Bad Omen

"Congratulations, child."

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled kindly as he personally tied the Forehead Protector, a symbol of Konoha Ninja, around Shinichi's forehead.

"From today on, you're a true Konoha Ninja. Remember the way of the ninja: protect the village and cherish your comrades."

"Yes, Third Hokage!"

After the simple ceremony ended, Shinichi turned and walked out of the classroom serving as a temporary exam room. As soon as he stepped outside, a familiar wave of commotion washed over him.

"Shinichi! Congratulations on graduating!"

"That's great! You're a real ninja now!"

"Just what I'd expect from you, Shinichi!"

Led by Ishizuka Takashi's booming voice, a group of classmates he knew well rushed over, chattering their congratulations. The atmosphere was warm and sincere.

A smile naturally spread across Shinichi's face as he nodded to the classmates gathering around him.

"Wait for me, Shinichi!" Takashi clenched his fist, his eyes shining with determination. "I'll catch up with you soon and become a real ninja!"

"Shinichi, congratulations on graduating." Shizune stepped forward from the side of the crowd, smiling.

She handed him a small, practical-looking medical kit. "I made some basic medical supplies and emergency medicine myself. They might come in handy on missions."

"Thank you, Shizune." Shinichi accepted the kit and thanked her.

Even so, a faint sense of regret crossed his mind.

Over the years, he'd used Takashi as a connection to meet Teacher Chen Baojun and receive his guidance, opening the door to Taijutsu training.

But things hadn't gone as he'd hoped with Shizune. He'd never managed to get an introduction to Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, through her.

He and Shizune were undoubtedly on good terms, and she often complained to him about "unreliable Lady Tsunade." But she'd never suggested introducing them.

And since Shinichi had always cultivated an image of being "diligent, down-to-earth, and not one to seek favors," he couldn't very well make the first move. So nothing had come of it.

As for Tsunade herself... Shinichi knew perfectly well that the legendary kunoichi, who'd lost both her younger brother and her lover, had long since closed off her heart and withdrawn into her own world of grief, indifferent to most things around her.

She'd taken Shizune, Dan Katō's niece, under her wing more out of a sense of responsibility and shared sorrow than anything else.

In that state, it was only natural that Tsunade wouldn't take a special interest in a "genius kid from someone else's family" like him, or bother to "drop by" as Teacher Chen had.

Still, Shinichi wasn't too disappointed. Building relationships, especially with people of that stature, took time and the right circumstances.

His good relationship with Shizune was already a precious long-term foothold, quietly planted.

Someday, when the time was right, it might take root and grow into a bridge leading to that treasure trove.

"Everyone!" Shinichi raised his voice so the classmates around him could hear. "To thank our teachers for guiding us all these years, and all of you for keeping me company, I'm holding another small gathering tomorrow afternoon at Aji no Takumi. All the teachers and classmates I know, as well as the elders who've looked out for me, are welcome to stop by if you're free."

He said it casually, but anyone familiar with him knew this would probably turn into another large banquet.

Just like the thank-you feast he'd held for his swordsmanship teacher two years ago, it had become his own way of expressing gratitude and maintaining personal connections.

As for the expense, Shinichi no longer had to worry about that. The other day, in the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage had asked what reward he wanted in return for having the Rasengan entered into Konoha's official ninjutsu registry.

Shinichi hadn't asked for a jutsu or special privileges. Instead, he'd plainly requested a generous monetary reward, explaining that he wanted to pay off his school loan and ensure he could focus on training for a while without being distracted by mundane concerns.

The practical and reasonable request was approved quickly.

At present, he was quite well off financially.

The banquet was a sincere expression of gratitude, but also a carefully planned declaration of status and a chance to refresh people's perception of him, helping him upgrade the Ninja Academy Student trait to Genin as soon as possible.

It would also reinforce the impression that he was "loyal, appreciative, and always repaid kindness"—a move with no downsides.

[Bad Omen (Green): Your fortune has begun to take an ominous turn. You'll occasionally sense faint signs of danger and the first stirrings of potential threats.]

The time it took for [Ninja Academy Student] to upgrade to [Genin] was much shorter than it had taken for [Swordsmanship Apprentice] to advance to [Swordsman].

That made sense. He was now a promising young talent under the close attention of Konoha High Command, and he'd graduated under the Third Hokage's personal witness. Naturally, recognition and confirmation came sooner and in greater measure.

When the chance to draw a trait came with his professional advancement, Shinichi followed his usual routine. He washed his hands, bathed and changed, then performed a prayer that looked devout but was actually pointless before making his draw.

The result was this green trait, [Bad Omen], which belonged to the same mysterious realm of fortune as the [Good Omen] he'd drawn before.

Based on the description, if [Good Omen] related to the auspicious and beneficial aspects of one's fortune, allowing someone to occasionally sense positive signs and opportunities, then [Bad Omen] corresponded to its ominous and dangerous side.

Of course, that didn't mean the trait had a negative effect. Based on his own experiments over the years, Shinichi was certain that all talents generated by the panel were positive enhancements in essence. They simply differed in their areas of effect and how they manifested.

He'd tested the [Good Omen] trait several times, both intentionally and unintentionally, over the past two years.

For instance, at the slot machines outside the village's gambling dens or at games of chance during village festivals, he'd won more often than the average person. That showed [Good Omen] really was subtly boosting his luck.

More importantly, it sometimes gave him a vague sense of intuition, hinting that an opportunity or favorable turn related to him might be on the way.

By the same logic, [Bad Omen] should work in the opposite way, while still being a beneficial trait. Perhaps it wouldn't bring misfortune, but would make him more sensitive to potential disasters? Or perhaps it would make his enemies less fortunate?

Likewise, when disaster or a major crisis involving him was brewing, [Bad Omen] should occasionally give him a warning, like a shift in the air pressure before a storm. It wouldn't tell him exactly what was coming, but it would be enough to make him cautious.

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

His teammate would meet him at Training Ground 6 at seven the next morning.

"At the training ground?" Shinichi set down the notice and pondered.

It seemed his as-yet-unmet teammate wanted to test his abilities first.

Who could it be?

Curious, he passed the night peacefully.

The next morning, Shinichi arrived at Training Ground 6 on time, carrying his standard equipment.

To his surprise, only one person was waiting for him on the field.

The middle-aged ninja was of average build and wore plain brown clothes. A large iron pot was conspicuously strapped to his back.

His outfit was rather unusual, with an almost rustic, comical air.

At first glance, Shinichi thought the man looked familiar, but he wasn't sure. He stepped forward and politely greeted him. "Hello, sir. I'm Higashino Shinichi, reporting for duty today. I look forward to working with you."

The middle-aged man turned around with an exceptionally kind, almost overly simple smile. His tone was so gentle he barely sounded like a ninja. "Oh, oh, Higashino Shinichi. I know you. Everyone in the village's been talking about what an incredible genius you are." He scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "I didn't expect you'd end up on a team with an old has-been like me. Sorry to disappoint you. My name is Maruboshi Kosuke."

So it really was him!

Maruboshi Kosuke!