Having completed the chakra fire attribute nature transformation training, one can proceed with the subsequent training of Fire Release. Coupled with his improved talent, Jokichi's enthusiasm for training ran high, and he really wanted to push on in one vigorous effort to continue learning a Fire Release jutsu.
But after a day of shadow clone training, he was already exhausted.
Even though the Sage Body and Kurama could quickly recover, mental fatigue was hard to withstand.
Helpless, he could only suppress his excited heart and go back to rest.
The next day, before it was even light, Jokichi impatiently ran to the 39th Training Ground to train.
As for going to school...
Skipping class.
He chose the Great Fireball Jutsu.
The learning difficulty of this ninjutsu is only C-rank, but because it concentrates and spews high-temperature flames at a single point, its power is several times that of other C-rank Fire Release jutsu.
Moreover, the attack range and distance of the Great Fireball are very considerable. The user can also adjust the chakra consumption to control the size and distance of the fireball, making it very practical.
Precisely because it is practical, although originally a basic Fire Release secretly passed down in the Uchiha clan, many non-Uchiha ninjas in Konoha also know it.
It is worth mentioning that Jiraiya's ninjutsu, Flame Bullet, uses the exact same hand seals as the Great Fireball, and is very likely an improvement based on the Great Fireball.
Because he had already made a ninjutsu learning plan beforehand, Jokichi had read the training method for the Great Fireball in advance.
Therefore, upon arriving at the training ground at this time, he directly began to practice.
First, he went to the riverside to prevent a fire from breaking out.
Then, he formed the hand seals.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu.
He silently chanted in his mind while inhaling, mobilized chakra, concentrated it at his throat, and then spewed it out in one breath.
At the moment the chakra was spewed out, he performed the chakra nature transformation, causing it to burn.
"Poof!"
A blazing line of fire spewed out, condensed into a ball in front of him, and grew larger and larger as it burned.
In the blink of an eye, a cluster of flames turned into a fireball over a meter in diameter. The terrifying high temperature distorted the air.
It is going to explode!
Feeling the heat wave in front of him, Jokichi clearly felt the air rapidly expanding.
Immediately, he gritted his teeth and cut off the chakra supply.
The fireball flew all the way out, grazing the surface of the water, bringing up a large amount of steam, and then exploded with a boom.
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the river surface blasted open, suddenly sinking downward significantly, and large swaths of mud on the riverbank were also sent flying.
Jokichi raised his hand to block the splashing muddy water, his brow tightly furrowed.
The Great Fireball can adjust its size according to the user's chakra consumption.
Both Itachi and Kakashi can blow out fireballs around three to five meters in diameter.
But his fireball just now only blew out to a little over a meter before it exploded due to the air expanding from the high temperature.
"I also need to consider the temperature of the flame, which is the solidity of the flame and other physical phenomena."
After just a little thought, Jokichi found the problem.
Just now, in order to increase the power of the fireball, he gathered chakra to the center point as much as possible, wanting to elevate the fireball's power.
He didn't expect there to be such a limitation.
"I took things too much for granted."
Ninjutsu that has gone through decades or even a century is already close to perfect. If there was room for improvement, it would have been improved long ago.
Unless one completely changes the shape of the ninjutsu, turning it into another type of ninjutsu.
Next, Jokichi dispersed the concentration of the flames, and the fireball instantly expanded to five or six meters.
But the flames were too scattered and did not possess instantaneous lethality.
Afterward, with successive adjustments, Jokichi finally managed to use a normal Great Fireball.
"To actually learn the Great Fireball Jutsu so quickly, Master's talent..."
Ryohei, who arrived at some unknown time and saw this situation, could not help but show a strange expression.
Judging from his previous learning of the chakra nature transformation, Jokichi's talent was merely average, but learning the Great Fireball Jutsu right now was effortless and fast.
He did not know how to describe it.
"It is alright!"
Jokichi wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled, "Next, I need to learn more advanced ninjutsu."
"Advanced ninjutsu..." Ryohei paused and said, "Hold off on that for now!"
"?"
Jokichi looked at him in confusion.
"Ninjutsu is like a weapon. The same weapon in the hands of different people exerts different power," Ryohei said.
"You mean the method of using ninjutsu, right!"
"Exactly."
Setting aside the power of the ninjutsu, the timing of use, the purpose...
If used well, low-rank ninjutsu can also play a crucial role.
The most obvious change belonged to Naruto.
At first, when he learned the Rasengan.
He only knew to use shadow clones to recklessly rub the ball, and his hit rate was abysmal.
But after training with Jiraiya for over two years and returning, he knew to use shadow clones to create openings in the enemy, and then rub the ball.
His hit rate increased significantly.
However, knowing is one thing, but...
"How can this be improved?" Jokichi looked at Ryohei in confusion.
The method of using ninjutsu can only be improved by summarizing experience through repeated actual combat!
Ryohei smiled slightly, and traces of killing intent permeated his body, "Actual combat. From today onward, there will be an extra actual combat class in your training. A life-and-death struggle between you and me with real swords and spears."
Jokichi froze for a moment, then smiled, "Understood."
As his words fell, Ryohei lunged forward fiercely. A kunai hidden in his sleeve slid into his hand, and he thrust it towards Jokichi.
Jokichi seemed to have anticipated this. He swiped his right hand over the ninja tool pouch on his lower back, hooked out a kunai with his middle finger, spun it, and then gripped it in his hand.
"Clang!"
Kunai clashed with kunai, sparking a few sparks.
Ryohei cast an appreciative glance at Jokichi and praised, "Good reaction, and you kept your concentration at all times."
"Well, having a coach from Root teaching me after all, if I do not even understand this bit of basics, then I have no business being a ninja."
"Is that so."
Ryohei grinned, revealing a cruel smile, "From now on, it will be Root-style training. I will suppress my strength to the same level as yours, and then do my utmost to kill you."
"Just what I was wishing for."
"Clang, clang, clang..."
Blades clashed against each other, emitting bursts of metallic collision sounds.
In the forest, one large and one small figure leaped up and darted down, moving back and forth, constantly clashing.
Shuriken, kunai, traps, deception, ninjutsu...
They resorted to every conceivable means.
However, although Ryohei said he was training Jokichi with the resolve to kill him, he actually still held back.
The targets he aimed for often avoided vital spots.
It was not until he discovered that Jokichi would heal instantly even if he received fatal injuries that he realized he was overthinking it.
So he no longer held back.
Even though it was only training, it was no less than a real life-and-death ninja battle.
Even Hiruzen, who occasionally came over to check on Jokichi's training progress, was frightened by the level of brutality when he saw it.
...
Time flew by like a white horse passing a crevice.
Soon, a year passed.
On normal days, Jokichi slacked off at school while simultaneously looking for forging materials. After school, he would head to the 39th Training Ground to train.
Spending every day in life-and-death struggles, Jokichi corrected his previous swordsmanship.
There were no moves, only simple hacking, slashing, swinging, and blocking; swinging his sword at the best time, blocking at the best time...
Although there were no flashy moves, nor any aura that made one feel sharpness, he could always make the optimal choice at the most correct time.
The Great Way is simple. It was clearly just an ordinary and commonplace application of the sword, yet it was as if he were a grandmaster of the sword path.
In addition, Jokichi learned all the ninjutsu from the scroll left behind by Uchiha Itachi.
And he could apply them with ease in battle.