Mission Progress

The snow swirled all around, and the biting wind helped Gu Qi shake off some of his drowsiness.

"Phew, I let my guard down. I'm never training this late again."

Walking along a road blanketed in snow, Gu Qi looked at the empty streets and couldn't help shivering.

Konoha was fairly safe and peaceful at the moment, but it was still at war with the Cloud Ninja. If any of them attacked, he'd be done for.

Even setting that aside, if someone with bad intentions took an interest in him, he'd be in just as much trouble.

Fortunately, the sudden appearance of the Uchiha Guard on the street put his anxious heart somewhat at ease.

"Hey, kid over there. Why are you still wandering around so late? Hurry home." The Uchiha Guard had spotted Gu Qi right away.

"Sorry, sorry. I got carried away playing." Gu Qi scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward grin.

The squad captain glanced at Gu Qi's hair, then studied him for a moment before speaking. "You're that kid from the Hatake Clan, aren't you?"

"Huh? How do you know me, big brother?" Gu Qi tilted his head with an innocent look.

"Hmph, I knew it! Wandering around this late is practically asking for trouble. Get home, now."

"Yes, yes, I'm going right back. Goodbye, big brothers and big sisters." With that, Gu Qi dashed away.

"Phew, that scared me." Only after the faint hostility faded did Gu Qi finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Kakashi, you idiot. You nearly got me killed."

How could Gu Qi not know why the Uchiha Guard had been hostile toward him? It was because Kakashi had the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan.

"Hm?"

After walking down another street, Gu Qi was surprised to spot a little girl lying on the ground not far away.

He hurried over and crouched beside her. "Little girl... Huh, it's you! Are you all right?"

To his surprise, she was the little girl from the Hyuga Clan whom Gu Qi had rescued not long ago.

"I... I..." The girl couldn't help crying.

"Honestly, what am I supposed to do with you?" Gu Qi took her hand and helped her up from the snow.

He took off his coat and draped it over the little girl.

"Did you get separated from your parents?"

"You mustn't wander off like this again. Your parents will worry."

"You're from the Hyuga Branch Family, aren't you? Did someone from the Main Family bully you?"

"If they did, tell me. I'll go beat them up for you."

All the way along, Gu Qi chattered on without giving her a chance to speak.

"You must be hungry. Here, have some." Gu Qi took out a piece of jerky and handed it to her.

The girl accepted it and ate in small bites. She certainly seemed hungry.

"Th-thank you," the girl murmured after finishing the jerky.

Looking at her frail little frame and the fact that she had no Hyuga guards with her, Gu Qi became even more certain that she was a child from the Hyuga Branch Family.

After all, this was a real world, and the Hyuga Clan was one of Konoha's foremost clans.

There were many children in the Hyuga Branch Family.

Although the girl had no Caged Bird Seal on her forehead, Gu Qi remembered that children from the Hyuga Branch Family didn't receive the seal until they were four.

In other words, she should be the same age as him.

Gu Qi sighed and took the Crimson Pill from around his neck.

This was the second time he'd run into the little girl from the Hyuga Clan. Maybe it was fate.

"Here, this is for you! Wearing this bead all the time will make you stronger. So don't tell anyone about it, okay?"

"N-no, I can't. It's too precious."

"It's fine. I have another one!" Gu Qi reassured her.

He put the Crimson Pill around her neck himself, then held out his little finger. "Remember, this is a secret between the two of us!"

"Mm!"

"Pinky promise."

"Pinky promise."

Gu Qi walked her all the way to the entrance of the Hyuga Clan's compound. Only after seeing the wistful look in her eyes did he wave goodbye and leave.

"Ah-choo! What a pain. I forgot to ask for my coat back."

Shivering on the road, Gu Qi thought to himself.

When he got home, Gu Qi immediately enjoyed a hot bath, easing the chill in his body.

After his bath, he took ten thousand Ryo from the living expenses Kakashi had left behind and contacted the system.

"System, purchase a Crimson Pill."

[Recharging...]

[Recharge complete...]

[Ding! Purchase complete.]

With a ding, a bead appeared out of nowhere in Gu Qi's hand.

