"Who's the best fighter here?"
Everyone's eyes turned to the doorway.
With illumination from behind, all that could be seen was the man's exceptionally tall and robust figure, with broad shoulders and a thick back, nearly two meters tall, like an iron tower, making one subconsciously assume he was a rugged, weathered man.
However, when he fully entered the house and the dim light illuminated his face, many people looked surprised.
His face was surprisingly young, even retaining a hint of childishness, making him look no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, which contrasted sharply with his incredibly robust physique.
"Hahahaha!"
After a brief moment of surprise, an even louder burst of laughter erupted inside the pub.
A blacksmith with a flushed face and arms thicker than an average person's thigh slammed his fist on the table and grumbled, "Is that even a question? Of course, it's Arakawa Yoshitoku from the Arakawa Dojo in the west of the city! Who else could it be but him?"
His words drew another round of laughter and the clinking of glasses.
The laughter subsided slightly, and another man who looked like a ronin stroked his short beard while looking at the muscular boy at the door with a hint of mockery: "What, kid, you've got some potential, want to go to Arakawa Dojo to become an apprentice?"
Before the boy could answer, he shook his head and said to himself, "Then you've come at the wrong time. The Arakawa Dojo only recruits new disciples when the snow melts in early spring each year, and the number of places is limited. Right now..."
He sipped his drink, "You'll have to wait a few months."
Under the teasing and stares of the crowd, the tall boy seemed not to notice it. His eyes lit up slightly, as if he had found a definite target, and his eager expression became even stronger.
He nodded, his voice still clear, but with a more specific direction: "Arakawa Dojo, Arakawa Yoshitoku... I'll remember that."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the still-laughing people in the room, a slight smile appearing on his face, before uttering a sentence that abruptly silenced the laughter: "However, I'm not going there to become an apprentice."
"I'm going there to exchange skills."
"By the way, my name is Isshin!"
The boy, who called himself Isshin. Slightly raised his head. His calm yet sharp eyes, which seemed somewhat incongruous with his youthful face, slowly swept across the entire room. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute and undeniable penetrating power, clearly imprinted in everyone's ears: "Soon, you, along with this country, will remember this name."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and pushed open the door, his tall figure disappearing into the deepening twilight and cold wind outside, leaving behind a room full of astonished people.
...
Name: Isshin (Shinichi Higashino)
Occupation: Swordsman
Talents: Genius (Blue), Intuition (Green), Big Eater (Green), Quick Thinking (Green), Diligence Compensates For Lack Of Talent (Green), Superhuman Strength (Green), Thick Skin and Flesh (Green), Swift as a Rabbit (Green), Proficient In Swordsmanship (Green)
This boy named Isshin is naturally an independent clone created by Shinichi Higashino using the newly acquired clone talent.
As a registered ninja of Konoha, Shinichi's movements are subject to many restrictions, making it difficult for him to travel long distances freely or immerse himself in swordsmanship training, which is very different from the ninja system.
It would be even more inconvenient for someone to make a name for themselves quickly in a country like the Land of Iron, which reveres the way of the samurai, as he's simply a challenger; this could easily cause a diplomatic incident.
Therefore, a separate clone with swordsman occupation and a relatively clean background and outstanding talent became the best solution.
The clone needs to fuse with a gene of another creature, the source of which is Monkey King Enma.
Shinichi had previously used the excuse of tempering his physique and exploring Ninjutsu and Taijutsu to guide the third Hokage to bring out Enma to instruct him.
Besides the fact that it was indeed for the purpose of tempering his physique, another hidden intention was for this moment.
Admittedly, in terms of bloodline potential and compatibility, the cells of the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju, might be the theoretically optimal solution.
However, at this point in time, even Orochimaru may not have started related research. The only known holders are the third Hokage and Danzo Shimura.
Demand it from the third Hokage?
Putting aside the fact that the source of the information is inexplicable, this seriously conflicts with his carefully cultivated image of being simple and honest. Which will inevitably lead to unpredictable scrutiny and suspicion.
Contact Danzo?
That would be like trying to get something from a tiger, extremely risky, and it would also mean abandoning the third Hokage, who is currently the biggest asset.
Therefore, Shinichi chose a safer and more feasible path: taking a step back and using the powerful bloodline of the Monkey King Enma as the foundation to create the clone, Isshin.
Moreover, the clone talent may be upgraded to purple in the future, at which point it won't be too late to pursue legendary materials like the first Hokage's cell.
Although it can only inherit one of the original body's occupation attributes and half of its talent attributes, and cannot inherit ninja-related talent that are closely tied to the ninja occupation for the time being, the strength of this clone is still quite considerable.
Having merged with the gene of Monkey King Enma, he naturally possessed the domineering physical strength and resilient physique of the Adamantine Monkey Clan.
More importantly, Shinichi meticulously configured all of Isshin's talents to be of high quality, all of which were at least green level.
This allowed Isshin to reach an exceptionally impressive starting point in terms of pure physical attributes, swordsmanship aptitude, combat intuition, and growth efficiency.
In terms of raw power, he is even stronger than the original body, who still needs to focus on the overall development of the ninja occupation at this stage.
The name Isshin comes from a game character in his previous life, a being revered as the sword saint by the world, who spent his life pursuing the pinnacle of martial arts and swordsmanship with pure and extreme dedication.
(Note: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)
In his youth, he was ambitious and even greedy, constantly seeking stronger opponents. He honed his swordsmanship in countless life-or-death battles, turning each fight into a stepping stone to greater heights.
Shinichi's clone not only takes its name from this, but its pre-set style of doing things and growth path will also largely refer to this core.
In the Land of Iron, a land that reveres martial prowess, he will constantly challenge the strong in the most direct and even flamboyant way, honing himself in actual combat as the fastest way to make a name for himself, gain recognition, and refine his swordsmanship.
Shinichi once asked his kendo teacher, Yamashita Hideji, how to continue his path after becoming a formal swordsman, that is, to explore a higher level of advancement in the Swordsman occupation.
Yamashita-sensei told him that the word Swordsman meant that he had successfully graduated and mastered the basic skills and mental techniques. He was now on a journey that required leaving the dojo's protection and walking the path alone.