However, although Sunagakure's foundation in taijutsu and physical conditioning is much stronger than that of the minor nations, among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, it is relatively lacking. In fact, taijutsu users are looked down upon by puppeteers and ninjutsu users, occupying the lowest rung of the hierarchy.
This only changed in the original timeline after Gaara discovered and developed the Seven-Day Breathing Technique with Ziluo.
Chiyo passed down these two jutsu—one for defense, one for escape—out of concern that Hardy and Sasori might repeat the tragic fate of her own son and daughter-in-law.
"Getting started with the Swift Wind Technique is somewhat difficult, but it is a crucial life-saving skill. Fortunately, my Wind Release is decent; as long as I'm willing to spend some time, mastering the first stage shouldn't be too hard.
On the other hand, the reason the Mechanism Shield Seal is rated as a B-rank jutsu is mainly due to the complexity of constructing the relevant mechanisms inside the puppet. When actually using it, you simply inject chakra into the corresponding circuit, making it a kind of instant, seal-less jutsu aided by a device.
All I need to do is follow the principle Chiyo provided and create a mechanism suitable for my own use."
Hardy examined the jutsu scroll and decided to let his DC World avatar train in the Swift Wind Technique first.
As long as the avatar mastered this jutsu, it meant he would already have the experience and techniques necessary for success, making it much easier for his main body to learn it later.
Early the next morning, Team 9 assembled again and received word from Kazekami Chiran that they would be heading to the battlefield in two days.
Both Yakura and Baki had no objections to going to war.
They were both born and raised in Sunagakure's system, with high loyalty to the village. Both were still young, full of youthful passion, eager to make a name for themselves.
What truly surprised them was that Hardy had become the disciple of both Chiyo and Ebizō.
"Hardy, did you really become the disciple of Lady Chiyo and Lord Ebizō?"
Baki stared wide-eyed at Hardy.
It was like hearing that one of your college classmates had suddenly been accepted as a protégé by two academicians at the same time.
And not just one, but two.
"Something like that—who would even bother to fake it?"
Hardy rolled his eyes at Baki.
Although this guy would eventually become Rasa's right-hand man in the original timeline, right now he was still a complete blockhead.
"Um, Hardy, can I ask you a favor? You know… Lady Chiyo is the idol of all the kunoichi in the village. Could you help me get her autograph?"
Yakura clasped her small fists under her chin, eyes sparkling with stars.
At this time, the illustrious Chiyo was the goal for most female ninja, followed by Tsunade, who had only recently made a name for herself as one of the Sannin.
"Uh… next time I see Teacher Chiyo, I'll ask her for you."
Hardy scratched his head.
Kazekami Chiran, chewing on dried lizard, waited for the three to finish talking before speaking up:
"In two days, you'll assemble and head to the battlefield. Although you've been assigned to a relatively safe reserve unit, you still need to be prepared. Hardy, since you have guidance from Elder Chiyo and Elder Ebizō in puppetry, I won't say more about that.
If you have any questions about ninjutsu or swordsmanship training, ask them as soon as possible. The village will issue a certain amount of ninja tools and soldier pills, but it's always good to stock up on your own as well. Don't let a lack of supplies cause accidents on the battlefield.
Even if there are leftovers after the war, you can still use them on future missions. You'll never lose out…"
Kazekami Chiran rambled on.
After a round of chatter, he began to give targeted guidance based on each person's specific situation.
It had to be said, Kazekami Chiran In terms of pure strength, he might not be among the very top in Sunagakure, but when it came to teaching ability and the breadth of his knowledge, Kazekami Chiran was likely second to none in the village. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been assigned to train this squad.
Even with medical ninjutsu, which Hardy had barely begun to learn, Kazekami Chiran knew a thing or two. He also understood some sealing techniques, and was proficient in wind, fire, and lightning release ninjutsu, as well as the Sand Style swordsmanship passed down from the First Kazekage, Retto. He could provide comprehensive guidance for Hardy and the other two.
Now, in addition to maintaining their current training regimens, Kazekami Chiran assigned the three of them some extra work.
"In general, you're all at the golden age for a ninja's growth. However, your current abilities are far beyond your peers, so your progress is now limited by your physical development and the quality of your chakra—things that require time and steady effort to improve."
"That's why your rate of improvement has slowed down. At this stage, my personal suggestion is to shore up your weaknesses. For example, Hardy and Yekura: no matter how good you are at puppet and ninjutsu techniques, you still need to work on your taijutsu. None of the renowned powerhouses in the ninja world have obvious weaknesses."
"If someone does, once they become famous, their enemies will scrutinize every detail of their abilities, looking for any weakness. That person will either die because of their flaws, or they'll overcome them so that no one can exploit them anymore."
"So starting today, Hardy, Yekura, you both need to hone your taijutsu. It's best if you train with Baki and me, and devote some of your extra energy to swordsmanship. The more skills you have, the more cards you'll have to play in the future."
Kazekami Chiran spent the entire morning instructing the three.
Afterwards, once they reached the front lines, although they would still be together, it would be hard to find such a long stretch of free time for teaching.
After the guidance session, Hardy went as usual to the puppet corps for daily training.
But now, there was an extra item on the training list:
Swordsmanship.
Hardy's foundation in swordsmanship wasn't non-existent, but it was rather weak.
All he'd learned before was the bare basics taught at the ninja academy—mainly how to hold a sword correctly, a few simple thrusts and footwork, just enough to know how to use a weapon to kill.
For more advanced techniques and training methods, you had to seek them out elsewhere. Some ninja clans had their own traditions, and the village's Sand Style swordsmanship also included some knowledge.
Unfortunately, the First Kazekage's true strength lay in ninjutsu rather than swordsmanship. Although he created this style to fill a gap in the village's abilities, Sand Style swordsmanship was still a tier below the Konoha Style developed by Tobirama Senju in the neighboring village.