Naruto rebirth! Born again with a system.

Chapter 39: Training continues!

The morning sun climbed higher, casting harsh shadows across the battered training yard as Kōzaru wiped sweat from his brow. His countless attempt at the Fang Over Fang had ended like the others—with him and his transformed partners crashing into the ground in a tangle of limbs and disappointment.

"At least we're not using my chakra anymore," he muttered, checking his reserves and finding them relatively intact thanks to his mother's lesson about proper technique application.

[Chakra: 125/151 - 105/151]

The efficiency improvement was game-changing. By tapping into Yuki and Riku's chakra for the Man Beast Clone transformation, he was saving sixty points of chakra each time—energy that could now be devoted to actually executing the devastating spinning technique his mother had demonstrated.

But, the Fang Over Fang itself was proving far more challenging than he'd anticipated. The coordination required wasn't just about moving together—it was about becoming a single entity with unified purpose, and that level of synchronization seemed frustratingly out of reach.

"One more time," he said, looking at his ninja hound partners who were panting heavily from their repeated crashes. "We'll get it right this time."

Yuki whined softly, her smaller frame showing the strain of the repeated impacts. Riku padded over to nuzzle against Kōzaru's leg, seeking comfort and reassurance that their efforts weren't in vain.

"Alright, alright. I get it. Break time," Kōzaru conceded, settling down against one of the remaining practice posts as he gave in to their moans. "Come here, you two."

Both ninja hounds immediately climbed onto him, Yuki curling up in his lap while Riku sprawled across his legs with the casual comfort of a pack member seeking warmth. Their weight was reassuring, a reminder that they were partners in this struggle rather than tools to be used.

As he stroked their fur, Kōzaru found himself reflecting on how much had changed since his arrival in this world. The simple act of having teammates who trusted him completely, who would follow him into danger without question, was both humbling and empowering remembering the three choices he had been given when choosing his ninja hound, feeling glad that he had picked the Inuzuka clan, not realizing that it would come with unknown advantages that had seemed to help so much in this world already.

"We'll figure it out," he murmured, scratching behind Yuki's ears and earning a contented sigh. "We just need more practice." He said in a reassuring tone to settle both of the pups.

The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted his moment of peace. His enhanced senses identified the newcomers before they came into view—familiar scents that brought a mixture of surprise and mild embarrassment.

"So, this is what you've been doing," Aotaka's voice carried across the training yard, amusement evident in his tone. "Trying to get stronger than us, are you?"

Kōzaru looked up to see his teammates approaching, their expressions showing a mixture of curiosity and competitive interest. Both looked well-rested, their three-day recovery period apparently being spent in more leisurely pursuits than his own intensive training.

"Aotaka, Tatsuma," he said, genuine surprise colouring his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"We met up at the usual spot," Tatsuma explained, his eyes taking in the destroyed training yard and the exhausted state of both Kōzaru and his ninja hounds. "When you didn't show, we figured we'd come find you."

"Heard quite a crash as we were walking up," Aotaka added, gesturing toward the fresh crater where their latest failed attempt had ended. "Sounded like someone was demolishing the place."

Kōzaru felt heat rise in his cheeks. "Yeah, well... new technique. It's harder than it looks."

"So we can see," Tatsuma said, settling down nearby and observing the destruction with interest. "What is it?"

"The Fang Over Fang," Kōzaru replied, his voice carrying the weight of repeated failure. "One of the Inuzuka clan's signature techniques. My mother decided I was ready to learn it."

"No way, that's so cool!" Tatsuma said, playing the move in his head from the anime.

"I take it, its not going too well from the looks of things." Aotaka asked, seeing the mess he was in.

"Why don't you take a break and come get some food with us?" Tatsuma then asked with a smile, knowing rest was a good thing.

"I can't... Mika, my mother said I had to stay here and practice all day, otherwise she would beat me to a pulp." Kōzaru said with a sheepish look on his face as he rubbed the back of his head.

"And I believe her," he then added.

"So, you're not allowed to leave until you get it right?" Aotaka asked.

"Pretty much," Kōzaru confirmed with a rueful laugh. "Otherwise Mika will kick my ass. Her words, not mine."

Both his teammates laughed at that, understanding the kind of parental pressure that came with being raised by shinobi.

"Stubborn as always," Aotaka said, but his voice carried understanding rather than criticism. "Alright, we'll catch up with you later then."

As his teammates began to leave, Kōzaru called out after them. "What are you two planning to do with your time off?"

"Not much," Tatsuma replied over his shoulder. "Maybe some light training, but nothing too intensive."

But as they walked away from the compound, Aotaka's expression grew thoughtful. The sight of his teammate pushing himself to such extremes had stirred something competitive in his nature—a reminder that standing still meant falling behind.

