Kekkei Genkai

The commotion caused by the Accio spell did not spread throughout the training grounds.

The young Ninja Academy students were short-sighted.

Their attention was limited solely to the fact that the shuriken had curved; lacking flashy special effects, "mere" shurikenjutsu was far from enough to spark a wave of gossip.

The Chunin instructor in charge, Uesugi Taro, had a slightly broader perspective than the children.

He believed his student had created a new, unrecorded jutsu. Although the practical application was currently less than ideal, it could still be counted as a professional achievement to bolster his resume as an academy teacher.

With this in mind, Uesugi immediately reported the situation to his superiors.

It was not until Yamada Soji met the specialist in charge of ninjutsu organization and instruction at the administrative office—thanks to the school's recommendation—that this consistently underestimated situation finally began to change.

The man first had Soshi demonstrate the ability several times on the spot, then performed a rough physical examination, ultimately overturning the conclusion Uesugi Taro had submitted.

"There are no obvious elemental fluctuations, yet calling it a non-elemental ninjutsu feels slightly off... This doesn't resemble a standard jutsu at all."

The man speaking was Tanaka Masanari, who bore a gruesome scar across his forehead and left eye.

Strictly speaking, he was not officially on the Ninja Academy staff.

However, since the time of Senju Tobirama, it had become tradition for the Hokage to serve concurrently as the Academy principal, making dispatched ninjas from the Hokage Office like him permanent fixtures at the school.

Though Tanaka had retired from the front lines due to his injuries after serving under Sarutobi Hiruzen, his insight was clearly superior to that of the younger Chunin.

Consequently, after his professional analysis, the questions surrounding Yamada Soji immediately became complex.

"Then what type of jutsu do you think this is?" The academy teachers crowded around the special Jonin from the Hokage Office, casting their gazes toward young Soshi.

"Hard to say. Has this child's chakra nature been confirmed?" Tanaka Masanari did not jump to conclusions, instead turning to his colleagues to ask for further data.

Uesugi, the teacher nominally in charge of the class, was visibly stunned.

With so many students enrolled in the Ninja Academy, it was impossible for him to remember every single one.

Suddenly put on the spot, he could only rub his chin and search his chaotic memories for an answer.

"Uh... I believe it should be..."

"Lord Tanaka, teachers, according to the results of the chakra paper test, my chakra only possesses the Earth nature.

Of course, the last test was at the beginning of the year, about six months ago, so I am not sure if anything has changed since then."

At that moment, Yamada Soji, who had remained silent, took the initiative to speak.

Facing the intense scrutiny of the teachers, Yamada Soji, who had lived two lifetimes, did not show the nervousness of a mouse meeting a cat.

While helping Uesugi out of his predicament, he bowed politely to the seniors present with grace and decorum.

His words were clear and logically sound; not only did he resolve everyone's doubts, but his tone lacked any arrogance, stating the facts in the most appropriate manner possible.

This reaction caused a flash of subtle surprise in Tanaka Masanari's remaining eye, and he shifted the focus of the conversation back to the boy himself.

"In that case, you haven't practiced any chakra nature transformation?"

"No. It is shameful to admit, but I have mediocre talent in chakra reserves and nature manipulation. My teachers often advise me to keep my feet on the ground and not waste precious time on areas beyond my reach." Yamada Soji's words were sincere, and as he explained, he nodded to the teachers present to show his gratitude.

"Did any relatives at home teach you any unusual training methods?"

"No." Yamada Soji shook his head. "My father unfortunately perished in the last Great Ninja War, and my mother was a civilian who passed away when I was young."

"Any secret family scrolls?"

Yamada Soji continued to shake his head. "The old house has been in disrepair for years and is uninhabitable. I have been living in an apartment provided by the village for orphans."

"Then when did you discover you had the ability to attract objects?"

"While practicing shurikenjutsu." Yamada Soji paused for a moment before adding, "It was two or three days ago."

