Heaven Rewards Diligence, Perseverance Leads to Success Limited time: 6 days: Release chakra from the tip of your index finger to make one hundred water droplets that don't spread across the surface of the water, and maintain them for thirty seconds (0/100) Reward: Improved chakra control
Byakuya hadn't been woken by his alarm today. He brought up the Fate Grid Panel and looked at the new mission it had issued.
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across his thin cotton quilt, warm and bright.
His mood was warm, too.
Learning Senju Tobirama's Water Release: Water Severing Wave demanded an incredibly precise level of chakra control.
Now, the Fate Grid had come to his rescue just when he needed it most.
Water Severing Wave was an S-Rank Ninjutsu of absurd difficulty. Even with Byakuya's chakra quality greatly improved, he still couldn't manage it.
"Flying Thunder God Technique is just as difficult. The 'spatial energy' that's part of Natural Energy alone has stopped countless ninja in their tracks. But I've got a cheat, and I've experienced Natural Energy myself."
The slight boosts to his Sage Art Talent and Sage Art Affinity (Natural Energy Affinity) had left Byakuya itching to learn Senjutsu and enter Sage Mode.
That was precisely why, when reporting the details of his mission to Danzo, he'd made a point of mentioning his encounter with the Azure-Black Serpent in the Land of Rivers.
That way, asking Danzo for information about Ryūchi Cave later wouldn't seem too abrupt.
Of course, Byakuya would be just as happy to learn Senjutsu at Mount Myoboku.
But he had no reason to approach Jiraiya or Namikaze Minato and ask them to take him to Mount Myoboku.
So last night, he'd planted a seed in Minato's student, Hatake Kakashi, to see if it might take root.
He found some thicker clothes and put them on. He'd grown taller and sturdier, and his old clothes no longer fit.
"I need to buy some new clothes."
His increased stamina, speed, and chakra had also helped his body grow strong and healthy. He had a fit, athletic build and looked vigorous and confident.
After eating egg fried rice, drinking a glass of milk, and having his usual number of eggs,
Byakuya headed to work at the Ninja Academy.
One batch of students graduated, and another came in.
It was like an assembly line, mass-producing ninja who believed in the Will of Fire.
Several people wearing Uchiha Gunbai crests stood outside the gates today. Byakuya paid them no mind and went straight to the storeroom.
He opened all three doors. Before long, a teacher from the Ninja Academy came to request Ninja Tools for training.
"Twenty kunai?"
Byakuya looked at the request form. "That seems like a bit much."
"Huh? Are there not enough in the storeroom?"
"If I give them all to you, there won't be enough for the other teachers who come to request kunai."
"Hasn't the village sent any new Ninja Tools?"
Byakuya shook his head. "With so much going on, supplies are being reserved for the front lines. The Academy isn't going to be a priority."
"Fair enough. How about twelve kunai?"
"That works. Wait a moment, and I'll get them for you."
Byakuya had reorganized the various Ninja Tools in the storeroom, making them easier to sort through.
He piled the kunai into a wooden box and carried it over to the teacher.
"I'll also get you some Chakra Paper and wooden shuriken."
"Sorry for the trouble."
Chakra Paper was used to test students' chakra natures.
After seeing the teacher out, Byakuya soon had another visitor requesting Ninja Tools.
"Byakuya, do you have any kunai left?"
"How many do you need?"
"Twenty."
"Only fourteen are left."
"Wooden ones will do."
"All right."
As he sorted through the Ninja Tools in the boxes, Byakuya turned and asked, "Everyone's busy today."
"We've got new students. The Hyuga, Uchiha, Inuzuka, Aburame, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, and Sarutobi Clans have all sent quite a few."
"That's surprising. I thought those prestigious clans preferred to educate their children themselves."
"You didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"Lord Hokage put pressure on them."
"I see."
"Honestly, those prestigious clans act like they're above everyone else, as if they're a different kind of person from us commoner ninja. You know, even on the battlefield, ninja from prestigious clans would force us commoners to scout out dangerous information while they waited to move until afterward. How many commoner ninja died because of that?"
At last, Byakuya saw the chattering man off. He looked up and spotted Vice Principal Hiroya standing at the far corner, calling his name.
"What can I do for you, Principal?"
Hiroya looked particularly worn, as if he hadn't slept well for days. He seemed listless. "Could you come to my office and talk for a while?"
"Sure. I'll lock up the storeroom first."
On a seat in the storeroom lay books Byakuya had borrowed from the library. They covered Earth Release chakra nature transformation, shape transformation, the characteristics of Earth Release jutsu, and the results of Iwagakure's research and development into Earth Release techniques, among other things.
Aside from books on nature transformation and shape transformation, every other book had some eye-catching title meant to draw attention, while the contents were common knowledge. Fortunately, he'd borrowed them from the library. If he'd paid for them, he'd have been furious.
Hiroya was weighed down by worry. He entered his office and listlessly invited Byakuya to sit.
He shut the door tightly.
"Lord Hokage tore into me! He gave me a thorough dressing-down, saying I'd dared to sow discord at a time when Konoha was in danger! He—he ignored the good intentions I was trying to express! The nerve!"
Last time Byakuya had mentioned Lord Hokage, he'd sounded completely unconcerned.
Hiroya imitated Byakuya, doing his best to seem unconcerned, but his voice still trembled.
"Congratulations."
"Huh?" Hiroya asked in surprise. "What's there to congratulate me for?"
"You'll be principal of the Konoha Ninja Academy soon."
"B-but... Lord Hokage just gave me a terrible scolding!"
"What else were you expecting him to say? Praise you?"
Hiroya suddenly understood. He took a deep breath, then let it out heavily, visibly relieved. "That's right. It would've been bad if he'd praised me! It would've made it seem like Lord Hokage wasn't magnanimous and suspected Lord Danzo. If I'd told Lord Danzo about it afterward, then I really would've been sowing discord."
He gave a thumbs-up.
"Lord Hokage is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! If I become principal, I'll make sure to promote the Will of Fire to the students! Byakuya, you can choose any position at the Academy you want, except for ones like homeroom teacher that involve teaching!"
"Thank you for the offer, Principal. I'm quite suited to being the storeroom keeper."
"Huh? Is your ambition really just to manage a storeroom?"
Byakuya was being honest. "I'll think about it after the war."
"Fair enough. I really admire people like you who... uh, uh, build up their strength in secret and bide their time, you genius!"
"Heh. There's no need for that, Principal. With you as the Academy's principal, I won't have to go out of my way to avoid being sent to the front lines."
"Oh, come now. We're all contributing to Konoha. There's no difference between us," Hiroya said with a hearty laugh.
Byakuya asked, "Has anything major happened in the past couple of days?"
Hiroya quickly gathered his thoughts and told him about the major and minor events he knew of.
Iwagakure had invaded the Land of Wind. After a major battle, the Iwa ninja had suffered a costly defeat and retreated. The news had only just reached Konoha.
Kirigakure Ninja had been unusually active along the coast of the Land of Fire, seemingly plotting something.
Kumogakure and Iwagakure had suddenly started fighting for some unknown reason. Word was that both the Tsuchikage and the Raikage had been deployed.
The entire Shinobi World had become more chaotic by the day. Everyone was fighting, and the whole thing was a complete mess.
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