Planning the Hatake Sword Style

Seeing that Shangguan Yue's attitude was sincere and firm, Hatake Sakumo had nothing more to say, so he took Shangguan Yue to the Hatake Clan's training grounds, the place they loved most for cultivating the next generation.

Following Hatake Sakumo, Shangguan Yue arrived and discovered that the area was filled with thick iron-wood trees, which truly lived up to their name.

The color was similar to iron, and children of various ages were there, constantly swinging the blades in their hands to hack at the trunks before them.

Sparks flew everywhere, yet there were few marks on the trunks; only the older ones had managed to carve slight notches into the trees in front of them.

Everyone was busy with their own tasks, and the scene was quite lively, with the sounds of grunting and shouting echoing incessantly.

Hatake Sakumo walked to the front of the crowd, clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention, and spoke up.

"Listen up, everyone. Today, I've brought a little guy with me.

I promised him I would teach him swordplay, and now he wants to challenge our younger generation.

He wants to see our Hatake Sword Style for himself. Any of you little ones dare to step up and accept the challenge?"

As soon as Hatake Sakumo's words fell, the youngsters of the Hatake Clan couldn't help but shout out, each one of them proud and arrogant.

"No problem, bring it on! Let this guy see the power of our Hatake Clan's swordplay.

It'll help him learn properly later on, with a focused mind, learning slowly instead of being so restless like he is now.

We all built our foundations from a young age; you have to take it slow and not be in such a hurry."

Listening to their lecturing tone, Shangguan Yue felt nothing but disdain.

Tch, a bunch of idiots. Do you really think I want to challenge you?

How hilarious. It looks like I'll have to hit hard later so they realize that swordplay depends on who is wielding it.

After all, if it weren't for Hatake Sakumo, would anyone even care about the Hatake Clan's swordplay?

Hatake Sakumo was already an elite jonin, nearly breaking through to the Kage level; his speed was staggering, and the power of his swordplay was fearsome.

So much so that the Hatake Clan had pushed Hatake Sakumo to become their clan leader, for strength is the fundamental basis for status.

After all, the Hatake Clan was nearly in decline, and it's hard to say what would have happened if not for Hatake Sakumo's sudden rise.

Seeing this, Hatake Sakumo laughed heartily, "Good! Everyone, clear some space and let them spar."

Hatake Sakumo did not oppose Shangguan Yue's actions; after all, reading a book a hundred times is not as good as walking a thousand miles.

Letting him get some exposure wasn't a bad thing, and it served as a trial for the Hatake side as well, given that Shangguan Yue's reputation at the Ninja Academy had already spread far and wide.

Opposite Shangguan Yue, a youngster who looked only slightly older than him was the first to step forward, and once both were ready, Hatake Sakumo acted as the referee and shouted, "Battle start!"

The two performed the Seal of Confrontation, and the opponent charged at Shangguan Yue with a wooden sword. Shangguan Yue could clearly feel that the opponent's sword techniques were indeed different from his own.

The opponent's foundation was solid, clearly practiced since childhood, but it lacked any real lethality.

Because Shangguan Yue's own attributes had already maxed out, his neural reflexes were far beyond those who hadn't surpassed his level of strength.

If they thought they could defeat him using only this kind of basic, rigid, and inflexible swordplay, it was nothing but a fantasy; they couldn't even land a hit.

Things unfolded exactly as expected; the first youngster who charged in couldn't do a single thing to Shangguan Yue. Every slash was dodged at the perfect moment.

Slowly, everyone realized that Shangguan Yue's strength was extraordinary. Even though he hadn't drawn a blade, the ability to dodge every strike was not to be underestimated.

Before long, the youngster who had charged out ran out of steam. Even though it was a wooden sword, he had worked himself into a real frenzy, and because he couldn't land a hit, he grew more anxious and forceful, creating even more openings. Finally, seeing the notification that the recording was successful, Shangguan Yue stopped dragging it out.

He drew his blade, sheathed it, and precisely struck the opponent's weak point, knocking the opponent's sword away before thrusting his wooden sword forward, stopping only when it hit the opponent's chest.

Shangguan Yue said indifferently, "You lost. Next."

Hatake Sakumo also saw what was going on.

"Yue's ability is very strong. Although his foundation in swordplay isn't solid yet, his natural talent is there. Just by moving, he far surpasses them. These little ones are in trouble this time."

Seeing the youngster who had just stepped up fail, the other companions were left speechless, as he was considered one of the best among them.

But since even he couldn't harm Shangguan Yue in the slightest, no one dared to step forward until an eleven or twelve-year-old boy finally stood out.

Seeing him wearing ninja gear, he took a step and leaped out, saying coolly, "Do you dare to accept my challenge?"

"What's your name? How strong are you?"

"My name is Hatake Taro, a genin."

"I am Shangguan Yue, a student ninja. Please, enlighten me."

The youngsters were thrilled to see Hatake Taro step up.

"Brother Taro, teach him a lesson for us! He's too good at acting cool, and he's even better-looking than us—it's unforgivable!"

Hatake Taro dropped his serious expression, turned back, and grinned, "Yosh, leave it to me."

Then, he turned back to look at Shangguan Yue with a serious gaze. Shangguan Yue curled his lip, "Come on then."