"I won't be left in the dust," he said quietly, his voice carrying the determination that had driven him to excel in their recent mission.

"What?" Tatsuma asked, turning to look at his friend with curiosity.

"Kōzaru's right to train hard," Aotaka replied, his hand moving unconsciously to the sword at his side. "We just completed a B-rank mission, and we're likely to face even more dangerous opponents in the future. I'm going to do my own training."

"That's... actually not a bad idea," Tatsuma said, his own competitive instincts awakening. "We should all be getting stronger if we want to keep up with missions like that."

They parted ways at the main road, each heading toward their own chosen method of improvement as they said goodbye for now, knowing they would have to do this alone for the time being.

Aotaka made his way through the quieter residential district, his destination clear in his mind. His uncle's house sat in a peaceful neighborhood, its well-maintained garden and traditional architecture speaking to the comfortable retirement of a veteran shinobi.

Daiki Senju was tending to his plants when Aotaka approached, the older man's movements showing the careful precision of someone who had spent decades mastering the art of control. Despite his retirement from active duty, his build still carried the strength of his prime years, and his eyes held the sharp awareness of a warrior who had survived too many battles to count.

"Nephew," Daiki said without looking up from his work, his enhanced senses having detected the approach long before Aotaka came into view. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I need training," Aotaka replied directly, his respect for his uncle evident in his formal tone. "Advanced sword techniques. I want to get stronger."

Daiki straightened, his weathered hands setting aside his gardening tools as he turned to face his nephew with calculating eyes. "The mission went well, I take it? You wouldn't be asking for advanced training if you hadn't proven yourself capable of handling the basics."

"We faced chunin-level opposition," Aotaka confirmed. "Enemy Mist shinobi who had been tracking intelligence hawks. We won, but it was close."

"And now you understand that your current abilities won't be sufficient for what's coming," Daiki said, his voice carrying the weight of hard-earned experience. "Smart. Too many young shinobi think their early successes mean they're invincible."

"Will you help me?" Aotaka asked, his tone carrying the respect of a student seeking guidance from a master.

Daiki considered for a moment, his eyes evaluating his nephew's stance, his grip on his sword, and the subtle indicators of his current skill level. "The Senju clan has sword techniques that go back generations. Forms that can cut through steel, styles that can deflect jutsu, and methods that can turn a simple blade into a weapon of devastating precision."

"I'm ready to learn," Aotaka said, his determination evident in every word.

"We'll see," Daiki replied, moving toward his own weapon rack with the fluid grace of someone who had never truly stopped being a warrior. "Training starts now. And nephew—I don't go easy on family." He said, getting a serious nod from Aotaka, who had already made up his mind.

Meanwhile, Tatsuma made his way to Training Ground 7, a public facility equipped with targets, obstacles, and the kind of open space needed for intensive practice. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the field, and the familiar sounds of other shinobi working on their own skills created a backdrop of focused determination.

He set up at a secluded section of the range, his bag of shuriken and kunai arranged with methodical precision. The plan was ambitious—use shadow clones to accelerate his training, allowing multiple versions of himself to practice simultaneously and share the accumulated experience.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called out, his hands forming the familiar seals.

Five identical copies of himself appeared in puffs of smoke, their expressions mirroring his own determination. The chakra cost was significant—125 points total—but with his current level and his large chakra pool, five clones seemed much more manageable than ever before, knowing the potential gains in skill development would make the investment worthwhile.

[Chakra: 206/206 - 81/206]

"Alright," he said to his clones, each one taking position at a different section of the range. "Let's see how much we can improve in one afternoon."

The training that followed was intense and focused. Each clone practiced different aspects of shuriken throwing—accuracy, speed, power, and trick shots that could be used in combat situations. The shared experience from the shadow clones would theoretically allow him to gain the equivalent of six training sessions in the time it normally took for one. Making him wonder how much he could improve his skills and EXP gain.

As the shuriken flew through the air, finding their targets with increasing precision, Tatsuma found himself thinking about the mission they had just completed. The enemy they had faced were skilled and experienced, and only their teamwork had allowed them to emerge victorious.

But teamwork alone wouldn't be enough for the challenges ahead. Each member of Team 15 needed to grow stronger individually if they wanted to continue succeeding as a unit. The war was escalating, and their proven capabilities meant they would face increasingly dangerous assignments.

The afternoon sun beat down on the three teammates as they pursued their separate paths of improvement—Kōzaru struggling with the Fang Over Fang technique, Aotaka wishing to learn more advanced sword forms from his uncle, and Tatsuma pushing his accuracy and shuriken skills to new limits through shadow clone training.

Each knew that their time off was limited, and that their next mission would test not just their teamwork, but their individual growth as shinobi. The question was whether three days would be enough to make the improvements they needed to face whatever challenges lay ahead.