Shimizu's words carried more weight than he probably intended.
They hinted at something deeper—a bottleneck.
But that didn't make sense. He was supposed to be in a phase of rapid growth, his strength rising steadily with each passing day. How had he suddenly run into a wall?
The Third Hokage immediately took the matter seriously.
"Have you encountered difficulties in your training?" he asked, his tone filled with concern.
"Yes…"
Shimizu didn't hide anything. He began explaining the idea that had stemmed from Shisui's own hypothesis.
Shisui had been attempting to integrate the Sharingan's genjutsu into the Body Flicker Technique. Inspired by that, Shimizu had started thinking along a different path—what if genjutsu could be woven into swordsmanship, creating illusions that could mislead an opponent at the moment of attack?
The problem was obvious.
His aptitude for genjutsu was abysmal.
So he had considered another approach—what if he modified the three illusions in "Dance of the Crescent Moon," replacing them with real shadow clones capable of physical attacks?
If that worked, the technique would no longer be a mere feint. It would become a deadly killing move, capable of delivering four lethal strikes at once.
But the difficulty was equally clear.
To execute such a technique, he would need to create three solid clones simultaneously.
And that… was beyond him.
At best, he could barely manage to produce one shadow clone and one water clone in near succession. That was nowhere near enough to meet the minimum requirements of the technique.
Which left him with only one solution—
The Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
"Hokage-sama… do you think this idea is feasible?"
"It would be very difficult," the Third Hokage admitted after a moment of thought. "But it is worth attempting."
"And based on what you've described… only the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique could truly meet your requirements."
And just so happened, that very technique was recorded in the Sealing Scroll.
A coincidence?
"Teacher Kōsuke once mentioned that the Second Hokage classified this technique as forbidden," Shimizu added.
The Third Hokage nodded slowly. "I see."
So that was why Shimizu had asked for access to the Sealing Scroll.
He fell into brief contemplation, then finally made a decision.
"I can teach you the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique directly."
"…What?"
Shimizu froze.
This…
That wasn't his only goal.
If the Hokage taught him the technique now… would he still have a chance to access the Sealing Scroll later?
"However," the Third Hokage continued solemnly, "I must warn you in advance—this technique carries significant risks. Are you certain you want to learn it?"
Did he even have the option to refuse?
It felt like missing out on an enormous opportunity.
"I'm certain."
"Very well. Starting tomorrow, I will personally teach you."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
Since that was the case, he might as well make full use of every resource available to him.
"I'd also like to improve the power and range of my Wind Release when channeling it through my sword. Do you have any suggestions?"
Although he had already grasped the basics of Wind Release, it was still far from sufficient.
In comparison, someone like Asuma—when using Flying Swallow—could extend his chakra blades to over half a meter in length.
"I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with that area," the Hokage admitted with a faint smile. "I don't use such weapons myself."
"However, I can introduce you to someone who is an expert in that field."
"Hayama Shirakumo, an Elite Jōnin. His specialties are kenjutsu and Wind Release."
Shimizu immediately recalled the name.
A formidable figure.
His "Whirlwind Sword" was well known, and his signature technique—Vacuum Blade—was particularly famous. By gripping his sword in a reverse hold and swinging it, he could generate powerful wind blades capable of both offense and defense.
His path was entirely different from Asuma's.
Yes… this was someone worth learning from.
"I'll pay him a visit when I have the chance."
"Do you have any other difficulties?" the Third Hokage asked kindly.
Shimizu hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "There is one more thing… I've been thinking about single-handed hand seals, but I have no idea where to begin."
"Single-handed seals…"
A nostalgic expression appeared on the Hokage's face.
"When I was young, I also studied that concept," he said slowly. "But the results… were far from ideal."
"I've encountered this type of shinobi before," the Third Hokage said slowly, as if recalling distant memories. "But without exception, they were all users of Kekkei Genkai"
"In the end, I came to believe that the key to one-handed hand seals likely lies within those bloodline abilities."
