After the father and son finished their emotional moment, they finally remembered that there was still an outsider standing nearby.
Might Dai cleared his throat, covering his mouth with a clenched fist, and said,
- Guiding you in taijutsu is no problem at all. We're all ninjas of Konoha, after all.
- But I'm not sure what exactly you want to learn. What are you aiming for?
- Leg techniques and kicking skills - Uchiha Maí replied honestly. - I want to create a taijutsu style of my own, but most of what I've learned so far lacks kicking techniques. The system isn't complete yet.
In Shippuden, Might Guy, Rock Lee - Lee didn't really have a "son" back then - and others frequently used techniques like the Leaf Whirlwind and the Leaf Great Whirlwind.
Those spinning kicks were flashy, hard-hitting, and visually impressive, with power to match.
In ordinary combat, spinning kicks easily caused the user to lose balance, making them highly impractical.
But this was the world of Naruto.
Those Leaf-style "Whirlwind" techniques were essentially companion taijutsu to the early gates of the Eight Gates. They definitely weren't ordinary.
According to the usual trope logic, the Eight Gates were the secret family inheritance of the Might lineage. Compared to that, the various Leaf Whirlwind techniques were like the box holding a luminous pearl - useful, but not the core treasure.
Who walks in and immediately asks to learn someone else's family secret art? Learning the Leaf Whirlwinds was more than enough.
- Sō desu ne~ - Might Dai said, resting his chin on one hand and nodding. - I do have some understanding when it comes to leg techniques. Teaching you isn't a problem at all.
He continued thoughtfully,
- But since your goal is to create your own taijutsu style, learning kicks is only meant to complete your system. What I should teach you requires some consideration. If possible, could you show me the taijutsu you've already developed?
Hearing a little kid talk about creating his own taijutsu style, Might Dai didn't doubt him at all.
Wasn't that standard behavior for an Uchiha genius?
Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, claimed to have learned over a thousand ninjutsu. Sarutobi Hiruzen was called the Professor of the Shinobi World and supposedly mastered thousands as well.
Yet in Shippuden, those two only ever used a handful of techniques. Why?
Because those "thousands of jutsu" came with caveats.
Take the Great Fireball Technique, for example. This C-rank Fire Release originated with the Uchiha and later spread throughout Konoha and the ninja world. It was powerful, required few hand seals, and its strength could be adjusted by chakra output. Its only flaw was that it rarely hit anyone.
But the ninja world also had Fireball, Great Fireball, Twin Fireball, Fireball: Limited Edition, and countless variations - nearly identical in difficulty and function.
Among all these similar techniques, none surpassed the Great Fireball in both power and efficiency. That was why it stood out.
That was how "thousands of jutsu" came to be.
Taijutsu worked the same way. Creating one wasn't especially difficult; guaranteeing its power and versatility was.
Seeing Maí's taijutsu?
Might Guy's eyes lit up instantly. He raised his arm, unable to hold back his excitement.
- Let me do it!
- The true power of taijutsu only shows itself in battle. Let me fight Maí! Dad, you can observe his style from the side!
Might Dai nodded slightly. That made sense. Taijutsu wasn't a performance art; without an opponent, you couldn't see its essence.
Ever since meeting Kakashi, Guy had trained relentlessly and improved by leaps and bounds. In terms of taijutsu alone, he was no weakling.
- No problem - Maí replied with a smile.
Guy was the perfect opponent.
And maybe, just maybe, he could farm a few points this time.
Last time, he beat the Third Hokage's son right in front of Hiruzen.
Today, he'd beat Guy right in front of Might Dai.
The situation felt eerily familiar - the only difference was the lack of spectators.
Still, he should be able to reap some style points… probably.
Might Dai's yard was cramped, not suitable for a fight. Fortunately, his house sat on the edge of Konoha, not far from the river.
He led the two kids to an open riverside clearing. After watching them form the seal of opposition, he stepped aside and observed carefully.
- Maí, I've been waiting for this day for a long time!
- You're the second opponent I've truly wanted to challenge. Witness my youth and passion!
Guy's blood boiled. With a loud shout, he charged forward, opening with an airborne high whip kick aimed at Maí's face.
The leg sliced through the air.
Maí instantly ducked and threw a hook punch straight toward the base of Guy's thigh - fast, precise, and vicious.
You're the one who exposed your groin. Don't blame me for being ruthless.
Guy realized something was wrong halfway through his kick. His face went pale in an instant.
Even without understanding "that kind of thing," any taijutsu practitioner knew that area was the ultimate weak point.
And unfortunately, Guy did understand that kind of thing.
He had once stalked Kakashi relentlessly, even following him to the bathroom just to challenge him - and in the process, discovered that his own "Little Guy" wasn't as impressive as Kakashi's "Little Kakashi," leaving him deeply insecure for a while.
It was already small. If it took a punch and ended in total annihilation, that would be beyond tragic.
Guy didn't care about balance anymore. He forcefully changed moves mid-air, bringing both hands down to protect his groin.
Maí smiled.
Here it comes.
Kicks had larger movements than punches, making balance harder to maintain and transitions far more difficult - especially with airborne side kicks and spinning kicks.
If the opponent lacked speed or perception, they'd never catch the opening. But Maí was an Uchiha - someone who dreamed of unlocking the Mangekyō. He protected his eyesight meticulously. On top of that, he'd recently learned the Lightning Fivefold Whip, drastically boosting his upper-body speed and agility.
Truly - sharp eyes, fast hands.
His own speed was already high, and since Guy was using kicks, Maí had the advantage when changing moves.
Seeing Guy retract his leg to guard his groin, his form already compromised, Maí pulled back his punch and leapt forward lightly.
He clasped his fists together, channeling the power of his left arm into his right. As he descended, he drove his right elbow down hard onto Guy's head.
Mai Style · Ancient Martial Arts · Outer Form · Iron Pestle!
Don't ask why the technique name was so long.
Long names sounded cooler, more mysterious - and were better for farming style points.
By fusing boxing, jiu-jitsu, and traditional martial arts, Maí produced something resembling the Yagami-style ancient martial arts from The King of Fighters.
You may now call me Konoha's Iori Yagami.
Guy couldn't dodge in time. The Iron Pestle smashed into his head, his vision buzzing as he collapsed to the ground in a daze.
Watching from the side, Might Dai's mouth twitched.
Wasn't this supposed to be a back-and-forth test to analyze Maí's taijutsu traits?
Why did it end with Guy getting taken down in a single move?
Still, from just that one exchange, Dai could already tell -
This kid, Uchiha Maí, truly had his own understanding of taijutsu.
(End of the chapter)