nucmednet Chapter 629 Team Members
Chapter 629 Team Members
He's currently struggling to recruit suitable team members, so he might as well train a few promising kids in advance to make future teamwork easier. Of course, he won't waste time training those who aren't naturally gifted. And now that someone has offered themselves up, there's no harm in giving it a try.
Zhang Hai casually formed a hand seal, his chakra fluctuated slightly, and an invisible wave instantly enveloped Moonlight Gale.
Awakening from his reverie, Gekko Hayate blinked in confusion, his mind blank, as if he'd just had a brief dream but couldn't remember anything. Before he could think further, Uzuki Yugao, standing beside him, eagerly and excitedly exclaimed, "Hayate, he! He's agreed to teach us swordsmanship!"
Upon hearing this, Moonlight Gale's previously pale face immediately broke into a joyful smile. His eyes lit up, filled with barely concealed excitement. Clearly, through his earlier glimpse, he had developed a deep admiration for Zhang Hai's swift and powerful swordsmanship; being able to become his disciple was an unexpected and delightful surprise.
However, Zhang Hai wasn't about to let him be too happy. He casually poured cold water on his enthusiasm: "Don't get too excited. Although I've agreed to teach you, if you don't have the talent and can't get the hang of it, then I won't continue teaching you. That would be a complete waste of time."
Moonlight Gale's smile froze for a moment, but his fighting spirit quickly rekindled. He patted his chest and said confidently, "I...I will do my best!"
Zhang Hai neither confirmed nor denied this, nor did he continue to discourage him. He knew very well that to learn swordsmanship, hard work alone was far from enough; talent was indispensable. The scene of Hatake Sakumo testing his aptitude flashed through his mind; the teacher's affirmation of his swordsmanship talent was still vivid in his memory. He believed that swordsmanship was like Naruto trying to play with a sword, or Sasuke trying to create a Rasengan—unrealistic. Everyone has their own area of expertise; forcing a change would only lead to less effort and more frustration.
"Alright." Zhang Hai finally snapped out of his reverie and said calmly, "Let's start with the simplest things. Follow me."
"Since we're going to teach them, we first need to assess their skill level and foundation," Zhang Hai thought to himself. He led Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao to the center of the training ground, where several wooden mannequins stood, their surfaces smooth and without a single scratch.
He unfastened the short sword from his waist and replaced it with a lighter wooden sword. The wooden sword felt warm and smooth in his hand. Zhang Hai focused his mind and calmed his aura, then suddenly shouted coldly, "Watch closely!"
Before he finished speaking, his figure shot towards the nearest dummy like an arrow. As he ran, two more blurry afterimages appeared out of thin air around him, as if three Zhang Hais had appeared simultaneously. The three figures almost simultaneously swung their swords, their attacks accompanied by a swift whooshing sound as they passed the dummy.
"Crack!"
Almost simultaneously, three knife marks of varying depths appeared conspicuously on the artificial dummy's shoulders and throat. Each mark was precise, as if measured with a ruler.
Hayate Gekko's mouth gaped open in an "O" shape, his eyes filled with shock. He blurted out incredulously, "The Dance of the Crescent Moon?! How could you know that?!"
Zhang Hai sheathed his sword and stood with a faint smile on his face: "Oh? So that's the name of this move. It's quite fitting." He shook his head and explained, "However, I didn't use the real 'Dance of the Crescent Moon.' I just simulated it to make it look like it. In reality, it's just that my speed was too fast, creating a visual illusion during the running and sword swinging."
He casually took out two spare wooden swords from his waist, and with a flick of his wrist, the two wooden swords, accompanied by a slight whooshing sound, "thud" accurately embedded themselves into the ground in front of Moonlight Gale and Uzuki Yugao.
"The first rule of sword practice is to keep your hand steady." Zhang Hai's voice carried an undeniable air of authority. "When you can simultaneously strike the three marks I just made within three seconds, you will have succeeded."
Hayate Gekko and Yuuga Uzuki bent down and pulled the wooden sword from the ground, finding it heavy in their hands. Their gazes towards Zhang Hai changed. Although they knew Zhang Hai was skilled, they now truly realized he was far stronger than they had imagined! "The Dance of the Crescent Moon" was a highly advanced technique in Konoha's fluid martial arts, requiring extremely high speed and coordination to master. Yet Zhang Hai had only seen it once, and he could imitate it almost perfectly, at a speed fast enough to create afterimages—this was simply extraordinary talent! How could those who had practiced diligently for many years to learn this move possibly compete? It also made them finally understand the importance of talent Zhang Hai had previously emphasized in learning swordsmanship.
Moonlight Gale's eyes hardened, and a fierce fighting spirit ignited on his previously pale face. He vowed to pass this entrance exam!
"Ha!" he roared, no longer hesitating, gripping his wooden sword tightly, and charged towards the dummy. Uzuki Yugao followed closely behind.
Under the moonlight, two children were sweating profusely. Following Zhang Hai's instructions, they repeatedly tried to simultaneously make three cuts on the dummy by running and accelerating. However, their speed and accuracy were far from sufficient; each swing of the wooden sword appeared clumsy, and the effect was mediocre.
After several rounds of intense training, Moonlight Gale was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. His already frail body seemed unable to withstand such rigorous training. His movements began to slow, and his breathing became increasingly rapid.
Uzuki Yugao noticed this and a hint of worry flashed in her eyes. She stopped what she was doing and advised, "Hayate, take a rest. You look pale."
Moonlight Gale stubbornly shook his head, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said in a weak but firm voice, "No... I still have strength! I can keep training! I will definitely meet his requirements!"
Zhang Hai looked at the two, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. Although Gale was physically weak, his perseverance was admirable. He took the initiative to step forward and walk to Moonlight Gale's side.
"No need, go back and rest." Zhang Hai's voice was firm, yet tinged with concern. "You're still young, so make sure you get enough sleep. Actually, you'll be more efficient if you practice when you're refreshed during the day."
Hearing Zhang Hai say the same thing, Moonlight Gale finally relaxed.