Death of White Fang

Time flowed silently amidst the sweat-soaked kendo training. During this period, Shinichi had poured most of his energy into practicing at the dojo.

Yet beneath Konoha's calm surface, undercurrents began to stir.

A rumor about the White Fang of Konoha sprouted from somewhere, spreading like silent mold through the streets and alleys.

The core of the rumor was chilling: Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konoha, had abandoned a mission critical to the village, causing immense losses.

The gossip sketched a vague but heavy outline: the mission seemed to involve a noble in the capital of the Land of Fire, even touching on the Daimyo himself.

Because of its gravity, the village had dispatched a top-tier ninja like Hatake Sakumo to ensure success.

Yet at the crucial moment, this hero, burdened with expectations, chose to give up.

The villagers knew nothing of the mission's specifics, nor why the White Fang had abandoned it.

But in their whispers, they were certain: his action had brought incalculable harm to Konoha.

Some even murmured that the Daimyo, far away in the capital, had conveyed his displeasure to the Third Hokage.

This wave of criticism against the hero swept through the village for over half a month, snippets of talk catching ears over meals and idle moments.

Until one day, it was abruptly choked off, as if by an invisible hand.

All public discussion vanished instantly, as if it had never existed, leaving only an unsettling silence, the aftermath of forceful suppression.

Shinichi knew what that silence meant.

That White Fang of Konoha, renowned across the ninja world, was likely... no more.

He sheathed his sword, gazing at the gloomy sky, his heart feeling neither joy nor sorrow.

Time passed quietly. Only three days remained until the Ninja Academy opened.

East of Konoha, inside a modest building called the Yamashita Kendo Dojo.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sharp sounds of air being split and fierce clashes rang out.

After a while, the dojo fell abruptly silent.

"..."

Yamashita Shuji stood still, gripping the remaining half of a sword handle.

He first looked at the pitifully broken blade in his hand, then raised his eyes, his gaze complex as he regarded the black-haired youth before him, who had sheathed his sword and stood with steady breath, barely a trace of sweat on his brow.

In these recent sparring sessions, each one left him marveling at this disciple's almost monstrous physique.

"You can graduate now."

Yamashita Shuji spoke after a long silence, his voice carrying a faint, barely perceptible note of emotion and relief.

"I have... nothing left to teach you."

From the moment this disciple had joined over a year ago, he had seen his remarkable talent in the sword, his calm temperament far surpassing his peers.

But he had still underestimated him.

Especially in the past month or so, ever since the boy had defeated the village-renowned genius Kakashi at the Ninja Academy, it was as if some invisible shackle had been shattered.

His comprehension and progress in swordsmanship advanced by leaps and bounds. What once required repeated guidance now clicked instantly, and he could extrapolate from a single point.

Yamashita Shuji didn't know the cause of this transformative change—perhaps it was the breakthrough in confidence from that victory? Or the result of accumulated effort?

He couldn't trace it, but he could see the result: the youth before him had, in the way of the sword, indeed reached the boundary of what he could teach.

Shinichi heard this and slowly returned his sword to its sheath, his movements meticulous. He faced Yamashita Shuji and bowed solemnly.

"Thank you, teacher, for your diligent guidance over this past year."

Yamashita Shuji waved a hand, a rare hint of warmth on his face. "It's your own effort and talent. Remember, the way of the sword has no end. You've only just begun. The path ahead is yours to walk."

Shinichi straightened, his gaze calm and firm.

"Yes, teacher. I will remember."

Shinichi didn't leave immediately. After a moment's thought, he asked respectfully again, "Teacher, if this disciple wishes to advance further in the sword in the future, to delve deeper, where should I seek guidance?"

His question was not only about personal training but also a subtle inquiry into the future advancement path of the [Swordsman] occupation.

"Konoha's inherited swordsmanship system is itself profound enough to keep you studying for a long time," Yamashita Shuji said first. He paused, then added, "However, if we're talking about the orthodoxy and purity of the sword, the recognized holy land in this world remains the Land of Iron. It is the land of the samurai. If you ever have the chance to go there and see it, it will surely benefit your swordsmanship."

The Land of Iron?

Shinichi repeated silently. If Konoha's swordsmanship system couldn't meet the [Swordsman] occupation's subsequent advancement needs, then the future direction might indeed point to that neutral samurai nation.

Of course, that was a distant matter.

He was now a Konoha Ninja Academy student, a future ninja, and his actions would be bound by many restrictions.

Setting that aside for now, Shinichi shifted the topic, his expression sincere as he spoke, "Teacher, to thank you for your diligent instruction over this past year, this disciple would like to prepare a modest feast tomorrow afternoon at the Aji no Takimi restaurant in the village, as a gratitude banquet. Would the teacher honor us with your presence?"

The gratitude for the teacher's guidance was genuine, but this banquet clearly carried a deeper purpose.

Shinichi was well aware of the customs of this world—similar to real-world Japan, events like graduation leaned more toward simple, ritualistic, and cohesive celebrations within the master-disciple circle or small group, expressing one's feelings.

But what he had to do was completely different.

Drawing on the atmosphere from his past life's memories, he planned to turn this gratitude banquet into a large-scale "feast-style" social event.

He would not only invite Teacher Yamashita and the other senior and junior brothers from the kendo dojo, but also planned to send out invitations widely, or at least spread the word, gathering together people from every circle he knew or had interacted with.

The director of the orphanage that raised him and the children he was familiar with, the blacksmith and his apprentices who had looked after him at the forge, the boss and colleagues from Aji no Takumi, the restaurant where he once worked, his schoolmates...

Through this lively and unconventional open-house feast, he intended to transmit a clear and unmistakable message, embedding it into the cognition of every participant, and even those who merely heard of the event:

Higashino Shinichi had formally graduated from the Yamashita Kendo Dojo, becoming a recognized, genuine, full-fledged swordsman.

This would be an efficient seeding of perception, a crucial step in pushing his [Swordsmanship Apprentice] toward [Swordsman], and yet another precise operation in actively managing his persona to leverage a Trait upgrade.

Hosting such a large-scale banquet would naturally come at no small cost.

But money, for Shinichi at this moment, was hardly a problem.

As an orphan registered in Konoha, he received a basic living allowance every month. After entering the Ninja Academy, his top-tier grades also secured him a substantial scholarship on a steady basis.

Of course, those were mere pocket change. The real key was that shortly after enrolling, he had formally submitted a student loan application to the school, citing the need to "purchase more professional training equipment and ensure proper nutrition to maintain high-intensity training."

The process originally required time for approval, and the amount was limited.

However, just a few days ago, when the loan was finally approved and disbursed into his hands, Shinichi felt a hint of surprise. The amount far exceeded his expectations—one could even call it generous.

It seemed the ripple effect from defeating Kakashi had kicked in once again.