Unsheathed!

As Ishikawa Tatsuya and Jiang Rui passed each other, Ishikawa swung out a kick. The moment he looked up, he saw the cunning gleam in his opponent's eyes.

Damn!

His heart sank as he recalled part of the other's intelligence.

The Hozuki Clan—the Water Transformation Technique.

Sure enough, the instant his foot struck the other person, it felt as though he had stepped into water, his leg sinking straight in.

Karatachi Yagura, on the other hand, finally reacted. A sharp whistle split the air as his staff came swinging in.

Ito Rei arrived a moment late. Seeing Jiang Rui hold both of them back, she immediately made her judgment—take down Karatachi Yagura first!

In that instant, Jiang Rui, who was keeping Ishikawa Tatsuya tied up, did not use the quickest and most ideal method of knocking him away with a punch.

The reason was simple: his strength was only 1.6.

Yes, Jiang Rui seriously doubted whether he could even punch the other guy hard enough to hurt him...

So he chose the simplest method!

Hand seals!

At close range—Water Style: Water Shockwave!

As Ishikawa Tatsuya braced himself to take a heavy punch head-on, he rapidly formed hand seals in secret.

Water Clone, Water Substitute!

What was even more interesting was that after their exchange, Ishikawa Tatsuya, having substituted himself out, charged straight at Ito Rei without a word. He intended to ambush her while rescuing Karatachi Yagura, who had already been kicked away. Meanwhile, the massive torrent Jiang Rui had prepared followed him directly toward Ito Rei!

When I went crazy, I even hit my own teammates!!

Seeing this, Ito Rei finally stopped relying solely on taijutsu and swiftly pressed both hands to the ground!

Earth Style: Earth Wall!

Oh-ho! So Ito Rei had an earth affinity!

Jiang Rui froze. Then a question arose.

Why would the Third Mizukage take an earth-affinity student?

Even if she was a genius, he should have found her an Earth Style teacher.

Generally speaking, most Mist ninja had wind and water affinities. Earth and fire were much rarer. No wonder she rarely used ninjutsu...

As the water gradually receded, Ito Rei and Ishikawa Tatsuya, standing behind the earth wall, did not continue fighting.

Ishikawa Tatsuya glanced at the substitute that had turned into water beside him, then at "Jiang Rui," his face full of surprise. "When did you use a clone?"

"From the beginning." Jiang Rui honestly walked over from afar, leaving the onlookers wide-eyed.

He found the spot where the other "Jiang Rui" had melted away and quietly absorbed the slightly differently colored clump of mud in the water back into his body. "I was sleeping at home the whole time."

Ito Rei: "???"

She raised a brow, displeased. "You used a clone from the very start of training?!"

"Yep."

Jiang Rui did not explain that he had been controlling the Avatar as well. He was exhausted, okay!

"A Water Clone can actually be made indistinguishable from the real thing!" Ishikawa Tatsuya looked at Jiang Rui with great interest. Since this was only a spar, neither he nor Ito Rei felt right going all out against them. Still, Rimuru before them had given them quite a few surprises.

Compared to him, Yagura would probably take quite a blow, wouldn't he?

"I'm starting to believe you're the Water Style genius they've been talking about. But Ruru..."

"It's Rimuru!" Jiang Rui retorted. He ignored him after that and ran over to the dazed Karatachi Yagura, pinching his little face.

Wow, was this person really a boy?!

He poked him again.

He really looked like a girl—though Jiang Rui was the same.

"What are you doing?!" Karatachi Yagura clearly felt both struck and humiliated. Ever since the fight began, he had not seemed to do anything noteworthy.

It dealt him a severe blow and made him start doubting himself.

What the heck!

Was this really the future Tyrant?

Jiang Rui smiled and held out his hand.

"Hello, I'm Rimuru. Uh, Hozuki Rimuru!"

Karatachi Yagura froze at that. He looked up at Jiang Rui—a very cute blue-haired girl, with little stars glimmering in her golden eyes.

He did not take the hand offered to help him up. Instead, he stood up on his own and said, "Karatachi Yagura."

"Mm!" Jiang Rui nodded. He was not embarrassed, merely withdrawing his hand and slipping it into his pocket before looking at Ishikawa Tatsuya. "Are we continuing?"

Damn it, I didn't even get to hit him.

This guy's Water Substitute techniques were way too fast, okay?!

"Forget it. We concede." Ishikawa Tatsuya considered it for a moment. A spar was not a fight to the death. "Your taijutsu is not bad either, but your speed and strength limit how much you can bring out in that area."

His speed could actually be compensated for with the Swift Feather skill. It was just that his body felt a little too light after activating it.

Don't ask how he knew. Yesterday, Ito Rei had slapped him flying more than twenty meters, nearly scaring herself to death.

"Starting tomorrow, we'll increase your taijutsu training."

Ito Rei snorted and spoke coldly.

???

Now that was just wrong of you!

Was it really necessary just because I hid the fact that I used a clone?!

Tomorrow, I'm using a clone again!!

"Your hand seal speed is also a problem." Ishikawa Tatsuya added another stab.

"Done! We'll train hand seals!" Jiang Rui immediately decided. He grabbed Karatachi Yagura, and amid the other boy's bewilderment, said, "We'll do it together tomorrow!"

Ito Rei scratched her delicate chin, her face teasing. "Don't tell me you've fallen for Yagura? He's a boy, you know."

Jiang Rui showed no reaction. He merely glanced at Ito Rei and asked in an infuriatingly smug tone, "Rei-chan, are you jealous?"

Tsk, tsk.

Ishikawa Tatsuya stood nearby with a smile, watching the two beautiful figures tussle together.

What a cat-and-dog battle!

At the edge of the training ground, the Mizukage stood there. He removed his conical hat, nodded faintly, and asked, "Genji, are there any more issues?"

Beside him, a middle-aged man of around thirty shook his head. "A genius... of the Hozuki Clan... sigh!"

There was not a ripple on the Third Mizukage's face. He probably had not even noticed that, for someone as naturally indifferent as him, his actions over the past two days had become somewhat more urgent.

Genji, an elder who had risen to power during the Second Mizukage's era, knew perfectly well how deeply the Third Mizukage felt about the name Hozuki.

"It's a pity, though. The Ninja Sword Scroll for this generation has already been designated for Kaguya Tsuki to safeguard."

"Mm." Naturally, the Third Mizukage understood what Genji meant. Even if he possessed Hozuki Clan blood, it could not change his faction. Kaguya Tsuki's branch had now risen to power, and naturally would not allow others to seize the position they had already obtained.

We can acknowledge his identity, but what has already been given to us cannot be taken back... that was all it meant.

Especially when he was a genius?

If they accepted him back into the clan, then in ten-odd years, who would become the clan head??

The current decision-makers of the Hozuki Clan were ultimately not the Second Mizukage, who had hoped each younger generation would surpass the last.

"Observe him for a while," the elder said. "If there are no issues, let him join the direct forces or the Anbu."

He paused, no longer pursuing the subject, then changed his train of thought. "Konoha has been making major moves lately. They're already fighting on three fronts."

"I know." The Third Mizukage nodded slightly. "Though Konoha's rear is vulnerable at the moment, they have also planted numerous hidden sentries. Any slight move from us will put Konoha on guard."

"Once they become deeply trapped in Amegakure's quagmire..." Genji said unhurriedly, "we can first dispatch small units into their territory to scout."

"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen should be unsheathed."

"Very well."

Shamelessly asking for some encouraging votes!