"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
In the wooded mountains behind Konoha, a crisp, forceful shout rang through the trees.
A nimble figure darted through the forest with fluid agility, weaving through the thorns and brush without the slightest hindrance.
In the next instant, the shadow abruptly halted before a thick tree trunk nearly half a meter wide. His feet shifted, body tilted, and his elbow smashed forward with explosive force!
"Boom!" A muffled crack sounded as wood chips flew. Spiderweb-like cracks spread outward from the point of impact.
"Creak..." The massive tree, gouged open by the blow, groaned and shook before finally toppling over with a thunderous crash.
Even before the tree fell, the lithe figure had already retreated. He landed lightly on a massive, moss-covered stone.
Looking at the results of his strike, Kirito wiped the sweat from his brow and allowed himself a faint smile. In these past few days, this was the first time he had successfully executed Eight Extremes Collapse, or perhaps more aptly, this combat technique.
Although in this world it might be classified as taijutsu, the technique also involved immense internal force control, somewhat resembling ninjutsu. Maybe it was closer to the hybrid fighting arts practiced by Cloud Village, where taijutsu and chakra manipulation were seamlessly integrated.
Regardless, the power of Eight Extremes Collapse did not disappoint.
And this was only the beginning stage of his training.
If he could already fell a tree this thick while still unfamiliar with the technique, how much more terrifying would it become once he fully mastered it?
But one strike was all it took to drain his body like a sponge wrung dry. That aching, twitching sensation coursing through his arm, his muscles trembling involuntarily, was a clear sign of overexertion.
Kirito glanced down at his reddened right elbow and exhaled sharply.
"Whew... good thing my Endurance stat is high enough. Otherwise, I wouldn't have broken the tree, I'd have shattered my own arm instead."
He collapsed onto the cold boulder beneath him, limbs heavy and breath ragged. The soreness in his muscles made him unwilling to lift even a single finger.
Right now, with his current stamina, he could manage only three full uses of Eight Extremes Collapse before collapsing from exhaustion.
"Strength-wise, I'm getting there... but stamina's still my biggest weakness," Kirito muttered, forcing himself to stand. But no sooner had he risen than his legs wobbled, and he nearly fell.
Gripping his knees, he steadied his trembling body. "So this... is what true hard training feels like."
Even now, his arms and legs were wrapped in heavy weighted gear, each piece forged with significant mass.
In order to build stamina, Kirito was pushing himself through brutal physical regimens.
Exhausted as he was, Kirito still refused to skip his daily endurance climb.
His goal today: walk up a sheer cliff face while fully weighted.
Channeling chakra to his feet, he moved steadily up the vertical slope as if walking on flat ground. Though he didn't know ninjutsu or genjutsu, his chakra control was surprisingly refined, perhaps a reflection of his Hyuga bloodline.
After all, most Hyuga clan members were experts in precise chakra manipulation thanks to their mastery of the Gentle Fist.
But just then, Kirito unexpectedly ran into two familiar faces.
"Kirito?!"
On the far side of the cliff, Kakashi Hatake and Uchiha Sasuke appeared!
Both were training by scaling the cliff using only one hand and one foot, the rest of their bodies suspended midair.
"Well, well... training hard first thing in the morning. That's some dedication," Kakashi remarked with lazy amusement.
"Likewise," Kirito replied calmly, though his body was near its limit. After using Eight Extremes Collapse and wearing heavy weights, he was nearly out of breath, his face pale, his steps unsteady.
"Ooh... You're not looking so good," Sasuke said, noticing Kirito's staggering steps. He didn't mean it maliciously, it was just the natural competitiveness of youth.
Kirito gave a faint nod. "Yeah... I'm at my limit."
Kakashi's gaze lingered on Kirito's hands, then his legs. Even through the fabric, he noticed the bulge of concealed weights.
Weights, huh...
So even though this Hyuga boy didn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, he had never once stopped training.
Kakashi could see it clearly now, Kirito had already gone through intense taijutsu drills before even starting his climb.
Intense focus. Breaking through physical limits.
Eventually, Kirito made it to the top of the cliff, where he collapsed onto the grass, his body unable to move another inch.
"Well, we'll be off then," Kakashi said. It seemed he and Sasuke still had more training planned.
"...Yeah," Kirito replied weakly, barely audible.
And then, with his eyes shut, he sank into a deep sleep.
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• TL/N •
Hello guys Fanfic recommendation!
Check out my other work:
> Naruto: Mind Control
If you like smart and strong MC, this fanfic is for you.
It's Peak.
Give it a chance and you won't be disappointed