"Minato! Just in time! We were just talking about training!"
Ethan waved Minato over with a bright smile, but as Minato approached, Ethan's keen senses picked up on something—Minato seemed a little off. His posture, his expression, the way his eyes lingered just a bit too long on Kushina before shifting away...
Ethan's sharp mind quickly connected the dots. His gaze flickered to Kushina, who was still blushing from their earlier conversation, then back to Minato.
Ah... so that's how it is.
Out of curiosity, Ethan checked Minato's favorability toward him. 84 points.
That meant, despite his obvious disappointment, Minato held no resentment toward him. Ethan couldn't help but admire his friend's character. He's really strong-willed. If it were me, I don't think I could handle it this well...
Ethan made up his mind. There was no need to delay—he would bind both Minato and Kushina to him soon.
Minato, on the other hand, quickly pulled himself together, schooling his expression into something more neutral. He smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "So, how are we going to train?"
Ethan appreciated his effort. He's trying to move forward, not letting emotions get in the way. That's admirable.
"Alright," Ethan started, getting straight to the point. "Here's the plan. I'll first send a Shadow Clone with you to find a good training spot. Meanwhile, Kushina and I will visit Lady Mito to inform her that we'll be using Shadow Clones to learn sealing techniques from her. After that, we'll meet up, make a proper training plan, and start working!"
"Sounds good," Minato agreed.
Ethan continued, "But before anything else, we need to leave a Shadow Clone in class so no one notices we're missing."
Minato nodded. "I practiced last night—I can maintain a Shadow Clone without any issues now!"
"Great! Then let's find a quiet spot to leave them."
With that, Ethan, Minato, and Kushina slipped away from the classroom, found a secluded corner, and each left behind a Shadow Clone to handle school duties.
Their real bodies quietly left the academy.
Meeting Lady Mito
As Ethan and Kushina arrived at the Senju compound, they were immediately greeted by Uzumaki Mito's sharp gaze.
"You want to use Shadow Clones to learn sealing techniques?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
She studied them both carefully before adding, "Sealing techniques require delicate Chakra control. Even minor mistakes can lead to disastrous results. Are you sure you can handle this?"
"I can," Ethan answered confidently. "I have an exceptional memory—I've already memorized all the sealing techniques you provided days ago. I've also been practicing in my free time, and I've successfully learned more than ten basic sealing techniques!"
To prove his point, Ethan formed several seals and activated a soundproof barrier.
Then, one after another, he demonstrated a detection isolation barrier, the four-series light technique, and a fire-sealing technique.
Kushina and Mito both watched in awe.
"You never cease to amaze me, kid," Mito admitted. "I didn't expect you to have such a strong talent for sealing techniques."
She paused before finally nodding. "Alright. I approve. From now on, you can send a Shadow Clone to learn from me."
Ethan grinned. "Thank you, Lady Mito!"
Kushina, practically bouncing on her toes with excitement, chimed in, "See? I told you she'd say yes!"
Mito chuckled softly. "Just make sure you don't slack off, Kushina."
"I won't!" Kushina declared confidently.
With that settled, Ethan and Kushina left the Senju compound and headed to meet Minato at the training ground.
The Training Plan
Minato was already waiting when Ethan and Kushina arrived. He had found a secluded area—deep enough in the training grounds that no one would bother them.
Ethan dismissed his Shadow Clone and surveyed the space. "Nice work, Minato. This is perfect."
Minato smiled, still trying to mask his earlier emotions.
"Now, let's plan our training," Ethan said, taking charge. "Kushina, your main focus will be sealing techniques and Chakra control. Minato, you'll train in speed, reflexes, and perfecting your Shadow Clone technique. As for me, I'll work on taijutsu, endurance, and advanced Chakra control."
Kushina smirked. "I bet I'll master sealing techniques before you!"
Ethan grinned. "We'll see about that."
Minato chuckled. "Speed training, huh? I guess that makes sense... I am the slowest here."
"Not just speed," Ethan corrected. "Speed and perception. If you want to be truly fast, your body and mind need to work in perfect sync."
Minato's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Do you have a technique for that?"
Ethan nodded. "Yeah, but first—let's get started!"
Training Begins
The next few hours were intense.
Kushina practiced sealing techniques under Ethan's guidance, working on perfecting her Chakra control. Minato ran agility drills, learning how to react quicker and move with precision. Ethan pushed himself in taijutsu, sparring with Minato to help him improve his reaction time.
As the sun moved across the sky, their bodies ached, but their spirits were high.
Finally, they collapsed on the grass, panting.
"Hah... That... was brutal," Kushina gasped, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Minato, lying on his back, sighed. "Yeah... but I feel like I've improved already."
Ethan sat up, stretching his arms. "We're making great progress. If we keep this up every day, our growth will skyrocket."
Kushina suddenly sat up, clenching her fists with determination.
"Then let's make a pact!" she declared. "We train together. We grow stronger together. And we never leave each other behind!"
Ethan and Minato exchanged glances before smiling.
"Agreed," Ethan said.
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Minato added.
And just like that, the three of them made an unspoken promise—to push each other forward, to grow together, and to prepare for the future that awaited them.
No matter what happened, they would always have each other's backs.
As they arrived at the training area, Minato was already waiting. He waved at them with a grin.
"You're here! I found a good spot—it's quiet, not many people pass by, and we can train in peace."
Ethan nodded in approval. "Good job, Minato. That should work well."
Kushina, still beaming from their meeting with Uzumaki Mito, stretched her arms. "Alright! Enough talking! When do we start?"
Ethan smirked. "Right now. Let's finalize our training plan first."
Training Strategy
Ethan gathered Minato and Kushina and laid out the plan.
"Alright, here's how we'll structure our training:"
Kushina: Focus on sealing techniques and Chakra control. Since she's also training with Lady Mito's Shadow Clone, she needs to balance both studies.
Minato: Work on speed, reflexes, and perfecting Shadow Clone usage. His goal is to react faster and move with precision.
Ethan: Improve taijutsu, endurance, and advanced Chakra control. He'll be working on refining his techniques and pushing his limits.
"We each have different strengths," Ethan explained. "But if we train together and push each other, we'll all grow stronger. Let's make this training count."
Minato clenched his fists, excited. "Got it!"
Kushina smirked. "I'm gonna beat you in sealing techniques, Ethan!"
Ethan chuckled. "We'll see about that."
First Training Session Begins
The next few hours were grueling.
Kushina practiced her sealing techniques, focusing on drawing seals faster and applying them in combat scenarios. She struggled at first but improved steadily.
Minato ran agility drills, dodging Ethan's surprise attacks while trying to maintain speed. His reaction time increased with every passing round.
Ethan worked on taijutsu and endurance, sparring with Minato to improve both their reaction speeds.
The trio trained intensely, pushing past their limits.
As the sun started to set, they finally collapsed onto the grass, exhausted.
Kushina huffed, wiping sweat from her brow. "That... was brutal!"
Minato lay on his back, catching his breath. "Yeah... but I feel stronger already."
Ethan sat up, stretching his arms. "We're making great progress. If we keep this up every day, we'll improve like crazy."
Kushina suddenly sat up, her eyes filled with determination.
"Then let's make a pact!" she declared. "We train together. We grow stronger together. And we NEVER leave each other behind!"
Ethan and Minato exchanged glances before smiling.
"Agreed," Ethan said.
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Minato added.
The three of them made an unspoken promise—to push each other forward, to grow stronger, and to always have each other's backs.
No matter what happened, they would face the future together.
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