The Unrelenting Teacher (6)

People learn from their mistakes if they are fortunate enough to survive the consequences of said mistakes. Kai doesn't only believe in this sentiment but practiced it last evening when he didn't call out his students for their stupidity of skipping training. Sure, it's annoying. Kai did WANT to berate his team but what would that accomplish?

His ego as a teacher stroked? A swift wave of satisfaction that he got to set his students straight? But what about the future?

Kai could always berate them. But throwing a hint that he knew of their slight and leaving it unsaid gives a way for his team to straighten themselves on their own. This is more valuable. Kai loves to train but he cannot force this passion on others. But if his team realizes the value of training on their own and acts like sly kunoichi when the time calls for it through experience then that would be the best and experience is gained by making mistakes.

Better to make mistakes in survivable situations than fatal ones.

And Kai's patience, fortunately, pays off. Instead of wearing cheap paper fashioned and painted to look like supreme ankle weights, the girls struggle to move with serious and determined expressions. Kai's grin broadens as he sees the trio.

They are gathered in a desolate training ground but unlike others, this training ground is equipped with various benches and rather naturally constructed weights made out of earth and wood.

"Good Morning," Kai chuckles and greets the trio, "Did you have something to eat before coming here?"

The trio nods and he remains seated on one of the benches, "Good. It must be digested by now. In the coming four days you will train instead of completing missions." This sudden news catches the trio by surprise, "In reality, you three have a lot to do. In terms of bukijutsu, you are good enough to compete with chunins but that's just technical skills I'm talking about. Chakra reserves, physical resilience, and pain tolerance— you lack in all these categories and more. Not to mention your study of medicine which cannot be left for too long."

"Can we do it all in one year?" Kurenai asks with a worried expression.

"One year?" Kai looks at the foolish student with a strange expression, "You'd be lucky to get all that done in three. That is also why when it comes to Bukijutsu, I encouraged you to specialize in a single weapon. That leaves you with more time on other subjects. And this will reflect later on in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, too."

Kurenai nods and asks again, "Can you... tell me how Hikari Aburame put me in her genjutsu?"

"Nope," Kai smiles, "And this brings me to the next part. Your training will consist of a physical routine taught by an expert. Now, remember, this expert is someone even I look up to. His training ethic is equal to mine if not unmatched. When he arrives with Tsume's team, I want you to judge the other party however you may like by the end of this day."

'Someone that Sensei respects so much?' The trio is caught off guard by this announcement. Meanwhile, Kai continues, "And the physical routine set in these four days will be carried on for the next three months whenever we aren't on C-ranked missions outside the village but that is just a part of it. We competed with three teams yesterday.

In the next three days, you will compete with them again. This was easy to set, really. It's not like any of them could say no to me. Minato loves me. Nawaki adores me. And Mikoto REALLY loves me, you know? Oh, wait, you guys wouldn't," he shakes his head and exhales gently.

"Anyway, the point is," Kai looks at the trio sternly with dignity oozing through his being, "My team does not lose. You will challenge these teams even after the next three days until you win... and just to make things fair, I am not including Kakashi and Yahiko."

While Kurenai and Shizune were momentarily speechless due to Kai's raging competitiveness and a mannerism comparable to a sore loser, Konan frowns and questions, "Why not Yahiko and Kakashi?"

"They're out of your leagues. Certified chunins. Granted Kakashi got the title earlier and Yahiko is left slacking in that department due to a political endeavor pursued by the village and Sunagakure, but Yahiko is still capable of tackling the three of you on his own."

This news makes Konan feel a little upset but this is also understandable. Yahiko trains with a similar intensity if not more and has a rival relationship with Kakashi who is considered the third youngest elite the village has seen in the recent decade.

"Sensei? Where are Team Tsume and this expert?"

"What time is it?" Kai questions.

"5," Konan replies.

"Right... well, the truth is I am meeting this expert face-to-face for the first time so... to provide a good impression, I set the meeting for 6 and called you three an hour earlier."

His sheepish words make the trio blank out as Kai giggles, "Believe me, this man is great! His passion is just otherwordly!"

The trio are deep in their thoughts but decide to rest nonetheless. They know damn well they need it.

'Maybe... it would be worth it—'

---

"Young Kai! It's a great joy to finally meet you!"

Konan, Kurenai, and Shizune watched in amazement as a sturdy middle-aged man with a squarish face decorated by a thick mustache, brows, and a bundle of glossy black hair had his fists clenched in excitement. Like a certain someone, this man wore a red scarf around his neck and his muscular body is covered by a green jumpsuit.

'He... cannot be an expert, right?' Kurenai questions the reality of this world but Kai just grins equally broadly, "Please, you don't have to be courteous. You're a great inspiration, you know? There are many things even I can learn from you."

'Say what?' Tsume looks at Alpha with a surprise clear on her expression After all, she still doesn't understand why this man is here.

"Awesome! Did you hear that, Dad?" Guy looks at the man with a sparkling gaze, "I never knew you were this amazing!"

The man coughs slightly and scratches the back of his head, "Of course, this is youth! Guy, remember my words, respecting everyone, even the enemy's strength, is the definition of youth!"

Guy's lips part with tears pricking the corner of his eyes. Meanwhile, Obito and Rin walk over to Team 6's side and the Uchiha greets them, "Yo... do you know what's going on?"

Kurenai glances at him and frowns, "Hmph, whatever. You're Kinju's friend, right?"

Rin and Obito share a look before Obito slides up his orange windbreaker and grins, "Well, of course, I'm everyone's friend. Hokage's got to make friends, right?"

