Chapter 37: The Weight of Months

The morning mist was lighter than usual, allowing the first rays of dawn to filter through and illuminate Ren's figure as he completed his morning routine. Five months had passed since his father's death, and much had changed.

His body had adjusted to the thirty-five pounds of additional weight he now carried constantly. His movements, once studied to appear mediocre, had acquired a natural fluidity that was difficult to completely hide, despite the additional weight of the equipment he always carried with him.

"One hundred and forty days," he muttered, completing the last set of push-ups. "It seems like yesterday and an eternity ago."

Memories of the past few months flooded through his mind as he prepared for the academy:

- ​​Three months ago-

"You must learn to recognize even the most subtle alterations in your chakra flow," Jun'ko explained as she wove another genjutsu. "The more you get used to being under illusion, the easier it will be to identify and dispel them."

Ren nodded, letting the illusion wash over him.

He had specifically asked Jun'ko to help him with this aspect of his training. "Don't hold back," he had told her. "I need to be prepared for the worst." Concentrating, he formed the Tiger Seal as he modulated his chakra precisely - the key to performing the Kai.

"Genjutsu is based on the subtle manipulation of the opponent's chakra," Jun'ko explained as she wove another illusion. "To dissolve it, you must create a disturbance in your chakra flow strong enough to disrupt the outside influence."

Ren nodded, feeling the illusion cling to his senses as he practiced the release over and over, trying to reduce the time it took to free himself more and more.

'I could create something similar to a pacemaker, that would disturb my chakra flow at constant intervals, to note this idea for its feasibility.'

-Two and a half months ago-

"The key to tree-climbing is not the strength of the chakra, but precision," he muttered to himself as he climbed yet another tree in the secluded forest he had discovered. The scars on the bark testified to his numerous attempts, but each day he managed to climb a little higher, maintain control a little longer.

- Two months ago-

"Healing is not just a matter of chakra," Dr. Kaito explained as he supervised a training session. "It is an advanced form of manipulation of Yang, the energy of life itself."

"Technically," Aoi said, adjusting his glasses, "Yang represents life energy, the creative principle that animates every living thing. Medical ninjutsu requires the ability to manipulate this force through the body's natural meridians."

"That's right," Dr. Kaito nodded, pointing to a complex diagram of chakra meridians.

"Chakra no Mesu is the most refined manifestation of this control - condensing Yang chakra into a razor-sharp edge at the cellular level."

He watched as Aoi demonstrated the technique, his chakra condensing into a nearly invisible blade. "The real challenge is not just creating the scalpel, but maintaining it. Too much Yang and the tissue will be cut deeper, too little and the technique loses effectiveness. It's like... balancing life itself on the tip of a needle."

'Well, that makes it "easier" to use scalpels for offensive purposes, I wonder if it's possible to combine it with the wind element in Tanto...to note for further development.'

-A month ago-

"You've mastered the Shihyo Fuin to a decent level now," Tatsumi observed as he examined Ren's latest location seal, which was glowing with a steady, controlled glow.

"It's time to move on to the Chozo no In. This preservation seal requires a completely different structure - an octagonal pattern with overlapping layers of containment. Notice how the characters intersect here," he pointed to a specific point on the diagram, "creating a three-dimensional containment matrix. The ink must have a 30% higher chakra concentration than the Fuin no jutsu, or the storage space will collapse on itself."

In the present, Ren stopped in front of his mother's shop. The sign had been renovated, but the name "Mizutani" still shone proudly. Yuki had taken over the business with renewed determination, even though Ren sometimes caught her staring at the empty chair in the corner where his father always sat.

"I've sorted out the new arrivals," he said as he entered. 

"Thank you," his mother smiled. Her voice was stronger now, more confident. The pain was still there, but they had learned to live with it, mother and son, finding strength in each other. "Oh, a letter arrived from the academy administration. It seems they are holding a preliminary exam among the students."

Later that day, after class, Ren waited until all the other students had left before approaching Fujimoto-sensei's desk.

"Fujimoto-sensei," Ren said after the classroom had emptied, his voice controlled. "I would like to consult you about kenjutsu."

'Every resource must be used,' he mused as he chose his next words carefully. 'Time is limited, and every opportunity for improvement must be seized.'

"Given your experience as a ninja and your knowledge of the village sword masters, I was wondering if you could suggest someone with whom I could continue the training I had begun."

He said nothing more - there was no need.

Fujimoto regarded his student for a moment, his expert gaze assessing the request and what was behind it. Ren held that gaze with his usual mask of calm, even as he was internally calculating the chances of success of his request.

"Kenjutsu in Kirigakure has a long tradition," Fujimoto said finally, his tone professional but not without respect. "There could be some masters who might be interested in a new student. I'll run some checks."

He rose from his desk, gathering his papers. "I'll let you know when I have some concrete information."

'Another piece of the puzzle,' Ren thought as he bowed formally. 'Every day of training missed is a luxury I can't afford, not when time is ticking inexorably toward the inevitable.'

On the way home, Ren took stock of the situation. The basic techniques he had studied in the previous months were now an integral part of his daily arsenal: the Kawarimi executed with surgical precision, the Henge maintained without apparent effort, the Kirigakure no Jutsu perfected to the point of being able to modulate the density of the mist at will. The Suiton: Mizurappa, from a simple projectile of water, had evolved into a versatile technique - he could now vary the pressure of the jet from a diffuse stream to distract to a concentrated blow capable of piercing wood.

After weeks of constant practice, he had finally managed to master the cutting of the leaf with the wind chakra. His experiments with infusing the wind element into weapons were yielding promising results, although maintaining a stable chakra blade still required too much concentration to be effective in combat.

The Fuusajin no Jutsu, his first true wind technique, was starting to take shape. The ability to manipulate dust in the air provided him with useful cover, especially when combined with the Kirigakure no Jutsu.

His chakra control was steadily improving through tree-climbing and medical exercises, allowing him to manipulate his chakra more precisely. Tatsumi's seals were opening up new tactical possibilities for him, turning simple tools into potential game-changers in combat.

'The current level is not enough,' he thought. 'I need more versatility, more control, more precision. The end-of-year exam will only be the first test.'