Wonderful Cow Sensation

Nighttime.

Akiyama Shun arrived at Yuhi Kurenai's home, and Yuhi Shinku had returned as well.

The feast on the table remained as sumptuous as ever.

"Congratulations, Shun, you've taken first place again. Although, I've lost count of how many times I've said 'again' now."

Yuhi Shinku looked at Akiyama Shun with a hearty smile, the more he looked, the more satisfied he became.

He had already felt it was incredible that the boy had mastered the Shuriken Manipulation Technique without a teacher, but he hadn't expected that to be merely the beginning for Akiyama Shun.

Now, he had even mastered the Great Fire Dragon Technique!

"Thank you, Uncle Shinku. You'll have plenty more opportunities to say 'again' in the future."

Akiyama Shun took a satisfying bite of meat and spoke.

Yuhi Shinku froze for a moment, then patted Akiyama Shun on the shoulder.

"Hahahaha, then I shall look forward to the next time I say it!"

"Father, you weren't there, you didn't see it—Shun's swordsmanship was amazing too! Kakashi's White Fang swordsmanship was no match for him at all!"

Yuhi Kurenai stood up, hands on her hips, her face full of pride, as if she were the one who had defeated Kakashi with sword techniques.

"Is that so? Hahahaha, perhaps one day he will become a powerhouse just like the White Fang."

Watching his daughter's expression, Yuhi Shinku smiled. It seemed as though he were merely joking, but in truth, he genuinely believed that Akiyama Shun would one day be as strong as the White Fang of Konoha.

After all, the talent Akiyama Shun had displayed thus far was simply too terrifying.

"Right, you're on break now, aren't you? Make sure to relax during the holidays; balancing work and rest is the best way to go."

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle Shinku. I will keep that in mind."

Amidst the laughter of the three, dinner came to an end.

Akiyama Shun did not stay at Yuhi Kurenai's house.

Even if they didn't mind, Akiyama Shun was still not accustomed to living in someone else's home.

On the way home, Akiyama Shun noticed a figure leaning against a wall by the roadside, appearing to have been waiting for him for quite some time.

The figure was small, looking about his own age, and carried a sword.

Akiyama Shun recognized this person.

Uzuki Yugao.

In the original story, she was Gekko Hayate's lover and an elite Anbu.

After Gekko Hayate died, she became a widow.

Like Gekko Hayate, she also studied Konoha Style Swordsmanship.

She was a B-rank ninja in the Naruto mobile game.

However, the B-rank ninja was her adult form; this [Uzuki Yugao (Young)] version had not been released yet.

"Classmate Akiyama Shun, I've finally waited for you to come home."

Seeing Akiyama Shun return, Uzuki Yugao hurried over with a light jog.

Before Akiyama Shun could even react, she bowed to him.

"Classmate Akiyama Shun, the swordsmanship you used earlier was Konoha Style Swordsmanship, right?"

Although it was a question, Uzuki Yugao actually knew in her heart that what Akiyama Shun used was indeed Konoha Style Swordsmanship!

Uzuki Yugao's Konoha Style Swordsmanship had always been self-taught, and she was currently only at the introductory level; without someone to teach her, further progress would be exceptionally difficult.

She had been trying to find a master for a long time, but there weren't many people in Konoha who practiced this sword style, and those powerhouses weren't easy to meet—until she saw Akiyama Shun use the Dance of the Crescent Moon during the practical assessment!

She knew her chance had come!

"Oh, that's right."

Akiyama Shun nodded.

"Please, teach me! I want to become as strong as you! I will pay tuition!"

Looking at Uzuki Yugao, who was still bowing without lifting her head, Akiyama Shun hesitated for a second before agreeing.

It wouldn't waste much time anyway, and teaching her while he was at it was no big deal.

Besides, how should he put it...

It was using the future Gekko Hayate's sword techniques to teach Uzuki Yugao, who was originally his fiancée.

