The 'Item Box' That Only I Can Use Is Bugged - Chapter 17: The First Day (II)

“Originally, it was more akin to ninjutsu than martial arts.”

“Ni-ninjutsu? You mean like the techniques used by ninjas?”

Tsutae nodded and continued in response to Okinaga’s bewildered question.

“The founder’s family had a lineage of ninjas who operated in the shadows for the ruling powers of their times. This is pieced together from various ancient texts, though I can’t say for sure if they really were active as ninjas.”

This was surprising.

Ninjas were admired by many boys for their coolness.

Living in the shadows and dedicating their lives to their masters without ever stepping into the spotlight—this was the ideal of the unsung hero that Okinaga also admired.

“That’s why the ancient martial arts we learn inherit the techniques of ninjas. Our movements and fighting styles are quite similar to theirs.”

“So, does that mean you use shuriken and kunai?”

“Hehe, you’re such a boy. Do you like ninjas, perhaps?”

Tsutae’s smile as she asked this question made Okinaga blush and look away in embarrassment.

“We used to teach shuriken and kunai techniques until a while ago, but now we focus more on ‘these.'”

With that, she pulled something out of her pocket and showed it to him.

“A needle?”

It was a slender object, about 15 to 20 centimeters long, with sharp points at both ends.

“Have you heard of senbon?”

“Yes, it’s a ninja’s hidden weapon, right?”

“That’s right. Senbon may lack the killing power of shuriken and kunai, but they’re much lighter and easier to handle. They were particularly useful for assassinations!”

Please don’t say such things with such a bright smile. It’s a bit scary.

“Though handling senbon is something you’ll learn much later, I just wanted you to know about them for now.”

I see. It’s a bit disappointing not to be using shuriken or kunai, but senbon also seems cool, and I’m looking forward to learning about them.

“By the way, does this ancient martial art have a specific school or name? You mentioned the Hinobe-ryu ancient martial arts earlier.”

“Oh, I almost forgot to mention something important.”

She playfully stuck out her tongue, which was quite cute and made my heart skip a beat.

I didn’t notice Nakuru glaring at me with discontent from the side.

After a light cough, Tsutae spoke the name.

“We practice ‘Ninki Hinobe-ryu.’ Remember that.”

I engraved these words in my heart, repeating the name several times in my mind.

“Now, let’s start our training. As I mentioned earlier, the basics begin with physical conditioning. So, let’s start with some stretching.”

Flexibility is essential for any activity, including sports, to prevent injuries.

The three of us began stretching exercises similar to calisthenics and forward bends.

“Wow, Nakuru, you’re incredibly flexible!”

I noticed Nakuru doing a full split with her upper body flat against the tatami.

“Hehe, Okinaga, you’ll be able to do this soon enough too!”

She seemed pleased with the compliment and continued to show off her flexibility, almost like a member of a Chinese acrobat troupe.

Though Tsutae didn’t flaunt it like Nakuru, she was also quite flexible.

As for me, I couldn’t match their flexibility, but I could just barely touch the tatami with my hands in a standing forward bend.

Even though this was my current limit, Tsutae assured me that with daily stretching for a month, I could expect remarkable improvement.

“Okay, let’s move on to some light warm-up exercises.”

The next set of exercises included forward rolls, backward rolls, and crawling, which are being done to gradually warm up our bodies.

“Okinaga, are you good at sports?”

“Huh? Well, I used to attend my father’s swimming school.”

“I see. That’s why you have good core strength and stamina. Many kids can’t do forward and backward rolls properly, and those lacking exercise get out of breath easily.”

Indeed, my forward rolls were straight and didn’t tilt.

Although I wasn’t consciously trying, Tsutae seemed impressed by the form.

(Come to think of it, I don’t feel very tired.)

Normally, I would be out of breath by the time we finished stretching, but now, though my body was warm, I didn’t feel exhausted.

(Is this thanks to the strong body the god gave me?)

If so, that’s wonderful.

It means I can push my body to the limit without collapsing like in my previous life.

While giving my gratitude to the god, I followed Tsutae’s instructions.

After warming up, it was time for more serious physical training.

The initial exercises were fundamental, such as running in the dojo and practicing breakfalls like in judo.

Though repetitive and tiring, I enjoyed them.

The reason was that it had been a long time since I had engaged in physical activities with others.

Even seemingly mundane or boring tasks felt like the greatest form of entertainment to me.

(Ugh! Moving my body is so much fun!)

I naturally smiled and continued exercising tirelessly.

After a while, Tsutae’s voice called out, “That’s enough.”

What’s next, I wondered, feeling excited.

“That’s it for today.”

“What? Already?”

“Hehe, are you still full of energy? But look.”

She pointed to the wall clock.

(No way, it’s been two hours already?)

Although it felt like we had just started, the sweat on my body indicated otherwise.

“You’re the first person to keep up without breaks on the first day. Right, Nakuru?”

“Yes! You’re amazing, Okinaga!”

“Oh, I just got carried away because it was fun.”

It was true. Time had flown by because I was enjoying myself.

“Let’s finish with some stretching.”

Feeling a bit light-headed, the first day’s training came to an end.