Chapter 167: Deep Space Phobia
"What is this?"
Looking at the massive eagle, they were struck dumb. Was this a summoning beast? It was gargantuan. It felt like a single swipe of its talons could crush them.
"Haha, surprised? This is a secret technique, not a summoning beast. I got tricked by it once before too!" Guy bragged, showing off his "extensive" knowledge.
"Amazing! As expected of Captain Tonbo, to be able to call forth such a huge eagle." Lee leaned in for a closer look, touching its talons and jumping up to feel its feathers.
Everything felt so real, just like a genuine eagle. And it wasn't a summoning beast!
Byakugan: ACTIVATE.
Neji didn't believe it either. He activated his Byakugan to inspect it. Instantly, the world turned black and white. In his vision, the giant eagle was indistinguishable from a real animal; chakra flowed through it, and its flesh manifested as a physical reality.
Deactivating the Byakugan, he looked at Tonbo Tobitake with disbelief. If this wasn't a summoning beast, he'd gouge out his own eyes, cut off his tongue, and chop off his fingers.
Fine, it's not a summoning beast. I take it back.
"Wow! Is this giant eagle going to carry us to the training ground?" Tenten's eyes sparkled. Soaring through the sky was a dream for many. She had never experienced the sensation of flight before. Tonbo-sensei had once said that becoming a ninja meant getting to experience flight—he was right! She decided then and there that she would eventually sign a contract with a flying summon.
"Let's go. To the training grounds." Tonbo gave a high leap, landing on the eagle's back along with Guy.
Zip, zip!
The remaining three leaped up as well. For Genin like them, this height was no obstacle.
Whoosh—
The giant eagle flapped its wings, carrying the five of them high into the air. Slowly, the Konoha below dwindled into a miniature model. The three youngsters and Might Guy looked down at the tiny village, a sense of vastness filling their hearts.
However, after the awe came the trembling legs. Lee's body slowly went limp. Tenten felt dizzy, her head spinning as if she were about to fall off.
"This height is truly terrifying!" Guy's teeth chattered. He knew a fall from here wouldn't end well. However, his powerful Jonin willpower allowed him to suppress the fear. Only Neji remained perfectly calm, seemingly unaffected.
"Haha! Does soaring through the sky feel wonderful? Seeing the scenery from this angle makes everything look different, doesn't it?" Tonbo laughed as he watched them shake. Back then, his kids and Kiba hadn't trembled this much. They only started shaking when it was time to jump.
It was indeed too high. He lowered the flight altitude to a point where a fall would only result in broken bones rather than death. Instantly, everyone felt a bit better.
Phew!
"Teacher, the feeling of soaring in the sky... doesn't seem that great," Tenten said, clutching her chest in fear. She could already imagine what she'd look like falling from the sky. A lump of meat. A puddle of blood. Some scattered clothes. An ugly death.
"You lot... having Tonbo bring you out for training was definitely the right call," Guy laughed at his disciples, though he was struggling himself.
Lee whispered, "Teacher, I think I saw your legs shaking too?" He wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"Nonsense! I am the Sublime Blue Beast of Konoha! How could I be afraid of heights? I was just doing that to ease your embarrassment. This is the power of Youth!" Guy gave a thumbs-up, his teeth flashing a brilliant white.
"If you're this afraid of heights, then aerial training is a must," Tonbo remarked.
"How do we train in the air?" they asked in unison. Are we going to fight on the back of the eagle?
"I'll fly a bit higher, then throw you off. I'll catch you right before you hit the ground. After a few rounds of that, you won't be afraid anymore." Tonbo's lips curled into a smirk.
Silence.
All four of them froze, including Might Guy. The previously calm Neji was no longer thinking about "destiny" or "fate." What was the "Caged Bird" curse compared to the "Tonbo Tobitake" curse?
Though Neji felt like fate was a fixed path, he felt like this specific path was currently veering sharply off a cliff. The previous altitude was different from the height of the treetops they were seeing now; if they slipped, they were dead. He hated his fate as a branch member, but he didn't want to die yet.
Guy: "Tonbo, you're joking, right? That's way too dangerous." This wasn't a game. Shinobi lived on the edge, but not this kind of edge.
"Exactly! Tonbo-sensei, just hearing you say it makes me feel faint," Tenten said, sitting flat on the eagle's back in terror.
"I want to train! I believe in Tonbo-sensei just as much as I believe in Guy-sensei!" Lee's teeth were chattering and his legs were shaking, but his gaze was fixed firmly on Tonbo.
Guy's eyes shimmered as he looked at Lee. "As expected of my beloved student! Such steadfast conviction! You will surely become a Taijutsu master who surpasses me and protects those dear to you!" Guy was moved. More importantly, once he calmed down, he trusted Tonbo's capabilities.
"Don't do this... Neji, back me up here!" Tenten pleaded.
Neji took a deep breath, steadying his inner turmoil. If a "loser" like Lee dared to do it, how could he, the genius of the Hyuga, fall behind? "I will train too."
"Ugh, you guys are so annoying! Fine, I'll do it too," Tenten sighed, looking at the sky with a face of pure resignation.
"Keep it up. The only way to defeat fear is to face it," Tonbo said with a grin.
Wait until we start the "Heavenly Descent" training; you'll all be crying. The thought of Guy crying made him chuckle... actually, Guy cried all the time. That wasn't special.
Whoosh—
The eagle crossed forests, mountains, and rivers. The scenery blurred past. The speed increased until Guy had to help stabilize Lee and Tenten. Their chakra control wasn't precise enough yet to keep their feet stuck to the eagle's back at high speeds. Only Neji stood firm, his hair fluttering under his headband in the wind.
"Wait a minute, Tonbo. If the aerial training is for later, what are we training right now?" Guy suddenly realized they were getting very far from Konoha.
BOOM!
Just as Guy asked, a monstrous bird lunged out from the forest below. It was incredibly fast, creating a sharp sonic boom.
"Enemy attack!" Guy looked at the creature. It was a bizarre, five-legged bird. Next to its beak were two trumpet-like organs. The sonic boom was coming from them.
The sound was piercing, making everyone's balance waver. They felt like they were about to be shaken off the giant eagle. Guy covered his ears, shielding Lee and Tenten beneath him. Neji, caught off guard, felt his feet leave the eagle's back.
Grab!
Tonbo reached out and caught Neji by the ankle.
"If I fly higher, you get scared. If I fly lower, your guard drops. Let's see how you handle this."
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