Chapter 43: Preparations for the Finals

Next day, on Training Ground 10, in the middle of a clearing, Tekku was already there, working on his training early, not letting his physical conditioning go to waste as it was the foundation of every shinobi.

At the agreed time, Inoichi-sensei arrived in the clearing in a gust of white smoke. "Ah, Tekku, already working hard I see," greeted his sensei jovially as he saw that he was already working out.

"Morning, sensei. Just finishing my routine," replied the young Puppet User as he performed the last drills of his workout before walking over. "So, do you have a plan for my preparations?" asked Tekku, interested.

"Hmm, I actually was wondering the same about you. As far as I know you, I am sure you already have something in mind to prepare for your opponents. You probably have analyzed them and know how they fight. So, what is on your mind?" replied Inoichi with a grin, knowing his student well.

"Well, my first opponent is Deidara from Iwagakure. He specializes in Earth Style techniques and Explosion Release. His main focus is his explosion jutsus, which he uses very creatively. I've only seen him use techniques I already know, but I've already figured out how to counter them. That's what I want to focus on during this month," Tekku explained. "I want to train in my second Nature Transformation. My Earth Style is on a really solid level, and it's only a matter of time until I master it. The element I want to practice next is Lightning!"

"I see you think Lightning Chakra will neutralize the Earth Chakra in the Explosion Release. That could work, but did you think things through? If you win, there are other people you will have to fight," reasoned Inoichi.

"Well, I could try to learn something new to counter every one of my possible opponents, but there is no way I have enough time for that. Also, I didn't really show off my true abilities. I didn't have my own puppets during the preliminary, and I prepared some really strong new moves with them," said Tekku, a bit disappointed. "My most likely opponent after Deidara is an Akimichi. I can easily see through their techniques since I'm a Konoha ninja. And my new defensive puppet is a perfect counter for her. And in the final fight, I either have to fight Akatsuchi, an Earth Style user who is countered by Lightning, a kenjutsu specialist with Fire Style, who I can counter with Earth Style or my puppets, or Hana, whom I am very familiar with. By the finals, I probably know what she learned this month. There is no one besides that one Suna genin who is unlikely to make it into the next round, using Wind Style, who could counter it. And even if I meet one, my other arsenal can counter it."

"Okay, so how can I aid you? I am not a Lightning specialist. And are you sure you have enough time? Lightning Release should be the hardest for you as it counters your natural Earth element," asked Inoichi.

"Well, I already know how to start, but a scroll on the training, especially for the more advanced parts, would be nice, and a jutsu too. Something for attack. I have enough utility and defensive ones. I am confident that I will make it," added Tekku mentally as he remembered his new defensive puppet that he couldn't use yet in a real fight.

"Okay, easy enough. But it seems there isn't really much I can help you with. If you need anything from me, you can always come over. Even if you don't need anything, you are always welcome for a visit," said Inoichi with a smile. "I will send Ino with the scrolls over tomorrow."

"Sure, then I will start my training," replied Tekku as he created a shadow clone. His chakra was already big enough to create three if he focused, but he could only use one for chakra-based training, as even two didn't have enough chakra to do much. But they were still amazing for lab work and reading.

When he worked on his Green Secret Technique: Puppeteering of the Six Paths, he had to study the Shadow Clone technique thoroughly, and his mastery and control over it became good enough to squeeze the potential of his chakra with the technique to his limits.

He and his shadow clone each picked up a leaf and started to practice their Lightning Chakra. The first level to start off with was to crumble a leaf with only Lightning Chakra. Both of them focused on the training for now.

This was pretty much how the first two weeks of his one-month period went, a focused grind on his Lightning release. After Ino brought him the scroll and some lunch, he also learned how to further train in Lightning Style.

The second level was a bit harder; it would require him to light a light bulb with only his transformed chakra and keep it alight for at least half a minute. If he could keep it longer, it would be nice, but that is more a sign of one's chakra reserves than actual progress in Lightning Style.

The final level that Konoha shinobi used for their training was to actually conduct lightning chakra through the wood of a tree in order to crumble all leaves hanging from it. High resistance and non-conductiveness in the wood made it hard to actually accomplish that.

Of course, that wasn't the highest level anyone could reach, like in any element, one could still go further. But completing these exercises pretty much meant one had mastered the Lightning Style.

Beyond that was to only bring it to extreme levels, like any Raikage or Darui from Kumo or Kakashin as the sixth Hokage, by changing the property of their element. In this case, lightning to their famous respective black and purple lightnings. Another beyond mastery application would be to manipulate natural lightning like Sasuke does with his Kirin, but these are truly the peaks of the Lightning element in the scope of ninjutsu.

Tekku was far from this level, and his main focus was to master the first exercise as fast as possible to create working Lightning Style seals required for his techniques.

Ino would visit him every day during her break to bring him lunch. They would chat for a while and eat together before she returned to the academy. Apparently, since Haruto's death, she was worried about him and Hana, and tried her best to support them so they wouldn't overwork themselves.

After the first two weeks, he managed to bring his control over the Lightning Nature to an adequate level so that he could spend the second half of the day in his laboratory working on his puppets.

For the first half, he worked on the Lightning jutsu Inoichi got him until Ino arrived with their lunch. The technique was Lightning Style: Lightning Ball, a decent C-rank attack technique and a good starting point to learn the nature. It creates spheres of electrical energy and launches them at the enemy. When they make contact with the enemy, the spheres electrocute them and throw them back, one can even fire multiple ones in quick succession.

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