Chapter 70: Anbu Squad Captain
Chapter 70: Anbu Squad Captain
After finishing his physical training at the training grounds, Ishiro soon met his three new squad members, who arrived punctually.
The three, two men and one woman, wore standard Anbu uniforms and masks like Ishiro. Judging from their eyes, all were around twenty years old.
As Ishiro sized up his team, they also observed him and each other silently.
Recalling the test he went through when joining Team 18, Ishiro smiled inwardly and introduced himself first, "Let's get to know each other. My codename is Otsu; you can call me Captain Otsu. I'm primarily a ninjutsu user, skilled in sealing techniques, Water and Earth Release, Genjutsu, sensory ninjutsu, and I have a bit of foundation in swordsmanship."
He wasn't boasting, but as teammates, knowing each other's strengths was crucial for cooperation.
Though his new subordinates quickly realized Ishiro was relatively young, they showed no disdain. Being appointed Anbu captain at this age clearly marked him as a rare genius.
Moreover, his description was unusually broad—rarely would a sealing expert be assigned as an Anbu battle captain. This only increased their caution and respect.
Thus, they introduced themselves without hesitation. A tall male ninja stepped forward, "My codename is Fu. I'm a Taijutsu-type ninja specializing in swordsmanship."
A swordsman? Ishiro noted mentally—this would be a good sparring partner.
The second male ninja said, "My codename is Seiten. I'm also a Taijutsu-type ninja, but my expertise is in close combat and trap-setting."
Finally, Ishiro, Fu, and Seiten turned to the female ninja.
She spoke straightforwardly, "My codename is Jun. I'm a Ninjutsu-type shinobi, proficient in Wind Release and currently training in Earth Release."
Ishiro was somewhat surprised. At twenty, mastering a second elemental affinity marked her as notably talented among peers.
Ishiro himself was an exception, classified by Iwa's leadership as a prodigy comparable to Ikura, differing mainly in that Ishiro possessed powerful spiritual talent, while Ikura had exceptional physical prowess.
Jun's case was rare: ordinary skilled shinobi usually mastered only two or three jutsu of a single affinity at this age. Only those who showed potential as Jōnin typically had enough talent to pursue a second affinity at twenty.
If Jun had decent mastery of her first affinity, she might well be the most gifted of the three.
"Let's gauge each other's strength individually," Ishiro said. He gestured toward Fu, "You first, Fu."
Seiten and Jun retreated immediately, while Fu rapidly approached Ishiro, swiftly drawing his sword.
Ishiro nodded inwardly, pleased with Fu's speed and precision. Though not at Koseki's level, Fu was clearly experienced.
Instead of retreating, Ishiro engaged Fu directly with his sword. Although his swordsmanship was inferior, Ishiro maintained his defense without faltering.
Their gap wasn't wide enough for Fu to swiftly overwhelm him.
Ishiro, though pressured, kept his footing, displaying a stubborn defensive style honed through sparring with Team 18, conveying clearly, "You can't defeat me quickly."
Ishiro patiently defended against Fu's strikes for several minutes, gauging Fu's capability before countering. After deflecting a powerful slash, Ishiro launched a sudden upward stroke, slightly interrupting Fu's rhythm.
Then, to everyone's shock, Ishiro released his grip on his sword as it swung upward. With freed hands, he swiftly performed four hand signs, releasing a precise stream of water from his mouth.
At close range, Fu couldn't dodge in time. He felt his sword violently jolted backward, nearly losing his grip.
Looking down, Fu saw a small dent in his blade. Realizing Ishiro had deliberately spared him, he retreated gracefully, signaling defeat.
Ishiro caught his falling sword effortlessly, then turned to Seiten, "You're next."
"Understood." Seiten cautiously entered the field, not immediately closing in but running evasively instead.
Ishiro smiled, recognizing Seiten was wary of his ninjutsu attacks, and began casting.
Water Line, Pressurized Water Line, and Earth Spike alternated rapidly, forcing Seiten into desperate evasion.
Remarkably, Seiten survived five minutes under Ishiro's rapid-fire jutsu, impressing Ishiro greatly.
Though Ishiro's jutsu choices were limited, his hand-seal speed was frightening—reaching nearly five seals per second—and the jutsu he used had drastically simplified seals. Seiten's ability to endure this barrage displayed extraordinary battlefield survival skills.
After another two minutes, seeing Seiten's breath growing ragged, Ishiro paused briefly, then executed a single-seal jutsu instantly: "Mind Disturbance Technique!"
Jun and Fu gasped, astonished at Ishiro's virtually instantaneous jutsu.
Seiten fell momentarily dazed, waking to see Ishiro's water line strike harmlessly in front of him, clearly indicating defeat.
Finally, Ishiro addressed Jun, "Your turn, Jun."
"Right," Jun nodded, immediately performing hand seals.
Aware she couldn't match Ishiro's sealing speed, she counted on Ishiro not interrupting her, knowing this was a friendly assessment.
Indeed, Ishiro cast Earth Release: Earth Wall defensively, easily completed before Jun despite starting after her. Jun's Wind Release attack impacted forcefully, cracking the wall, but ultimately failing to penetrate.
Emerging from behind the broken wall, Ishiro immediately cast Earth Spike, attacking Jun as she struggled to finish her next jutsu. Forced into evasive maneuvers while completing her seals, Jun successfully cast another wind blast after dodging several spikes, narrowly grazing Ishiro's arm and obliterating it—though he promptly disintegrated into crumbling dirt, revealing himself as an Earth Clone.
Before Jun could react, the real Ishiro emerged from beneath her, sword gently pressed against her neck. He'd used Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage.
Jun froze, realizing her quick defeat and tactical oversight. Nevertheless, Ishiro appreciated her ability to cast jutsu under pressure, though noting her accuracy needed work.
Removing his sword, Ishiro quickly executed two seals, returning instantly to his original position, confronting all three again.
Impressed, the squad fully accepted Ishiro's capability as captain. His rapid sealing, versatile tactics, and seamless transitions between close and long-range combat left no doubts.
"Fu, your sword skills and speed are commendable. Seiten, your evasion and battlefield survivability are strong. Jun, your ninjutsu power and stability are good. I acknowledge all of your capabilities," Ishiro concluded.
Removing their masks briefly to memorize each other's faces, the squad soon replaced them. Ishiro announced their mission:
"As you know, tensions are rising. Missions are frequent, so we don't have time for extensive teamwork drills. We leave tomorrow at 7 AM. The mission may last weeks or months. Dismissed."
"Yes!" The three acknowledged promptly and left.
Alone again, Ishiro sighed heavily. Leading his squad officially for the first time had made him more nervous than he appeared. Fortunately, in the ninja world, strength spoke loudest, and he'd clearly won their respect.
"Better prepare thoroughly for tomorrow," Ishiro murmured.
He visited the Barrier Team to gather extra sealing scrolls—a perk of his dual status. Afterwards, he stocked large quantities of enhanced food and ninja tools, storing everything neatly in scrolls. As captain, he had to consider situations where teammates might run short.
He winced slightly when buying the expensive foods designed to boost physical attributes.
Glancing at his contribution balance of merely 1,000 points left, Ishiro decided against visiting the Contribution Office—every point mattered now.
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