The sun hadn't even peeked over the horizon when Matsuri was already in his backyard.
The cold morning air filled his lungs in a rhythmic pattern. He was executing his usual physical routine—push-ups, squats, and jumps—but today the focus was completely different.
Instead of just aiming for muscle exhaustion to gain brute strength, Matsuri kept his mind anchored in his Nature Breathing. He inhaled deeply, expanding his chest capacity, and exhaled slowly, trying to minimize any wasted energy.
Every single movement needed to be as economical as possible.
However, a slight feeling of frustration hovered in his thoughts. He knew that his Interception Style—the concept of attacking and defending simultaneously, absorbing the opponent's momentum—was theoretically perfect.
But theory doesn't break bones. The reality was that he lacked the anatomical foundation, the solid stance, and the grounding that only real shinobis possessed. Without that foundation, his ideas were just a house of cards. He needed to observe and absorb everything the Academy had to offer.
A few hours later, on the way to the Academy, the contrast between Matsuri and his twin sister couldn't have been more glaring.
"Do you think Sasuke-kun noticed my hair yesterday?" Sakura asked, skipping happily down the busy street of Konoha. "Ino-pig had a horrible hairstyle, I'm sure he preferred mine!"
Matsuri walked silently beside her, with the dark mask covering half of his face and the wooden sword firmly strapped to his back.
While Sakura viewed the ninja world through rose-tinted glasses, dreaming of fame, boys, and a heroic fairy-tale life, Matsuri used the commute as passive training.
He adjusted his breathing with every step. He concentrated his body weight on the balls of his feet, muffling the sound of his soles touching the ground. His eyes swept the rooftops and alleys, mapping out escape routes.
For Sakura, the Academy was a stage. For Matsuri, it was a survival ground.
When class finally started, Iruka didn't waste time with speeches. He guided the entire class to the large dirt courtyard outside the Academy.
"Today will be our first practical assessment," Iruka announced, holding his clipboard. An excited murmur filled the air among the children.
"However, there will be no duels between you today," Iruka quickly cut off their excitement with a strict smile. "Before I teach you anything, I want to know what you think you know. I want each of you to come at me and attack with everything you've got."
It was a tactical freak show.
One by one, the civilian students ran toward the teacher. They swung their arms awkwardly, closed their eyes before punching, and tripped over their own feet. Iruka dodged everyone with a simple step to the side, taking notes on his clipboard.
Even some of the clan heirs, overly confident in their instincts, left huge openings in their defenses.
When it was Matsuri's turn, the atmosphere shifted slightly. The pink-haired boy walked to the center of the circle in a calm, calculated manner.
At Iruka's signal, Matsuri didn't yell or charge desperately. He advanced with short, quick steps, trying to apply the basics of his Interception Style. He threw a straight punch aimed at Iruka's chest, but with his other arm already positioned to block the teacher's inevitable counterattack.
Iruka narrowed his eyes. He deflected Matsuri's punch with the palm of his hand, but noticed the boy didn't lose his balance. Matsuri tried to use the momentum of the deflection to spin and sweep his leg.
With ease, Iruka leaped backward, dodging the strike and raising his hand to end the test.
"That's enough," Iruka said, looking at Matsuri with approval, but also with a critical tone. "Your intent is excellent, Matsuri. You didn't waste any movements and you predicted that I would defend myself. However..."
Iruka walked up to him and tapped the boy's shoulder and knee.
"You lack a foundation. Your center of gravity was too high. Without your feet properly rooted and the correct stance, your strike carries no power, no matter how smart its trajectory is."
Matsuri nodded, absorbing every single word. It was exactly what he had been thinking that morning. He returned to his spot, his eyes locked on the teacher's movements.
"Most of you confuse throwing a tantrum with fighting," Iruka spoke loudly to the whole class. "And that is why, starting right now, you will learn the Basic Konoha Katas."
Iruka assumed a combat stance. His legs bent perfectly, his torso straight, his hands raised in a guard. The shift in the air was immediate; he looked like an immovable boulder.
He demonstrated the basic sequence, explaining how the stance corrected balance flaws and maximized the power generated by the hips, not just the arms.
The rest of the morning featured no exciting fights. Instead, Iruka divided the class into pairs and put them through an exhausting training session focused purely on fundamentals and motor coordination.
They practiced safe falling techniques, learning to roll on the ground to absorb impacts without breaking their shoulders. Then, they practiced rigid blocks and facial defenses.
Finally, they were introduced to the primary concepts of shinobi agility, jumping over small stone walls and learning to use their hands to quickly vault their bodies—the basic principles of parkour, which would eventually allow them to leap through the trees of the forest.
By the end of the class, most of the children were covered in dust, sweating, and complaining of pain.
"Listen closely!" Iruka called everyone's attention before dismissing them. "There will be no individual combat or sparring for the next few weeks. Our focus will be entirely on building this motor foundation. A tall building cannot stand without deep roots. You are dismissed!"
While the children groaned in frustration about not being able to fight like "real ninjas," Matsuri simply dusted off his dark pants.
Beneath his mask, a satisfied smile formed. Those upcoming weeks of basic training were exactly the foundation he needed to breathe life into his own martial art. The puzzle was finally coming together.
[Author's Note]
Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying Matsuri's journey! Writing and planning each chapter takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort (even more so dealing with hand pain from the keyboard!). If you like my work, believe in the potential of this story, and want to encourage me to keep posting frequently, please consider supporting me with any amount. Every bit of help makes a huge difference and motivates me a lot!
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