Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Training
"Hijiri, Hijiri, HIJIRI!"
(Hijiri): Uh? I'm up!"
Hijiri opened his eyes and found in front of his nose Matatabi's enormous head.
(Matatabi): "Phew. When you didn't wake up for a moment I thought you were dead."
(Hijiri): "No, I am fine. I was exhausted and decided to take a nap."
(Matatabi): "Your arms don't look too good"
Hijiri realized that he had a problem. He couldn't use his hands. So how did he heal his arms?
Ultimately, the solution was only one: heal them with his feet. It sounded ridiculous. But with all his tenketsu open and with his advanced chakra control it was possible.
Matatabi looked at him in wonder. She didn't know much about humans but from her Father, she knew that what he was doing was at least unusual.
Once healed Hijiri got up and noticed that Matatabi's limb had already regrown and that the severed limb had disappeared.
Matatabi, then, invited him to come to the temple where she lived. Hijiri agreed.
The temple was quite simple. It was composed of a large underground chamber with columns all around it. Everything was carved into the rock.
Once there, they started to talk about their lives. Well, it was more Hijiri talking since Matatabi had lived in seclusion there for most of her life.
She was very interested in what was happening out there and was very saddened by the actual state of the world.
Then they started talking about their battle.
(Hijiri): "I noticed that while you have a huge chakra reserve you don't have good control over it. If you wish I could teach you some simple chakra control exercises. This could help you expand your techniques arsenal."
Matatabi happily agreed and Hijiri explained the vertical and water walking exercises.
After a few days, Hijiri was completely recovered. He bid farewell to Matataby and ventured into the Tempest Mountain Range to begin the second part of his training.
Two years later.
Hijiri was standing cross-legged on the top of a mountain. His figure emitted blue and white lightning sparks.
Strong winds, capable of uprooting trees blew around him, but when they beard him they behaved like kittens seeking attention from their mother, transforming themself in a gentle breeze.
His figure was a lot different from before. He didn't only grow taller but his muscles were also more defined, hiding explosive power.
A lightning bolt fell from the sky upon him. He didn't dodge but let himself be struck. The wind membrane didn't pose any resistance to the lightning bolt and allowed it to hit Hijiri's body directly.
Hijiri didn't even shake. Instead, his body hungrily ate the lightning. In the end, Heze's body achieved a qualitative change. Outwardly his skin only began to give a healthy glow, but inwardly things were a lot different. His skin, muscles, tendons, and bones had achieved an unprecedented level of toughness while still maintaining their flexibility. But the most noteworthy change was in his nervous system which was now enhanced to transmit information at incredible speeds.
Hijiri opened his eyes and started reminiscing about his progress over the last year.
In the beginning, he stayed in a cave with a dozen clones meditating and feeling how the wind and the lightning behaved.
Then he started using lightning to temper his own body. He used his potent Yin energy to guide his lightning attribute chakra to improve his physique. It was during this phase that his lightning chakra achieved a preliminary fusing with his Yin energy creating white lightning.
This lightning was a lot milder and more malleable in comparison to the normal lightning. While this made it not ideal as a killing weapon it was perfect as a restraining one or as a supplement to train one's body.
(Hijiri): "Phew. It took more time than I thought, but I finally achieved the reason I came to the Land of Lightning."
A big blue head peeked from the side of the mountain. Then, noticing she had been found, a 2-meter-tall Matatabi got near him.
(Matatabi): "Are you leaving?"
(Hijiri): "Yes. I will do a last trip before returning home."
(Matatabi): " Will you visit again?"
(Hijiri): "Of course. And if you wish I even have a method so we can see each other more often."
(Matatabi): "Which one?"
(Hijiri): "A summoning contract."
(Matatabi): "What is it?"
(Hijiri): "Is a pact with which we can summon each other with the permission of the other party. Though since you can't do hand signs you will have to train your chakra control a lot to do the summoning jutsu."
(Matatabi): "Fine. Let's do it."
Hijiri took out a big scroll and unfurled it then both of them left their bloody signature on the scroll.
(Matatabi): "How do I summon you now?"
Hijiri showed her the seals and the way to mold her chakra to do the jutsu. Then he carved the instructions on a wall of the temple. Then he left towards the Land of Water.