Naruto: I have Ten Skill Bars

Shigure's performance left the Third Hokage genuinely astonished.

A child who hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy had managed to perform at this level—he was, without question, a prodigy.

And this was only the beginning. Once Shigure's chakra reserves and ninjutsu skills developed further, his combat potential would soar.

Even if he didn't reach the legendary level of Konoha's White Fang, becoming an elite jōnin seemed all but guaranteed.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi contemplated this, a thoughtful smile crept across his face.

"He'll be graduating soon..."

"The team assignment will need careful consideration."

The Third Hokage was already planning ahead.

Just then, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He calmly dispersed the image in the crystal ball and sat upright—he was the Hokage, after all, and the duties never stopped.

Meanwhile, back at the training field—

Gekkō Hayate stared at the wooden sword still pressed lightly against his throat.

He couldn't help but swallow hard.

Looking at Shigure standing before him, calm and composed, Hayate managed a smile. "You did extremely well. I didn't expect you to grasp swordsmanship this quickly."

He had just taught Shigure Konoha-ryū Kenjutsu yesterday...

And today, the boy had already surpassed him.

Wasn't Shigure supposed to be out on a class outing or date yesterday? There was barely any time to practice.

Meaning—Shigure had only seen it once... and was already using it better than its instructor?

The more Hayate thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

This wasn't just natural talent.

It felt as if Shigure had been born for the sword.

A monster...

"It's all thanks to your teaching, Brother Hayate," Shigure replied modestly, slowly withdrawing his wooden sword.

Though inwardly, even he was surprised by how easily he had defeated Hayate.

Was his swordsmanship really that good?

Or was Hayate... just too weak?

He wasn't sure which.

Hayate bent down and picked up his fallen sword. When he turned back to Shigure, his expression was a bit awkward. Being bested by a student—while he was a Konoha jōnin—was more than a little embarrassing.

He coughed a few times and straightened up.

Seeing this, Shigure tilted his head slightly.

Hayate quickly put on a proud expression. "Not bad. I was only using half my strength just now, and you still managed to beat me. Impressive!"

"But don't get cocky. If I went all out, things would've been very different."

Half strength?

Really?

Shigure couldn't help but think that Hayate didn't sound entirely confident in his own words.

"Ahem!" Hayate continued. "A real ninja battle isn't just about swordsmanship. With chakra, I'd be even faster. If I used ninjutsu too, you wouldn't stand a chance!"

Now he was clearly trying to save face.

Then, Hayate gave a smug grin.

"Do you know why I became a tokubetsu jōnin?"

"It's not just because of my kenjutsu. I can also use a unique stealth-based jutsu—one that hides both my presence and chakra. The enemy can't detect me at all."

Shigure's eyes lit up slightly.

Transparent Escape Technique—a combination of stealth and swordsmanship.

If used together, it would make the user an incredibly lethal assassin.

A swordsman who can erase his presence and strike from the shadows… Just imagining it sent a chill down Shigure's spine.

If the difference in strength between the two wasn't overwhelming, it would be nearly impossible to avoid injury from such an ambush.

He nodded thoughtfully.

Then, something struck him.

"Wait... Brother Hayate—this Transparent Escape... is it a Kekkei Genkai?"

Hayate blinked. "Huh?"

"Is it a bloodline limit of the Moonlight Clan?"

Hayate scratched his cheek awkwardly. "That's... hard to say."

"If I said it was the Moonlight Clan's Kekkei Genkai, that wouldn't be entirely accurate. I'm the only one in our clan who's ever developed this technique."

"But if I say it isn't a Kekkei Genkai... well, it is a unique trait that only I have, and I am from the Moonlight Clan."

He gave a helpless shrug. "Maybe. But as far as I know, I'm the only one who can use it."

Shigure's eyes gleamed with excitement.

A unique ability...

And then—an idea hit him like a bolt of lightning.

If I use the Great Sage to analyze a Kekkei Genkai... could I replicate it?

His heart raced.

The effect of the Great Sage was to analyze and dissect any skill. So far, it had only been used on jutsu or techniques.

But what about bloodline abilities?

If it worked...

If he could successfully analyze and replicate a Kekkei Genkai...

He could ascend to a whole new level.

"Brother Hayate, could you teach me the Transparent Escape Technique?" Shigure asked, eyes bright. "Who knows? Maybe I have an affinity for it."

Hayate hesitated, clearly unsure.

The chances were slim—but then again, it wouldn't hurt to try.

"...Alright," he said at last. "I'll teach you the basics. But don't get your hopes up."

At the same time, Gekkō Hayate figured that demonstrating the power of the Transparent Escape Technique would also help maintain Shigure's respect for him as a tokubetsu jōnin. It wouldn't hurt to remind the kid that he wasn't just some sword dummy.

"Alright then. Let's begin," Hayate said with a nod.

After receiving Hayate's agreement, Shigure let out a slow breath and stared at him with anticipation.

"Brother Hayate, I'm ready."

The basic form of the Transparent Escape Technique allowed for rudimentary stealth and minor invisibility, but that alone wasn't what made it dangerous.

After all, experienced shinobi could still sense your location through subtle cues like breathing, footsteps, or killing intent.

What made the technique truly deadly was its advanced form—when paired with proper chakra control, it allowed the user to erase their presence and chakra signature, making them virtually undetectable.

"I'll teach you the hand seals first," Hayate said. "Then we'll see if you have any affinity for the technique."

Although they were both from the Moonlight Clan, Hayate didn't believe that anyone else in the clan shared his unique talent—not even Shigure.

This was his technique.

[Detecting that the host is acquiring a new skill…]

Great Sage: Activated

[Analyzing…]

[1%]

[2%]

[3%]...

The progress bar ticked upward at a painstakingly slow pace—nothing like the rapid analysis Shigure had experienced with basic skills before.

It was clear.

Analyzing a bloodline ability wasn't going to be easy.

"Alright, now watch closely," Hayate said as he formed the seals fluidly and vanished before Shigure's eyes.

Shigure's gaze flicked to his system interface.

[3%]...

The analysis had barely progressed.

"Brother Hayate… would you mind explaining that again?" Shigure asked with a sheepish grin. "I didn't quite catch all the details."

Hayate raised a brow but chuckled. "Sure. We've still got time."

Despite Shigure's insane talent in kenjutsu, his aptitude for ninjutsu didn't seem nearly as remarkable.

Hayate patiently walked him through the steps again—how to circulate chakra properly, how to mask one's intent and presence, how to align breathing with body flow. He repeated the process several times.

Three times.

Four.

By the fifth, Hayate was beginning to lose steam.

"Alright, that's enough," he said, sighing as he scratched the back of his head. "If it's not working, don't force it. Not everyone's suited for this kind of technique."

He hadn't expected much to begin with.

But Shigure wasn't giving up.

Still watching the analysis bar, he remained quiet, determined. He didn't believe talent alone should decide everything. Not when effort and persistence could move mountains.

Hayate sighed again.

"Shigure, don't get too discouraged," he said. "You've already got something rare—your swordsmanship talent is unmatched. Even without this technique, you can go far. In fact, I can even teach you an advanced kenjutsu form that's—"

[Analysis complete.]

The system's prompt appeared in Shigure's vision before Hayate could finish his sentence.

Shigure's eyes lit up.

…

TN:

Support me on P-com/LordMerlin!

🔟 Limited-time 30% discount!

Get 10 advance chaps for $3.50, 20 for $7, and more — ending soon!