Chapter 20: The Foundation of Control
Though Akane had never openly declared her feelings for Ren, Ino, with her keen intuition and shared affection, had sensed them from the start. This had sparked a silent, one-sided rivalry. Ino would find small faults, throw pointed barbs, and generally make her presence a subtle opposition to Akane's quiet admiration. In her mind, Ren was hers, and anyone who dared to look his way was a threat.
Eventually, Akane understood the reason behind Ino's hostility. Rather than cowering, a spark of defiance ignited within the shy girl. *Ren-kun doesn't belong to you,* she thought. *I like him too. If you want to pick a fight, then I'll fight. Let's see who backs down first.*
What began as a quiet, internal competition slowly evolved. Their daily verbal sparring and subtle jabs gradually drew them out of their shells. Akane, once painfully introverted, found a new boldness. She began to express her feelings for Ren more openly, no longer content to admire from the shadows. This, in turn, intensified Ino's efforts.
Their rivalry became a classroom spectacle, reminiscent of Sakura and Ino's own dynamic in the early days. It was common to see the two girls each holding one of Ren's arms in a playful, yet determined, tug-of-war, much to Ren's feigned exasperation and secret delight.
But that was over a year ago. After the Uchiha massacre and Ren's subsequent mental breakdown, he had withdrawn from the world, becoming a shell of his former self. He dropped out of the academy. At first, many classmates visited, but as time passed and he showed no improvement, most forgot about him.
Ino and Akane did not. They held onto their belief that the real Ren was still in there, that he would recover. They visited him regularly, though their hearts broke a little each time he stared through them with vacant, unrecognizing eyes.
Their shared worry and unwavering hope became a strange bridge between them. The rivalry slowly melted away, replaced by a bond of mutual understanding and comfort. They bolstered each other's spirits, becoming close friends united in their silent vigil. They both prayed for the same thing: for Ren to return to them.
"Akane and I will wait for Ren-kun to get better," Ino said to Sakura, her smile soft but her eyes blazing with conviction.
"You and… Akane? That's… difficult… You mean you… you both…?" Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief, looking from Ino to the quietly resolute Akane across the room.
"Yes," Ino confirmed. "Akane and I… we understand each other now. We won't fight over him anymore. But neither of us will give up. The most important thing right now is for Ren-kun to get better."
"Are you insane?" Sakura hissed, her voice a mixture of concern and shock. "How could that possibly work? No one would ever agree to that! Ino, snap out of it! You need to forget about him!"
"I'm not insane. I know exactly what I'm feeling. So, Forehead-girl, you don't need to say anything else." Ino's tone was final.
"You… you…!" Sakura was left speechless, utterly baffled by her friend's declaration.
"Class is about to start. Iruka-sensei is coming." Ino turned and walked calmly to her seat, leaving a stunned Sakura behind.
*She's lost her mind. Completely!* Sakura thought, sinking into her own chair. *I have to talk some sense into her. This is ridiculous!* She was so preoccupied she didn't hear a word of Iruka's lesson, her mind wholly consumed by how to save her friend from this delusion.
***
Meanwhile, back at the Uchiha compound, Ren waited until Sasuke had left for the academy before getting up. He ate the breakfast Sasuke had left for him and prepared to return to his secret laboratory to train.
It was far easier today. After acquiring the Flying Raijin Technique, he had taken the precaution of placing one of the technique's special coordinate seals in the lab and another in his bedroom. Now, travel between the two was instantaneous.
*I should leave a clone here, just in case Sasuke comes back early and panics again,* he reasoned. *A Shadow Clone would be ideal. Much better than a basic illusion. The Shadow Clone is实体, can train for you, and even fight. It's incredibly practical. I need to get it.*
The standard Clone Technique created an illusion, a phantom that could fool the eye but had no substance. A Shadow Clone, however, divided the user's chakra to create a physical, functional copy. The experience and knowledge the clone gained would return to the user once it dispersed. The Multi Shadow Clone Technique, which created a small army, was a forbidden technique due to the immense chakra drain, often lethal to anyone without a jinchuriki's reserves.
"System, exchange for Shadow Clone Technique," Ren commanded.
***Shadow Clone Technique. Type: Skill. Rank: B. Exchange Cost: 2,000 Points. Host's points are insufficient. Cannot exchange.***
*Not enough points? Tch.* He was still 1,657 points short. *Fine. The basic Clone Technique will have to do for now. Sasuke's just a Genin; he shouldn't be able to see through it. Especially since Danzo's surveillance is gone.*
He performed the hand seals for the basic Clone Technique. A puff of smoke, and an identical copy of himself appeared, looking as vacant and listless as he was supposed to.
"Stay here. Lie down and sleep," Ren instructed the illusionary clone. It nodded dumbly and lay on the futon.
*Good. This should keep Sasuke from worrying if he checks on me.*
With a thought, Ren activated the Flying Raijin. The world seemed to warp around him for a split second, and he vanished from his room, reappearing instantly in the cool, silent air of the underground laboratory.
*Time to work on the fundamentals,* he decided. *Chakra control. The most important, and most often overlooked, skill.* He planned to start with the foundational exercises Kakashi had taught Team 7: Water Walking and Tree Climbing.
***Ding! The system has issued a mission: Master the Tree Climbing Exercise within two days.***
***Mission Reward: 300 Points.***
***Failure Penalty: None.***
***Accept?***
*A mission! Finally!* Ren's spirits lifted. It had been so long he'd almost forgotten the system could assign tasks. "Accept! Of course, I accept!"
He knew this wouldn't be easy. Chakra was the energy blend of physical stamina and spiritual energy that every ninja used. Extracting it was one thing; controlling it with precision was another. Most ninjas refined chakra on the fly during battle, making fine control incredibly difficult.
The Tree Climbing exercise was designed to teach exactly that. The goal wasn't to climb with hands and feet, but to focus a precise amount of chakra into the soles of the feet, allowing them to adhere to vertical surfaces. The soles were one of the hardest places to channel chakra effectively. Mastering this meant a ninja could, in theory, learn to control chakra for any jutsu with extreme efficiency. It was also crucial for maintaining chakra over extended periods, preventing waste and fatigue.
Since he couldn't practice this indoors, Ren exited the cave and found a tall, sturdy tree with a straight trunk in the surrounding forest.
*Tree climbing… how did Kakashi explain it?* he mused, trying to recall the anime. *The key is to focus just the right amount of chakra to your feet. Not too little, not too much. Let's try.*
He performed a quick hand seal to help his focus, channeled chakra to his feet, took a running start, and dashed up the tree trunk.
He managed five steps. On the sixth, his foot sank too deeply into the bark, tearing a chunk out of the tree, and he tumbled unceremoniously to the ground.
*Oof.* He lay there for a second, looking up at the scar he'd left on the tree. *Too much chakra. Way too much. This is going to take a while.*
He got to his feet, brushed himself off, and looked at the tree with renewed determination. The path to power wasn't just about flashy jutsu; it was built on boring, meticulous control. And he was going to master it.