Chapter 55: Complete Defeat
Kaito immediately recognized Renjiro's chakra signature and thought in disbelief,
"What the hell? I didn't sense him approaching at all!"
Soon after, he received his Shadow Clone's memories as it dispersed.
His Shadow Clone had been dispelled, and both Hodaka and Mieko had been defeated as well.
He thought with confusion,
"A Shadow Clone? But... when did he create it?"
After thinking for a moment, realization dawned.
"Was it when the dust cloud provided cover for him? But I started sensing his position almost immediately afterward. Was that brief moment actually enough for him to create a Shadow Clone and hide his real body underground? And why didn't I sense him approaching? I should be able to detect anyone who focuses their attention on me. Hell, I can sense someone even if they just glance in my direction!"
Renjiro thought analytically as he observed Kaito,
"Can he sense incoming attacks somehow? No, that's not quite right—my chakra control is near-perfect, so he shouldn't be able to detect me that way. It seems he decided to move based purely on combat intuition."
He then removed his hand from Kaito's neck and said simply,
"Alright, come with me."
Kaito followed Renjiro back to where Hodaka and Mieko were located. Both were lying on the ground, clearly in pain. He thought sympathetically,
"Poor kids. They really got beaten badly! Both their faces are swollen, and there are visible bruises all over their arms and legs."
Renjiro had systematically defeated the two genin, dispelled Kaito's Shadow Clone, and also dispelled his own Shadow Clone to consolidate his chakra.
Kaito looked at Renjiro again and thought,
"Did he beat them so thoroughly just to crush their arrogance? Well, I hope this experience makes them both think more strategically from now on."
After receiving his Shadow Clone's memories, Renjiro regarded Kaito with newfound respect and thought,
"Very impressive. He successfully evaded my Shadow Clone's attacks not once but twice. If his Shadow Clone had possessed more than half his chakra reserves, my Shadow Clone might not have been able to identify it as a clone at all. He demonstrates excellent tactical judgment and composure under pressure. Unfortunately, he doesn't possess many effective long-range offensive techniques yet. This means hiding at such great distance actually becomes a disadvantage for him in extended combat."
"Moreover, after I captured him, he surrendered a bit too quickly. I think this mentality needs correction, although admittedly it did save him from receiving a beating like the others. It's unfortunate—while he doesn't appear as outwardly arrogant as those two, a harsh lesson would still benefit his growth as a shinobi."
Fortunately, Kaito remained completely unaware of Renjiro's assessment and intentions.
Renjiro then observed Hodaka and Mieko and thought,
"But this performance still makes him significantly superior to these two. What genin can realistically confront a jonin directly and expect success? Setting aside that unrealistic expectation, their fundamental skills are both quite solid. Hodaka demonstrates excellent taijutsu ability, and his speed is impressive for his age. Mieko's Fire Release techniques are remarkably powerful for a fresh genin. That combination attack between her and Kaito genuinely surprised me."
Just as Renjiro finished this assessment, Hodaka and Mieko both struggled to their feet.
Although they were still groaning in obvious pain, they stared at their 'teacher' with resentful expressions.
Mieko also glanced at Kaito with visible displeasure, since he appeared to be in far better condition than either of them.
Renjiro, of course, completely ignored their hostile gazes and announced,
"You have ten minutes to sit here and quietly reflect on our sparring match just now. After ten minutes, I'll ask you several questions, and I expect thoughtful answers."
Kaito sat down cross-legged and began analyzing the battle systematically.
Hodaka and Mieko did the same, though they continued glaring at Renjiro with obvious anger.
The three genin began their analysis, and their first conclusion was identical:
"An elite jonin's strength is on a completely different level!"
Kaito had needed to research information about Renjiro in the Bingo Book, while Hodaka and Mieko had easily obtained this information from their respective clan parents.
Renjiro's achievements during the Third Shinobi World War were well-known among Konoha's veteran shinobi. This knowledge gave them somewhat more respect for their instructor.
After ten minutes elapsed, Renjiro asked directly,
"First question—when did I create my Shadow Clone?"
Kaito raised his hand and answered,
"Most likely when you punched the ground and raised that massive dust cloud for cover."
Mieko pondered deeply and added,
"Yes, I don't believe you had any other opportunity to create a Shadow Clone without us noticing."
Kaito detected the suppressed anger in her voice after her beating. Hodaka, however, remained visibly confused. He asked earnestly,
"But Renjiro-sensei, why couldn't my Byakugan detect you at all?"
Renjiro replied seriously,
"There are various techniques to conceal oneself and even evade the Byakugan's perception entirely. Consider this an important lesson—just because you don't see something with your dojutsu doesn't mean you can relax your guard."
Hodaka nodded with a complicated expression. Learning that his clan's legendary ability wasn't completely foolproof represented a significant blow to his pride.
Kaito then asked curiously,
"But sensei, how were you able to approach me from underground while also perfectly concealing your chakra signature? Also, how did you pinpoint my exact location without me sensing your attention?"
Renjiro replied calmly,
"There are likewise many techniques to evade sensor-type shinobi, and methods to stealthily approach them undetected. You cannot completely relax your vigilance just because you don't sense anyone nearby."
Mieko was next to ask a question. She asked with frustration,
"Sensei, how did you fight me throughout the entire battle without ever looking into my eyes?"
Renjiro chuckled and explained,
"The Uchiha Clan has been utilizing the Sharingan for hundreds of years. Naturally, many counter-techniques have been developed over that time. What I demonstrated today was merely the most fundamental approach."
This answer caused all three genin to fall into deep thought. Kaito was particularly concerned. He thought worriedly,
"Does this mean that if someone skilled enough is actively observing me, I might not even know they're there?"
This realization troubled him considerably. However, he forced himself to calm down and reasoned,
"Well, he's an elite jonin—someone capable of commanding entire battlefield operations. Konoha certainly wouldn't waste an elite jonin's time monitoring an unknown nobody like me. I should still be relatively safe from that level of surveillance."
Renjiro interrupted his students' contemplation and said,
"Now, I want each of you to think carefully and tell me why you lost this sparring match. Then explain how you could perform better next time. Hodaka, you'll go first, followed by Mieko, then Kaito."
Hodaka thought for a moment and answered honestly,
"You completely countered my Gentle Fist style, and I couldn't land a single strike on you successfully. My Byakugan couldn't perceive your Shadow Clone at all. Also, your movement speed was vastly superior to mine and everyone else's."
Renjiro looked expectantly at Mieko, who said somewhat bitterly,
"Your taijutsu far exceeds ours, and no matter how carefully we coordinated our attacks, you consistently dodged everything we threw at you. You also clearly understood how to counter each of our individual fighting styles."
He then turned to Kaito, who said analytically,
"Our teamwork wasn't nearly good enough. We barely communicated with each other during the fight. I observed Hodaka and Mieko attacking you together, but their movements weren't properly synchronized. And despite being well-concealed, I couldn't provide much meaningful support due to the distance. We also failed to formulate any coherent strategy to defeat you, much less..."
Kaito paused briefly and continued,
"You're simply too powerful for our current level. We were completely outmatched from the beginning."
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