Now What Have I Gotten Myself Into? ~Enter Konoha's number one knuckle head

54

                                                                                     Chapter 54

Standing in the forest outside of Konoha, my breathing labored as I bend forward and place my hands upon my knees in order to keep myself standing. The trees around me were scarred from my previous days of training though untouched by this training session. With the fight against Aphrodite on my mind. I now knew I could perform my shield against a jutsu, but my training today has shown... I can't seem to keep it up while trying to cast my own jutsu. This fact was frustrating to no end. "Here I am exhausted and barely able to remain standing and yet... Why?! Why can't I do it?!"

Try as I might, I can't seem to hold onto the energy around me while molding my chakra into a jutsu. All it seems to have been doing is severely draining me. Is this my limit? Is it impossible? It would make sense. There are Jutsu out there that are forbidden from being a double-edged sword. Then there are Jutsu that are strictly meant for certain purposes, they cannot be made to do anything other than what they are. Such as the clone jutsu. They are illusions meant to confuse the enemy. They cannot block nor defend for they are intangible. But thinking on it in that way there is a variation to such jutsu. Which would be the shadow clone jutsu. Where your clones are solid replicas and can aid you in fighting. Would it be possible that I am looking at this all wrong? That instead of doing two things at once that I should be looking for a variation? Or is it also a probable thought that it is just not possible to mix the energy of my shield with the chakra needed for a jutsu? Would that mean I need to do either or? Use energy or chakra? Such as, if I use my energy for my shield would I have to also use my energy to attack in order to keep my shield intact?

That in mind would mean I must now figure out a way to attack with my energy so I may figure out if I can maneuver an attack with my shield. Even though deep in the recesses of my mind I have a feeling that it is impossible. Attacking and defending at the same time in this manor may not be possible. Unlike a battle of intellect this is a physical aspect. You simply cannot block an attack with a kunai and still execute an attack with the same kunai while it is still blocking. So maybe instead of just focusing on my shield and keeping it up even when I am attacking. I should be figuring out how to move onto the next step. Which would be creating an attack with my energy so there would be no use in me using hand signs.

Even though I think that, I already know. My style of fighting, I don't usually use jutsu anyway unless it is as a diversion. I mainly rely on my speed, strength, and agility. So maybe I can find a way to manipulate my energy that would better fit my style? If I were to create an attack it would do me little to no good if I never actually use it. With that thought in mind I push myself to stand straight before turning to my travel bag that I have been bringing with me. Going to the tree it was resting next to I reach in and withdraw the heavy metal sets I had spent the last of my money on.

Taking my time, I remove my leg warmers and arm sleeves before slipping the weights Aphrodite had previously placed within and replacing them with the new and heavier ones. I need to focus on my strengths rather than probabilities that are less than 40 percent. Nodding to myself I replace my items back onto my limbs. First lifting one foot before the other after securing my sleeves and leg warmers I take in the extra weight. Making my legs feel as if I can barely move. I sigh before taking a few quick drinks from my flask to renew my energy and placing my pack back onto the ground. I have an idea of what I can train my energy to do next. But for that I will need to go to the library and pull books I will need to study. In the meantime. It wouldn't hurt to build up my current strengths so that they may better suit me in battle.