After putting on the newly purchased Crimson Pill, Gu Qi went to his desk and began studying academic subjects.

He had already mastered most of the basic mathematics material.

Today, Gu Qi decided to master all of basic mathematics. Tomorrow, he would start tackling basic physics.

Time passed minute by minute. Before he knew it, a long while had gone by.

[Ding! Basic Mathematics mastered. Consolidating knowledge...]

"Huh?" Gu Qi had just started to wonder at the sound when his mind suddenly felt crystal clear.

When the pleasant feeling faded, Gu Qi was astonished to find that everything he'd studied had been deeply etched into his mind.

Now, whenever he wanted, he could instantly use what he knew to solve all kinds of problems.

"I never knew the system could do this. It's incredible."

Gu Qi's eyes lit up. In that moment, he had thought of a possibility.

But to make that idea a reality, Gu Qi would need to acquire a lot more knowledge.

For the next full month, Gu Qi trained like a madman every day.

He drank all thirty bottles of Secret Brew.

His strength had clearly improved over the course of the month.

Along with the subtle changes brought about by the Crimson Pill, Gu Qi's speed, strength, and recovery had all improved considerably.

His chakra reserves had also built up quite a bit.

If a Genin had 100 units of chakra, Gu Qi's reserves were now around 30.

At this rate, Gu Qi might break Kakashi's record of becoming a Genin at five.

Of course, that was only in terms of chakra reserves.

When it came to theoretical knowledge, Taijutsu, ninjutsu, and the like, he was nowhere near the same level.

Gu Qi didn't know any elemental ninjutsu yet; he couldn't even use the simplest Three Basic Jutsu.

"Ah, if only Kakashi were here."

"Oh? Miss me?"

Kakashi suddenly appeared behind Gu Qi and spoke without warning.

"Do you know that people can die of fright?"

Gu Qi rubbed the goosebumps on his arms and glared at Kakashi.

"Tch!" Kakashi rolled his eyes. This was the Gu Qi he knew.

"You're back at just the right time. Teach me ninjutsu!" Gu Qi said with a cheeky grin.

"I just got back. Can't you let me rest for a while?" Kakashi replied, exasperated.

"Forget resting! Get to it." Gu Qi had never been one to stand on ceremony with Kakashi.

Kakashi sighed. He knew that if he didn't give Gu Qi what he wanted today, Gu Qi would never leave him in peace.

"All right, all right! I'll teach you the Three Basic Jutsu first," Kakashi said helplessly.

"You're treating me like a little kid! I want to learn Chidori, Lightning Blade, Body Flicker Technique, and Shadow Clone Technique." Gu Qi rattled off a list of impressive jutsu.

At that, Kakashi's right eye turned white.

"Get lost."

In the end, Kakashi only taught Gu Qi the simplest Three Basic Jutsu.

"When you can use the Three Basic Jutsu fluently, I'll teach you other jutsu," Kakashi finally said, giving Gu Qi some hope.

"Really?"

Kakashi nodded. "I keep my word!"

"What counts as fluent?" Gu Qi asked.

"Using the Three Basic Jutsu with the least possible chakra, and with no more than ten seconds between casting each one," Kakashi said, laying out his requirements.

"Just watch. I'll make you admit I've got what it takes." Gu Qi spoke with complete confidence.

"Then do your best," Kakashi said with a squinting smile.

The Three Basic Jutsu looked simple, but using the least possible chakra required precise control.

Without a special training method, it was impossible to achieve in a short time.

But that was exactly what Kakashi wanted. That way, he'd have time to get some proper rest.

Otherwise, if Gu Qi had nothing to do, who knew what kind of trouble he'd cause?

"Keep practicing here. I'm going to the Hokage Building to report on my mission." With that, Kakashi disappeared from Gu Qi's home.

Hearing Kakashi say that, Gu Qi felt genuinely touched.

People had feelings, and after spending so much time with Kakashi, Gu Qi had naturally come to think of him as family.

Thinking of Kakashi spending his whole life single, Gu Qi resolved to find him a wife.

"Ah-choo!" For some reason, Kakashi suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Is that kid plotting something again?" Kakashi muttered to himself.