Yuzuki crouched before Sasuke, watching as he furrowed his brows in deep concentration
His tiny hands pressed together in a basic seal, his chakra flickering unsteadily around him
"Alright, Sasuke"
Yuzuki said, tapping a finger against her chin
"Now that you've built a decent foundation, it's time to refine your control
No more just circulating chakra aimlessly
We need to start pushing it into your limbs"
Sasuke nodded eagerly, though his expression was still full of frustration
"I keep trying, but my chakra won't stay steady"
Yuzuki smirked
"Then we fix that
Watch closely"
She extended her hand and, with precise control, pulled chakra into her fingers
Unlike before, where she had demonstrated simple circulation,
this time she directed the energy outward in a controlled pulse,
causing a faint shimmer of heat to distort the air around her palm
Sasuke's eyes widened
"Whoa! How did you-"
"Focus, brat
I'm showing, not telling"
She flexed her fingers, keeping the chakra steady
"This is where strength comes in
The foundation techniques I taught you before? They were just that, a foundation
Now we refine
Directing chakra to your limbs strengthens them, makes your movements more efficient, and, when you're better at it, allows you to move faster and hit harder"
Sasuke's jaw tightened in determination
"I want to try again!"
"Good
But do it properly this time"
As Sasuke threw himself into practice once more, Yuzuki sat back, folding her arms
She wasn't just teaching him, this was a perfect moment to experiment with something of her own
'It's been three years
Time to see if chakra and cultivation can mix'
{Finally
I was starting to think you'd forgotten}
'I don't forget, Indra
I just like to be sure before I test new ideas'
With a deep inhale, Yuzuki closed her eyes and turned her attention inward
The process of cultivation was second nature by now, a steady rhythm that pulsed through her soul
She guided her spiritual energy the way she always had, calm, measured, flowing like an unseen current
But this time, she did something different
She reached for her chakra
Slowly, cautiously, she wove the dense energy into her cultivation pathways
The result was immediate
A jolt, sharp like static coursing through her, disrupting the steady flow she had perfected over years of training
Her muscles tensed involuntarily
'Tch
Too much, too fast'
She adjusted, easing the chakra in at a slower pace, letting it blend rather than force its way through
The initial resistance began to fade, but it was clear that chakra didn't naturally align with cultivation energy
They moved differently, like oil and water struggling to mix
{I told you this would be difficult}
'And I told you I'd figure it out'
Despite the rough integration, she felt something, an unfamiliar but promising sensation, as if a deeper power could be unlocked with the right balance
She opened her eyes, exhaling slowly
'Not there yet
But closer'
Across from her, Sasuke grunted in frustration as his chakra sputtered out again
"Hey, no slacking! Keep at it!"
Sasuke huffed, wiping sweat from his brow but nodded
Yuzuki smirked
She wasn't the only one trying to push past her limits today
Watching Sasuke struggle, Yuzuki felt a familiar thought settle in her mind
Her way of training, relentless, solitary, refining every detail until perfection, had worked for her
But Sasuke wasn't her
He had family, people who supported him, a world beyond pure strength
Maybe the way she taught needed to change, too
She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to slip into her inner world
The transition was smooth, instinctive. After years of practice, she could exist in both places at once, continuing her lesson with Sasuke while turning her attention inward
Within her mindscape, Indra was already there, arms crossed, watching her with an unreadable expression
{Still multitasking, I see
Do you ever slow down?}
Yuzuki scoffed
'Not when there's nothing else to do in this place'
{Hnn
So dramatic
You make it sound like a prison}
She opened her hand, and glowing lines of energy spiraled outward, forming intricate patterns in the air
Indra's gaze flicked to them immediately, his Sharingan spinning as he studied the shapes
'Pay attention
If you mess this up, it'll take ages to fix'
{This is... considerably more advanced than what you're showing Sasuke}
'Obviously
Sasuke's working on the basics of chakra control
You, on the other hand, are supposed to be a legendary genius, aren't you?'
{Hnn...
