NOVEL WEB Chapter 10: Chapter 9: New Teacher?
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
The leaves on the streets of Konoha had grown greener, and the faint chirping of cicadas signaled the arrival of summer.
Inside the Shimura compound, Yami was locked in an intense sparring match with a shinobi.
Blades clashed at high speed, leaving only flashes of steel and shadow.
Izumi, sitting on the sidelines, couldn't even follow their movements.
All she could hear was the crisp sound of swords colliding and see the blurred figures exchanging blows.
Yami suddenly lifted his sword, forcing his opponent to lean back to avoid a strike aimed at his throat.
However, just as the opponent dodged, Yami's attack shifted, what had seemed like an upward strike transformed into a lateral slash.
The flat edge of his blade struck his opponent's arm.
Clang!
The shinobi's sword slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground. The match had ended.
Yami exhaled, sheathed his blade, and said calmly, "You lost, Nishimura-sensei."
"..."
His opponent, Nishimura Kei, remained silent for a moment.
He was an ordinary member of Root, a Chūnin-level shinobi specializing in assassination and swordsmanship.
"Young Master Yami truly is a genius," Nishimura Kei finally sighed, lowering his head slightly.
Throughout the match, he hadn't used his full speed or strength—after all, his opponent was just a six-year-old child.
But his swordsmanship? He had brought it to its peak.
Yet, despite only training Yami for two weeks, all the techniques he had honed over years of practice had been absorbed and surpassed by this boy.
A true genius existed on a completely different level than ordinary shinobi like him.
"Young Master Yami," Nishimura Kei continued, lowering his head further. "I have nothing left to teach you. I will report to Lord Danzō and request a more suitable instructor for you."
"Thank you," Yami replied with a small nod, watching as Nishimura Kei departed.
Then, he turned to Izumi with a smile and beckoned her over. "Let's go, I'll walk you home."
Izumi eagerly hopped down from her perch, rushed to Yami's side, and took his hand.
"Hehe, Yami, you're amazing! Nishimura-sensei is a Chūnin, and you still won!"
"It's just a Chūnin. You should set your sights higher, Izumi," Yami said as they walked.
There was no arrogance in his tone, just calm understanding.
He had learned an important lesson: never judge a ninja's strength based purely on the ranking system seen in the original story.
What did it mean to be a Genin?
Anyone who mastered the Three Basic Jutus and could use them proficiently could graduate from the Academy and become a Genin. Most Genin weren't even qualified to step onto the battlefield, they were mere cannon fodder.
Chūnin, on the other hand, were squad leaders who possessed stronger combat abilities and could lead teams on missions.
According to the system's evaluation, the average Chūnin had ten times the chakra of a standard Genin and could proficiently use B-rank ninjutsu.
Defeating an ordinary Chūnin in a swordfight?
Nothing to brag about.
And honestly, even if Nishimura Kei had gone all out, he still wouldn't have stood a chance.
---
[Status Panel]
[Name: Shimura Yami]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 6 years old]
[Date of Birth: April 1, Year 46 (Konoha Calendar)]
[Chakra Attributes: Fire (Genius), Wind (Genius), Yang (Excellent), Earth (Good), Water (Good), Yin (Genius)]
[Total Chakra: 1.6 Standard Jōnin Chakra]
[Chakra Control Talent: Genius]
[Mastered Ninjutsu: Three Basic Techniques (Proficient), Wind Release: Great Breakthrough (Proficient), Wind Release: Gale Palm (Proficient), Fire Release: Great Fireball (Proficient), Fire Release: Blazing Fire (Proficient), Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique (Normal)]
[Nature Transformation: Wind Release (Mastery), Fire Release (Beginner)]
[...]
[Strength Evaluation: With those small arms and legs, you can still defeat a Chūnin head-on.]
---
Recently, Yami hadn't received any major system rewards.
Most of his bond rewards had been additional chakra and basic attributes.
However, thanks to Izumi's support, his personal training results had been impressive.
He had considered asking Izumi to move out of the Uchiha compound, but in the end, he abandoned the idea.
At present, the village and Uchiha were not yet at their breaking point.
As a child, his words held little influence. Even if he spoke up, Izumi's mother likely wouldn't take him seriously, and his actions might attract unwanted attention from those with ulterior motives.
For now, it was best to wait.
The Uchiha clan could still hold on for a few more years.
---
At Root Headquarters...
After leaving Yami's house, Nishimura Kei reported to the Root base and soon stood before Shimura Danzō, kneeling on one knee.
"Lord Danzō, Young Master Yami's swordsmanship has already surpassed mine. I am no longer qualified to be his instructor."
"So soon?"
Danzō raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I see. You may go."
Nishimura Kei bowed and vanished.
"It seems Yami's talent has exceeded my expectations..."
Danzō was pleased, but at the same time, slightly troubled.
On the one hand, he was delighted by Yami's overwhelming potential.
On the other hand, finding a suitable sword instructor for him would be difficult.
Currently, there were very few elite swordsmen in Konoha.
Maruboshi Kosuke was a possibility, but his close ties to the Third Hokage made him a problematic choice. Their relationship was strained, and Danzō wasn't confident he could convince Kosuke to teach Yami.
"The Yamashiro clan?"
Danzō briefly considered it but quickly dismissed the thought.
The Yamashiro family had a renowned swordmaster among their ranks, but to Danzō, he wasn't significantly stronger than Nishimura Kei.
If a shinobi was skilled enough to be recruited into Root, they weren't an "ordinary" Chūnin to begin with.
That meant the Yamashiro swordsman likely wouldn't be much of an improvement.
The same reasoning applied to the Hōzuki clan—another wasted option.
Then, suddenly, a certain figure flashed through Danzō's mind.
A young man.
Despite his age, he had left a deep impression.
His swordsmanship was excellent.
And he came from the right background.
The only issue was... his identity was sensitive.
After a long pause, Danzō made his decision.
For Yami, it was worth the risk.
---
The Next Day – Weekend Morning
There were no Academy classes today, and Yami was just about to leave the house when Danzō unexpectedly returned.
"Yami, I've found you a new instructor," Danzō said with a rare smile.
"He's not only skilled in swordsmanship but can also teach you ninjutsu and taijutsu."
"Who is it?" Yami asked curiously.
Swish!
A breeze blew through the room.
A young man suddenly appeared beside Danzō, his presence swift and silent.
Yami turned to face him, and his eyes widened in surprise.
It was him?!
***
Junkdog's Note: Deal for bonus chps.
For every 10 reviews = 1 bonus chps.
Every 200 PS= 1 bonus chp.
And if by the end of the week we are T50 on the ranking I'll be dropping 10 bonus chps.
Go wild xD
Support me on patreon to read 20+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.