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Chapter no.55 Kenjutsu Beginnings
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Naruto lay sprawled on a thick tree branch, one arm tucked behind his head while the other held a sticky chunk of honeycomb. The faint hum of bees buzzed around him, but he remained relaxed. This was, after all, Aburame clan territory, and as long as he wore his Konoha headband, the bees wouldn't attack. Their only interest in him was delivering the honey, which Naruto was more than happy to accept.
The branch beneath him groaned slightly under the combined weight of his body and armor, but he ignored it.
"You know that branch might not hold, right?"
Naruto glanced down to see Kakashi coming into the area.
"Yeah? Well, maybe you should've sent a clone to teach me sooner instead of showing up just in time to criticize," Naruto shot back.
"Looks like you've been practicing, though. At least you're not falling down anymore."
Naruto's grin widened, and he shifted slightly, his feet sticking to the branch with perfect chakra control. "Practicing? Please, I'm a natural. Watch this!"
With a cocky grin, Naruto shifted his weight and flipped himself upside down, sticking to the underside of the branch with precise chakra control like a bat hanging from a cave.
"Very impressive," Kakashi said dryly. "And totally unnecessary."
"Come on, sensei! Admit it—I'm getting better. Doesn't this kind of progress deserve a reward? Like, I don't know… a cool new jutsu?"
Kakashi tilted his head as if genuinely considering the idea, and Naruto's grin grew wider in anticipation.
"Nope," the white-haired man said flatly.
"Man, you're impossible! What am I supposed to do in the meantime? Keep climbing trees like a monkey?"
"Precisely. Chakra control isn't about flashy moves—it's about mastery. You've stuck to the tree—great. Now do it while running, carrying weights, or dodging attacks. Refine it."
Naruto groaned. "Fine, fine," he muttered, stomping over to the tree he'd climbed earlier. "But I swear, if I don't get something new soon, I'll—"
"Fall flat on your face if you don't pay attention," Kakashi cut in smoothly. "Naruto, there's no shortcut here. Get your basics solid, and the rest will follow. You're doing well. Don't rush it."
Naruto groaned again but scaled the tree with renewed determination. Reaching the hive, he carefully extracted another piece of honeycomb and made his way back down. This time, he landed lightly, holding the honey aloft like a trophy.
"Mission complete, sensei!"
Kakashi clapped once. "Well done. See? Hard work pays off."
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto muttered. "But seriously, sensei, isn't there something else I can work on? My clones are already hammering out all the boring stuff."
Naruto scratched his nonexistent beard. "Well… maybe my taijutsu? I've been practicing the katas like crazy, but it feels like I'm just going through the motions. I want to do something cooler, you know?"
"The katas are your foundation, Naruto. Without them, everything else falls apart. But you're right—there's always more. What exactly are you looking to build on?"
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Something badass! Like combining taijutsu with my sword, or—"
"Kenjutsu," Kakashi interjected smoothly. "If you're serious about your sword, that's the logical next step."
Naruto practically bounced on his feet. "Yes! That's exactly what I'm talking about! So, when do we start?"
"Unfortunately, I can't help you much with kenjutsu."
"What? Why not? You're, like, a super ninja who knows everything!"
Kakashi's smile turned sheepish. "Flattering, but your weapon is… unique. It's not the kind of sword most shinobi use, and I've never trained with anything like it. Teaching you properly would require someone with specific expertise."
Naruto frowned. "So, what am I supposed to do? Just figure it out on my own?"
"I think I know someone who can help you," Kakashi said. "Give me a few minutes."
Naruto tilted his head. "Wait, you do? Who is it?"
Kakashi didn't answer. Instead, he gave a lazy wave and disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Naruto to mutter, "Could've at least given me a hint, lazy sensei…"
A few minutes later, Kakashi returned with a familiar figure beside him.
"Tenten?" Naruto blinked, confused. "Kakashi… why is she here?"
"Aww, didn't you miss me, Naruto?"
Naruto flailed his arms, already flustered. "No! I mean, yes—I mean—"
Seeing the younger boy flustered, Tenten giggled and lightly booped his nose. "Relax, I'm just joking with you."
Naruto sighed in relief, but before he could recover, Tenten added with a sly grin, "Though, if you want to make it up to me, you could let me try on that armor and swing around that big sword of yours."
Kakashi interjected. "Naruto, I brought Tenten because she can help you with your kenjutsu."
"No offense, but why her?"
Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Because I specialize in weapons—every kind. Blades, staffs, projectiles, you name it. If anyone can help you figure out that massive sword of yours, it's me."
"But you've never used a sword before, have you?"
"No," Tenten admitted, "but that doesn't mean I can't help. Your sword reminds me of the Kubikiribōchō from the Mist Village. And kenjutsu isn't just about swinging a blade around. I can help you figure that out—and maybe even teach you how to defend against other weapons while we're at it."
Naruto hummed thoughtfully.
"Well," Kakashi said, "I think you're in good hands, Naruto."
"Where are you going?"
"Oh yeah," Kakashi said flatly. "And I'm going to make the most of my fleeting existence by catching up on my book." He vanished with a flicker.
Naruto sighed and turned to Tenten. "So, what do we do first, uh… Tenten-senpai?"
"Why don't you let me check out the weapon first?" Tenten said.
Naruto grinned and tossed the massive Zweihander to her.
The moment it landed in her hands, her knees buckled, and she hit the ground with a startled yelp. Struggling to lift it, she shot Naruto an incredulous look. "Why the hell is this sword so heavy?!"
Naruto purred. "Guess you can't handle my sword, Tenten."
"Shut up and help me!"
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 26, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!