MTLNOVEL Chapter 86: Self-Created Sword Technique
Shiyu Uchiha's journey resumed shortly afterward. During this period of travel, he returned to the mindset of a novice learning sword techniques, starting once again from the most fundamental basics.
His attitude this time was even more serious than when he first began, and he approached swordsmanship with an added sense of reverence. He kept practicing the sword techniques he'd learned—so many times that he couldn't even remember anymore. At one point, he nearly forgot his original purpose for traveling, as swordsmanship had completely consumed his thoughts.
Combining the insights gained from Enlightenment, Shiyu Uchiha's progress in swordsmanship accelerated dramatically—like a car hitting the gas pedal hard on a highway.
Three months later, during this time, Shiyu Uchiha activated Enlightenment again. Unfortunately, his gains were far less significant compared to the first time. Though not unexpected, this helped him understand the ability further.
Enlightenment required him to provide sufficient groundwork before it could perform its analysis. When his foundation was strong enough, his gains would be substantial; if insufficient, he'd only get a small consolation boost—helping accelerate his improvement, but never replacing it entirely.
Still, Shiyu Uchiha remained quite satisfied with this ability, as it had at least saved him years of grinding through trial and error. Leveraging his most recent insights, amidst swirling snowfall, he continuously swung his tanto in the air. He successfully merged [Steel Heart Slash] with his previously self-developed incomplete sword technique that had incorporated Great Flame Technique, perfecting it fully.
Building upon this foundation, he integrated all his understanding of swordsmanship to create his own foundational sword technique.
When Shiyu Uchiha calmed down and reflected on his sword techniques, he realized it now consisted of 36 distinct sword forms. While any two moves could be combined, they lacked deep interconnectivity.
More importantly, this new form fully showcased the characteristics and advantages of his tanto, signifying that his mastery over the weapon had reached its peak—he had now earned the qualification to enter the realm of Man and Blade Unity.
Moreover, Shiyu Uchiha had identified the critical barrier preventing him from achieving Man and Blade Unity. As long as he could center himself within these 36 sword forms and summarize a complete sword technique, he would reach the realm of Man and Blade Unity.
At this point, his urgency to head to the Sacred Mountain in the Land of Iron and complete the soul trial had greatly faded—after all, he had already obtained what he truly desired.
The reason he chose to continue forward was merely out of curiosity—to witness some expert swordsmen there, observe various sword styles, spark inspiration, and make his future path smoother.
Therefore, while traveling, whenever inspiration struck, he would immediately unsheathe his blade and practice right on the spot. Once the inspiration faded, he'd resheathe his sword and keep walking.
If night fell, he'd just camp outdoors. Though harsh, such conditions posed no real threat to someone of his strength.
This laid-back approach turned what should have been less than a month's journey into a two-month trek. Naturally, during his travels, he occasionally used Summoning Technique to summon Saya and let home know he was safe.
As Shiyu Uchiha reached the final stretch of his journey, he had already entered the bustling regions of the Land of Iron. Along the road, he began encountering many people—most were martial artists who, like him, sought to refine their willpower or test their sword techniques against others.
Some individuals, upon seeing Shiyu, considered him a promising opponent and challenged him directly. However, for Shiyu at this point, these challengers were nothing more than average experts—comparable only to Chunin-level fighters. With minimal effort, he defeated them one after another. After beating several opponents like this, people started to recognize his strength—and challenges became less frequent.
When he finally arrived at the Sacred Mountain of the Land of Iron, Shiyu gazed at the towering snow-covered peak before him. Thanks to his sharp vision, he estimated that the mountain was over 3,000 meters in height. He had also heard from others that it was an active volcano, though its eruption cycle was extremely long. No one alive had seen what it looked like during its last eruption. Shiyu was especially eager to witness it, as he'd heard the spectacle was incredibly beautiful.
Once at the mountain's base, the strength of the martial artists increased significantly. At one point, Shiyu even encountered a warrior comparable to a Tokubetsu Jonin. Naturally, upon meeting, both felt eager for a duel.
The warrior wanted to challenge Shiyu to hone his sword skills. As for Shiyu, he was eager to see how far he'd come since arriving here.
The man spoke first: "My name is Tsubasa Uragawa. May I ask for your name?"
Shiyu responded calmly: "Hino Homura—a swordsman here in the Land of Iron seeking to refine my blade."
Upon hearing this, Uragawa smiled and said, "Then Hino, perhaps you could offer me a bit of guidance?"
Shiyu naturally had no intention of refusing and immediately replied, "I would welcome that. Tell me, do you prefer Wenbi or Wudou?"
Among warriors in the Land of Iron, there was a customary duel system. Wenbi was a match without chakra—if any chakra was used, the user automatically lost. Wudou permitted the use of chakra but strictly forbade ninjutsu; using any jutsu resulted in immediate disqualification.
Furthermore, in the Land of Iron, anyone who used ninjutsu was considered an outsider. The Shifting Body Technique was an exception—it was known by another name here: "Shunpo"—and thus not considered ninjutsu. In truth, they were essentially the same skill.
Uragawa thought for a moment before replying, "How about we start with Wenbi, then move on to Wudou?"
"Fine," Shiyu agreed.
With those words, both drew their blades simultaneously, locked eyes for a brief moment, and then clashed.
When Shiyu's tanto met Uragawa's longsword, the latter felt the immense power behind the strike and was inwardly astonished. Using Shunpo, he instantly retreated, unwilling to match strength head-on again, hoping instead to counter with superior swordsmanship.
If this encounter had occurred before Shiyu arrived in the Land of Iron, there might have been a slim chance he would've lost a pure sword duel to Uragawa. But after more than half a year of rigorous training in the Land of Iron, he had undergone a complete transformation—his current self far surpassed who he once was.
Tsubasa Uragawa stepped back, and Shiyu Uchiha, bound to her through their shared battle connection, naturally followed up closely. Relying on the slight advantage gained from his strength, Shiyu fully displayed his self-created [Sword Techniques] during the fight. His posture was grounded and unwavering, betraying no hint of underestimating his opponent, thus maintaining the upper hand throughout the battle.
Even when he had multiple chances to defeat her, Shiyu Uchiha chose not to seize them. That was because she was an ideal opponent—just the right level to challenge him without overwhelming him—making the fight immensely enjoyable. Therefore, he held back slightly, relying purely on technique to gradually expand his advantage. Ultimately, he prevailed over Tsubasa Uragawa through sheer technical mastery in the [wen-dou] (skill-based duel).
After being defeated by Shiyu Uchiha, Tsubasa Uragawa showed no anger at all. The slight embarrassment of defeat did not affect her noble demeanor either. Composing herself with the poise of a noble, she quickly issued another challenge to Shiyu Uchiha, clearly demonstrating her calm and resilient mindset.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>