After dinner, the three teachers each cast genjutsu on the three kids, letting them experience the sensation of being in an illusion. Then, Uchiha Ze performed a group genjutsu on them until the three little ones were practically overwhelmed before wrapping up the day's training.
The next morning, it was still Uchiha Sa leading the training. The content was mostly the same as the previous day, except the number of Shadow Clones was reduced, and the focus on chakra control was increased. Thanks to yesterday's practice, today's ninjutsu lessons went smoothly; the teacher taught with joy, and the students practiced with enthusiasm.
After lunch, it was time for swordsmanship training. First, they continued with some basic drills, then left their Shadow Clones behind while their real bodies went with Uchiha Ze to practice traps and mechanisms.
"Today, you only need to take notes. After this week, I won't have much time to teach you. Write down the key points, and I'll guide you when I can. You should also monitor each other regularly, spar occasionally, and sharpen your skills.
A master of the blade must have sufficient arm strength and flexible wrists. The power in the wrist must be capable of fully controlling the sword, but mere strength is not enough. One must also possess an explosive power that allows for instant vibration and shock, and it must be continuous, not just a single jolt. The wrist must be flexible and relaxed but also resilient.
The body stance of swordsmanship hinges on the waist and hips, connecting down to the feet and supporting the body above. Movement isn't just about the upper body—it's a coordinated effort between upper and lower halves. Otherwise, it's like a rootless weed, floating aimlessly without strength. The body movements include: pulling, shrinking, swaying, snapping, advancing, retreating, side-stepping, dodging, and spinning.
The footwork of swordsmanship must be in harmony with the body and the blade. This also involves synchronization—man and blade as one. It's not just the person controlling the sword, nor the sword controlling the person, but a seamless, instinctual unity. Footwork must be capable of sudden bursts and sudden stops, swift changes, and forceful charges.
The force of the blade comes from the entire body. Merely relying on arm strength is far from enough. It requires the combined strength of the body, legs, footwork, waist, and hips, all moving in unison to generate true blade power. At this point, the blade's strikes are sharp, forceful, and relentless. However, it still lacks one thing—agility.
This agile force isn't the same as killing intent; it's a kind of sensitivity and fluidity. It allows for seamless transitions between killing moves, quick responses before and after strikes, and the ability to store and release energy as needed.
The instinct and reaction of the blade should be 'act without thinking, achieve without hesitation.' Achieving this instinctual state depends on daily, diligent practice and the speed of the nervous system's reaction. It's a manifestation of rapid reflexes, unifying every part of the body in seamless action.
The Uchiha swordsmanship style has been passed down for generations. Techniques like Sword Leap Flame, Solar Halo Dance, Gale Sword, and Flash Cut are all part of the Uchiha style.
Combined with the Body Flicker Technique, it allows for incredibly fast slashes that are nearly impossible to defend against, possessing the power to kill with one strike. That's all for today; get up and continue with basic drills. I'll be watching to correct any mistakes."
Uchiha Ze walked ahead, speaking to his disciples: "Today, I'll go first. I'll show you where the traps are, which ones are decoys, and where the real killing traps lie. I'll explain why they're set up that way and the different ways to disarm them.
Starting tomorrow, you two will set up the traps, and one of you will try to disarm them. In the evening, we'll continue genjutsu training. Depending on how well you absorb the lessons, I might consider teaching you a special genjutsu combo technique. Now hurry up and follow me."
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, seven days had passed. The trio made remarkable progress. In ninjutsu, they had learned "Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld" and "Earth Release: Rock Pillar Prison." Their teamwork with Fire Release and Wind Release grew increasingly seamless, and any two of them could perform combination techniques.
Each of them had their own role and cooperated smoothly, even managing to execute three-person combination techniques like "Fire Release: Grand Flame Technique" and "Fire Release: Firestorm Whirlwind."
In terms of swordsmanship, they could independently practice the basics and create small combo moves based on their preferences. Though still a bit immature, they were definitely on the right path.
