Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

"Gentlemen, may I ask you a question?"

"Who's the best fighter in this blacksmith town?"

Everyone's eyes turned to the doorway.

Backlit, all that could be seen was the man's exceptionally tall and robust figure, with broad shoulders and a thick back, nearly two meters tall, like an iron tower, making one subconsciously assume he was a rugged, weathered man.

However, when he fully entered the house and the dim light illuminated his face, many people looked surprised.

His face was surprisingly young, even retaining a hint of childishness, making him look no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, which contrasted sharply with his incredibly robust physique.

"Hahahahaha!"

After a brief moment of surprise, an even louder burst of laughter erupted in the izakaya.

A blacksmith with a flushed face and arms thicker than an average person's thigh slammed his fist on the table and boomed, "Is that even a question? Of course it's Arakawa Yoshitoku from the Arakawa Dojo in the west of the city! Who else would it be but me?"

His words drew another round of laughter and the clinking of glasses.

The laughter subsided slightly, and another man who looked like a ronin stroked his short beard, looking at the muscular young man at the door with a hint of mockery: "What's up, kid? You've got some build. Want to go to the Arakawa Dojo and become an apprentice?"

Before the boy could answer, he shook his head and said to himself, "Then you've come at a bad time. The Arakawa Dojo only recruits new disciples when the snow melts in early spring each year, and the number of places is limited. Right now..." He sipped his drink, "You'll have to wait a few months."

Under the teasing and stares of the crowd, the tall boy seemed not to hear. His eyes lit up slightly, as if he had found a definite target, and his eager expression became even stronger.

He nodded, his voice still clear, but with a more specific direction:

"Arakawa Dojo, Arakawa Yoshitoku... I'll remember that."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the still-laughing people in the room, a slight smile playing on his lips, before uttering a sentence that abruptly silenced the laughter:

"However, I'm not going there to become an apprentice."

"I went there to exchange skills."

"By the way, my name is Isshin!"

The boy, who called himself "Yixin," slightly raised his head. His calm yet sharp eyes, which seemed somewhat incongruous with his youthful face, slowly swept across the entire room. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute and undeniable penetrating power, clearly imprinted in everyone's ears:

"Soon, you, along with this country, will remember this name."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and pushed open the door, his tall figure disappearing into the deepening twilight and cold wind outside, leaving behind a room full of astonished people.

......

Name: Isshin (Shinichi Higashino)

Occupation: Swordsman

Talents: Genius (Blue), Intuition (Green), Gluttony (Green), Quick-witted (Green), Diligence Can Make Up for Lack of Talent (Green), Superhuman Strength (Green), Thick Skin and Hard Skin (Green), Swift as a Rabbit (Green), Skilled in Swordsmanship (Green)

This boy named "Isshin" is naturally an independent clone created by Shinichi Higashino using the newly acquired [Clone (Blue)] entry.

As a registered ninja of Konoha, Shinichi's movements are subject to many restrictions, making it difficult for him to travel long distances freely or immerse himself in swordsmanship training, which is very different from the ninja system.

It would be even more inconvenient for someone to make a name for themselves quickly in a country like the Land of Iron, which reveres the way of the samurai, as they are simply a challenger; this could easily cause a diplomatic incident.

Therefore, an independent "swordsman" clone with a relatively clean background and outstanding talent became the best solution.

The clone needs to fuse with the bloodline genes of a creature, the source of which is the Ape Demon King.

Shinichi had previously guided the Third Hokage to bring out the Monkey King to instruct him under the pretext of "forging his physique and exploring ninjutsu." Besides the fact that it was indeed for the purpose of tempering his physique, another hidden intention was for this moment.

Admittedly, in terms of bloodline potential and compatibility, the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, might be the theoretically optimal solution.

However, at this point in time, even Orochimaru may not have started related research. The only known holders are the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura.

Demand it from the Third Hokage?

Putting aside the fact that the source of the information is inexplicable, this seriously conflicts with his carefully cultivated image of being "politically correct and of simple and honest character," which will inevitably lead to unpredictable scrutiny and suspicion.

Contact with Danzo?

That would be like trying to get something from a tiger, extremely risky, and it would also mean abandoning the Third Hokage, who is currently the biggest asset.

