Aida was at a loss. Strong offense, support, recon- these roles were all things the academy instructors had talked about. But most students, including Aida, hadn't really given it much thought.
He never imagined himself as a support type.
But after graduating, reality had hit hard. Both Ryoji Uchiha and Hyuga Suzune easily outclassed him, leaving Aida feeling stuck.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to earn their respect.
"Not knowing is normal," Xin said, laughing softly as he patted Aida on the shoulder.
"Relax. I'm just giving you a standard example. To be honest, support roles don't really exist in our team. Besides, your teammates don't need support-they just want someone who doesn't get in their way."
"I'm telling you this because I want you to understand: you don't need to change yourself to gain their approval."
"There's a path for civilian ninjas too. I have a friend-"
"Is it Minato Namikaze?" Aida interrupted, sounding a little proud of himself. Xin chuckled. "Yeah, exactly. Minato's a civilian ninja, but he's incredibly gifted. More importantly, he stays true to himself. He doesn't bend over backward to please others, nor does he change his role just to fit someone's expectations."
"It's important to stay true to yourself. A lot of the theoretical stuff they taught you in the academy? You can pretty much throw that out the window-it's nonsense."
Aida could already picture his academy teachers having a heart attack if they heard that.
"Here's the truth: as much as your teammates matter, what matters more is becoming strong yourself. Otherwise, even if you're willing to sacrifice yourself for your team, if they don't respect you, what's the point?"
"Do you really think Ryoji Uchiha or Hyuga Suzune will see you differently if you put their needs ahead of your own?"
"I can tell you right now-they won't."
Every word TXin said hit hard, cutting through Aida's idealistic notions like a blade.
Reality was harsh. Naïve ideas wouldn't get you far in the ninja world.
Xin didn't want to be burdened with a teammate who was clueless about the harsh realities.
Those kinds of people didn't just get themselves killed-they endangered everyone around them too.
After giving Aida some time to process his words, Xin continued.
"I might have Uchiha blood, but I was treated like a nobody when I needed support the most. No one cared. No one wanted to help."
"But now, those same people who once ignored me are the ones trying to kiss up to me. And do you know why?"
"Because I got stronger."
"So stop worrying about gaining others' approval. When you're strong enough, both the Uchiha and Hyuga will have no choice but to accept you as a true teammate." "Alright, that's enough for today. From now on, we'll focus on the basics. Forget about learning powerful jutsu, taijutsu, or swordsmanship. What you need most right now is a solid foundation. We'll start with chakra control."
"This place has everything you need. Start by practicing tree climbing and walking on water.
The goal is to gather chakra at your feet and maintain it. Keep at it until you can climb to the top of the tree without falling and walk across water without sinking. When you can do that, your basic training will be complete."
Ninjas from powerful clans were ahead of the game, not just because of their bloodline but because of the training they'd been given since childhood.
While Aida had been learning the most basic lessons at the academy, others had already been training for years.
"I got it!"
Determined, Aida shook his head to clear away his doubts. Then he gritted his teeth and started practicing.
Most ninja who excel at jutsu have good chakra control, and Aida was no different.
On his first try, he managed a few steps up the tree before slipping and falling, hitting the ground hard.
Xin, leaning against the tree, yawned. "Keep going."