The moves of swordsmanship, especially the basic movements, are the result of countless years of summarization by samurai and ninjas.
A correct sword-holding posture or swinging motion can produce faster and stronger slashes, while also saving energy, allowing one to maintain abundant stamina.
Through two years of training, Jokichi had familiarized himself with various basic sword-holding postures and moves, and through summarization in the academy's practical combat classes, he connected various moves to form stronger and more fluid techniques.
He himself truly felt that he had become stronger.
But why...
"If you were a samurai, doing this might not be wrong, but..." Ryohei shook his head slightly, "You are a ninja, and the enemies you face are mostly ninjas. A ninja's combat style is different from a samurai's; it needs to be more diversified."
"The continuity between moves can indeed make your grip on the sword steadier, your swings faster, and your power stronger, but it also creates more openings."
"Have you never thought about why I can block your sword every single time?"
"Isn't it because your speed, reaction, and even experience are far superior to mine?" Jokichi looked at Ryohei in confusion.
Ryohei shook his head gently. "That is part of it, but mostly it is because the rhythm between your moves is too easily seen through."
"Rhythm?"
"That is right, rhythm." Ryohei nodded. "In the battle just now, the strength and speed I displayed were even lower than yours, yet I still dominated the situation. This is because of rhythm, which is also breathing."
"Breathing!"
Jokichi's eyes widened slightly as he looked at Ryohei in disbelief, probing, "Hinokami Kagura?"
"What Hinokami Kagura?" Ryohei looked completely bewildered.
Jokichi smiled sheepishly. "No, it is nothing, please continue."
Ryohei cast a strange glance at him and continued, "To be more accurate, it is the interval of breathing."
"When a person makes movements of varying amplitudes, their breathing interval changes. First-rate ninjas can all predict the moves an enemy is about to execute through their breathing intervals, and those swordsmanship moves..."
Pausing here, Ryohei smiled coldly. "Fixed moves, fixed breathing intervals. Although everyone has subtle differences, such widely circulated things, even if one hasn't practiced them oneself, one has seen them enough times to easily see through them. Even if you disrupt the order of your attacks and smoothly connect different moves to form new ones, the breathing intervals will not change."
"Is that so..."
Jokichi crossed one arm over his chest and pinched his chin with the other, falling into deep thought.
The Ninja Academy taught human kinematics to make it easier for students to master various force-exerting techniques.
At the same time, it was also to let students learn to predict attacks through an enemy's minute limb movements.
Although achieving this also required corresponding insight and reaction speed, with such widespread knowledge, the number of people who knew how to do it would not be small.
To prevent his movements from being easily seen through, Jokichi focused on the variation and continuity between moves, making them faster and more complex, making it harder for people to see through.
Yet he didn't expect that even more formidable experts could predict not only through limb movements but also through breathing intervals.
Extraneous movements would only expose larger openings.
Seeing Jokichi's demeanor, Ryohei knew he had figured out the crux of the problem and continued, "The so-called practicing basics and then summarizing killing techniques in actual combat is to let you train your reaction, speed, eyesight, and strength, so that you can strike at the most opportune moment and end the battle with the most concise and clear slashes. It is not meant for you to link moves together to make them complex, profound, and hard to see through."
"Third-rate guys do not even have predictive abilities. They can only deal with whatever moves come at them, always a step slower than others."
"Second-rate guys can predict an enemy's next step through minute limb movements."
"First-rate guys can predict an enemy's movements through their breathing intervals."
"And top-tier experts can even read an enemy's thoughts and intentions through changes in their gaze or even aura."
Speaking up to here, Ryohei stared intently at Jokichi. "With your current swordsmanship, without using other items or the Sharingan, you would be drawn into a tough fight against a second-rate guy, and against a first-rate expert, you would undoubtedly die."
"..."
Jokichi did not speak, nor did he have anything to say.
He thought of Uchiha Itachi.
This guy was always one step ahead, predicting the enemy's next move.
He thought of Uchiha Madara.
One man, one blade, hacking through crowds like slicing melons and chopping vegetables, as if in an uninhabited land.
Of course, they all had the Sharingan, and their insight was incomparable to ordinary people.
But people on the same level as them, even without the Sharingan, possessed equal abilities.
Eyesight, insight—these could all be acquired through training.
For those who reached that level, even without deliberate training, the number of battles experienced would be enough to train them up.
Ryohei let out a deep breath and continued, "Actually, purely training swordsmanship to the absolute peak is also very powerful, but this requires exhausting one's entire life to delve into. However, the path of the sword studied for a lifetime will not surpass ninjutsu, and it is only suitable for killing enemies, making its applicability inferior to ninjutsu. A ninja's missions face all sorts of situations; just having swordsmanship is simply not enough."
"Then how should I improve now?" Jokichi asked modestly.
Ryohei pondered slightly. "The swordsmanship you have practiced for over two years has already become a habit. Set it aside for a while and forget the habits before starting to practice again. For now, learn the chakra nature transformation first!"
"Alright, then let's start now!"
Continue to work hard on the chakra nature transformation training.
...
Time slowly passed, and Jokichi once again returned to a monotonous yet fulfilling life.
Morning exercise, going to school, finishing school, training, sleeping.
Joyful and tedious life advanced together, making his life exceptionally fulfilling.
Unknowingly, the time reached October 10th.
Jokichi changed into a black yukata, tidied himself up in front of the mirror, and left the house.
In the sky, dark clouds gathered densely, and occasionally lightning snakes could be seen slithering across.
Jokichi walked on the street. The flow of people around him consisted mostly of villagers also wearing black clothes, walking with their heads down in silence.
There were ninjas, and there were also ordinary people.
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Arriving at Ino's family flower shop, inside was a beautiful woman.
It was Ino's mother, whom Jokichi had seen many times.
"Auntie, a bouquet of flowers." Jokichi said to the counter.
Mrs. Yamanaka looked over upon hearing the voice. She was slightly surprised to see Jokichi, then noticed his attire and immediately understood.
"Alright."
Mrs. Yamanaka nodded and brought a bouquet of white carnations from the counter.
"Thank you."
Jokichi took the flowers, paid the money, and turned to leave.
"Wait."
Mrs. Yamanaka stopped Jokichi, then took out an umbrella and chased after him. "It looks like it is going to rain today, take this with you."
Jokichi hesitated for a moment, took the umbrella, and then bowed to Mrs. Yamanaka. "Thank you."
Mrs. Yamanaka smiled, signaling encouragement. "Go on!"
"Mhm!"
Jokichi nodded and left the shop.
Looking at that young figure, Mrs. Yamanaka let out a long sigh.
Jokichi came every year on this day, so she had known him for a long time.
Furthermore, living on the same street, she also frequently saw Jokichi and had some understanding of him.
Having lost his parents since childhood, he lived strongly all by himself.