Therefore, Shinichi chose a safer and more feasible path—to take a step back and use the powerful and potentially huge ape demon bloodline as the foundation to create the clone "Isshin".

Moreover, the [Cloning] attribute may be upgraded to purple in the future, at which point it won't be too late to pursue legendary materials like the original cell.

Although it can only inherit one of the original body's class attributes and half of its talent attributes, and cannot inherit ninja talent-type talents that are closely tied to the ninja class for the time being, the strength of this clone is still quite considerable.

Having merged with the bloodline genes of the Ape Demon King, he naturally possessed the domineering physical strength and resilient physique of the Ape Demon clan.

More importantly, Shinichi meticulously configured all of Isshin's attributes to be of high quality, all of which were at least green level. This allowed Isshin to reach an exceptionally impressive starting point in terms of pure physical attributes, swordsmanship aptitude, combat intuition, and growth efficiency.

In terms of raw power, he is even stronger than Shinichi's original body, who still needs to focus on the overall development of a ninja at this stage.

The name Isshin comes from a game character in his previous life—a being revered as the "Sword Saint" by the world, who spent his life pursuing the pinnacle of martial arts and swordsmanship with pure and extreme dedication.

In his youth, he was ambitious and even greedy, constantly seeking stronger opponents. He honed his swordsmanship through countless life-and-death battles, turning each fight into a stepping stone to greater heights.

Shinichi's clone not only takes its name from this, but its pre-set style of doing things and growth path will also largely refer to this core.

In the Land of Iron, a land that reveres martial prowess, he will constantly challenge the strong in the most direct and even flamboyant way, honing himself in actual combat as the fastest way to make a name for himself, gain recognition, and refine his swordsmanship.

Shinichi once asked his kendo teacher, Hideji Yamashita, how to continue his path after becoming a formal swordsman, that is, to explore the higher levels of the profession of "swordsman".

Master Yamashita told him that the term "swordsman" meant that he had successfully graduated and mastered the basic skills and mental techniques. He was now on a journey that required leaving the dojo's protection and walking the path alone.

That will be a long journey and a trial. You will need to measure the land with your own feet, meet friends from all directions with your own sword, and hone your skills through countless sparring or dangerous battles.

The depth of this journey will directly determine whether you stop at being a decent swordsman or have the potential to go further and step into a new realm of establishing your own school—that is, becoming a "sword master".

The term "sword master" implies that one is a "swordsmanship teacher".

It means that you have not only mastered swordsmanship, but also developed your own understanding and system, and are qualified and capable of opening a dojo to pass on your "way" to future generations.

However, Mr. Yamashita emphasized meaningfully that in order to transform from a "swordsman" into a widely recognized "sword master," in addition to honing one's skills and temperament to perfection, there is an invisible but crucial threshold: you must win the collective recognition of your peers and martial artists in this land.

You need to prove your strength, your character, and your respect for Kendo itself in a way that is recognized by the local martial arts community where you wish to establish yourself.

There are usually three paths.

Firstly, and most reliably, is to obtain an introduction and endorsement from a highly respected senior figure.

Secondly, they would dominate in public martial arts demonstrations or competitions, gaining fame with undisputed victories.

Thirdly, one could visit each of the renowned dojos in the area openly and honestly, engaging in sword duels—a practice commonly known as "challenging the dojos."

Of course, this third path is the riskiest and least recommended. Many who choose this path often die or are seriously injured during the challenge.

Even if they eventually succeed by sheer luck, their methods are too drastic and make it difficult for them to truly integrate into the local community. Unless they possess overwhelming strength and demonstrate exceptional magnanimity, swordsmen typically do not make this choice.

But no matter what choice you make, the core message is the same: you've come, you're qualified, you're entitled to establish yourself here, share your skills, take on disciples, and become a new and solid part of this martial arts ecosystem.

Although the background of this clone of Yixin is clean, it is not righteous, because its origin is a mystery and it has no foundation.

The first path, which requires connections and a clean record, is now closed to him.

The second option requires waiting for the right opportunity, but the Land of Iron has not recently held any grand military exercises that meet the required standards.

Therefore, he was actually left with only a third option—the most difficult, most dangerous, but also the most direct and the one that best suited the preconceived character of "Yixin".

He will knock on the door with his sword and prove his way through battle.