Due to Namikaze Minato's severe injuries, their vacation period had to be extended.
Hoshita Shūichi didn't mind this at all—aside from training with Uchiha Shisui, Kakashi, and Might Guy, he also had Tsunade, a jonin, as his sparring partner.
Time flew by, and soon it was August 20. Namikaze Minato had fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital.
However, Hoshita Shūichi and his teammates were soon informed that Minato had another important mission. As a result, the three of them temporarily formed a squad to take on D-rank and C-rank missions, rarely venturing outside the Land of Fire.
Autumn arrived quietly.
September 12, near Konoha Hospital.
Fresh off a sparring session with Tsunade, Hoshita Shūichi sat on the ground, his focus entirely on the "Talent Tree" system.
He had finally mastered the Triple Moon Slash, an advanced sword technique.
With this, he had met all the requirements for the [Swordsmanship Expert] title.
Activate!
As the [Swordsmanship Expert] leaf on the tree turned green, Hoshita Shūichi immediately felt a surge of energy within him—similar to chakra, yet far more potent.
The [Swordsmanship Expert] title had two effects: a 100% increase in swordsmanship talent, and the ability to enhance a chosen weapon's quality by 100%.
The talent boost would need testing, but the energy he sensed was clearly meant for weapon enhancement.
Without hesitation, Hoshita Shūichi drew his Ama-no-Murakumo blade.
This chakra shortsword, gifted by Ten'un, was unremarkable among chakra blades but still incredibly valuable.
In the shinobi world, even jonin weren't guaranteed access to weapons with such high chakra conductivity.
High conductivity meant minimal chakra loss.
Focusing his will, Hoshita Shūichi guided the newfound energy into the blade.
The transfer was seamless.
The energy flowed effortlessly into the Ama-no-Murakumo, causing the blade to tremble faintly in his grip. A barely audible hum resonated from the steel.
Soon, the energy was fully absorbed, leaving no trace behind.
Hoshita Shūichi channeled chakra into the blade again, and his face lit up with delight.
The chakra loss was nearly imperceptible.
Next, he drew a kunai and slashed with the Ama-no-Murakumo. There was no clang of metal—just a clean bisection.
The cut was smooth as glass.
True "iron-cutting" sharpness!
Though his kunai was ordinary, so were most weapons on the battlefield.
"I suppose my Ama-no-Murakumo can now be considered a named blade?"
Hoshita Shūichi smirked to himself before stowing the severed kunai and standing up.
"I've nearly mastered the Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique. Once I polish off the Chakra Scalpel, I'll unlock the [Medical Expert] title."
"It's September now. If I can achieve this by next year, the title's boost will quickly elevate me to genuine medical expertise."
He pondered his plans further: "But medical ninjutsu, like basic physical training, is a long-term endeavor. For now, my focus should remain on kenjutsu!"
If his initial talent in swordsmanship was a 1, the [Tool Expert] title had raised it to 2.
The [Konoha Prodigy] title added a 50% boost, bringing it to 3.
And now, the [Swordsmanship Expert] title's 100% increase pushed it to 6!
"With talent like this, I should have surpassed Shisui and Kakashi, right?"
Though he voiced it as a question, his confidence was unwavering.
Soon, he arrived at a small forest.
This was where he had first trained with Might Guy—now the perfect spot for solitary practice.
His goal was clear: forge his own path in swordsmanship, one that would lead him to the rank of jonin!
First, he created a shadow clone to grind leaves, honing his Wind Release chakra nature transformation. Meanwhile, his true self sat cross-legged beneath a tree, the Ama-no-Murakumo laid across his knees.
He pondered a critical question: What kind of sword technique—at least A-rank—should he develop?
His initial idea was to pursue Wind Release, leveraging its cutting properties to complement the Ama-no-Murakumo. Such a technique would rival Killer B's Lightning Release swordsmanship.
But his Wind Release nature transformation training wasn't complete.
Though two months had passed, he hadn't devoted much effort to it, relying instead on a shadow clone's slow accumulation of experience.
"Now, I have two choices:"
"First, unlock the [Wind Release Expert] title for the talent boost, swiftly master Wind Release nature transformation, refine it to perfection, and then apply it to swordsmanship."
"Or, complete Wind Release nature transformation first, then quickly learn five Wind Release jutsu to earn the [Wind Release Expert] title before integrating it into my blade."
"Alternatively, my shadow clone can keep grinding Wind Release while I focus on developing a sword technique using what I've already mastered!"
His mind raced, and soon, he made his decision.
At present, his talent in Fire Release far surpassed his Wind Release. There was no need to take the harder path.
"Then Fire Release it is!"
"Fire Release combined with swordsmanship—does that exist in the shinobi world?"
"How can I merge them to achieve a synergy where 1+1 > 2?"
With his direction set, Hoshita Shūichi activated 2x Focus Mode, launching into a brainstorming session.
"The nature of Fire Release: high heat, explosions..."
"Explosions can wait for now."
He mused: "High heat... Actually, Lightning Release applied to blades relies on high-temperature cutting, not just the electricity's paralyzing effect."
He recalled Killer B's fight with Team Taka.
B's Lightning Release-enhanced blades had sliced through Kubikiribōchō, the Executioner's Blade.
But it was the heat that did the work.
Like plasma arc cutting—high-current plasma slicing through metal.
Moreover, B could even channel Lightning Release into a pencil, using high-frequency vibrations to enhance its piercing power.
Hoshita Shūichi stood and unsheathed his blade, channeling Fire Release chakra into the Ama-no-Murakumo.
The edge gradually turned red, and the surrounding air began to warp.
Suddenly, he stopped, frowning as the blade's glow faded. "No... Heating the blade itself is wrong."
"The Ama-no-Murakumo is fine—its quality is exceptional, further enhanced by the title. But other weapons might not withstand the heat."
"Besides, heating the blade is inefficient and time-consuming."
"I should create a high-temperature layer on the blade's surface—or envelop the entire sword in one."
He thought of the Rasengan.
A sphere of chakra, initially rotating in orderly layers before collapsing into chaotic motion.
Similarly, he could structure Fire Release chakra along the blade in a precise, layered flow.
"Alright, first try enveloping the entire blade, then refine it step by step."
He resumed his experiment.
Flames wreathed the sword, but under his control, the flickering fire soon condensed into a sheath of red light.
Gradually, he adjusted the chakra's flow, coiling it around the blade like wire—tight, orderly spirals.
The red glow deepened.
Layer upon layer, each new spiral compressing the previous one.
The blade's radiance shifted through shades of red—crimson, dark red, cherry...
By the tenth layer, the glow had turned orange-red.
Sweat poured down Hoshita Shūichi's face—he'd reached his limit.
Without hesitation, he lunged forward, the blazing blade slicing through a thick tree trunk.
"A huge shoutout to THEN_XY, who just joined my Patreon! You're officially a legendary supporter—thanks for the support!"
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