Ding! Your bound target has made a breakthrough in swordsmanship, swordsmanship level +1.
You have received a hundredfold return... your swordsmanship level +100!
Ding! Your bound target has made a breakthrough in swordsmanship, swordsmanship level +10.
You have received a hundredfold return... your swordsmanship level +1000!
...
Time flew by,
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Even with Sasuke's talent, it took him half a year of training to fully master Moonlight Swordsmanship.
At this time, Sasuke had transformed from a swordsmanship novice into a swordsmanship master.
Although he hadn't learned any secret swordsmanship techniques, as long as he held a sword, his combat power could multiply several times!
Gekko Clan training ground,
Sora and Sasuke, each wielding a sword, fought together.
Amidst the clash of blades, their figures flickered continuously.
If anyone were watching, they would surely find their speed, strength, and swordsmanship incredibly powerful!
Such speed, strength, and swordsmanship were completely beyond the level a Ninja Academy student should possess.
Perhaps even an ordinary Chunin would not be able to fight as splendidly as the two of them!
After two hundred rounds...
"You lost!"
Sora's blade rested on Sasuke's neck as he said indifferently, "You've improved since last time, you lasted thirty more rounds against me!"
Sasuke's face showed no joy of improvement, but rather some resentment.
He always felt as if he could contend with Sora equally, and sometimes even had a chance to almost defeat Sora.
But in the end, he still lost!
"Don't overthink it, you're improving, and I'm improving too. The fact that you can last longer and longer against me shows that your progress is faster than mine."
"Keep it up, next time you'll definitely be able to defeat me!"
With that, Sora heavily patted Sasuke's shoulder and turned to leave.
This was the sixth time Sasuke had been defeated by him in the past six months.
Although Sasuke's losing speed was getting slower and slower, Sora was dealing with Sasuke with increasing ease.
So it was normal for Sasuke to be suspicious!
"Looks like I need to refine my acting skills."
Sora muttered to himself, subtly glancing at the resentful Sasuke behind him.
The other party didn't linger, only pondered for a second on the spot before turning and leaving.
This made Sora breathe a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, Sasuke didn't discover that he was holding back...
Now his swordsmanship was even stronger than that of Gekkō Hayate, the genius of his clan!
And his speed and strength had already exceeded the limits of a Chunin, and should have already reached the level of a Jonin!
How could Sasuke possibly be his opponent?
Back home,
Sora's dining table was already filled with various foods.
Because Sora was too much of a genius, the treatment he received within the clan at this time was completely different from before.
Three meals were handled by a professional chef, the house was cleaned by a dedicated person, Ninja tools and Ninja swords could be taken and used freely, and his financial subsidy increased by more than ten times!
Barring any accidents, the Clan Head had already begun to groom him as the future successor.
Unlike major clans like the Hyuga Clan and Uchiha Clan, who choose direct descendants to succeed,
their Gekko Clan ascended based on strength; whoever was stronger became the Clan Head!
The main reason for this difference was that small clans were too weak and had too little foundation!
Unlike major clans who all had bloodline as their foundation and a strong accumulation of Ninjutsu as their backing to ensure their descendants would not be too weak.
For small clans to continue, they needed a strong and wise Clan Head to lead them!
Thump, thump, thump!
Sora was eating when the door was suddenly knocked.
"Come in."
The door opened, and in came Moonlight Ten, Clan Head Moonlight Ximian's personal bodyguard.
"The Clan Head requests your presence."
"Is there something wrong?"
"You'll know when you get there."
"Hmm..."
"Understood, I'll go after I finish eating."
This was the first time Moonlight Ximian had summoned him in over six years.
And this summons was not a clan meeting, meaning it was a private summons from Moonlight Ximian.
Is it because of my genius reputation, or has the matter of me teaching Sasuke swordsmanship been exposed?
Sora didn't think much of it,
Because he wasn't worried about either the former or the latter.
Since he dared to bring Sasuke to the Gekko Clan, he naturally wasn't worried about this matter being exposed.
After dinner,
Sora arrived at the Clan Head's home.
Thump, thump, thump!
"Clan Head, I'm here!"
"Is that Sora? Haha, come in, the door isn't locked!"
As soon as Sora entered, he was met with a warm welcome from Moonlight Ximian.
"Sora, how's life lately? Is the food to your liking? If not, tell Grandpa Clan Head, and I'll get you a new chef!"
Moonlight Ximian was an old man with a square face and a white noodle beard.
Now over fifty years old, he appeared kind and benevolent, but Sora could discern a subtle, hard-to-detect cunning in his eyes.
"No need to change the chef, I'm very satisfied with the food."
"Oh, is your money enough? If not, I'll add another two thousand... Oh no, three thousand ryo!"
"Uh... it's enough."
"Is the house comfortable to live in? Do you want to change to another one? You can pick any house in the clan! Even if it's already occupied, I can arrange for you to live there!"
"Clan Head, please just get to the point. My life is quite good, no problems at all."
Sora didn't want to continue playing coy with Moonlight Ximian and waste time.
Given the time, he would rather go play with Ino and Sakura.
"Haha, then Grandpa won't keep you in suspense. Grandpa wants to arrange an engagement for you!"
"Huh?"
Sora was stunned.
He had thought Moonlight Ximian would ask him about his training, and he had also thought Moonlight Ximian would question him about leaking the clan's swordsmanship.
But he never expected Moonlight Ximian would actually want to arrange an engagement for him!
He remembered Moonlight Ximian had a square-faced granddaughter.....
"Clan Head, I'm still young..."
"It's fine, a childhood engagement is good, she can wait for you to grow up!"
"..."
"But Clan Head, I have a girl I like!"
"It doesn't matter, three wives and four concubines are nothing for a successful man, like your Grandpa Clan Head here..."
Three wives and four concubines seemed to have triggered a switch in Moonlight Ximian,
who then recounted half an hour of his romantic history in one breath.
From classmates at the Ninja Academy, to comrades, then to his cousin, his older cousin...
For a moment, Sora was even engrossed in the gossip.
"Cough, cough, I've said a bit too much, but you don't need to worry about this problem at all. She doesn't mind!"
"Sigh..."
With things said to this extent, Sora really had no reason to refuse.
He had made up his mind: if it was really the Clan Head's square-faced granddaughter... he would defect from the clan!
"Clan Head, who am I to be engaged to?"
"The genius girl of the Uzuki Clan — Yūgao Uzuki!"
"???"
"Our Gekko Clan and the Uzuki Clan are old friends, and each generation, the most talented clan members will intermarry, and then the secret arts of the other family will be given to them. The purpose is to make the geniuses of both clans stronger... Sora, our small clans have too little foundation, so we can only strengthen our self-preservation through this method. If those big clans didn't look down on us, I would even want you to have a childhood engagement with the Hyuga Clan's young lady!"
"..."
"I understand, Clan Head."
"You agree?"
"I agree."
If it were the Clan Head's granddaughter, he would refuse no matter what.
But if it was Yūgao Uzuki... this childhood engagement wasn't so bad after all!