Imparting Knowledge! (Seeking Follow-ups!)

With the mission concluded, Shita Genichi and the other three sealed the corpses of the Sky Ninja into scrolls and set off for Konoha, arriving back on the third day.

The entire mission had taken six days from start to finish.

Upon returning to Konoha, Hatake Sakumo took charge of submitting the mission report, while Shita Genichi and the other two disbanded to head home.

Strolling through the streets, Shita Genichi pondered the intelligence he had gathered about the Sky Ninja Village on the journey back.

The Sky Ninja Village was no more.

The remnants of the Sky Ninja were scattered, occasionally popping up to oppose Konoha.

But they were only courting death.

As for the original location of the Sky Ninja, it lay to the east of the Land of Fire and south of the Land of Hot Water, bordering the sea.

He was currently unsure if an aerial fortress existed beneath the ruins of the Sky Ninja.

Furthermore, he had no intelligence regarding the Zero-Tails, nor was he certain when the Zero-Tails had come into existence.

However, the sealing jutsu used to contain the Zero-Tails had been stolen from Konoha.

The same went for the secret regeneration jutsu; its source was also Konoha.

Shita Genichi had not been able to uncover information regarding the destruction of the Sky Ninja Village, and Hatake Sakumo had only spoken of it in vague terms.

Perhaps it was because the secret jutsus were stolen?

Shita Genichi speculated.

Fortunately, he did not necessarily need to go to the Sky Ninja Village ruins in person.

Given his current status as a genin, it would be very difficult for him to leave the village alone.

It's a good thing I have a cheat... I'll prepare myself first and master the Four-Symbols Seal.

I'll see if I can get my hands on the Zero-Tails by overdrawing from the future.

Shita Genichi was very self-aware.

With his current strength, going to find the Zero-Tails would likely result in a miserable death.

Do not be fooled by how easily they had dealt with over a dozen Sky Ninja this time.

That was only because Hatake Sakumo was there.

At the same time, Uchiha Namiichi and Yamanaka En were both chunin.

In particular, Uchiha Namiichi, who had awakened his two-tomoe Sharingan, possessed formidable strength.

His taijutsu in close-quarters combat alone was enough to thrash Shita Genichi.

After resting at home for half a day, Shita Genichi brought gifts to visit Hatake Sakumo the next day.

Hatake Sakumo had mentioned that he could be consulted regarding swordsmanship, and Shita Genichi naturally would not let that opportunity slip by.

Even if it had been a polite remark, he was thick-skinned enough to take it seriously.

And Hatake Sakumo was clearly not the type of person to say things he didn't mean.

After spending several days together, Shita Genichi could feel that this was a senior who was very enthusiastic about mentoring the younger generation.

Therefore, he certainly had to seize the opportunity.

Regardless of whether Hatake Sakumo would take him on as a disciple, he would learn the skills first.

When Shita Genichi arrived, Kakashi happened to be home and not on a mission.

After setting down the gifts, the three of them went to a clearing surrounded by woods.

There were many wooden targets nailed to the trees here, bearing the marks of shuriken; it was likely a place where Kakashi had trained in the past.

"Kakashi, Genichi, you two try first."

Hatake Sakumo said with a smile, then added a special instruction: "Kakashi, Genichi's swordsmanship has improved a lot!"

Kakashi looked at Shita Genichi and asked, "Iaijutsu?"

Shita Genichi nodded: "I've gained a little insight."

Kakashi drew the short blade from his back: "Then let me see it."

As the words fell, Kakashi charged toward Shita Genichi.

Shita Genichi crouched low, his right hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

However, Kakashi, who was charging from the front, suddenly leaped into the air, vaulted over Shita Genichi, and launched a surprise attack from behind.

Shita Genichi remained unperturbed; his body traced a semicircle clockwise, and as he turned, he drew his blade in one fluid motion.

Clang!

The short blade, drawn from the lower left toward the upper right, collided perfectly with the blade Kakashi had brought down.

