Samurai Showdown With Kakashi

(Roderick's perspective)

- Haah! - I sighed in relief after my body finally relaxed. I colapsed on the ground exhausted.

I had been standing for three hours in the middle of the gym in the Leaf's headquarters, unable to move due to the gates strain. Might Guy had forcefully opened four of them in my body by applying pressure on my tenketsu points, but still...

- How did you do that?

Guy was sitting down watching me. He had gone to the infirmary to rest for two hours and came back with a cup of tea as he watched me for the last one.

- You wanted to learn the gates, and that's the first step. Even though it's usually one at a time... I guess I went a little overboard.

- No, you did well. - I couldn't let his pressure on me fade away. I got up once more to prove my resolve. - I have to get stronger as fast as possible. Still, what a way to learn these gates.

- It's the way my master taught me, before he valiantly died. Once he hit my seventh tenketsu point, I had to stay in the hospital for two months.

- That's really rough.

- It may be, but if it wasn't him I would never become the leaf in the wind I am today. So let's start by explaining the gates. - Guy suddenly got serious as he started to explain. - The gates power comes in response to the strain you put on your body. You don't have pain as a consequence of power, no, you have power as a consequence of pain.

- What does that even mean?

- Remember the pain the opening of the tenketsu points made you go through. If you reach it again, you will attain the power of the gates. How do you open the first gate?

- By exerting my muscles.

- And how did you reach that conclusion?

- Well... - I thought about it. During my struggle with Kakashi, I relived an emotional trauma that in conjuction with all the pain and strain from the fight, allowed me to push further. Only in my weakest moment did I get most powerful. I think I'm starting to understand. - I repeated the same procedure I went through the first time I transformed. I push my muscles as hard as I can, and in response I reach the power I want.

- Exactly. You were lucky, since the first tenketsu point is the loosest, meaning that even a general push of your body can open it. That's why today we are going to learn to master it. Only once you are capable of opening a gate masterfully, can you open the next.

- You can open eight gates. Does that mean you've mastered the previous seven?

- Exactly. I can open them whenever I want to, however that doesn't mean the strain leaves your body. You'll have to learn to endure it and push forward with the power of your own youth. Are you ready? - My body was trembling, but I had to push forward. I couldn't disappoint Rakuma when he wakes up.

As I was about to answer, Guy said:

- You know what? Maybe we should stop for today. You clearly need some rest.

- Are you serious? You can't just hype me up like that and then bring me down.

- Hey hey, hold on. Rest is just as important as training. You won't get anywhere if you just keep crawling around in exhaustion. - That sounds like exactly the opposite of what Rakuma would have said. - Let's go for a walk. I know my village isn't at its best right now, but it still would be nice if you knew something about it.

- But Guy, this might be the only day I'm staying here. There's no way we can just leave.

- Don't worry. You'll be staying for a while. - He said confidently. - When I came out of the infirmary there was talk about a reunion between a samurai master and the Hokage...

1 hour ago

After Lai agreed to Renji's idea of staying to help with the reconstruction, he decided to have a talk with Hiruzen. Initially Lai was against the idea of staying, however the thought of resting there alongside the beautiful Leaf ladies, won his heart. He had seen a beautiful long haired blonde at the entrance of a casino, and hoped to have a talk with her, and maybe something more.

Lai headed for the headquarters and asked for a meeting with Hiruzen. After being guided to his office he found the grey haired man discussing what seemed like important matters with two others, however after close inspection he heard what they were saying:

- We should change the shinobi outfits. I don't think they are truly representative of our village. Even today I saw a man wearing green spandex. It's an outrage! - A man said as he pressed his hand on the table.

- Look, we can't have such a massive change happen all of a sudden. - Hiruzen replied. - No one would oblige to it.

- It doesn't need to be that massive. - Another shadier looking man said. - Let's focus on smaller groups. First the women shinobi. We know they are the lesser part. Recently there has been an heat strike, everyone's hot. If we were to remove some of the women's equipment, we could...

- Leave! - Hiruzen demanded. - I don't want to discuss such trivial, pointless matters at a time like this. Stop wasting my time.

The men left disappointed as one of them put his hand on Lai's shoulder:

- I hope you have better luck. - They then left, as Lai was lost for words.

Hiruzen glared at Lai, now mad after the last discussion. The Hokage asked:

- If you've come here to advice me on what skimpy outfits our shinobi should wear then leave. Otherwise...

- I have come here for nothing like that. I just want to ask you if we can stay.

- Stay? - Lai removed his samurai mask, and explained.

- My name is Lai, and I'm one of the guards of the great samurai general, Mifune. We have come here to deal with some matters, however we here taken aback by the state of your land. We realized we would like to stay and offer a helping hand. If there is any chance we can stay accomodated anywhere we would be very thankful.

- You really want to help? - Hiruzen got almost emotional, as his eyes became teary red. - I'm really glad to hear it. I'm sorry I had to miss your general's kage summit. I had other...

- He understands Hiruzen. There's no need for apologies.

- I'm glad. But I'm afraid I have bad news. At the current state of my town, it's already hard to accomodate my own citizens, let alone outsiders.

- Is there really nowhere?

- I can only think of one place, but you won't be happy to hear it.

Present time

- So it seems you have time to spend. - Guy said.

- That's phenomenal. Let's go then. - I replied, and we both went out.

Even though I was tired, it still was a relief to feel the fresh wind hit my face, as we left the headquarters. He guided me around:

- That's the ramen shop.

- I've had enough of ramen shops in my lifetime. Next

- That's the library, where we keep all the books containing Leaf story and fiction. Right now, one of Jiraya's books is getting popular.

- Next.

- Look up. - I looked above me and saw a huge mountain with faces carved on it.

I had obviously already noticed the huge heads above the village, however only when I got up close did I notice their magnitude. Enormous statues representing the best of their past. That's what the ancient tomb used to mean for the samurai. I wonder if we can ever regain that.

As we kept walking, I noticed something:

- What is that?

- It's an arts shop. It has some of the rarest ink and pincels you can find in the world.

- I'm going there. - Something impelled me to.

- I didn't take you for an artist, Rick.

- I'm not... wait, Rick?

- Well, your name is Roderick, right?

- Yeah, but my friends tend to call me Rod.

- I am your teacher, so I'm calling you Rick. - What is up with my teachers for giving me always the weirdest nicknames?

- Either way, I'm going in.

I went in the shop, and looked for what I was after. It didn't take long to find it. "Chakra-infused ink. Perfect for Ninja Art". I remembered that Lin once told me that she needed more ink, since hers was nearing its end. Maybe this could fix the awkward mess I left her in. But is that the only reason I was buying this? No, it was for much more. It was for that butterfly in my stomach that begged me to give something to her, it was this impulse to give her affection. I handed it to the store keeper and he asked:

- I see you're a fellow artist.

- I'm no artist. This is for a friend of mine.

- I see. Want me to wrap it with a bag?

- Sure. - I saw something that caught my attention. A beautiful white rose. - Can you put that on the outside of the bag?

- That costs as much as the ink.

- It's fine.

- Your friend must really be special. - I felt warm in my heart as I said:

- She is.