bookrebus Chapter 765 Nod
Chapter 765 Nod
Minato nodded, his smile turning somewhat serious: "Yes, Kushina was almost captured by the Cloud Village ninja during the last mission. Many ninjas were injured while protecting her, so we often come to visit them."
Kushina remained silent, her expression heavy. Clearly, she hadn't yet recovered from the trauma of that mission.
Zhang Hai glanced at Kushina, then said to Minato, "Your teacher, Jiraiya, has already returned to the village."
Minato was overjoyed upon hearing this, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "Really?! That's wonderful! I'll go see him after I finish seeing the patient!"
After bidding farewell to Minato, Zhang Hai didn't linger and went straight home. He changed into a black Anbu uniform, put on the cold mask, and then vanished from the streets of Konoha in a flash, heading off to carry out a mission for the Anbu.
Zhang Hai's figure appeared like a ghost at the Anbu training ground, the place where Konoha's most elite ninjas honed their skills. However, at this moment, only Yugao and Haku were on the field, conducting their daily taijutsu training, their clothes soaked with sweat. Shisui and Inoichi were nowhere to be seen.
Bai was the first to notice Zhang Hai's arrival. She stopped training, and obvious displeasure appeared on her beautiful face. She strode up to Zhang Hai and questioned, "You're finally back! Why did it take you so long? Have you forgotten what you promised me? You said that once I joined the Dark Division, I could follow you forever!"
Looking at the girl in front of him, whose face was flushed with anger yet also showed a hint of grievance, Zhang Hai felt a pang of helplessness. He replied perfunctorily, "It won't happen again next time."
Seeing his answer, Bai was somewhat unwilling, but she didn't press him further. She understood Zhang Hai's personality and knew that saying more would be pointless.
At this moment, Xi Yan also walked over, a hint of hesitation on her face, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. Zhang Hai keenly sensed her thoughts and asked, "Is something the matter?"
After hesitating for a moment, Xi Yan finally asked, "Senior Zhang Hai, do you know where Ji Feng is? I went to his house several times after I came back, but he wasn't home." There was a hint of worry in her voice.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai's eyes darkened almost imperceptibly. He remained silent for a moment, considering how to begin. In the end, he decided to tell Xi Yan the truth.
“Moonlight Gale… He’s dead.” Zhang Hai’s voice was low and calm, yet it struck Xi Yan’s heart like a thunderclap.
Xi Yan was struck dumb, frozen in place. Her eyes widened, filled with shock and disbelief. "How could this be... Ji Feng... how could he..." Her voice trembled, as if she couldn't accept this cruel reality.
Zhang Hai sighed inwardly as he looked at Xi Yan's pained expression. He explained, "Ji Feng's death is related to the defection of a powerful figure. The village hasn't announced it to the outside world in order to keep the news under wraps."
Upon hearing this, Xi Yan's initial shock was quickly replaced by overwhelming rage. Ji Feng had been killed! A powerful killing intent instantly surged from her, filling the entire training ground. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she gritted her teeth, demanding, "Who is the murderer?! I'll kill him!"
Zhang Hai quickly weighed the options in his mind. If he told Xi Yan the truth and shifted the blame to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo, it would likely cause her to harbor resentment towards the village and even affect her future development. To avoid this situation, he decided to shift the blame to a known rogue ninja.
“The murderer is Orochimaru,” Zhang Hai said in a deep voice. “He has already defected.”
"Orochimaru......" Yugao uttered the name, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, filled with deep-seated hatred. "I will kill him! To avenge Hayate!"
Zhang Hai looked into her eyes, blinded by hatred, and knew how she felt. He didn't stop her, but calmly said, "With your current abilities, you can't kill Orochimaru." Then, he gestured for Xi Yan to follow him.
Zhang Hai led Xi Yan to the center of the training ground. He slowly drew the Wuyi Blade from his waist. A flash of cold light, and the blade emanated a chilling killing intent. He pointed the tip of the blade at Xi Yan and said in a deep voice, "Draw your sword."
Xi Yan's eyes turned cold, and the fire of revenge in her heart was instantly ignited. Without hesitation, she drew her sword, the sharp blade drawing an arc in the air, pointing directly at Zhang Hai.
"Come on!" Xi Yan roared, her figure flashing like a ghost as she charged towards Zhang Hai. Her swordsmanship was sharp and decisive, each strike carrying the determination to avenge Ji Feng.
Zhang Hai showed no sign of letting up, wielding his Unintentional Blade to easily parry every attack from Xi Yan. During their sparring session, he explained in a deep voice, "Your swordsmanship involves using your full strength in every strike, which is wrong. Swordsmanship isn't just about power; rhythm is even more important. If you keep attacking like this, your enemy will quickly get used to your attack pattern and find your weaknesses."
Xi Yan gritted her teeth, trying to process Zhang Hai's words. Although her swordsmanship was fierce, it appeared somewhat clumsy and stiff in front of Zhang Hai.
"Hold the knife firmly, and keep your eyes focused!" Zhang Hai's voice rang out again. "When facing an enemy with no weaknesses, you must learn to use your knife skills to create openings, then strike a fatal blow and seize the opportunity!"
Zhang Hai's swordsmanship had reached a level close to Bai Ya's. He effortlessly guided Xi Yan in their sparring sessions, each strike and parry embodying profound swordsmanship essence. He generously shared his knowledge, imparting his swordplay and concealment techniques to Xi Yan without reservation.
The art of wielding a sword emphasizes that the sword moves with the mind, and the body follows the sword, perfectly integrating the body's power into the sword technique. Each strike is as fluid and unpredictable as flowing water. The art of concealing the sword, on the other hand, focuses on hiding the killing intent invisibly, striking unexpectedly and catching the enemy off guard, so that they are killed in one blow when they are completely unprepared.
Under Zhang Hai's guidance, Xi Yan gradually grasped the mysteries of swordsmanship. Her eyes grew sharper, and her sword became increasingly agile. Although she couldn't yet fully comprehend Zhang Hai's essence, she knew this was just the beginning. For Hayate's sake, she vowed to become stronger, until she could personally kill Orochimaru and avenge Hayate!
"Practice these two sword techniques diligently when you get back," Zhang Hai said calmly to Xi Yan as he sheathed his sword. "They will greatly increase your ability to survive on the battlefield in the future."
Xi Yan gripped the knife tightly, her eyes burning with unwavering determination. She knew this was not merely instruction in swordsmanship, but also Zhang Hai's trust and recognition of her.