Swordsmanship Mastery, Achieved

When Gekko Hayate saw Arata again, he fell silent.

Those faint dark circles under his eyes and the flattened grass beneath his feet told a single story: this kid had been training here since the very first day, and even when he rested, it was likely only for a brief nap on the spot.

What kind of madness was this?

One had to know that he himself was considered diligent among his peers, yet he only trained for half a day before he couldn't help but meet his friends at the dumpling shop on the snack street, using dumplings instead of sake to properly reward himself.

If he encountered snowy or windy weather, taking a small break for himself was only natural.

But now, in such stark contrast, Gekko Hayate suddenly felt that his own past diligence was merely self-validation.

At the same time, an inexplicable conclusion roared within his heart.

This boy named Arata would inevitably master the Dance of the Crescent Moon before him! No, it was more than that—he would certainly surpass his own achievements!

Having not seen him for just a single day, Gekko Hayate's perspective had undergone a world-shaking change.

When they first met, he had coldly dropped the line, "You aren't capable of learning my swordsmanship yet."

"Teacher Hayate."

Noticing the arrival, Arata Uchiha stopped his daily sword swings and offered a greeting.

Even though the other party looked only seven or eight years older than him, he would respectfully address anyone who could teach him ninjutsu, taijutsu, or other knowledge as "Teacher."

And as the other party could see, Arata had not returned home for two nights, pouring his heart and soul into training the Konoha-Style Kenjutsu.

When he was tired of swinging his sword, he practiced ninjutsu; when his chakra was exhausted, he began meditating; and once meditation ended, he resumed the cycle with weighted running.

During this time, Uncle Yashiro and Sister Izumi had both visited.

However, neither of them disturbed Arata's practice; they simply left supplies in silence before quietly departing.

In the eyes of Yashiro Uchiha, Arata's desire to transcend Itachi and shed the title of "the second Itachi" was entirely understandable. Although his heart ached to see the eight-year-old boy torturing himself with such madness, since the choice had been made, he should see it through!

Izumi, meanwhile, had already touched upon a deeper reason.

Her squad leader had mentioned in passing over the last two days that Itachi's self-willed behavior had already caused dissatisfaction within the clan; if Arata could replace his position in the Anbu, it would be a good thing.

"Cough, remember to balance work and rest."

After a brief moment of eye contact, Gekko Hayate finally responded with a light cough.

Because of his shifting perspective, he found himself truly unsure of how to face the little guy before him for a moment.

However, Arata did not care about such details and immediately asked, "Teacher, when using the Dance of the Crescent Moon against an enemy, should the control be handed over entirely to the clone?"

"Or perhaps, should the original body act in coordination with the clone?"

This was his biggest problem at the moment.

Through the Sharingan, he had already replicated the swordsmanship, and after two days of training, he had made some progress—at the very least, there were no longer instances of the original and the clone interfering with or blocking each other.

But this was still far from the level Arata wanted, and it had not yet fully unleashed the agile, deceptive characteristics of the Konoha-Style Kenjutsu.

During his meditation breaks, he had been constantly reviewing and examining his performance in his mind; the only flaw he could identify was the forced relationship of primary and secondary.

The biggest difference between the B-rank Shadow Clone technique and the E-rank Clone technique was that the former could think and fight independently, and even possessed a certain degree of durability.

However, the power possessed by a clone naturally could not be compared to that of the original.

Therefore, Arata subconsciously believed that the essence of the Dance of the Crescent Moon was to confuse the opponent through the clone, allowing the original to find an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

This had led to the primary and secondary roles being too distinct during his attacks, lacking any sense of fluidity.

Arata had originally wanted to try a more spontaneous style of attack, but because his chakra was empty again, he could only continue his daily sword practice.

"This guy."

Listening to Arata Uchiha's question and the line of reasoning he provided, a trace of shock hid within the depths of Gekko Hayate's eyes.

He had only demonstrated the Dance of the Crescent Moon once!

Yet the little guy before him had managed to grasp the basics in just two short days and had identified the most difficult aspect of this swordsmanship. With such diligence combined with extraordinary talent, he finally understood why the Third Hokage, after entrusting him with this task, had also requested that he objectively observe the boy's performance.

"And what happens after the original coordinates?"

"What happens after the clone successfully closes in on the enemy?"

Addressing Arata's question, Gekko Hayate asked back slowly.

He, too, had once fallen into this misconception and harbored these same doubts, only stepping outside the circle to examine the problem after constant practice and contemplation.

Focusing on the original body was not inherently wrong.

After all, a clone was ultimately just a clone; without the original breaking through with power, it was all a futile effort.

But focusing too deliberately on the original would never achieve perfect deception.

Therefore, the true key lay in balance!

This was the reason he had spent three years honing this swordsmanship.

"Abandon the fixed mindset of prioritizing the original body, while simultaneously using the clone for cover; finding the balance between the two—that is the lesson you must learn."

Watching Arata, who had fallen into deep thought, Gekko Hayate added.

He did not know why he had so easily shared his insights with the boy.

Perhaps it was because of the little fellow's mad, obsessive way of training?

Perhaps it was because the other had already caught a glimpse of the truth, and it was only a matter of time before he achieved complete enlightenment?

Or perhaps, it was because of that one phrase: "Teacher Hayate."

"I understand."

Gekko Hayate's final words were like a lamp illuminating a night path, completely dispelling the doubts in his heart.

Through two days of training, Arata had fumbled his way toward the first problem on his own.

Now, Teacher Hayate had pushed the existing issues directly to the final conclusion, saving a vast amount of time that would have been spent on trial and error.

"Ahem, can you use the Sharingan?"

"I will demonstrate it one more time, get ready."

With a light cough, Gekko Hayate picked up a wooden branch from the ground that was roughly the length of a katana.

At the same time, a pair of Single-Tomoe appeared in Arata's pupils.

"I can."

"Sorry for the trouble, Teacher Hayate."

This time, the address felt even more genuine.

The fifth day.

When Gekko Hayate arrived at the training ground again, the shock hidden beneath his eyes was no longer concealed—or perhaps, he had simply become numb to it.

Within his field of vision, three identical figures were sprinting nimbly between the giant trees. Amidst the flickering light and shadows, one of the figures flashed eerily to the front and decisively drew his blade for a horizontal slash.

"Snap."

The wooden stake used for practice broke on cue. As wood chips flew through the air, the boy in blue silently sheathed his sword.

On the panel.

Stage Quest: Kenjutsu Mastery.

Quest Status: Uchiha Style Kenjutsu (Mastered), Konoha-Style Kenjutsu (Mastered), Quest Complete!

That is a level he only reached after spending nearly half a year!

Watching the boy, whose dark circles had grown even heavier, Gekko Hayate felt his heart twitch slightly.