Swordsmanship

Although Sunagakure's foundation in Taijutsu and physical conditioning far surpassed that of the smaller nations, it still ranked relatively low among the Five Great Shinobi Villages of the same tier. Taijutsu shinobi even occupied the very bottom rung, looked down upon by Puppet Technique users and ninjutsu shinobi alike.

In the original timeline, this did not change until Gaara discovered Shuro, who had developed the Seven Heavenly Breaths.

Chiyo had passed down these two ninjutsu because one was meant for defense and the other for escaping with one's life. She was also worried that Shimizu and Sasori would follow in the footsteps of her son and daughter-in-law.

"The Swift Wind Technique is somewhat difficult to learn, but it is an essential means of staying alive. Fortunately, my Wind Release is fairly proficient. As long as I am willing to spend the time, mastering the first stage will not be difficult.

The reason the Mechanism Shield Seal is rated B-rank lies mainly in crafting the mechanisms within the puppet. When using it, all one needs to do is inject Chakra through the appropriate circuits. It can be considered a hand-signless ninjutsu that is instantly cast with the aid of a tool.

I only need to build a mechanism suited to my use according to the principles Chiyo gave me."

Shimizu studied the Ninjutsu Scroll and decided to leave the Swift Wind Technique's training to his incarnation in the DC World first.

As long as his incarnation mastered the ninjutsu, it meant he would gain the relevant experience of successful training and master the necessary techniques. When his main body trained afterward, it would be exceedingly simple.

Early the next morning, the reassembled Ninth Squad received word from Kazakami Senran that they would be heading to the battlefield in two days.

Pakura and Baki did not seem resistant to going to war.

Both were shinobi born and raised within Sunagakure's system. Their loyalty to the village was high, and they were still young, at an age brimming with hot blood and eager to earn glory.

What truly surprised them was that Shimizu had become Chiyo and Ebizo's disciple.

"Shimizu, did you really become Lady Chiyo and Lord Ebizo's disciple?"

Baki's eyes widened as he looked at Shimizu.

It felt like suddenly hearing, while studying for an undergraduate degree, that someone in his class had been taken as a disciple by two academicians at the university.

And two at once, no less.

"Who would fake something like that?"

Shimizu shot Baki a speechless glance.

Although this guy would become Rasa's right-hand man in the original timeline, the young Baki was, in truth, a complete fool.

"Um, Shimizu, can I ask you for a favor? Well... you know, Lady Chiyo is the shared idol of all the female shinobi in the village. Could you help me get Lady Chiyo's autograph?"

Pakura clasped her tiny hands into fists beneath her chin, her eyes glittering with little stars.

In this era, Chiyo, who was at the height of her fame, was the aspiration of most female shinobi. Second to her was Tsunade, who had only recently earned the title of one of the Three Sannin.

"Uh... the next time I see Teacher Chiyo, I'll bring it up for you."

Shimizu scratched his head.

Kazakami Senran chewed on dried lizard. Only after Shimizu and the others had finished talking did he speak.

"You'll assemble and head to the battlefield in two days. Although you've been assigned to a relatively safe reserve unit, you still need to prepare yourselves. Shimizu, Elder Chiyo and Elder Ebizo will guide you in Puppet Technique, so I won't say much about that."

"If you have any questions about training in ninjutsu or swordsmanship, ask them as soon as possible. The village will issue a certain amount of ninja tools and Ration Pills, but it is always better to stock up on more yourselves. Don't let an accident happen on the battlefield because you lack those things."

"Even if you have some left after the war ends, you can still use them in future missions. You won't lose out..."

After Kazakami Senran rambled on for a while, he began giving guidance tailored to each of their specific circumstances.

It had to be said that Kazakami Senran had real skill. In terms of strength, he was not among Sunagakure's finest, but in teaching ability and breadth of knowledge, he was likely second to none in the village. Otherwise, he would not have been assigned to train this squad.

Even with Medical Ninjutsu, which Shimizu had yet to begin learning, Kazakami Senran knew a thing or two. He also understood some Sealing Technique, as well as Wind, Fire, and Lightning Release ninjutsu and the Sand Style Swordsmanship passed down from the First Kazekage, Retto. He could provide Shimizu and the other two with guidance in every respect.

And now, Kazakami Senran had assigned Shimizu and the others additional lessons on top of maintaining their current training.

"Generally speaking, all of you are at a golden age for a shinobi to grow stronger. However, your strength already far exceeds that of your peers, so your progress is constrained by things that require long-term effort, such as your physical development and Chakra quality."

"Therefore, your rate of improvement has already begun to slow. At a time like this, my personal suggestion is to make up for your weaknesses. For example, Shimizu and Pakura, no matter how good your Puppet Technique and ninjutsu are, you must also raise your Taijutsu. Not a single famous powerhouse in the shinobi world has an obvious weakness."

"If they do, once that person becomes famous, their enemies will surely put their information under a magnifying glass and scrutinize it for weaknesses. What awaits them then is either death at the hands of their own weakness, or overcoming that weakness so their enemies can no longer target them from that angle."

"So from today onward, Shimizu and Pakura, you must also hone your Taijutsu. It would be best if you followed Baki and me and devoted some of your spare energy to swordsmanship. The more skills you possess, the more cards you will have in hand to deal with all kinds of situations in the future."

Kazakami Senran spent the entire morning guiding Shimizu and the other two.

After they reached the front lines, even if they still stayed together most of the time, it would certainly be difficult to find another relatively free stretch of time like this for instruction.

After the guidance ended, Shimizu still went to the Puppet Force for his daily training.

Only, one more item had been added to his training.

Swordsmanship.

It was not that Shimizu had no foundation in swordsmanship at all, but it was rather weak.

Previously, all he knew was the tiny bit taught at the Ninja Academy: mainly how to hold a sword properly, along with some simple thrusts, strikes, and footwork combined with execution. It merely taught one how to use these weapons when killing.

More advanced techniques and training methods had to be learned through other means. For example, some were passed down within shinobi clans, while the Sand Style Swordsmanship within the village also contained such knowledge.

Unfortunately, the First Kazekage's true strength lay in ninjutsu rather than swordsmanship. Though he had created this sword style to fill the village's gap in that area, Sand Style Swordsmanship was still a tier below the Leaf Style Swordsmanship developed by Tobirama Senju of neighboring Konoha.