Shining in Konoha in the Name of Genius! (End)

"An excellent match, Kakashi."

Watching Kakashi's dazed expression, Higashino Shinichi slowly withdrew the long blade he had pressed against the other boy's throat.

Five years of planning, fulfilled in a single moment.

Shinichi had rehearsed this scene countless times in his mind, imagined the wild elation of defeating this genius. But now that it had truly happened, the dust settled, what he felt was a calm as deep as a still pond.

And even... a trace of indescribable emptiness.

"I lost." Kakashi snapped back to reality, looking at the black-haired boy before him.

"This time, you won. But that doesn't mean my father's swordsmanship is lacking. It's just that I..." He pressed his lips together, refusing to utter words like 'unskilled' or 'not strong enough.'

"Next time, I'll win it back!"

Shinichi met his gaze, that same warm, sunny smile still on his face. "I look forward to our next match, Kakashi."

"Ahem." Matsumoto Fumio stepped forward at the right moment, positioning himself between the two, and announced in a booming voice, "This practical examination is now concluded. The victor—Higashino Shinichi!"

"Shinichi! Shinichi! Shinichi!!"

Before Teacher Matsumoto's voice had even faded, Class 2 erupted like a long-suppressed volcano! Deafening cheers shot into the sky.

Among them, Ishizuka Takashi's rough, hearty voice rang out like a war drum, leading the class's emotion: "Beautiful! Shinichi! That was incredible!! I knew you could do it!"

"H-he actually won?!" Shizune's eyes went wide, her mouth hanging open.

Compared to Class 2's boiling excitement, Class 1 was sunk in silence.

"Kakashi..." Rin Nohara clasped her hands to her chest, her small face full of worry.

"Kakashi... actually lost..." Obito Uchiha was at a loss. He'd thought seeing Kakashi get taken down a peg would feel great, but it didn't. Instead, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

And in the crowd, Might Guy, who had also witnessed the whole thing, said nothing. But beneath his thick brows, his eyes burned with an unprecedented fire.

"Now, both parties, form the Seal of Reconciliation!" Teacher Matsumoto announced loudly at the right moment, pulling everyone's attention back to the formalities.

Shinichi and Kakashi reached out and formed the Seal of Reconciliation. After making the seal, Kakashi said nothing, turned, and walked back to the Class 1 formation.

Shinichi, however, did not immediately return to Class 2's ranks.

Teacher Matsumoto noticed he had lingered and asked gently, "Shinichi, is there something else?"

A look somewhere between troubled and apologetic appeared on Shinichi's face. He bowed slightly and spoke in a sincere tone: "It's like this, Teacher Matsumoto. I know this might not be the best time... but I've recently encountered something that's been bothering and confusing me. Considering that after today's exam, I might not see you again until next semester, I thought I'd take the liberty of asking here."

"What is it? Go ahead."

Shinichi organized his words, then described it with a slightly uncertain tone: "Lately, when I sleep at night, I sometimes feel strange. Occasionally, in the middle of the night, I'll inexplicably feel like my surroundings are noisy, but I can't tell where the sound is coming from. Other times, I'll vaguely sense something nearby, but when I wake up, everything is normal."

"And... after I wake up, I always feel a bit tired. When I checked, I found that the chakra in my body seemed slightly less than before I fell asleep. It's like... when I enter deep sleep, my chakra uncontrollably leaks out a little on its own."

He let a hint of youthful unease show through at just the right moment. "Teacher, could this... be a problem with my training? Or some hidden issue with my body?"

"Well..." Teacher Matsumoto's brow immediately furrowed at this. He rested his chin on one hand, deep in thought.

"Perception talent!" The Class 1 homeroom teacher, Inoue-sensei, who was standing nearby, spoke up first, his eyes lighting up with interest. "Shinichi, the phenomena you're describing sound very much like the initial awakening of perception talent! You might very well have the innate potential to become a sensory-type ninja!"

"That's right! Perception!" Teacher Matsumoto suddenly caught on as well, his expression clearing as surprise took over. "Exactly! Chakra unconsciously leaking out during deep relaxation, creating faint resonance with the surrounding environment or living beings, producing strange sensations or even vague feedback... That's one of the common early signs of perception talent awakening in many sensory-type ninjas!"

"Sensory-type ninja?" Shinichi displayed just the right amount of confusion and curiosity.

Seeing this, Inoue-sensei took the initiative to explain to all the students who were now pricking up their ears: "Sensory-type ninjas are special ninjas who, either innately or through training, can refine and release their chakra with high precision to probe the environment, sense life signs, and especially detect the chakra of others. They are like the eyes and ears of a team, irreplaceable in reconnaissance, surveillance, and tracking. For example, the Yamanaka clan of our Konoha are skilled in sensory techniques."

