After sending the acquaintance away, Gekkō Hayate looked at Shigure.
"All right, let's get started."
As he spoke, he tossed a wooden sword to Shigure.
"I'll teach you the basics of swordsmanship first."
Hayate stood in front of him and demonstrated. "Follow my movements."
"Got it!" Shigure nodded earnestly.
There wasn't much to say about basic swordsmanship. It consisted of a few fundamental actions—thrusting, slashing, jabbing, lifting, hooking, parrying, intercepting, chopping, and blocking.
They looked simple enough at a glance, but once you tried them yourself, you'd quickly realize they were far from easy.
Even something as basic as a thrust required precise coordination between the wrist, palm, and arm. The sword tip had to stay aligned with a point in front of you, maintaining steady direction without drifting.
It wasn't just about arm movement either—your entire body needed to stay balanced and coordinated.
While not inherently difficult, these simple moves often exposed just how much someone lacked in skill.
Shigure clumsily followed Hayate's demonstration, clearly unfamiliar with the motions.
As expected—no foundation at all. His movements were sloppy and unrefined. Even compared to Gale's early attempts, Shigure was lacking.
In more technical terms? This kid had poor swordsmanship aptitude.
Hayate sighed inwardly. Just as I thought...
How could a minor clan like the Gekkō Clan produce a swordsmanship prodigy?
Judging by Shigure's raw talent, even if he trained for an entire year, he might just barely lay down a foundation—forget about mastering Konoha-style Kenjutsu. That was the kind of thing that took a lifetime.
Meanwhile, Shigure kept practicing the movements while secretly glancing at Hayate's expression.
Seeing Hayate sigh, he understood the message clearly.
Yeah... my swordsmanship talent probably isn't anything special.
But that was fine. All he needed was to master the basics. Once it got recognized by the system and slotted into the Passive Skill column, his swordsmanship would skyrocket.
The real problem was—he had to master it first. Only then could it be turned into a registered skill.
Shigure sighed helplessly. His lack of talent was a hurdle he just had to deal with.
[Skill Detection Triggered]
[Host is currently acquiring a new skill. Active Skill: "Great Sage ※" initiating...]
Huh?
An active skill?
But weren't all my active skills damaged?
How is it activating now?
[Active Skill: Great Sage ※ attempting activation.]
[Does host permit activation?]
Wait, I can choose to activate it? It's actually asking?
Well... it's certainly more "active" than I expected.
Unfortunately, aside from the words "Great Sage", everything else was just garbled mess. No clear description. No details.
What kind of skill is this?
Forget it. Since it wants to activate, let's see what it can do.
"Activate!"
[Activating Active Skill: Great Sage ※]
[Warning: Due to unknown damage, only 30% of the skill's original function remains. System is accelerating repairs...]
Only 30%?!
So much for high expectations…
Even though the skill was running, with just 30% functionality, could it really do anything useful?
[Analyzing new skills...]
[Analysis in progress: ▓▓▓]
[▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓]
[Analysis complete. Congratulations, host has acquired new skill: Basic Swordsmanship]
...Huh?
Shigure blinked in confusion.
What just happened...?
New skill...?
Did that active skill help me learn something?
Suddenly, it was as if countless sword techniques had been poured into his mind. His muscles twitched instinctively, and his body began to move on its own.
Not far away, Gekkō Hayate sighed softly.
"With that level of talent... at best, he might become a Chūnin someday."
Well, what can you expect? His parents didn't have exceptional talent either. It's normal that he doesn't stand out...
But as that thought passed, Hayate's expression froze.
Shigure's wooden sword moved—he had just casually thrust it forward.
Coincidentally, Hayate stood directly in front of him. From his angle, all he could see was the tip of the sword coming toward him with startling precision.
At that moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the blade.
Shigure's grip on the sword was stable. Too stable. Almost unnervingly so.
It was still just basic swordsmanship—but every movement was executed cleanly, fluidly. His posture was firm, his body didn't sway in the slightest.
As the wooden blade slashed down, a faint whoosh stirred the air. If it had been a real iron sword, it would've sung.
Hayate stood there, stunned.
"This… this..."
Is this really only his second time practicing swordsmanship?
Earlier, the kid had been clumsy—completely green, with zero foundation.
But now, just seconds later, his form was flawless. No wasted movement, no hesitation.
He didn't just learn it—he's practically mastered it. Perfectly.
Hayate scrutinized every strike and couldn't find a single flaw.
Is this what they call a natural-born swordsman?
The only person he could think of with such overwhelming talent... was Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha.
At that thought, Hayate's heart surged.
Could it be? Is the Gekkō Clan finally going to rise again?
He burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Excellent!"
He strode up to Shigure and grabbed him by the shoulders with both hands, eyes alight.
"Shigure, you... you were born for the sword!"
Still dazed, Shigure blinked.
Huh?
What's going on with Hayate-sensei all of a sudden...?
I just mastered some basic moves—
"Just by watching once, you've already grasped the basics better than I ever did!" Hayate said, visibly excited. "With this kind of talent, who knows—maybe the Gekkō Clan will rise again thanks to you!"
Wait, what...?
Is my swordsmanship really that good?
Shigure couldn't feel anything unusual. It just felt like he'd always known the moves. His body moved smoothly, as if he'd done this a hundred times.
The techniques weren't difficult—they were natural, like walking or breathing.
Is this... the effect of the active skill, Great Sage ※?
His heart began to race.
And this is only 30% of its full power...
If I ever get the full version—
Forget genius. This is on another level. This is monstrous.
"Shigure," Hayate said seriously, "now I'll teach you Konoha-ryū Kenjutsu—Konoha Style Swordsmanship."
Shigure's expression stiffened. He hesitated.
Will the active skill activate again? It's still in a damaged state...
But Hayate had already begun.
"Pay attention. Konoha-style swordsmanship has only ten core moves. But if mastered, they'll greatly enhance your close-combat ability!"
[Skill Detection Triggered]
[Host is learning a new skill. Active Skill: Great Sage ※ requesting activation...]
Shigure's eyes lit up instantly.
Here we go again!
This is in the bag!
...
TN:
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