7: Watanabe Was Going to Graduate Early

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

Hiruzen looked up and saw a middle-aged man with bandages wrapped around half his face enter the office.

Hiruzen casually set aside the report Osaka Rukawa had handed in and asked the middle-aged man, "Danzo, how did the investigation of Amegakure go?"

"Not well." Danzo's voice was low.

"Recently, tensions between Amegakure and the Land of Iron have grown increasingly severe. The two sides are at each other's throats, and this could very well become the spark that ignites the Second Shinobi World War."

Hiruzen frowned.

He would never forget how brutal the First Shinobi World War had been a few years ago. Konoha had been surrounded by Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure, suffering countless casualties. Even the Second Hokage, Tobirama, had died a hero's death.

Without aid from the Land of Whirlpools, it was anyone's guess whether Konoha would have survived that catastrophe.

Although the First Shinobi World War had ultimately ended in Konoha's victory, it had only been a temporary one. Hiruzen knew the Second Shinobi World War was brewing, and once it erupted, the storm would be even fiercer than the First.

"Hiruzen, we need to prepare in advance," Danzo said. "In my estimation, the Second Shinobi World War will break out within one to three years. We shouldn't keep the students who are ready to graduate cooped up at the Ninja Academy. We should put them through trials early so they'll be more useful when war comes."

"I'll consider it," Hiruzen replied.

Danzo hesitated, wanting to say more. As far as he was concerned, there was no need to consider it at all!

He thought life at the Ninja Academy was far too easy for its students. Plenty of kids over ten hadn't graduated yet. Tsunade, in particular, already had the strength of a Special Jōnin, yet she still remained in her ivory tower. It was a serious waste of talent.

Back in the Warring States period, children from the various shinobi clans had been forcibly sent to the battlefield at five or six years old. If it had worked then, why shouldn't it work now? The Ninja Academy system had serious flaws.

But Danzo wasn't the Hokage, after all. He could only make suggestions. Hiruzen was the one with the authority to change the Ninja Academy system.

After a moment of silence, Danzo noticed the stack of reports on the desk and casually asked, "Who are the promising students at the school right now?"

The Root division he led needed fresh blood.

Hiruzen understood what he meant. "See for yourself."

Danzo picked up an already-open report. It was the one Hiruzen had just been reading.

"This child named Watanabe is quite good. Hand him over to me."

Danzo quickly closed the report and spoke bluntly.

Root handled Konoha's dirty, unsavory work, carrying burdens for others and enduring what ordinary people could not. It needed people with this kind of resilient will.

Hiruzen hesitated briefly.

He knew what Root was. Anyone who joined it would be tainted, and Danzo might even brainwash them into numb machines with no sense of self.

He had planned to let Watanabe grow up normally, perhaps even recruiting him into Anbu one day. But Danzo had asked personally, and Hiruzen couldn't bring himself to refuse him over a student at the Ninja Academy.

"Fine. If Watanabe could fight Tsunade for that long, he's certainly qualified to graduate early."

At last, Hiruzen agreed.

It was a dark and windy night. The clock on the wall pointed to three in the morning.

Watanabe wasn't asleep. He was staying up late—or, more accurately, he was slacking off while staying up late.

[Staying up late: Health +4, Kidney Function +3, Fatigue -6...]

[Being lazy: Chakra (Vitality) +5, +5, +5...]

"What a great night to stay up!"

Watanabe was thrilled.

He felt full of energy, full of life. His Chakra and vitality were both increasing at the same time.

According to his stats, his vitality had already reached 230. It had increased tenfold in just half a day!

"If I don't get the chance to learn advanced Ninjutsu in the future, focusing on Taijutsu might not be a bad idea. After all, my vitality is so abundant."

Watanabe mused that he might have what it took to become a Taijutsu expert.

Before long, it was five in the morning, and the sky began to brighten.

Thanks to Karma Reversal, the later Watanabe stayed up, the more alert he became. His brain felt as if it had been soaked in medicated oil, cool and clear from the inside out.

"No, I'm way too alert. This isn't normal."

Watanabe worried that he might get so worked up he'd suddenly drop dead. After some thought, he decided to take a short nap to keep his body functions in balance.

So he closed his eyes and started counting sheep, forcing himself to sleep.

[Sleeping: Energy -3, Fatigue +4, Sleepiness +5...]

It would have been better if he hadn't tried to sleep. As soon as he closed his eyes, the sleepier he got, until he was completely out cold.

The eastern sky began to pale, and the first rays of sunlight spilled down.

The Ninja Academy was bustling in the morning. Children streamed toward school beneath the rising sun, filling the halls and grounds with noise.

"Morning, Tsunade!"

Jiraiya cheerfully greeted Tsunade.

Tsunade's brows twitched twice. She took a deep breath. "Get lost."

"Sure thing!"

Jiraiya had no shame. He didn't care that his warm greeting had been met with a cold shoulder; he continued smiling as he greeted the other girls in class.

"Morning, Zero."

"Morning, Xuanguang."

"..."

What a nuisance.

Whenever Tsunade saw Jiraiya, she wanted to beat him to a pulp. But even when he got beaten up, he never learned his lesson. He just kept grinning and joking around.

Tsunade shifted her attention to the seat in the back corner.

"Watanabe still isn't here?" she wondered, feeling a little nervous.

There was no doubt she had hurt Watanabe during yesterday's sparring match. He had even refused to let her use Medical Ninjutsu to treat him, leaving Tsunade both angry and helpless.

She was angry, but she still had to take responsibility for Watanabe's injuries. So today, she had brought a lot of expensive medicinal herbs to school, intending to give them to him.

If you don't want me to treat you, surely you won't refuse to take medicine yourself, right?

It was the first time Tsunade had given someone a gift, and the recipient was a boy at that. She couldn't help feeling nervous, unsure how to bring it up when the time came.

But to her surprise, Watanabe still hadn't shown up by the time the bell rang for first period.

"Is he late?"

"Watanabe's never been late before, has he?"

Tsunade felt uneasy for no apparent reason. What if she'd hurt him badly yesterday? Could he be too injured to get out of bed?

The first class of the morning was Ninjutsu theory. Tsunade couldn't focus the whole time, often glancing at the empty seat in the corner, hoping to see the familiar figure appear.

If Watanabe really couldn't come to school because she'd hurt him, then she'd have to take responsibility.

Three consecutive classes passed, and Watanabe still hadn't appeared.

Tsunade felt increasingly guilty and uneasy.

Osaka Rukawa taught Taijutsu during the last class. As soon as school let out, Tsunade hurried after him and asked, "Teacher, did Watanabe ask you for leave? He wasn't here this morning."

Osaka Rukawa smiled warmly. "Watanabe didn't ask for leave. He's graduating early."

Tsunade froze.

"Graduating early?"

"Him??"