"Kakashi, teach me Wind Release Ninjutsu!"
Konoha was blanketed in snow, but that couldn't smother some people's burning enthusiasm. Gu Qi was a perfect example.
Kakashi lowered the Icha Icha Paradise in his hands and said flatly, "I refuse!"
"Huh? Why?!" Gu Qi was baffled by the sudden rejection.
Was this really the same Kakashi, the Doting Brother Maniac who always said yes and gave him whatever he wanted?
"Because I'm on vacation. All I want to do right now is read in peace." Kakashi lifted the Icha Icha Paradise in his hand.
Gu Qi shot Kakashi a glare. "No! Hurry up and teach me Wind Release Ninjutsu."
"Why do you want to learn that all of a sudden? Didn't you used to like learning Lightning Release Ninjutsu?" Kakashi asked.
"Don't ask. I just want a change of pace," Gu Qi said, chin raised.
The reason Gu Qi wanted to learn Wind Release Ninjutsu was to complete a task the system had given him.
After all, Gu Qi still had a set of technical documents on the Railgun. To turn them into a ninjutsu, he'd need the power of Wind Release chakra.
Kakashi scratched his cheek. "You're a genius. You can learn it on your own!"
"Yeah!" Gu Qi thought Kakashi made a good point. He couldn't argue with that.
"Since you agree, then it's settled." With that, Kakashi went back to reading.
Gu Qi rubbed his chin, then said, "No, I want to learn Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. Hurry up and teach me."
Without looking up, Kakashi said, "It's in the Ninjutsu Scroll I gave you. Go learn it yourself."
Kakashi had previously given Gu Qi a scroll containing numerous ninjutsu. They were all Rank C techniques, but there were quite a lot of them.
And Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, the technique Gu Qi wanted to learn, was among them.
"Hey, don't push it!" Gu Qi was furious. He'd never seen a big brother so unwilling to dote on his little brother.
Kakashi sighed. "You're the one pushing it! You're always researching ninjutsu on a whim!"
"I'm a genius! A genius ought to act like one!" Gu Qi said shamelessly.
Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You want to learn Wind Release Ninjutsu this time because you're planning something again, aren't you?"
"Of course not! Look at my innocent eyes." Gu Qi lied through his teeth.
"So you are. Then don't even think about it." Kakashi flatly refused.
"Just you wait." Gu Qi tossed out a pointless threat, then slunk away.
"Damn it. Looks like I'll have to rely on myself." Out on the street, Gu Qi muttered to himself after Kakashi had rejected him outright.
He had Kakashi's Ninjutsu Scroll, of course, but having someone teach you was a world apart from figuring things out alone.
Since Kakashi wasn't willing to help, Gu Qi had no choice but to rely on himself.
With his hands behind his head, Gu Qi strolled along the street and couldn't help saying, "It's been ages since I went out for a walk. I wonder how that little girl is doing."
Ever since the battle with the Cloud Ninja, Gu Qi hadn't seen that little girl again.
He'd gone to the Hyuga Clan's estate several times hoping to find her, but he didn't know her name, so he'd given up each time.
Still, Gu Qi had a feeling that he'd meet her again someday.
After wandering around and eating his way through the streets until his gloom had lifted, Gu Qi returned home.
Ever since he'd developed the powerful Railgun ninjutsu, Gu Qi had fallen into a bit of a slump.
He still had the Air Cannon to work on, but he couldn't seem to get excited about it.
Today, he'd finally managed to get himself in the mood to do some research, only for Kakashi to refuse to cooperate.
"Sigh. I'll have to do it myself."
Gu Qi unrolled the Ninjutsu Scroll Kakashi had given him and looked through it until he found the section on Wind Release Ninjutsu.
Every technique in the Wind Release Ninjutsu section was Rank C. The Fire Release and Lightning Release techniques in the scroll were the same; they were all Rank C.
Gu Qi understood that Kakashi had deliberately included only these techniques so he wouldn't go messing around with anything dangerous.
Gu Qi didn't really mind. Even if Kakashi had given him Rank B ninjutsu, he wouldn't have been able to use them—his chakra reserves weren't enough.
