It had been an exhausting training, Kosuke had slept too long and woke up around 12 noon.

"Oh no, I'm going to miss today's training," Kosuke said worriedly.

Kosuke sees a notebook on his desk with a message.

[Yesterday's training was very productive, I saw that you made good progress and really tried hard, continue your chakra control training at this location: {coordinates}]

[Every night, I'll check to see if you've completed your training].

Kosuke read the message and understood what he had to do, so he ate and went straight to his training.

In Hanzõ's quarters

Inara had been summoned by Hanzõ to discuss Kosuke's hidden power.

"Lord Amekage," Inara said and bowed.

... ...

"Do you have more information about those curse marks on the boy?" Hanzo asked.

"I've observed the boy more closely because of the curse mark and it seems to me that it's not necessarily a curse mark, but more like chakra sealed into him, a seal mark," Inara said.

Hanzõ narrowed his eyes and thought.

"A sealed chakra... it would be as if someone would try to protect him somehow by leaving a reserve of chakra inside him... or even... something," Hanzõ thought.

"Hm," muttered Hanzõ.

"Do you think he might have a beast sealed inside him?" Hanzõ asked.

Inara's expression changed to one of confusion.

"I don't think so, a Bijuu would be an extremely obvious power, it would be almost impossible for this boy to withstand such a seal, not least because we already know about all the Bijuus that exist, what would he be, the ten-tailed one?" Inara exclaimed.

Hanzo thought for a moment.

"In any case, it is dangerous to keep him in the village without any information about this power, this mark could be dangerous for the good of the village, if we don't get more information in a month, we will have to put an end to the boy," Hanzo said with conviction.

Inara was disturbed by Hanzo's decision and objected.

"But if we kill the boy, what will we do with the beast... or... whatever it is?" Inara asks in dismay.

"I will find a way, in the name of this village, for the protection of all citizens of Amegakure." Hanzõ said and looked into Inara's eyes.

Inara realized the dilemma he faced, even though he had only been at Kosuke's side for a short time, Inara knew his intentions and his determination.

"Kosuke... I won't let you down... again..." .

At the training lake

It was 9 p.m. Inara had arrived at the place where he had sent Kosuke in the hope of finding him.

*Splash

Inara heard this sound in the distance and immediately climbed up a tree to watch Kosuke without disturbing him.

"Is he still there?" Inara thought.

In the distance, Kosuke could be seen groaning in pain as he tried to control his chakra.

"Hmm... hmm... hmm..." Kosuke murmured, trying to keep his concentration.

"Puhh", Kosuke sighed.

Kosuke finally managed to stand on the surface of the water, calmly and gently opened his eyes and began to walk calmly.

*Drip

Kosuke had taken a step, a big step at that, but without showing any expression he lifted his other foot and put it lightly in position for the next step.

*Drip

"Ah," Inara sighed.

"Has he done it yet?" Inara murmured.

Kosuke managed to take 10 steps into the water, finally trying to keep his balance despite the emotion.

"Aee hahaa, I did it Sensei, I did it," Kosuke said, jumping for joy all by himself.

Inara smiled proudly in the distance.

Inara discreetly climbed down from the tree and shouted from a distance as if he knew nothing.

"Looks like you made it!" Inara said.

"Sensei, I made it, my God, you're just in time!" Kosuke said with a satisfied smile on his face.

"How do you think I did?" Kosuke asked.

Inara, trying not to make Kosuke too cocky, said cunningly.

"You learned it in an average amount of time, normally ninjas at the academy need six hours to learn a basic level control like this, but you did better than I expected, I liked your dedication," Inara said.

Kosuke agreed with Inara, still very happy with his achievement.

"He learned even basic control in less than 2 days, normally the best ninjas need 1 week to control their chakra flow with such ease, he managed to maintain his chakra balance in 48 hours and even had a conversation with me... something very surprising," Inara thought without reacting.

"Well, I think you're ready for the next step, which will now be walking through walls," Inara said.

Kosuke was surprised to be reminded that he could learn this kind of skill.

Kosuke and Inara approach a rock and Inara says.

"It's going to be harder to keep your balance here, as I'm sure you'll notice right away," Inara says and jumps up.

*Plack

Inara's slippers hit the wall, sending him completely sideways, his feet stuck in the walls.

"Wowww," Kosuke exclaims.

"You have to keep your cool, your balance and your concentration to stay connected to the wall." Said Inara.

"Come on, first try that part of the rock where it isn't 90 degrees yet." said Inara.

Kosuke, sliding easily on the steep part of the rock, tries to control the flow of chakra in his feet, just like in the water, but when he succeeds, he realizes that he is sliding off the rock more easily.

*Plaft

Kosuke falls to the ground and gets up with a big bump on his head.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kosuke shouts with his hand on his head.

"Remember what I said about your chakra being able to be manipulated as either negative or positive energy, think about it and try to understand why the same principle doesn't apply to both situations," Inara says, urging Kosuke to think.

"Sensei, how does the principle change if the two situations are the same? Concentrating the chakra in the feet?" Kosuke exclaimed.

Inara observes Kosuke's question without pity.

"Think about it Kosuke, in the water you wanted to stay on the surface somehow, here you have the same goal but what changes?" Inara asks.

Kosuke looks at Inara with a confused expression.

"You have to learn to feel the flow of your chakra and how to manipulate it instinctively, not only to understand it, the ninja who knows all the jutsus is not necessarily formidable in executing them, for that, I need you to try, more than question." Inara says.

"Well that's it my dear, goodbye." Inara says, disappearing with incomprehensible speed.

"Ah but..." Kosuke says without a chance to answer.

"Haven't I tried enough?" Kosuke thought with a dejected expression.

"Ahhhhh..." Kosuke complained.

"In the water, I felt as if I was sending chakra to my feet, almost as if I was throwing it at them, that must be what created that feeling of propulsion in the water, is it to make the concentrated energy flow between my feet?" Kosuke thought.

"That's enough thinking for today," Kosuke said.

//

Author note

10 chapters ahead at patreon.com/persima