So Far Away [Naruto Sequel]

So Far Away [Naruto Sequel] Chapter 20

"Now, I think what we need is someone who can guide you." Miya started, circling around me. "Someone who's going through the process themselves."

I watched her through my bangs, shifting slightly. "It seems like you know all about my, uh... "opponent", so why would I need someone else?"

"Just because I know about it, doesn't mean I know how to beat it." She told me with a frown, motioning towards a tree. "But he does."

I turned my attention to where she was pointing, which was a tree. But, behind the tree, stepped out the familiar face of Ryuu. "Ryuu? You're going to help?" I asked, surprised that he even had the time with everything else going on.

"Why wouldn't I?" He replied, sending a tired grin my way. "Third stage is a big deal and as I've heard, you got your butt kicked."

I stared at him flatly. "Well, do you have to fight a giant dragon?"

"Nope." He said simply, putting his hands behind his back. "But what I do have to fight is probably worse."

I frowned. How was he so sure that it was? Thinking back to when he showed me his beaten up arms though, it didn't surprise me. I mean sure, that dragon had left me some nasty bruises but nothing like how his arm was. And I needed to become stronger. Ryuu could definitely help me with that since he was so close to getting his third stage. "Alright, so what do I need to know?"

"That's the spirit." He encouraged, taking a seat next to me. "So in my experience, it's usually more of a mental challenge. Tell me about your opponent."

I thought back to the fight, and how the dragon acted. "Well, it was a dragon called the 'Guardian' and it looked bored all the time."

Ryuu chuckled. "They don't appreciate being sealed away. Would you?"

"No." I responded immediately, placing my hand under my chin to hold me up. "They didn't really put a lot of effort into the fight either. Mostly using their tail or paw to swat me away."

"Wow, you really weren't a challenge." Ryuu mocked, smirking at me.

"Hey." I said defensively, kicking him. Which in the end caused me more damage than him. I tried to hide the wince on my face that happened, rubbing the spot on my shin. "I just wasn't prepared, or something. At first it seemed like a friendly creature..."

"Maybe your attitude ticked it off." He suggested playfully.

"What?"

"Your energy, I mean. It could feel that you wanted to fight it when you saw it." He explained, shrugging his shoulders.

"I dunno... it seemed like it knew what I was there for." I replied, pouting slightly.

Ryuu placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought. "I think you just need to try different options. Don't fight it."

"I thought I needed to defeat it to get to my third stage?" I asked, squinting my eyes at him. If I didn't have to fight it, then I definitely wouldn't.

"Not necessarily." He answered, motioning towards his almost completely different colored arms. "My fight is mostly just a mental challenge, not physical."

I found myself staring at his arms, wide eyed. "That's just a mental challenge? You didn't fight?"

"Nah. I mean, he just attacked me." Ryuu said simply, like it was no big deal.

I continued to stare at him like he was crazy, glancing up and down his arms every once in awhile. "So are you saying that's what I have to do? Just take hits like it's nothing?"