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Konoha's busiest central street.
Taiichi shook his head with a helpless smile and casually took the still-steaming skewer of dango the uncle handed him. "Alright, alright, Captain Yohei's the most generous guy around. But—"
He bit into the soft, chewy dumpling, eyes sweeping over the squad members behind Yohei with their mixed expressions, and his tone carried genuine praise. "Clan Head Fugaku's judgment really is something else."
Yohei had just shoved a whole dango into his mouth. He paused for a second at the words, then his grin turned a little more serious.
He swallowed, thumped his chest, and the brand-new Military Police badge on his uniform caught the sunlight. "Of course! The Clan Head said the Military Police is the first line of defense for Konoha's peace. Just being good at fighting isn't enough. We have to make everyone feel like we're approachable, trustworthy, and reliable!"
He suddenly looked a bit embarrassed himself, scratched the back of his head, and asked Taiichi with real curiosity, "Doesn't that sound weird coming out of my mouth? Doesn't sound like something the Clan Head would say at all."
He didn't lower his voice one bit, completely unconcerned that the people nearby could hear him.
A few of the stall owners nearby just laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Captain Yohei's right!"
"With you around, this whole street feels safer!"
"The Military Police really is a lot better than before."
The two Uchiha squad members who had been covering their faces finally lowered their hands. Their expressions were still complicated—helpless and a little mortified.
But when they looked at the stall owners' sincere smiles and trusting eyes, that deeply rooted "Uchiha pride and distance" in the depths of their gazes seemed to melt just a little under the everyday warmth of the street.
One of them let out a soft sigh and muttered to his partner, "Although… still… it kind of… actually works?"
His partner didn't answer. He just silently nodded, his eyes sweeping over their captain who was surrounded by enthusiastic vendors, then to Taiichi smiling while eating dango beside him, and finally landing on the Inuzuka squad member who was scanning the edge of the crowd with his big black dog, alert as ever.
Different clan forehead protectors all shone with the same light under the sun.
Taiichi finished the last dango, the sweet, sticky flavor melting on his tongue. He was about to say something more to Yohei when a youthful shout cut him off.
"Yohei! I'm here again! The hot blood of youth is telling me I have to go three hundred rounds with you this time!"
Taiichi didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. But how did Guy know Yohei? The two of them shouldn't have had any real connection.
"Guy, you bastard, can't you see I'm on duty?"
Yohei shot back without the slightest hesitation, clearly completely used to this.
A sturdy young man in a green jumpsuit, thick eyebrows and a bowl-cut, skidded to a perfect forty-five-degree stop right in front of Taiichi.
The way he posed—both hands pointing diagonally at the sky, thick eyebrows twitching, big white teeth flashing as he struck a cool pose—made Taiichi actually cover his eyes for a second. He really couldn't look.
"Ah, Taiichi! Didn't expect you to be here too! Are you joining our showdown?"
Only then did Guy realize who was standing next to Yohei. He immediately dropped the pose and casually slung an arm over Taiichi's shoulder like they were old friends.
Taiichi looked at Guy hanging off him on one side, then at Yohei looking ready to go on the other, and nodded in understanding.
These two personalities really did click in some weird way. Give them half a chance to hang out and it was no surprise they became good friends.
"Guy, what's going on with you and Yohei?"
"Ah~ hahaha!" Guy stuck up a thumbs-up, teeth gleaming under the bright sun. "We're friends who push each other forward! Youth brought us together on the training ground, and two guys full of passion for life sparked some serious fireworks!"
Even though it was pure Guy-speak, Taiichi still got it. The two of them had run into each other during training, clicked, and become buddies.
Yohei nodded beside them with a proud "my student is teachable" look that made you want to punch him.
"Taiichi, you have no idea how hard this guy trains. First time I saw him I nearly had a heart attack. Who the hell can handle that kind of intensity?"
There was real admiration in Yohei's voice.
"Haha, no need to say that! The burning blood of youth is always urging me on—I can't slack off even a little!"
Guy's eyes filled with tears as he dramatically hugged Yohei. "My efforts still aren't enough! I need more! More persistence! But today, Yohei—let's have our thirty-second duel!"
The tears instantly vanished, replaced by pure fighting spirit as Guy challenged him again.
"No problem! I never turn down a challenge." Yohei's own competitive fire ignited right away.
"That's more like it, Yohei! Not like Kakashi, always making excuses." Guy's enthusiasm was already at max, ready to start right now.