Teacher Matsumoto took over the explanation, gently reassuring Shinichi: "So there's no need to worry. This isn't a bad thing at all—it's a happy manifestation of talent! It means that on your path as a ninja, besides your excellent physique and willpower, you may also possess a rare and valuable sensory ability!"

"When you get home, make sure to rest. Try, when you're awake, to calm your mind and focus, actively trying to catch and familiarize yourself with that subtle feeling of releasing your perception. But don't force it or get anxious. After the new term starts, if you experience anything similar or make new discoveries, feel free to come find us anytime."

"Sensory-type ninja? I see." A look of relief mixed with dawning understanding appeared on Shinichi's face. He bowed respectfully to both teachers. "Thank you both for clearing that up. It puts my mind at ease."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, each person's gaze different, Shinichi calmly retreated back into the ranks of Class 2.

Everything he had said was, of course, a complete lie.

He had no trouble with chakra leaking out during sleep, nor was he a naturally gifted sensory-type ninja.

This was still part of his carefully crafted persona management.

Seizing the perfect opportunity of having just defeated Kakashi head-on and becoming the center of everyone's attention, he had publicly planted the seed of his potential perception talent, using the gentle method of asking for advice on a troubling issue.

With authoritative teachers making an on-the-spot judgment and explanation of "suspected perception talent," and with so many classmates hearing and witnessing it firsthand...

The seed of the impression had been sown.

Once this understanding spread through the students' words back to their families, was perhaps recorded by the teachers' pens, and gradually circulated within Konoha... then the world would come to believe that Higashino Shinichi possessed perception talent.

At that point, there would be a high probability that a new Trait related to perception would coalesce on his Personal Panel.

Shinichi's approach to building his persona always followed one core principle: steady and solid, building from reality into perception, accumulating small victories into major ones.

He never indulged in, and certainly never rashly wove, those castle-in-the-sky super-personas that could directly generate powerful Traits—things like Wood Release, the Sharingan, or other Kekkei Genkai, let alone reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths or powers like speaking laws into existence.

These were lies that would shatter at the slightest touch, and the level of recognition and breadth required to generate them would inevitably be terrifying.

Therefore, he always started with traits that had support from his background, realistic performance, or logical reasoning—things that could withstand basic scrutiny and the test of time.

Perceptive talent was one of them.

Like traits such as great strength or diligence, it wasn't exclusive to Kekkei Genkai ninja; ordinary shinobi could possess perceptive talent too.

After Shinichi returned to the crowd, the end-of-term practical exam continued.

The subsequent matches had their highlights, but with that earth-shattering duel as a precedent, the rest inevitably felt somewhat lackluster.

Students from both classes gave it their all or played it safe, until the sun slanted westward and all the exams finally concluded.

The exams were over, but the ripples stirred by that one match in particular were far from settled—like a boulder dropped into a lake, the waves spread rapidly.

On the streets of Konoha, during the walk home from school.

"Hey, did you hear? That genius Kakashi from Class 1-1 lost to a fellow student in today's practical exam!"

"What? No way! Don't the teachers all say Kakashi's strong enough to graduate and become a full genin already? Last time, two seniors who just became genin this year came looking for trouble because they couldn't stand his 'Hokage-in-the-making' reputation, and Kakashi beat them both."

"It's true. And on top of that, Kakashi even used a blade later—White Fang's sword technique! You know he's never drawn a sword against any opponent before!"

"Tch, he used his family's sword technique and still lost? Where did this monster come from? What's his name?"

"Higashino Shinichi! From Class 1-2. They say he's a civilian!"

An upperclassman with inside knowledge spat out the name with certainty.

At a training ground, evening.

"Teacher Chen! Teacher Chen! Did you know? Shinichi! The guy I told you about, my desk mate, Higashino Shinichi! He beat that Hatake Kakashi in today's practical exam!"

Ishizuka Takashi burst into the training ground, shouting at a short, stocky middle-aged man with round little sunglasses and a somewhat comical air, his dark face flushed with pride.

"Oh?" The man called Teacher Chen paused his movements, adjusted his sunglasses, and his tone carried a hint of surprise and interest: "That kid... that strong?"

He knew the reputation of the Hatake boy and had some inkling of the weight of his talent.

Near a residence.

"Shizune, how was the end-of-term exam today?" Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin with her blonde hair, casually flipped through a book without looking up as Shizune returned home. "First place must be that Hatake kid, right?"

