17 Taijutsu

After a long day of completing his mission and learning fuinjutsu with Kushina, Naoki returned home, eager to discuss his progress with Tsunade. As he entered the living room, he found Tsunade sitting comfortably on the couch, flipping through a book. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she looked up at Naoki, a warm and welcoming smile gracing her face.

"Tsuna-neesan, can you help me with something?" Naoki asked.

Tsunade closed her book and gave Naoki her full attention. "What is it?" she inquired, her voice carrying a gentle yet firm tone that was characteristic of her.

Naoki explained, "Well, there are two things, actually. First, I was hoping you could find a taijutsu expert to help guide me in improving my taijutsu skills."

"Taijutsu expert, huh?" Tsunade pondered for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought. "I know someone who might be able to help. Alright, what's the second thing?"

"I was wondering if you could help me find Grandfather's sword - the 'Sword of the Thunder God'," Naoki added, a mixture of excitement and anxiety evident in his voice.

Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise. "Sword of the Thunder God?" She racked her brain for a moment before recognition dawned on her face. "Ah, yes, that sword. Unfortunately, we don't currently have possession of it, but I can ask Minato to return it to us."

Naoki's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Really? Thank you, Tsuna-neesan!" He couldn't help but wrap his arms around her in a tight hug.

Tsunade patted him gently on the back, smiling. "Alright, enough of that," she said as she gently pushed him away. "How is your chakra control coming along? Remember, you need advanced chakra control to learn medical ninjutsu."

Naoki nodded, a determined gleam in his eyes. "Well, I can now form chakra threads, but I struggle to maintain their shape and strength."

Tsunade listened intently, her eyes filled with admiration. "That's impressive progress. Don't slack on your chakra control training, though. Once you've mastered the chakra strings, I can start teaching you medical ninjutsu."

The conversation flowed smoothly as Naoki eagerly recounted his mission and his fuinjutsu lessons with Kushina. Tsunade listened attentively, sharing her own experiences and offering valuable advice on how Naoki could continue to improve.

The following day, after Naoki had finished his morning training, he returned home feeling invigorated and ready to face the day. He took a cold shower to refresh himself and then dressed in his shinobi attire, making sure everything was in place. With a sense of purpose, he made his way downstairs and found Tsunade sitting at the dining table, sipping her morning tea.

As she noticed him, Tsunade looked up and said, "Naoki, I spoke to someone I trust to help you with your taijutsu training. He'll be waiting for you at training ground 10. As for the sword, I spoke to Minato and he assured me that he can deliver it to us in two days."

Naoki's eyes lit up with excitement as he replied, "Really? Thank you so much, Tsuna-neesan!"

Following a hearty breakfast and a brief conversation, Naoki set off to meet his team and take on another mission. Today's task was a more mundane one; they were assigned to paint a fence for a civilian. Despite the simplicity, the mission took a few hours to complete as they carefully attended to every detail.

Once the mission was over, Naoki proceeded to his daily fuinjutsu lesson with Kushina. Today, she handed him a book that covered fuinjutsu theory and basic knowledge. Kushina instructed him to thoroughly study, memorise, and understand the contents of the book before their next meeting. She emphasised the importance of a strong theoretical foundation in fuinjutsu, which would aid in practical application.

As the day quickly flew by, morning arrived once again, bringing with it a sense of anticipation and excitement. Naoki got ready hastily, eager to meet his new taijutsu mentor at training ground 10. The sun had yet to rise, and the streets were empty, creating an eerie, yet peaceful atmosphere. With determination and hope, Naoki made his way to training ground 10, eager to improve his taijutsu skills.

Upon arrival, Naoki took a moment to observe the training ground, which was surrounded by tall, sturdy trees that seemed to stand guard around the area. The ground was a mix of grass and dirt, with wooden dummies strategically placed for practising weapon throwing or honing taijutsu techniques.

A man was vigorously kicking one of the wooden dummies, his energy and intensity evident in every movement. He was a tall, muscular man with fair skin, a strong jawline, and a somewhat large nose. His shiny bowl-style haircut and thick eyebrows were quite distinctive, and he wore a green jumpsuit, orange-striped leg warmers, and the standard Konoha flak jacket. His forehead protector was proudly displayed around his waist, symbolising his allegiance to the village.

Naoki cautiously approached the man and asked, "Excuse me, are you the person my older cousin Tsunade asked to help me with my taijutsu?"

The man immediately stopped his training and looked at Naoki, his wide, shiny smile radiating enthusiasm and warmth. He exclaimed, "Oh, you must be Naoki! I am the Mighty Green Beast of Konoha, Might Guy! It's a pleasure to meet you, my youthful friend! I heard you need my guidance in the art of taijutsu, and I am more than eager to help you unlock your full potential!"

Naoki couldn't help but smile at Guy's contagious energy and replied, "Nice to meet you, Guy-sensei. I'm looking forward to learning from you."