It took Gu Qi the whole night to memorize the hand seals and the principles behind Great Breakthrough.
"Yeah, I'll try it tomorrow. For now, time to sleep."
After a huge yawn, Gu Qi said good night to the three Ninja Dogs and flopped into bed.
"System, start a six-hour lesson."
[Beep! 60,000 Ryo deducted. Classroom starting...]
Gu Qi felt dizzy for a moment. By the time he came to, he was already inside the classroom in the system.
Learning was a joy. That was exactly how Gu Qi felt now.
After six hours of diligent study, Gu Qi had a much deeper understanding of the material in Basic Biology.
"Another five or six days, and I should have Basic Biology down, right?"
The next morning, Gu Qi woke up refreshed and muttered to himself.
The reason he'd switched to studying biology was that Intermediate Mathematics was simply too expensive.
It also took too long. Even if he studied five or six hours every day, Gu Qi would still need at least five months to finish it.
Basic Biology was different. At six hours of study a day, he could finish it in just over thirty days.
Another reason Gu Qi was studying biology was that he needed biological knowledge to support many of his projects.
For example, he wanted to figure out how Secret Brew healed injuries, then use what he learned to make a genuine miracle blood-replenishing medicine.
With Gu Qi's current knowledge of chemistry, figuring it out would be difficult. But with more advanced biology to supplement it, it might be possible.
Gu Qi had been studying Basic Biology for half a month now. In another half month, he'd basically be done.
Then he'd receive another special item from the system.
Honestly, Gu Qi was looking forward to the items the system gave him.
So far, every item the system had given him had been incredibly useful.
"You three lazybones, get up! If you don't, there won't be any food left!"
After washing up, Gu Qi went to the living room to wake the three Ninja Dogs, who were sleeping in all sorts of ridiculous positions.
Hachi wiped the drool from his mouth with a dog paw and rubbed against Gu Qi's leg ingratiatingly.
"You're the greediest one. Don't worry, you'll get your share." Gu Qi put a portion of meat mixed with Secret Brew in front of Hachi.
The other two Ninja Dogs smelled the aroma of the brew and scrambled to their feet.
"Go on, eat! We've got some tough work ahead." Every day before heading out to train, Gu Qi prepared food like this for the three Ninja Dogs.
Not just in the morning, either. He did the same at noon and in the evening.
That was the only way the three Ninja Dogs could endure their brutal training.
"All right, you've worked hard. You're getting the day off. Go play over there."
After finishing his morning training, Gu Qi took the three Ninja Dogs to the waterfall where they'd trained before.
The three Ninja Dogs looked incredulous. Rasu sniffed Gu Qi, trying to figure out whether someone else had disguised themselves as him.
"Hey, I'm the real deal!" Gu Qi chuckled, lightly smacking Rasu on the head.
"Woof~" Rasu shrank back, begging for mercy.
Gu Qi took out some toys for the three Ninja Dogs, then walked over to the waterfall.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
He swiftly formed the Hand Seals, tilted his head back, and tried to release the ninjutsu with a forceful exhalation.
"Cough, cough!" Before he could release it, the chakra gathered in his mouth scattered, and a puff of cold air made him cough.
Once Gu Qi had recovered, he muttered, "As expected, no ninjutsu is easy."
His first attempt had failed, but Gu Qi wasn't discouraged.
He sat cross-legged on the ground and silently recalled how it had felt, trying to identify the reason for his failure.
When he felt he had it figured out, Gu Qi stood up again to try the ninjutsu.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
He formed the Hand Seals quickly. As soon as he completed the last one, he gathered a large amount of Wind Release chakra in his mouth and forcefully blew it out.
A faint, cool breeze abruptly came out of Gu Qi's mouth.
"..." Gu Qi was speechless. He'd succeeded, but the result was pitiful.
Still, now that he'd succeeded, he only needed to practice more and increase the amount of chakra he used.
So Gu Qi put his diligent nature to work and began training hard, fueled by Secret Recipe Dried Meat.
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