After chatting for a while, Fukai led Tamura Hiroshi to one of the village's training grounds.
For shinobi, understanding through conversation was always superficial. If you truly wanted to get to know someone's capabilities, there was only one real way—combat.
"Attack me with your strongest technique," Fukai said plainly.
He drew the ninja blade from his back and gestured for Tamura Hiroshi to come at him with full strength. He needed to see the boy's limits before he could offer proper guidance.
Without hesitation, Tanaka Haruki activated the seal on his arm guards. In a puff of chakra, two long swords appeared. He grabbed them with both hands, the blades glinting under the light.
"Those swords..." Fukai blinked in surprise. Their length was rare—even among the sword-wielding samurai of the Land of Iron.
In form, they resembled a hybrid of ninja swords and samurai blades, yet both were significantly longer. The larger one measured around 1.6 meters; the smaller, about 1.2. Most ninja swords were shorter than a meter for agility and speed. These, however, had long handles suited for two-handed grip and tremendous cutting power.
More intriguingly, chains attached the sword hilts to the elbow guards of Haruki's armor. They weren't just for show—the setup allowed Haruki to channel the full strength of his arms into his strikes while reducing wrist strain. It was like gripping the blade with the power of both arms combined.
Fukai was already formulating ideas about Haruki's fighting style based on just the shape of the weapons.
"Alright, Haruki, come at me."
Haruki nodded. "Yes, sir!"
In that moment, he consumed a portion of his Destiny Power to temporarily boost his comprehension and combat awareness. His senses sharpened. His movements grew fluid. Everything—the wind, his stance, Fukai's breath—felt more vivid.
He focused power into his legs, charged forward with explosive force, and roared:
"Monster Power Slash!"
The larger blade in his left hand came sweeping horizontally, while the smaller one in his right was braced against it to add extra momentum. Both arms employed the strange strength technique he'd been mastering for weeks.
"So fast!" Fukai noted with mild surprise and instinctively raised his sword to block.
Clang!
The blades collided with a dull metallic crash—heavy and forceful. The air trembled.
"Super Strength Combo!"
Haruki didn't pause. He unleashed a flurry of relentless slashes and thrusts using both blades. This was a technique he'd envisioned ever since he began practicing dual-wielding—his own original move inspired by a sword-fighting style from a virtual game world. The focus was clear: maintain pressure, overwhelm the opponent, and pierce their defenses before they could counterattack.
Every swing targeted weak points—joints, blind angles, low stances. The attacks weren't random; they were precise, coordinated, and increasingly difficult to parry.
Over the past half-month, Haruki had spent every waking moment honing his sword techniques alongside his chakra control. His growth was explosive.
Fukai was quietly impressed. This kind of relentless dual-sword combo could overpower even an average Chūnin, especially one not trained in taijutsu. The sheer sharpness of the swords was another issue—he could already see small nicks forming on his own blade. Any standard kunai would've snapped on impact.
Fortunately, Fukai was a seasoned Jōnin—and one who specialized in both ninjutsu and close combat. He maintained a calm defense, blocking each strike while closely observing Haruki's movements and technique.
Something caught his eye.
The sword techniques in Haruki's left and right hands were different—completely different. He wasn't just using two swords. He was using two styles.
One focused on heavy, sweeping cuts; the other on agile, rapid stabs. And yet, they flowed together in sync. The swords covered each other's weaknesses as if he were fighting two opponents at once.
"He's split his mind to control both arms independently…"
Fukai realized Haruki was using a multitasking technique often practiced by puppet masters in Sunagakure. He'd heard that Chiyo, the famed elder of the Sand Village, could control ten puppets simultaneously—each as powerful as a Jōnin. That level of multitasking was legendary.
Haruki wasn't at that level, but the fact he'd developed dual-style control at this age was proof of immense dedication.
On top of that, his application of strange power techniques—like the Monster Strength—was already close to the explosive force of a taijutsu-focused Chūnin.
And more than anything, Haruki was adapting on the fly. Fukai could see it—his footwork was becoming smoother, his combinations more fluid.
A practical talent. Someone who grows during the battle.
But how long could he keep it up?
Fukai knew this explosive state wasn't sustainable. With Haruki's chakra reserves, he'd tire soon.
Still, Haruki wasn't thinking about endurance. He was focused entirely on his attacks.
His large blade relied mostly on slashing, with occasional thrusts. The smaller sword reversed that—thrusting more, slashing less. This contrast added layers of unpredictability.
It was no accident that he chose these miao dao-style blades over traditional ninja or samurai swords.
Standard samurai and ninja swords were designed for slicing and chopping, hence their curved design. The curvature helped in generating cutting force, but made stabbing difficult and even dangerous to the weapon. A poorly-executed thrust could bend or break the blade.
In contrast, Haruki's miao dao had straighter blades, especially along the middle. Only the tips curved slightly—and at a sharp angle. This design made them perfect for stabbing.
And stabbing, Haruki knew, was the hardest move to defend against—especially with long weapons. Even someone like Fukai could only parry those attacks with precise timing.
Of course, straight blades came with their own risks. They could twist under heavy force. But Haruki had already solved that issue.
He'd invested heavily in these weapons—chakra-conductive steel, reinforced blades with a tapered structure. The blade tips were razor-thin, but near the hilts, they were a full centimeter thick. The balance of weight and durability was exceptional.
Even with his current use of Monster Strength, the blades didn't bend or tremble. Not even slightly.
Someday, he would learn Lightning Release. And when he did, he'd channel it through these swords. Their edge would be unstoppable.
In fact, these blades were designed with Lightning Release in mind. They weren't just tools—they were the foundation of his future.
Suddenly, Fukai called out:
"All right. I'm going to counterattack now!"
Having studied Haruki's technique, Fukai stepped in and swung his sword.
His movements weren't flashy. Just lightning-fast.
Haruki barely saw the strike—just a blur—and reflexively turned his shoulder to take the hit with his armor. At the same time, he raised the smaller blade to deflect a second blow, then leapt backward and twisted his body.
With a hard kick, he struck the back of his larger sword, sending it slashing back toward Fukai with added momentum.
Clang!
Fukai blocked again—this time with more power. He shoved the larger sword aside and advanced quickly, delivering a downward slash.
Now Fukai's true skill as a Jōnin came out.
Even without Lightning Release ninjutsu, he was using raw chakra to amplify his strength, making each attack faster, heavier, and deadlier than anything Haruki had faced before.
Until now, Fukai had only been defending. But on offense, his experience became evident.
Haruki had been training against stone dummies and wooden posts. Fukai was a living storm.
The pressure was immediate. Haruki's rhythm shattered.
Each step Fukai took forward pushed Haruki back. His arms began to feel numb. His hands, sore. His vision blurred as fatigue crept in.
After ten steps of retreat, his arms went limp. The blades felt heavy. Useless.
And Fukai's next sword strike came down—fast as a flash of lightning.
Haruki couldn't block.
He couldn't dodge.
Without his arms or his blades, he had no way out.