Both Ryu and Toshiro trained in their respective tasks. Ryu was in Senju-style taijutsu, and Toshiro was making walls and tunnels in the ground. Both of them persisted until they were completely drained of chakra.
Ryu asked Toshiro again, "Want to spar again?"
Toshiro smiled and replied, "Anytime."
Then, Ryu and Toshiro engaged in taijutsu sparring. Through these fights both Ryu and Toshiro acknowledged the benefits of taijutsu training without relying on chakra, as it significantly improved their raw strength and resilience. It forced the muscles to work independently, enhancing their raw strength and resilience.
Both Ryu and Toshiro used academy-style taijutsu and a bit of Senju-style taijutsu with the leftover chakra he had. After some exchange of blows, Ryu shifted to his own fighting style, the Brazilian capoeira mixed into the Senju-style taijutsu, creating a fluid, unpredictable combination.
He moved with a dancer's grace, his movements blurring into a whirlwind of kicks and sweeps. His aerobic skills, forward and backward flip-kicks, random jump kicks and dance-like movements were keeping Toshiro on his toes, giving him trouble predicting his next move.
"Tch, this again," Toshiro said in annoyance.
Tsunade, Natsurama Senju, and Tashiro Senju observed the sparring match.
Natsurama and Tashiro had witnessed Ryu's unique style before, but Tsunade was captivated by its unpredictable nature.
"He didn't use it against me," Tsunade said.
Natsurama replied, "Maybe his legs were too short to hit you with that funny taijutsu. That's why."
"Maybe. From what I can see, he's already incorporating very small chakra impulses into his movements," Tsunade noted. "Even a light touch generates the force of a full-powered chakra-enhanced punch. This could be called a new taijutsu style in its own right. But it has too many flaws. It's unpredictable for sure, but the user also needs a wider sphere of awareness; otherwise, they will be hit by a long-range ninjutsu."
Tashiro Senju said, "Even if he may not use this taijutsu in an actual fight, coming up with it still speaks volumes of his talent. Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Fuinjutsu, and Medical Ninjutsu, and from the information Shizune has collected from the teachers of his academy class, he is also proficient in genjutsu. He will master Senju-style Taijutsu in a few more days. That kind of talent is almost scary."
Natsurama nodded and thought, 'Yes, almost as scary as Lord First and Lord Second.'
Ryu, though low on chakra, utilised it efficiently by releasing bursts of chakra impulse with each punch. Ryu used his legs to toss stones up and used punches to throw them as projectiles.
Toshiro dodged the stones but failed to evade the kick that swiftly followed, catching him off guard. Toshiro, defeated, asked, "Teach me your fighting style!"
Ryu thought for a second and then replied, "It's not going to be easy or battle ready without long practice. And also you need to increase your awareness of the surroundings to use this method. It also isn't effective when your opponent uses long-range or mid-range ninjutsu or flying weapons. Are you sure you want to learn it?"
Toshiro nodded and replied, "Even if I am not able to replicate it, it is still cool. I want to learn it. It will be effective in one-on-one battles."
Ryu said, "Fine. The purpose behind my fighting style is a constant state of motion and mixing dance in the movements to hide my actual attacks in those vague movements."
Ryu spent the next hour or so instructing Toshiro in the intricacies of Capoeira, explaining the significance of each move.
Ryu thought, 'With this we are even,' as he left for his home.
In the evening, Ikkyu Madoka arrived with his sister Aoi and Azuma Kasen, the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers, to meet with Ryu for a business deal that involved discussing a potential partnership for a new factory. Ryu did not want to pass up this opportunity, so he devised a number of strategies to persuade the Daimyo.
Daimyo also was thinking to make gains through this meeting. He was told of Ryu's exploits through Aoi and Ikkyu, and his own informants told him that he and his grandfather are the real deal. As his land was not as rich as other lands, Daimyo also plans to make some profit out of this deal.
Daimyo coming to meet someone at their homes was not a common sight. When the spies and informants informed their respective parties, there was a big commotion everywhere. But this commotion was nothing compared to what was about to happen after this meeting.