Taiichi watched them speechlessly and pointed at the squad members behind Yohei. "Aren't you still on patrol? Just walking off like this, is that okay?"
"Haha!" Yohei didn't care at all. He laughed and clapped the shoulder of the Uchiha behind him, completely ignoring the pure "disgust" on the guy's face. "Relax, my patrol is just walking around and looking. No big deal. Taiichi, come with us!"
Taiichi glanced at the three squad members behind him. They clearly were used to this by now, so he just smiled and agreed.
Training Ground 8 sat near the edge of Konoha, right outside the Forest of Death.
Compared to the well-equipped, crowded training grounds in the center of the village, this place was quiet and remote.
Tall trees surrounded it like a natural wall. The ground was packed hard earth with the occasional stubborn weed pushing through the cracks.
It was the perfect spot for high-intensity taijutsu sparring without anyone interrupting.
Uchiha Yohei, Might Guy, and Matsushita Taiichi now stood in the middle of the open space.
Yohei stood with his arms crossed, looking completely relaxed and unprepared, but his feet were already subtly gathering power.
Guy was lightly bouncing in place, warming up, thick eyebrows and big eyes burning with fighting spirit under his bowl cut.
Taiichi stood quietly between them as the referee, expression calm with a faint, warm smile as he watched the two energetic guys.
"Yosh! Yohei-senpai! Let's start today's youth duel!" Guy clenched both fists and dropped into a perfect starting stance, eyes pure and blazing. "Pure taijutsu, thirty-second match! My burning blood can't wait any longer!"
Yohei laughed freely and settled into his own stance, eyes sharp. "Bring it, Guy! Let me see how much that 'youth' of yours has improved! Deal's the same—no Sharingan for me, and you don't open any of those dangerous gates!"
"Of course! Pure taijutsu is a man's romance!" Guy shouted back.
Taiichi saw they were ready, dropped his raised right hand sharply, and called out, "Begin!"
The second the word left his mouth he had already flashed backward like an arrow leaving the string.
The fight exploded instantly.
Leaf Whirlwind!
Guy's signature move came fast and sharp, right leg whipping through the air toward Yohei's lower body with a sound like tearing wind.
Yohei reacted even faster. A clean backflip carried him clear, and the moment his feet hit the ground he exploded forward like a leopard, a precise straight punch flying at Guy's face.
Guy didn't dodge. He sank his weight and met it with a punch of his own!
Bang!
Fists collided with a deep, solid thud of flesh on flesh.
Both of them rocked back a step. The packed dirt under their feet cracked into shallow pits.
In pure power Yohei had a slight edge from age and build, but Guy's foundation was rock-solid. His stance didn't budge an inch as he took the hit.
"Nice power, senpai! But the speed of youth is the real key!"
Guy roared, used the rebound to spin, planted both hands on the ground, and his legs became a green blur as he unleashed a storm of kicks—Leaf Strong Whirlwind!
Yohei's pupils tightened. Even without the Sharingan, years of real combat had given him excellent dynamic vision.
He retreated in a blur, hands becoming afterimages as he precisely blocked or deflected every tricky-angled kick.
For a while the training ground was filled with nothing but the rapid crack-crack-crack of blocks, heavy breathing, and low grunts of effort.
Guy's attacks came like crashing waves, one after another. His taijutsu was straightforward and explosive, full of raw power, every strike carrying that unstoppable forward momentum that showed the pure essence of Leaf-style taijutsu.
Yohei's style was more fluid and technical. He used the whole field, footwork light and unpredictable, every dodge and counter carrying that elegant Uchiha foundation.
They traded blows, separated, clashed again, figures flashing across the open ground at high speed.
Sweat quickly soaked their clothes, glittering under the sun.
Time slipped by in the fierce exchange. Nearly half an hour passed. Both were breathing hard, movements starting to lose a little of their earlier sharpness.
In a close exchange Yohei finally found a tiny opening and chopped a sharp hand-blade toward Guy's neck.
Guy reacted like lightning, ducking hard while driving his right knee up like a piston aimed straight at Yohei's gut!
Yohei's hand-blade skimmed the top of Guy's hair. Guy's knee slammed solidly into the forearm Yohei barely managed to get up in time.
Bang!
A huge force slammed through. Yohei grunted and was forced back several steps before he managed to plant his feet again. His forearm tingled with numbness.
Even though he blocked it, the timing and power of that knee had been perfect.
By the time he reset, Guy's fist was already hovering right in front of his face.
"Stop! This match—Guy wins!"
