The journey this time took longer than before: most of the shinobi were exhausted from the battle. We moved for about three to four hours, and only when the sun had already begun to tilt toward the horizon did we reach the camp.
The return was quiet. No one shouted, no one celebrated the victory — only footsteps and the occasional cough. Fatigue hung in the air, mixed with the smell of smoke, blood, and sweat.
At the entrance, we were met by a couple of shinobi from the camp guard. They quickly counted the people, checked the lists, but asked no unnecessary questions. Apparently, all attention was already focused on those left to clean up the battlefield.
"You're free, go rest," said one of them, waving his hand.
The three of us — Genma, Gai, and I — headed toward our tent. The silence between us was deafening, and even Gai, usually full of energy and loud words, was quiet. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts.
When we stepped inside, I literally collapsed onto my spot. My body throbbed with exhaustion, muscles ached, and inside, an invisible fire of tension still burned. I clenched my sleeve, feeling the hard contour of a hidden item.
"I'll do this tomorrow," I thought, but my consciousness was already slipping, and I drifted into a half-sleep.
Morning came quickly. Honestly, I barely slept: every time I closed my eyes, black darkness surfaced in my thoughts, and I would wake up feeling as if it were all real. But now was not the time to think about that. Genma was still lying in the tent, sleeping, and Gai, it seemed, was also resting after yesterday's battle — it was clear he had exhausted himself. "Yesterday's fight really drained all of us," flashed through my mind as I quietly got up from the cot.
The first thing I remembered was the item in my sleeve. Quickly wrapping myself in a blanket so no one could see, I carefully pulled out a small scroll tucked at my side. It was covered in dried blood — gruesome, but valuable.
"Wait… it could have an explosive activation," the thought ran through my mind. My heart jumped, but I acted without panic: I tossed the scroll into my pocket, slipped on my sandals, and quietly ran out of the tent, heading for the deserted training ground.
The camp was almost silent. The only thing breaking the quiet was the smell from the kitchen, signaling that the cook was already preparing breakfast. Everything else was calm: occasional footsteps on gravel, the crackle of tents in the wind. I placed the scroll in front of me, dragged a stick from the ground, took a few steps back to clear space, and cautiously began to unroll the scroll.
At first, nothing. A few seconds… then a bit more — still nothing.
"Phew," I exhaled, tossing the stick aside, and leaned closer, scrutinizing the scribbles drawn on the scroll.
My eyes froze on one inscription: "Earth Cloning Technique."
My face went still. On one hand, it was a real find, a technique that could be extremely useful. On the other hand, I had never mastered the Earth element. Even attempting to learn a basic elemental skill could take weeks, if not months.
"Ah, too bad…" I thought, examining the patterns and lines. But curiosity won: I decided to study what was written anyway. Later, when the opportunity arose, I would have to master the technique.
I slowly lifted my head and heard a clear voice behind me:
"What are you doing there?"
The voice was unfamiliar, and I tensed for a moment, turning around and hiding the scroll in my sleeve.
"Nothing, just checking the seals," I replied, trying to look calm.
"And who are you?" I asked, looking closely at his face. He seemed about eleven.
"Hayama Shirakumo," he answered calmly.
I frowned, trying to understand what he wanted:
"So, what do you want, Hayama?" I asked, still wary, a slight shadow of question on my face.
"Your team helped me and my comrades retreat in the battle," he said with a slight smile, "I wanted to thank you."
"Ah, well, thanks," I muttered, honestly not remembering him or how exactly we had helped.
"Alright, I need to train then," I said, already preparing to return to my tasks.
"Eh, can I come with you?" Hayama intervened.
I paused, thinking, and shrugged:
"Well, I wasn't planning anything unusual. Just running and basic exercises."
"I still need to get stronger," he said, now with noticeable confidence in his voice.
I thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright. When someone's around, a competitive spirit helps you progress faster."
I began running along the training grounds, feeling the weights on my legs. Maneuvering between small obstacles, jumping over low stumps, stopping sharply, changing direction. The wind whistled in my ears, my body filled with adrenaline and a sense of control.
Hayama ran quietly beside me, trying to mimic my movements, but I didn't pay him attention. I needed to feel every muscle, every burst, the balance of my body, and the chakra in my legs. Any mistake could ruin the rhythm, and I focused on breathing and movement.
After a few rounds, I increased the pace, channeling more chakra, feeling how the weights created extra resistance. My leg muscles burned, but I kept going, ensuring my steps remained even and control was not lost.
I executed a series of sharp lateral maneuvers, leaping over imaginary obstacles, then squatted sharply, balancing chakra to jump upward and land softly. Over time, I began alternating exercises with push-ups and pull-ups on branches…
Minutes turned into an hour, and I didn't speak a word.
This kid's pretty good, I thought, watching him pull himself up beside me. He had been here for two hours, doing the same exercises, and seemed unwilling to leave, even though I assumed he would eventually give up and go about his business. I jumped off a branch, landing lightly, feeling my muscles respond to every movement.
"Let's eat," I said, pointing to where the other fighters were heading toward the kitchen. The smell of fresh food filled the air, and everyone was gradually gathering, preparing for breakfast.
"Already?" he asked, also jumping down from the log, slightly surprised at how fast the training had passed.
"How old are you?" I asked, stretching my neck slightly after the intense exercises.
"Ten," he said, holding up his hand to show the number.
I nodded to myself, smiling: "Looks like training is going to get more interesting," I thought.