"It's best to be careful. Once you're in battle, you can't rely too much on other people. In the end, you have to rely on yourself."
Kirito saw that Hanare was a little too blindly confident in Orochimaru's strength, so he continued to remind her.
If Orochimaru was really that powerful, Nawaki wouldn't have died in the original story.
Although Nawaki's death was largely due to his recklessness and weak abilities, it was a mistake for the instructor Jōnin Orochimaru to let the rookie charge recklessly. He should not have praised Nawaki's bravery, but should have stopped him immediately.
Therefore, Kirito doesn't really think Orochimaru is reliable. His teaching and training are fine, but if you really want him to save someone on the battlefield, it's best to be careful.
Just as Minato became a jōnin instructor, Orochimaru was not always the babysitter of the three on the battlefield: he had more important tasks to do and had many things to think about, so he could not always protect the three.
"I understand. I will remember your words, Kirito-kun,"
Hanare nodded obediently.
"Hanare, how is your study of Gentle Fist going? Have you learned how to use the Revolving Heaven?"
Kirito asked.
Hanare's face fell when she heard this. Although she had not neglected her Gentle Fist training and practiced it daily, her father had never taught her any advanced techniques.
"Mr. Shan has his reasons. Come with me, I'll teach you something good. Pay close attention and learn."
Kirito sighed when he saw Hanare's expression, knowing that she still could not use Revolving Heaven.
It had to be said, Hyuga Neji was truly a genius, and it was no easy feat to learn Revolving Heaven by fumbling around on your own.
However, Hanare was only eight years old, and it was a bit too much to ask her to independently comprehend Revolving Heaven, the secret technique of Gentle Fist, at this age.
It was only normal that she wouldn't know how.
Hanare's face immediately lit up with excitement when she heard that Kirito-kun was going to teach her something good.
Her father had praised Kirito in front of her many times for his talent in learning Gentle Fist, saying that he was even better than the two genius twins from the family headquarters.
To be honest, she was really curious about Kirito's strength in Gentle Fist.
From what Kirito had just said, it seemed that he had already learned Revolving Heaven.
But was that possible?
Revolving Heaven is a secret technique of the Gentle Fist that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Main Family, and it has never been passed on to outsiders. Even in the branch families, only a select few have the opportunity to practice it with the consent of the Main Family.
Kirito-kun is not a member of the Hyuga clan and doesn't even have Byakugan. Is it really possible for him to comprehend Revolving Heaven on his own?
Kirito took Hanare to an open area in the Senju Clan territory.
He first activated his spiritual perception and discovered that there was no one else within a 200-meter radius around him and Hanare except for them.
He then decisively tapped the ground, and a surge of chakra emerged from his body, immediately releasing a large amount of sealing techniques, which then fell onto the ground around him, quickly forming a sealing barrier with a coverage area of only about 10 meters.
Hanare stared at this scene with wide eyes, her eyes filled with a strong sense of envy.
She had always insisted on learning sealing techniques, and she had the ability to release the sealing technique "Twin Light Formation" by herself. For someone her age, she was considered a minor genius in terms of sealing techniques, but compared to Kirito's skillful and rapid deployment of the sealing barrier, she was simply pitiful.
Kirito's level of sealing techniques had far surpassed her imagination.
"If it were Kirito-kun, would he be able to undo the bird in the cage on my body right now?"
Hanare couldn't help but think in this direction.
The reason why she had worked so hard back then was all for the purpose of breaking the damn curse mark on her forehead and changing her own damned predetermined fate.
Now she found that she didn't seem to need to work so hard, and as long as she had Kirito's help, there was a high possibility that she could break the curse mark on her body. Her heart couldn't help but waver a little, and her desire for freedom made her very much want to pray for Kirito to help her break free from the bird in the cage.
"Fate should be firmly in one's own hands."
But then she suddenly remembered what Kirito had just told her, and that made her instantly extinguish the idea of relying on Kirito to free her from the bird in the cage.
Kirito was right, she should take control of her own destiny. If she relied on someone else to free her from the bird in the cage, then what was the point of taking control of her own destiny?
And if she chose to do that, Kirito would probably look down on her and never again set eyes on her.
If that happened, she would rather have the bird cage not be released.