With a passionate nod, Might Guy led Naoki to the centre of the training ground, where they would begin their taijutsu training. The sun had started to rise, casting a golden glow over the area as they warmed up with stretches and basic exercises.

As they finished warming up, Might Guy turned to Naoki with a determined gaze and said, "Alright, Naoki-kun! I'm not sure which taijutsu style you've been using, but I'm assuming it's the Senju Clan's taijutsu style." Naoki nodded in agreement. "Very well! Please demonstrate the taijutsu katas for me, so I can pinpoint areas for improvement and better understand the intricacies of the Senju Clan's techniques, as I'm not familiar with their specific style."

Naoki took a deep breath, steadying himself, and began to demonstrate the different katas for the Senju Clan's taijutsu. As he moved through each kata, the tension in his muscles was palpable – contracting and relaxing with every precise movement. Naoki's posture was confident and grounded, his concentration unwavering as he executed each technique. Sweat glistened on his forehead, a testament to his focus and effort.

Might Guy watched closely, his eyes carefully analysing every motion, the weight distribution in Naoki's stance, and the fluidity of his movements. Once Naoki had finished demonstrating the katas, Might Guy nodded thoughtfully and said, "Excellent, Naoki-kun! From what I can tell, the Senju Clan's taijutsu is fairly balanced. It incorporates defence, offence, and a multitude of counter-attacks. However, it seems to be somewhat incomplete. From my observations, it appears that this taijutsu style is designed to seamlessly integrate with other ninja arts, such as ninjutsu, genjutsu, and kenjutsu."

Might Guy's enthusiasm and passion for the art of taijutsu were evident as he continued, "This is a fantastic opportunity for you, Naoki-kun! With your unique heritage, you can refine and adapt this taijutsu style, making it your own. Together, we shall work on strengthening your foundation, perfecting your form, and enhancing your speed and power. The flames of youth burn brightly within you, and I have no doubt that you will become an exceptional taijutsu master!"

As Naoki listened to Might Guy's words, he felt a renewed sense of motivation and determination. He knew that with the guidance of his new mentor, he would be able to forge a path in the world of taijutsu, building on the legacy of the Senju Clan while also incorporating his own unique skills and abilities.

Might Guy attentively instructed Naoki on the areas he needed to improve, meticulously adjusting his posture, centre of balance, and the positioning of his limbs. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, its rays illuminated Konoha, providing an inspiring backdrop for their training session.

After some time, Might Guy clapped his hands together with enthusiasm and declared, "Alright, Naoki-kun! Let's put what you've learned to the test in a sparring match!"

Naoki nodded, accepting the challenge. They positioned themselves ten metres apart, and with a signal from Might Guy, Naoki sprang forward.

Naoki launched a punch at Might Guy, who effortlessly sidestepped it, offering his guidance, "Twist your hips more, Naoki-kun! Doing so will generate greater power. Also, place your foot further forward and bend your knee more for added stability."

With each subsequent punch and kick, Naoki's form improved as he heeded Might Guy's advice. Noticing his progress, Might Guy decided to test Naoki's reaction by dodging an attack and delivering a swift kick in return.

As the kick neared, Naoki raised his left forearm to block it. The force of the blow pushed him back, leaving his arm numb from the impact.

"Good attempt, Naoki-kun!" Might Guy encouraged. "However, your block was a bit slow. Remember, when blocking a kick, move towards the attack and deflect it with your forearm. This strategy can throw your opponent off balance and minimise the damage you sustain."

The sparring match continued, with Might Guy effortlessly dodging and countering Naoki's attacks, all the while providing constructive feedback. After an intense 30-minute session, the spar came to an end.

Might Guy, beaming with pride, addressed Naoki, "Your progress today was outstanding, Naoki-kun! Though I won't be able to join you every morning, I expect you to come here and train diligently. On the days I'm present, we'll continue with this type of training along with some physical conditioning. When I'm not here, follow the training regimen I've given you, and your skills will surely improve!"

Feeling motivated and grateful, Naoki replied enthusiastically, "Yes, Guy-sensei! Thank you for all your help!" With a final wave, Might Guy departed, leaving Naoki to reflect on the day's lessons and look forward to the progress he would undoubtedly make under his new mentor's guidance.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, also I apologise since this chapter is way shorter than mu normal chapters. This is because I wanted this chapter to solely focus on Taijutsu. The next chapter will probably be around this length.

I was originally planning to do a short time-skip, however I felt the need to write about Naoki's guidance in Taijutsu and the chapter chapter will be another thing he will get guidance for. So I will have a short time-skip after the next chapter.

Also, if you have any critiques or suggestions for the story, please comment so I can improve my story. And it feels like people are truly engaging with the story

Also, please send power stones, as I am approaching 100 power stones this week. It's also a great motivation.

https://discord.gg/vgJrmuV7

Hope you enjoyed, see you next chapter~