"Everyone, let me ask you something."
"In this Ironforge Town, who is the strongest fighter?"
Everyone's gaze shifted simultaneously toward the doorway.
Against the backlight, one could only see the person's exceptionally tall and burly figure. With broad shoulders and a thick back, standing nearly two meters tall like an iron tower, he instinctively made people think he was a weather-beaten, rough-hewn man.
However, once he fully entered the room and the dim yellow lamplight illuminated his face, many people showed expressions of astonishment.
That face was unexpectedly young, even carrying a few traces of lingering childishness. He looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, forming a high-impact contrast with his startlingly sturdy physique.
"Hahahaha!"
After a brief moment of shock, a louder burst of laughter erupted within the izakaya.
A blacksmith with a flushed face and arms thicker than a normal person's thighs slapped the table and shouted in a booming voice: "Does that even need asking? Of course it's Arakawa Keitoku of the Arakawa Dojo in the west of the city! Otherwise, could it be me?"
His words drew another round of echoing laughter and the clinking of cups.
As the laughter subsided slightly, another man who looked like a ronin stroked the short beard on his chin and looked the sturdy youth at the door up and down with a hint of playfulness: "What's this, kid? Looking at your build, you're definitely good material. Do you want to go to the Arakawa Dojo to seek an apprenticeship?"
Without waiting for the youth's answer, he shook his head and said to himself: "Then you've come at a bad time. The Arakawa Dojo only recruits new disciples when the snow melts in early spring, and the spots are limited. As for now..." He took a sip of wine: "You'll have to wait obediently for a few months."
Under everyone's teasing and scrutiny, the tall youth seemed not to hear them. His eyes merely lit up slightly, as if he had found a definite target, and the eager expression on his face grew even stronger.
He nodded, his voice still clear, but now carrying a more specific sense of purpose:
"Arakawa Dojo, Arakawa Keitoku... I'll remember that."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the people in the room who were still laughing. The corners of his mouth seemed to curl upward as he uttered a sentence that brought the laughter to an abrupt halt:
"However, I'm not here to become a disciple."
"I'm here to spar."
"By the way, my name is Isshin!"
The youth calling himself "Isshin" slightly raised his head. His calm and sharp eyes, which didn't quite match his youthful face, slowly scanned the room. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute, unquestionable penetration that was clearly etched into everyone's ears:
"Soon, you, along with this country, will firmly remember this name."
As his words fell, he didn't stay any longer. He turned and pushed the door open, his tall figure blending into the deepening twilight and cold wind outside, leaving behind a room full of stunned people.
---
[ Name: Isshin (Higashino Shinichi) ]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Talents: Genius (Blue), Spiritual Sense (Green), Big Eater (Green), Quick-Thinking (Green), Diligence Can Compensate for Lack of Talent (Green), Superhuman Strength (Green), Skin-Hardening(Green), Swift (Green), Swordsmanship Proficiency (Green)]
This youth named "Isshin" was, naturally, an independent clone created by Higashino Shinichi using the newly acquired [Clone (Blue)] trait.
As a registered ninja of Konoha, Shinichi's main body's actions were subject to many restrictions. It was difficult for him to travel freely for long periods or immerse himself in sword training, which was vastly different from the ninja system.
Moreover, it was inconvenient to quickly make a name for himself as a pure challenger in a country like the Land of Iron that worshipped bushido; this could easily cause diplomatic friction.
Therefore, an independent "Swordsman" clone with a relatively clean background and extraordinary talent became the best solution.
The biological bloodline genes that the clone needed to merge with came from none other than Enma.
Shinichi had previously used the excuse of "tempering the physique and exploring ninja body techniques" to lead the Third Hokage into bringing out Enma to guide him. Besides truly wanting to temper his body, another deep-seated intention was for this very moment.
Admittedly, in terms of bloodline potential and compatibility, the cells of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, might be the theoretical optimal solution.
But at this point in time, even Orochimaru might not have started relevant research. The only clear holders were the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura.
Ask the Third Hokage for them?
Setting aside the fact that the source of information would be unexplainable, it would seriously conflict with the "loyal and pure-hearted" persona he had painstakingly maintained, inevitably inviting unpredictable scrutiny and suspicion.
Approach Danzo?
That would be even more like seeking a hide from a tiger, extremely risky. Moreover, it would mean abandoning his current biggest support, the Third Hokage.
