[After they finished eating, Hayama allowed them half an hour to rest. The three genin spent it talking, joking, and generally burning off the last of their excess energy before their sensei finally stood from the table and motioned for them to follow him to Training Ground Twenty-One.
Unlike the one used for their test, this training ground lay within the village walls, though it was still fairly close to them – located in the north-western section of Konoha. Like most training grounds, it was largely left in a natural state, but this one had a few notable features. It sat on elevated terrain, and a branch of the Naka River cut through it, forming a small waterfall that filled the area with the constant sound of running water.
Once they arrived, the three genin sat down on the ground, while their sensei settled atop a rock facing them.
"From now on," Hayama began, "we'll be doing one D-Rank mission every morning, five days a week. Since none of you are orphans or in immediate need of money, we'll restrict ourselves to just the one and use the remaining time for training."
He folded his arms loosely. "Before we get to that, though, I need to know more about you. As I said when we first met, I've read your files. During our test, I also got a clearer picture of your abilities in a practical setting – and some firsthand experience with talents you weren't able to properly demonstrate at the Academy."
His gaze moved between them. "So here's my question. How do you see yourselves in the future? When you imagine yourselves as chūnin – or even jōnin – what does that look like? What do you want to learn, and how do you intend to specialize?"
Ren was the first to respond. He raised his hand, earning a nod from Hayama-sensei before speaking.
"My family – the Kouen – have been developing a Hiden for a few generations now," he explained. "It's basically a mix of Fire Release and genjutsu that we call Kouen Mõrõ. That's what I want to focus on."
He continued more confidently as he spoke. "My chakra control is the best in my family for my age, and I've got more chakra than most of them – though it's still nothing to brag about. I know I'll never be able to use it freely, but I want to hone it past what anyone before me managed."
Ren shifted slightly. "Alongside that, I think my best option is to keep working on my bukijutsu and poisons. It's something I'm good at, and the way we passed the test gave me a new appreciation for it. Plus," he added, a small smile tugging at his lips, "weakening targets with poison makes them more susceptible to genjutsu. It all comes full circle."
Hayama listened until Ren finished, then nodded in understanding. "While my natural affinity is Wind, I trained Fire as my secondary. There's an abundance of training material for it, and it pairs well with many techniques, so I can certainly help you there."
He continued calmly. "I can't say I'm the best there is with thrown weapons, but I'm passable enough to guide you for a good while – at least until you reach the point where you'll need to refine things on your own or seek another instructor."
He made a complicated face. "As for poisons… I have someone in mind who could help you, but we'll see how it goes."
Hayama sighed softly. "Normally, I'd also recommend some lessons with colleagues of mine who are more adept at the illusionary arts. However, as I understand it, you genjutsu users are a rather secretive bunch with your techniques – and I can't imagine a family trying to turn their specialty into a Hiden would be any looser with them."
He raised an eyebrow.
Ren answered with a shrug and a helpless smile, nodding in agreement.
"In that case," Hayama went on, "I'll look into getting you some materials you can study on your own. And in the future, I'll keep it in mind if we ever get the opportunity to face another genjutsu user."
So you can wrench his secrets out of him, Yohei supplied mentally, catching the wide smile that spread across Ren's face at the thought.
"Beyond that," Hayama continued, "standard physical training with increased focus on mobility, agility, and stamina."
He put particular emphasis on the last word, shooting Ren a knowing look. Ren laughed sheepishly in response.
"That, coupled with chakra control training, should be enough to boost your reserves and help you in every aspect of your future development. Good." He nodded to himself. "I already have a few ideas on how we'll go about it."
His gaze shifted. "Next – Souma."
Souma lifted his sword in Hayama's direction.
The sensei returned the gesture with a dry look.
Only after a few seconds did Souma seem to realize that this alone wasn't a sufficient answer. He cleared his throat and lowered the sword to rest across his lap. "Kenjutsu, chakra flow, and nature transformation, sensei."
"I imagine," Hayama began dryly, "that by 'nature transformation' you mean only the first step of elemental release, yes?"
Souma nodded firmly.
That earned a short huff of amusement. "Honestly, I think you'll benefit the most from my training, since our fighting styles are so similar. I don't recognize your sword style, though – I assume that's being handled by your mother?"
"Yes," Souma replied. "My mother was a student of the Yahan Issen-ryū dōjō. My own style is a version of it mixed with my father's."
Hayama nodded his assent. "In that case, I'll provide you with a sparring partner and a personalized training regimen designed to take advantage of your speed and resilience. I'll be damned if you don't become one of the fastest shinobi in the village by the time I'm done with you," he added with a smile.
"Beyond that, guiding you in improving your chakra flow should be easy enough. I can also give you pointers on how to begin implementing nature transformation into it – though having Lightning as your nature will make that a bit of a challenge…"
"My mom can help," Yohei said, making the others turn toward him as he shrugged. "Her nature's Lightning too, and I know for a fact she can use it alongside chakra flow – though I've only seen her do it with senbon before."
