Chapter 50: Lost in the Forest
And so, with their new leader, Team 16 set off on their training journey, leaving the village gate behind them. Excitement and anticipation filled the air, mingling with the crisp scent of the forest.
"Hehehehehe... Hahahaha!" Daniel cackled as they left, unable to contain his excitement at the vision he had for them. There were so many things he wanted to teach them. He would surely make them earn the title of the clan wielding the strongest doujutsu. "Maybe even surpass the Rinnegan or the Rinnesharingan," he mused. "Now that I think about it, Wang Ye had that divination technique. Maybe I could incorporate that with the Byakugan," he said, cackling again with glee.
"I'm telling you, our leader really is broken," Daichi remarked, whispering to Ryuu as they watched Daniel being... Daniel.
"I can't wait," Ryuu said, his excitement bubbling over. He increased his speed, leaping from tree to tree.
"Come on, let's go!" Hikari urged, her voice filled with determination.
As they hopped from tree to tree, heading towards their first destination. Ryuu, Daichi, and Hikari exchanged glances, their spirits high despite the uncertainty ahead. This was their chance to grow, to push beyond their limits, and to become the shinobi they aspired to be. With Daniel leading the way, they felt ready to face whatever challenges awaited them.
Upon reaching a small Valley, the breathtaking landscape took their breath away. The valley was nestled between towering cliffs, with a crystal-clear river flowing through its heart. The lush greenery and vibrant flowers painted a picture of serenity and beauty.
Daniel turned to them, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "We've finally arrived. Here, change into these," he said, presenting them with some strange outfits.
Hikari looked around, her eyes wide with wonder. "This place is incredible."
Ryuu nodded, his anticipation growing. "What are we going to do here?"
"Just change, and the rest will follow," Daniel instructed.
The trio exchanged confused glances but proceeded to change, creating an earth wall for privacy.
"What the hell is this made of? It's so heavy," Daichi muttered after he changed, struggling to move.
"Yeah, it's like the gravity increased or something," Hikari agreed as all three moved sluggishly. The special clothes Daniel had provided were inspired by Dragon Ball training techniques. The suits would get heavier and heavier, requiring them to constantly enhance their entire bodies with chakra. If too much chakra was used, they would run out quickly. If too little was used, it would be hard to move. As they got used to the suits, the weight would increase—a perfect method to tackle both chakra control and chakra pool. Additionally, since he was training Hyugas, he made it so that focusing chakra in specific areas of the suit would make it lighter. But to see these points, they'd need to use their Byakugan, and the points wouldn't be stationary. They'd need to be constantly using their eyes, along with other skills he had prepared for the day.
"Okay, now that you're all done changing, let's have a feast first," Daniel said, presenting them with a bounty of food.
"Woah!" they gleamed with excitement, especially Daichi, who led the way, jumping into the feast. His enthusiasm eased the others into enjoying the meal as well.
As they sat down to eat, the atmosphere was great, almost like a picnic. That is, until everyone—well, except for Daniel—suddenly fell unconscious. Daniel had placed them in a genjutsu, then proceeded with the training.
"Uh... When did I fall asleep? Those mooncakes were so good..." Daichi mumbled as he woke up, everything around him hazy and unfamiliar. "Wait... What's this weird sensation?" he muttered, moving his hand to feel the texture better
Ryuu's voice pierced the air, laced with anger. "That's mine, you idiot! Now get off me!" Ryuu yelled, his face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and rage, as Daichi's hands fumbled awkwardly.
Daichi's eyes widened in horror as realization dawned upon him. "Your... l... Wha... Ahhhh!" he screamed, the sound echoing through the trees as he jumped back, heart pounding, his face a mask of shock. "What the hell was that?! I'll never unfeel that now!" He grimaced, clutching his stomach in disgust.
"Damn it, Daniel! I'll never forgive you for this!" Ryuu shouted, fists clenched at his sides, his voice trembling with anger as he stood up and dusted himself off.
Daichi, still reeling from the shock, looked around, searching for their companion. "Anyway, where are we, and where is—" He trailed off, spotting Hikari behind him, her eyes focused intently on a letter she had just picked up.
"You're the only one who woke up late. The rest of us were pretty much fine," Ryuu said, stretching his back with a huff, trying to shake off the awkwardness of the moment.
"Wait, could it be...?" Daichi's voice was filled with a dawning realization, anxiety creeping into his tone.
"Yes," Hikari replied, her voice steady as she held the letter aloft. "It seems our training begins now."
"Wait, really? And what's with that letter? Is it from Daniel?" Daichi asked, curiosity sparking in his eyes as he stepped closer to Hikari, his earlier embarrassment momentarily forgotten.
Hikari read aloud, her voice clear but tinged with a hint of annoyance. "So you've woken up. Your training begins now. Follow the arrows," Daichi's voice rose in pitch "That's it? Who does this? This is kidnapping!" His frustration bubbling over as he processed the contents of the letter.
"Oh, and there's something for you, Daichi," Hikari said, her tone shifting as she continued reading.
"What does it say?" he asked, leaning in, his interest piqued despite the chaos of the situation.
Hikari's eyes scanned the page. "I know that the Byakugan awakens through hard training, so I made your suit to bring out your potential. That's what it says."
Daichi's frustration deepened, a storm brewing behind his eyes. But he knew complaining wouldn't change a thing. With a resigned sigh, the trio turned their gaze to the horizon, determination igniting within them as they began their search for the elusive arrows that would guide them on this so called training.
"The hell is wrong with that guy? We've been looking for hours now!" Daichi screamed in frustration, furiously tugging at his hair.
"Hmmm, maybe we're going about this the wrong way," Ryuu said thoughtfully. "Let me check something." He activated his Byakugan, his eyes widening as he gasped in surprise.
"What? What is it? What did you find?" Hikari and Daichi asked, their curiosity and frustration mingling.
"That way, we should go that way," Ryuu said, still bewildered by what he saw. In the distance, only visible through his Byakugan, was a funny doodle arrow pointing west, etched into a tree in front of him.
"So, we need to use our eyes to see the arrows," Hikari said, her mind piecing together Daniel's challenge as they began walking in the indicated direction.
The trio moved forward with a renewed sense of determination, their earlier frustrations fading. This was just the beginning of their arduous journey, and they knew that each step would bring them closer to mastering their skills and becoming stronger shinobi.
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