klisemfg Chapter 550 I Accept
Chapter 550 I Accept
“I accept!” Zhang Hai answered without any hesitation.
White Fang nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. Well then, starting today, your squad will be temporarily disbanded." He looked at Minato and Kushina, "Minato, you and Kushina will go on some routine missions to strengthen your abilities. Kushina, learn from Minato and stop fooling around."
Kushina glanced at Zhang Hai with a wronged expression, then at Minato, and finally reluctantly agreed.
"As for you, Zhang Hai," Bai Ya's gaze fell on Zhang Hai again, with a hint of deeper meaning, "I will create a sealed barrier for you deep within the village, specifically for your cultivation. The environment there will be secluded, and no one will disturb you. More importantly, it will simulate a real combat environment to the greatest extent possible, which will greatly benefit the improvement of your swordsmanship."
Hearing that the team was disbanding, Zhang Hai felt a pang of reluctance. After all, Minato and Kushina were a complementary pair in terms of both ability and personality, and carrying out missions with them always brought unexpected joy. However, he understood Sakumo's intentions even better: it was an indication of Sakumo's appreciation for his swordsmanship talent and guidance for his future development.
"Yes, Senior Hatake," Zhang Hai replied respectfully.
On the way to the sealing barrier, Kushina was still somewhat apprehensive, glancing at Zhang Hai walking beside her from time to time.
Seeing her terrified expression, Zhang Hai couldn't help but reveal a mischievous smile. He leaned closer to Kushina, lowered his voice, and asked in an extremely innocent tone, "Kushina, I just want to know, if I get injured, could you store some blood for me like Karin does, just in case?"
Kushina's face instantly turned from white to green, then from green to red. She stopped abruptly, pointing at Zhang Hai with trembling hands, her beautiful eyes filled with unbelievable anger and fear.
"You! You...you dare to mention it again?! You pervert! You really want to...want to suck my blood?! I'm telling you, impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Kushina's screams erupted again, she was so angry that tears were about to come out.
She couldn't hold back any longer. Suddenly, she raised her foot and, with a gust of wind, kicked Zhang Hai hard in the buttocks without any mercy.
"Get in there! You pervert! Don't let me see you again!" Kushina roared, kicking Zhang Hai so hard he stumbled and was sent flying into the already activated, faintly glowing sealing barrier in front of her.
"Oh!"
The barrier entrance closed instantly, completely engulfing Zhang Hai's figure.
Zhang Hai tumbled awkwardly onto the ground inside the barrier, rubbing his sore backside. Listening to Kushina's still furious cursing outside, he sighed helplessly. It seemed this little firecracker was truly frightened by him.
He stood up and looked around. The space inside the barrier wasn't large, but it was an extremely perfect training ground. The ground was solid, and there were various training stakes and mannequins for chopping and slashing around, and even practice targets for chakra flow. More importantly, it was absolutely quiet here, without any disturbances.
Zhang Hai's playful expression vanished, his eyes gradually sharpening. He drew his short sword from his waist, feeling the cold touch of the blade.
White Fang is right. He has indeed been somewhat distracted lately. His craving for power and mastery of various powerful ninjutsu has caused him to scatter his energy too much. Whether it's Lightning Release, Earth Release, or the sealing techniques he's just begun learning, he wants to dabble in them all and master them all. But he's forgotten that the most important thing for a ninja is "precision" rather than "breadth." Trying to do too much at once will only make him mediocre.
He recalled Kakashi from his past life. Kakashi was known as the "Copy Ninja," mastering thousands of ninjutsu, but his core technique was always the Lightning Blade (Chikichi) under his Sharingan. It was his signature move, his most powerful weapon. Although Kakashi could use other ninjutsu, he always relied on the Lightning Blade in crucial moments.
And what about himself? His greatest strength, the one he can unleash the most power in, is actually swordsmanship. His chakra nature and physique are both more suited to the ultimate expression of swordsmanship. Lightning chakra infused into his blade can cut through anything in the world; Lightning Release chakra mode allows him to reach peak speed and strength, better complementing his swordsmanship.
“It’s time to clear away those distracting thoughts.” Zhang Hai gripped the short knife in his hand, his eyes becoming firm and focused.
He looked up at the ceiling of the barrier, where it seemed to reflect White Fang's deep and wise eyes. The Three-Sword Pact was not only a test from White Fang, but also a guide for his future path.
Within the barrier, the light was soft, yet carried an invisible sense of oppression, as if isolating all the noise of the outside world. Zhang Hai took a deep breath, twirling the short knife in his palm with a beautiful flourish, emitting a soft hum. He cleared his mind of all distractions, leaving only the word "knife" in his thoughts.
"Thirteen basic sword techniques," he muttered to himself. This was a sword routine he had created himself, and it was also the one he was most proficient in. Although it was only the basics, in his understanding, the basics were the foundation for reaching the pinnacle. He no longer pursued fancy ninjutsu combinations, nor did he try to push the Lightning Release chakra mode to its limit. Instead, he focused all his chakra precisely on the blade, concentrating on every slash, thrust, parry, and horizontal strike.
hack!
cut!
挑！
prick!
His movements became incredibly pure; each swing of the sword felt like a thousand repetitions, yet imbued with an unparalleled pursuit of detail. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp, piercing sound, creating gusts of wind. Sweat quickly soaked his clothes, but he seemed oblivious to fatigue. He was immersed in the world of the sword, feeling the fusion of chakra and the blade, the coordination of muscles and bones. In his eyes, there was nothing else but the sword, and the ultimate pursuit of the way of the sword.
With each slash, he adjusted the force, angle, and speed; with each thrust, he sought the most fatal weakness; with each parry, he grasped the essence of deflecting force and counterattacking. He constantly experimented, constantly pushing his limits, as if trying to merge his body with the short sword in his hand, achieving a state of perfect harmony between man and blade.
Meanwhile, in Iwagakure Village, a thousand miles away.
Beside the ruins of the Tsuchikage's office, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, a short but incredibly imposing old man, listened intently to his subordinates' report on the attack, his face grim. A suppressed rage hung in the air, but he didn't erupt like an earthen statue. His sharp eyes, peering through his crescent-shaped spectacles, were as deep as an ancient well, seemingly able to see through all illusions.