Demon Dragon Rider

Chapter 3: Training and Growth

Early the next morning, with the sun barely risen, Naruto was outside in the bottom of the canyon, stretching out his muscles for the training ahead. He had put on a plain white t-shirt; with a red swirl design, like on his old jacket and the flak vest worn by Konoha’s Chunin and Jounin. He also had his orange and black pants on.

Eragon nodded. “Alright. This will be your training schedule. Each morning before breakfast, you will begin your physical training. At the same time, I want ten of your clones in the library I’ve put together, studying the ancient language. I have several scrolls and books that I’ve written over the years, all for the purpose of training one to read, write and speak the ancient language.”

Naruto nodded as he created the amount of clones and they headed off back into the caves. Eragon nodded. “Every day, I want you to give me two hundred and fifty pushups, situps, squat thrusts and chin ups. As time goes by, I’ll increase the number. You’ll also jog the length of this canyon, which is three miles in either direction from this point. You’ll jog down to the end and then return, before continuing on the other end, and then returning. And since you are a ninja eventually, you’ll be doing so while either running on the river here or along the cliff walls.

Naruto nodded while still feeling apprehensive about that.

Eragon grinned. “Once all that is done, I’ll teach you the way  of the sword. Then you’ll be able to have breakfast. Once that’s done, I will teach you those things that need a hands-on approach to learn, such as smithing, and caring for your dragon. Finally, you’ll end the day by spending two hours carrying water from the river here up to the top of the cliff, where I have made a basin in a boulder. You will attempt to fill it up…but you can only carry the water with your hands,” he said.

Naruto’s eyes went wide. “W-what?! That’s impossible!!” he shouted. Eragon growled with his eyes hardening.

“You will do it. Trust me…that particular training will come in very handy and it’s far better than what I did,” he said. Naruto just gaped at him and Eragon shrugged. “You’ll end the day with another workout and then you can go to bed,” he said. “Well? Don’t just stand there. Get to work!!” he shouted.

Naruto just stared at him before growling and getting down to start his pushups. “Crazy weirdo sensei,” he muttered under his breath as he began. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his back and looked up to see Eragon had placed several weights on him.

“I forgot…you’ll be doing this while wearing these fifty pound weights. Wish I had them while training. They’ll come in handy for getting used to wearing armor,” he said with a mischievous grin as he sat next to Naruto’s dragon and motioned for Naruto to get the weights on.

Naruto grumbled as he slid on ankle weights, brace weights and a vest that was at a hundred pounds in weight. Then he went back to work, grunting as he lifted his heavier body up off the ground.

Eragon just chuckled as he looked at the little black dragon. “Well,this will be fun, don’t you think?” he asked. The dragon just yawned and stretched.

Naruto spent two hours on his physical training as the weights made it hard for him to move fast. By the time he came back, he was sweating and breathing hard. He dropped on the ground, taking in deep breaths when a wooden branch carved like a sword landed next to him. He looked at it then up at Eragon who held another branch.

“Well? Pick it up,” he said. Naruto just groaned.

“I can barely move. Give me a chance to breathe,” he said, sitting up. At that moment, Eragon’s stick smacked him upside the head. He yelped in pain and shot up, grabbing his stick to block Eragon’s next strike.