"I'm the next Kage," Kurenai narrows her eyes, "After Sensei, of course."

"We're here to train," Konan gives the duo a sidelong glare. How they managed to distract themselves this easily was not something Konan could easily understand.

"Ah... but... Guy's dad is training us?" Rin looks a little weirded out as she watches Kai speaking to the father in the green jumpsuit and his son listening religiously next to them. Tsume is just standing there with a strange expression and Kuromaru is sniffing Kai's left wrist to pull Cinnamon out.

"I don't know about respecting the enemy's strength" Kai chuckles and looks at Might Duy, "But I did commission a mission, especially for you. Thank you for accepting it. This is my team," Kai introduces the trio, "The one with red eyes is Kurenai. She slacks in physical training quite a bit. The one with blue hair and a mean gaze is Konan. I did tell her to stop listening to the recent rise of 'hate' music from the capital but she doesn't listen. And that's Shizune, she's adorable."

'Why?'

Kurenai and Konan's lips part in utter exasperation at their childish Sensei's antics while Shizune lowers her head with a shy smile.

"Ehm," Obito puffs his chest out, expecting a few words for himself.

"Oh, that's Obito," Kai shrugs, "I beat his dad once."

The Uchiha deflates while Kai looks at Rin who quickly speaks up, "I'm Rin, Might-san. I've got nothing to do with the weird introductions—"

"She's Rin. She spends her time looking at boys instead of training."

Rin purses her lips and stares at Kai blandly while Kai returns an equally impassive stare and then he looks at Guy, "You already know your son. I wanted to train with Tsume so I wanted you to train our teams as you would train yourself."

Duy blinks in surprise and laughs, "Haha, that was a weird introduction but I'll keep all of that in mind!"

'Please don't.' A silent plea is issued by others in a moment as Duy continues, "But... I think that is too cruel to youths to train like me—"

"Please," Kai smiles, "The entire village is your training ground... I've heard how you trained during the first war. I want you to treat these youths no less."

Duy lets out an audible hum and looks at the kids before grinning, "No, that would be too cruel. Just because my or your youth is taken too quickly, there is no need for these youngsters to do the same! I'll have to fail the mission if you continue to insist, Young Kai."

Matching the stubborn stare of the man as Guy now sweated bullets seeing two people he looked up to most in a confrontation, Kai smiles, "Worth a try. Do train them as best as you can. If you think they need more weight on their bodies, I'll foot the bill for any additional cost."

Duy grins and raises his thumb, "Of course! I will give my all in these four days!"

Kai nods as he steps aside with Tsume while Duy doesn't waste a moment to gather the two teams and go out for the run...

Around the entire village probably.

"What was all that?" Tsume looks at Kai with a pout, "Alpha, first you don't tell me about such a good competition, and now Might Duy. He's a genin..."

"He could kick yours and Kuromaru's ass even if Kuromaru activates his seal," Kai scoffs and strokes his chin, "The military accomplishments of chunins and below are available to you in the archives, right?"

Tsume nods as Kai shrugs, "It'll be more fun if you found it on your own then. Come on, let's train. I didn't just invite your team to play around. You and Kuromaru have gotten stronger, right?"

"Yes!"

*Woof*

Tsume and Kuromaru have similar responses while Kai notes their chakra level.

'After receiving Chimera seal Kuromaru's strength has finally stabilized. Although Tsume's chakra level is still in the ranks of Chunin, the techniques she can pull off with unleashed Kuromaru are no less than a Jonin from the Akimichi clan. The only way for her to grow stronger is by training individually or getting a stronger ninken. The latter is a harder option in reality. Who's got time to search more ninkens when she can train harder and reach the skillset of a jonin alongside the corresponding physique and chakra reserve?'

Of course, there is another reason to finally focus on Tsume.

After the mokuton training, Kai will have a few major routes to pursue. Skills like that slime cover that Tsunade developed could be learned on the fly but the routes he had in mind were different.

First, of course, is trying to learn more about forbidden jutsu. The kind that Duy has accomplished.

Second, he can focus on the last bit of the seal matrix that Orochimaru is developing. Truly, after creating Chimera Cursed Seal, only a final portion of this remains but it needs another bout of 'idea' and 'inspiration' to fully develop into a Jutsu that isn't as fucked as Orochimaru's original intent.

Third, he can learn all modes of Sage Mode but one toad decided to sleep a bit too long.

Fourth, he can focus on Cinnamon. As he appraised Tsume, the same is true for him. He still has a few techniques to learn about his ninken and earn some SP.

Five, he can sneak into other villages... but the timing now couldn't be worse. After all, almost all villages are on high alert as skirmishes are issued around the borders constantly.

So, he chose the fourth option. At least, he can finalize the jutsu he can learn after training with Tsume. After all, currently, five of his slots are filled with Mokuton Jutsus and after that, he will also pursue their Sage Variations.

Just because Hashirama did not leave any Senjutsu behind doesn't mean Kai cannot develop the variations himself, right?

***

Alternate Title: Shadow of War; Young Duy Appears!; The Flicker of War Behind Eternal Genin's Smile; The Daddy Green Beast of Konoha!

***

A/N: Is it weird... that I wanna know what Duy's pubes look like? Must be like Zohan.

***

Enjoyed the Chap~? Consider supporting my works with loads of power stones brothers and sisters!

Read 30 advance chapters here—

Patre on.com/Fanharem

Join the discord for well... uh, dead chat room~

https : //discord.gg/egdFUe5