Throwing Kunai from Eight Hundred Meters Away

Rin Nohara saw Obito Uchiha's embarrassment.

He stood frozen in place, wearing an expression like a sweating soybean.

"Um... Obito, maybe let Hikawa explain it. You should get back to whatever you were doing."

Rin Nohara took back her notebook and chose her words carefully.

"It's not that I don't understand. I just..."

Obito Uchiha craned his neck, his face flushed red as he stubbornly tried to explain himself.

What followed was a string of incomprehensible remarks, things like "It's too simple" and "I'll explain it to you alone."

The classroom, both inside and out, was filled with cheerful air.

Yuhi Kurenai could not help but laugh.

Though she sat far away, she had been watching Hikawa the whole time, so she heard everything Obito Uchiha had said.

How should she put it?

She bore no ill will; she simply found his words inexplicably funny.

She was not the only one. Shizune and the others near Obito Uchiha were laughing too.

Only Sarutobi Asuma was not. He even felt sympathy for him.

Because he understood that feeling of having the one you loved taken away far too well!

Sarutobi Asuma could not help but shake his head.

He felt as if a pitifully thick barrier stood between him and them.

Painful! So painful!

But he could not bring himself to let go just like that.

Hikawa's mouth twitched.

I'm from Dunhuang. This is a mural.

"Obito."

Rin Nohara called out awkwardly.

"I... I'll go back to my seat first. Come back soon!"

Obito Uchiha glared at Hikawa, then turned and left.

"Sorry."

Rin Nohara smiled sheepishly and said softly, "That's just his personality. He can be a little impulsive sometimes, but he's a good person."

"It's fine. I'll continue explaining."

For now, Hikawa was not worried about Obito Uchiha causing trouble.

His current strength would not allow it, and Rin Nohara was still alive.

Hikawa actually hoped Obito Uchiha would challenge him so he could play around with him a little.

Maybe he could even obtain a Fire Release talent.

The only trouble was Madara Uchiha and Black and White Zetsu.

At this point in time, they might have already set their sights on Obito Uchiha.

"Thank you."

Rin Nohara thanked him earnestly before returning to her seat.

The weight hanging over Obito Uchiha's heart finally lifted.

He clenched his fists and swore that he would study hard.

But... one look at the math problems, and forget it. Forget it. He could not study this stuff.

If theory would not work, then he would start with strength.

Obito Uchiha thought of the practical portion of the Final Exam. Perhaps that would be his chance.

Hikawa had no idea what he was thinking.

After school, he greeted Yuhi Kurenai before heading toward Tsunade's house.

His "Seven Ninja Tools" Entry was only 2% away from completion.

If he worked a little harder today, he could hit a home run.

Hikawa stopped when he passed by the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore.

It was this popular?

Watching the customers lined up to buy books, he thought to himself that this was settled. The money would not be too little.

Hikawa had already decided how to use his first pot of gold: forge a sword.

He had been practicing Konoha-Style Swordsmanship with a wooden sword, but that definitely would not do in actual combat.

It did not feel right to ask Yuhi Shinko for money.

After all, he had already helped him too much.

Hikawa stroked his chin.

He wondered if he could buy a Chakra Metal tachi.

Chakra Metal referred to a material that could better channel Chakra, increasing both attack power and attack range.

Because of its special effects, it was extremely expensive.

In the original work, Sarutobi Asuma was one of the few ninja who used Chakra Metal blades.

Hikawa guessed he had not bought them himself. They had probably been a gift from Sarutobi Hiruzen.

A perfect-score Konoha essay: "My Hokage Father."

Hikawa crossed the streets and quickly arrived at Tsunade's house.

Since he came often, he was already quite familiar with the route.

Tsunade's home was actually the former residence of Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, located between Hokage Rock and Konoha Hospital.

Hikawa raised his hand and knocked, but no one answered.

Had she gone gambling again? Or was she at Konoha Hospital?

At this time of day, the former was more likely.

Hikawa went to the open space in front of the door, took out his wooden sword, and began grinding proficiency in Konoha-Style Swordsmanship.

Konoha-Style Swordsmanship was a complete system, but in the original work, it had two sword techniques of immense power.

The first was Maruboshi Kosuke's Konoha Style: Willow.

The second was Crescent Moon Dance, which Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao had used.

Konoha Style: Willow had been created by Maruboshi Kosuke, so it could not be learned.

But Crescent Moon Dance could be learned.

Unfortunately, Hikawa was not qualified yet.

Because Crescent Moon Dance had to be combined with the Shadow Clone Technique.

At that moment, Hikawa suddenly raised an eyebrow.

Was that an earthquake?

He instinctively turned around and saw Tsunade with an unpleasant expression on her face.

With a light stomp, she crushed a stone on the ground to powder. Cracks spread across the ground like a shattered eggshell.

"When did you get here?"

Tsunade's expression softened somewhat when she saw Hikawa.

"A few minutes ago."

Hikawa blinked and said, "I'm free tomorrow. We can go to the Casino."

If nothing unexpected happened, he would obtain the "Seven Ninja Tools" Entry today. In that case, taking half a day off would not matter.

Tsunade was slightly taken aback at his words.

She brushed aside the hair by her ear, then reached out and flicked Hikawa's forehead.

"I may like gambling, but I haven't gone that far."

Tsunade smiled.

Hikawa wanted to say something, but stopped himself.

That sentence was completely unconvincing.

Who had come looking for him while he was in class?

But he did not dare say it aloud.

Because he was afraid Tsunade would flick his forehead hard enough to send him to the afterlife.

After all, Super Strength had a proven track record.

"Come on, let's go inside."

Tsunade swept away her gloom and said excitedly, "Once we finish studying today, we'll go to the Casino tomorrow!"

Did you learn that face-changing speed from your two-thousand-ryo teammate?

Hikawa looked up and saw Tsunade changing shoes in the entryway.

Her left hand pressed against the wall as she bent slightly, her hips forming a full curve. Her arm stretched straight as her right hand removed her shoe.

The pale sole of her foot flashed into view before quickly stepping onto the carpet.

"Don't just stand there. Get inside."

Tsunade glanced at Hikawa, then walked barefoot into the living room.

"Okay."

Hikawa hurriedly followed.

As before, the two held scalpels and dissected a live chicken.

An hour later, Hikawa's body trembled as several lines of text appeared before his eyes.

E-Rank Talent Entry: Seven Ninja Tools (Obtained).

Trigger Condition: Beginner proficiency in Seven Ninja Tools.

Effect: The power of all ninja tools increases by 10%.

The synthesis conditions for D-Rank Ninja Tool Mastery have been met. Synthesize?

After synthesis, the effects of lower-rank entries of different types will not disappear.

With a thought, Hikawa chose to synthesize without hesitation.

D-Rank Talent Entry: Ninja Tool Mastery (Obtained).

Trigger Condition: Synthesized from the E-Rank Entries "Seven Ninja Tools" and "Ninja Tool Throwing."

Effect: Increases arm strength by 30% on the original basis. When using ninja tools, grants an Eightfold Scope effect.

Damn!

A plant.

Hikawa had expected a 30% increase in arm strength, but he had not expected something as absurd as an Eightfold Scope.

Translate that for me—what the hell was a surprise?

Kakuzu throwing kunai from eight hundred meters away might actually become reality.