"And she'd be amenable to teaching your teammate?" Hayama asked.
Yohei smiled and gave them a double thumbs-up. "My mom's the best. Besides, helping Souma is the same as helping me, since we'll be protecting each other."
Yohei's eyes went wide as he noticed Souma shift from sitting cross-legged to kneeling, his hands planting themselves on the ground as he began lowering his head into a dogeza –
Or he would have, if Yohei hadn't rushed forward in a panic, stopping him mid-motion while the other two watched with open amusement.
"Hey! No – there's no need for that! Really!" Yohei blurted out, grabbing Souma and hauling him back upright. "I'm not doing anything! If you want to thank someone, thank my mom – but don't do a dogeza for her either!"
He punctuated the words by patting Souma on the shoulders.
Souma responded with a blinding smile and a sharp nod. "Hm!"
Yohei let out a relieved sigh.
Hayama chuckled lowly. "If you're quite done?"
Yohei gave Souma one last pat before returning to his seat.
"Good," Hayama said. "Now, with that taken care of – what about you, Yohei? What kind of shinobi do you see yourself becoming in a few years?"
'In a few years…'
Yohei honestly had no idea.
There was no helping it. Usually, shinobi worked with what they were handed at birth – innate chakra reserves, bloodline limits, family techniques, elemental affinity – and made the best of it.
But Yohei?
What he had a week ago and what he had now were two completely different worlds.
The Forever Fangs.
The Shinsōgan.
Extreme Muscle Assault.
Thousand-Sound Perception.
Iron-Body Transformation.
Ever-Blooming Essence.
Mugetsu.
All of them were things he hadn't possessed before – things that had already reshaped his fighting style and the way he approached problems. And they were just the beginning. Even now, he already had another 'Reward' waiting to be claimed.
What about tomorrow?
What about in a week? A month? A year?
He had no way of knowing what he would gain next – or whether it would once again upend his entire methodology.
…But he couldn't think like this.
This way of thinking was a trap.
Even if he had access to a potentially infinite number of tools –
'I don't have the infinite time required to train them.'
Despite how easily he'd learned and applied Extreme Muscle Assault and Thousand-Sound Perception, he knew he hadn't come close to their true potential. He hadn't honed them to perfection. That would take time – and he'd never reach that point if he kept jumping from one new ability to the next.
'I need to funnel it down,' he realized. 'Choose a path, and only incorporate what fits.'
Of course, if he had the time and the opportunity, adding new weapons to his arsenal would always be welcome – but stretching himself too thin would only end one way.
Torn apart.
Which left him with two questions.
What should Yohei's path be?
And what the hell should he do with the rewards that didn't fit him?
…
Looking at his team, a smile came unbidden to Yohei's lips.
'I think I have an idea.'
That idea, however, came bundled with an entire host of complications he'd need to think through eventually.
'Later,' he decided.
He lifted his gaze back to his jōnin-sensei, who had been patiently waiting for his answer.
"I'm good at taijutsu, sensei," Yohei said. "I think my best bet is to keep going down that path – especially considering my Extreme Muscle Assault technique. That's something I want to develop further, along with other similar body-based techniques."
Hayama listened without interrupting, nodding slightly.
"You already know I have a Water affinity," Yohei continued. "It's completely untrained right now, but I'd like to at least learn the basics for utility, if nothing else. And… something that isn't in my files, since I only discovered it recently – I have a Yang affinity. I've been working with it alongside my mom, mostly through iryōninjutsu. I'm just starting out, but I want to take that as far as I can."
His sensei smiled down at him, one eyebrow lifting.
"So – taijutsu, body techniques, and iryōninjutsu, with a minor focus on Water Release?" Hayama let out a short laugh. "If Tsunade-sama were still in the village, I think she might've taken you as an apprentice."
He shook his head then, his expression turning thoughtful.
"Unfortunately, much like Souma will likely benefit the most from my direct teaching, you're the one who'll benefit the least." Hayama raised a hand before Yohei could react. "As a jōnin, my taijutsu is solid – but it's not something I've invested in deeply enough to truly bring out your full potential. I have no experience with Yang Release or medical ninjutsu, and I've never even touched Water Release."
He paused – then grinned slightly.
"However," he emphasized, "I can help you build a strong foundation. I can push your physical conditioning, refine your use of techniques, and sharpen your combat instincts. As for your specialties – since you already have iryōninjutsu and Yang Release covered through your mother, I know exactly who I can ask to help you with taijutsu and Water Release."
"Who?" Yohei asked, interest sparking immediately.
Hayama lifted a finger to his lips. "I'll leave that as a surprise."
He rose to his feet, and the genin followed suit.
"Now," he said calmly, "all of you strip down to your underwear – or don't. Just be warned that keeping your clothes on will make your training harder."
