He had perfectly integrated Chakra Nature Transformation into his sword techniques, creating a style no one had ever heard of.
Was talent like that even human?
"Go bring Lei Dou here. I want to meet this little fellow myself."
The Third waved a hand.
As though granted a reprieve, Hayate hastily nodded and hurried out of the Hokage's office.
He, too, could hardly wait to see whether the person dominating the training ground was really his normally well-behaved little brother.
Dust billowed across Konoha's training ground.
An innocent smile played on Lei Dou's lips. With a flick of his wrist, his Ninja Blade clicked back into its sheath.
Looking at the three pale-faced Chunin questioning their very existence before him, Lei Dou gave an exceedingly polite bow.
"Thank you for the lesson!"
The three Chunin exchanged glances. They had expected to be humiliated, yet this little terror was actually thanking them?
They had no idea how to react.
Little did they know, Lei Dou wasn't thanking them at all, but the changing figures on his system panel.
Before his eyes, a pale blue screen visible only to him was updating furiously.
[Estimate: Water Breathing swordsmanship power increased by 30%] [Calculations complete] [Water Breathing swordsmanship upgraded] [Water Release power amplification: current burst power increased to 300% of the base value]
Three hundred percent!
The outrageous figure set Lei Dou's heart racing.
From now on, even a casual swing would produce water effects and destructive power worlds apart from what he had managed before.
[Analysis complete] [Congratulations! Host has acquired a new skill: Body Flicker Technique]
Another practical skill in the bag!
This trip had certainly paid off. Lei Dou was thoroughly satisfied.
The Body Flicker Technique was invaluable for both escaping danger and closing in on enemies. He would have to practice it properly.
Unfortunately, the surrounding ninja who had initially been eager to try their luck were now shrinking back, looking at Lei Dou as though he were a monster. Not one dared step forward to get crushed.
Otherwise, Lei Dou really would have liked to farm a few more ninjutsu.
If he could collect all five elemental release techniques and obtain chakra of every nature, that would be perfect.
But from the looks of things, he had already traumatized this bunch.
Provoking them further would probably amount to bullying weaklings, with little to gain.
"Lei Dou! Lei Dou!"
Urgent calls rang out in the distance.
A figure bounded over in a few leaps. It was Shimozuki Hayate, panting for breath.
Lei Dou blinked in surprise at his quick return.
"Hayate? Is your mission over?"
"Ah... I just got back!"
Without waiting to catch his breath, Hayate cast a complicated look over the "corpses" sprawled around them.
When the surrounding ninja saw Special Jōnin Shimozuki Hayate arrive, their eyes carried the same resentful message: "Your little brother is a monster."
Uncomfortable under so many stares, Hayate grabbed Lei Dou's wrist and dragged him away.
"Come on, let's go. Stop standing around here."
Only after they had left the training ground and reached a deserted corner did Hayate lower his voice.
"Lord Third specifically asked to see you!"
That old man wants to see me?
Lei Dou raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised.
He had only intended to find a few Genin to practice against. Who knew they would fold so easily? While farming data to calculate his swordsmanship, he had inadvertently caused quite a stir.
He had even ended up having to defeat every Genin at the training ground.
"Lei Dou, be straight with your big brother. That swordsmanship with the flowing water... did you really come up with it yourself?"
Faced with Hayate's inquisitive gaze, Lei Dou blinked.
"Ah... more or less!"
"Then when did you learn Water Release?"
Exceptional talent with a sword was one thing, but surely learning Water Release had taken some work?
"Oh, that. I found some old ninjutsu scrolls Mom and Dad left behind and learned from those. It took me a little over three years just to barely get the hang of it."
Lei Dou made it up on the spot. The dead couldn't contradict him, after all.
So that was it!
Hayate believed him. Shimozuki Ikki had indeed been an expert in Water Release.
"Then how did you think to combine Water Release with swordsmanship?"
"Is that hard? You just use Water Release while cutting someone, and there you go."
Just use it...
And there you go?
Hayate's mouth twitched uncontrollably. He felt as though an arrow had pierced his chest.
Was this how geniuses saw the world? Something so profound, summed up with the word "easy"?
If it really was that simple, why hadn't everyone in the Shinobi World spent all these years splashing water off their blades?
This little brat had no idea how astonishing his accomplishment was!
The Hokage Building.
This was Lei Dou's first time setting foot in Konoha's center of power.
A faint scent of tobacco lingered in the office.
