Chapter 10: Being Weakest

That day, after lunch, our sensei entered the classroom with an air of excitement. "Today, we'll have our first taijutsu class," he announced, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "But before that, we will be sparring with each other!" The energy in the room shifted as anticipation built among the students.

We made our way to the training ground, the sun shining brightly overhead. Once there, our sensei instructed us to pick partners for the sparring matches. I was about to ask Baskin if he wanted to team up when Monti approached me, a confident grin on his face. "Fight me," he declared boldly. I hesitated for a moment, but even if I lost, I thought it wouldn't be so bad. I nodded and accepted his challenge, while Baskin was quickly claimed by another clan kid.

As the sparring began, the first match was between an Uchiha and an Akamichi. The Uchiha kid showcased impressive speed and technique, emerging victorious with ease. Next, other clan kids took to the mat, and I watched as their skills clashed in a flurry of punches and kicks. My match was the seventh, and the anticipation made my heart race.

When it was finally my turn, Monti came rushing at me like a bull, throwing a punch straight at my face. I barely had time to react, but I managed to block it just in time. The impact jolted through my arm, and I had to admit he was physically stronger than I had anticipated. Recovering quickly, I prepared for his next move. He threw another punch with his other hand, which I also blocked. Then, he followed up with a kick. I tried to maintain my balance, but as I blocked it, I stumbled slightly.

Before I could regain my footing, Monti unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks. I blocked a few, but several got through, and I felt the sting of each hit. Despite the barrage, I kept my composure. Over the past month and a half, I had been training taijutsu with my mom, who had told me it wasn't her strong suit, but even so, I felt I had a decent foundation compared to some academy kids. Yet, as the match went on, it became clear I was still a novice in the art of combat.

With no chance to counterattack, I finally admitted defeat. Monti smirked, simply stating, "Weak," before moving on to the next match. The sting of his words hung in the air, but I took a deep breath and tried to shake it off. I noticed Baskin won his match, and although his opponent didn't seem to give it their all, it was evident that Baskin's skills were better than mine. I was surprised to see him, a Nara, performing so well, but it only reinforced my belief that I still had a long way to go.

Despite the defeat, I didn't feel downcast; after all, this was just the beginning. I was still getting started on my journey. After the sparring session, our sensei seemed to gauge our physical levels and began teaching us the academy-style taijutsu. He asked those from clans who had their own taijutsu techniques if they wanted to practice their own styles or learn the academy techniques. To my surprise, all of them chose to practice their own jutsu, while I noticed that my mom had also taught me the academy style.

Baskin and the 2 civilian girls stuck with the academy style, while Monti practiced his own technique. I was curious about his background and who his parents were, but I decided against asking. Over the next two months, I continued to lose every sparring match. The Uchiha kids, along with Monti, consistently placed in the top five.

Soon, we were introduced to chakra control. The results weren't much different; I found myself at the bottom again, even though I was now able to hold a leaf for thirty minutes—an improvement, but not enough to elevate my standing. Surprisingly, Monti placed just above me, which made sense as I realized he had been focusing more on physical training and taijutsu.

One thing was for certain: I was currently the weakest among my peers. I couldn't gauge the chakra reserves of others since we hadn't learned any ninjutsu yet, but I suspected my skills would still put me at the bottom of the ranks. Regardless, I had no intention of remaining there forever.

As time passed, shuriken practice was also added to our curriculum. Unsurprisingly, I found myself at the back of the class again, struggling with my aim. Slowly but surely, six months slipped by, and I began to notice improvements. My calligraphy skills had advanced to a point where I could start practicing fuinjutsu, but since my mom didn't practice those techniques, I was still working on my calligraphy alone.

During dinner one evening, my mom shared some good news. "My friend is back in the village," she said with a smile. "She's coming over for dinner tomorrow. You should ask her about fuinjutsu after dinner!" Her excitement was contagious, and I felt a spark of hope ignite within me. Perhaps this was the opportunity I had been waiting for—a chance to learn more about the art of sealing.