The air felt heavier today.
Not colder.
Not darker.
Just… tighter.
Like something was waiting.
Kushina stood in the clearing again.
Her body still sore.
Still tired.
But steadier than before.
Barely.
"…you came back…"
"Of course I did."
A low rumble.
"…stubborn…"
She smirked faintly.
"You noticed?"
Footsteps.
Daichi stepped into the clearing.
No greeting.
No pause.
Just presence.
"Again."
Kushina groaned softly.
"You ever say anything else?"
"No."
She sighed.
"Great."
Her stance shifted.
Slower this time.
More controlled.
She lifted her hand.
Focused.
The chain appeared.
Faster than yesterday.
Stronger.
Still shaking—
but less.
"…better…"
Kushina held it.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Four—
Her arm trembled.
The chain flickered.
But didn't break.
"…don't rush…"
"I'm not—"
"Too slow."
Daichi's voice cut through her focus.
Sharp.
Cold.
The chain shook harder.
Kushina's eyes snapped open.
"I was holding it!"
"Barely."
The word hit harder than it should have.
Kushina's jaw tightened.
"You said again, not perfect."
"I said control."
Silence.
"…you don't have it."
The chain broke.
Gone.
Kushina's hand dropped.
Her chest tightened.
"That was four seconds."
"Not enough."
Her eyes flashed.
"It was better than yesterday!"
"Still not enough."
Silence snapped between them.
Tight.
Sharp.
Kushina stepped forward.
"What do you want from me?!"
"More."
Her breath hitched.
"I'm trying!"
"No."
Daichi's voice stayed calm.
Too calm.
"You're surviving."
A pause.
"You're not improving."
That landed.
Hard.
Kushina froze.
"…what?"
"You rely on instinct."
He stepped closer.
"You react."
Another step.
"You don't understand."
Kushina's hands curled into fists.
"That's what I'm trying to do!"
"Then stop acting like you already do."
Her breath grew sharper.
Faster.
"You think I don't know that?!"
"…you act like it."
The pressure inside her shifted.
Fast.
Violent.
Awake.
"…there it is…"
Kushina's vision narrowed.
"You don't get to say that."
Daichi didn't move.
"You don't get to stand there and act like you understand."
A beat.
"You weren't there."
Silence.
Heavy.
Sharp.
"…no…"
"I wasn't."
That answer came without defense.
Without excuse.
Without softness.
And somehow—
that made it worse.
Kushina's voice dropped.
Dangerously quiet.
"You let her break."
The words hung in the air.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Daichi didn't flinch.
Didn't deny it.
"Yes."
That was it.
No explanation.
No justification.
Just truth.
Something inside Kushina snapped.
Not loud.
Not explosive.
But deep.
Her chakra surged.
Suddenly.
Violently.
The air shifted.
Heavy.
The chains burst forward—
stronger than before.
Uncontrolled.
Wild.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
"…now…"
"…finally…"
Kushina's eyes darkened slightly.
Her breathing uneven.
"You don't get to train me."
Her chains lashed out.
Striking the ground.
The air.
Close to him—
but not hitting.
Not yet.
"You don't get to decide what I become."
Another strike.
Closer.
Faster.
Stronger.
"…you're losing it…"
"I'm not!"
The chains surged again.
This time—
too fast.
Too much.
The ground split.
Dust rose into the air.
The pressure spiked.
Dangerous.
Unstable.
Daichi didn't move.
Didn't dodge.
Didn't block.
He just stood there.
Watching.
"Good."
The word cut through everything.
Kushina froze.
"…what?"
"Now you're honest."
Silence.
The chains trembled violently around her.
The pressure inside her screamed for more.
More power.
More control.
More—
"…let go…"
"…no…"
Kushina's hands shook.
Her vision blurred.
"No…"
"…you want it…"
Her breath hitched.
Her body leaned forward slightly.
"…just a little…"
"No."
Her voice cracked.
"…not like this…"
The chains surged again—
—
Then—
stopped.
Abruptly.
Everything froze.
The air dropped.
The pressure didn't disappear—
but it changed.
Kushina stood there.
Shaking.
Breathing hard.
Her hands trembling.
But the chains—
didn't lash out again.
They hovered.
Unstable.
But contained.
"…you stopped…"
"…I chose to…"
Her voice was weak.
But clear.
Daichi nodded once.
"Again."
Kushina stared at him.
"You're insane."
"Yes."
Silence.
Then—
Kushina exhaled slowly.
"…fine."
She lifted her hand again.
Still shaking.
Still tired.
Still on edge.
But this time—
aware.
Not reacting.
Choosing.
The chain formed.
Smaller.
Weaker.
But stable.
For a moment.
Then another.
Daichi watched.
Silent.
Measuring.
"…you're learning…"
Kushina didn't answer.
Übersetzte
Didn't smile.
Didn't relax.
She just stood there.
Holding it.
For as long as she could.