Sarutobi Asuma was already a tall man, and at this moment, Shikamaru was still a young boy. He was at a disadvantage in terms of strength and attack range. Trying to find an opening to close the distance from the front was difficult, and it was nearly impossible to find a gap in his opponent's defense. To get in close, it would be better to aim for Asuma's side!
Considering the presence of the Sharingan, charging forward head-on would be useless for Shikamaru. However, defenders in the inner circle could rotate their bodies faster than those on the outer circle, like Shikamaru. Fortunately, Asuma had taught Shikamaru techniques that could make up for this disadvantage.
The principle of the Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) was to stimulate the leg muscles with a small amount of chakra, which then propels the body with explosive speed. However, chakra, being intangible, was hard to control perfectly, and even the slightest fluctuation could lead to imbalances in body movements, altering the distance of the movement.
In comparison, the body itself was easier to adjust.
Shikamaru hunched his back and lowered his body, aiming for Asuma's side.
Shikamaru's right leg pushed off forcefully to the side, using a small amount of chakra to propel him forward, while his left leg stayed grounded to maintain balance and adjust his center of gravity. The friction of his left foot against the ground helped counterbalance any excess or lack of chakra in his right leg.
Although this method didn't allow for a large chakra burst—doing so would cause Shikamaru to lose balance and fly sideways—it enabled a controlled and quick lateral movement, about fifty percent faster than usual.
Clang!
Shikamaru swung his kunai horizontally towards Asuma's waist, but Asuma parried it with his wooden sword, holding it in reverse.
"A short blade isn't suited for wide swings," Shikamaru thought. Short blades are mostly used one-handed, and their length limits the impact of swings. Their real effectiveness lies in thrusting, slashing, and slicing rather than heavy swings.
Shikamaru quickly lifted his kunai, aiming for Asuma's forearm, but Asuma stepped back and, using the length of his weapon, instead of defending, stabbed directly at Shikamaru's abdomen. It looked like a double-edged strike, but Shikamaru could never reach Asuma before the wooden sword would strike.
Shikamaru deflected the sword with his kunai and gave up the attack. Asuma then raised his sword slightly and swung it toward Shikamaru's neck.
If Shikamaru had a longer weapon, such as an iron ruler, he could have caught Asuma's sword after blocking the attack. Instead, with his current weapon, Asuma could immediately strike again, forcing Shikamaru to waste more time.
Shikamaru dodged Asuma's attack sideways, suddenly having a flash of inspiration. He twisted his wrist holding the kunai, letting it slip from his fingers, and threw it toward Asuma's feet. However, this kunai was thrown from a distance with an amplified force, but due to the quick and awkward release, it was slow and easily avoided by Asuma.
"This shape isn't flexible enough. It should be lighter," Shikamaru said as he stopped, signaling to Asuma that the sparring session was over.
One week later, with the help of the skilled carpenter Tazuna, Shikamaru's weapon template was finally completed. However, it looked strange, not quite a knife, not quite a sword, and not really a kunai either, which left Tazuna scratching his head.
This strange "short sword" was designed by Shikamaru with reference to a four-sided military bayonet from his previous life. It had four deep blood grooves to enhance its piercing ability. Unlike a military bayonet, Shikamaru added narrow blades to both edges of the blade. While it couldn't be used for chopping, it was great for slashing and cutting.
The end of the blade wasn't the usual oval or rectangular shape; instead, it curved backward slightly, forming two small hooks (similar to the unique kunai blades of Minato Namikaze), allowing it to catch enemy weapons when blocked. Not only that, but the hook could also tear through flesh and soft tissue when used for cutting.
The weapon was 45 cm in total, with the grip at 10 cm, and the blade itself measuring 35 cm. Its special shape saved a lot of material.
"This is hideous!" Ino said as she eyed the strange weapon Shikamaru held, pursing her lips and frowning in disapproval.
"What is this?" Ino tilted her head and noticed small writing on the grip, which Shikamaru was covering with his hand. She grabbed his wrist and turned it to reveal the inscription. She read it aloud, "Ying Xiu?"
"Is this the name of the weapon?" Ino looked up at Shikamaru, her pale blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Such an ugly weapon, but a good name."
"Alright, Ino, you wouldn't understand," Asuma said, chuckling softly as he patted the shoulders of the two. He took the weapon from Shikamaru's hand and observed it seriously.
"Not bad at all, the name is good too." After a few moments, Asuma returned the 'Ying Xiu' to Shikamaru and praised him, "Now, we just need the right materials to forge it. But that will have to wait until after the mission."
As a jōnin with years of experience, Asuma quickly understood that this weapon would be a perfect fit for Shikamaru's fighting style.
A month later, the Great Bridge of the Land of Waves was finally completed, thanks to the efforts of its people.
This bridge, known as the "Bridge of Hope" in the hearts of the citizens of the Land of Waves, spanned across the two shores. It was exceptionally tall, almost splitting the sky and the sea in two. The bridge was wide and sturdy, and in the future, it would undoubtedly serve as a vital link between this island nation and the mainland!
"Thank you so much!" Tazuna said, his eyes moist, his voice thick with emotion.
At the same time, the mission of Asuma, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji was over, and they were preparing to head back to Konoha. The four of them stood at the edge of the bridge. Originally, Tazuna's family was there to send them off, but as the journey progressed, more and more people gathered, and by the time they reached the bridge, it had become a sea of people.
"I didn't expect such a grand send-off!" Asuma chuckled lightly, putting out his cigarette and looking at the crowd, feeling a little nostalgic.
"It's the least we could do!" Tazuna sighed and looked at the quieting crowd behind him.
The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, coupled with the gentle breeze, filled the air, as the dense crowd quietly watched the two groups standing on the bridge. The scene was filled with bittersweet emotions for many of them.
"Asuma Uncle, Ino Onee-chan, Shikamaru Oniisan, Choji Oniisan…" Inari sobbed, her eyes swollen from crying. She had started tearing up from the journey and hadn't stopped since. Through her tears, she said, "You must come back and see me again!"
"You are heroes of the Land of Waves, and heroes in my heart," Tsunami said, patting Inari's shoulder with a smile. "Without you, we really wouldn't know what to do."
"We didn't do anything special, we just completed our mission," Asuma said, waving his hand dismissively. "The success of this bridge is all thanks to Mr. Tazuna, and we, the ninjas, were only here to ensure his safety."
"Dad?" The figures of Team 10 slowly disappeared on the bridge, and Tsunami noticed Tazuna staring at the retreating group. She called out softly, "They've already left."
"I know." Tazuna snapped back to reality and looked around thoughtfully. "By the way, this bridge still doesn't have a name!"
"I suddenly thought of a great idea! The name of this bridge will surely make it famous worldwide!" Tazuna said, laughing with confidence. "Let's call it… the Shikamaru Bridge! What do you think?!"
The Land of Waves arc ends.
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