The Only Person

"Brat!" Ignoring the snot-nosed kid's question, Yang Xing packed away a few shuriken and kunai used for training, saying nonchalantly, "How long has it been since we met, back when I started training in hidden weapons?"

"Hmm! Let me count... one, two, three..." The kid moved his fingers, counting with a rare, earnest focus.

Yang Xing, sliding the kunai and shuriken into the pouch at his waist, just sighed lightly and faced the kid. "A year, I suppose."

"Wrong. Thirteen months. One year and one month." The kid turned his head, his expression entirely serious.

"Your math isn't half bad, kid."

"Heh heh!"

"Don't 'heh' at me." Yang Xing felt he was beginning to understand the mood of the cheap teacher in his own class. He sighed deeply, but couldn't help adding, "Look, you following me around... I don't really have anything to teach you. You know as well as I do that my level is the worst in our age group."

The kid tilted his head, thought for a moment, and shook his head earnestly. "That's not true. The shuriken and kunai techniques you taught me are amazing. My level is the best in the class right now."

"That's just because your potential is higher than mine."

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Yang Xing found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh at himself. "Your constitution is already several times higher than mine."

As soon as he finished speaking, before the kid could reply, a loud notification chimed inside his body.

Constitution weaker than a brat's, the worst human. Achievement unlocked. Achievement reached: 1. System attributes increased by 10%. Next achievement goal: 4 stages away.

System, are you sick? What kind of garbage achievement is this? "The worst human"? Are you looking down on me? You... fine, I'll forgive you for the ten percent stat boost. Though, ten percent? What the hell is that even good for? If the system were a man, Yang Xing might have strangled the bastard.

Ah, and if it were a woman?

If she were pretty, he might consider it; if not, he'd beat her to death!

"Yang Xing, you're graduating soon, right? I heard it from the teacher today." The kid's words cut through Yang Xing's internal monologue. "That's so cool! You'll get high-level ninja guidance."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. You'll be there soon enough, too." Not in the mood to answer, Yang Xing just wanted to comfort his own wounded heart, though it was clear this brat was useless for that.

The snot-nosed kid looked dejected. "For me, that's still ten years away."

"Ten years passes in the blink of an eye."

"I blink every time I sleep, so why hasn't it passed yet?"

"That's why you're just a brat! Ugh, don't ask me why! You idiot kid." Yang Xing couldn't take it anymore; he realized if he kept talking, his own IQ would suffer. He stood up abruptly and waved a hand. "My head hurts. I'm going home."

"Oh... but it's not even noon yet."

"You really are a nag."

After walking a few meters away, Yang Xing noticed the silence behind him. He turned his head, looked at the lonely-looking kid, and couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile, muttering, "Looks like I'm stuck with this guy."

A year ago, realizing his chakra control was abysmal, Yang Xing had decisively switched to taijutsu. Unfortunately, as a shut-in from his previous life, his constitution was exceptionally poor, and combined with his laziness, he had abandoned taijutsu halfway through. To become strong, he had to learn something, so he chose the most basic hidden weapons. Although they were only meant to be a supplement, it was the only thing Yang Xing could actually train in.

He never expected that training in hidden weapons would lead to befriending a brat, being watched by said brat, and then being idolized by a toddler not even three years old. That was how this whole headache began.

Stopping in his tracks, Yang Xing turned back, his face turning serious as his words rang out with fervor: "Itachi, shuriken training is about practical combat. Just shooting at stationary objects won't help you grow. Go find fast-moving animals—the faster, the better. Even people will do."

He waved his hand and walked away, looking incredibly carefree, leaving behind only a snot-nosed kid staring blankly ahead, nodding.

The weather was clear, with a few white clouds drifting lazily across the sky.

"Ah, if only I could turn into a cloud. Just drifting around, not having to do anything, not having to be woken up at six in the morning. Six! Six o'clock! If a kid doesn't get enough sleep, they won't grow up." Yang Xing yawned and glanced at the bespectacled teacher walking quietly in front of him, drawling, "Do you understand, Teacher?"

The bespectacled teacher: "..."

Although he had told Yang Xing yesterday that waking him up early wasn't ideal, he only wanted Yang Xing to grow faster. This guy's strength was so low he couldn't even run away from an enemy.

Unfortunately, his good intentions were completely lost on Yang Xing.

"Are you sure that girl is cute?" Yang Xing walked with his hands behind his head, looking up at the sky lazily. "Actually, it's not that I don't trust you, Teacher. I just really doubt your eyes. I don't mean your vision, of course, but your aesthetic sense. Do you understand what I mean by aesthetic sense?"

He felt his brain was about to explode. Who on earth could actually keep this guy in check?

"Enough! Can you just be quiet for a few minutes, please?" The bespectacled teacher finally snapped, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Yang Xing. "Yang Xing, I'm begging you, please be quiet for a moment. If you act like this, you'll never become that person's disciple."

"I never said I wanted to be anyone's disciple."

"Sigh! You'll understand when you get there." Seeing Yang Xing curl his lip, the teacher slumped in defeat, his gait becoming listless and drained.

Well, perhaps only that person could keep this brat in check. Probably.

A small hill rose from the flat ground, cutting off the forest and carving out a plain, creating a sunken, ideal training environment. The wind here was light, and with the forest surrounding it, it was an incredibly secluded spot.

"We're here. Remember, when you see that person, you must—hey! Wait for me to finish! You brat, didn't you look like you had no energy just a moment ago?" Watching Yang Xing dash forward, the teacher froze for a moment before shouting loudly.

Unfortunately, it was clearly in vain.

After a few strides, Yang Xing stepped onto the lush green grass. Only then did he realize how vast and beautiful this place truly was.

He never imagined there was a place like this not far from Konoha. Not having discovered it earlier was a total loss; he would have a place to practice his hidden weapons from now on.