Slayer: Look directly at the Seraph, standing on the sun

Chapter 513 Hatake Sword Technique

Sakumo Hatake drew the White Fang blade fully, its blade still gleaming with a chilling light even in the dim light. "How much you can learn depends on your own comprehension," he said, casually twirling the blade. The movement seemed simple, yet it contained an indescribable rhythm.

"Watch closely, this is the first move of the Hatake sword technique—"

Before he finished speaking, it was as if all the air in the entire dojo had been sucked out in an instant.

Zhang Hai only felt a blur before his eyes, and a silver light, invisible to the naked eye, arrived in front of him at a speed beyond his comprehension.

Before he could even react, the icy, sharp blade was already firmly positioned just a millimeter from his brow.

A bead of cold sweat slowly slid down his forehead.

He could clearly see his own face, filled with shock and horror, reflected in the sharp blade.

The cold blade lingered between Zhang Hai's brows for a full three seconds before disappearing like a phantom.

Sakumo Hatake sheathed the White Fang Blade again, the whole process flowing smoothly without a single unnecessary movement.

Zhang Hai remained standing in the same spot, cold sweat trickling down his face and dripping onto the floor with a soft "plop" sound.

He could feel a faint, metallic, rusty taste spreading in his mouth, making his throat dry.

"Did you see that clearly?" Sakumo Hatake's voice broke the deathly silence in the dojo.

He pointed to a row of weapon racks standing against the wall. "Go, pick a sword that suits your style." The racks displayed all sorts of long swords, short swords, katanas, and wakizashi. ...

Zhang Hai composed himself and walked over. His gaze swept over the weapons one by one, and finally, he reached out and took down the shortest and most inconspicuous dagger from the shelf, its length similar to that of the White Fang Blade.

A hint of approval flashed in Hatake Sakumo's eyes when he saw his choice.

"You have very nimble hands." His voice held a hint of warmth. "It seems you've not only practiced with a knife, but you also know how to use it effectively."

"My swordsmanship emphasizes technique over strength. It uses short-range attacks to penetrate long-range attacks, focusing on intention rather than force. It emphasizes speed, proximity, lightness, agility, feints, real attacks, deception, and trickery. The ultimate goal is to win with a single blow."

As he spoke, he picked up an ordinary short knife from the corner and casually weighed it in his hand.

He looked at the seven training stakes standing in the center of the dojo, and suddenly his figure moved.

Zhang Hai only felt a flash of white light before his eyes, so fast that his eyes couldn't even catch Hatake Sakumo's movements.

When he came to his senses, Hatake Sakumo was already standing in the same spot again, as if he had never moved.

He could feel a subtle, cool sensation on the back of his neck, as if being brushed by a thread.

He looked at the wooden stakes and saw seven stakes pointing at different vital points—throat, heart, back of neck, temple…

...

Each one had an extremely fine and deep cut, as if it had been precisely cut by the sharpest scalpel.

Zhang Hai's heart was gripped tightly once again. Looking at the knife marks on the wooden stakes, he seemed to see seven living people killed by a single blow at the same moment.

This extreme control over force, speed, and angle has completely exceeded his comprehension.

This is no longer just a simple swordsmanship; it's an art of killing.

"Teacher..." he began with difficulty, his voice hoarse.

Sakumo Hatake casually tossed the short sword he was holding back onto the weapon rack, turned around, and suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.

He paused for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts; this action lasted about half a second.

"Zhang Hai, do you know which ninja village's squad has the strongest direct firepower in the current ninja world?" Zhang Hai paused for a moment, then shook his head. ...

Although he knew a lot about the future, he didn't have a very good understanding of the specific power distribution in this era.

“They’re from Kirigakure, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.” Hatake Sakumo’s tone became somewhat serious. “Those seven guys, each one of them is a master swordsman. Each of their seven swords possesses incredible special abilities, and when combined with a suitable ninja, they can unleash astonishing power. That’s why the ninjas of Kirigakure are all made of water, because only water can bring out the full power of a sword.”

He looked at Zhang Hai, a warning glint in his eyes. "Remember, if one day you encounter them on the battlefield, don't hesitate, run immediately. Because once those seven people gather together, even a Kage-level expert will have to give way. Their strength lies not in each individual, but in the invincible killing storm formed when those seven swords combine."

“I saw them once from afar during a mission.” Hatake Sakumo’s voice carried a hint of reminiscence, as if he could see again the blood-stained beach and the seven ghostly figures.

He could feel a slight, metallic sensation on his fingertips.

“From that day on, I have regarded them as my hypothetical enemies on the path of swordsmanship.” He looked at Zhang Hai, his eyes burning with a fierce flame. “The swordsmanship I created was born to counter them.”

"Their knives are powerful and heavy, with wide, sweeping strokes. Therefore, my knife must use its shortness to overcome its length, and its skill to defeat its strength." His voice echoed in the empty dojo, each word like a heavy hammer striking Zhang Hai's heart. "To achieve this, you need three things." He held up three fingers, "Superhuman speed, extremely precise killing skills, and... the unwavering conviction to swing the knife forward even when the blade is at your neck!" As he spoke, a faint, bitter taste, similar to burnt wood, rose on his tongue.

Zhang Hai was deeply moved by the powerful momentum contained in his words, and his blood was boiling.

He gripped the short sword tightly in his hand, secretly vowing that he would not only learn this sword technique, but also master it, even surpassing Hatake Sakumo, and develop a truly unique sword technique of his own!

He could almost smell a very faint, fresh scent in the air, like the scent of grass cut after rain.

"Here." Hatake Sakumo tossed over another short sword identical to the one Zhang Hai held. "My swordsmanship starts with the most basic thrust, slash, parry, sweep, strike, point, and chop... a total of thirteen fundamental movements. Today, you'll master these thirteen moves." He then walked back to the wooden stakes covered in sword marks.

He didn't unleash the same astonishing speed as before, but instead demonstrated each basic movement with crystal clarity.