Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona

"And the ultimate goal..."

Yixin paused for a moment, then said, word by word, "That is to strive for victory by any means necessary, to make the most of all available tools and techniques in battle, and to achieve the purpose of the battle. For victory, for survival, for protection, one's thinking cannot be rigid."

"Just like... this musket in my hand." He looked at Yamagami Motoya and said calmly, "In your eyes, it may be a strange and ingenious trick, a gun, but in my eyes, in the principles of the Ashina school..."

"It is a sword!"

Yixin continued, as if stating a perfectly natural fact: "Its structure is an extension of the sword's structure; its firing is another form of the sword's thrusting and slashing; the flames and projectiles it spews are the sword's sharpness and power projected into the distance. The method, timing, and coordination with one's own movements in using it, the Dao contained therein, is no different in essence from using a real sword."

"Therefore, marksmanship is also swordsmanship, and ballistics is also the way of swordsmanship!"

Yamagami Genya was completely stunned; his mind almost stopped working.

Are muskets also swords?

Is marksmanship also swordsmanship?

Is ballistics also a form of swordsmanship?

The teacher's words completely overturned his previous understanding of martial arts and weapons.

Then, Yamagami Genya heard his teacher say something that sounded somewhat mysterious, yet seemed to contain a profound truth: "The so-called 'all things have their own principles, and all things can be transformed into swords'; when you have no sword in your hand, but have the principles of swordsmanship in your heart, grass, trees, bamboo, and stones can all become swords; when you have no principles of swordsmanship in your heart, even if you have a divine weapon, it is nothing more than a piece of dead iron. The important thing is not to be attached to the form of a sword, but to understand how to use all things."

These ideas about everything being a sword, and that having no sword is better than having a sword, were completely incomprehensible to Yamagami Genya, who had just entered this field and had not yet systematically learned about swordsmanship.

But looking at his teacher's solemn and profound eyes, and the natural, almost effortless way he handled the musket, all his doubts turned into a deeper sense of awe and reverence.

So this is what the Ashina School is like?

So true martial arts and Taoism can encompass such a vast range?

Although Yamagami Motoya was still confused, he felt a strange sense of conviction.

Since the teacher said so, it must be right!

Ashina-style swordsmanship is indeed different from any other school of swordsmanship he had ever imagined!

"Yes, teacher, I understand!"

Yamagami Genya nodded vigorously, keeping his teacher's words firmly in mind, even though the deeper meaning would need to be digested slowly in the future.

.............

A few days later, at the Akechi Jingxinliu Dojo.

Sunlight streamed through the high windows of the dojo, casting neat patches of light on the ground, while a faint smell of wood and sweat lingered in the air.

With a low shout, Yagyu Soichiro sent his iron rod slicing through the air with a heavy whistling sound as it hurtled straight in – the straightforward yet incredibly powerful opening stance of the Shizume no Meiji-ryu style.

With a swift movement of his feet, he drew his katana half an inch from its sheath, as if to parry.

However, just as the two were about to enter the normal range of weapon combat, his right hand, which had been focused on the hilt of his sword, suddenly slid down with an extremely smooth and effortless motion, as if it had simply fallen casually to his side...

Then, with lightning speed, he pulled something out from his lower back!

That was clearly a roughly modified musket with a noticeably longer barrel!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A series of rapid, deafening explosions shattered the solemn atmosphere of the dojo!

A burst of intense heat shot from the muzzle as five lead bullets hurtled toward Yagyu Soichiro!

Too close, too fast!

"What the hell is that?!"

Soichiro Yagyu's pupils shrank sharply; he hadn't expected this at all.

In the critical moment, his rich practical experience and extraordinary reaction speed saved the day.

His forward momentum abruptly halted, his feet firmly planted on the ground, and he used his waist and abdomen to generate power. Instead of attacking with the iron rod, he swung it into a blurry black shadow, protecting his body!

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Pfft!"

Four crisp metallic clangs and a muffled thud rang out almost simultaneously!

Four bullets were precisely deflected by the iron bar, leaving deep dents and sparks on the dojo floor and walls. The last one grazed his shoulder and clothes, taking away a strand of fabric.

Although he managed to block it, the musket seemed to have been specially modified by its owner. The immense impact of the bullet still caused Yagyu Soichiro to sway, involuntarily taking two steps back before regaining his balance.

A burning pain shot through his shoulder where he had been grazed, but what enraged him even more was the completely unorthodox way this attack was carried out!

"You brat!!!" Yagyu Souichirou steadied himself, his face flushed with rage, his hair standing on end, his iron rod pointed at Isshin, his voice almost lifting the roof off the dojo:

"How can you be so unsportsmanlike?! We agreed on a swordsmanship contest, how could you use a musket?! What kind of contest is this?!"

Firearms are not new in the ninja world; they have a history of nearly a century. (Note)

However, in a world where chakra is the dominant supernatural power system, it has always been difficult for it to gain mainstream acceptance.

It is usually used as equipment by ordinary soldiers, local security forces and even underground forces in various countries. Although its power is still a threat to genin, it is clumsy and inefficient to ninjas of chunin level and above who have mastered a variety of defensive and evasive techniques. Therefore, it is despised by orthodox ninjas.

In the Land of Iron, where swordsmanship and the spirit of Bushido are highly valued, even ordinary soldiers are ashamed to wear them, considering them low-class and superfluous skills.

Soichiro Yagyu never dreamed that one day he would see this thing used in a fair and square swordsmanship competition by a young swordsman whom he recognized and even sparred with many times!

Moreover, judging from the sound, the speed and impact of the projectile, it is clearly not an ordinary item; it has definitely been specially modified and enhanced by this bastard!

During his early years traveling in the ninja world, he had seen all kinds of firearms, but ordinary firearms definitely did not have this kind of power and speed.

"President, you're being too idealistic!" Faced with the furious questioning of Yagyu Souichirou, Isshin remained calm.

"As the saying goes, marksmanship is a technique, and ballistics is a principle."

"My use of this musket is no different from your use of that iron rod; we are both exchanging swordsmanship techniques!"

"They all involve releasing one's own power through the medium of a device in the form of a specific technique, in order to achieve the purpose of defeating the enemy or exchanging skills."

He shrugged, his expression innocent yet tinged with disappointment.

"I thought that a swordsman like you, Chairman, who uses a staff, had already transcended the constraints of specific forms like swords and knives, and grasped the true essence of swordsmanship—that there is no superior or inferior weapon, but that it is effective when used appropriately."

"I didn't expect... Sigh, President, you're still limited by those rigid rules and regulations."

Soichiro Yagyu: ".........."

I really want to hit you on the head...

Just as Isshin's clone obtained his exclusive equipment and was swaggering around the Land of Iron, displaying his Ashina-style swordsmanship, he was...

Time was passing, and the calm surface of the ninja world gradually began to ripple.