I can't tell if that was flattery or an insult}
'Neither
Just facts'
Yuzuki smirked, tracing a new line into the air
'Follow this sequence exactly
Think of it like carving a riverbed, if you force it too fast, you'll crack the foundation
Too slow, and it won't flow properly at all'
Indra's gaze darkened slightly as he focused, committing every movement to memory
{You're surprisingly meticulous with this}
'I don't waste effort on things that don't matter'
Yuzuki replied casually
'And this? This matters'
A slow hum of approval left Indra as he continued watching the patterns form
{I'll admit, your methods are effective
Sasuke's progressing faster than I expected}
Yuzuki shrugged
'Naturally'
Yuzuki replied with mock arrogance, brushing off the compliment
But for a split second, something flickered in her expression, uncertainty, hesitation
It was gone in an instant, masked by an easy, almost exaggerated laugh
'What can I say? I'm amazing'
{You're good, but I think you're underselling yourself}
Yuzuki faltered
The sincerity in Indra's tone caught her off guard
He wasn't teasing her
He meant it
A strange warmth settled in her chest, unfamiliar and unwelcome
She waved a hand dismissively
'Don't go getting sentimental on me
Just focus on your lines'
{Hnn
You're deflecting}
'And you're stalling'
She pointed to the glowing diagram hanging in the air
'Get back to work'
Indra chuckled but didn't push the matter
He turned his attention back to the intricate pattern, his expression sharpening as he traced the flowing energy paths
The mindscape settled into comfortable silence
Then, a faint voice echoed through the space, breaking the quiet
"Yuzuki-nee... Why does chakra come from both the body and the mind? Shouldn't it just come from one or the other?"
Yuzuki blinked
Sasuke's voice, muffled yet clear enough, pulled her awareness back to reality
She hadn't expected a question like that
Even Indra paused
His expression shifted, a trace of intrigue slipping through his usual composure
{... That's an interesting question
And a sharp one at that}
Yuzuki exhaled
'I'll handle it'
She hesitated
Realizing she didn't actually have a straightforward answer
'Actually, no
You help me handle it'
{Oh? Asking for my help?}
Indra's tone held amusement, but beneath it, there was something else, a flicker of quiet pride
'Don't let it go to your head'
Yuzuki tapped her fingers against her arm, stalling for time
She could dissect energy manipulation in cultivation without a second thought, but chakra?
This world's energy system still had gaps she hadn't fully bridged
Sasuke's question wasn't something she could just brush off
'Alright, Indra'
She muttered
'Enlighten me'
{Hnn
You should already know this, considering how much you claim to understand energy flow}
Yuzuki rolled her eyes
'Yeah, yeah
Just explain it'
Indra smirked, leaning slightly forward as if relishing the opportunity
{Listen closely, then
This is where the real understanding begins}
"Chakra isn't just energy"
Yuzuki started, drawing from Indra's explanation while piecing together her own understanding
"It responds to your thoughts, emotions, even your intentions
When you focus on something different, your chakra shifts with it"
Sasuke frowned slightly
"So... it's alive?"
Indra chuckled in Yuzuki's mind
{Not quite, but it's an extension of yourself
When you get angry, your body tenses, your breath changes, and so does the way chakra moves
It reacts to you
But that doesn't mean it always works better when fueled by emotion}
Yuzuki nodded
"Think of it like a fire
A strong wind can make it burn brighter... or blow it out completely
If you don't control how the wind moves, you'll lose it"
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly in realization
"So if I learn to control it no matter what I'm feeling, it'll always work the way I want it to?"
Indra hummed in approval
{Sharp
That's exactly it}
Yuzuki grinned, ruffling Sasuke's hair
"Looks like you're getting it"
Yuzuki smirked at Indra but didn't say anything
Instead, she turned her gaze back to Sasuke, watching the way his brows knit together in focus
His tiny hands moved carefully through the seals she had taught him, chakra flickering unsteadily as he tried to refine his control
His determination pressed against his childish uncertainty, and for a brief moment, Yuzuki wondered just how much their paths had already set themselves in stone
Sasuke's eyes burned with silent resolve as he threw himself back into training
Yuzuki leaned back against the wall, arms crossing over her chest, idly twisting a lock of her hair between her fingers
A small, amused breath left her lips
'He's serious about this
Determined'
{It reminds you of something, doesn't it?}
Yuzuki's fingers stilled for half a second before resuming their lazy twirl
'Hnn
Maybe'
Her past life had been filled with relentless, solitary training
Not because she had wanted to be alone, but because no one else had ever been worth training with
No one had matched her pace
No one had been strong enough to walk beside her
No one but Yuna
A flicker of something unfamiliar stirred in her chest, something tight, something heavy
She frowned, forcing the feeling aside
It didn't matter
That was a past life
This was now
Sasuke exhaled sharply, pushing his chakra to settle, and she could tell he was close to getting it
He had absorbed so much of what she had taught him already, but what about what he would learn beyond her?
