Ninja Academy Student

Higashino Shinichi was born in Konoha Year 36 and grew up in an orphanage.

As an orphan, he had neither a distinguished family background nor a special bloodline, but from birth, a personal panel had floated in his field of vision.

After gradually figuring out how this panel operated, he began a deliberate "persona management."

With the mind of an adult, he displayed understanding and learning abilities far beyond his age early on, earning praise from the orphanage staff and nearby adults for his cleverness.

He ingrained diligence into his daily routine, taking on chores at the orphanage from a very young age, and from the moment he could run and jump, he systematically trained his body—push-ups, running, jumping—all while gritting his teeth to do more and heavier work, just to leave the impression of having an excellent physique.

Even at the dinner table, he openly showed an appetite disproportionate to his small frame, reaching for a second and third bowl, eating cleanly and with focus.

He also cultivated his social connections, playing with the other children in the orphanage, soothing and caring for crying infants, and running errands for the elderly in the neighborhood.

He even once invited the children in the orphanage to strike his back and limbs with smooth wooden sticks, claiming that "a future ninja needs a strong body and strong will." It hurt terribly, but he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound, even acting as if nothing had happened the next day, as if the pain was insignificant.

These bits and pieces—deliberate or unintentional—were like scattered puzzle pieces, eventually converging on his panel into one white trait after another. They were not only the "truth" in others' eyes but also the foundation Shinichi had built for himself on the path to transcendence.

Through years of observation and experimentation, Shinichi gradually figured out some rules for trait generation. The speed and quality of generation seemed closely tied to three factors:

The number of people who recognized a particular trait in him, the depth of their impression of that trait, and the strength, status, or influence of those who recognized it.

For this reason, today's enrollment demonstration of carrying a stone was just another carefully orchestrated persona-building move.

On the first day of school, the Ninja Academy entrance was packed with students, parents, and teachers—a bustling crowd with far more attention than usual.

There was even a chance the Third Hokage was quietly observing the new students' arrival through some means.

And that massive yellow-gray rock, so large it completely hid his body, was a deliberate choice.

This type of rock had a relatively low density, so for the same weight, its volume appeared especially large. When people first saw it, the visual impact would be particularly striking.

The exaggerated contrast between his small frame and the heavy load would grab eyes far more instantly than carrying a smaller but heavier metal block, deepening the shocking impression of natural strength and an inhuman physique.

This behavior was a bit outlandish, but looking around the village, there were plenty of people with even more exaggerated and eccentric actions.

The key reason was that Shinichi urgently needed to accelerate trait generation and upgrades to boost himself.

This was to ensure that in the first school year...

He would defeat Kakashi!

Compared to the potential rewards, this little stir of attention was entirely within acceptable limits.

Kakashi, go ahead and show off your dazzling talent now, let everyone in Konoha acknowledge your genius name!

Don't let me down!

Shinichi took a deep breath, calming the turbulent emotions caused by the weight and his first sight of Kakashi, and walked steadily toward the registration desk.

There, a male teacher in a green chunin vest with a sharp expression sat behind a table, methodically processing documents.

"Name?" the teacher asked without looking up, in a routine tone.

"Higashino Shinichi."

"Do you have your admission letter?"

"Yes, sensei."

Shinichi took the well-preserved letter from his chest and handed it over with both hands. Konoha Ninja Academy was open to all eligible children in the village, regardless of background, but a basic assessment was still required before enrollment.

Every year, quite a few children failed. Might Guy, for example, initially didn't pass and only got in later through a supplementary exam based on his taijutsu specialty.

The registration teacher took the letter, scanned the information and grades, and when he saw a straight line of "A" grades across all subjects, he looked up, a hint of surprise and approval on his face. "All subjects are A? Not bad, solid foundation."

His tone softened a bit. Glancing at Shinichi's birth date on the letter, he casually asked, "You were supposed to enroll last year. Why are you only coming now?"

Shinichi put on his usual warm, slightly apologetic smile and explained calmly, "Yes, sensei. Last year, due to some personal reasons, I needed to save up enough necessary funds, so I delayed a year. I mainly worked at the village's blacksmith shop and a restaurant."

This was, of course, a lie. Shinichi's main reason for enrolling this year was to ensure he was in the same year as Kakashi, even the same class. Only then would the chances of competing on the same stage in practical classes and exams increase significantly.

Second, this year was also his exploration period for the "Occupation" slot. He didn't even need an excuse—an orphaned child working odd jobs to support himself and even saving extra to give back to the orphanage that raised him, showing maturity, independence, and loyalty. What was there to say?

Unfortunately, he tried many occupations, and almost none of them changed.

Only when he joined a kendo dojo, said to be founded by an old samurai from the Land of Iron who settled in Konoha at its founding, and studied swordsmanship for a long time, did the previously blank "Occupation" slot slowly crystallize into new text: [Swordsmanship Apprentice].

It was an occupation card that slightly boosted his physical fitness and accelerated his swordsmanship training, and it granted him a one-time chance to directly draw a new white trait.

The registration teacher's gaze unconsciously flicked to the address on the letter, and his expression froze for a moment. His previously routine attitude was instantly replaced by a barely perceptible awkwardness and understanding.

He cleared his throat, quickly composed himself, and looked at the smiling child in front of him, his tone unconsciously softening. "I see... Your documents are complete. Registration approved. Go over there to pick up your enrollment materials. Work hard at school from now on."

"Yes, thank you, sensei." Shinichi took the form with both hands, bowed politely, and turned toward the materials distribution area.

After completing all the enrollment procedures, he walked steadily toward the school gate. Just as he stepped through the gate, officially leaving the Ninja Academy behind, he felt a sudden shift in his heart.

He paused slightly, his gaze fixed on the empty space ahead, and silently called out in his mind.

The translucent panel, visible only to him, quietly materialized.

[Name: Higashino Shinichi]

[Occupation: Ninja Academy Student (New), Swordsmanship Apprentice]

[Talent: Omitted...]

[Draw Count: 1 time (White)]

His gaze locked firmly onto the new line of text that had appeared in the Occupation column.

[Ninja Academy Student: You have officially become a student of the Ninja Academy, beginning systematic reception of knowledge and training related to ninjas. Under this identity, your perception and control of Chakra, understanding of ninja theory, mastery of conventional weapons, and training efficiency in basic subjects such as Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu will receive a minor boost.]

[Based on the activation of the Ninja Occupation, from now on, the perceptions and impressions others form of you related to ninja talent will generate corresponding Talent Traits in that area. The Occupation level determines the conversion efficiency of others' perception of your relevant talent. When the Occupation level reaches its maximum, you may designate one Talent Trait that meets the conditions to be directly upgraded to the highest quality.]

[You have obtained a one-time draw opportunity: Random White Trait × 1 — you may randomly select one White Trait to generate directly.]