The three students stood frozen, eyes locked onto the tree that had been sliced cleanly, leaves still drifting down around them.
The air remained tense, no one daring to speak.
After a long moment, Gai was the first to break the silence, his eyes sparkling like he had just witnessed the birth of a living legend.
"Satoru-sensei… Sensei is truly strong!"
Even Kakashi gave a small nod. He didn't say anything, but a rare glint of acknowledgment flashed in his eyes.
Obito, still pale from shock, finally found his voice. Staring at the massive log that had been sliced through so effortlessly, he gulped and muttered:
"Satoru-sensei… your swordsmanship is terrifying…"
Satoru stroked his chin, the corners of his mouth twitching upward as he soaked in the praise.
"Haha! Finally, these kids are realizing how amazing I am!"
But just as he was enjoying his moment of glory, Kakashi suddenly spoke up.
"Sensei, your swordsmanship is impressive… but is it really useful for ninjas?"
Satoru's triumphant grin froze.
Gai nodded in agreement, his tone filled with genuine curiosity.
"We don't carry swords. How do we use this in actual combat?"
Obito, still recovering, quickly followed up:
"Yeah! Sensei's sword techniques are super cool, but how do we get stronger from this?"
Satoru-Sensei: "…"
"Wait… these brats actually make a good point?!"
His brow furrowed as he racked his brain.
He couldn't just teach them basic swordplay because most ninjas weren't swordsmen.
But swordsmanship wasn't just about swinging a sword.
It was a philosophy of combat.
A way of seeing battle from a completely different perspective.
Suddenly, Satoru felt as if Musashi himself was standing behind him, nodding in silent approval.
And then—
An idea struck him.
The Essence of Swordsmanship – The Rhythm of Battle
Taking a deep breath, Satoru raised his hand, signaling the students to pay attention.
"Listen carefully—swordsmanship isn't just about swinging a sword."
He took a slow step forward, his eyes serious, voice lowering.
"It's about rhythm."
The students felt a shift in the air. It was as if Satoru was about to unveil something fundamental.
Gripping the wooden sword, Satoru began to move.
Each step he took followed a steady, deliberate pattern—
Not too fast, not too slow, but calculated.
He swung his sword in fluid, controlled arcs, the air around him subtly shifting with each motion.
"In battle, the one who controls the rhythm controls the fight."
He turned back to his students, his gaze sharp.
"Do you know why the strongest ninjas force their enemies to fight on their terms?"
Kakashi thought for a moment before answering.
"Because if they control the fight, they can lead their enemies into a trap."
Satoru nodded in approval.
"Exactly. But to do that, you must first understand how to control the rhythm of a fight."
He tapped the wooden sword against his palm.
"My swordsmanship is not about the sword itself. It's about controlling the flow of battle—forcing my opponent to move the way I want them to."
Gai's jaw dropped, his eyes gleaming.
"Then… that means… if I control the rhythm using taijutsu, I can apply this too!?"
Satoru immediately nodded.
"Correct! A ninja doesn't need a sword to use this principle!"
Obito rubbed his chin, thinking hard.
"So… how does this rhythm thing actually work?"
Applying Rhythm to Ninja Combat
Satoru began pacing, hands clasped behind his back, his voice steady and deliberate.
"There are three ways to control the rhythm of a battle."
He raised one finger.
"First: Lead your opponent into your rhythm.
If you can force them to react the way you want, even if they're stronger than you, they'll get pulled into your tempo."
Kakashi nodded slightly, starting to grasp the idea.
Satoru raised his second finger.
"Second: Disrupt your opponent's rhythm.
If you're facing someone with superior rhythm, instead of trying to overpower them, break their flow first."
Gai's eyes lit up.
"So if I'm being pressured by a faster opponent, instead of just resisting, I can mess up their timing to regain control!?"
Satoru grinned.
"Exactly!"
He raised his third finger.
"And finally—
Never let your opponent read your rhythm.
If you fight in a predictable pattern, they'll adapt. But if you keep changing your rhythm, they'll never be able to catch up."
Obito clenched his fist, excitement bubbling up.
"Then if I keep changing my style, Kakashi won't be able to predict my attacks!?"
Kakashi glanced over, smirking slightly.
"I'll still read you."
Obito growled.
"Just watch! I'll prove it!"
The First Training Exercise – Practicing Rhythm
Satoru clapped his hands together, snapping the students' focus back to him.
"Alright! Time to see how well you three can apply this."
He pointed at Kakashi and Obito.
"You two will spar. Obito's goal is to change his rhythm constantly, while Kakashi must find a way to disrupt it."
Obito grinned, cracking his knuckles.
"I got this!"
Kakashi simply shrugged, though even he was beginning to find this interesting.
Gai suddenly raised his hand, eyes blazing.
"Satoru-sensei! What about me!?"
Satoru smirked.
"You'll be sparring against me."
Gai's mouth fell open for a second.
Then—
His entire body erupted with excitement.
"YOSH! THIS WILL BE MY GREATEST CHALLENGE YET!"
Satoru chuckled—
But deep inside, he was sweating bullets.
"Why do I keep making things harder for myself…?"
(To be continued in Chapter 14 – The Chaos of Practical Training Begins!)