He looked at Shimizu, his tone sincere. "So I wouldn't recommend that you devote too much time to this path."
"…Understood. I'll keep that in mind."
Even so, giving up just like that left a faint sense of reluctance lingering in Shimizu's chest.
Still… this wasn't something that had to be decided now. He could always revisit it in the future.
The Third Hokage continued, "Have you given any thought to your future path? Any plans or direction?"
"For the near future, yes," Shimizu replied after a brief pause. "But as for the long term… I can't see that far ahead yet."
At present, his plan was clear enough—slow down his focus on Water and Lightning Release for the time being, and instead concentrate on integrating Earth and Wind Release with his swordsmanship, while also working to shore up his weaknesses in genjutsu and sealing techniques.
It sounded simple when put into words.
But for someone like him, who lacked natural talent, stepping into these unfamiliar fields would be anything but easy.
Just accomplishing these goals might take years—perhaps even longer.
As for what came after that… he truly had no answer.
"That's fine. You're still young, still in the stage of learning," the Third Hokage said with a reassuring smile. "In the eyes of many, you're already comparable to the Sannin."
Then his tone shifted slightly.
"However, focusing solely on learning will not make you a truly powerful shinobi."
"In my eyes, there is still a gap between you and the Sannin."
Shimizu fell silent for a moment before responding calmly, "I'm aware of that. I still need more time to accumulate experience."
"Of course, there's no need to be discouraged. You've already done exceptionally well," the Hokage said warmly. "As long as you persist… one day, you'll carve out a path that belongs to you alone."
For a moment, his gaze grew distant.
"There was a time when I hoped to nurture Orochimaru into a truly great shinobi. His talent for ninjutsu was the greatest I had ever seen."
"Even greater than my own."
A trace of regret surfaced in his voice.
"But… things didn't turn out as I had hoped."
"…But I've seen Orochimaru-senpai in battle," Shimizu said. "He's incredibly strong."
He still vividly remembered those eerie, unpredictable Wind Release techniques—and the nearly impenetrable Earth Release defenses.
If he could one day wield Wind and Earth Release at that level, his options in battle would expand tremendously.
Orochimaru's talent… was simply enviable.
"And yet," the Third Hokage said quietly, "he never truly grasped the essence of ninjutsu."
"I can tell that now, he has begun to look down on the very basic techniques he once studied so diligently…"
Shimizu couldn't help but think—
That's because he's chasing things like the Sharingan, Wood Release… and even immortality.
In a world dominated by bloodline limits… in a world where power often lay in one's eyes… how far could ordinary elemental techniques really go?
Was there even a future in them?
"Ninjutsu is not meant solely for killing," the Third Hokage continued, his voice steady and instructive.
"In battles between shinobi, what truly matters is the ability to gather information—and to analyze it."
"Thus, ninjutsu can be used to disrupt an opponent's judgment, interfere with their ability to obtain information, or even reshape the battlefield itself."
"To wield techniques with flexibility, to combine them seamlessly and adaptively—that is the path a true shinobi should strive to master."
At those words, something clicked in Shimizu's mind.
The man standing before him—the Third Hokage—had earned the title of the "Strongest Hokage" not through some rare bloodline, but through what seemed like ordinary elemental techniques.
And yet, during the pursuit of Chiyo and the Fourth Kazekage, he had faced an army of tens of thousands alone without hesitation.
It was said that with unparalleled mastery of Fire and Earth Release, he had created a vast expanse of molten terrain, shattering Rasa's Magnet Release and dealing Sunagakure a devastating blow.
What a pity…
Shimizu hadn't witnessed that battle with his own eyes.
If he had, perhaps it would have offered invaluable insight—especially for someone like him, who had no choice but to rely on the so-called "ordinary" five elemental techniques.
...
Drop some POWERSTONES to push the story forward!
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin