In the blink of an eye, the two sparring sessions had concluded, and Mochizuki Hui had emerged victorious in both.
If the first battle had showcased Hui's genius-level tactics and masterful shuriken techniques, the second battle had given his new teammates a direct understanding of his strength.
Despite his young appearance, barely a child, Hui's abilities had earned their full acknowledgment.
Though his fighting style still showed signs of inexperience and a lack of seasoned battle instincts, those were things that could be learned and honed over time. After all, he was still in his prime growth period.
"Was that sword technique of yours some kind of ninjutsu without hand signs?" Wind couldn't help but ask, clearly impressed by the dazzling strike Hui had unleashed during their fight.
To Wind, it seemed like a type of ninjutsu that seamlessly fused with swordplay, a revelation that inspired him deeply.
He couldn't help but admire the genius behind such a technique. Whoever had created it was undoubtedly a visionary!
Hui simply smiled in response. He neither confirmed nor denied Wind's assumption, leaving an air of mystery as he subtly hinted at acceptance.
"I knew it! What an ingenious technique! This kind of move could be revolutionary. I think we should call it Sword Ninjutsu!" Wind said enthusiastically, clearly enthralled by the idea.
As someone who was passionate about swordsmanship, Wind couldn't help but admire such innovation. For a swordsman like him, such a technique opened up new realms of possibilities in battle.
"Oh, it's nothing special. I've still got a long way to go," Hui said modestly, scratching his head in mock embarrassment. In his heart, though, he appreciated Wind's discerning eye.
After all, it was a technique that could be considered akin to "ninjutsu without seals." If it could ever be spread widely, the world might see the birth of a new profession altogether: Sword Cultivators.
But if that happened, the entire aesthetic of this world might shift dramatically—from a classic ninja world into something more reminiscent of the world of xianxia.
Fortunately, Hui knew that his technique was far too unique to be replicated easily. Its potential wasn't something that could be mass-produced.
"Alright, Captain Bear, does that mean it's our turn next?" Hui asked as he looked over at Bear, his voice once again calm and steady.
Hearing this, Bear's eyes gleamed with excitement. He had been waiting for this moment.
"Do you need to rest for a bit first?" Bear asked. Despite his eagerness, he wanted to give Hui a fair chance to recover. After all, Hui had just fought two battles back-to-back. Surely, he would have expended a significant amount of stamina and chakra by now.
Or so Bear thought.
In reality, Hui constantly absorbed energy from the environment around him, particularly light energy. His body processed and converted it into usable energy. However, there was a limit to how much his body could convert at one time, with any excess simply dissipating into the air.
In other words, Hui was akin to a person with low chakra reserves but an extremely high rate of recovery. Long battles and drawn-out exhaustion weren't a concern for him.
Still, it wouldn't do for him to reveal his secret just yet.
So, instead, Hui nodded in agreement and sat down, pretending to rest and recover his chakra. After about ten minutes, he rose to his feet and spoke with renewed energy, "Captain Bear, I'm ready."
Bear grinned. "Good! Then let's begin!"
In a flash, Hui dashed forward, initiating the fight with a swift roundhouse kick.
Thud!
The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed through the training ground. Hui winced slightly, feeling the impact reverberate through his leg as though he had just kicked a solid oak tree.
On the other hand, Bear was quietly impressed. Despite Hui's small stature, the strength behind his kick was formidable.
Boom, boom, boom!
Hui continued his assault, launching attack after attack with a series of kicks, punches, and swift movements. However, Bear's body seemed to be impenetrable. He blocked every blow with ease, barely breaking a sweat.
Although Hui's eyesight gave him a significant advantage in reading Bear's moves and predicting his attacks, his body wasn't quite able to keep up with the level of precision needed.
His smaller frame, though powerful for his age, simply couldn't match up to Bear's sheer physical prowess and skill in taijutsu.
After another failed attack, Hui used Bear's counter-kick to propel himself backward, creating some distance between them.
"Captain Bear, your taijutsu is really something. I can't compare," Hui admitted, though his tone was still calm.
"Hahaha! Well, I've had years of practice, kid. It's only natural. I've spent so much time honing my taijutsu that even my bones ache from it. But you, you're just a kid—already a freak of nature with strength like this," Bear laughed, clearly impressed with Hui's performance despite the gap in their skill levels.
He continued, "Let's call it here. This is just a sparring session to get to know each other's strengths. No need to push ourselves to find a victor."
With that, Bear officially ended the match.
"Alright then. Tomorrow at 8 a.m., meet at the Hokage's building. We'll begin our first mission, protecting the Hokage."
With the final command, Bear, Lightning, and Wind all vanished using the Body Flicker Technique, leaving Hui alone in the training ground.
Hui let out a sigh.
"Hmph, what's so great about having the Body Flicker Technique? Acting all flashy like that..." He grumbled to himself, feeling slightly envious.
Then, after a moment of reflection, he added, "...although, I suppose I really don't know how to do it yet."
[Tl/n: Aight folks, that's it for today, there'll be another 10 chapters tomorrow and afterwards, we'll be reverting to two chapters-a-day schedule, with the added bonus of one chapter every 100 powerstones.
You can check out my patreon if you want advanced chapters, I should be done uploading the chapters by now... probably. Don't trust my past self on that.
join my patreon for advanced chapters: patreon.com/HyppoTL]
Have a great day Folks!(‾◡◝)