At Last

Shinichi listened quietly to their conversation, his face still wearing that gentle, composed expression.

The student who'd brought it up, of course, was Shinichi himself.

Just last month, during another practical lesson where the two classes' schedules overlapped, Shinichi still hadn't rushed to challenge Kakashi.

He'd silently watched from the crowd as Kakashi used Fire Release with greater skill and overwhelming force, defeating Asuma, the Hokage's son, in a clean, decisive match.

When their classmates marveled, "Kakashi seems to be able to use ninjutsu of all five chakra natures," Shinichi had seemed to recall something. In a casual, offhand tone, he'd remarked, "Speaking of which, I read at the library that the First, Second, and Third Hokage all seemed to have been born with chakra of all five natures..."

Whether the First, Second, and Third Hokage had really all been born with chakra of all five natures didn't matter. Whether there had been other shinobi like that in Konoha's history didn't matter either.

What mattered was that a simple, powerful association had been quietly planted in the minds of everyone who'd heard him: five chakra natures ≈ Hokage.

Kakashi had the makings of a Hokage!

As far as Shinichi was concerned, the more famous Kakashi became, the brighter his halo shone, the better.

"But I still think Shinichi's more impressive," Ishizuka Takashi said, openly taking sides. "If Shinichi fought Kakashi, he'd definitely win."

At that, Shizune looked up, her gaze lingering for a moment on Shinichi's calm profile.

Shinichi?

In her eyes, her deskmate was undoubtedly outstanding, the best in their class. His grades were impeccable in every subject, making him a model student among model students.

His daily morning routine of running laps around the school grounds with a huge boulder on his back was a little bizarre, but she couldn't help admiring the perseverance behind that day-after-day effort.

Shinichi was certainly excellent, but to Shizune, that excellence made him a steady, dependable model student.

Kakashi, on the other hand... seemed to belong to another dimension. His talent was dazzling: chakra of all five natures, an all-around ability that outclassed his peers, and the title "the Hokage's next in line," which had already spread throughout the village.

Taken together, it all created an impression of a legendary, once-in-a-generation genius.

It was a distant brilliance that made it hard even to consider comparing oneself to him.

Shinichi took in the subtle appraisal in Shizune's glance. He stood up with a smile and said in an even tone,

"Whoever I'm matched against, I'll just do my best. I'm going to practice my swordsmanship."

[Name: Higashino Shinichi]

[Occupation: Ninja Academy Student/Swordsmanship Apprentice]

[Traits: Innate Strength (Green), Diligence Compensates (Green), Intelligent (White), Affinity (White), Foodie (White), Tenacious (White), Agile (White), Calmness (White), Wind Release Basics (White), Taijutsu Basics (White), Swordsmanship Basics (White).]

Shinichi looked away from the Personal Panel, visible only to him.

Compared to when he'd first enrolled, his panel had changed considerably over the course of the semester, thanks to his steady cultivation of his public image.

First, his original white Trait, [Diligent], had advanced to the green [Diligence Compensates].

[Diligence Compensates (Green): Diligence makes up for shortcomings, and effort always pays off! When learning, training, or working, you'll make slight progress without fail, while also improving your focus and reducing fatigue!]

The Trait's effects were simple but powerful: improving focus and reducing fatigue. Compared with the previous white Trait, the improvement in those two areas was only slight.

But its true essence lay in the latter half: "you'll make slight progress without fail."

Those few simple words seemed almost miraculous to Shinichi.

They meant consistency, predictability, and the absence of bottlenecks.

As long as he put in time and effort, he was guaranteed to get something in return. No matter how meager the gains, they would accumulate over time, forming a staircase that led to limitless possibilities.

In addition, two new white Traits had appeared on his panel:

[Taijutsu Basics (White)] and [Swordsmanship Basics (White)].

[Taijutsu Basics (White): Your physical coordination, strength, and endurance are superior to those of ordinary people. You learn and master taijutsu techniques faster, and can more easily judge the right moment to apply force in taijutsu combat.]

[Swordsmanship Basics (White): You have an excellent feel for the sword and a keen aptitude for swordsmanship. You learn techniques quickly and maintain a steady stance, and can spot an opponent's openings more precisely in battle.]

The changes they brought were immediate and practical: Taijutsu Basics improved his control over his body, the efficiency of his movements, and his ability to seize the right moment in taijutsu combat.

Swordsmanship Basics enhanced his feel for the sword, his aptitude for learning techniques, and his sharpness in spotting openings during battle.

Both Traits had genuinely raised his baseline ability and accelerated his growth in their respective fields.

He collected his thoughts, stopped looking at the panel, and began practicing his swordsmanship in earnest. That afternoon's practical exam would test his progress so far, and also give him another opportunity to plant an idea in people's minds.

He was practicing his swordsmanship, and warming up!

That afternoon, on the training field, the homeroom teachers of Class 1 and Class 2 gathered and spoke in low voices, apparently confirming the final arrangements.

Then Matsumoto Fumio, the Chunin homeroom teacher of Class 2, stepped in front of the line and took out a new form.

"Everyone, we've reached the final part of this term's exams: the practical assessment." Teacher Matsumoto's clear voice carried across the field. "To ensure a comprehensive evaluation, this assessment will combine students from Class 1 and Class 2. Inoue-sensei and I have matched you with opponents of similar ability based on your past records. The aim is to assess what you've learned this term in taijutsu, basic ninjutsu, and practical combat."

He cleared his throat and scanned the list. "All right, the first match is Namiashi Raidō of Class 1 against Higashino of Class 2..."

"Please wait a moment, Teacher Matsumoto."

A calm, clear voice interrupted him.

Teacher Matsumoto was taken aback, but when he saw it was Shinichi, he didn't look annoyed. Shinichi was usually steady and sensible, so he must have had a reason for speaking up. The teacher asked gently, "Is something the matter, Shinichi?"

"Teacher, since you said the opponents were matched based on our past grades, then..."

Shinichi stepped out from the crowd, his gaze sweeping across the Class 1 line opposite him before finally settling on the quiet, silver-haired figure.

"As the top student in Class 2, I should be matched against Kakashi, the top student in Class 1."

A murmur spread across the training field as eyes shifted between Shinichi and Kakashi.

Ishizuka Takashi clenched his fists, his eyes shining. Shizune's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Shinichi.

The students in Class 1 also showed surprise and curiosity.

Teacher Matsumoto clearly hadn't expected such a direct, specific request, and he was troubled.

He knew Shinichi was right, but he'd also let a little personal bias affect the matchups.

In his view, Shinichi was talented, but still far behind Hatake Kakashi.

He was worried that such a lopsided match might crush this excellent student's confidence if Shinichi lost decisively. As his teacher, he couldn't help wanting to protect him.

Just as Teacher Matsumoto was struggling to think of a way to smooth things over, a calm, emotionless voice spoke up:

"I don't mind."