Wind Release Basics (white): You have a keen sense for wind-natured chakra and can control it more smoothly. Your efficiency and success rate when learning and performing basic Wind Release Ninjutsu are slightly increased.
"Wind Release Basics..."
Shinichi silently took a white test strip from the drawer. A moment later, it burst into flames.
"Heh..."
Watching the strip burn to ashes in his hand, Shinichi fell silent again. Then, suddenly, he laughed.
Sometimes, when people were at a loss for words, all they could do was laugh.
Fire Nature.
His chakra nature was pure Fire.
His Personal Panel was a collection of outside perceptions and bonuses. The traits formed from the impressions people had of him granted him various enhancements: [Intelligent] increased his thinking speed and insight, [Diligent] strengthened his focus and reduced fatigue, and [Robust] improved his physical abilities...
His innate talents, however, didn't appear as numbers on the Personal Panel, nor did they generate corresponding traits.
For instance, he could mold chakra and had Fire Nature chakra, but the panel didn't contain traits like [Ninja Talent] or [Fire Nature Chakra].
The Personal Panel was essentially an "external equipment slot," condensed from how others perceived him. The traits on it were all pieces of equipment.
People believed he was "exceptionally intelligent," so the panel generated a piece of equipment called [Intelligent] that increased his intelligence. It had no direct connection to how intelligent he actually was.
So, for someone whose chakra was purely Fire Nature, [Wind Release Basics (white)] was a piece of equipment he couldn't put on or activate for now.
"It's not entirely useless." Shinichi shook his head, trying to console himself.
Generally speaking, learning a new chakra nature transformation required Jonin-level strength and insight, along with years of arduous effort.
With the [Wind Release Basics] trait, at least one day in the future, when he began trying to master wind nature, it would save him quite a bit of effort.
But for now... it was just a useless ornament.
Shinichi walked to the window and gazed out at the peaceful village in the night. The silhouette of Kage Rock was faintly visible in the starlight. He was about to close the panel.
Then, all of a sudden, it changed again!
The [Robust (white)] trait suddenly glowed with a luminous green light. The next moment, it shattered, and a new line of green text appeared.
Natural Strength (green): You possess physical strength beyond the ordinary. Your muscular strength, stamina, and explosive power are enhanced, allowing you to easily accomplish feats of carrying and destruction beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Shinichi froze. In an instant, he felt his heart thump heavily. Then a powerful warmth, like thick mercury, surged through his blood, beginning at his heart and racing through his blood vessels, bones, and sinews to his waist, arms, legs, and every other part of his body. A sense of unprecedented fullness and strength followed.
"Heh... hehehe..."
Feeling the power surging through him, the strength in his body truly swelling, Shinichi lowered his head and his shoulders began to tremble. At last, he couldn't hold back the laughter bubbling up from deep in his throat.
Kakashi!!!
Meanwhile, in the Hokage Office.
The lights were gentle, and mountains of paperwork filled the room. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffed on his pipe as he reviewed a report.
The start of each school year brought more work than usual. So he had to "ask" two old colleagues, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, to work overtime with him.
In the quiet office, Utatane Koharu seemed to remember something. Her tone carried its usual hint of caution and criticism. "Speaking of which, I heard something today. There was a new student, quite young, but rather unconventional. He actually carried a very conspicuous boulder on his back to register at the school, drawing quite a crowd at the entrance. Children these days are such a handful. A ninja should always be composed."
Mitokado Homura looked up from his papers and smiled. His tone was more relaxed. "Oh? Sounds like he's pretty strong. Koharu, it's no harm for children to show a little spirit and let people see what they can do, as long as they don't disrupt order."
Hiruzen's hand, pipe in it, paused. He slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, recalling a scene he'd accidentally glimpsed through his Crystal Ball that day: a small figure carrying a huge boulder far out of proportion to his body, moving with heavy but steady steps.
"I remember that child. His name's Shinichi, right?" The Third Hokage nodded and spoke slowly. "That boulder was certainly heavy. For a child his age, carrying it would be extremely difficult even with chakra to help. But he... seemed to have managed it using nothing but his physical strength."
"Just physical strength?" Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses, looking a little surprised. "Hiruzen, it seems this little Shinichi has a fine physique. He should be a promising student of Taijutsu."
After a moment, the Third Hokage nodded. "He certainly is."
Utatane Koharu said nothing, but the child named Shinichi left a faint impression on her.
The Hokage Office fell quiet again. Only the rustling of papers and the faint hiss of tobacco burning broke the silence.
Two days later, after two days of registration and late enrollment, the Ninja Academy officially opened.
Keeping up the routine he'd followed for years, Shinichi left home for his morning workout at four in the morning.
By the time the first light of dawn appeared, he'd finished training and washed up. He arrived at school right on time, fifteen minutes before class.
He crossed the still-quiet playground and entered the school building.
The door to Class 1-2 stood open, and the classroom rang with the lively chatter unique to children. Shinichi stepped inside and calmly surveyed the seats, most of which were already occupied.
Hatake Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara... The figures belonging to the familiar names from his memories—
Not one of them was in this classroom.
That was a good thing!
Shinichi could only comfort himself with a line from Lao Feng. Then he thought it over and realized it really wasn't so bad.
Kakashi had been in the spotlight since birth, enjoying the title of genius from an early age, but that title was somewhat hollow.
Only after he'd demonstrated his superiority time and again—in class, in ninjutsu, and in actual combat, especially by crushing peers who drew just as much attention, such as the Hokage's son—could he turn the hollow rumor of his genius into an established fact.
"And for me, winning at the height of his brilliance, on the stage where his reputation is most firmly established, will have the best effect."
Besides, even in different classes, the Ninja Academy's combat practice lessons and regular exams would inevitably bring the two classes together. Not to mention the midterms and finals for the entire grade.
"I'm only adjusting the spotlight a little."
Shinichi's thoughts raced as he surveyed the classroom again. By now, almost every seat was taken. His gaze finally settled on the spot by the window in the upper-right corner—a desk long enough for three, with only one girl sitting there at the moment.
Before you continue