The afternoon training ground was warmed by the gentle sun, wooden posts casting long, slender shadows across the earth. A breeze drifted by, carrying the distant rustle of leaves and the mingled scent of grass and soil.
Suddenly, a burst of energetic shouting shattered the calm, startling birds from their perches.
"I challenge you to a duel!" Tenten puffed her cheeks, jabbing a finger at Mamoru, her eyes wide with fury.
"No thanks." Mamoru folded his arms, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips.
"I'm furious right now! Duel me, got it?" Tenten stepped closer, voice rising, eyes blazing.
"What's in it for me?" Mamoru yawned languidly and drawled, "I. Said. No."
"Why you—" Tenten stamped in frustration, knuckles white as she clenched her fists.
Just then, Guy strode up, catching sight of Tenten glaring daggers at the unruffled Mamoru. He scratched his chin and turned to Neji and Lee, who were warming up. "What's going on? Fighting again?"
"Guy-sensei!" Lee snapped to attention, voice ringing like a report. "Mamoru's teased Tenten again."
He quickly explained.
While Tenten practiced with shuriken, Mamoru kept swatting every projectile out of the air. Once or twice was bearable, but after the dozenth time, she'd exploded.
"That boy's a handful." Guy sighed, patting his trademark bowl-cut. "Why does he love baiting her?"
Unable to bear it, Tenten lunged, grabbing Mamoru's collar. "I'm a year older than you, graduated a year earlier—your senpai! Show some respect!"
Mamoru, still held by the collar, merely murmured, "Careful, senpai. Rip the shirt and Sasuke will sulk again."
"Who cares!" Tenten shoved him away, chest heaving. "You're impossible!"
"Only joking. Anger's bad for your health." He shrugged, smoothing his collar.
"Look at it this way. If even I can't stop your shuriken, doesn't that prove you've outgrown most ninjas? I'm doing you a favor—anti-interference training."
Tenten blinked at the twisted logic, almost convinced, then narrowed her eyes. "You're pulling my leg, aren't you?"
"Wouldn't dream of it, esteemed senpai. Before your supreme intellect, my little tricks are just child's play."
"Supreme intellect my foot! I'd be a fool to believe you!"
'So you're not that gullible." Mamoru chuckled.
"You—" Tenten's temper flared again.
"Enough! Take this!"
She leapt back, whipped out several darts and shuriken, and snapped her wrist. Steel flashed straight for Mamoru's face. Yet Mamoru stood calm, right hand raised, two fingers upright.
As he closed his eyes, blue irises appeared. The shuriken froze a foot away, halted by an invisible wall.
"Huh?" Tenten gaped, stunned. "What is this?"
Mamoru lowered his hand and walked forward. The suspended blades parted like living things, clearing his path.
"So generous, gifting me all these shuriken." He smirked.
When his eyes opened, black once more, the weapons clattered harmlessly to the ground.
"That's cheating! What kind of jutsu is that?" Tenten protested.
"Giving up already?" Mamoru arched a brow.
"No way!" Tenten rushed in, fists flying.
Mamoru sidestepped lazily, taunting, "Too slow. Pick it up or you'll never tag me."
"Damn it!"
Tenten attacked wildly but hit only air, not even brushing his clothes. Finally exhausted, she slumped beneath a tree, burying her face in her knees.
Seeing her drooping shoulders, Mamoru felt a rare pang of guilt and crouched beside her. "Hey… you're not crying, are you?"
"I'm not." Tenten lifted her head, vitality gone, eyes dim.
With the drama paused, Guy signaled Neji and Lee to spar.
Lee was floored again and again yet kept rising for more.
Tenten murmured, "I've trained so hard but I don't feel any stronger."
She sighed, lost. "How much effort does it take to reach Tsunade-sama's level?"
A faint, ambiguous chuckle slipped from Mamoru's throat.
"You—" Tenten sprang up like a startled cat. "You laughed! At what?"
Knowing mockery of someone's effort is unforgivable, Mamoru didn't dodge blame. He dipped his head. "Sorry. That was out of line."
"You… apologized?" Tenten stared as if she'd spotted some rare species.
Her anger melted into shock, the knot in her chest unraveling and giving way to an indescribable feeling. It wasn't what she'd pictured—she'd assumed this arrogant guy would never admit a mistake outright.
