[ Name: Higashino Shinichi ]
[Occupation: Chunin / Sword Master]
[Talents: Genius (Blue), Ninjutsu Specialization (Blue), Mastery of Taijutsu (Blue), Spiritual Sense (Green), Auspicious Omen (Green), Omen of Disaster (Green), Big Eater (Green), Diligence Can Compensate for Lack of Talent (Green), Quick-Thinkng (Green), Superhuman Strength (Green), Skin-Hardening (Green), Swift (Green), Swordsmanship Proficiency (Green), Charisma (Green), Calm (White), Fighting Spirit (White), Basic Wind Style (White), Basic Fire Style (White), Medical Fundamentals (White)]
[draw count: 1 (Blue)]
The 45th year of Konoha, the chill in the air gradually deepened.
Several months had passed since the end of the Chunin Exams. Life in Konoha Village had returned to its usual rhythm, but for Higashino Shinichi, the changes had never stopped.
Inside his quiet room, Shinichi slowly opened his eyes, his mind sinking into the personal panel visible only to himself.
Compared to a few months ago, the information on the panel had taken another leap forward, starting with [Mastery of Taijutsu (Blue)].
[Mastery of Taijutsu (Blue): Your body's learning and application of taijutsu have undergone a qualitative change. Any taijutsu technique before you is like a disassembled diagram; you can grasp its essence and reach proficiency in an extremely short time. Your execution of taijutsu is natural and seamless, always striking in the most efficient and precise manner during combat.]
This was the fruit that had ripened over time following that peak duel on the Chunin Exams final stage, a pure clash of taijutsu against Might Duy.
Through word of mouth from the spectators, the outside world's recognition of his taijutsu attainment finally broke through a certain threshold.
The green entry [Taijutsu Proficiency], having accumulated enough, naturally evolved into blue.
Then there was a newly generated white entry, [Fighting Spirit].
[Fighting Spirit (White): When encountering crises, battles, or emergencies, it is easier to stimulate your courage and battle intent, thereby reducing physical exhaustion and increasing pain tolerance.]
The generation of this white entry came from his clone, Isshin. His flamboyant actions in the Land of Iron had created a strong impression of being 'belligerent,' 'aggressive,' and 'fearless' in the eyes of the public.
Finally, one of the most core changes appeared in the class column.
The original [Swordsman] entry had disappeared, replaced by the more advanced [Sword Master].
[Sword Master: Your swordsmanship has reached a high level, forming a unique style and insight. You are qualified to teach others. The efficiency of your comprehension and innovation of sword techniques has significantly increased, and the efficiency of training your physical attributes is doubled. Your efficiency in guiding others in swordsmanship talent is slightly improved. Furthermore, your profound understanding of the 'principle of weapon combat' allows your training and mastery of other weapons to far exceed that of ordinary people.]
Although the recognition effect obtained by the clone was only fifty percent, it came through that grand recognition ceremony hosted by the city lord and the chairman of the swordsmanship association, watched by the entire city.
Coupled with the deliberate promotion by Takeda Nobutsuna's forces in the southeastern region of the Land of Iron, the name 'Ashina Style Isshin' and his status as a 'sword master' had been established and spread across a significant area.
This torrent of recognition, after a month of continuous convergence and transformation, finally broke through the threshold for class advancement.
"Sword master..."
Shinichi repeated the new title in a low voice, his gaze falling on the description.
'Improving the efficiency of physical training and swordsmanship training, and... the principle of weapon combat!'
'I see!'
Shinichi's suddenly understood.
Previously, he only knew that 'swordsman' was an ancient profession from before the popularity of chakra, belonging to a transcendent system, but he wasn't clear on the specifics.
Now, he roughly understood.
To put it bluntly, ancient swordsmen were a group of guys who relied on brutal physical training and obsessive sword practice to go head-to-head with various monsters and transcendent creatures.
Their core was squeezing out physical potential and taking the sword to the extreme.
But here was the problem: those monsters came in all shapes and sizes with diverse abilities. Some were thick-skinned, some were fast, some could fly, and some could burrow.