She couldn't let Kirito look down on her. Kirito liked self-reliant and useful people, not a useless woman who could only cry and beg for others' sympathy.
As she thought about this, Hanare couldn't help but think of Chizuru, the girl who was always by Kirito's side. Her eyes grew more determined.
Uchiha Chizuru.
I, Hyuga Hanare, will never lose to you!
"Okay, no one should be able to peek in here like this."
Kirito didn't know what kind of changes Hanare had experienced in her heart in such a short period of time. He quickly finished setting up the sealing barrier and then said to Hanare with a smile,
"Kirito-kun, what are you going to teach me? If it's too important, please don't teach me."
Hanare saw that Kirito needed to set up a sealing barrier before he began to teach her, and she immediately realized that what Kirito was going to teach her must be very important. She said with a worried expression,
She knew that Kirito knew a lot of ninjutsu, but many of them were not to be passed on lightly. If they were discovered, it would be a big problem.
It would be bad if Kirito was punished because of her.
"Don't worry, the ninjutsu I teach you are all of my own creation, and no one else will be able to say anything to you or me if they see it,"
Kirito replied, giving Hanare a reassuring look.
After saying this, he, under Hanare's astonished gaze, caused a large amount of chakra filaments to appear from the chakra acupuncture points on his arms, and these filaments quickly combined together to form a pair of chakra armguards that tightly wrapped Kirito's hands.
"Did you see clearly?"
Kirito said to Hanare, who had already opened her Byakugan at this point, after successfully using the chakra filaments to weave the armguards.
"I think so."
Hanare nodded blankly.
Byakugan, she clearly saw Kirito use his amazing chakra manipulation skills to quickly condense chakra lines in the chakra acupuncture points, and then skillfully weave these chakra lines together to form a chakra gauntlet.
Although she was not sure how defensive this chakra gauntlet was, from the condensed level of the chakra lines, its defensive power must be terrifying. Blocking the cutting of shinobi weapons would not be a problem at all, and it might even have other miraculous effects.
"This is called Chakra Armor. It is a type of ninja body technique that I developed by combining the characteristics of Gentle Fist in opening the chakra points throughout the body with the technique of the Puppeteer of the Sunagakure in condensing the chakra line. As long as the chakra manipulation is strong enough, the technique of condensing the chakra line is mature enough, and the foundation of Gentle Fist is solid enough, it is not a problem to make the whole body form a chakra armor."
Kirito said the name of this ninjutsu and the conditions for mastering it.
As he spoke, Chakra lines shot out from all the Chakra acupuncture points on his body, quickly intertwining together to form a thin cloak of Chakra that enveloped his entire body.
"Boom!"
The next moment, Kirito punched the ground, instantly creating a crater covered in cracks.
And despite the force of his blow, the hand wrapped in the chakra armor was completely unharmed.
"That's amazing,"
Hanare exclaimed in awe when she saw the crater created by Kirito's punch and the condition of his fist.
She could now see that in addition to the amazing defensive power the chakra armor could give Kirito, it could also greatly enhance his strength, allowing him to easily create powerful steel fists, and perhaps even enhance his movement speed.
"Want to learn?"
Kirito said with a hint of pride when he saw the surprised expression on Hanare's face.
This chakra armor is a ninjutsu technique that he developed entirely on his own, and it is the kind that can be taught to others, and it is not too difficult.
Of course, in order to use the full chakra armor, one must have an excellent foundation in Gentle Fist.
To open up the chakra acupuncture points throughout the body, mastery of Gentle Fist is of the utmost importance.
So far, among the people of the same age that Kirito knows, Hanare is the most likely to completely learn this ninja body technique of his. Perhaps with Byakugan to assist, she will be more suitable for using this ninja body technique than its creator.
"Mm-hmm,"
Hanare nodded hurriedly upon hearing this.
With her intelligence, of course she understood the value of this ninja body technique that Kirito had passed on to her.
To put it bluntly, once she masters the chakra armor, her ability to defend herself in the battlefield will definitely be greatly enhanced. At the very least, she can basically ignore all sorts of ninja weapon attacks thrown by the enemy, and she won't have to worry about being ambushed by ninja weapons when she can't react in time.
Moreover, with the chakra armor, she can safely engage in close combat with the enemy.