Taiichi called it instantly.
Guy pulled back and stood straight, chest heaving, sweat pouring down his face, but his eyes were shining brighter than ever with pure victory and satisfaction.
He punched the sky with his right fist, tears instantly filling his eyes. "Victory! Yohei-senpai! This is my ninth win against you! Waaah—this is the power of hot-blooded youth!"
His voice was loud and choked with emotion, echoing across the training ground.
Yohei rubbed his still-numb arm and looked at the watermelon-headed kid who was crying tears of joy. He laughed, helpless and sincere at the same time. "Damn, Guy! Your taijutsu has gotten scary. That knee just now—timing and power were flawless. I lost!"
"Senpai's the real deal! You didn't even use the Sharingan and still fought that well!" Guy wiped his tears hard and said it with complete honesty.
"Great fight," Taiichi's voice cut in right on time as he walked over, smiling with real approval. "Reaching that level with pure taijutsu—both of you are incredible. Yohei's experience, technique, and rhythm control… Guy's explosive power, speed, and never-give-up will… you both showed it perfectly."
He paused, eyes moving between them. "But that was just the warm-up. How about I take both of you on next? Same rules—taijutsu only. Both of you at once."
Yohei and Guy looked at each other and both saw the same spark of excitement. Getting to spar with someone on Taiichi's level, even if they got crushed, was precious experience.
"Taiichi, please teach us!" they said in perfect unison. No rest needed. They immediately shifted into position, one left and one right, forming a loose pincer.
"Begin!" Taiichi didn't waste words.
Yohei and Guy didn't hesitate for a second. They shot forward like arrows still hot from the previous fight, attacking from two tricky angles at the same time!
Yohei went low, sweeping leg like a whip. Guy launched into the air with a heavy axe-kick straight at Taiichi's head! Their teamwork was sharp, cutting off most of Taiichi's escape routes.
Against the perfectly timed combo, Taiichi only shifted his weight a fraction of an inch. The movement was so small it was almost invisible.
His motion didn't look fast at all, yet he slipped cleanly past Yohei's sweep and casually raised his left hand to meet Guy's devastating descending kick.
Thud.
A soft sound. The scene of Taiichi being driven into the dirt never happened.
Guy felt the power that could split rock simply… disappear. A soft yet completely unstoppable force caught his leg and dissolved the entire downward force like it had never existed.
While Guy was still staring, Taiichi's right hand flickered out like a ghost and lightly touched Yohei's wrist the instant the Uchiha switched targets and aimed for his ribs.
A subtle force redirected everything. Yohei felt the power he had gathered suddenly go the wrong way. His body stumbled forward half a step before he could stop it.
Taiichi's physical stats, after countless attribute points, relentless training, and the tempering of Sage Mode, had long since left ordinary shinobi behind.
His strength, speed, reaction time, nerve response, muscle and bone density—all of it had reached a ridiculous level.
Right now he was using pure physical ability alone, without even reinforcing with chakra, and it was already anChapter 393: Old Friends Reunite
Konoha's busiest central street.
Taiichi shook his head with a helpless smile and casually took the still-steaming skewer of dango the uncle handed him. "Alright, alright, Captain Yohei's the most generous guy around. But—"
He bit into the soft, chewy dumpling, eyes sweeping over the squad members behind Yohei with their mixed expressions, and his tone carried genuine praise. "Clan Head Fugaku's judgment really is something else."
Yohei had just shoved a whole dango into his mouth. He paused for a second at the words, then his grin turned a little more serious.
He swallowed, thumped his chest, and the brand-new Military Police badge on his uniform caught the sunlight. "Of course! The Clan Head said the Military Police is the first line of defense for Konoha's peace. Just being good at fighting isn't enough. We have to make everyone feel like we're approachable, trustworthy, and reliable!"
He suddenly looked a bit embarrassed himself, scratched the back of his head, and asked Taiichi with real curiosity, "Doesn't that sound weird coming out of my mouth? Doesn't sound like something the Clan Head would say at all."
He didn't lower his voice one bit, completely unconcerned that the people nearby could hear him.
A few of the stall owners nearby just laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Captain Yohei's right!"
"With you around, this whole street feels safer!"
"The Military Police really is a lot better than before."
The two Uchiha squad members who had been covering their faces finally lowered their hands. Their expressions were still complicated—helpless and a little mortified.
But when they looked at the stall owners' sincere smiles and trusting eyes, that deeply rooted "Uchiha pride and distance" in the depths of their gazes seemed to melt just a little under the everyday warmth of the street.