"It was fine." Shizune set down her bag, her tone still a bit languid, then added: "But the practical exam's first place wasn't Hatake Kakashi."

"Huh?" Tsunade looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Then who was it?"

"It was Shinichi!" Shizune answered seriously. "He beat Kakashi, twice!"

"Shinichi?" Tsunade paused, as if searching her memory for the name. "The hardworking desk mate you mentioned before, the one with the surprising strength?"

"Yeah." Shizune nodded, recalling the storm of attacks and the long blade that had stopped steadily at the opponent's throat.

The Third Hokage's residence, dinner time.

The atmosphere at the table was warm. The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, his wife Sarutobi Biwako, and their eldest son Sarutobi Shin'nosuke were all present.

Asuma, somewhat excitedly, gestured as he recounted the duel he'd witnessed that afternoon.

"...And then, that guy Shinichi sent Kakashi's short sword flying with one slash! Then he followed up with another attack, and Kakashi couldn't block it at all! In the end, the blade was at his throat! It was too fast!"

The Third Hokage listened silently, his chopsticks pausing slightly.

Shinichi, huh? That child who carried the boulder... managed to defeat Kakashi head-on?

Just then, Asuma Sarutobi suddenly said: "Hey, old man, what's perceptive talent? Today, Inoue-sensei said Higashino Shinichi might have it..."

The Third Hokage's eyes flickered, and he mused: "Perceptive talent is a very precious ability...

The Hatake residence, courtyard.

Hatake Sakumo stood quietly on the veranda, watching his son, who had been silently swinging his blade nonstop since returning from school.

After a long while, Sakumo spoke gently: "Kakashi, it's time to eat."

Kakashi's movements halted. He slowly sheathed his blade and turned to face his father.

"Father, I..."

"Eat first." Sakumo cut him off, his tone calm.

Dinner passed in relative silence, until after the meal, the father and son returned to the courtyard.

"I heard about what happened today." Sakumo looked at his son. "How does it feel to lose?"

"...It stings." Kakashi lowered his head, clenching his fists. "I was too careless, and my strength..."

"Kakashi." Sakumo placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Look at me. A single win or loss means nothing in the long career of a shinobi. Defeat is a mirror that shows you your weaknesses. In my eyes, your talent and potential far surpass mine back then. Your future is not limited to this."

Kakashi looked up, a fire rekindling in his eyes. "I'll definitely beat him next time, Father!"

Sakumo smiled with relief. "I believe you. But training must be gradual; don't rush for quick results."

He paused, his tone shifting to a directive:

"By the way, I'm leaving the village early tomorrow on a mission. It might take a while. While I'm gone, take care of yourself. If there's anything about training you don't understand, write it down for now, and I'll help when I return..."

"Yes, Father! Please be careful on the road!" Kakashi nodded solemnly, turning the bitterness of defeat and the worry of his father's departure into even stronger motivation.

The night in Konoha deepened, but the name Higashino Shinichi, along with his feat of defeating Hatake Kakashi head-on and the faint rumors of his perceptive talent, lingered on.

Yet like a patch of wildfire suddenly ignited, it spread through every corner of the village at an astonishing speed, scorching many people's understanding.

One week later.

The impact of defeating Kakashi was tangible. Walking down the streets, Shinichi could feel the sidelong glances and appraisals from passersby more frequently, occasionally catching fragments of hushed discussions.

This level of recognition was something his years of prior accumulation had never come close to achieving.

During this period, Shinichi's Personal Panel generated new Traits, and some existing ones also upgraded.

However, the core change Shinichi most anticipated stubbornly refused to appear.

Just as Shinichi was growing somewhat disappointed, thinking his plans might have fallen through—

This morning, when he finished his morning training, returned home, and washed up, his mind habitually swept over the Personal Panel.

At the very top of the Talent Traits column, without any warning, a streak of azure light suddenly burst forth!

That light was pure, deep, carrying a transcendent quality utterly different from the previous white and green radiances.

Within the light, a line of text, as if condensed from starlight, slowly emerged and solidified.

[Genius (Blue): You are an absolute genius displaying exceptional talent in all aspects. Efficiency and limits in learning, training, combat, innovation, and every other field receive comprehensive and significant enhancement.]

"Heh... heh heh heh..."

Staring at the newly generated Trait above, a curve tugged at the corner of Shinichi's mouth. A low, trembling laugh spilled from his throat, barely restrained at first.

But that emotion, pent up for far too long, soon became like volcanic magma finally finding a crack—impossible to hold back any longer!

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"