By then, she might be able to withstand enemy attacks and take advantage of the physical combat.
"You are a person who knows what is good. This scroll contains detailed training methods. Go back and study it carefully. If you have any questions, you can come to the orphanage or hospital to find me at any time."
Seeing this, Kirito quickly took out a summoning scroll and then used the Summoning Technique: Release to take out a scroll from it and hand it to Hanare, smiling slightly.
"Really? Kirito-kun, this ninjutsu is very precious, I can't give you anything right now."
Hanare looked at the scroll of ninjutsu that Kirito handed over. She didn't reach out to take it immediately, and said hesitantly:
Although Kirito never said how valuable this ninjutsu was, she knew that it was at least an A-rank ninjutsu.
She really felt bad about accepting something so precious with nothing to give in return.
"Take it. Teacher Shan taught me Gentle Fist with great care. He may have a sharp tongue, but he's actually very kind to me. Thanks to his guidance, I've improved so quickly. And he's now the head of security at the hospital, which has been a great help.
And Hanare, don't underestimate yourself. In my opinion, you're a great investment. You can't give me anything now, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to in the future. If you can survive the battlefield and grow up, you'll definitely be able to help me a lot in the future."
Kirito was very happy to hear Hanare say this and explained:
He likes this kind of person who is not willing to waste his time. Hanare's realization shows that she is indeed a very good investment. As long as she can grow up successfully, he will definitely be able to gain a good helper in the future.
This is a very high-quality investment.
Although Kirito's words were straightforward, Hanare sounded very happy. She was actually afraid that Kirito was just feeling pity for her and was giving her such a precious jutsu, but now she knew that Kirito was eyeing her potential and considered her a person worth investing in, and her heart was at ease.
She was not afraid of being used by Kirito, but she was afraid that she would be of no use in Kirito's eyes.
"Kirito-kun, please rest assured, I will make good use of this ninjutsu to survive in the battlefield, and I will definitely repay you for this kindness in the future."
Hanare took the scroll of ninjutsu with peace of mind and made a solemn promise.
Kirito nodded with satisfaction after receiving Hanare's promise.
Then, he ran his finger across his face and said with some hesitation, "Hanare, I actually have something here that can enhance your strength and help you greatly improve your strength in a short period of time in critical moments. I'm not sure if you'd like to take it."
"What is it?"
Hanare asked curiously.
She was of course interested in something that could improve her strength, especially since what Kirito had just said was obviously something that could both improve her strength and protect her life.
She was already indebted to Kirito for teaching her a precious jutsu, and she wasn't afraid of adding another debt to her list.
"It's a curse mark,"
Kirito said after thinking about it.
Because of the caged bird, he had never mentioned the curse mark to Hanare, for fear of upsetting her.
But now that Hanare was about to follow Orochimaru into battle, in order to improve her survivability, he had no choice but to speak up.
"Curse mark?"
Hanare's face turned pale at the sound of these words, and she revealed a frightened expression.
"Don't get me wrong, the curse mark I invented will not attach anything that restricts your freedom. It is a simple ninjutsu that can enhance your strength,"
Kirito noticed Hanare's expression and immediately explained.
However, Hanare was still very scared, and her resistance was very obvious.
"Okay, if you don't want me to plant the curse mark, I won't force you. I'll just forget I mentioned it,"
Kirito saw this and knew that he couldn't do it, so he decisively gave up persuading Hanare to accept his curse mark.
The curse mark of the caged bird has left a huge psychological shadow on Hanare after all. Now that the bird in the cage has not been released, it is obviously very difficult for her to accept a new curse mark in the short term.
She has tasted the bitterness of the curse mark, which is why she resists it from the bottom of her heart.
Kirito understands this, and since Hanare doesn't want it, it's fine.
"Does Uchiha Chizuru have this kind of curse mark on her?"
Hanare was greatly relieved to hear that Kirito was not going to force her to accept the curse mark, and then she pursed her lips in silence for a moment before suddenly asking:
Kirito didn't expect Hanare to ask this question, and looked at her with some surprise before nodding.
"Then plant this curse mark on me as well. If it's Kirito-kun's curse mark, I'm willing to accept it."