One of them let out a soft sigh and muttered to his partner, "Although… still… it kind of… actually works?"
His partner didn't answer. He just silently nodded, his eyes sweeping over their captain who was surrounded by enthusiastic vendors, then to Taiichi smiling while eating dango beside him, and finally landing on the Inuzuka squad member who was scanning the edge of the crowd with his big black dog, alert as ever.
Different clan forehead protectors all shone with the same light under the sun.
Taiichi finished the last dango, the sweet, sticky flavor melting on his tongue. He was about to say something more to Yohei when a youthful shout cut him off.
"Yohei! I'm here again! The hot blood of youth is telling me I have to go three hundred rounds with you this time!"
Taiichi didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. But how did Guy know Yohei? The two of them shouldn't have had any real connection.
"Guy, you bastard, can't you see I'm on duty?"
Yohei shot back without the slightest hesitation, clearly completely used to this.
A sturdy young man in a green jumpsuit, thick eyebrows and a bowl-cut, skidded to a perfect forty-five-degree stop right in front of Taiichi.
The way he posed—both hands pointing diagonally at the sky, thick eyebrows twitching, big white teeth flashing as he struck a cool pose—made Taiichi actually cover his eyes for a second. He really couldn't look.
"Ah, Taiichi! Didn't expect you to be here too! Are you joining our showdown?"
Only then did Guy realize who was standing next to Yohei. He immediately dropped the pose and casually slung an arm over Taiichi's shoulder like they were old friends.
Taiichi looked at Guy hanging off him on one side, then at Yohei looking ready to go on the other, and nodded in understanding.
These two personalities really did click in some weird way. Give them half a chance to hang out and it was no surprise they became good friends.
"Guy, what's going on with you and Yohei?"
"Ah~ hahaha!" Guy stuck up a thumbs-up, teeth gleaming under the bright sun. "We're friends who push each other forward! Youth brought us together on the training ground, and two guys full of passion for life sparked some serious fireworks!"
Even though it was pure Guy-speak, Taiichi still got it. The two of them had run into each other during training, clicked, and become buddies.
Yohei nodded beside them with a proud "my student is teachable" look that made you want to punch him.
"Taiichi, you have no idea how hard this guy trains. First time I saw him I nearly had a heart attack. Who the hell can handle that kind of intensity?"
There was real admiration in Yohei's voice.
"Haha, no need to say that! The burning blood of youth is always urging me on—I can't slack off even a little!"
Guy's eyes filled with tears as he dramatically hugged Yohei. "My efforts still aren't enough! I need more! More persistence! But today, Yohei—let's have our thirty-second duel!"
The tears instantly vanished, replaced by pure fighting spirit as Guy challenged him again.
"No problem! I never turn down a challenge." Yohei's own competitive fire ignited right away.
"That's more like it, Yohei! Not like Kakashi, always making excuses." Guy's enthusiasm was already at max, ready to start right now.
Taiichi watched them speechlessly and pointed at the squad members behind Yohei. "Aren't you still on patrol? Just walking off like this, is that okay?"
"Haha!" Yohei didn't care at all. He laughed and clapped the shoulder of the Uchiha behind him, completely ignoring the pure "disgust" on the guy's face. "Relax, my patrol is just walking around and looking. No big deal. Taiichi, come with us!"
Taiichi glanced at the three squad members behind him. They clearly were used to this by now, so he just smiled and agreed.
Training Ground 8 sat near the edge of Konoha, right outside the Forest of Death.
Compared to the well-equipped, crowded training grounds in the center of the village, this place was quiet and remote.
Tall trees surrounded it like a natural wall. The ground was packed hard earth with the occasional stubborn weed pushing through the cracks.
It was the perfect spot for high-intensity taijutsu sparring without anyone interrupting.
Uchiha Yohei, Might Guy, and Matsushita Taiichi now stood in the middle of the open space.
Yohei stood with his arms crossed, looking completely relaxed and unprepared, but his feet were already subtly gathering power.
Guy was lightly bouncing in place, warming up, thick eyebrows and big eyes burning with fighting spirit under his bowl cut.
Taiichi stood quietly between them as the referee, expression calm with a faint, warm smile as he watched the two energetic guys.
"Yosh! Yohei-senpai! Let's start today's youth duel!" Guy clenched both fists and dropped into a perfect starting stance, eyes pure and blazing. "Pure taijutsu, thirty-second match! My burning blood can't wait any longer!"