Hmm, there was a strange sense of cuckoldry in that.

"Sure. You don't need to pay tuition. I review this sword style every day; you can watch from the side, and I'll guide you as I go."

Hearing Akiyama Shun agree, Uzuki Yugao lifted her head, her eyes looking at Akiyama Shun as if they were glowing.

"Thank you very much, Classmate Akiyama Shun!"

Seeing that she was about to bow again, Akiyama Shun hurriedly helped her up.

"I practice at the back mountain every day; you can find me there. For today, just go home and get some rest."

Nighttime.

The residence of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Akiyama Shun is so amazing! I really don't know where he learned all that, but I'm going to work hard from now on too!"

At the dinner table, Asuma and the Sarutobi couple were chattering away about what had happened during the practical assessment earlier that day.

After listening, the Sarutobi couple exchanged a glance and both revealed a faint smile.

Seeing their own child suddenly wanting to put in effort, they were naturally pleased.

However, Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts drifted toward Akiyama Shun.

Learning?

Learning—that was a word Sarutobi Hiruzen was all too familiar with.

He had learned under the Second Hokage, and the Sannin had learned under him; it was the essential path to becoming stronger.

But ever since he discovered Akiyama Shun using Shadow Clones to clean, Sarutobi Hiruzen liked to keep an eye on what the boy was doing whenever he had free time.

He was indeed very hardworking, but his efforts were always spent reviewing things he had already mastered.

Did Akiyama Shun really...

Even go through a learning phase?

Mystical Palm Technique, Shadow Clones, Great Fire Dragon—he had never seen anyone teach Akiyama Shun these ninjutsu, nor had he ever seen him in the process of learning them.

Could this guy really just watch someone use a technique once and be able to learn it?

No, that might be plausible for those ninjutsu.

But no one had ever used the Dance of the Crescent Moon in front of him!

The only opportunity Akiyama Shun had to come into contact with that swordsmanship was when he had previously asked Tsunade for the manual on Konoha-Style Swordsmanship.

At the time, Tsunade had even said, "Kid, don't waste your medical talent. Just take a look at that stuff if you want, but practicing it takes a long time."

Wait a minute...

This guy, he didn't just learn it by looking at the manual once, did he?

Sarutobi Hiruzen contributed a bit to global warming.

During the remaining vacation time, a new item was added to Akiyama Shun's daily routine.

That was teaching Uzuki Yugao the Konoha-Style Swordsmanship.

Aside from that, it was just normal training and making money for Tsunade.

A few days before school was about to start.

Akiyama Shun successfully saved up another [3304] gold coins.

No need for words!

Let's go!

During this period, in order to graduate as quickly as possible, Akiyama Shun would immediately draw from the lottery whenever he saved up 1600 gold coins.

Before school started, he successfully completed two ten-pulls, with the results being:

[Secret Scroll]

[Forbidden Technique: Yin Healing Wound Destruction X2 (2/5)]

[A-Rank Ninja]

[Namikaze Minato (New Year Limited) Shards X8 (8/40)]

[B-Rank Ninja]

[Hatake Kakashi (Youth) X40 (40/40)]

[Haku Shards X30 (30/40)]

[...]

[C-Rank Ninja]

[Tsunade (Youth) X8 (8/10)]

[...]

Artifacts and Summoning Beasts still hadn't appeared, but that was normal; if rarity were classified by shards, those two items were on the same level as S-Rank Ninjas.

However, none of that was important.

What was important was...

Young Kakashi has finally been released!

Chidori and the White Fang's swordsmanship!

It is time to apply for early graduation!

Before planning to apply for early graduation, Akiyama Shun first found Tsunade to express his thoughts.

Tsunade did not say much, and was even somewhat puzzled as to why he was only applying for early graduation now.

However, just before Akiyama Shun left, Tsunade spoke one more sentence.

Kakashi's father, Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konoha.

Is dead.