So, Shinichi chose a more stable and feasible path—settling for the next best thing by using the physically powerful and high-potential Enma bloodline as the foundation to shape the "Isshin" clone.
Furthermore, the [Clone] trait still had the possibility of being upgraded to purple in the future. By then, it wouldn't be too late to plot for legendary materials like the First Hokage's cells.
---
Although Isshin could only inherit one class trait and half of the talent traits from the main body, and temporarily couldn't inherit those ninja-talent traits closely bound to the ninja class, this clone's strength was still extremely considerable.
Having merged with Enma's bloodline genes, he naturally carried the overbearing physical strength and tough physique of the Enma clan.
More importantly, Shinichi had carefully configured him with high-quality traits that were all green grade or higher. This gave Isshin an unusually startling starting point in terms of pure physical attributes, sword art comprehension, combat instinct, and growth efficiency.
In terms of raw strength, he was even stronger than Shinichi's main body, which still needed to balance all-around ninja development at this stage.
The name Isshin came from a game character in his previous life—an existence revered by the world as the "Sword Saint," whose entire life was spent in the pure and ultimate pursuit of the pinnacle of martial arts and the way of the sword.
In his youth, he was determined and progressive, constantly seeking stronger opponents with a posture that could be called greedy. He repeatedly tempered his sword skills in countless life-and-death battles, turning every fight into a step toward a higher level.
Shinichi's clone not only took its name from this, but its preset behavioral style and growth path would also largely reference this core essence.
In the Land of Iron, a land that worshipped martial prowess, he would constantly challenge the strong in the most direct and even flamboyant way, honing himself through actual combat. This would serve as the fastest way to make a name for himself, garner recognition, and temper his sword skills.
---
Shinichi had once consulted his sword art teacher, Yamashita Shuji, on how the path should continue after becoming an official swordsman—that is, exploring the higher levels of the "Swordsman" class promotion.
Teacher Yamashita told him at the time that being a "Swordsman" meant he had successfully completed his apprenticeship and mastered basic techniques and mental methods. For the path ahead, he had to leave the protection of the dojo and walk it alone.
It would be a long journey of travel and trials. He would need to measure the land with his own feet, meet friends from all directions with his own sword, and even more so, polish his skills through countless spars or dangerous battles.
The depth of this journey would directly determine whether he would stop at being a good swordsman in the future or have the hope of going a step further and entering a new realm of founding a school—that of the "Sword Master."
A so-called sword master, as the name suggests, is already a "teacher of the way of the sword."
It means that not only have you mastered sword art, but you have also formed your own understanding and system. You are qualified and capable of opening a dojo and passing on your "way" to future generations.
However, Teacher Yamashita emphasized meaningfully that to transform from a "swordsman" into a widely recognized "sword master," besides tempering one's own skills and character to perfection, there was an invisible but vital threshold: you must win the collective recognition of your peers and warriors on this land.
You need to prove your strength, your caliber, and your respect for the way of the sword itself in the place where you hope to take root, in a way recognized by the local martial arts circles.
There are usually three paths.
The first, and also the most stable, is to be introduced and endorsed by a highly respected senior or famous figure.
The second is to overwhelm the crowd in a public grand martial arts demonstration or competition, making a name for yourself with indisputable results.
The third is to visit every prestigious local dojo one by one in an open and honest manner to converse with the sword—also commonly known as dojo-crashing.
Of course, this third path has the highest risk and is the least encouraged. Many who choose this path are often killed or injured during the challenge.
Even if they eventually succeed by luck, they find it difficult to truly integrate into the local community because their methods were too aggressive. Unless they possess absolute overriding strength and later display great caliber, swordsmen usually do not make this choice.
But no matter which path is chosen, the core is to announce one thing: you have arrived, you are qualified, and you are eligible to spread your roots here, share your skills, take in disciples, and become a brand-new and solid part of this martial arts ecosystem.
The background of the Isshin clone, while clean, was not exactly well-established, as his origins were a mystery and he had no foundation.
The first path, which required connections and a clear lineage, was already closed to him.
The second path required waiting for an opportunity, and there were no grand martial arts demonstrations of sufficient scale in the Land of Iron in the near future.
So, he was actually left with only the third choice—the hardest, most dangerous, but also the most direct path that best fit Isshin's preset personality.
He would knock on doors with his sword and prove his way through battle.