Yohei laughed freely and settled into his own stance, eyes sharp. "Bring it, Guy! Let me see how much that 'youth' of yours has improved! Deal's the same—no Sharingan for me, and you don't open any of those dangerous gates!"
"Of course! Pure taijutsu is a man's romance!" Guy shouted back.
Taiichi saw they were ready, dropped his raised right hand sharply, and called out, "Begin!"
The second the word left his mouth he had already flashed backward like an arrow leaving the string.
The fight exploded instantly.
Leaf Whirlwind!
Guy's signature move came fast and sharp, right leg whipping through the air toward Yohei's lower body with a sound like tearing wind.
Yohei reacted even faster. A clean backflip carried him clear, and the moment his feet hit the ground he exploded forward like a leopard, a precise straight punch flying at Guy's face.
Guy didn't dodge. He sank his weight and met it with a punch of his own!
Bang!
Fists collided with a deep, solid thud of flesh on flesh.
Both of them rocked back a step. The packed dirt under their feet cracked into shallow pits.
In pure power Yohei had a slight edge from age and build, but Guy's foundation was rock-solid. His stance didn't budge an inch as he took the hit.
"Nice power, senpai! But the speed of youth is the real key!"
Guy roared, used the rebound to spin, planted both hands on the ground, and his legs became a green blur as he unleashed a storm of kicks—Leaf Strong Whirlwind!
Yohei's pupils tightened. Even without the Sharingan, years of real combat had given him excellent dynamic vision.
He retreated in a blur, hands becoming afterimages as he precisely blocked or deflected every tricky-angled kick.
For a while the training ground was filled with nothing but the rapid crack-crack-crack of blocks, heavy breathing, and low grunts of effort.
Guy's attacks came like crashing waves, one after another. His taijutsu was straightforward and explosive, full of raw power, every strike carrying that unstoppable forward momentum that showed the pure essence of Leaf-style taijutsu.
Yohei's style was more fluid and technical. He used the whole field, footwork light and unpredictable, every dodge and counter carrying that elegant Uchiha foundation.
They traded blows, separated, clashed again, figures flashing across the open ground at high speed.
Sweat quickly soaked their clothes, glittering under the sun.
Time slipped by in the fierce exchange. Nearly half an hour passed. Both were breathing hard, movements starting to lose a little of their earlier sharpness.
In a close exchange Yohei finally found a tiny opening and chopped a sharp hand-blade toward Guy's neck.
Guy reacted like lightning, ducking hard while driving his right knee up like a piston aimed straight at Yohei's gut!
Yohei's hand-blade skimmed the top of Guy's hair. Guy's knee slammed solidly into the forearm Yohei barely managed to get up in time.
Bang!
A huge force slammed through. Yohei grunted and was forced back several steps before he managed to plant his feet again. His forearm tingled with numbness.
Even though he blocked it, the timing and power of that knee had been perfect.
By the time he reset, Guy's fist was already hovering right in front of his face.
"Stop! This match—Guy wins!"
Taiichi called it instantly.
Guy pulled back and stood straight, chest heaving, sweat pouring down his face, but his eyes were shining brighter than ever with pure victory and satisfaction.
He punched the sky with his right fist, tears instantly filling his eyes. "Victory! Yohei-senpai! This is my ninth win against you! Waaah—this is the power of hot-blooded youth!"
His voice was loud and choked with emotion, echoing across the training ground.
Yohei rubbed his still-numb arm and looked at the watermelon-headed kid who was crying tears of joy. He laughed, helpless and sincere at the same time. "Damn, Guy! Your taijutsu has gotten scary. That knee just now—timing and power were flawless. I lost!"
"Senpai's the real deal! You didn't even use the Sharingan and still fought that well!" Guy wiped his tears hard and said it with complete honesty.
"Great fight," Taiichi's voice cut in right on time as he walked over, smiling with real approval. "Reaching that level with pure taijutsu—both of you are incredible. Yohei's experience, technique, and rhythm control… Guy's explosive power, speed, and never-give-up will… you both showed it perfectly."
He paused, eyes moving between them. "But that was just the warm-up. How about I take both of you on next? Same rules—taijutsu only. Both of you at once."
Yohei and Guy looked at each other and both saw the same spark of excitement. Getting to spar with someone on Taiichi's level, even if they got crushed, was precious experience.
"Taiichi, please teach us!" they said in perfect unison. No rest needed. They immediately shifted into position, one left and one right, forming a loose pincer.
"Begin!" Taiichi didn't waste words.
