Naruto: Power in Play

[You have made some progress with the skill: Beginner Leaf Fighting Style[LVL 1/20[42%]

Ando grinned happily upon seeing the notification. It has been four days since he started training with Chika. Just as she promised, she helped him correct his stance. But she did not stop there. She showed him a set of exercises and stances to practice the basic fighting style taught at the academy.

The results were obivous. If before, Ando was akin to blindly stumbling around without a clear direction, now he could continuously shoot forward, and keep making progress. Although he still got his ass handed to him at the academy, he now understood how, and why he lost. It was a huge step in the right direction.

"You still haven't had enough? Trash like you will never reach my level!" Hamada Yutaka's eyes flashed with irritation as he harshly criticized Ando. The other students gathered on the sidelines, exchanging whispers and stifled giggles as they watched the orphan fall to the ground.

This scene had been repeating itself for days. Since the first day of school, Ando had been fighting against the Yutaka clan kid, never missing a day. Some students whispered that he had a few screws loose, that it was pointless—stupid, even—for him to keep challenging the clan kids. Sadly, most of those students were orphans just like Ando.

The clan kids didn't see him as a threat, not in the slightest. To them, he was just a stubborn nobody, a nuisance. The civilians, on the other hand, shared the orphans' low opinion of Ando, but they kept their distance, as if worried they might become his next targets. Though they never said it outright, their behavior and subtle avoidance were telling.

In reality, the worst came of it from the orphans themselves. They should have been on his side, standing with him against the odds, or at the very least, leave him be. But instead, they chose to mock him. They responded to his efforts with laughter and sneers, snarky remarks and disapproving stares.

Ando understood that they were doing it in a bid to distance themselves from him. He was a troublemaker, but above that, he was an orphan. Just like them. They were afraid that the people at the academy would associate them with him. There may be a deeper reason, if Ando was willing to dig deep, that is. But at this point, he just did not care.

Unlike adults, who had learned to mask their emotions, the children were unfiltered in their disdain, leaving Ando no doubt about how they felt. Naturally, in just a couple days, he became isolated from them.

Ando slowly got up from the ground and schooled his features. He wiped the blood off his face, rubbed his sore cheek and spat a mouthful of blood on the ground. "We'll see about that. Tomorrow, same time, same place. I'll beat the shit out of you!" Ando's declaration would have sounded more credible if he hadn't been consecutively trashed by everyone in the last few days.

Despite this, a small group of people felt apprehensive. If one compared the way Ando fought during his first day to the way he was currently fighting, they would realize that Ando was actually getting better at fighting. The difference may not have been visible to the mundane man, but for someone trained like Hamada, it was hard not to notice.

And Hamada wasn't the only. Ando was looking for fights with everyone! Like a fool, he did not know fear. And incredibly enough, he did not seem to know pain! How many times had he been put to the ground?

Hamada did not know, nor did he count. He had better things to do. But the most peculiar thing about Ando was that every single day, he came back as good as new. One day, Hamada had been so angry at the orphan that he almost disfigured the other kid. Yet, he came back the next day with a mocking grin on his ugly mug.

"I'll fucking kill you." Hamada did not shout, but his words still produced a menacing tone.

Ando simply responded with a bloody grin and limped towards the classroom, traversing the hallways. He opened the classroom door and walked towards the far-left side of the front desk. He painfully sat down and rested his swollen head on his crossed arms. The seat next to him was empty, but even until the teacher showed himself, nobody took it…

"Good morning, children," Soda greeted with his usual nonchalant expression. "I hope you have all taken the time to rest yesterday, because today, we are going to do some physical exercises."

The declaration was met with the excited murmurs of the students. When they enrolled in the academy, what truly attracted them was the cool ninja stuff, not the boring everyday lectures.

But contrary to the others' excited mood, Ando was anguishing inside. If he had known that they were going to practice physical exercises beforehand, he would not have been looking for trouble at the academy in the morning.

Ando sighed, a wave of regret washing over him as he glanced around. His eyes met Hamada's, who stood there with a smug, triumphant smirk. The urge to flip him the middle finger burned in Ando's chest, but he bit it back—his self-control was better than that.

"Alright, I want everyone in the training ground in 10 minutes," Soda instructed and then walked out. The rest of the students quickly followed behind him while Ando was lagging behind because of his limping. He nonetheless made it in time and joined the other students crowding in around Soda.

"I know you guys have been eagerly waiting for this day to come." A sardonic smile then etched itself on Soda's face. "Unfortunately, this won't be as amusing for you as it will be for me."

