Swordsman Isshin

"Excuse me, everyone."

"In Forging Town, who's the strongest fighter?"

All eyes turned toward the doorway.

Backlit, they could only make out an unusually tall and burly figure—broad shoulders, thick back, nearly two meters tall, like an iron tower. Instinctively, they assumed it was a weathered, rough-hewn man.

But when he stepped fully inside and the dim lamplight illuminated his face, many people showed expressions of surprise.

That face was unexpectedly young, still carrying a hint of unpolished youthfulness. He looked no more than fifteen or sixteen, creating a jarring contrast with his astonishingly robust physique.

"HAHAHAHA!"

After a brief moment of shock, the tavern erupted into even louder laughter.

A blacksmith with a flushed face and arms thicker than most men's thighs slapped the table and bellowed in a gruff voice, "Do you even need to ask? It's Arakawa Keitoku from the Arakawa Dojo in the west of town! Who else, me?"

His words drew another wave of chuckles and the clinking of cups.

As the laughter subsided, a man who looked like a ronin stroked the short beard on his chin and eyed the sturdy youth at the door with a hint of mockery. "What, kid? You've got the build for it—thinking of apprenticing at the Arakawa Dojo?"

Without waiting for the boy to answer, he shook his head and continued on his own, "Then you've come at a bad time. The Arakawa Dojo only takes new disciples when the snow melts in early spring, and slots are limited. Right now..." He took a sip of his sake. "You'll have to wait a few months."

Amid the teasing and stares, the tall youth seemed not to hear them. His eyes only brightened slightly, as if he'd found a clear target, and the eager look on his face grew stronger.

He nodded, his voice still clear but now carrying a more pointed direction:

"Arakawa Dojo, Arakawa Keitoku... I'll remember that."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the still-laughing crowd. The corner of his mouth seemed to curl upward as he uttered a sentence that cut the laughter short:

"But I'm not going to apprentice."

"I'm going to spar."

"Oh, and my name is Isshin!"

The youth who called himself "Isshin" lifted his chin slightly. His eyes—calm and sharp, mismatched with his youthful face—slowly swept across the room. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a decisive, unyielding clarity that etched itself into everyone's ears:

"Soon, all of you, and this entire country, will remember that name."

With that, he didn't linger. He turned, pushed open the door, and stepped out, his tall figure swallowed by the deepening dusk and cold wind, leaving behind a room full of stunned people.

Name: Isshin (Higashino Shinichi)

Occupation: Swordsman

Traits: Genius (Blue), Spiritual Sense (Green), Big Eater (Green), Quick Wit (Green), Diligence Compensates (Green), Natural Strength (Green), Thick Skin (Green), Swift as a Hare (Green), Sword Proficiency (Green)

This youth named "Isshin" was, of course, an independent clone created by Higashino Shinichi using his newly acquired [Clone (Blue)] trait.

As a registered ninja of Konoha, Shinichi's main body was subject to many restrictions. It was difficult for him to freely travel long distances or immerse himself in swordsmanship—a path entirely separate from the ninja system.

It was even more inconvenient for him to rapidly build a reputation in a country like the Land of Iron, which revered the way of the samurai, as a pure challenger. That could easily spark diplomatic incidents.

Thus, an independent clone—one with a relatively clean background and exceptional talent, built as a "swordsman"—became the optimal solution.

The biological bloodline genes needed to fuse with the clone came from none other than Enma King.

Previously, Shinichi had used the pretext of "tempering his physique and exploring Nintaijutsu" to guide the Third Hokage into having Enma King train him. While the stated goal was indeed to hone his body, another hidden intention was for this very moment.

Admittedly, if one considered potential and compatibility, the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, might have been the theoretical optimal choice.

But at this point in time, even Orochimaru might not have started related research. The only clear holders were the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō.

Ask the Third Hokage for them?

Leaving aside the fact that he couldn't explain his source of information, it would severely conflict with the "pure-hearted, simple-natured" persona he had painstakingly cultivated, inevitably inviting unpredictable scrutiny and suspicion.

Approach Danzō?

That would be like courting a tiger for its skin—extremely risky. It would also mean abandoning the Third Hokage, his current biggest patron.

