On a warm weekend morning, Kagami headed to the outskirts of the Inuzuka clan's training ground. As he approached, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Kagami, over here!"

He turned to see Hana waving at him, a bright smile on her face. She was dressed in a black tank top and capri pants, showcasing her athletic build.

"Good morning," he said, jogging over to her.

"Morning!" she replied, bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. "Ready to get started?"

Kagami nodded, but his attention was drawn to the three small, gray puppies squatting at her feet. They were almost identical, with fluffy fur and curious eyes.

"Oh, these are my ninken!" Hana said, noticing his gaze. "The Haimaru brothers. They're triplets, so they all share the same name."

Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that confusing? How do you tell them apart?"

Hana laughed, looking a bit sheepish. "It can be a challenge, yeah. That's why I don't bring all three to school - I don't want to cause any mix-ups."

As she scratched one of the puppies behind the ears, a soft smile spread across her face.

"Don't worry, though. The more we train and bond, the easier it'll be for me to communicate with them. Eventually, I won't even need to use their names to give commands."

He'd heard of the Inuzuka clan's partnership with ninken, but he'd never thought about just how deep that connection ran.

"That's incredible," he said, genuinely impressed. "I had no idea the bond could be that strong."

Hana's grin grew wider. "Just wait until you meet my mom's partner, Kuromaru. He's like a human in every way. It's amazing to see."

It made sense, given the world's dynamics, that animals with high intelligence and longevity could develop the ability to speak.

It wasn't surprising at all.

Given that Hana had three ninja dogs of her own, it was clear that the Inuzuka clan held her in high regard.

After all, the Inuzuka clan was renowned for their partnership with ninja dogs, and the number of dogs a clan member had could significantly impact their combat prowess.

A collaboration of three dogs and one person using the Fang Over Fang technique would be far stronger than a single dog and one person.

But he wasn't interested in playing with dogs right now; his priority was getting started with the training.

Hana clapped her hands, turning her attention back to the task at hand. "Enough chit-chat, let's get started! Haimaru, you three go play for a bit, but don't stray too far, okay?"

The puppies yelped in agreement and took off, chasing each other's tails as they went.

She led Kagami across the training field, past the various obstacles and equipment, until they reached the quiet of the forest's edge.

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"This should be a good spot," she said, turning to face him.

"Alright, shall we begin?" she asked, her voice a little softer than before.

He nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Alright, let's start with the Clone Technique. Show me what you've got so far. Go through the hand signs and try to create a clone."

He thought back to his own learning process. He remembered how it had clicked for him, like breaking through a thin barrier.

Once you got it, it became second nature.

The only real limitation was chakra capacity. But for now, he was more interested in seeing Hana's progress.

"Show me what you've got," Kagami said, his eyes locked on Hana.

She complied, her hands went through the hand signs with impressive speed. There was a puff of smoke, and a second Hana appeared at her side...

...except this Hana was only a quarter of the original's size, like a miniature version of herself.

Kagami bit back a smile, trying not to laugh at the tiny clone. It was a common mistake, one that every ninja made when learning the technique.

Noticing Hana's frustration, he made a mental note to offer some encouragement.

"That's a great start," he said encouragingly. "You've got the basic form down. Now it's just a matter of fine-tuning your chakra control."

He spent the next hour coaching her, sharing the tips and tricks he'd learned, and offering motivational boosts when frustration threatened to take over.

By the session's end, her clones looked much more realistic, even if they still tended to be a bit on the small side.

"You're really getting the hang of it," Kagami said with a thumbs up. "Just keep practicing and don't rush. You'll get there."

Hana beamed at the praise, her earlier frustration melting away. "Thanks, Kagami. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Your turn," Hana said, a hint of a smile on her face. "Ready to get into some taijutsu?"

He grinned. "Bring it on."

----------

Hana proved to be a natural instructor when it came to martial arts. She effortlessly broke down the basics, explaining the difference between hard and soft styles of combat.

"Most ninjas focus on the hard style," she said, demonstrating a series of punches and kicks that left the air ringing.

"It's all about dealing direct, physical damage to your opponent. You build up your strength and speed through constant training and sparring."

As she shifted her stance, her movements became more fluid and almost dance-like.

"But some clans, like the Hyuga, specialize in the soft style," she continued.

"They target the enemy's internal organs and chakra network, using precise strikes to disable them from within."

Kagami watched, captivated, as Hana demonstrated the different techniques.

He could see the appeal of both styles - the raw power of the hard fist, the elegant efficiency of the soft.

As he watched Hana, he nodded thoughtfully.

"So it's all about finding the right balance," he mused, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Building up your physical abilities, but also learning to channel chakra to enhance them."

Hana nodded, pleased with his insight.

"The human body can only handle so much chakra at once, so there's a limit to how far you can push it. But with dedicated training, you can increase that limit, bit by bit."

She grinned, dropping into a fighting stance. "Want to give it a try?"

Kagami mirrored her stance, his muscles tensing as he prepared to spar. "Absolutely," he said.

They spent the next few hours sparring, Hana correcting his form and offering advice as they went.

The training was grueling, pushing Kagami's body to its limits and beyond, but he reveled in the challenge.

By the time they called a halt, both of them were drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

As they lay there, watching the clouds drift lazily by, he felt a respect for Hana.

She was more than just a cute face and a team of adorable ninja dogs.

She was a talented ninja in her own right.

He realized he was lucky to have her as a training partner - and even luckier to have her as a friend.

"Same time next week?" he asked, turning his head to grin at her.

Hana's laughter rang out, bright and carefree in the warm summer air. "You can count on it. And don't think I'll go easy on you just because you helped me with my clones."

He chuckled, pushing himself up to his feet and offering Hana a hand up. "Wouldn't dream of it, but we still have time for another round."

They continued training under the watchful eye of the sun. As they sparred, Kagami felt content.

This, he thought, was what being a ninja was all about - not just the flashy moves or high-stakes missions, but the bonds forged through shared struggle and mutual respect.

With friends like Hana by his side, he felt like he could tackle anything the world threw his way.

And he was going to need that confidence, because the world was getting stranger and more dangerous by the day.