Chapter 104: The flow

When Ryu woke up the following morning, his hands ached dullly, a reminder of the intense lightning affinity training he had undergone over the previous two days. It was not much yet, as he still had to rub his hands painfully to build up charge, but it was progress, and that was all that mattered to him.

Dan was seated at the table when Ryu came in, and as Ryu walked up to him, his keen eyes saw a little redness and trembling on his hands.

"Good morning, Ryu," Dan greeted, "I trust you're ready for another day of training. You can take a break if you want."

Ryu nodded enthusiastically, his eyes bright with determination about mastering the lightning affinity. "Na Aa. I can feel the lightning affinity improving and growing stronger. I am going to keep practicing until I master it."

Dan leaned forward and said, "Is that so? Show me what you've accomplished so far."

Without hesitation, Ryu held out his hands, palms facing each other. He closed his eyes, focusing intently on the energy within him. Slowly, he began to rub his hands together, the friction building as he channelled his chakra. The air around him seemed to hum with a faint charge, and then—there it was. Tiny sparks began to dance between Ryu's fingers, growing in intensity until they formed a small, crackling web of electricity.

Dan's eyebrows shot up, his expression a mixture of surprise and pride as he said, "Impressive, Ryu. Very impressive indeed." He paused, his mind racing as he considered the implications of such rapid progress. 'Just two days,' Dan thought to himself. 'Ryu is not even a Genin. Even prodigies from Cloud Village that specialise in lightning release would struggle for at least a week to achieve this level of control.'

Dan looked at Ryu and said, "You've made excellent progress with the first step. Now, I believe you're ready to move on to the second and third steps of your lightning affinity training, Ryu."

Ryu grinned, feeling a surge of confidence at Dan's words of praise. "Really? What's next, Grandpa?"

Dan smiled, appreciating Ryu's eagerness to learn and progress in his lightning affinity training. "Both steps will be performed alternately for maximum effect. Normally, I'd teach them separately, but you've shown you can handle more. However, before we dive into that, let me ask you something—did you notice anything different when you came home yesterday?"

Ryu thought back to the previous evening, a flash of vivid memory playing in his mind. "Yes! There was a metal rod stuck in the lawn at the back entrance of the house."

"Excellent observation, Ryu," Dan nodded approvingly. "That rod is going to be crucial for the next phase of your training and also later."

Ryu tilted his head, curious. "What's it for?"

Dan's eyes twinkled with approval. "The rod serves two purposes. First, it will help your nervous system and chakra network become accustomed to the flow of lightning chakra. This way, you won't risk shocking yourself when using lightning-based jutsu in a normal setting. I suppose your hands are already feeling the effects, right?"

Ryu flexed his fingers, still feeling the dull ache from the intense flow of lightning chakra during his training. "Yeah, they've been tingling since yesterday."

Dan chuckled. "That's a good sign. That just means you have been doing it properly. Affinity of the fire, wind, and lightning types also causes hand pain during development. However, lightning is particularly risky as it can pass through your body when an excess of chakra is utilized, posing a higher danger compared to other affinities."

Ryu nodded, understanding. "So, what's this next step actually? What do I need to do with the rod?"

"The second step of your training," Dan continued, "involves building up a charge and releasing it into the rod by touching it. This will shock you initially, but through repeated practice, your body will learn to protect itself using chakra. It's a crucial skill that requires dedication and perseverance."

Ryu replied, "I understand, Grandpa. Without this step, the lightning will hurt me more than my enemy."

Dan replied, "Not necessarily."

Ryu asked, "What do you mean?"

Dan said, "Even without following this step, by the time you will be facing enemies, your body will automatically adjust to lightning chakra. Normally people skip this step because of the pain that comes with it and let the body accustom to lightning slowly over time. But your Uzumaki healing helps you adjust faster with this step. It's just to speed up the process so that you can complete the other steps faster and more efficiently and move on to other stuff."

Ryu thought about it and replied, "That makes sense."

"Good," Dan smiled. "The third step focuses on increasing your power. Instead of cotton, you'll be burning dried leaves. This will require more precise control and a greater output of chakra."

Ryu raised his hand, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You forgot to mention the second purpose of the rod, Grandpa."

Dan smiled and replied, "I didn't forget, Ryu. Remember, I may be old, but I'm still sharp. The second purpose of lightning tod will serve you later. It is to prevent you from accidentally burning the house at the fourth step, when you start practicing mid-range lightning jutsu from a distance. The rod will always attract lightning, keeping our home and surroundings safe from accidental fire. You will use it to assist your training in mid-range lightning jutsus until you have proper directional control over it. "

"I would have rented a training ground instead of this, but that was not safe," Dan thought to himself. "Besides, no one comes near the backside street, so it's a perfect place for training."

Dan looked at Ryu and said, "The fourth step will involve directing your lightning towards the rod from increasing distances. And finally, the fifth step will involve associating your lightning chakra with specific hand seals, combining your affinity training with basic Ninjutsu principles."

Dan's instructions were clear, and Ryu nodded in understanding, feeling prepared and eager to begin the next phase of his training under Dan's guidance.

"Grandpa, how long do you think it will take to master all these steps?" Ryu asked,

Dan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Given your remarkable progress with the first step, I estimate you could complete all five steps within a month or so."

"I'll do my best to complete it even sooner, Grandpa," Ryu declared, his voice filled with conviction.

Dan smiled and said, "Your determination is admirable, Ryu. Remember, mastery is not just about speed. Take the time to truly internalize and understand the intricacies of each step of your training."

Ryu nodded firmly, acknowledging that his grandfather Dan's wisdom was indeed correct. As much as he wanted to rush ahead, he couldn't afford to be reckless. Lightning was dangerous, and if he didn't respect its power, it could easily turn against him.

After their conversation, Ryu stepped outside, the metal rod gleaming in the morning sun. He took a deep breath, centring himself. The air around him seemed to crackle with potential, mirroring the energy building within him. With a determined smile, he began his training, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead in his pursuit of mastering lightning affinity.

He started by rubbing his hands together, feeling the familiar buildup of chakra. Sparks began to form between his fingers, and with a deep breath, he tried to direct the energy towards the metal rod. But nothing happened. Ryu frowned, realising that perhaps the intensity was still too weak for anything beyond contact discharge.

Undeterred, he stepped forward, intending to touch the rod directly. The moment his fingers made contact, a sudden discharge shocked him, sending a jolt through his body. Ryu gasped, stumbling back.

"Now I know what Saya felt when I touched her with static on my hand," he muttered.

Despite the setback, Ryu pressed on, determined to master this new step. Each attempt resulted in another shock, but with each try, he felt his body becoming more accustomed to the sensation.

As the day wore on, Ryu began to notice subtle changes. The shocks were becoming less intense, and he was able to hold the charge for longer periods of time. His control was improving, slowly but surely. He could feel the lightning chakra flowing more smoothly through his body, responding to his will with increasing precision. Ryu felt himself getting closer to achieving mastery over this electrifying technique.

The rest of his day at the academy went as usual, where he also practiced while hiding his hands under the table. 

He could almost feel the lightning and pain coursing through his veins, a testament to his growing power. Yet Dan's words echoed in his thoughts: "Don't try to control the lightning; you can never control it. Try to channel it. When it comes to lightning, it is more about understanding the flow than control."

With unwavering resolve, Ryu decided that these would be his guiding principles as he embarked on the next phase of his lightning affinity training.

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