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[Character Panel]
Name: Santoryu Hatake
Age: 8
Rank: Genin
Power Level: 204 → 264 (Genin Range: 1–1000)
Abilities: None
Evaluation: Still weaker than most Genin of the same age. Your current power level remains low—enough that even a well-trained adult civilian could potentially overpower you.
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Santoryu stared at his character panel, eyes locked on the numbers. A gain of 60 points over the course of one month—clear evidence of his dedication and relentless effort.
There had been other improvements as well. He could now hold the third sword in his mouth throughout his entire sword training sessions—something that had once seemed almost impossible. The pain and discomfort were gone, replaced by control and stability.
Just then, the system's voice echoed in his mind:
"Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed the first phase of your sword training. Now, we begin phase two. Swordsmanship cannot be perfected through repetitive drills alone—you must gain real, practical experience in applying those techniques. And that's exactly what we'll focus on next."
Before Santoryu could respond, a sudden shift in the air made him turn.
A girl, roughly his age, appeared before him—summoned out of thin air.
Santoryu's eyes widened in shock and recognition. He knew exactly who she was.
Kuina.
Zoro's childhood rival. The girl he had fought and lost to 2,001 times. The one who had inspired Zoro's relentless pursuit of strength and his mastery of the three-sword style.
Santoryu's heart pounded in his chest.
"Kuina...?" he whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Santoryu knew this was all the system's doing, but even so, he hadn't expected the system to possess this kind of capability. The appearance of Kuina—so vivid, so real—left him stunned.
He was genuinely astonished.
The system continued, its voice as calm and precise as ever:
"You will face Kuina in five separate matches. The first four will be standard battles, each designed to test and sharpen your swordsmanship. The fifth, however, will be different. It will mark the beginning of your journey into learning 'Observation Haki.'"
Santoryu listened closely, eyes fixed on Kuina as she stood silently across from him.
"In the fifth match, Kuina will strike at you with full strength," the system explained. "Your task will be to dodge her attacks using only your senses. You'll feel pain—intense pain—but don't worry. The damage will not be physical. There will be no actual injury to your body. The pain is simulated, and it will not interfere with your ongoing training."
Santoryu gave a firm nod, accepting the terms without hesitation.
The system continued:
"Now, begin the first match. Use only one sword. So far, you've trained exclusively in single-sword stances. Once you grow comfortable fighting Kuina with one sword, we will advance to two-sword style."
Santoryu reached for his wooden sword and took his stance. Across from him, Kuina stepped forward, her presence sharp, her eyes unwavering.
Kuina's sword clashed against Santoryu's with a sharp, echoing crack. The impact sent Santoryu stumbling backward—her strength overwhelming his.
It was immediately clear just how vast the gap between them was. And this was Kuina holding back. If she had used her full strength, the fight would have ended in a single strike. Santoryu knew that. He wasn't naive. This battle wasn't meant to be fair—it was meant to teach him. To push his swordsmanship further.
The duel continued for five minutes. Blow after blow, their wooden swords met, sparks flying from each clash—not literally, but the tension in every movement felt electric. Kuina was fast, precise, and ruthless in execution. Santoryu, by contrast, struggled to keep up, missing openings and reacting a step too late.
Finally, Kuina spotted a clear weakness in his stance. Without hesitation, she moved in.
With a single, fluid motion, she closed the distance and struck. Her wooden blade slashed across Santoryu's neck.
Pain exploded through him—searing, sudden, and real. It felt as if his throat had been sliced open.
He dropped to his knees, hands flying to his neck, panic briefly flashing through his eyes. But when he touched the spot, there was nothing. No wound. No blood. Just skin.
He exhaled, chest rising and falling. The pain was gone as quickly as it had come, leaving behind only the memory—and the lesson.
Santoryu felt the sting of frustration after being so soundly defeated by Kuina. It wasn't just the loss—it was how easily it had happened. But then he took a deep breath and steadied his thoughts.
"No," he told himself. "I can't think like this. That was just the first battle. I have to improve—slowly but steadily."
With renewed determination, he gripped his sword tighter and stepped forward again. The second match began.
It lasted only five minutes.
And once more, the result was the same—he was defeated, swiftly and decisively.
Undeterred, he entered the third match. He tried to adjust his footwork, correct his stance, anticipate her movements—but Kuina remained too far ahead. He lost again, just as miserably.
Then came the fourth battle.
This time, something shifted. He was still outmatched, still defeated—but he could feel it: he had lasted longer, reacted better, pressed back a little harder. He had made her work for it.
It wasn't a win—not even close—but it was a step forward.
Small, but real.
And then, the fifth battle loomed.
Just before it began, the system's voice echoed in his mind:
"Host, retrieve a black cloth to cover your eyes. The next phase of your training is about to begin."
Santoryu immediately fetched a strip of black cloth and tied it securely over his eyes. Darkness swallowed everything—he could no longer see a thing.
Suddenly, a sharp, cutting pain flared across his left arm.
He instinctively jerked to the right—but too late. Another strike landed squarely on his back.
He stumbled forward, trying to regain control, but was met with another painful blow to his right hand.
Again and again, he moved in blind reaction, struck from every direction. Each time he tried to guess where the attack would come from, he was wrong.
He was moving like a fool—panicked, aimless.
Then, amid the chaos, he stopped.
He took a deep breath and forced his body to go still. No more guessing. No more flinching. He centered himself and tried to feel.
The sword slashes kept coming. One after another, pain flared across his arms, shoulders, and back. But he didn't flinch. He gritted his teeth and focused, every sense straining.
And then—it happened.
Just once.
He felt it. The slightest shift in the air to his right. Instinctively, he raised his sword.
Clang.
His blade intercepted Kuina's strike.
But it happened only that one time.
The rest of the session was a storm of pain. Kuina continued striking him mercilessly, and he was once again overwhelmed. Still, he endured it all—ten full minutes of blind, brutal training.
Finally, the attacks stopped. Silence returned.
Then, the system spoke:
"Today's sword training is complete."
Santoryu dropped to his knees, soaked in sweat, his body aching—but inside, he felt a flicker of something new.
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