Ren let out an exaggerated shriek, dramatically crossing his arms over his chest while barely hiding a grin. "Sensei, you pervert!"
Hayama gave him a flat look. "Actually, I've changed my mind. Yohei and Souma can take theirs off. Ren – you keep yours on."
Yohei snickered as Ren's expression shifted from teasing bravado to genuine alarm. He quickly divested himself of his many layers of clothing, stripping down to black boxers and luxuriating in the feel of wind against his skin and grass beneath his feet.
"Good," Hayama said with a nod, then tilted his head toward the river. "Now get in the water."
"Eh, sensei," Ren said weakly, "when you said 'get in the water,' you didn't mean, you know… a lake or a pool, right? You meant the river. The one with the strong current. The one that leads directly to a waterfall just a couple of meters away."
"I did, yes," Hayama replied mildly.
"Oh. Good to know I understood correctly," the red-eyed boy muttered, dragging his feet forward in open resignation.
Souma was already in the water by the time Yohei reached the riverbank, having been momentarily distracted by Ren's suffering. The white-haired boy swam with picture-perfect form, eyes locked forward – and Yohei understood why the moment he stepped in himself.
The current wasn't just fast.
It was strong.
Heavier than he'd expected, somehow – dense, almost oppressive – and it took real effort just to stay in place instead of being dragged downstream.
Effort that would be far greater for Ren, Yohei realized, given that the boy was still fully clothed. The fabric increased drag, weighed him down, and made every movement harder. Still, Ren endured it without complaint, even as suffering was written plainly across his face.
Once all three of them were in the water, Hayama-sensei approached and sat down on the riverbank, reclining comfortably against a stone.
"Good. Now, I know this requires focus, but I want you all to pay attention," he said calmly. "As I told you earlier, we'll be doing five missions a week, and your training will follow that same schedule."
He lifted one finger.
"On the first day – which is today – our focus will be general body conditioning. I'll diversify things starting next week, but for now your task is simple: just swim."
A second finger.
"Tomorrow, we'll work on chakra exercises – both to improve your control and expand your reserves. That will include basic, non-elemental techniques."
A third.
"On the following day, we'll focus on your physical disciplines – taijutsu for Yohei, kenjutsu for Souma, and bukijutsu for Ren, with sparring between you mixed in."
A fourth.
"On the fourth day, we'll work on ninjutsu – and in Ren's case, genjutsu as well."
And finally, a fifth finger.
"On the fifth day, we'll put everything you learned during the week into practice, through either combat or survival training."
He clasped his hands together over his stomach.
"The remaining two days are for rest. No missions, no official training sessions. That said," he added mildly, "barring any extraordinary situations, I'll still be available if you need help with something you're struggling with. You're also free to train on your own – and I do expect you to maintain at least a light level of exercise."
His smile sharpened just a little.
"I'd hate to see one of you have grown rusty during Physical Conditioning. Why, I think I'd have to go extra hard on whoever did that to make up for the lost days."
"Understood?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of amused malice.
"Yes, sensei!" the genin chorused quickly.
"Wonderful," Hayama said, closing his eyes as he leaned back more comfortably against the stone.
Ren sputtered as a surge of water slammed into his face, choking the words out of him between frantic breaths.
"W–wait! Sensei-!" he gasped, coughing as he swallowed more river than air. "H–how long are we supposed to keep swimming?!"
"Hm?" Hayama hummed lazily, not even opening his eyes. "Oh, don't worry about such trifling details, my genin." He shifted slightly against the stone, settling in more comfortably. "I'll take a nap. Perhaps I'll feel satisfied with your training once I wake up, yes?"
Ren made a sound somewhere between a whimper and a gurgle.
"Oh, of course," Hayama continued mildly, "it would be terribly irresponsible of me to let one of you fall down the waterfall." He cracked one eye open, glancing at them. "So beyond keeping yourselves in place, if you notice any of your teammates starting to struggle too much, I want the other two to help keep him afloat until he recovers."
His tone sharpened just a fraction.
"Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to double the intensity of your training during our next session."
That got everyone's attention.
He opened both eyes then, fixing them with a sharp look and a smirk. "Of course, worse than being punished is disobeying your sensei. And since I told you to swim, I want you to swim."
The current surged again, dragging at their bodies.
"So," Hayama continued pleasantly, "if you ever have to choose between getting out of the water and falling down the waterfall – fall down the waterfall." He waved a hand dismissively. "The height isn't enough to seriously injure any of you, and I assure you it would be far preferable to what I'll do if you step onto land."
He tilted his head. "Understood?"
"Yes, sensei!" they shouted back in unison – though this time, despair seeped unmistakably into their voices. Especially Ren's, who looked one strong wave away from tears.
"Good luck, then," Hayama said warmly.
With that, he closed his eyes again and returned to his nap, leaving three genin battling the river, the current, and the growing realization that this was only the first day of training.