"Hmm... In that case, your situation can likely only be classified as some kind of special Kekkei Genkai."

"A Kekkei Genkai?"

"Is that for real..."

"Aside from those great clans, this is the first time I've seen one."

As soon as Tanaka Masanari finished speaking, the academy teachers around him began to whisper.

For the ninjas of Konoha at this time, the peak combat power of Wood Release and the Sharingan had not yet become myths, the infamous Uchiha rebellion had not yet occurred, and the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan was still an indispensable reconnaissance tool in the era of war; thus, they held Kekkei Genkai in high regard.

They looked at the eleven-year-old boy with eyes full of envy, curiosity, or jealousy.

Yet, as the center of attention, Soshi remained humble and cautious, even deliberately lowering his eyes out of politeness to avoid direct contact with any of them.

This ability to adapt and avoid awkwardness in interpersonal interactions caused Tanaka Masanari, who had seen life and death, to silently raise his estimation of the boy.

By comparison, the nature of the unknown Kekkei Genkai itself became less important.

While there were many ruthless individuals in this chaotic world who could turn the tide of battle single-handedly, the vast majority of people still had to return to team collaboration where everyone performed their own duties.

...Geniuses die young, and secret arts are lost.

Having seen such things many times, Tanaka Masanari's value system was naturally different from that of ordinary people.

Looking at the result, while emotional intelligence could not directly increase a ninja's strength, "lone wolves" who could not integrate into a team often died faster.

And dead men are not worth befriending.

Therefore, the goodwill Tanaka Masanari extended toward Yamada Soji did not stem from his talent, but rather from the mature aura the boy displayed, which far exceeded his age. Unknowingly, this shifted Soshi in his mind from a wet-behind-the-ears fledgling to a junior colleague capable of normal communication.

As a result, his attitude immediately became much gentler.

After all, one's attitude toward cannon fodder and a future colleague could naturally not be mentioned in the same breath.

"If this is truly a new Kekkei Genkai, your value to the village will no longer be that of an ordinary Ninja Academy student."

Jonin Tanaka waved his hand to silence the whispers of the other teachers and spoke to Yamada Soji once more: "Regarding your future path, do you have any thoughts of your own?"

"Yes, I respect all arrangements made by Lord Tanaka and the teachers."

Tanaka Masanari smiled faintly at these words, offering no commitment.

A performance requires a full set of acts.

Having weathered the initial twists and probes, Yamada Soji would naturally not stumble at this most critical step.

Therefore, regardless of what calculations he held in his heart, the first words out of his mouth had to align with the persona he had established and the core values Konoha Ninja Village had upheld for decades.

The experienced Jonin Tanaka clearly understood the necessity of this platitude, so he did not interrupt the boy's confession halfway through.

Sure enough, after a brief moment of contemplation, Soshi continued, leading into his true intent: "However, I know my own limitations in the practice of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu."

"To better protect the Will of Fire, I hope to obtain the permission of you teachers to focus on researching medical-style techniques during my final year of study, so as to accumulate knowledge for my future career." The dagger was revealed at the end of the map; Yamada Soji bowed deeply.

"You want to become a medical ninja?" Tanaka Masanari raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I only hope to possess a specialized skill so that I may provide assistance to my teammates in the future and better complete our missions."

Medical Ninjutsu, represented by the Mystical Palm Technique, had been widely circulated as a combat support skill since the Warring States period.

Although the status of medical ninjas was not prominent before Princess Tsunade formally proposed that every combat squad must be assigned medical personnel, the techniques themselves had actually matured through the baptism of years of war.

...The problem was that the Kekkei Genkai Yamada Soji had currently displayed seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with medicine.

The fact that the other party suddenly made such a request truly caught Jonin Tanaka off guard.

But in view of the good impression Yamada Soji had previously built up, he ultimately did not refuse the boy's request.

After consulting with the other teachers, the 11-year-old graduate-to-be successfully obtained the opportunity to intern at Konoha Hospital for the coming year!