"Before I actually start teaching you 'cool ninja stuff,' we will have to do some physical conditioning here. All of you, get in line!"

At the far back of the students, Ando sighed. He trudged forward and lined up with the other kids with a resigned expression. He knew, the day was going to suck.

The academy was not exactly what Ando expected. From the curriculum, the system in place, and even the discipline and the rules, most were the exact opposite of what he had experienced in his previous world.

They were locked inside the premises five days out of seven, and were only allowed to leave on the weekend. Those were the rules. And everyone had to follow them; even the clan kids were no exception. The had the same accommodations as the orphans, but were instead mixed in with the civilians. As for the reason why, Ando actually failed to find the logic in it.

On a Saturday morning, while lying in bed, Ando seriously contemplated the idea of not getting up and spending the rest of his day in bed. The events of the previous day, coupled with the physical conditioning, had left him feeling exhausted and lazy. He just did not want to get up.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Alas, the frantic knocking on his door told him that fate had other plans for him. Ando forced himself up and dragged his feet toward the door, ready to give the impolite fool a piece of his mind.

His hand reached for the handle and opened the lock, swinging the door open, when—

"It seems like you have decided to skip training today, Ando!"

On the other side of the door, Chika was giving him a smile that did not quite feel like a smile. The annoyed expression on Ando's face quickly vanished and morphed into a confused one. "What training? It's the weekend."

Chika stood at the door, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "You fool. Just because it's the weekend doesn't mean your training stops. You want to get better, don't you?"

Ando groaned internally. Of course, she would show up on his one day off. He had hoped to rest for once, maybe even catch up on some more sleep. But one look at Chika's determined face told him that wasn't going to happen. With a resigned sigh, he stepped back and motioned for her to come inside.

"Fine, fine. Give me a minute to get ready," he muttered, turning towards his bed to grab his now beyond stinky training clothes.

Chika waited, observing the room along with Ando's slumbering roommates as he changed quickly.

"Let's go," she said as soon as he was dressed. "We've got a lot to cover today. And I especially prepared something special for you."

Ando didn't know if he liked the sound of that or not. Still, he followed her out of the dormitory. The early morning sun was just beginning to light up the sky, casting long shadows across the academy grounds. As they walked past their usual training ground, Ando realized that they were heading somewhere new.

"Chika? Where are we going?" Ando expressed his confusion.

"Today, we're going to have a change of scenery," Chika replied with a small smile. She led him toward the agility course field, which was guarded by a young ninja.

Isamu Mita [?]

The person in charge of guarding the field looked young, maybe 14 or 15 years old, but there was an air of authority about him. Standing at about 5'7", he had a lean, muscular build that suggested he could be formidable if he ever put in the effort. His jet-black hair was messy, as if he couldn't be bothered to comb it, and his sleepy green eyes didn't show much interest in anything around him. He exuded a laid-back demeanor, clearly someone who preferred the path of least resistance.

As they approached, Isamu greeted Chika with a nod. "Chika, it's good to see you. What brings you here so early?"

Chika returned his nod with a small smile. "Isamu, I need a favor." She motioned toward Ando. "This is Ando, and he needs access to the agility course for training."

Isamu's brow lifted, a curious hum escaping his lips. "He looks like a newbie. You know the rules—first- and second-year students need special permission to use the field. And it costs 10 AP per day."

Chika sighed softly, but her tone stayed composed. "I know the rules, Isamu. That's why I'm asking. I'll be with him, there won't be any problems."

Isamu's gaze shifted to Ando, then back to Chika. His eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curling into an amused smirk. "You? Asking for a favor? Now I'm curious." He leaned toward Ando, examining the boy's nervous stance. "What's so special about him?"

"He's got potential. This training will help him, and I'll owe you one," Chika said, her tone steady and confident.

Isamu mulled it over, a hum hanging in the air as he sized them both up. Then, his grin returned. "Alright, Chika. You win. But remember—you owe me a favor now." He pointed a playful finger at Ando. "The same goes for you too, little guy."

"Thank you. I won't forget this," Chika said, pulling out her student card and handing it to him.

Isamu chuckled as he stepped aside. "I'll be sure to remind you."

As they walked away, Ando glanced at Chika, his voice tight with discomfort. "You didn't have to do that."

The girl waved it off. "Consider it an investment. You'll pay me back triple what I gave today." She gave him a light nudge. "Now, let's get started."

The course ahead was dotted with obstacles—balancing beams, rope climbs, and narrow ledges. Without missing a beat, Chika led Ando to the starting line.

