The Forgemage of Konoha

Battle

"Heh, looks like you're quite confident."

"Hmph! We've undergone rigorous training. Being careless will only lead to defeat!" Qing Yu replied sharply, hands on her hips. Yamada's laid-back attitude had clearly irritated her.

"Then let's see what you've got!"

With a sudden bang!, a puff of smoke exploded—Yamada had vanished!

"Huh?! Where did he go?!"

Shirō initially assumed it was a Shadow Clone, but quickly reconsidered. Shadow Clone Technique is high-level—an A-rank jutsu typically only mastered by Jōnin. Yamada, a relatively fresh Chūnin, was unlikely to have learned it. He thought for a moment before calling out, "It's the Body Flicker Technique! Be careful—he's nearby. Don't split up, and watch for surprise attacks. Manji Formation!"

"Understood!" Qing Yu and Chong Jie responded simultaneously.

Their shock was understandable. This was the first time Yamada had used Body Flicker in front of them—a technique that demonstrated both speed and precision. Clearly, Shirō's increasing strength had put Yamada under pressure.

Shirō's use of Reinforcement Magic had already boosted his speed and strength beyond most Chūnin. While he still lacked refined combat experience, Yamada didn't dare face him and his team head-on. The risk of getting overwhelmed was too great, so he immediately used Body Flicker to reposition and hide.

Despite the surprise, Shirō and the others calmly adopted a triangular formation and kept their senses sharp. It was just a training exercise—Yamada wouldn't remain hidden for long. Their goal was to force him into action.

From the shadows, Yamada observed them, slightly relieved. So far, they've shown no major weaknesses. But as the students had predicted, Yamada wouldn't stay hidden indefinitely. The point of the session was to assess their coordination and field response.

He soon spotted a minor opening on Qing Yu's flank—and struck.

With a sharp whistle, three kunai flew out—one for each team member. Yamada's goal wasn't to injure but to momentarily disrupt their formation. If he could neutralize Qing Yu quickly, the rest would falter.

It worked. While Shirō and Chong Jie successfully deflected the kunai, that moment of distraction was enough. In a flash, Yamada appeared before Qing Yu, a smug smile on his face.

"You're out, Qing Yu."

But Qing Yu grinned mischievously.

"Shirō?! When—?! Damn it!" Yamada's instincts screamed danger. He tried to pull back, but it was too late.

With a bang!, smoke exploded—Body Replacement Technique. Qing Yu had swapped out. A moment later, Shirō appeared right behind Yamada and struck.

"Strengthening—activate!"

Blue, circuit-like lines flared across Shirō's body as his Reinforcement Magic surged. His fist smashed straight through the Earth Wall Yamada conjured in desperation—Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall—and headed straight for Yamada.

But Yamada, though startled, didn't panic. He had anticipated a counterattack and activated Body Replacement Technique at the last second, vanishing again.

Shirō wasn't disappointed. Forcing a Chūnin to use a substitution jutsu meant he'd already gained the upper hand. The Body Flicker Technique and Body Replacement consumed significant chakra—Yamada wouldn't be able to keep this up for long.

Shirō regrouped with his team, reforming the Manji formation.

---

Body Replacement Technique: A Clarification

While once seemingly overpowered in early Naruto chapters, the Body Replacement Technique became rare in later arcs—and for good reason. Shirō had researched its limitations.

Contrary to what early episodes suggested, it doesn't allow instantaneous retreat. It's not a get-out-of-jail-free card. It's a low-tier Space-Time Ninjutsu with strict requirements:

Pre-prepared materials: Usually a wooden log, sealed or carried on the user. Skilled ninja (like Kakashi) could adapt on the fly.

Timing constraint: Once activated, it lasts just one second. If not triggered by an attack during that time, it must be reactivated.

Limited range: It can only displace the user within 5–10 meters.

Seals required: Unless the user can conceal or perform them instantly, setup is risky.

Because of these flaws, the technique saw limited use in high-stakes battles.

---

Back in the forest, Yamada was feeling the pressure. He had maybe two or three techniques left in him before his chakra ran out. If his next move didn't take one of them down, the match was lost.

He made his move.

"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"

The ground beneath Qing Yu erupted, and in an instant, she was buried up to her neck—immobilized. Before Chong Jie could react, Yamada struck him with a clean kick, knocking him out of the fight.

But Shirō was ready.

"Strengthening—activate!"

This time, his entire body was strengthened. Though this reduced his punch's peak power, it gave him full-body resilience and speed—a necessary compromise, given the age gap between him and Yamada.

Yamada met him head-on. Though he didn't know Reinforcement Magic, he could enhance his physical strength with chakra—standard Shinobi technique.

They exchanged blows, testing each other's strength. Yamada then leapt back, gaining distance to exploit Shirō's weakness: Ninjutsu.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Shirō didn't panic. He formed hand seals.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

He wasn't trying to overpower the fire—he just wanted to scatter it. Wind would typically fuel fire, but in this case, the point was to weaken the technique enough to survive.

Then—

"Strengthening—activate!"

Shirō surged forward, Reinforcement Magic shielding his body. He ran through the Great Fireball, emerging from the blaze, singed but determined.

He pressed a kunai against Yamada's neck.

"We win, Yamada-sensei."

Yamada froze—then smiled.

"You got me. But are you alright?"

Shirō tore away part of his burnt sleeve, showing reddened skin but no severe injury.

"I'm fine. If I didn't try it here, how would I know if I could survive it in a real battle? Better to test it while we're safe."

Yamada nodded with reluctant admiration.

"You're right. But still, don't be reckless like that again—it's too dangerous."

He turned to the other two.

"You guys okay?"

"We're fine, Sensei… but we weren't much help," they muttered, heads down.

Yamada walked over and patted their heads.

"Not true at all. You executed the Body Replacement setup perfectly with Shirō. I didn't even notice. That's teamwork."

"But compared to Shirō…"

"Don't compare yourselves to that monster. You both did great."

"Hey! That's too much, Sensei! Monster?!"

"Haha! Don't take it to heart. Let's go get some barbecue to celebrate!"

"Changing the subject, huh? Explain yourself!"

"Are you still eating?"

"Of course! I'll eat you into bankruptcy!"

"Haha, you're a real handful."

And so, they left the training field—laughing, teasing, and closer than ever.