Relying solely on a sword, no matter how fiercely you trained, there would always be situations you couldn't handle or times when you were countered.
Therefore, for a true swordsman, once their body and sword reached a certain height, their path changed.
They no longer focused only on the sword but began to study other weapons—how a spear pierces armor, how a kusarigama deals with agile foes, how a bow shoots flying targets, and how heavy weapons smash through defenses... They studied the fundamental logic of 'what tool is most effective for what situation.' This was the principle of weapon combat.
This wasn't just learning a few moves; it was based on absolute control over one's own body to master the characteristics of different weapons, forming a practical toolbox to handle various situations.
It was the most practical survival wisdom summarized by those ancient swordsmen through life-and-death struggles.
In other words, the core of the swordsman system was 'physical energy,' mastering the arts of a hundred weapons with the sword as the primary focus.
---
"Then what about the priestess (kannagi) system and the monk system? What is their core?"
"In what form did they exist before chakra became widespread?"
Shinichi fell into deep thought. Relying on his memories from his previous life and his observations of this world, he began to deconstruct them one by one.
First was the priestess.
In the current ninja world, every country, village, and even clan might have its own shrine.
But when it came to those truly famous and clearly possessing ancient legacies, it was definitely the Land of Demons, a country where theocracy and government were one.
The priestesses of the Land of Demons passed down powerful sealing jutsu from generation to generation, as well as a bug-like ability to predict the future.
The chakra erupted by the last priestess, Shion, could even strike fear into the demon Mōryō, who was no less powerful than a tailed beast.
But the contradiction lay in the fact that Shion's physical body was as fragile as an ordinary person's; she had to be carried by Naruto and Sakura just to travel.
This was very abnormal.
Generally, chakra is a product of fusing and refining physical energy and spiritual energy. For someone with a massive amount of chakra—enough to scare a tailed beast-level demon...
Her body could not possibly be as fragile as an ordinary person's; her physical energy would inevitably be high.
Unless... the composition of her chakra was unusual in itself.
It wasn't the usual product of a balanced 50-50 fusion of physical and spiritual energy.
"That's it, spiritual energy!" A light of realization flashed in Shinichi's eyes. "The chakra of the Land of Demons' priestess is very likely dominated by spiritual energy—a special chakra formed by an overwhelming proportion!"
Following this line of thought:
The priestess system, or more broadly the shinto system, was likely an ancient transcendent legacy centered on tempering and utilizing spiritual energy before chakra became common. They interfered with reality through powerful will and were thus particularly skilled in using sealing jutsu and talismans—forms of power that rely heavily on precise spiritual control.
They didn't have the powerful physiques or refined weaponry skills of swordsmen, nor did they pursue the comprehensive and balanced energy of later ninjas.
Their core advantage lay in an exceptionally strong, pure, and characteristic spiritual power tempered through special inheritance. Based on this, they developed the unique way of the priestess (kannagi).
Then what about the monks?
Information about monks flashed through Shinichi's mind: suspected senjutsu or the 'gift of the hermit group' capable of manipulating natural energy, the Welcoming: Thousand-Armed Murder, and the fact that the Six Paths Sage was an ascetic monk before founding ninshu and later creating his own unique Six Paths Sage Mode.
"So..." Shinichi slowly exhaled, a clear conclusion forming in his mind. "The core of the monk system isn't the body or the spirit, but... natural energy?"
Before the birth of the chakra system, perhaps there was a group of pioneers who, through special meditation and training, vaguely perceived the vast energy permeating nature. They tried to use their own bodies and minds as a medium to guide, borrow, or even fuse with this power.
This was perhaps the most primitive, unsystematic prototype of 'senjutsu' and the root of the ancient transcendent legacy of the monk.
What they pursued was not the extreme strengthening of individual power, but a certain coordination and resonance with the world, and nature.
The secret teachings of the Fire Temple might be the branches left over after this ancient legacy adapted and transformed in the chakra era.