Lei Dou curiously studied the old man seated behind the desk.
The Shinobi Hero, Hiruzen Sarutobi-the strongest Hokage, who had ruled Konoha for decades.
As Lei Dou studied him, Hiruzen's seemingly cloudy yet shrewd eyes were also examining Lei Dou.
Although he had seen the boy through his crystal ball, meeting him face-to-face felt entirely different.
To the Third's surprise, there wasn't the slightest trace of fear in this twelve-year-old boy's eyes.
Confidence, composure, and even a hint of appraisal.
His mental fortitude was hardly that of a student who hadn't even graduated yet.
Still, a genius capable of creating swordsmanship like that was entitled to a little pride.
"You're Shimozuki Raito, correct?"
At a meaningful glance from Hayate, Lei Dou stepped forward twice and bowed slightly.
"Yes, Lord Third."
"Your parents were both heroes of Konoha. The village has never forgotten their sacrifice."
Here we go again. The familiar Will of Fire brainwashing opener.
Right on cue, the light in Lei Dou's eyes dimmed, and he obligingly put on a forlorn expression.
Seeing this, Hiruzen sighed, his voice growing gentler.
"I'm sorry, child. I've brought up painful memories. It's just that whenever I see the children our fallen heroes left behind, I..."
Looking at the Third's compassionate expression, Lei Dou sneered inwardly.
What a waste of acting talent. He ought to win an Oscar.
Perhaps he genuinely felt a fleeting moment of sorrow, but more than anything, it was probably just a means of consolidating his rule.
"Lei Dou, that technique you used at the training ground... who taught it to you?"
Here it comes. Now we're getting to the point.
Lei Dou raised his head, looking utterly innocent. "Hayate taught me!"
"Huh?!"
Standing beside him, Hayate nearly jumped, horror written across his face.
Where am I? Who am I? When did I ever teach him that?
"Lei Dou, you can eat whatever you like, but you can't just say whatever you like! When did I teach you that?"
"You taught me Konoha Style: Swordsmanship, Hayate. Did you forget?"
Hayate exhaled in relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "I did teach you Konoha Style, but was that what you were using earlier? Those were two completely different things!"
"Close enough. I just tweaked it a tiny bit to suit my own habits."
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A tiny...
Little...
Tweak?!
Hayate felt as though he was about to have a heart attack.
He had changed it beyond recognition! Aside from still holding a sword, what trace of Konoha Style: Swordsmanship was left?
"Hahahaha!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, understood and couldn't help laughing aloud.
"I see. You mean you used Konoha Style as a foundation, then improved upon it to create this swordsmanship yourself?"
Lei Dou nodded. "Yes."
"To combine nature transformation and Taijutsu to such a degree-this is no mere improvement. It's an entirely new creation!"
The admiration in the Third's eyes deepened.
"Then, young Lei Dou, who taught you Water Release?"
"I found some scrolls among the things my parents left behind and taught myself."
"You taught yourself?"
The Third recalled his records. Lei Dou's father had indeed been a water-nature ninja, and his mother a medical ninja. That made sense.
"Remarkable! To master Water Release from nothing but static scrolls-your comprehension is extraordinary."
"So you had a sudden inspiration to combine the two?"
Lei Dou scratched his head and said a little sheepishly, "It wasn't really a sudden inspiration. I just thought swinging a sword by itself was pretty dull. It didn't have much impact and didn't look very cool, so I wanted to add some special effects..."
Because... it wasn't cool enough?
That was why he had created a swordsmanship style with A-rank, or even S-rank, potential?
The adults present fell silent.
"Have you given this swordsmanship a name?" the Third asked.
"Water Breathing!"
"Water Breathing..." The Third repeated it under his breath. "A fine name. In harmony with nature, flowing without end."
After meeting him personally, the Third was finally reassured.
Despite losing his parents young, the boy had grown up mentally healthy and cheerful under his clan's care, though he did have a tendency to humblebrag.
Most importantly, he came from a loyal Konoha family-a fresh bud on the village's great tree. He was well worth nurturing.
"Very good, young Lei Dou. You'll be graduating soon, won't you?"
Lei Dou nodded.
"Keep working hard. Once you graduate and become a true ninja, I look forward to seeing you shine on a greater stage!"
With the Hokage's approval secured, this "interview" had ended in complete success.
The Third waved a hand, indicating that Hayate could take him away.
Leaving the Hokage Building, Lei Dou let out a long breath.
He had passed the first hurdle.
