Chapter 26: I Really Don’t Know How—You Just Taught Me

"The barbecue is so delicious! Oh my, after eating all this today, I’ll have to go on a diet for a month!"

"Haha, well, it’s not every day a Jonin treats us to a meal, so just enjoy it." Tenten scratched her head.

Chiba sighed softly. "We have a high volume of physical activity every day. As long as we don't eat like this every day, it's enough to offset the calories. There’s no need to go on a special diet."

"Really?" they both asked in unison.

"Let’s go. Although we passed the exam, our methods weren't exactly elegant." Chiba smiled.

Tenten pouted and said, "I know, I’ll work hard on my training."

"I didn't mean that you were our weak point. Kakashi-sensei targeted you because he couldn't find Kazusa in that split second. If he had gone after me, it would have played right into our tactics, so he had no choice but to pick you." Chiba said seriously, "You are an excellent ninja, right, Kazusa?"

"Yeah, that's right! The three of us are all excellent!" Kazusa puffed out her chest, looking proud.

Tenten’s mouth twitched, and she said, somewhat speechless, "Kazusa, that phrasing... how do I put it? It sounds like, 'With me working with the First Hokage, we are invincible'?"

"Hey! I contributed too, you know!" Gekko Kazusa bristled.

"Alright, let's go practice our swordplay."

"Yay!"

"..."

Inside the shop, Might Guy paid the bill and looked at Kakashi with a resentful expression. The cost of this meal far exceeded his expectations! If he hadn't already promised to pay, he certainly wouldn't have shelled out the money.

"Guy, your student seems to have a bit of a mental issue. Keep an eye on it; it would be a shame to waste such talent." Kakashi was uncharacteristically serious.

Guy wasn't one to dwell on the money. Once the conversation turned to serious matters, he quickly forgot his minor annoyance and sighed, "You're right. I'll keep an eye on him."

"I'm off." Kakashi waved his hand.

"Where are you going?"

"To watch them train and figure out how to teach them."

"Hahaha, Kakashi, having a student like that must put a lot of pressure on you, right?" Guy grinned. In the two years he had known Chiba, he had watched him learn every one of his taijutsu techniques bit by bit, only to eventually develop things of his own. Teaching such a genius often placed even greater pressure on the teacher.

"Yeah."

"By the way, while you're teaching him ninjutsu, don't forget to make him keep up with his physical training. Taijutsu cannot be neglected. Also..."

...

At the Gekko family estate, this was the first time Chiba had practiced swordplay in such a professional dojo, but he adapted quickly. Overall, it wasn't much different from the forest, just with more professional equipment, like mannequins. But to be honest, they weren't as useful as tree trunks.

"Why aren't you practicing?" Seeing Chiba sitting cross-legged without any intention of moving, Kazusa thought he was uncomfortable with the environment. "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"No, I’m just thinking about how to use the sword better. I haven't been learning for very long, and my swordsmanship feels quite immature." Chiba gave a gentle smile.

Kazusa tilted her head. It was true that while he knew how to use a sword, he hadn't used it during their duel with Kakashi at noon. Could it really be that average? *Yes! Finally, something he isn't good at!* Gekko Kazusa cheered inwardly. She felt like Chiba was a normal person after all, so she happily said, "Tell me about it, I'll teach you!"

"Samurai used to be very good at Iaido. I tried practicing it a few times, but it didn't feel quite right," Chiba said.

"Iaido, huh? That’s a very ancient sword technique. I studied it in private for a while, so I suppose I know a little bit about it." Gekko Kazusa said, tossing a piece of wood into the air.

*Swoosh!* A flash of light, and the moment she sheathed her blade, the wood fell in three pieces.

"So fast!" Tenten’s eyes lit up. As expected of a sword-wielding family; they were far superior to them in terms of swordsmanship.

Chiba pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "I see. Iaido has unique techniques for channeling force. The way I had been practicing it was a bit off."

"Do you want me to demonstrate it again?"

"No need." Chiba smiled, picked up a piece of wood, and tossed it gently. Instantly, his blade left its scabbard. *Clang!* A piercing sound rang out. Gekko Kazusa looked closely to see Chiba’s blade already back in its sheath. Then, with a soft thud, the wood fell, sliced into seven or eight pieces.

She looked down at the wood, then up at Chiba, her expression going blank. "Is this what you called 'not knowing how'?"

"I didn't know how before. You just taught me."

"???"

Gekko Kazusa remained silent for a long time, then picked up her sword and prepared to leave. It was too demoralizing! Tenten chuckled awkwardly from the side. She was already used to how fast Chiba learned.

"Speed for the sake of speed is useless; you need power, too. Women are at a disadvantage here, but if you combine it with chakra and proper muscle usage, it’s not impossible to improve." Chiba said. He pondered for a moment, then threw a kunai. The next second—*shing*—with a soft sound, his sword fell, and the kunai was sliced in two.

Gekko Kazusa turned, her mouth agape. She didn't speak for a long while, then used a body-flicker technique to run over and grab Chiba’s arm. "Genius! Teach me, quickly!"

"It’s actually quite simple. Concentrate and condense your chakra on the surface of the weapon, just like a chakra scalpel, and then use your maximum force to strike." Chiba demonstrated slowly. He was returning the favor. Although Gekko Kazusa had only demonstrated Iaido once, without her, he would have spent a lot of time going down the wrong path. The biggest problem with the Gekko family’s swordsmanship was precisely its lack of lethality. If their killing power were greater, Gekko Hayate might not have died at the hands of Baki.

"Wait, I can condense and focus chakra, though not as well as you, but how do I achieve maximum force?" Kazusa asked. Tenten nodded along; strength had always been a weakness for girls, which was why so many female ninja idolized Tsunade.

"Find your body's strongest point of power generation and memorize it. If you can't combine theory with practice like I do, then just keep practicing until your body remembers it." Chiba gestured for Kazusa to assist him, demonstrating the difference between a "normal swing" and "extreme force."

Gekko Kazusa was thoughtful. "Is this the secret technique you used to suddenly increase your speed earlier?" She remembered that during the fight with Kakashi, she had been cornered, and Chiba had arrived in an instant to block him.

"You could say that. I call it the 'Limit State.' It’s quite difficult; it will be hard for you to learn in a short time. Start by mastering it for your hands and arms; you two use those more." Chiba nodded.

Kazusa and Tenten looked at each other, both deeply moved. This kind of technique was definitely on the level of a secret art, yet Chiba didn't hesitate to teach it to them. It was truly...

"We will definitely keep this a secret."

"No need, it’s not that advanced. You two practice for a while, and I’ll watch from the side to help you out."