Bad Omen

"Congratulations, child."

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, wore a gentle, benevolent smile as he personally fastened the forehead protector symbolizing a Konoha ninja onto Shinichi's brow.

"From today onward, you are a true Konoha ninja. Remember the way of the shinobi: protect the village, cherish your comrades."

"Yes, Lord Third!"

After the simple ceremony concluded, Shinichi turned and walked out of the classroom serving as the temporary exam venue. The moment he stepped outside, a familiar wave of lively noise washed over him.

"Shinichi! Congrats on graduating!"

"Awesome! You're a real ninja now!"

"As expected of you, Shinichi!"

Led by Ishizuka Takashi's booming voice, a crowd of familiar classmates had already gathered eagerly around him, chattering congratulations in a warm and sincere atmosphere.

A natural smile spread across Shinichi's face as he nodded in acknowledgment to the encircling students.

"Wait for me, Shinichi!" Takashi clenched his fist tightly, his eyes blazing with determination, his voice full of conviction. "I'll catch up to you soon and become a real ninja!"

"Shinichi, congratulations on graduating." Shizune stepped forward from the side of the crowd, a smile on her face.

She handed him a small, practical-looking medical kit. "These are some basic medical supplies and emergency medicines I made myself. You might find them useful on missions."

"Thank you, Shizune." Shinichi accepted the kit with gratitude.

However, even as he thanked her, a faint trace of regret flickered through his mind.

Over the years, through Takashi's connection, he had successfully approached and received guidance from Teacher Chen Baojun, opening a door in his taijutsu training.

But on Shizune's end, the expected progress hadn't materialized—he had never managed to use her to reach Lady Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin.

His relationship with Shizune was undoubtedly good, and she often vented to him about that "unreliable Lady Tsunade." Yet Shizune had never shown any intention of introducing him.

And Shinichi, having carefully cultivated a persona of being "diligent, grounded, and not one to curry favor," naturally couldn't take the initiative himself, so no substantial progress had been made.

As for Tsunade herself... Shinichi knew well that the legendary kunoichi, having lost both her younger brother and her lover in succession, had long since sealed her heart away, immersed in her own world and pain, indifferent to most external matters.

Shizune, as the niece of Dan Katō, was kept by her side more out of a sense of responsibility and shared grief.

In such a state, it was entirely understandable that Tsunade had no extra interest in a "genius child from another family" and couldn't be bothered to "drop by" like Teacher Chen had.

Still, Shinichi wasn't too disappointed. Building relationships, especially with figures of this caliber, always required the right opportunity and patience.

Maintaining a good relationship with Shizune was itself a valuable long-term anchor, quietly planted.

One day, when the time was right, that anchor might take root and sprout, becoming a bridge to that treasure trove.

"Everyone!" Shinichi raised his voice so all the surrounding classmates could hear. "To thank the teachers for their guidance over the years, and to thank you all for your companionship, I'm planning a small gathering tomorrow afternoon at the Aji no Takimi restaurant. All the teachers, classmates, and elders who've looked after me are welcome to come if you're free."

He said it casually, but those familiar with his style understood this would likely be another sizable open-house feast.

Just like the banquet he'd held two years ago for his swordsmanship teacher, this had become his unique way of expressing gratitude and maintaining personal connections.

As for the cost, Shinichi no longer had to worry about that. That day in the Hokage's office, when the Third Hokage proposed recording the Rasengan as an official Konoha jutsu, he had asked Shinichi what reward he wanted.

Shinichi hadn't asked for jutsu or privileges. Instead, citing a desire to "settle the academy's student loans and ensure a period of undisturbed training free from worldly concerns," he had frankly requested a substantial monetary reward.

This pragmatic and reasonable request was quickly approved.

At this moment, his finances were quite comfortable.

Hosting this banquet served both as a sincere thank-you and as a carefully planned declaration of status and refreshment of perception, aimed at quickly upgrading his Trait from Ninja Academy Student to Genin.

At the same time, it would reinforce the impression of him as someone "loyal, righteous, and grateful"—a benefit with no downsides.

[Bad Omen (Green): Your fortune has begun to touch upon the inauspicious. Occasionally, you will sense faint signs of danger and potential threats.]

The time required for [Ninja Academy Student] to upgrade to [Genin] was far shorter than when [Swordsmanship Apprentice] had advanced to [Swordsman].

This made sense—he was now a promising sapling under the close watch of Konoha's high command, having graduated under the personal witness of the Third Hokage. The relevant recognition and perception naturally came faster and more concentrated.

When the draw opportunity accompanying his Occupation upgrade arrived, Shinichi followed his usual routine: carefully washing his hands, bathing, and changing clothes. After performing a seemingly devout but ultimately useless prayer ritual, he made the draw.

The result was this green Trait called [Bad Omen]. Like the [Good Omen] he had drawn before, it belonged to the mysterious category of fortune and fate.

From the Trait's description, if [Good Omen] was linked to the auspicious and favorable side of fortune, allowing one to occasionally sense good signs and opportunities, then [Bad Omen] corresponded to the inauspicious and dangerous side.

Of course, this didn't mean the Trait had negative effects. Based on years of personal experimentation, Shinichi was convinced that all talent Traits generated by the panel were essentially positive enhancements, differing only in their fields and forms of expression.

Over the past two years, he had tested the [Good Omen] Trait intentionally and unintentionally many times.

For instance, at the slot machines outside the village's gambling den or at luck-based games during village festivals, his winning rate was indeed slightly higher than average. This showed that [Good Omen] subtly boosted his luck.

More importantly, it occasionally brought a vague, intuitive feeling, hinting that opportunities or favorable turning points related to him might be approaching.

By extension, [Bad Omen]'s mechanism should be the opposite, yet still within the realm of enhancement. It likely didn't bring misfortune but instead made him more sensitive to potential disasters? Or made his enemies more unlucky?

Similarly, when a disaster or major crisis concerning him was brewing, [Bad Omen] should occasionally provide a warning akin to that intuitive feeling—like the change in air pressure before a storm. Though not specific, it would be enough to raise alert.

After waiting at home for about three days, Shinichi finally received the specific notice about his team assignment:

His teammates were to meet him at Training Ground 6 at seven o'clock the next morning.

"Training Ground 6?" Shinichi set down the notice, thoughtful.

It seemed this as-yet-unmet teammate had designs on testing his strength first.

Who could they be?

With that curiosity, he passed the night calmly.

The next morning, fully equipped with standard gear, Shinichi arrived at Training Ground 6 on time.

To his surprise, only one figure awaited him in the field.

He was a middle-aged ninja of average build, dressed in plain brown clothes, with a large iron pot conspicuously strapped to his back.

His attire was somewhat odd, even carrying a rustic, comical air.

The moment Shinichi saw him, he felt a flicker of recognition, but couldn't be certain. He stepped forward steadily and offered a polite bow: "Greetings, senior. I am Higashino Shinichi, reporting today. I look forward to your guidance."

The middle-aged man turned, his face breaking into an extremely kind, almost overly simple smile, his tone gentle for a ninja: "Oh, oh, Higashino Shinichi, I know you. Everyone in the village's been saying a remarkable genius has appeared." He scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Never thought you'd end up in a squad with an old nobody like me. Sorry to put you out. I'm Maruboshi Kosuke."

So it was him!

Maruboshi Kosuke!