Teaching!

The mission was over. Shita Genichi and the others sealed the Sky Ninja corpses inside a Sealing Scroll, then set off back for Konoha. By the time they returned, it was already the third day.

The mission had taken six days in all.

Back in Konoha, Hatake Sakumo went to submit the mission report, while Shita Genichi and the other two went their separate ways.

As he strolled down the street, Shita Genichi pondered the information about the Sky Ninja Village that he had gathered on the way back.

The Sky Ninja Village was gone.

The remnants of the Sky Ninja had scattered, occasionally emerging to oppose Konoha.

But they were only courting death.

The Sky Ninja Village had originally been located east of the Land of Fire, south of the Land of Hot Water, near the sea.

He still wasn't sure whether there was an airborne fortress beneath the ruins of the Sky Ninja Village.

He also had no information about the Zero-Tails and didn't know when it had first appeared.

However, the Sealing Jutsu used to seal the Zero-Tails had been stolen from Konoha.

The source of the regeneration secret technique was also Konoha.

Shita Genichi hadn't learned how the Sky Ninja Village had been destroyed. Hatake Sakumo had been rather vague about it.

"Could it have been because their secret techniques were stolen?"

Shita Genichi guessed.

Fortunately, he didn't necessarily have to go to the ruins of the Sky Ninja Village himself.

With his current rank as a Genin, it would be difficult for him to leave the village alone.

"Good thing I've got a cheat... I'll prepare first and learn the Four-Symbols Seal."

"Let's see if I can get my hands on the Zero-Tails by borrowing against my future again."

Shita Genichi knew his limits.

With his current strength, going after the Zero-Tails could easily get him killed.

It might have seemed like he'd dealt with more than a dozen Sky Ninja with ease this time.

But that was because Hatake Sakumo had been there.

Uchiha Namiichi and Yamanaka En were both Chunin, too.

Uchiha Namiichi in particular, with his two Tomoe, was very strong.

Even in close-quarters Taijutsu, he could easily beat Shita Genichi.

After resting at home for half a day, Shita Genichi went to visit Hatake Sakumo the next day, bringing a gift.

Hatake Sakumo had told him he could ask for guidance in Kenjutsu, and Shita Genichi wasn't about to pass up the opportunity.

Even if it had only been a polite offer, he'd shamelessly taken it seriously.

And Hatake Sakumo clearly wasn't the kind of person to make empty offers.

After spending several days together, Shita Genichi could tell he was a senior who genuinely enjoyed helping the younger generation.

So of course he had to seize the chance.

Whether or not Hatake Sakumo would take him on as a disciple, he would learn what he could first.

When Shita Genichi arrived, Kakashi was home as well, with no mission to go on.

After setting down the gift, the three of them headed to a clearing surrounded by trees.

A number of wooden targets were nailed to the trees. They bore the marks of countless shuriken strikes, so this was probably where Kakashi had trained in the past.

"Kakashi, Genichi, give it a try first," Hatake Sakumo said with a smile. Then he added pointedly, "Kakashi, Genichi has made great strides in Kenjutsu!"

Kakashi looked at Shita Genichi. "Iaijutsu?"

Shita Genichi nodded. "I've made a little progress."

Kakashi drew his short sword from his back. "Then show me what you've got."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kakashi charged at Shita Genichi.

Shita Genichi lowered his stance, his right hand resting on the hilt.

But Kakashi, who had been charging straight at him, suddenly leaped into the air, sailed over Shita Genichi, and attacked from behind.

Shita Genichi wasn't thrown off. He traced a semicircle clockwise with his body, turning as he drew his sword in one fluid motion.

Clang!

The short sword he drew from low on the left toward high on the right met Kakashi's descending blade.

Shita Genichi immediately shifted to a two-handed grip and brought his sword down in a follow-up strike.

Clang!

Kakashi blocked it, but his expression changed, and he stumbled slightly. "That's a heavy strike!"

Shita Genichi seized the opening and pressed his attack.

The clash of steel rang out without pause.

Kakashi retreated again and again, but after only seven or eight exchanges, he found his footing and began counterattacking.

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

After his two Iaijutsu strikes failed to finish the fight, his swordsmanship was nothing special. Once Kakashi counterattacked, he was soon flustered.

He was getting thrashed again!

Still, Shita Genichi gritted his teeth and held on, focusing on blocking every one of Kakashi's strikes. He tried to absorb Kakashi's Kenjutsu and counterattack.

He was beaten back every time, but he made at least a little progress.

Hatake Sakumo watched from the side and gave a slight nod.

It didn't matter if he couldn't win. He needed to know how to learn—and be able to learn.

After more than fifty exchanges, Kakashi's short sword came to rest against Shita Genichi's neck.

Shita Genichi had still lost, but he'd lasted more than fifty exchanges—a huge improvement over the past.

"Genichi, you've improved a lot."

"Especially your Iaijutsu. If you get the timing right, it's easy to kill your opponent with one strike," Kakashi said.

Hatake Sakumo smiled. "Genichi used that move to kill two Sky Ninja holdouts on this mission."

Kakashi was startled. He looked at Shita Genichi in surprise.

Shita Genichi smiled. "Those two were nowhere near as good as you with a sword, Kakashi. And they underestimated me."

Then it was time for Hatake Sakumo's lesson.

Shita Genichi was already familiar with Konoha-Style Kenjutsu, so Hatake Sakumo skipped the basic moves and started teaching him how to generate force.

How to make his strikes faster and stronger.

That force came not only from the body, but also from techniques for releasing chakra in bursts.

If he could release chakra through his feet to perform the Body Flicker Technique, then he could just as naturally release chakra through his hands. Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred, for instance, made her punches immensely powerful.

Kenjutsu worked the same way.

Setting aside nature transformation, swordsmanship came down to a contest of reflexes, strength, and speed.

Once the techniques had been taught, all that remained was practice.

How did he practice?

With real fights, of course.

Shita Genichi was repeatedly thrashed by Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi.

After three straight days of it, all he could think about was flashing blades.

On the fourth day, Kakashi went on a mission.

Shita Genichi was given the day off, too.

But he couldn't just stop and rest. He spent the day studying Sealing Jutsu and Genjutsu.

Before he knew it, seven days had passed.

At nine in the morning, at the gates of Konoha.

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

Mission—time off to train—mission—time off to train.

That was just how dull a ninja's life was.

And the year 42 of Konoha passed before he knew it.

Hoo~

Shita Genichi breathed out a puff of warm air. "If nothing unexpected happens, the incident will take place this year."

"What kind of mission could cause the country such a huge loss?"

"Could I change things if I gave up the mission to save my comrades?"

"I hope it happens after March..."

In March, Shita Genichi would be able to borrow another ten years from his future.

By then, his strength should have improved further.

His Kenjutsu, at the very least, should have improved dramatically.

With Hatake Sakumo's guidance over the past few months, his Kenjutsu had improved incredibly quickly.

After another ten years of honing his skills, he should be pretty formidable.

"Genichi!"

A familiar voice reached his ears, jolting him from his thoughts. He looked up, then broke into a smile. "Jiraiya-sensei!"

He leaped down from the rooftop and landed in front of Jiraiya, then bowed respectfully.

Jiraiya smiled and beckoned. "Come with me!"

Curious, Shita Genichi followed.