So Shinichi chose a safer, more feasible path—settling for a secondary option first, using the physically formidable and highly potential Enma bloodline as the foundation to create the "Isshin" clone.

Besides, the [Clone] trait could potentially be upgraded to purple in the future. At that point, seeking legendary materials like the First Hokage's cells wouldn't be too late.

Although Isshin could only inherit one of the main body's Occupation traits and half of its Talent traits, and couldn't yet inherit those ninja-specific talents tied to the ninja occupation, this clone's strength was still remarkably formidable.

Having fused with Enma King's bloodline genes, he naturally inherited the Enma Clan's domineering physical strength and tough constitution.

More crucially, the traits Shinichi had carefully configured for him were all green grade or above. This gave Isshin an astonishingly high starting point in pure physical ability, swordsmanship comprehension, combat instincts, and growth efficiency.

In terms of raw power, he was even stronger than Shinichi's main body, which still had to balance the comprehensive development of a ninja.

The name "Isshin" came from a game character in Shinichi's past life—a being revered by the world as a "Sword Saint," whose entire life was spent purely and relentlessly pursuing the peak of martial skill and swordsmanship.

In his youth, he was aggressive, almost greedy, constantly seeking stronger opponents, repeatedly honing his sword techniques through countless life-and-death battles, turning every fight into a stepping stone toward greater heights.

Shinichi's clone not only took its name from this figure but also had its preset behavior and growth path heavily modeled on that core essence.

On the Land of Iron—a country that revered martial strength—he would challenge the strong in the most direct, even flamboyant, way, tempering himself through real combat. This would be his fastest route to building a reputation, gathering recognition, and honing his swordsmanship.

Shinichi had once asked his swordsmanship teacher, Yamashita Shuji, how a formal swordsman should continue their path—that is, how to explore the higher levels of the "Swordsman" occupation.

Teacher Yamashita had told him back then that being called a "Swordsman" meant you had successfully graduated, mastering the foundational techniques and mental discipline. The road ahead required leaving the shelter of the dojo and walking it alone.

That would be a long journey of wandering and trial. You needed to measure the land with your own feet, meet friends from all directions with your own sword, and hone your skills through countless bouts—some mere sparring, others deadly serious.

The depth of this journey directly determined whether you would stop at being a decent swordsman, or take a step further into a new realm where you could found your own school—that was the "Swordsman" (Master).

A Swordsman, as the name implied, was already a "teacher of the sword way."

It meant you had not only entered the hall of swordsmanship but had formed your own understanding and system, qualified and capable of opening a dojo to pass your "way" on to later generations.

However, Teacher Yamashita emphasized with weight that to transform from a "Swordsman" into a widely recognized "Swordsman (Master)," besides refining your skill and character to perfection, there was an invisible yet crucial threshold: you had to earn the collective recognition of your peers and fellow martial artists in that land.

You needed to prove your strength, your capacity, and your respect for the sword way itself, in a manner accepted by the local martial arts circle in the place you wished to settle.

There were usually three paths.

The first, and safest, was to receive the recommendation and endorsement of a respected senior master.

The second was to dominate in a grand public exhibition or tournament, earning fame through indisputable results.

The third was to visit every reputable dojo in the area one by one, openly and honorably, using the sword as your language—commonly known as dojo-crashing.

Of course, the third path carried the highest risk and was the least recommended. Many who chose it ended up injured or dead during their challenges.

Even if they succeeded in the end, their methods were too harsh to truly integrate into the local community, unless they possessed overwhelming strength and later displayed sufficient magnanimity. Usually, swordsmen did not make this choice.

But no matter which path was chosen, the core message was the same: you have arrived, you are qualified, you have the right to spread your skills, take disciples, and become a new and solid part of the martial ecosystem in this land.

Isshin's clone had a clean background, but it wasn't legitimate—his origins were mysterious, with no foundation at all.

The first path, requiring connections and a spotless record, was already closed to him.

The second required waiting for an opportunity, and the Land of Iron had no grand tournaments of suitable scale in the near future.

So, he was left with only the third choice—the hardest, most dangerous, yet most direct path, and the one that best fit the preset personality of "Isshin."

He would knock on doors with his sword and prove his way through battle.