an hour.", Roy ordered her.

"Yes, Roy...", Varari smiles and prepares herself.

The color of the sky became orange. The sun's setting. Varari sits on the dirt, feeling tired of the training they're doing. Roy approaches Varari, sitting down beside her. A small portal appears beside Roy. Roy puts his hand in it, grabbing something on his small personal pocket dimensions. He then pulls out 2 cold water bottles. Roy looks at Varari and gives a bottle to her. Varari grabs it and begins drinking it. The small portal fades away. Varari then notices this and asks Roy about it.

"How do you do that?", Varari asked.

"The portal?", Roy questions.

"Yes, the portal. How do you do that?", Varari asked again.

Roy opens his bottled water and drinks it. He takes a few seconds of drinking it and he stops. Roy then looks at Varari.

"I found out there was a thing called "Creation Magic" when I was a child. And it leads me to be taught how to create.", Roy explained.

"Creation Magic? What's that?", Varari question it.

"Creation Magic is what to believe that created this whole universe. The elders in my village thought that they were powerful beings called "Creators". One, in particular, is said that "he" created our whole world. The elders called him, "Creator In Red".", Roy added.

"Creator In Red? Is he some sort of god?", Varari asked.

"I don't know. I don't believe in these things.", Roy replied.

"The elders taught me and even told stories about Creation. I didn't create things until I was a teenager. That is where I was deemed prepared. Because Creation Magic requires loads of mana and patience.", Roy continued.

"Does this require fire magic or water magic or any elemental magic?", Varari asked.

"No, this requires general magic. You could probably do it if you have enough training. Though I don't suggest it.", Roy said.

"Why? Is it because you might die using it?", Varari replied.

"Correct. The portal I made, took me a whole day to create. And I was so drained of mana that I slept for more than a week. My brothers did the same thing and the result was sort of the same. They woke up early than I did. So I'm making use of this portal that I made, which is quite useful, if I may say.", Roy replied.

Varari then takes a sip of her water bottle. Another question forms on her head. Varari doesn't like it but she thinks that she'll never have another chance to ask Roy about it.

"I have another question, but... I think you won't like it.", Varari said.

Roy finishes his bottled water and crushed it.

"Go ahead.", Roy responded.

Varari coughs, trying to muster up some courage.

"Why did you put your dog inside of the portal?", Varari asked a personal question.

Roy's quiet. The silence is killing Varari. Then Roy lays on his back, staring at the orange skies. Varari looks at Roy's face. Roy seems...troubled.

"I don't know... I think it's because I pity Sam. That moment I saw his eyes back in the streets. I saw...fear, uneasiness, and I feel like he was all alone. A dog that doesn't have a place called home. So I gave him something I received. Love, family, and a home. I don't know what I'm talking anymore...", Roy muttered.

Varari lays on Roy.

"No no... I understand. Even though at first you seem like a cold boy. The more I get close to you, the more I see you're much warmer than everyone thinks you to be.", Varari says what she thinks about Roy.

"I... I see...", Roy flusteredly responded.

Varari chuckles at the sight of tomato Roy and stands up. Pulling on Roy's arm.

"Come on. Stand up. There might still be time for us to train a little.", Varari said while pulling him.

Roy sighs and stands up. He then wipes his clothes, dusting the dirt off him.

"I guess you want to train more on the wind element.", Roy said.

"Wind element? Oh no, we're not doing that.", Varari replied.

"What? Then what are we doing?", Roy asked.

Varari then forms her spear using dark magic. After that, Varari poses.

"I'm going to teach you a few tricks using the power of darkness.", Varari answered.