Mai Style Ancient Martial Arts

Mai Style Ancient Martial Arts

After the father and son finished their emotional moment, they remembered there were outsiders present.

Might Duy cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his left fist, and said, "Guiding you in taijutsu training is certainly no problem; we are all Konoha shinobi. It's just that I'm not sure what exactly you are looking to learn."

"Leg techniques and kicking skills. I want to create my own style of taijutsu, but what I've learned so far lacks kicking techniques and isn't quite complete," Uchiha Mai replied truthfully.

In Shippuden, Might Guy and Rock Lee used kicking techniques like Leaf Whirlwind and Leaf Great Whirlwind. Those roundhouse kicks were stylish, powerful, and flashy, with high visual appeal and significant impact. In standard combat, a roundhouse kick often causes one to lose their center of gravity and balance, making it a low-utility technique. But this was the world of Naruto. Those various "Leaf" wind techniques were companion taijutsu to the early stages of the Eight Inner Gates, so they surely had something extraordinary about them. According to typical tropes, the Eight Inner Gates was the Might family's secret heritage, while the various "Leaf" winds were merely the box holding the treasure—less important by comparison. Who would ask to learn a family's secret technique right off the bat? Learning the "Leaf" winds was enough.

"So that's how it is~" Might Duy rested his chin on his hand and nodded. "I do have some insights regarding leg techniques, so teaching you is no problem. However, since your goal is to create your own taijutsu style, learning leg techniques should only be to perfect your system. We need to think carefully about what to teach you. If possible, could you show me the taijutsu you have already created?"

Might Duy didn't doubt the ability of a kid like Uchiha Mai to create his own style. Wasn't this standard behavior for an Uchiha genius?

The Copy Ninja Kakashi was said to have learned thousands of ninjutsu, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the Shinobi World Professor, could also use thousands. But in Shippuden, both of them only used a handful of techniques. Why? Because those "thousands of ninjutsu" were a bit of a trick. Take the Fireball Jutsu as an example; this C-rank fire release originated from the Uchiha and gradually spread throughout Konoha and the shinobi world. It was powerful, required few hand seals, and its intensity could be adjusted based on chakra output—the only drawback was that it rarely hit anyone. However, in the shinobi world, there existed fireballs, giant fireballs, twin fireballs, and various "limited edition" fireballs that were nearly identical in difficulty and performance. Among all these similar techniques, none were as powerful as the original while requiring fewer seals, nor as efficient while being more powerful, which allowed the Fireball Jutsu to stand out. That was how the "thousands of ninjutsu" came to be. The same logic applied to taijutsu. Creating one wasn't difficult; the challenge was ensuring its power and versatility.

Might Duy wanted to see Uchiha Mai's taijutsu? Might Guy's eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his arm, unable to wait. "Let me do it! The power of taijutsu can only be truly revealed in combat. Let me spar with Mai, and you can observe the characteristics of his taijutsu, Father."

Might Duy nodded slightly. That was feasible. Taijutsu wasn't just a performance of flashy moves; at the very least, one needed a sparring partner to see the nuances of a technique. Since meeting Kakashi, Guy had been training diligently, his strength advancing by leaps and bounds; his current taijutsu prowess was not weak at all.

"No problem," Uchiha Mai smiled. Guy was the perfect opponent. Plus, he might even be able to harvest some points this time. Last time, he had beaten up his son in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen; today, beating up Guy in front of Might Duy was a similar scenario, with the only major variable being the lack of a crowd. He should be able to reap some "coolness" value... right?

The yard of the Might residence was quite cramped and didn't allow for much movement. Fortunately, the house was on the very edge of Konoha, not far from the river. Might Duy led the two kids to an open area by the river, and after witnessing them perform the Seal of Confrontation, he stepped back to observe carefully.

"Mai, I have waited for this day for a long time. You are the second opponent I've wanted to challenge. Witness my youth and passion!" Might Guy felt his blood boiling, roared with momentum, and charged forward, opening with a high, mid-air whip kick aimed at Uchiha Mai's side.

As the wind from the kick whistled by, Uchiha Mai quickly ducked and threw a hook punch, aiming straight for the base of Guy's thigh—fast, accurate, and ruthless. You were the one who exposed your crotch; don't blame me for being vicious.

Guy realized the trajectory of Uchiha Mai's punch was wrong halfway through his kick, and his face turned deathly pale. Even if he didn't understand the "birds and the bees," as a taijutsu practitioner, Guy knew that was the most vital of vital points. Furthermore, Guy actually did understand those things. He had once tracked Kakashi, pestering him for a spar, even following him to the restroom. He had discovered that his own "little Guy" wasn't as impressive as Kakashi's "little Kakashi," which had left him feeling quite inferior and depressed for a time. It was already small enough; if he took a punch there and ended up crippled, wouldn't that be a tragedy on top of a tragedy?

Ignoring the loss of balance, Guy exerted all his strength to change his move, crossing his hands to cover his crotch in an attempt to protect his "little Guy."

Uchiha Mai smiled. Here it comes! Compared to punching, kicking had a wider range of motion, making it easier to lose one's center of gravity and harder to change moves mid-air, especially with mid-air side kicks and roundhouse kicks.

If the opponent lacks the keen eye or the speed to catch the weaknesses exposed during your strikes, then naturally, there is no problem at all.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Mai, who often dreams of awakening his Mangekyo, has always taken great care to protect his eyesight. Having recently learned the Lightning Five-Chain Whip, his upper-body speed and flexibility have improved significantly.

Truly, quick eyes and swift hands!

His striking speed was already fast, and since his opponent was relying on leg techniques, it was relatively easier for Mai to shift his tactics.

Seeing Might Guy retract his leg to guard his groin, his form already compromised and unable to shift his stance again, Mai quickly pulled back his fist, raised his arms, and leaped forward slightly.

Clasping his hands together, he channeled the strength of his left arm into his right, and as he descended, he slammed his right elbow down hard toward the top of Might Guy's head.

Mai Style Ancient Martial Arts · Outer Style · Iron Hammer!

Don't ask why the move name is so long; the answer is that it's cool, sounds profound, and is convenient for harvesting style points.

Boxing, jujutsu, traditional martial arts—Uchiha Mai had integrated these various techniques, producing the effect of the Yagami-Style Ancient Martial Arts from The King of Fighters.

Please call me Konoha Iori Yagami!

Might Guy couldn't dodge in time; his head rang from the Iron Hammer, and with a loud thud, he collapsed to the ground, dazed.

Might Duy, watching from the sidelines, felt his mouth twitch slightly. They had agreed to test Mai's taijutsu characteristics, so there should have been some back-and-forth, right? What was with being taken down in a single move?

However, from this one move alone, Might Duy could conclude that this kid, Uchiha Mai, definitely had his own unique understanding of taijutsu.