Dan Hamura greeted both Daimyo of the Land of River and Ikkyu and said, "Please welcome."
He had prepared everything for this meeting beforehand, including their favourite foods and drinks.
The meeting begins with pleasantries, and the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers expresses gratitude to Ryu for healing his granddaughter, Aoi Madoka.
"Ryu Hamura," the Daimyo began, "I cannot thank you enough for what you've done for my only granddaughter."
Ryu bowed his head slightly, a modest smile playing on his lips as he said, "It was my duty, Lord Daimyo. As a medical apprentice, I would have done the same for anyone in need. You owe me nothing. My actions reflect the ethics and principles of medical practice."
Dan, understanding Ryu's nature, smiled, but Ikkyu and Daimyo were stunned at his response.
Ryu thought, "While I need his favour, I cannot rely on the fact that I treated Aoi; it does not reflect well on my integrity as a medical professional."
Ikkyu, who had been quietly observing the exchange, nodded to himself in agreement as he thought, "Ryu did not even try to leverage his good deed. He is very confident that this deal will happen anyway."
The daimyo of the Land of Rivers also thought the same as Ikkyu. The Daimyo's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze piercing as he studied Ryu as he thought, "He doesn't seek to use this debt to his advantage," the Daimyo thought to himself. "He is either a fool or a man of honour. Aoi told me that he is the smartest person she had ever met, so if I believe her, then it is not foolishness."
Aoi, who had been listening to the exchange, suddenly spoke up to express her gratitude and appreciation. "Thank you, Ryu-kun. I'm very grateful. I have friends because of you, and I can now play with them outside in the open without covering my face."
Ryu turned to her and smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Lady Aoi. I'm glad you're feeling better."
Ikkyu cleared his throat and said, "Aoi, I brought you here because you wanted to meet Ryu. While we discuss business matters, why don't you go with the servants? They can keep you entertained."
Aoi nodded, though her eyes sparkled with a hint of disappointment. She wanted to play more with Ryu and also see what more inventions he came up with, but she also understood that she was not supposed to partake in such meetings, so she sat up to leave.
"Speaking of entertainment," Ryu interrupted. He looked at the Daimyo and said, "Please excuse me. I have something for her."
Ryu reached into his ninja bag and pulled out a small scroll. He summoned a peculiar device. It was a prototype Game Boy, complete with the games Snake and Tetris, copied from another prototype he had acquired.
"Here, Aoi," Ryu said, handing her the device. "Last time you were here, I promised you a fun game. Here it is. Consider it a gift."
Aoi's eyes widened in excitement as she took the device. "What is it?" she asked, her fingers tracing the buttons and screen.
Ryu explained, a hint of excitement in his voice. "A device for games. You are the only kid in the world to have this right now."
Aoi looked up at him, a playful grin forming. "But what about you? You're younger than me."
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Ryu chuckled, his response ready. "Creators do not count as children. Let me show you how it works."
Both Daimyo and Ikkyu noticed his comment and thought, "So, he no longer considered himself a kid."
Dan already knew this, so he did not think too much of his comment.
He took a moment to explain the controls, demonstrating how to play both Snake and Tetris. Aoi was immediately captivated by the Snake game, her eyes glued to the screen as she tried to navigate the growing serpent.
The Daimyo and Ikkyu, however, found themselves more intrigued by Tetris, with the falling blocks capturing their attention and sparking a blend of confusion and fascination.
"This is... fascinating," the Daimyo murmured, watching as Ryu expertly rotated and arranged the falling blocks. "It is a good game."
Ikkyu nodded in agreement. "Indeed. It's a game that requires both skill and foresight."
Ryu replied, "There are more games coming in the future; many of them will be for kids, but I am also thinking of strategy games for adults as well. Like Shogi."
The Daimyo and Ikkyu exchanged knowing glances, intrigued by the idea of future games to come.
##PoWeR StOnEs##
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