What would happen when he surpassed her?
The thought was absurd, but for a split second, it sank into her mind like a seed buried in fertile soil
'Tch... This world is different'
Yuzuki shook her head, scoffing at herself
She had no intention of being left behind
She thought, forcing herself to push the lingering thoughts away
'I'll just have to adjust'
She let her eyes drift back to Sasuke
He wasn't Yuna, nor was he like her
But that was fine
Yuzuki shifted her weight against the wall, letting the barest hint of a smirk tug at her lips
"I wonder how far you'll go"
She murmured under her breath
In the mindscape, Indra's fingers twitched slightly as he replayed the motion in his mind
The intricate flow of mental energy Yuzuki had demonstrated, it was precise, masterful, completely unlike anything he had ever encountered
His Sharingan whirled, committing the pattern to memory, tracing the flow of energy again and again
It was beyond anything he had ever studied, beyond what even the sages of his time had grasped
And yet, this was merely an introduction...
The barest fraction of what she considered worth teaching
"This technique is..."
Indra hesitated, searching for the right words
"It's a level of refinement that even my father never spoke of"
Yuzuki scoffed
"Oh, please
This is basic"
Indra's brow furrowed
If this was basic, then what did true mastery look like?
What kind of heights had she reached in her past life?
His Sharingan ensured that the moment of her overwhelming power was burned into his mind, never to fade
Every pulse of her energy, every shift of it, every chilling wave of strength, it was there, always
Indra clenched his fists
He had no need to ask what she was capable of
He had already seen it
He scoffed, shaking his head at himself before turning his attention back to Yuzuki
She was watching him with a raised brow, one hand resting lazily on her hip
"Lost in thought?"
She mused
Indra exhaled through his nose
"Merely analyzing what you taught me"
"Hah, good
I'd be disappointed if you weren't"
She paused, then tilted her head
"Speaking of which, that explanation earlier wasn't bad
Maybe you're more of a teacher than you thought"
Indra blinked
A compliment? From her?
She must have caught the flicker of surprise on his face because she smirked, crossing her arms
"What? Don't look so shocked
You actually helped"
"Hmph"
Indra schooled his expression, but something in his chest twisted uncomfortably
It had been a long time since he'd received genuine praise
Not since-
He cut the thought off before it could fully form
Yuzuki let the silence stretch for a moment before casually adding
"Maybe you had some practice before?
Your younger brother, perhaps?"
Indra stilled
The image of Ashura flickered through his mind, unbidden
The boy who had once followed him, admired him, believed in him
Indra had taught him once, back when they had still been brothers
Back before their paths had irrevocably diverged
His fingers curled slightly at his side
"That was a long time ago"
Yuzuki hummed but didn't press further
Indra turned away, closing his eyes
There was no need to entertain this conversation
But just as he stepped deeper into the mindscape, her voice called out again
"Hey, Indra"
He glanced over his shoulder
She smirked
"You're way too serious all the time"
Indra scoffed but didn't dignify it with a response, simply continuing forward into the depths of the mindscape
Yuzuki chuckled under her breath
Perhaps, despite everything, he wasn't entirely impossible to deal with after all
As Indra disappeared deeper into the mindscape, Yuzuki turned her focus back to the real world
Sasuke was still practicing, his small hands steady as he cycled his chakra
His brows furrowed in deep concentration, but this time, there was no frustration, just determination
A small smirk tugged at Yuzuki's lips
"Looks like you've got the hang of it"
She remarked
Sasuke's eyes snapped up to her, wide with surprise
"Really?"
"Hnn
Your control's better than when we started
Keep this up, and you might actually catch up to me someday"
Sasuke beamed, his chakra flickering a little more confidently around him
Yuzuki ruffled his hair, making him scowl and swat at her hand
"Nee-san, stop that!"
She just chuckled, standing up and stretching
"Alright, that's enough for today
Don't overdo it, or you'll mess up tomorrow's training"
Sasuke huffed but nodded, clearly reluctant to stop
As Yuzuki turned away, she spared one last glance at her younger brother, watching the way his expression burned with quiet resolve
He really was serious about this
And for some reason... she didn't mind that at all
-=Chapter End=-
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