"Stop looking at me like I'm an alien."
Mamoru sighed, then quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, I didn't expect your idol to be Princess Tsunade of the Sannin. That goal's… a bit lofty."
A girl dreaming of matching Tsunade, the strongest female ninja...
Plainly put, it was delusional.
Hard work can surpass talent? That's just a comforting lie the weak tell themselves.
The truth is harsher.
Do the gifted not work hard?
Talent sets the upper limit, a summit most people can never reach.
Talent is the door, effort is the key.
Some doors stand open from birth, while others stay locked forever.
"Must you be so blunt? It's infuriating." Tenten muttered.
Guy, standing nearby, cut in at the right moment, "Tsunade-sama inherited the First Hokage's gifts, she's unquestionably the greatest female ninja."
"Then… does that mean talent matters more than effort?" Tenten wavered, hoping for a different answer.
"No, no, no…" Guy waved his hands.
"What I mean is, every ninja has strengths and weaknesses. No one can say you won't develop Tsunade-sama's monstrous strength. Youth is limitless."
Mamoru said, "I think you've been training the wrong way."
He added, his gaze flicking over Tenten's upper body, "Keep at it and you'll grow those big chest muscles soon enough."
"Wh-what! Pervert!" Flushing, Tenten folded her arms protectively over her chest.
"Mamoru, that's no way to speak to a girl."
Guy sighed, then suggested, "Since Mamoru can use Chakra enhanced strength too, you should ask him for tips."
He turned and strode toward the field.
"Huh? You know how to use Chakar enhanced strength?" Tenten looked at Mamoru in surprise.
"You're only noticing now?" Mamoru asked.
"Then tell me, how do I get such strength?" She pressed, eyes sparkling.
"Fine, I'll explain."
Mamoru glanced toward Guy, who was coaching Lee. "There are two ways I know. First: raw physical power plus body-enhancing jutsu."
He paused. "The first can be trained, but the second is pure talent."
He walked to a nearby tree and his black eyes flashed blue as Chakra coursed through him like an extension of his will.
"Focus explosive Chakra precisely into one point, say, the arm."
He casually punched the thick trunk, almost lazily.
Crack!
With a dull thud and the snap of wood, the entire trunk broke, the huge crown toppling into the forest and raising a cloud of dust.
Tenten's jaw dropped wide enough to fit an egg.
"This inhuman strength comes from ultra-precise Chakra control." Mamoru said, the blue fading from his eyes.
"It releases destructive power no muscle alone can match."
The crash drew the other three over.
"What's with the racket?" Guy hurried up, checked on Tenten, and exhaled when he saw she was fine. "I thought she'd been hit."
"Just a demonstration." Mamoru said flatly. "Her little body couldn't take one punch from me."
"Hey!" Tenten slapped his shoulder.
Then she turned eagerly to Guy. "Sensei, Tsunade-sama's not just about monstrous strength, right?"
"Exactly!" Guy gave a thumbs-up.
"She's the greatest Medical Ninjutsu expert in the Ninja World, rumor says no injury or illness can beat her."
Mamoru thought, 'Can she cure cancer… wait, maybe she can. This world treats cell transplants like snacks.'
Tenten's eyes shone brighter as she said, "Then, teach me Medical Ninjutsu too."
"Well… how should I put this?" Guy wiped sweat from his brow. "Sorry, I don't know Medical Ninjutsu."
"Aww…" Tenten drooped, disappointed.
"But!" Guy's voice flared, eyes blazing. "Your passion to learn is the spirit of youth! I'll talk to the medical squad and get you enrolled!"
"Really? Awesome!" Tenten jumped, gloom gone, already picturing herself wielding advanced Medical Ninjutsu.
"Medical Ninjutsu, huh?" Mamoru rubbed his chin, intrigued. "Guy, sign me up too."
"Oh!" Guy teared up, arms wide for a hug. "My disciple! Youth burns with effort and grit! Leave the medical squad to me!"
"Back off, don't come any closer!" Mamoru blocked him, disgusted. "Keep those tears off my hand!"
His protest was drowned by Guy's sobs and Tenten's bright laughter, drifting across the training ground.