A Sword for Someone Worthy

When Sasuke said that, Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao both instantly looked disappointed.

Their expressions were as if they'd just lost a fortune. They looked utterly crestfallen.

But Sasuke had no intention of saying anything.

After all, when it came to strength—

Though Gekko Hayate was an Elite Jonin and no slouch himself,

he was still far inferior to Kakashi.

The two sides fell silent for a long while.

Just as Sasuke thought they didn't want to lend him the sword and was preparing to take his leave,

Gekko Hayate, seemingly only just recovering from his shock, suddenly looked at Sasuke and asked excitedly:

"By the way, have you grasped Transparent Release?"

"Transparent Release?..."

Sasuke looked puzzled.

Then he scratched his head and pretended not to know anything. "I really don't know..."

"How is that possible?..."

To Sasuke's surprise,

Gekko Hayate still wouldn't give up. Frowning, he muttered to himself:

"You've already reached a minor level of mastery in the First Form: Wind Slash. How have you still not grasped Transparent Release?..."

After a long while, he seemed to realize something. He turned to Sasuke, who was standing there with a strange look in his eyes, and said:

"I get it. You must have grasped it too quickly, so you haven't fully mastered the Dance of the Crescent Moon."

"Here, I'll demonstrate Transparent Release for you now. Watch closely."

"Maybe seeing it will make all the difference in helping you awaken Transparent Release..."

Demonstrate Transparent Release?...

Sasuke murmured to himself.

Then he glanced at the beautiful Uzuki Yugao beside them, seemed to realize something, and quickly raised a hand to stop Hayate.

"Hayate-senpai, there's no need. It's broad daylight; this really isn't appropriate..."

Sasuke didn't know whether he'd been too slow to stop him,

or whether Gekko Hayate simply had no intention of listening to his warning.

All he saw was Gekko Hayate change his hand seals.

The next moment,

right before Sasuke's eyes, Hayate's figure seemed to be erased, slowly disappearing!

"This..."

Sasuke's pupils contracted at the sight.

It wasn't that he was making a fuss or had never seen anything before.

It was just that, in this situation,

rather than saying Gekko Hayate had suddenly vanished,

it was more accurate to say he had blended into the surrounding environment!

Less than three seconds later,

Gekko Hayate's figure reappeared in front of Sasuke.

Seeing Sasuke's astonished expression, he smiled and explained:

"Actually, I just wanted to find out how long a genius like you could maintain Transparent Release."

How long?...

Sasuke understood.

He thought to himself:

No wonder Gekko Hayate had become an Elite Jonin.

Never mind how strong he was.

With that one trick of turning invisible, he could work in intelligence gathering with ease...

"So I misunderstood earlier. It's 'transparent,' not 'penetrate.' I thought it meant piercing through something..."

Thinking this, Sasuke finally let out a breath.

He didn't know whether he felt disappointed or relieved...

Then he smiled and shook his head.

"Hayate-senpai, I really haven't grasped Transparent Release."

He paused.

"Because so far, I've only grasped Wind Slash. I haven't learned any of the others at all..."

"What!..."

At Sasuke's words, Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao both cried out in shock again!

"So the Dance of the Crescent Moon is meant to be mastered one form at a time?..."

Then Gekko Hayate sank into utter despair.

Hearing Sasuke's words, he even began to suspect he'd been practicing the wrong way.

Sasuke hadn't expected that simply telling the truth could shatter the heart of an Elite Jonin's ninja way.

He tentatively asked:

"Um... Senpai, since it's getting late,"

"I'll get out of your hair."

As he spoke, Sasuke turned and left without a second thought.

It looked like he wasn't getting that ninja sword after all.

He hadn't even asked for help yet, and he'd already driven the man into despair.

He was lucky if Hayate didn't come after him for it.

What more could he ask for?

He'd better get out of there!

But just as Sasuke reached the door,

Gekko Hayate seemed to jolt awake from a nightmare and called out:

"Sasuke, wait!..."

Sigh... I was too slow...

He turned around and looked at Gekko Hayate.

"Is there something else, Senpai?..."

By now, Sasuke had secretly gathered all the chakra throughout his body.

He was ready to use a ninjutsu to escape the moment Gekko Hayate made a move against him!

But Gekko Hayate didn't move. Instead, he said:

"By the way, didn't you want a ninja sword for using the Dance of the Crescent Moon?..."

"Oh? Have you decided to lend me your ninja sword, Senpai?..."

Even as he said this, Sasuke was already preparing to strike first.

This was his first time facing a Jonin head-on.

He wasn't about to let his guard down.

Lend me a sword? What a joke. He's probably only saying that to lower my guard so I won't run away...

But Gekko Hayate didn't draw the ninja sword from his back.

Instead, he gestured to Uzuki Yugao beside him.

Uzuki Yugao immediately looked horrified.

"Hayate, are we really giving him Master's sword?..."

"Master once said it was meant for you, and you..."

Before she could finish, Gekko Hayate waved a hand and cut her off.

"With my talent, I probably won't ever be able to use that sword."

"You know that, of the ninja tools capable of withstanding Wind Slash Style at a minor level of mastery, the only one we know of is the sword Master left behind."

"But..."

"There's no 'but.'"

"A ninja sword should be given to someone worthy. It doesn't belong to me. If we insist on keeping it, it'll only end up gathering dust."

"It's better to let it shine in Sasuke's hands. I believe that, one day, with Sasuke's talent, he'll carry Konoha-Style Swordsmanship to greatness!"

"Let the entire Shinobi World know that, alongside Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and ninjutsu, there was once another art of swordsmanship that stood unrivaled! Cough, cough..."

Perhaps his excitement had gotten the better of him. Gekko Hayate's impassioned speech was interrupted by another fit of coughing.

In the end, Uzuki Yugao did as Gekko Hayate said.

She went into the house and brought out the ninja sword.

Gekko Hayate held the sword in his hand and gazed at it for a long while.

Then, at last, he threw his head back and cried out!

He tossed it through the air toward Sasuke, who was standing by the doorway.

"Sasuke, this ninja sword is yours from now on!"

"Make sure you treat it well!... Cough, cough..."

The long sword transformed into a streak of light and shot toward Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes lit up. Without a word, he leaped into the air and caught the ninja sword!

The moment he drew the sword, a chill swept over him!

Sasuke didn't hesitate.

"Dance of the Crescent Moon, First Form: Wind Slash!"

With a fierce cry, Sasuke leaped into the air, sword in hand!

His body was like a shooting star; his sword, like a gentle breeze.

One sword, one thought!

The next moment,

Sasuke casually swung his sword. A cherry tree several people could barely wrap their arms around was instantly severed at the trunk, without a sound!

"Beautiful sword!"

Landing lightly, Sasuke looked at the ninja sword in his hand.

A layer of iron flakes, like peeling paint, clung to its blade.

He gave it a slight shake, and the iron flakes scattered in the wind.

Then a piercing sword cry rang through the sky!

"This... This is..."

Sasuke stared blankly at the ninja sword in his hand.

His face was full of confusion.

Then he looked up at Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao, who had come over to stand beside him.

"This ninja sword is strange..."

"Senpai, could this sword be called the Sword of Zhi?..."