2 The Realm of the Swordsman
Time flew by, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Hayashi rarely ventured beyond the confines of his home. He only left for meals, preferring the comfort and familiarity of his own surroundings. His withdrawn demeanor elicited pitying glances from the neighbors.
While children his age frolicked in the streets, immersed in ninja games, he remained secluded. It was a stark departure from his former, lively self following his mother's passing.
This transformation didn't go unnoticed, even prompting concern from one of the Chunin instructors at the Ninja Academy—Umino Iruka.
Aside from the Third Hokage, Iruka was one of the first to recognize Naruto's potential and became one of his most significant mentors, as depicted in the original series.
In the pursuit of preserving the Will of Fire established by the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, Konoha Ninja Academy was founded. This institution aimed to instill the values of loyalty, camaraderie, and resilience in the next generation of shinobi.
Every family, including orphans, had the opportunity to enroll in the Ninja Academy—an essential aspect of nurturing the new generation. Prior to the school term, the Hokage personally tasked teachers with informing these orphans to ensure their timely enrollment.
However, admission didn't guarantee attendance.
The curriculum at the Ninja Academy followed a structured progression: Enrollment, Basic Training, Field Exercises, Practical Application, Graduation, and finally, becoming a Genin.
Enrollment began with a rigorous examination. Only those who passed could proceed to learn the fundamental skills of ninjutsu and become trainee ninjas.
In the original series, even someone as formidable as Guy nearly failed to gain admission.
"Are you enrolled?" Iruka asked, his gaze filled with anticipation as Hayashi stood before him in the bustling corridor of the academy.
"Yes," Hayashi murmured, "I'm enrolled."
After bidding farewell to Iruka, he glanced down at the admission notice clutched in his hand. Unbidden, the image of Konoha Twelve flashed through his mind.
Especially potent were thoughts of this generation's Indra and Ashura, embodied in Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. Though they were mere children now, their destined roles as saviors of the ninja world were unimaginable eleven years hence. They would elevate the power system of this world across dimensions.
Just over a month ago, he might have sought to align himself with them, to grasp tightly onto their coattails. But now...
"My future is no weaker than anyone else's," Hayashi declared, his expression resolute. With firm steps, he strode towards the training ground.
Five days later, he entered the Ninja Academy. Joining the ranks of students who had passed the entrance examination with remarkable speed.
The entrance test was essentially a measure of physical fitness. However, it paled in comparison to the mastery of chakra, which was the essence of ninja training.
He benefited from being born into a ninja family, having already refined his chakra.
Today marked the first day of class, and Hayashi rose early from his slumber.
After his morning routine, he stood before a full-length mirror. Surveying his youthful reflection, he contemplated the journey that lay ahead.
With his silver hair framing his face and his piercing yellow eyes, one could almost envision the dashing young man he would become in years to come. His cherubic countenance hinted at a future of charisma and allure.
Undoubtedly, this physique held much promise. It was certain to captivate the hearts of many in this precocious world.
Once dressed, he exited the house, ready to embark on his journey.
On the way to the Ninja Academy, Hayashi absentmindedly checked the template in his head.
[Your template of 'Hawkeye' Dracule Mihawk has been unlocked to 0.94%. ]
In the span of 12 days, he swung the sword 12,000 times. With each swing, he inched closer to a 1% progression in Hawkeye's template.
Though a mere fraction, this progress proved immensely beneficial for him.
In the realm of the spirit, Hayashi embodied Hawkeye and had already triumphed over all his adversaries of the same age.
Through emulation and deep comprehension, his foundational swordsmanship had flourished remarkably. The victories and combat experiences of Hawkeye's youth instilled within Hayashi a growing sense of confidence.
Over a year had passed since Hayashi first delved into the realm of kendo within the spiritual domain, embodying Hawkeye's spirit.
Time flowed swiftly as he honed his skills, traversing the ethereal landscapes of his training.
This was the power of the 'Template System'. Not only did it impart swordsmanship expertise, but it also assimilated emotions and post-victory sentiments.
And yet, this progress amounted to less than 1%.
In the original story of One Piece, Hawkeye was 43 years old. He had dedicated over 30 years to mastering kendo. His childhood merely marked the beginning, hardly even scratching the surface.
It was upon venturing to the sea that his strength truly soared.
On his path to becoming the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye would confront countless swordsmanship masters. Each combat experience would be a valuable treasure.
Upon entering the Ninja Academy, Hayashi made his way to his assigned classroom.
He wasn't the first to arrive; more than a dozen others of similar age were already present.
Among them were three of the Konoha Twelve.
As he entered the classroom, he immediately caught the attention of his classmates.
"That's... quite handsome. He's my type," whispered Ino, her gaze fixed on him.
Hayashi's cute face and exquisite features instantly drew her attention, prompting an exclamation. Shikamaru, seated next to Choji, couldn't help but hold his face in boredom. "Are kids these days so mature?" he muttered under his breath.
"You're the last person who should be saying that!" Ino shot back, glaring at him.
"Ugh... it's such a drag," he sighed, unapologetically letting out a yawn.
Ignoring the exchange between Shikamaru and Ino, Hayashi made his way towards the back of the classroom.
For him, who had no intention of specializing in ninjutsu, attending the Ninja Academy seemed excessive.
In a year or two, he would have enough chakra to learn the Shadow Clone Technique. As for theoretical studies, he could simply delegate them to his own shadow clone.
Rather than wasting time in school, he believed it was more worthwhile to dedicate his time to practicing swordsmanship and attaining the ability to sense the Breath of All Things as soon as possible.
In the world of One Piece, swordsmen were roughly divided into three realms: swordsman, sword master, and great swordsman.
No matter how skilled a swordsman's technique was, they remained at the level of a swordsman.
Only a swordsman who had experienced the Breath of All Things was deemed qualified to step into the realm of a sword master.
The ability to sense the Breath of All Things, also known as the realm of 'steel cutting', was essential to cutting through steel itself.
Only by reaching this realm could one unleash a devastating flying slash.