When it came to setting and discovering traps, Uchiha Retsu stood out with exceptional talent, while the other two were quite average. In genjutsu, it was the opposite; Uchiha Haruki was far more adept at casting genjutsu, while Uchiha En excelled at detecting and breaking illusions.
As for Uchiha Retsu...well, it could only be described as disastrous. If he could spot the trap, he couldn't break it, and the illusions he created were so unrealistic that they were easily noticed and dispelled. He seemed to be the rare Uchiha with no genjutsu talent even after awakening his Sharingan.
The three of them knelt and bowed deeply to their three teachers, expressing their eternal gratitude for their instruction. The three mentors accepted the gesture with smiles, said a few words of advice, and disappeared with Body Flicker.
They packed their belongings and set off on their way home. This period of training would take a long time to fully absorb. Each of them silently vowed to make their teachers proud one day.
"Eat slowly, here, have another one. This one is something your mother made just for you. And this—it's your favorite. Look at you, you must have suffered so much; you've lost so much weight…" Haruki's gentle mother kept piling food onto his plate, constantly reminding him to slow down.
His father, holding a bowl in his left hand and chopsticks in his right, was just about to take some food when his wife's chopsticks slapped his hand away. She shot him a fierce glare, and he could only watch the dishes, knowing he probably wouldn't get to eat much today...
"Ah~ I'm full! Mom, your cooking is the best! When I grow up, I definitely want to marry someone as kind and skilled as you. Whoever does will be the luckiest person ever!" Uchiha Haruki declared, thoroughly satisfied.
"Hahaha, my son is the best! You're the only one who thinks that way. Some people don't appreciate my cooking at all. Didn't even take a bite last time," she said, shooting another fierce look at his father.
His father, all smiles, replied with a flattering tone, "No way! I just wanted Haruki to eat more. Eating your cooking is pure bliss. I can't get enough in this life, and I want to keep eating it in the next one, too. Hehehe." He even reached out to hold her hand.
Haruki, now full, could not stomach the sudden dose of "affection." "I'm going to train! Next time I see my teacher, I'm going to blow him away!"
His father watched him leave, smiling. "The kid's matured a lot. Sometimes I feel like having such an understanding son makes me miss out on the feeling of really raising him. But you were so eager to send him to special training this time. You even reached out to your friends to get Sa involved."
Haruki's mother cleaned up the table as she spoke, "The last incident was a wake-up call for me. I'd rather he come back tired and starving than see him injured again. As for Sa, she was just an extra touch. The real key to this training was Ze, who was arranged by Mei. If my son wants to be truly safe, strength alone isn't enough. He needs influence. Without allies, one can't go far."
"But Haruki's safe in the village," his father said, trying to reassure her.
"Safe? Heh, the Senju Clan seemed safe too. Look at them now," she replied, carrying the dishes back to the kitchen, not wanting to discuss it further.
His father, accustomed to her worries, got up and decided to go help Haruki with his training.
A year flew by, and Uchiha Nobunaga did not assign any missions to their squad. Occasionally, some masters would come to guide them, ensuring they didn't stray off the right path. One day, the three of them met at the training grounds for their usual sparring session.
"Not bad, my disciples!" The voice belonged to Uchiha Mei.
Seeing their teacher after so long made them all light up with joy. "Since you're all here, I just picked up a few missions. Our Fourth Squad hasn't been on a mission for a year. It's time for a change. After all, real combat is the best test of training."
Mei tossed over eight mission scrolls. Opening them, they saw five were for eliminating bandits, and three were for removing spy outposts.
"I'll be following behind you, but don't expect me to step in. After each mission, I'll give you feedback. Now then, Fourth Squad, let's move out! Meet me at the village gate in 30 minutes," she said before vanishing with a flicker.
Thirty minutes later, the four of them were fully equipped and ready to go. Unlike their first mission, where they rushed the whole way, this time they could actually enjoy the scenery along the road.