Being suddenly stared at by Sarutobi Hiruzen with such intensity was enough to make even Moonlight Gale, a seasoned Jōnin, feel a heightened sense of pressure. His body seemed to freeze momentarily. As expected from the Third Hokage, even in his older years, his serious gaze remained intimidating.
Swallowing silently, Moonlight Gale met the Third Hokage's eyes and spoke again. "Today, I was teaching a clansman how to practice swordsmanship and unexpectedly discovered his extraordinary talent. He observed the techniques once and, after only practicing twice, he has mastered the basic sword skills remarkably well. Furthermore, after I demonstrated the Konoha-Ryu swordsmanship to him, he not only grasped it but executed it more perfectly than I did!"
The Third Hokage studied Moonlight Gale's earnest expression. Despite the hint of trepidation in his eyes, Gale's demeanor was filled with anticipation and excitement. His words seemed genuine.
If what Gale claimed was true, this was indeed a remarkable discovery. To be compared to the legendary White Fang in terms of talent was no small feat. "Konoha-Ryu swordsmanship, and you say he performed better than you after witnessing it just once?" the Third Hokage inquired, his tone tinged with incredulity.
He was well-acquainted with Moonlight Gale's capabilities. Among those who had inherited the Konoha-style swordsmanship, Gale was the most proficient. Despite his less impressive chakra and physical prowess, his swordsmanship was commendable, enough to earn him the rank of Special Jōnin. Yet, Gale claimed that this young individual outperformed him on the first attempt. Could it be possible?
"Who is this young man?" the Third Hokage asked.
"Moonlight Shiyu, my cousin. He's currently attending the ninja academy and is set to graduate in just over a month!"
A student from the ninja academy? A child with such exceptional talent in swordsmanship only now being recognized? On reflection, the Third Hokage understood. The Moonlight Clan was a smaller family, and it was not uncommon for a child from such a background to go unnoticed. Moreover, swordsmanship wasn't part of the standard ninja school curriculum, so it wasn't surprising that his talent remained undiscovered.
"If Hokage-sama is skeptical, I can bring Shiyu here immediately to demonstrate his skills," Moonlight Gale suggested, eager to convince the Third Hokage.
The Hokage waved his hand dismissively, "No need, I trust your judgment." Gale was visibly moved by the Hokage's faith in him.
"Since he's a promising talent, we must ensure he's nurtured properly. However, he hasn't graduated yet. Once he does, make sure to oversee his swordsmanship training. Given his potential, he could become as skilled as White Fang. Konoha needs such promising young blood to rejuvenate its strength."
Having achieved his objective, Moonlight Gale couldn't conceal his excitement. The Third Hokage, sensing Gale's enthusiasm, concluded, "You may go now. I have many matters to attend to."
With a respectful bow, Moonlight Gale exited the Hokage's office. Once alone, the Third Hokage pondered, 'Could his talent in swordsmanship really be that extraordinary?' He remained skeptical, considering testing the boy himself. If Shiyu truly possessed such talent, he could become a vital asset to Konoha's future.
Meanwhile, Shiyu, still at home, contemplated his active skill development. "What impact will ninjutsu have on the passive skill bar?" he wondered.
The system, referred to as Daxian, responded, unable to analyze due to insufficient information, suggesting Shiyu try things out himself. Despite this, Shiyu was grateful for the system's assistance in acquiring new skills.
As he reorganized the system's passive skill bar, Shiyu planned to experiment by incorporating ninjutsu. This wasn't just any ninjutsu, but an elemental release technique—a legacy from his parents, who were both modest Chūnin. The Water Style: Water Chaos Wave Technique was the only ninjutsu scroll they left him. It had taken Shiyu three years to master this C-rank Water Style technique. Fortunately, he had inherited a water affinity, likely from his father.
He allocated his passive skill slots carefully:
- Passive Skill 1-5: Chakra Refining Technique
- Passive Skill 6: School-level Physical Skills
For the vacated Passive Skill 7, Shiyu opted to test the effect of ninjutsu, specifically the Water Style technique.
[Passive Skill 7: Water Style - Water Chaos Technique]
Upon successful installation, Shiyu monitored its effectiveness. Every twenty seconds, the skill completed a cycle. Just as he began to ponder its implications, the system announced:
"Daxian: Detecting Host is learning new skills. Shikai analysis in progress."
Shiyu was surprised. "Learning new skills? I haven't done anything yet!"
Despite his confusion, he let the analysis proceed, noting that every cycle increased the resolution by 2%. In about ten minutes, the analysis was complete.
"Daxian: Analysis completed. Congratulations, Host, on mastering a new skill, Nature Transformation – Water."