Chapter 123: New Frontiers

Weeks had passed quickly, marked by intensive training and constant progress.

Ren was now capable of creating two Shadow Clones. At first, he had struggled to manage chakra distribution, but after several attempts and a meticulous observation of the energy flow, he had learned to regulate it with greater precision.

He no longer divided his chakra equally among the clones. Now, he could adjust the amount, assigning more energy to one clone and less to another depending on the situation. It was a significant step forward: not only could he utilize the technique more efficiently, but he also avoided depleting his reserves too quickly.

But this wasn't the only area where he had improved.

His Mirror Veil Technique had also advanced considerably. The illusion lasted longer, the reflection was sharper, and the deception was even harder to detect. When he felt ready, he informed Fujimoto-sensei, asking him to report his progress to the Mizukage.

When he announced that he had mastered the technique, Yukiko and Hiroshi exchanged a surprised glance.

"Wait, you've already perfected it?" Hiroshi asked in disbelief.

Yukiko, usually impassive, raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think anyone in our class could pull it off this soon."

Ren simply shrugged, hiding a smile. "I just practiced a lot."

In reality, his training hadn't stopped there.

Every afternoon, in addition to the academy training, he dedicated himself to private sessions with Ganryu, his sword master.

Ganryu had been away for a while, occupied with missions for the village, but now he was finally back.

The clash of swords echoed through the training grounds, each strike vibrating in the air with a metallic resonance. The blades clashed with force, bouncing off each other in a continuous flow of attacks and defenses.

Ren lunged with precision, trying to take advantage of his speed, but Ganryu easily deflected the blow with a minimal flick of his wrist. The difference in experience was evident.

The intensity of the duel increased. Ren took a step back, trying to create space, and quickly formed hand seals.

"Water Release: Water Wave!"

A surge of water burst from his hands, rushing toward Ganryu, who remained still until the last moment. With almost disarming ease, he sidestepped and raised a hand.

"Water Release: Water Wave."

Another wave, even more powerful, crashed directly into Ren's, neutralizing it effortlessly.

Ren gritted his teeth.

Damn it, the difference in chakra and technique quality is still too vast…

But he didn't give up.

He crouched suddenly and formed more hand seals.

"Earth Release: Rock Bullet!"

From the ground beneath him, a series of stone projectiles shot forward, aimed directly at Ganryu.

Ren was sure he could put him in difficulty—after all, Earth had an advantage over Water.

But Ganryu remained impassive.

He made a barely perceptible movement with his hand and spoke in a calm tone:

"Water Release: Water Wave."

Once again, a wave of water erupted from his position, striking each Rock Bullet with surgical precision, shattering them instantly.

Ren's eyes widened.

Not even enough time to reach the target…?!

He quickly realized the reason: it wasn't just about elemental advantages. It was the sheer amount and quality of chakra infused into the jutsu.

Ganryu's Water Release overwhelmed Ren's Earth Release through sheer technical superiority.

The difference in level is still enormous…

But he couldn't afford to be discouraged.

At that moment, the battle resumed with renewed intensity.

Ren decided to use a Shadow Clone to increase the pressure.

He threw shuriken, which changed trajectory mid-air—a well-calculated distraction. Meanwhile, his clone was ready to trap Ganryu with the Water Whip.

But Ganryu evaded it with ease.

Ren was already preparing for a counterattack when an explosive kunai detonated near the master.

Dust and smoke filled the area, and for a brief moment, Ren thought he had landed a hit.

But as soon as the veil of smoke cleared, Ganryu had vanished.

Substitution Jutsu.

Ren wasn't caught off guard.

He was already behind him.

His palm crackled with electric charges, ready to strike with the Static Shock Strike.

But before the attack could land, Ganryu turned in a flash.

He intercepted Ren's movement with surgical precision and stopped the attack before it could even touch him.

Ren remained frozen for a moment.

Ganryu stared at him with a neutral expression, but his eyes betrayed subtle surprise.

Has he mastered Lightning Release as well?

The tension in the air shifted.

Ganryu released his grip and quickly formed a sequence of hand seals.

Tiger → Dog → Snake.

"Water Release: Water Spikes."

Ren had no time to react.

From the thick mist surrounding the training ground, razor-sharp water spikes suddenly emerged.

Ren's clone was impaled instantly.

The scene unfolded so rapidly and lethally that even Ren was left in shock.

It wasn't just the speed of the jutsu that surprised him. It was the way the water had condensed directly from the humidity in the air, without any visible preparation.

A moment later, the clone dispersed, and Ren was overwhelmed by its memories—the sensation of his body being pierced, the searing pain for an instant, the awareness of his own destruction.

It was as if he had lived it himself.

"Ren."

Ganryu's voice brought him back to reality.

The master was looking at him with a serious expression, his sword lowered.

"I have nothing left to teach you."

Ren looked at him, confused.

"You've achieved your goal. You now know all the basic Kenjutsu styles of Kirigakure. It's up to you to refine them with practice."

The words hit Ren like a punch to the gut.

Is he saying we won't train together anymore…?

He opened his mouth to protest.

"But I don't think that—"

Ganryu shook his head, cutting him off without hesitation.

Then, with a swift motion, he tossed him two sealed scrolls.

"Practice."

His tone was dry, definitive. There was no room for discussion.

Ganryu turned his back to him, heading toward the exit.

But before disappearing into the mist, he paused for one last warning.

"Stay on guard."

What the hell just happened?

And then he was gone, leaving Ren alone.

Ren stood there, still processing what had just happened.

In less than a minute, Ganryu had dismissed him.

He had said that Ren now knew all the basic styles.

But what did that really mean?

Curious, he opened the first scroll.

The pages were filled with detailed instructions on Kirigakure's Kenjutsu styles, but this time at a more advanced level.

There were personal annotations from Ganryu, notes on movements, transitions, strategies.

Wait…

And suddenly, he understood.

Ganryu had never explained the styles to him with words.

He had taught him through battle.

Every day, every fight had been a hidden lesson.

A smile spread across his face.

What an incredible ninja…

For a brief moment, a thought crossed his mind.

Why don't I remember him in the Fourth Ninja War?

He shook his head, dismissing the doubt for now.

He opened the second scroll.

"Water Release: Water Spikes."

His eyes quickly scanned the instructions.

A lethal jutsu… if used at the right moment.

It could be executed directly from the air's humidity, making it unpredictable.

It would take a lot of practice, but he could already imagine the possibilities.

A devilish grin spread across his face.

But that's not a problem.

His Shadow Clones would have plenty of work to do.

[Thanks everyone specially Jayroy_63 ,Sami_Alfoheday, BagusPardana, thefarmerboy007_7, Darkosiris_Lopez, Alexx_Sejas, Yasmin_Silva_3876, RyuB201, DaoistVVm1Vi, DaoistDW5XU4,DstarS, MonsterX, Acnol,DaoistSEsItM,bndr, RyuB201, VanHellsing6969, Daoist710883, LevinCloth, Daoist0thxiB, bndr, AKIB19,LevinCloth, Nonymous_H,silverkage, DaoistAZmi17,Alexx_Sejas, Morgoph, void_space_1915, Strandarn, AKIB19, Abdul_Salam_FASAMI, shadowborn, DarkGambit, and Miguel_024!

 Sincerely Thanks and remember about the Power Stones, these are the motivation for my work :) ]