Hanare's heart trembled upon receiving a positive response, and then she gritted her teeth and made a resolute decision.
"Are you sure? Once it's been planted, it's hard to undo. It will take root and grow within you. The level of difficulty in undoing it may not be lower than that of a bird cage. Even I, the caster, over time, would not have the confidence to undo it from you, because it would already be a part of your body."
Kirito saw that Hanare had changed her mind and reminded her.
A curse mark that is even more difficult to undo than a bird cage?
Hanare's face turned pale again when she heard Kirito's reminder, and her heart wavered once more.
It wasn't that she didn't believe Kirito's words, but she was just afraid of things like curse marks.
But at this moment, the Sharingan in Chizuru's eyes with their contemptuous gaze flashed through her mind, and she suddenly felt so resentful.
The only woman who could compare to her was Uchiha Chizuru, and she didn't want to be outdone by her at all.
Since that woman accepted Kirito-kun's curse mark, she can accept it too.
For a moment, Hanare's fear was suppressed by her strong will, and she said to Kirito with a determined face, "Please, Kirito-kun, plant the same curse mark in me as you did in Uchiha Chizuru."
"..."
Kirito was silent.
He suddenly realized that it wasn't a very suitable thing for him and Hanare to get their curse marks implanted early.
He now somewhat did not want to plant the curse mark on Hanare.
"Kirito-kun, please hurry up, it's a little late now, and father might worry about me,"
Hanare saw that Kirito seemed to have no intention of planting the curse mark on her, and immediately urged him, her originally pitiful expression suddenly becoming a little scary.
Seeing this, he had no choice but to agree to her request.
He quickly bit his index finger and then quietly combined his Chakra with natural energy to form a small, stable point of Sage Chakra, which he concentrated on the index finger he had bitten.
Then he said, "Hanare, where do you want the curse mark to be placed?"
Hanare hesitated for a moment before blushing and saying, "On my back."
After saying this, she turned around, pulled her clothes up, and revealed her smooth, pale back to Kirito.
Kirito looked at Hanare's smooth, pale back, his eyes unwavering. He began to extend his index finger and quickly draw a beautiful blood flower with blood on the top of Hanare's back, and then injected the incantation formed by Sage Chakra into the top of the blood flower.
In an instant, a large amount of incantations like fire fell on Hanare.
Hanare immediately felt as if her back was being burned by flames, and she felt intense pain, making her let out a scream.
"Hold on, or you'll fail and have to start over,"
Kirito reminded her.
The curse mark he gave Hanare was not some third-rate stuff for members of the Night Organization, but the top-of-the-line version combined with high-quality Sage Chakra. If Hanare successfully got it planted, she would have the opportunity to walk the path to becoming a Sage in the future.
Hanare was a tough person by nature. Upon hearing Kirito's words, she immediately gritted her teeth, endured the excruciating pain in her body, and began to silently accept Kirito's curse mark.
Soon, the fiery curse mark covered most of Hanare's body.
By this time, Hanare was sweating like a fire and her face was pale as death, but her eyes remained firm.
"It's done,"
A dozen seconds later, Kirito's face, which was covered in a fine layer of sweat, broke into a smile, and he quickly withdrew his finger, exclaiming with joy.
The next moment, the large amount of curse marks on Hanare's body suddenly retreated rapidly like a tide, all disappearing into the flower-like curse mark on Hanare's back.
When all the spells had disappeared into the curse mark, Hanare immediately felt a connection with the curse mark on her back. Her body's chakra began to be forcibly absorbed into it, as if it had a life of its own, growing stronger with the chakra in her body as food.
However, she discovered that her body seemed to have become a little stronger than before.
While enduring the suffering caused by the curse mark, she could feel a powerful force nourishing her body, giving her a sense of comfort despite the pain.
"After the curse mark is successfully planted, you should temporarily stop practicing ninjutsu. It will consume your chakra for a period of time, and during this period, your chakra may temporarily run low. Don't force yourself; just take a few days off,"
Kirito wiped the sweat from his forehead and explained as he helped Hanare, who had collapsed to the ground, to her feet.
"I understand, Kirito-kun, thank you,"
Hanare said weakly.
Then, blushing, she said, "Kirito-kun, I don't think I can walk anymore. Can you take me home?"