LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 8: The new teacher
Kaitou returned to his room, still thinking about the strange reactions his father and Aunt Mito had during their meeting. He tried to distract himself by doing some light exercises, but his thoughts kept drifting back.
'Was my progress really that amazing?' Kaitou wondered, frowning slightly. 'Father seemed proud, but Aunt Mito was completely shocked. Is it just the system helping me, especially with the *Study* skill, or is there something else that increases my learning speed?'
Meanwhile, Kazuto was walking down the wide halls of the Uzumaki estate. His mind was swirling with thoughts after his conversation with his father, the clan patriarch. He had known Kaitou was talented, but even he hadn't expected his son to achieve so much so quickly.
'Kaitou's progress is incredible,' Kazuto thought as he reached his study. 'But it's also troubling. Talent like his can attract all kinds of attention - and not all of it good.'
Kazuto sighed, running a hand through his hair. 'I'll support him as much as I can. If he has the Senju clan and Mito backing him, maybe even the Uchiha in the future, Kaitou will have the strength to choose his own path. But this is for now only wishful thinking, no one truly knows how the Uchiha and the Senju will develop further under the current leaders, Hashirama and Madara.'
Kazuto's thoughts shifted to the next step in his son's training. Kaitou's progress with sealing arts was excellent, but he needed physical and combat training to match. This would also set the foundation to actually unlock his chakra after which he could continue the training with the advanced seals.
'Tobirama would be perfect,' Kazuto mused. 'He's disciplined, powerful, and an amazing teacher. But he's also the de facto leader of the Senju, as though Hashirama as strong as he may be, is really not fit for being the true leader of a big clan. He won't have time for this, at least not now. Maybe when the fighting completely ceases between the two clans.'
Kazuto started thinking about other options. The person needed to be strong, reliable, and skilled enough to guide Kaitou. But no one came to mind. He paced back and forth, frustrated, until suddenly, the answer hit him like a slap to the forehead.
'Of course! How could I forget about Genzou?'
Genzou Uzumaki had been both Kazuto's and Mito's teacher when they were younger. He was retired now, but his reputation as a master ninja was legendary. Gruff and strict, Genzou had never been one to mince words, but his training was unmatched.
---
Early the next morning, Kazuto made his way to the outskirts of the Uzumaki clan boundaries, where Genzou lived in a small cottage. The old man was outside in his garden, muttering under his breath as he tried to pull out a stubborn weed.
"Genzou-sensei," Kazuto called, bowing deeply in respect.
Genzou didn't even look up. "Kazuto. What do you want? I doubt you came here just to say hello."
Kazuto smiled. "No, sensei. I have a favor to ask."
Now Genzou looked up, squinting at Kazuto. "A favor, huh? This should be good."
"It's about my son, Kaitou," Kazuto explained. "He's shown exceptional talent - far more than I expected. I need someone to train him, to help him grow into his potential. And you would be perfect to train him, please at least for a few years."
"Hmph," Genzou snorted, crossing his arms. "You want me to babysit your kid? Forget it. I'm too old for this nonsense."
Kazuto kept his tone respectful but firm. "Sensei, Kaitou isn't just any child. His progress is remarkable, but he needs the right guidance. No one else in the clan has your experience or skill."
Genzou grunted, clearly unimpressed. "Flattery won't work on me. Besides, what makes you think I want to spend my time training some spoiled brat?"
"He's not spoiled," Kazuto said quickly. "Kaitou's hardworking, determined, and ready to learn. Please, sensei. You're the only one I can trust with this."
Genzou sighed, rubbing his temples. After a long pause, he finally muttered, "Fine. Bring the boy here tomorrow morning. But don't expect me to go easy on him."
Kazuto smiled, bowing deeply. "Thank you, Genzou-sensei. I won't forget this."
"Yeah, yeah," Genzou grumbled, waving him off. "Now get out of here, if you won't help me out here. You're interrupting my gardening."
---
The next day, Kaitou stood slightly excited outside Genzou's cottage. The old man eyed him up and down, his expression showing nothing but skepticism.
"So, this is the wonder kid," Genzou said, his voice rough. "Hmph. You don't look like much."
Kaitou straightened his back, bowing politely. "It's an honor to meet you, Genzou-sensei. I'll do my best to learn from you."
Genzou raised an eyebrow. "We'll see about that. For now, grab that rake over there and start tending the garden."
Kaitou blinked, confused. "The… garden?"
"You deaf, brat? I said rake the garden!" Genzou barked. "If you can't handle simple chores, you've got no business learning anything more advanced."
Swallowing his confusion and frustration, Kaitou nodded. "Yes, sensei."
He picked up the rake and began working. The tasks seemed endless - raking leaves, pulling weeds, watering plants - but Kaitou stuck to it without complaint.
Genzou watched from the porch, his sharp eyes studying Kaitou's every move.
'At least the kid doesn't whine,' Genzou thought. 'That's a good start.'
Hours passed, and Kaitou's hands were sore from the work. But he didn't stop, determined to prove himself. Finally, Genzou called out to him.
"All right, that's enough for today," the old man said, standing up.
Kaitou put down the rake and bowed. "Thank you for the opportunity, sensei."
Genzou huffed, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're a strange kid. Most brats would've quit halfway through."
Kaitou hesitated, then asked, "Sensei, is this part of my training?"
"Of course it is," Genzou snapped. "Training isn't just about fancy techniques. You need patience, discipline, and humility. Without those, you'll never become strong."
Kaitou nodded, understanding. "I'll do whatever you ask, sensei."
Genzou smirked. "We'll see about that. Be here tomorrow morning. Don't be late."
As Kaitou walked back home, tired but determined, Genzou watched him go.
'Maybe the brat's got potential after all,' the old man thought. 'This might actually be interesting.'
—-
On Kaitou's side meanwhile
After Genzou excused him for the day he went back to the main estate, but made halt on the way and rested for a while. The tasks Genzou assigned him where so quick in repetition and in quantity, that he got tired even with a cheat like the [Gamers Body], as even with the Skill he still had to be able to rest, before his Sp began filling up again.
When he was all rested up, Kaitou now really made his way back. Upon returning he quickly took a shower and went to bed.
—-
The next day, Kaitou arrived at Genzou's cottage again, ready to begin his training.
He estimated, that if the real training was even slightly more demanding than the gardening tasks of the day prior he should soon see more and more results and possibly even receive a new skill.
Before starting, Kaitou decided to use [Observe] on his new teacher, curious about what kind of person Genzou truly was, as he forgot about it the previous day.
[Observe] Activated
Name: Genzou Uzumaki
Age: 71
Title: Retired Sealing Master of the Uzumaki Clan
Level: ???
HP: ???
SP: ???
CP: ???
END: ???
VIT: ???
SPR: ???
STR: ???
DEX: ???
AGI: ???
Description:
Genzou Uzumaki, an elder of the clan, was once a revered master of sealing techniques. Known for his unparalleled expertise, he now lives a quiet life, retired from active duties. Despite his grumpy demeanor, Genzou hides a wealth of knowledge and a strong sense of duty. His full capabilities remain shrouded in mystery, even to Kaitou's advanced [Observe] skill.
---
After the use of Observe, Kaitou's skill leveled up due to the challenging nature of analyzing someone of Genzou's caliber.
[Skill [Observe] leveled up]
[The skill is now on level 5]
Kaitou's thoughts raced as he read the details.
'Even at Level 5, I can't see anything about his stats. He must be incredibly strong - or at least, he was in his prime. This will be more interesting than I thought.'