Chapter 9: Earth Release – Earth Style Wall
Morino Ibiki led Izumo up to the rooftop.
The blood-red light of the setting sun painted the rooftops of Konoha Village in shades of golden crimson.
The scar running across his cheek looked even more ferocious under the fading light, yet the eyes that were usually as cold as steel now held a rare softness. Hidden deep within them was a trace of something like hope—subtle, but unmistakable.
He walked slowly to stand in front of Izumo, then carefully took out a scroll wrapped neatly in coarse hemp cloth from inside his clothes. As he handed it over, the calluses on his fingertips brushed against the edge of the scroll, creating a faint, rasping sound.
"Kamizuki, in this month's exam, your overall ranking placed you second," he said in a low, steady voice that seemed to resonate straight from his chest. "That's an excellent result."
Izumo accepted the scroll. The rough texture of the hemp cloth slid across his fingertips, carrying with it a sense of age and history.
He couldn't hide his surprise. "Sensei, the results are already out? I'm second?"
The outcome genuinely shocked him. He had originally thought he might barely make it into the top ten. He never imagined he would climb this high.
"Yes. First place is Asuma." Morino Ibiki nodded. His gaze drifted past Izumo's shoulder, and there was a deeper meaning layered into his tone. "The fact that you took second—whether you did it by holding back on purpose, or because this is simply as far as you chose to go—either way, it was the wisest choice."
He paused, then lowered his voice until it was almost a whisper.
"Asuma is the only son of the Third Hokage. Behind him stands the entire Sarutobi clan."
Izumo's heart jolted as if cold water had been poured over him, and his mind instantly snapped into full clarity.
He was no longer just a child of this world.
As someone who had read the manga and understood the flow of the story, he knew all too well how deep and dangerous the currents beneath Konoha's calm surface truly were.
On the outside, the village looked peaceful and serene. But behind the scenes, factions clashed, and dark undercurrents flowed without end.
And reality was never as gentle as stories on paper—it was always far crueler.
With his status as an orphan, shining too brightly would only turn him into a target. Hiding his strength and waiting for the right moment was a strategy for long-term survival.
He gripped the scroll tighter. His knuckles turned white.
He bowed deeply, his posture full of respect. "Thank you for the warning, Sensei!"
Morino Ibiki looked at his calm, unhurried response, and the admiration in his eyes grew stronger.
"Sensei didn't say anything," he replied flatly. "Whatever you understood—that came from your own thinking."
He paused, then spoke in a more solemn tone.
"Remember this. A ninja doesn't fight with fists and Ninjutsu alone. What matters more are the mind, wisdom, and a clear view of the bigger picture. Without those, no matter how strong you are, you're nothing more than courage without direction."
Then his tone shifted again, becoming heavier.
"Also, I'll be leaving the Ninja Academy soon. Which department I'm being transferred to is something I can't disclose. But you are the student with the greatest potential I've ever met. Before we part, sensei wants to give you a 'gift.'"
Izumo's heart trembled. He lifted the scroll slightly and asked, "Sensei… is this gift the scroll?"
"Yes. Open it and take a look."
Izumo slowly unrolled the scroll.
Written neatly in black charcoal were detailed instructions explaining the hand seals and chakra control methods for an Earth Release Ninjutsu—Earth Style Wall.
There were even personal notes from Morino Ibiki's own real combat experience. The ink varied in thickness, clearly showing how much time and effort he had poured into compiling this scroll.
"Earth Release—Earth Style Wall is one of the most basic defensive techniques," Morino Ibiki said, his gaze sharp and serious. "It looks simple, but in a critical moment, it can save your life."
Izumo's voice trembled with emotion as he bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much, Ibiki-sensei! This student will definitely train diligently and will not disappoint your expectations!"
Morino Ibiki patted his shoulder. His palm was broad and powerful.
"Let me ask you something. Do you know what triggered the Second Shinobi World War?"
Izumo thought for a moment, combining the original body's memories with his own understanding of the ninja world, then answered in a steady voice,
"It was triggered by a struggle over resources in the Land of Rain, combined with the collapse of the balance of power among the major ninja villages, which eventually ignited large-scale, multi-nation conflict."
"Correct." Morino Ibiki's tone carried heavy weight.
"Then do you know how far the friction along the borders between the villages has already escalated? Sunagakure and Iwagakure have clashed three times in small-scale conflicts along the borders of the Land of Wind. Kumogakure has also started moving restlessly along the borders of the Land of Lightning."
Izumo's heart seemed to sink.
A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
"The Third Shinobi World War is about to begin."
Morino Ibiki's words struck his chest like a massive hammer, making his ears ring.
"What sensei told you back then was no joke. Your class—there's a very real chance that in less than a year, you'll already be stepping onto the battlefield. So become strong. You must become strong, as fast as possible. Only with enough strength can you survive!"
Morino Ibiki let out a long breath, then turned and left the rooftop alone.
On the way home, Izumo walked with a heavy heart. The scroll in his hand felt like it weighed a thousand tons.
"War…" Izumo murmured softly.
In his eyes, there was a flicker of fear—but even more than that, a firm, unshakable resolve.
He knew the time he had to grow was short.
He had to use every second, every breath, to increase his strength.
Only then, in the chaos that was about to come, could he protect whatever he wanted to protect, survive—and live a better life.
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