"Today, we're focusing on agility, reflexes, and endurance," Chika began, her voice quickly adapting an instructive tone. "I've watched you fight, and you take way too many hits. So, we're going to run this course, over and over. And your job? Dodge everything, and do your best to get to the finish line. Got it?"

Ando nodded, a mix of anticipation and dread settling in his chest. The field's constant surveillance by a stationed ninja made it clear; this course wasn't just for ordinary training.

Chika moved into action, demonstrating the course. She leaped effortlessly over low hurdles, ducked under bars, and wove through a line of poles with fluid precision. Ando watched, trying to memorize the sequence. Her movements were so smooth they almost seemed easy, almost.

"Your turn," Chika said, stepping aside.

Taking a deep breath, Ando stepped up. The first few obstacles were manageable, but the difficulty quickly ramped up. He tripped over a hurdle, his legs tangling as he tried to recover. The poles came next, and despite his efforts, he stumbled through them, feeling the sting of impact.

"See? This is what I mean. You can't just flail around when you're under pressure. You have to plan your next move! Even while you're getting hit," Chika criticized with a firm voice.

"Focus, Ando! Keep your movements smooth, controlled. Don't rush!"

The instructions rang out from the sidelines, but as Ando looked ahead, all he could see were the swinging logs, suspended ropes, and even the occasional blunt kunai hurtling through the air. How was he not supposed to rush?

The course was brutal. Every new section seemed designed to break him. The swinging logs weren't just padded—they were weighted, and each impact felt like a hammer blow. The ropes weren't smooth, either; they were knotted, each rough twist capable of scraping skin raw if grabbed without care. And the blunt kunai still packed enough force to leave painful bruises.

By the time Ando reached the narrow beams suspended above the ground, his legs were shaking. He wobbled, arms outstretched for balance, knowing that a fall wouldn't cause serious injury, but it would hurt all the same. Below him, Chika's voice cut through the air.

"Don't look down! Eyes on the end goal, Ando!"

Gritting his teeth, he pushed forward, only to be met by swinging pendulums in the next section. He timed his movements as best he could, but the heavy logs swung dangerously close, brushing his arm once, then catching his leg and sending him sprawling.

"Get up! Keep moving!"

The final section was a wall climb followed by a drop into a pool of water. The wall was slick and smooth, designed to test grip strength and climbing ability. Ando's fingers ached as he hauled himself up, each inch feeling like a mile. At the top, he had to steady himself before making the leap into the cold water below.

By the time Ando reached the end of the course, he was drenched in sweat and water, his muscles screaming in protest, and his breath coming in ragged gasps. He collapsed to the ground, his body heavy with exhaustion.

"I don't… understand… how… this is supposed to help me… beat people up!" Ando gasped between breaths.

Chika smirked down at him. "Well, for starters, it'll help you get used to pain."

"I'm used to pain!" Ando shot back, louder than he meant, his frustration cutting through the fatigue.

Chika chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Fair point. But the course isn't just about pain tolerance. The swinging logs, ropes, and balancing beams train your coordination, reflexes, and grip strength. You have to get comfortable being in tough situations while staying calm enough to find your way out."

She pointed to the obstacles as she explained. "The logs teach you how to take a hit when dodging isn't an option. The ropes? They're all about grip and body coordination. And the balancing beams are for, well, balance. Getting to the end without giving up builds your mindset. It's about perseverance."

Ando, still struggling for air, grimaced. "I get it… kind of. But does that really make sense?" His real motive was to stall for time, hoping Chika would keep talking long enough for him to catch his breath.

"It does," Chika said, raising an eyebrow at him. "And if you've got the energy to argue, you've got the energy for another run."

"Wait, what?" Ando looked up at her, eyes wide with disbelief. "You're kidding, right? At least let me catch my breath."

Chika's smile faded, replaced by a serious look. "Nope. If you want to improve, you need to push past your limits. Now, up you go."

Ando stared at her in disbelief, his exhaustion written all over his face. But he could tell by the look in her eyes—she wasn't joking.

That day, Ando learned the hard way that Chika was far more sadistic than she first seemed.

[You have unlocked the skill 'Pain Tolerance (beginner)']
[Pain Tolerance LVL 1/20] [27%]
[Pain Tolerance: Pain Tolerance is a passive skill that allows the user to endure physical damage without losing focus or performance in battle. As the user experiences pain, their body adapts, reducing the impact of physical trauma on their combat effectiveness.]
[Reduces the likelihood of being stunned, staggered, or interrupted by non-lethal attacks by 1%]