Naruto:Ten Skill Bar

[Detecting that the host has completed a skill release beyond the fixed skill quality.]

[Would you like to update the skill status?]

The skill bar notified Ishisaki that the status of Konoha-ryu Swordsmanship could be updated.

Without hesitation, Ishisaki chose to update. After all, each update refined the skill further, enhancing speed, accuracy, and reaction time.

"Update," Ishisaki silently commanded.

He planned to continue practicing until the skill reached its peak state. However, just as he prepared to resume, Gekkō Hayate stopped him.

"Wait,Ishisaki," Hayate said, stepping forward. "Practicing alone has its limits. Why don't I spar with you?"

Ishisaki raised an eyebrow. "Spar with me?"

Hayate nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Watching you practice is impressive, but I want to see how you fare in a proper contest. After all, practice and real combat are very different."

Ishisaki couldn't help but chuckle. "Brother Hayate, you're a Jōnin, and I haven't even graduated from the Academy. Isn't this a bit unfair?"

Hayate shook his head. "Don't worry. No chakra, no ninjutsu. Just pure swordsmanship."

Now that was an interesting proposition. A match based purely on sword skills was something Ishisaki couldn't resist. It would give him a chance to gauge the real combat effectiveness of his skill bar-enhanced abilities.

"Alright then," Ishisaki said, gripping his wooden sword. "Let's do this."

The two stood ten meters apart in the clearing, their wooden swords raised in traditional Konoha-ryu stances.

Meanwhile, back in the Hokage Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was peering into his crystal ball.

Curious about Ishisaki after Hayate's report the previous day, the Third Hokage had decided to observe the boy using his Telescope Technique.

As the image came into focus, Hiruzen saw Ishisaki and Hayate squaring off.

"Oh?" Hiruzen murmured, leaning closer. "Hayate is testing the boy himself?"

His gaze lingered on Ishisaki. The young man's striking appearance caught his attention first—sharp features, a lean frame, and a confident aura that seemed unusual for someone his age.

"What a handsome brat," Hiruzen mused. "The Gekkō clan has some impressive genes."

But something else quickly drew his eye. Ishisaki's stance with the wooden sword was different from Hayate's.

Unlike Hayate's traditional two-handed grip, Ishisaki held his sword in one hand, his free hand resting slightly behind his body.

The slight adjustment immediately intrigued Hiruzen. "This… this fixes one of the fundamental flaws in Konoha-ryu swordsmanship."

Hiruzen's curiosity deepened. "Is this really a boy who only learned the style yesterday?"

In the clearing, Hayate decided to make the first move. He darted forward, closing the ten-meter gap in a flash. Though he refrained from using chakra, his speed and technique as a seasoned Jōnin were undeniable.

The wooden sword in Hayate's hands swept upward in a sharp arc, aiming for Ishisaki's neck. It was the third form of Konoha-ryu swordsmanship—a swift and decisive attack.

However, Ishisaki was ready.

As soon as Hayate moved, Ishisaki spotted a flaw in his technique. Reacting instantly, he took half a step back, tilting his body to the side, and thrust his sword straight forward.

The tip of Ishisaki's wooden sword stopped just short of Hayate's chest, forcing the Jōnin to halt his attack abruptly.

Hiruzen, watching from his office, dropped his pipe in shock.

Hayate didn't let up. Recovering quickly, he transitioned to the fifth form of Konoha-ryu swordsmanship, redirecting his blade toward Ishisaki's waist in a sweeping strike.

But Ishisaki adapted again, raising his left hand to press against the back of his sword for added leverage. Using the combined strength of both arms, he parried Hayate's strike cleanly.

The force of the clash sent a clear ringing sound through the clearing.

Hayate, surprised by the counter, shifted to a defensive stance. However, Ishisaki didn't give him the chance to retreat.

In a fluid motion, Ishisaki executed the seventh form of Konoha-ryu swordsmanship. His wooden sword swept upward, striking Hayate's wrist and forcing him to drop his weapon.

The wooden sword clattered to the ground, but Ishisaki wasn't finished.

As Hayate instinctively stepped back to create distance, Ishisaki surged forward.

Using the tenth form of Konoha-ryu swordsmanship, he accelerated suddenly, closing the gap in an instant. His wooden sword stopped just shy of Hayate's throat.

The match was over.

Back in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen stared at the scene in disbelief. His pipe, which had fallen earlier, lay forgotten on his desk.

Ishisaki, a boy who hadn't even graduated from the Academy, had just defeated a Jōnin in pure swordsmanship.

And not just any Jōnin—Hayate was one of Konoha's foremost masters of Konoha-ryu swordsmanship.

"This boy…" Hiruzen muttered. "He's not just talented. He's a prodigy."

In the clearing, Ishisaki lowered his sword, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Hayate, rubbing his wrist, looked at him in astonishment. "Ishisaki… you… you're incredible. To beat me in Konoha-ryu swordsmanship… I never thought it was possible."

Ishisaki shrugged modestly. "I just got lucky."

Hayate shook his head. "No, this wasn't luck. Your skill… it's something else entirely."

He glanced at Ishisaki's wooden sword, then back at the boy. "If this is what you're capable of now, there's no doubt in my mind. You'll surpass all of us one day."

As Hayate retrieved his fallen weapon, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his mind racing.

"This boy…" he murmured. "If trained properly, he could become the second coming of Konoha's White Fang."

The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

"Perhaps Konoha's future is brighter than I thought."

End of the Chapter.

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