To be honest, Arata Itsuki really wanted to clarify something:
the person who said his sword skill could rival Hatake Sakumo's…
was not him.
It was that big-mouthed Jiraiya.
Jiraiya, who now spent every day running off to Mount Myōboku to train, leaving Arata behind to get mocked by everyone in the village!
Arata silently vowed:
One of these days, I'm going to teach that brat a lesson. Causing me this much trouble for no reason…
In the past, he couldn't beat Jiraiya, so he could only grit his teeth in frustration.
But now?
Now things were different.
Arata couldn't help wondering what kind of expression Jiraiya would make when he discovered how much stronger he had become.
Meanwhile, Hatake Sakumo listened to his subordinates gossiping endlessly about Arata.
Being kind-hearted, he finally intervened:
"Enough. This is the border—enemy forces can appear at any moment. Stay alert!"
Arata finally understood why, in the original timeline, Sakumo would abandon a mission to save his comrades.
It wasn't rumor or exaggeration.
This Kage-level powerhouse truly had a gentle, honest personality.
And yet, in the end, he received no understanding—only blame—until he was pushed to take his own life.
A tragic fate for such a good man.
Arata thought to himself:
If I ever get the chance, I'll help him. A talent like him shouldn't die because of his own comrades' words.
After Sakumo's reprimand, the group fell quiet.
But the Inuzuka clan tracker kept glancing at Arata with open hostility.
Arata was confused.
He had never even met this man — why was he being glared at?
After returning to the border camp, Sakumo didn't assign Arata to any team.
All the squads were full—four to a team, no room for a fifth.
Even Sakumo had no idea why the village suddenly sent someone here; he had never asked for reinforcements.
Given Arata's awkward rank and lack of a squad, Sakumo extended a polite invitation:
"How about joining my patrol team for now? Once I know where manpower is needed, I'll assign you properly."
But Arata shook his head.
"No need. I prefer working alone."
It wasn't that Arata was antisocial—
he simply needed time to train.
He absolutely couldn't let Sakumo see his elemental transformation.
And practicing during patrol? That was textbook slacking off.
How could he do that with his superior right beside him?
Hearing this, the Inuzuka clansman's brows knitted tightly.
"You brat—you're just scared. Afraid your sword looks pathetic next to Sakumo-sama's, huh? Claiming you defeated an Elite Jōnin—why don't you get a mirror and take a look at yourself first!"
Sakumo did not expect him to say something that rude and immediately stepped forward:
"Inuzuka Hidetaka! He's your comrade. How can you talk like that!?"
Hidetaka lowered his head when Sakumo spoke, but he clearly had no intention of apologizing.
Even Arata, usually mild-tempered, couldn't stay silent.
So everyone looks down on my sword, huh?
Fine. I'll let you see exactly what I can do.
Just then, the familiar chime of the system sounded.
[Ding! Based on the host's current situation, three choices have been generated.]
[Option 1: Duel Hatake Sakumo, regardless of victory or defeat.
Reward: Hawk-Eye's Kenjutsu Insights]
[Option 2: Be a salted fish and let the matter drop.
Reward: Kotoamatsukami]
[Option 3: Duel Inuzuka Hidetaka and win.
Reward: 100 million ryō]
[The system will grant the reward based on the host's action.]
Looking through the three choices, Option 2 and 3 were completely unappealing.
Option 1 required only a duel—victory or loss didn't matter—and the reward was incredibly tempting.
It was exactly the kind of improvement Arata currently needed.
Mihawk was the greatest swordsman in One Piece.
If Arata could obtain Mihawk's kenjutsu insights, it would break the bottleneck he had been stuck at for years.
Option 3 was simply too trivial.
A mere jōnin? Arata couldn't even be bothered.
And the reward—money—held zero interest for him.
Option 2's reward, Kotoamatsukami, was strong but situational—and not useful for kenjutsu or combat growth.
So the choice was obvious.
Arata would duel Sakumo.
He also genuinely wanted to see whether his kenjutsu truly matched what Jiraiya had claimed — on par with Konoha's White Fang.
"Sakumo-sama, I've actually always wanted to witness your strength. How about a spar?"
Although they were close in age, Arata had never once exchanged blows with Sakumo.
Their differing strengths and trajectories meant they had never crossed paths in training.
Sakumo was known as a kind person, true—
but he was also a genius.
And all geniuses had pride.
Especially when it came to Sakumo's most cherished ability—his kenjutsu.
And Jiraiya had publicly said that Arata's sword skill could compare to Sakumo's.
Even though Jiraiya didn't yet hold the title of Sannin, he was already one of the village's top combatants—fully capable of standing against Sakumo.
Knowing Jiraiya's strength, Sakumo had long been curious about Arata.
Had Arata not suggested the duel himself, Sakumo wouldn't have challenged a Tokubetsu Jōnin.
But since Arata had asked…
His pride wouldn't let him refuse.
"You're sure you want to spar? Swords have no eyes. I might injure you."
He meant it kindly, but in Arata's ears, it still stung a little.
Still, he understood Sakumo wasn't mocking him.
"Of course. Truthfully, I've wanted to see Konoha's White Fang's kenjutsu for a long time."
Sakumo smiled slightly.
"In that case, I'll oblige you. I've been curious about the sword skill Jiraiya spoke of."
And so, their duel was decided.
It was still early morning, so most shinobi hadn't gone out on patrol yet.
The moment the camp heard Arata was going to duel Hatake Sakumo, they came rushing to watch.
There was no training field here, so they kept things simple.
Arata and Sakumo chose a relatively open area and took their positions.
"You take the first move. As your senpai, I should give you an advantage."
Arata's lazy demeanor vanished.
He entered combat mode instantly.
The killing intent that burst from him was raw, dense, and overwhelming—
not something one could fake,
but the accumulation of years walking the edge between life and death.
Sakumo, who had been slightly underestimating him, instantly grew serious.
This killing intent… was real.
No matter what Arata's official rank was, his combat experience was unquestionably top-tier.
"Coming!"
Out of courtesy, Arata warned him—
But the moment the words left his lips, his sword was already flashing toward Sakumo!
His Thunder Fruit power activated at full strength, coating his body in dazzling blue lightning.
His speed reached a level nearly impossible for the naked eye to follow—