Two days later, Ryugo was having his last joint training with team 41 and 42.
Even though he had known the six genins for less than two weeks now, he had grown familiar with them. Some might even say that they had become friends. Exchanging pointers, not just half-hearted advice but thorough teaching, had allowed him to grow stronger. It was a pure win-win situation.
He looked at his status sheet.
===
[Status: Ryugo Kagutsu | Lv. 28 (↑1) Chunin (2 350 / 3 800)
Attributes (Scale 100):
Chakra Density: C (48) (↑3) | Chakra Control: B (1) (↑13)Mind: D (67) (↑25)
Agility: D (94) (↑1) | Strength: C (17) (↑1) | Stamina: D (83) (↑1)
Perk: Lightning Specialist (C), Poison Immunity (C), Team 11 Captain (+20% EXP to Team 11) (D), Amegakure Chunin (C) (+10% Reputation gain with Ame)
Skill Proficiencies(Scale 100):
Bloodline Release: Raikōgan I (C) (53) (↑2)
Ninjutsu(Raiton): Thunderous Steps (B) (5), White Lion Storm Bite (B) (16) (↑2), Storm-Cage Blade (C) (95) (↑2), Lightning Clone (C) (2) (↑12), Lightning Arc (D) (83) (↑3), Lightning Snake Kunai (D) (64) (↑1), Thunder Clap (D) (52) (↑1)
Genjutsu: Genjutsu Reversal (D) (76) (↑2)
Kenjutsu: Amegakure Swordsmanship (C) (13) (↑1), Needle Sword Thrust (D) (24) (↑2)
Taijutsu: Academy Rain Fist Style (E) (76) (↑3), Ame Corps Unbalancing Throw (D) (New)
Miscellaneous: Stealth (C) (70), Kunai Throwing (D) (78), Strategy (D) (79), Logistics (D) (10), Wilderness Survival (D) (10), Trading (D) (24), Eloquence (D) (63), History (D) (10), Flute (E) (37)
Items: Storm-Sever Katana (B), Chunin Jacket (C)]
===
Ryugo was a ninjutsu genius. It might not look like it, but a twelve-years old knowing that many ninjutsu was rare. But the proficiency with which he used it was the real deal.
After claiming his rewards from the Dark Hall Tower, he ended up choosing the B-rank ninjutsu 'Thunderous Step', allowing him to move very fast towards high-potential points. In reality, not only did this ninjutsu provide him with mobility he lacked beforehand, it allowed him to move towards zones that were randomly distributed in the air and ground.
The stochastic nature of this footwork gave him an edge that worked particularly well in close combat.
[Ren – Lv. 15 Genin (↑1)]
Ren, Goto Haribako's team 41 member, who just turned level 15, could not believe his eyes. Kenjutsu was his specialty, yet Ryugo beat him thrice in a row, the fight not even lasting a minute.
Every time, Ryugo used the combination of Raikogan and Thunderous step to disarm him, and overwhelm him with speed. Compared to before, Ryugo could dash in zig-zag lines. Such thing would normally be impossible, but with the Raikogan, Ryugo's speed increased by more than one rank with this jutsu.
The only downside was chakra consumption.
*CLAP*
*CLAP*
Goto Haribako clapped.
"This is your last training for a while", Ryugo told in a light voice
Goto nodded: "I know. Although you got promoted, it seems like you will be dispatched soon...Chunins are part of Amegakure's elites. And the tensions are multiplying on all borders...Do you know on which front you will be deployed?"
Ryugo looked at Ameruyi, and noting that she was giving a beating to Yumi, whispered: "It is confidential but...We will go support the Tanigakure front"
Goto frowned: "It makes sense. Their patrols have attacked us repeatedly in the past few months, and they suddenly grew bolder a month ago. I heard even a Platoon Captain of the Ame General Corps got killed. This is serious. Be careful"
Ryugo nodded: "Do not worry, we will be. A word of advice. Try to be dispatched with us. Our previous collaboration and joint training will be a good argument for collaborative missions"
Goto revealed a smile: "Of course. You did not have to say it"
Tetsu, ever in his own cloud, shouted: "What are you two scheming back there? Goto, you promised me to show me your umbrella senbon hidden art before our mission!"
Ameruyi squinted in suspicion, but said nothing. She bashed Yumi's head: "Bitch"
"What did I even do?", Yumi cursed
The training continued.
Ryugo was not the only one who learned new jutsu. As a reward for their promotion, they each received a B-rank scroll of their choice.
Ryugo had chosen the thunderous steps (B), which he had already learned, but both Tetsu and Ameruyi were struggling to keep up. It did not just show in levels, but in skill proficiency.
Ameruyi chose a kenjutsu technique called 'Crescent Moon' from the Amegakure Kenjutsu Style, an advanced swordsmanship technique classified as rank B. It was not as powerful as her Silent Rain Needle Storm or Droplet Thrust, both of B-rank, but it was faster, like a quick grow in the form of a crescent moon, hence its name.
She had yet to master it, but once she did, it would give her versatility in her more rigid swordsmanship.
As for Tetsu, he had chosen the B-rank genjutsu Hell View: Demonic Rain Palace (B), a large-scale seven-layered genjutsu that did not hurt those trapped into it, but allowed the splitting of enemies. As long as Tetsu stayed alive, he could thus redirect enemies in up to three rooms, allowing Ameruyi and Ryugo to finish the opponents while Tetsu controlled the environment and hindered their movements.
It was one of the Dark Hall Tower's signature genjutsu techniques, so much that it was only released after the first shinobi war. Stronger genjutsu users could create dozens of rooms, making them especially suited in large-scale skirmishes. However, there were only a handful of genjutsu masters who could use this jutsu to that extent.
In addition to that jutsu, Tetsu was learning to control the Grief-Joy-Demon (Lv. 41). With Ryugo's scientific methodology, they had managed to uncover a few truths.
Firstly, the Grief-Joy demon could be summoned by Tetsu without suffering from psychological insults like the Elder Michio had done, which was convenient. Instead, he could use a small powder from the black market called Etherium (D), harmless to trained shinobi's health, that could make him cry on the spot. A simple, but useful trick that avoided emotional distress.
Secondly, the Grief-Joy Demon could level up, the same way Tetsu did. However, the growth was not linear. It seemed to scale with Tetsu's negative emotions, and his darkness. More specifically, it seemed like the killing of others could stimulate the Grief-Joy Demon's growth. Elder Michio's death, tragic as it may seem, had allowed it to reach level 41.
Thirdly, the stronger Tetsu's mind stat and the higher his proficiency were, the more control he had over it. An intuitive conjuncture proven true over the past two days.
Last but not least, Tetsu learned from his clan's archive of the kekkei gekkai's origins. Each Waraiko awakened a different Grief-Joy Demon. In fact, the Grief-Joy Demon was not a different entity, but Tetsu's himself. Some Grief-Joy Demon possessed medical ninjutsu abilities, as they were born out of yearning for healing. Others acted as long-range ninjutsu summons. Tetsu's Grief-Joy demon was a pure genjutsu construct, born from nightmare-like hatred and grief.
It was the strongest but most difficult form of Grief-Joy demon. As for its rank, it was classified as A-rank, because most ninjutsu were harmless against it. As for its potential, it was limitless.
Who would have thought that the originally low-confidence Lv. 8 genin of his team would grow faster than a Takeda heir or a Kagutsu player, both geniuses of their own right?
With this set up, however, Ryugo was confident in stepping up to the true stage of this world. Shinobi conflicts.