Immediately following this, Shita Genichi switched to a two-handed grip and slashed downward.

Clang!

Kakashi parried the strike, but his expression shifted, and he couldn't help but stumble back: "Such a heavy blade!"

Shita Genichi seized the opportunity to press the attack.

For a time, the sound of clashing metal rang out incessantly.

Kakashi retreated repeatedly, but after only seven or eight moves, he stabilized his footing and began to counterattack.

Shita Genichi had been practicing Konoha-Style Kenjutsu for less than a year.

Once the two strikes of his Iaijutsu failed to achieve a decisive result, his swordsmanship became mediocre, and he quickly grew flustered under Kakashi's counter-offensive.

He was being crushed again!

Yet, Shita Genichi gritted his teeth and held on, focusing all his concentration on parrying every one of Kakashi's strikes while attempting to absorb his swordsmanship and turn it back against him.

Although he was beaten back every time, he was at least making some small progress.

Hatake Sakumo, watching from the sidelines, nodded slightly.

It didn't matter if you couldn't win; what mattered was the ability and willingness to learn.

After more than fifty exchanges, Kakashi's short blade rested against Shita Genichi's throat.

Even though he had lost again, he had held out for over fifty rounds, a massive improvement compared to the past.

"Genichi, you've made great progress."

"Especially with your Iaijutsu; if the timing is precise, it's very easy to kill an enemy in a single strike," Kakashi remarked.

Hatake Sakumo smiled and said, "Genichi has already used that move to kill two remnants of the Sky Ninja during this mission."

Kakashi was startled, looking at Shita Genichi in surprise.

Shita Genichi laughed, "Those two were far inferior to you in swordsmanship, and they underestimated me."

Next came Hatake Sakumo's teaching session.

Shita Genichi was already familiar with the basics of Konoha-Style Kenjutsu, so Hatake Sakumo didn't teach basic moves, but instead started with the application of force.

How to exert force to make the blade faster and more ferocious.

This force wasn't just physical strength, but also the technique of explosive chakra release.

Just as one could burst chakra under their feet to perform the Body Flicker Technique, one could naturally release chakra through their hands, much like Tsunade's monstrous strength, to cause a surge in striking power.

Swordsmanship was no different.

Ignoring the addition of nature transformations, a contest of swordsmanship was essentially a battle of three things: neural reaction speed, strength, and velocity.

And once these techniques were imparted, it was time to practice.

How to practice?

Naturally, through live combat.

Shita Genichi was repeatedly crushed by the father-son duo of Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi.

For three days straight, his mind was filled with nothing but the flash of blades.

On the fourth day, Kakashi left for a mission.

Shita Genichi was also given a day off.

But he couldn't stop to rest; he spent the day researching sealing jutsu and genjutsu.

Before he knew it, seven days had passed.

At nine in the morning, at the main gate of Konoha.

The White Fang Squad gathered once more, and Shita Genichi's second mission began.

Mission—vacation—training—mission—vacation—training.

The life of a ninja was just that monotonous.

And the 42nd year of Konoha passed by in the blink of an eye.

Hoo~

Shita Genichi exhaled a puff of hot air: "If nothing goes wrong, the turning point should be this year."

"What kind of mission could cause such massive losses to the nation?"

"Abandoning a mission to save a comrade—can I change that?"

"I hope it happens after March..."

In March, Shita Genichi would be able to overdraw his next ten years of potential again.

By that time, his strength should see further improvement.

At the very least, his swordsmanship should see a massive leap.

After receiving guidance from Hatake Sakumo over these past few months, his swordsmanship had improved very rapidly.

Combined with ten years of tempering, it surely wouldn't be lacking.

"Shita Genichi!"

A familiar voice reached his ears, jolting Shita Genichi awake. He looked up and couldn't help but smile: "Master Jiraiya!"

Leaping down from the rooftop to land before Jiraiya, Shita Genichi offered a respectful bow.

Jiraiya chuckled and beckoned him over: "Follow me!"

Shita Genichi followed, filled with curiosity.