As long as the Third deemed him trustworthy, he would have a measure of protection in Konoha.
But this wasn't the village's only source of darkness.
Deep within Root, it was dark and damp.
As Danzo listened to his subordinate's report, a glint of greed flashed through his lone eye.
"To think a declining little clan like the Shimozuki could produce such a rare talent."
"Creating his own ninjutsu at such a young age..."
"What were the assessment results?"
A masked Root ninja adjusted his glasses, his voice cold.
"Based on analysis of the wounds at the scene, residual chakra traces, and eyewitness accounts."
"Our estimate is that this swordsmanship, called 'Water Breathing,' is no weaker than an A-rank ninjutsu! If performed by a Jonin specializing in Taijutsu, its destructive power would be enough to turn the tide of battle in an instant."
"Its potential rivals the finishing moves of an Elite Jōnin!"
At that, Danzo could no longer remain seated.
He rose, leaning on his cane.
He didn't care about the brat Lei Dou. He had seen plenty of so-called geniuses. A dead genius was no genius at all.
Besides, that old fool Sarutobi had already taken an interest. Taking the boy wouldn't be easy.
But this swordsmanship!
I had to get my hands on it! For improving Root ninjas' assassination capabilities, this was practically a divine weapon.
Lei Dou had barely gotten home and settled into his seat.
Hayate showed up again, lugging an enormous package like a deliveryman.
Clatter!
A heap of scrolls spilled onto the table, piling up into a small mountain.
"These are swordsmanship scrolls the village has collected over the years. Konoha might not produce as many master swordsmen as Kumogakure or Kirigakure, but we still have quite a stockpile."
Hayate wiped away his sweat. "Lord Third said that since you have a talent for this, these 'miscellaneous books' would be better off serving as reference material for you than gathering dust in a warehouse."
Lei Dou's eyes gleamed as he stared at the pile of at least two or three hundred scrolls.
Were those scrolls? Those were gleaming bundles of experience points!
[Great Sage notification: Analyzing different schools of swordsmanship can substantially refine Water Breathing and increase its swordsmanship power.]
That trip to the Hokage Building had been so worth it!
It was a little disappointing that they weren't ninjutsu scrolls, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
After seeing off a thoroughly bewildered Hayate, Lei Dou immediately switched into "all-night cultivation mode."
"Great Sage, go full throttle! Analyze them for me!"
[Great Sage: Analysis initiated. Estimated time per scroll: 1 minute. Estimated total duration...]
One minute per scroll?
Looking at the mountain of scrolls, Lei Dou rolled up his sleeves.
"No sleep tonight!"
But it would absolutely be worth it. Once he finished analyzing these, Water Breathing would incorporate the strengths of countless schools and undergo a complete transformation.
What was one sleepless night if it meant getting stronger?
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office.
Watching the figure in his crystal ball clutching a scroll and reading voraciously, the Third smiled in satisfaction.
"This boy really is obsessed with martial arts. Just my kind of kid!"
To him, this was merely a small investment in the younger generation.
Little did he know what a terrifying reaction these ordinary swordsmanship scrolls would produce in Lei Dou's hands.
The next day.
Sporting enormous dark circles under both eyes, Lei Dou staggered into the Ninja Academy.
He had spent all night grinding practice questions... no, scrolls, and had only slept for two hours.
Although his body was utterly drained, his mind was unusually exhilarated.
[Great Sage: Calculations complete. Water Breathing's swordsmanship power has increased again. Increase range: 200%-400%.]
This meant that Lei Dou's mastery of swordsmanship now qualified him as a grandmaster!
Yet the moment he entered the classroom, Lei Dou got a fright.
"Look! It's him!"
"Shimozuki Raito! I heard he took down over a hundred Genin all by himself yesterday!"
"That's not all! I heard he even beat dozens of Chunin until they cried!"
"Isn't that a bit much? He can wipe the floor with Chunin before he's even graduated?"
Rumors grew more outrageous with every retelling.
"Good morning, Lei Dou."
Ino's sweet voice came from behind him.
Lei Dou turned around and offered a feeble greeting. "Morning."
Ino gazed at him with her big eyes blinking. "Lei Dou, are the rumors true? Did you really take on a hundred ninjas by yourself?"
"Uh... more or less." Lei Dou didn't deny it, nor did he have the energy to explain.
"Tch. You've really been hiding your strength."
Shikamaru appeared from somewhere, his gaze turning unusually serious as he looked at Lei Dou.