Terumi Mei tested Yoru Ryo's chakra attributes to determine which ninjutsu to teach him. His primary attribute was Water, with a faint, less pronounced affinity for Lightning.
"Since your Water attribute is dominant, I'll teach you the Hidden Mist Jutsu and the Water Clone Jutsu!" Terumi Mei said. "Paired with your swordsmanship, they should work well!"
She handed Yoru Ryo a blue scroll. "This contains my notes on the key points for learning these Jutsus. They shouldn't be too hard to master!"
"Practice on your own for now. If you have questions, I'll guide you when I'm back!"
With that, she left.
Yoru Ryo knew she was heading to a meeting to organize the graduation exam—a mandatory gathering for all of Kirigakure's Jonin.
"The Hidden Mist Jutsu and Water Clone Jutsu, huh? Not bad!" Yoru Ryo muttered, immediately opening the scroll to read.
Following its instructions, he began practicing.
With the High-Level Talent provided by the system—on par with Uchiha Sasuke's aptitude—the two techniques were a breeze to learn.
In ten minutes, he had grasped the basics.
Half an hour later, he could perform them flawlessly.
Ding![Detected enhanceable ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Jutsu, Water CloneJutsu! Initial enhancement requires 1000 Enhancement Points each!]
[Host may earn Enhancement Points as needed to enhance ninjutsu!]
"2000 Enhancement Points, huh? That's not too bad!" Yoru Ryo said.
He immediately began swinging his sword to earn points.
At a rate of one swing every two seconds, each granting 1 Enhancement Point, 2000 points would take just over an hour.
An hour later, both techniques were successfully enhanced.
Hidden Mist Jutsu: C-Rank
Enhanced Effect: Blocks the five senses, slightly distorts sound transmission direction.
Enhanced Rank: B
Remaining Enhancements: 3
Water Clone Jutsu: C-Rank
Enhanced Effect: Lower chakra consumption, faster activation, more lifelike clones.
Enhanced Rank: B
Remaining Enhancements: 2
Without a point of reference, Yoru Ryo couldn't fully gauge how effective or powerful the enhanced ninjutsu were.
So, he closed the system interface and resumed swinging his sword to earn more Enhancement Points.
He could never have too many of those.
When Terumi Mei returned, he'd find out just how impressive his enhanced techniques were.
Kirigakure, Mizukage's Building.
"Terumi Mei, I heard your brother's taking the exam this year. Want me to pull some strings for him? All it'll cost is one night with me!"
As the meeting ended, a ninja sitting beside Terumi Mei spoke up, his eyes glinting with predatory intent.
"Senta Yasu, don't you think you're dreaming?" Terumi Mei replied coldly, walking away.
With Yoru Ryo's former strength, she would've been worried. But now? Things were different.
"Terumi Mei, don't be so arrogant!" Senta Yasu's face darkened at her response.
As the son of Kirigakure's Great Elder, Genryu, who had ever dared to reject him?
Yet Terumi Mei had dismissed him without a second thought!
She vanished from his sight as if she hadn't even heard his outburst.
The other Mist ninjas watching the exchange thought to themselves, this is going to be interesting!
Senta Yasu was notoriously petty. Anyone who crossed him rarely escaped unscathed.
But Terumi Mei was no ordinary ninja. As the strongest under the Mizukage, a former Anbu leader with loyal followers, even the Great Elder gave her some deference.
A clash between these two would be a spectacle!
Back home, Terumi Mei saw Yoru Ryo swinging his sword and frowned. "The exam's tomorrow! I just taught you those Water Style jutsu for survival. Why aren't you practicing them?"
Her tone carried a hint of anger masking her worry. She'd been on edge all day, haunted by the thought of him facing Kirigakure's brutal test. Was he taking this seriously at all?
Yoru Ryo stopped, wiping sweat from his brow. "Sis, wanna see what I can do?"
"?!" Terumi Mei blinked, caught off guard by his eager expression. "You… you've already learned them?"
His grin widened, brash and confident. "You think I'm slacking, right? Let's have a match. If I prove I've mastered the jutsu, you teach me more techniques. Deal?"
"Try me and find out!" Yoru Ryo grinned.
Terumi Mei narrowed her eyes. "Alright, let's see if you're bluffing!"
Before she could finish, Yoru Ryo stepped back and declared, "Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique!"
A dense fog enveloped the entire courtyard.
Terumi Mei's senses dulled instantly, as if half her perception had been stripped away. She was stunned.
Whoosh!
A flash of cold steel streaked toward her!
She only sensed it when it was nearly upon her, barely dodging in time.
But the danger didn't stop. Another piercing strike came, forcing her to leap back, her hair standing on end.
Several more attacks followed, each unpredictable, leaving her scrambling to keep up.
As the fog slowly dissipated, Yoru Ryo stood grinning. "So, Sis, how'd I do?"
Terumi Mei stared at him, shocked. "I was gone for one meeting, and you not only learned it but mastered it to this level?"
"Wanna see the Water Clone Technique?" Yoru Ryo asked, still smiling.
Terumi Mei nodded, and her jaw dropped again.
"You're casting it faster than me!" she exclaimed, looking at him like he was a stranger.
Was this really the same talentless Yoru Ryo she knew? She barely recognized him.
The combination of the Hidden Mist Technique and his swordsmanship was so potent that even she could be at risk. It was terrifying!
"Sis, teach me a few genjutsu too. They'd pair great with my swordsmanship!" Yoru Ryo requested.
Terumi Mei didn't hesitate. Anything that could boost his strength, she was happy to provide.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Senta Yasu was giving orders to someone.
"Don't worry, Lord Senta Yasu. A weakling like Yoru Ryo? 'Teaching him a lesson' will be child's play!" said a youth with a scar over his right eye.
In other parts of Kirigakure:
"The graduation exam's finally here. Time for some real bloodshed!" said a silver-haired boy with sharp, pointed teeth.
This was Hozuki Suigetsu, who earned the title of Second Demon at age five, now only nine years old.
"The graduation exam… I'm so nervous!" muttered a boy with goggles, looking timid.
This was Chojuro, future member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, age eleven.
"Heh, don't be too weak, you guys!" a brown-haired girl with sharp teeth grinned.
This was Ringo Ameyuri, future inheritor of the Lightning Blade, age ten.
These three were among the most outstanding of Kirigakure's current generation, though many others shone just as brightly.
The Mist Village's exam was a brutal selection of the elite—only the strongest would emerge.
One day later.
Yoru Ryo arrived at the exam location: the Mist Forest.
The exam's objective was simple—survive and make it out alive.
As for rules? There were none. Anything went, as long as you walked out breathing.