Biwa Funato (2)

"HAJIME", the one-eyed chunin teacher Gecko shouted.

Without any further do, Biwa who looked twice the size of his opponent charged with his two-handed sword. However, after sparring more than a dozen time in the past month, Takeshi was more than familiar with the straightforward but no less effective strategy of his opponent.

The difference in strength was so overwhelming that Takeshi could not hope to match his opponent in close combat.

One was a genius recognized as someone with similar potential to Kisame, a candidate to become one of the seven legendary swordsmen of the bloody mist. Not only did he possess the Funato bloodline that granted him an extremely strong physique, he also possessed the Funato household's full support in terms of tutorship and equipment.

His sword was finely crafted by one of the Funato blacksmiths, who once belonged to the Forging Land, before being merged with Kirigakure nearly a century ago. Although it was nowhere near the ninjato of the legendary ninjatos of Kirigakure created by the Original Blacksmith of the Mist, it was definitely an extremely sharp blade.

The other was someone who used to be below average in the class in all shinobi aspects, from theory to basic taijutsu. Yet, Takeshi showed no hesitation, no fear upon seeing this abnormally big kid rushing towards him with a weapon nearly his size.

In fact, he even greeted the impact.

However, instead of cutting through his bones and flesh, his body turned into water.

Suiton : Water Clone [D] (69)

One of the most common jutsu of the Kirigakure shinobi, yet one of the most practical one. The grade of a jutsu only represented its difficulty, but the truth was that a jonin limited to D-rank jutsu would easily best chunin who could cast any jutsu they wanted. Attributes, water affinity and skills were all factors that could not be numerized, and this is something Takeshi knew better than anyone.

With knowledge of the series, he knew that something as simple as the Konohagakure "Body Flicker" could become the signature move of an elite jonin like Shisui.

This is also why he prioritized the growth of his talent and his proficiency in jutsu rather than just levels and all kind of elemental jutsu. Specialization was the key to become the strongest, and this spar was Takeshi's way of proving his hard work. 

In previous spars, he had limited himself to kenjutsu to grow his close combat skills, but at the end of the day, his true talent and strength came from ninjutsu, not kenjutsu. He

[Name - Takeshi Ryu | Level 12 Academy Student [130 / 380 EXP]

Attributes:

Strength - 14 [D] | Agility - 15 [D] | Vitality - 15 [D] | Chakra - 36 [C]

Perk - Water Elemental Talent (Medium) [+], Swordsmanship Talent (Medium) [+]

Taijutsu - Hidden Mist Kenjutsu [D]

Ninjutsu - Water Sphere [C] (32) ; Water Shuriken [D] (88), Water Clone [D] (69), Water Shield [D] (55)

Items - Forging Land Black Katana [C]]

Proficiency followed a very straightforward systematic rule. Between 20 and 50, proficiency was considered that of a beginner. As a academy students, it was already pretty uncommon to know ninjutsu in the first place, not to mention reach beginner proficiency. Between 50 and 100 was the realm of intermediate mastery, and above 100 was the realm of advanced mastery. Kage-level [Master] proficiency was above 200 points, most likely, though Takeshi had never seen it in person.

Be it his water clone technique, his water shuriken technique or his water shield jutsu, all of them were classified as [Intermediate], and surpassed what genins should be able to display, not to mention a mere academy student like himself.

Takeshi was not in the bottom of the class anymore. He was a transmigrated soul who knew the wars that would plunge the world in chaos and the dire future that awaited Kirigakure if he did not change his fate. Of course, he could grow strong enough to escape and become a mercenary, or even a civilian merchant with his background.

But this would not do.

People around him were not characters from fiction. They were real, and while some loathed him for attitude, others loved him for what he stood for, a child of Kirigakure.

Kirigakure had become his home. He did not feel much towards its inhabitants, but a seed of patriotism still emerged as he was being nurtured. He felt that it was always downplayed in the series, even though it had a lot of potential. 

What if he managed to become its kage?

To realize that dream, strength was the most basic requirement.

Taking two shurikens out of his waist pouch, Biwa squinted, his instincts wary of the focused red eyes of his opponent.

Takeshi displayed a few hand signs, before sending them both with extreme speed and precision that rivaled with that of a regular genin, his physical attributes having already passed this threshold from months of hard work.

Biwa, however was no average academy student either, his strength being off the chart and qualifying as an elite genin per the system. Instead of panicking in the face of real weapons, he charged towards his opponent and tried to pary the shuriken. 

To his surprise, Takeshi finished his hand signs at the moment, and the shuriken started to double in speed causing a strident noise to reverberate in the training grounds.

*SPLASH*

Suiton no jutsu : Water shuriken [D] (88)

 [You have dealt 138 (88 + 50) points of damage to your opponent]

As the seal finished, the shuriken were enhanced by rotating water in its center, increasing the speed, strength and range of the shuriken, slashing through Biwa's defensive stance. The first shuriken, however, was deflected by a desperate defensive reflex from Biwa, but the second one slashed through his protective kenjutsu equipment, not stopping at his flesh but piercing it through.

Not used to the pain, Biwa coughed blood and was forced to put a knee to the ground, to which Takeshi reacted in sending two more shuriken.

Seeing that this wave of attack would result in Biwa's death, the intructor Gecko reacted promptly, recovering from the shocking display of ninjutsu mastery from Takeshi, and issud a few hand signs.

Wind Jutsu : Wind Barrier [C]

A gush of air blocked the water shuriken with ease, the difference of chakra reserve evident. Yet, despite the wind jutsu being ranked one realm higher and Gecko being a chunin, the water shuriken did not stop immediately and showed continuous rotations for a while before being blocked, something that no one but the instructor noticed, a proof of Takeshi's overwhelming strength for an academy student.

"TAKESHI IS THE WINNER", he shouted after a few seconds of silence, unable to believe the display of skills from Takeshi.

The last spar had happened a week ago, yet Takeshi had shown none of that combat genius.

A month ago, he was not even worth mentionning.

'What the hell did that kid eat to become this strong in such a short time frame?', the instructor thought