NOVEL WEB Chapter 84: A Sudden Revelation
For the next three days, Shiyu Uchiha immersed himself in sensing the spiritual energy within the dojo. He constantly practiced his sword techniques while recalling that battle, searching for his flaws. Eventually, he happened to notice a stone in the courtyard nearly pierced halfway through by dripping water. This brought to mind the old saying—"water dripping constantly wears away stone."
In that moment, everything became clear to Shiyu Uchiha. He now knew exactly where he fell short—his willpower. What he lacked was a firm, unyielding, and crystal-clear determination.
Because Shiyu had lived two lifetimes, although he had gained much experience, his will was far from pure. You could even say he was a bit scheming, and to top it off, there was a streak of indecision in his nature.
Ever since his reincarnation, he had corrected many bad habits from his past life and never once slackened in training. He was undeniably disciplined.
Yet, just like during his former life when he worked a regular job, these efforts stemmed from external necessity rather than genuine passion, making his willpower impure.
Moreover, he always treated the sword as merely a tool rather than an extension of his very life. Because of this, a gap still lingered between himself and the blade, keeping him from achieving true mastery.
Uchiha Shizhi and Hatake Sumao did not directly explain this because they feared doing so might create what's known as a conceptual barrier. If that happened, it would only delay how long it took Shiyu to break through.
At this point, he needed to use his own willpower to shatter the divide between man and blade, achieving Man and Blade Unity—transforming the sword into an extension of himself.
As for Shiyu Uchiha's strength, willpower was truly his weak point. However, thanks to the unique spiritual energy he'd brought over from his previous life, aside from under Uchiha Shizhi's guidance, he had never been targeted by Genjutsu. Thus, he hadn't realized this flaw existed within himself.
Now that he thought back carefully, both Uchiha Shizhi and Hatake Sumao had previously hinted at this issue. But due to falling victim to the age-old problem of overlooking what was right in front of him—like darkness under the very lamp that lit the room—he had failed to notice it himself.
Therefore, Hatake Sumao had hoped to bring Shiyu Uchiha here, hoping that through comparison with other nearby swordsmen, Shiyu might come to recognize his own shortcomings and possibly find a way to address them. Unexpectedly, it was his memories from his past life—both becoming obstacles and ultimately leading him to realize his flaws.
After discovering the issue, Shiyu Uchiha immediately sought out Master Matsunaga, sincerely expressed his gratitude, then asked, "Master, I believe I've identified my problem. Thank you deeply for your guidance. May I ask how I should proceed?"
Shiyu first thanked the master, then asked how he could address his shortcomings.
Master Matsunaga Jun couldn't hide his surprise. He hadn't expected Shiyu Uchiha to grasp his own flaw so quickly. Originally, he had planned to recommend the young swordsman visit several other dojos, hoping this exposure would give Shiyu another chance to awaken true understanding. After all, the youth possessed extraordinary talent, solid fundamentals, and a commendable character.
However, seeing Shiyu Uchiha's realization, he didn't elaborate further and directly suggested, "I recommend you abandon using chakra. Starting from me, walk straight to the Sacred Mountain of our Land of Iron and climb it—it'll greatly help strengthen your willpower. As for whether you can succeed, I can't say.
Every person's heart is different; naturally, the key to surpassing that inner threshold varies as well. Strengthening your will only brings you closer to that barrier but doesn't guarantee you'll cross it."
After hearing this, Shiyu Uchiha thought for a moment, then said, "Master, I understand now. Thank you for your guidance. I hope one day when I return, I may once again learn sword techniques from you."
Through these words, Shiyu Uchiha clearly expressed his determination to follow the Master's suggestion and his confidence in reaching that next level.
Finally, Master Matsunaga Jun truly lived up to his reputation as the most generous mentor in the Land of Iron. Upon learning of Shiyu Uchiha's choice, he immediately taught him the foundational sword technique of Nagare no Katanas—[Steel Heart Slash], a move that required no chakra whatsoever.
Moreover, this move was actually the root of the entire Nagare no Katanas style. All other techniques were merely variants offshoots of this one. It was a sword art worth cultivating one's entire life.
So after practicing for several days, Shiyu Uchiha completely mastered all its variations before finally bidding farewell to Master Matsunaga Jun and setting off.
"Teacher, do you know who that man really is? I've never heard of Hino Homura before. Someone with such strength definitely isn't unknown," asked Matsunaga Jun's disciple, unable to contain his curiosity after Shiyu Uchiha had left.
Judging from this individual's habits, he probably comes from a prestigious clan in one of the Five Great Nations of the Ninja World. He must be a ninja whose power equals mine," Master Matsunaga Jun calmly replied, obviously having seen through Shiyu Uchiha's disguise.
Hearing this, the disciple responded in shock, "A young ninja possessing such an incredible sword skill? Simply unbelievable?"
Clearly displeased by his student's remark, Master Matsunaga Jun replied sternly, "What's wrong with being a ninja? There are countless formidable masters among them—never underestimate them. Also, don't snoop around about this man. Pretend you know nothing."
The disciple, obediently refraining from asking more, simply nodded and left the room to practice sword forms in the front courtyard.
Sitting alone for a while, Master Matsunaga Jun couldn't help but think about the three top-tier sword masters in the Ninja World, each possessing strength rivaling that of a Kage.
Naturally, ranking first among them was Sanshouo Hanzo, known across the Ninja World as the Half-God. Ever since the Second Ninja War, nobody had dared question his standing as Half-God.
Close behind should be none other than Hatake Sumao, the legendary White Fang of Konoha—the one ninja most likely destined to surpass Sanshouo Hanzo someday.
The third was none other than Mifune, who had recently taken over leadership of the Land of Iron. Although currently considered only half a match against the top two, he still needed some time to fully close the gap.
Beyond those three, there indeed remained a group of skilled swordsmen, yet most of them were already quite old without much hope of further advancement—one of whom was himself.
At this realization, a wave of sorrow washed over him. The Land of Iron was meant to be the holy ground of samurai, yet not a single one of the greatest swordmasters hailed from here.
He then took out a letter and wrote down the information about Hino Homura, who was in fact Shiyu Uchiha in disguise, along with his own suspicions. He summoned another disciple and ordered him to send the letter via carrier pigeon to General Mifune.
This was also one of the reasons he established the dojo here — it was the Land of Iron's main hub for outside contact. Most merchants entering the Land of Iron to conduct business would pass through this location.
One purpose was to maintain market stability — after all, the people of the Land of Iron had to eat too. The other was to monitor skilled warriors entering the Land of Iron and report their movements promptly, so the nation could respond accordingly with well-thought-out plans.
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