59 Chapter 59: I Will Practice Quietly at Night and Astonish Everyone in Konoha!
In the following period, Araki continued to train according to Might Dai's pace.
After completing only 200 laps of high knee running out of the agreed-upon 300 laps, Araki followed the previous agreement and proceeded with 300 push-ups without completing the laps.
"Dai-Sensei, I have completed 300 push-ups now. If I don't finish, I'll do 300 sit-ups!"
Might Dai still heard Araki's words echoing in his ears.
He looked at Araki's trembling body supporting itself and still doing push-ups in the standard position, and he fell silent. He didn't know how to express the shock in his heart anymore.
This is unbelievable!
What kind of genius is this?
No, wait!
What kind of monster is this?
For so many years, Might Dai had immersed himself in training, believing that he excelled in the field of physical arts and that his youth was burning with passion!
But...
In this moment...
Might Dai suddenly felt an extremely strange feeling!
It was a feeling he had never experienced before.
That feeling was... his youth had gone to waste!
Others, that's what true youth looks like!
...
The short night passed just like that.
As the morning sun rose, warmth accompanied the dawn and embraced the earth. Araki stopped his training and gasped for breath, taking in large mouthfuls of air.
"Dai-sensei, I'm sorry. I couldn't complete the 300 handstand laps in the end. I have to go to school now, so I can only continue training tonight!"
Araki deeply bowed to Might Dai. From the surface, it seemed like an apology, but in reality, he was expressing his gratitude to Might Dai.
After this night of training, he found the feeling of core power in various training postures, gradually understanding what it meant to exert force from the core.
This allowed him to fully exercise his muscles throughout his body in movements that he had initially thought were simple, and he almost squeezed out all the green chakra from his heart.
"Go... go... go ahead..."
Might Dai was having trouble keeping up. He fully realized that his brain was not enough to comprehend the depth of Araki's understanding of physical arts.
"Oh, by the way!"
Araki suddenly seemed to remember something and grinned at Might Dai, saying, "Dai-sensei, let's not casually mention our training in physical arts to others."
"Why?"
Might Dai instinctively asked. His face darkened, and a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes.
Throughout his life, he had encountered many criticisms.
This made him extremely resilient against attacks, and the idle gossip of ordinary people couldn't touch his strong spirit.
But that didn't mean he was invincible!
In a way, Might Dai was somewhat insecure. All his efforts and strong demeanor were merely a means of transforming his insecurities into confidence.
People whom Might Dai didn't care about couldn't harm him no matter what they said. But if it was someone he cared about, their words could reach his heart.
Now, after hearing Araki's words, a sense of insecurity naturally arose in Might Dai's heart. He feared that Araki might find being his disciple embarrassing, which is why he asked him not to talk about it.
In that moment, Might Dai felt extremely nervous.
His palms tightly clenched, and sweat started forming.
In truth, he regretted asking that question.
If he hadn't asked, he could have pretended not to know. As long as it wasn't spoken aloud, everything would have been fine. But now that he asked, he was bound to receive an answer.
What if it was the answer he least wanted to hear?
Might Dai cherished this talented disciple deeply. The more he cared, the more he worried. He was now caught in a dilemma of uncertainty.
"Hmm?"
Araki noticed the change in Might Dai's expression. He vaguely sensed the emotional fluctuations in Might Dai, which differed from his usual burning passion of youth. It seemed like a tinge of negativity had emerged.
Although subtle, Araki noticed it.
He realized that he had misspoken. Might Dai must still care about these things. Perhaps Araki becoming his disciple was a form of recognition to Might Dai.
"Because..."
Araki's eyes flickered slightly, and in that instant, he thought of a way to phrase his words. He looked directly into Might Dai's eyes, still radiating his sunny disposition.
"The entire night, I failed to meet Dai-sensei's expectations!"
"I wasn't a great student at the ninja school, and now I have the privilege to train with Dai-Sensei. But I haven't met the requirements of the training, and I feel deeply sorry for it!"
"If Dai-sensei publicly announces that I'm his disciple, people who know us will come to see me. At that time, it won't be just my own face I'm losing, but Might Dai's reputation!"
"I can't let that happen!"
"So..."
Araki's passionate voice surged into Might Dai's mind, instantly awakening his silenced youth that was overwhelmed by the impact. Araki's elongated tone piqued his curiosity.
In this moment,
Might Dai stared intensely at Araki.
He instinctively held his breath.
Eagerly awaiting Araki's next words.
"I will quietly train at night and astonish everyone in Konoha!"
While speaking, Araki suddenly raised his thumb toward Might Dai, then imitated his expression, grinning. The first rays of the rising sun shone on his face, illuminating his bright white teeth with a radiant halo.
"Araki, I understand. If it's you, it's definitely possible!"
Might Dai's eyes widened abruptly, his irises fiercely contracted. Deep within his eyes, there was a profound sense of astonishment, and his heart was filled with intense gratitude, holding back tears from welling up.
This was not denial; this was recognition!
This wasn't indifference; this was fervor!
This wasn't low-key; this was youth!
In that instant, Might Dai felt his youth rejuvenated. His gaze toward Araki transformed, brimming with appreciation and fondness.
This was his disciple, Araki!
This was the one who would inherit his physical arts!
"Araki, go to class now. I'll wait for you in the park tonight. It's a promise about our youth!"
Might Dai's heart was free from hesitation and gloom. He had fully recovered from his momentary despondency.
Often, the more dedicated individuals are, the more they tend to doubt themselves when they encounter a prodigy, experiencing a profound shock that leads to self-doubt.
"Yes!"
Araki immediately agreed and picked up his backpack from the chair at the park, heading back to the ninja school.
He hadn't returned home all night, and he wondered how Kushina was doing!
After all, he would usually return his backpack early.
He would explain the situation once he arrived at the ninja school.
As Araki walked forward, these thoughts suddenly emerged in his mind, and even he didn't realize that he had started to care about Kushina's feelings.