Yohei and Guy didn't hesitate for a second. They shot forward like arrows still hot from the previous fight, attacking from two tricky angles at the same time!
Yohei went low, sweeping leg like a whip. Guy launched into the air with a heavy axe-kick straight at Taiichi's head! Their teamwork was sharp, cutting off most of Taiichi's escape routes.
Against the perfectly timed combo, Taiichi only shifted his weight a fraction of an inch. The movement was so small it was almost invisible.
His motion didn't look fast at all, yet he slipped cleanly past Yohei's sweep and casually raised his left hand to meet Guy's devastating descending kick.
Thud.
A soft sound. The scene of Taiichi being driven into the dirt never happened.
Guy felt the power that could split rock simply… disappear. A soft yet completely unstoppable force caught his leg and dissolved the entire downward force like it had never existed.
While Guy was still staring, Taiichi's right hand flickered out like a ghost and lightly touched Yohei's wrist the instant the Uchiha switched targets and aimed for his ribs.
A subtle force redirected everything. Yohei felt the power he had gathered suddenly go the wrong way. His body stumbled forward half a step before he could stop it.
Taiichi's physical stats, after countless attribute points, relentless training, and the tempering of Sage Mode, had long since left ordinary shinobi behind.
His strength, speed, reaction time, nerve response, muscle and bone density—all of it had reached a ridiculous level.
Right now he was using pure physical ability alone, without even reinforcing with chakra, and it was already an overwhelming advantage.
What followed wasn't really a spar.
It was a lesson.
Yohei and Guy threw everything they had. Guy's Strong Fist, Leaf Whirlwind, Lotus chain kicks… Yohei's Uchiha-style taijutsu, joint locks, throws—everything crashed toward Taiichi like a storm.
All of it looked like children playing in front of him. He casually redirected every attack, even used their own force against them so they kept interfering with each other and losing balance.
Less than five minutes later both Yohei and Guy were gasping for air, soaked in sweat.
It felt like fighting an unmovable mountain. Every hit sank into something soft and then bounced back with invisible force. Their stamina drained at terrifying speed, and the mental pressure was even worse.
"Stop!" Taiichi called lightly and flashed several meters away in an instant.
Yohei and Guy looked like they had been granted amnesty. They stopped immediately, hands on their knees, chests heaving as they stared at Taiichi with pure shock and respect.
They knew he was strong. Experiencing this kind of pure, unreasonable physical domination in person was still beyond anything they had imagined.
"Good work."
Taiichi looked at the two of them, voice calm as he started the review. "Your teamwork was solid. First time teaming up and you already had that kind of coordination—that's rare.
Yohei, trying to control the rhythm in a close fight is the right idea. But against someone as explosive as Guy, and against my speed, the intention to 'control' was too obvious. I could use it against you. Smooth out the transitions, hide the telegraphing a little better."
Yohei nodded seriously, replaying the feeling in his mind.
"Guy." Taiichi turned to the still-gasping thick-eyebrowed kid. "Your power and speed are your strengths, but your attacks are too straight. Intentions are easy to read. You had at least three chances earlier to fake and mess with my timing, but you went for the most direct line every time.
Remember—taijutsu isn't just power and speed. It's also brains. Mix a little tactics into that hot-blooded youth of yours and the power multiplies."
Guy's eyes lit up. He clenched his fists hard. "Yes, Taiichi! I'll remember!"
Taiichi smiled and finished the summary. "Overall, both of your foundations are rock-solid. Yohei's technique and experience, Guy's explosion and will—both are top-tier.
But if you want the next step, Yohei needs to make his movements more alive, less fixed patterns, more on-the-spot adaptation and deception.
Guy needs to learn how to put some soft into the hard. Hard and soft together, power that can go out and come back, attack paths that weave and change more.
The peak of taijutsu is the perfect fusion of power, speed, technique, timing, intelligence… and will."
His comments were sharp and exact—praise where it was due, then precise on the weak points and how to fix them. Yohei and Guy listened with complete conviction, nodding hard and locking every word into memory.
"Alright, sparring's over." Taiichi clapped his hands. "Come sit. Look at you two, wiped out."
Yohei and Guy dropped down beside him to rest. Yohei watched Guy, still exhausted but buzzing with energy, then suddenly remembered something and turned to Taiichi with real concern.
"Taiichi… Guy always trains like a maniac. I'm worried he's going to end up with hidden injuries. Your medical skills are ridiculous—mind giving him a check-up?"