Non-Core Personnel of the Anbu Training Department

The Fate Grid tasks for the following two days were training in taijutsu and the Clone Technique; the rewards no longer surprised Byakuya, providing only minor improvements to his reflexes and stamina.

The fourth day.

Byakuya dressed in crisp black clothes and trousers, donned his forehead protector, and arrived at the Ninja Academy early to wait for Vice Principal Hiroya.

"You've arrived, Byakuya."

"Good morning, Principal." Byakuya was respectful and deferential.

Hiroya opened his office door with a beaming smile: "Come in, fill out the form, and register as a genin... Aren't you excited? To become a Konoha ninja and protect the village—what an honor!"

Not really, Byakuya thought to himself.

"Yes, it is an honor to become a genin of Konoha. I will certainly not let Principal Hiroya's cultivation go to waste."

"Heh heh, just do your best, doing your best is enough."

After filling out the genin registration form, Hiroya pulled another document from his drawer.

"This is..."

"Oh, this? It's an application form for an external operative of the Anbu Training Department."

Byakuya was shocked to his core, though he kept his expression blank: "An external operative for the Anbu Training Department? This Humble One has never heard of this department."

"Just fill it out. I had a friendship with your parents; they were heroes of Konoha, and you are a hero's son. I would never harm you."

Byakuya re-evaluated this Vice Principal. He had assumed Hiroya was one of Sarutobi Hiruzen's men, but it seemed he actually belonged to Shimura Danzō. "Principal, for a genin like me, isn't it..."

"As long as a person has value, they are not trash. But those with absolutely no value—Senkaku Byakuya, do you know what becomes of them?" Hiroya asked with a beaming smile.

Damn it, what a sly old fox. I've been acting so mediocre, yet I'm still being schemed against. You "Root" people really aren't picky about your recruits!

At this point, there was no use in arguing, and he was in no position to resist.

Byakuya obediently filled out the application for the Anbu Training Department external operative.

Hiroya picked up both forms: "Genin Senkaku Byakuya, it is time for you to head to the warehouse to work. I will go to the Hokage Building to submit your documents."

"I am truly troubling you, Principal."

"Heh heh, it is no trouble at all."

Hiroya first found Danzō, trembling slightly as he placed Byakuya's application on the desk.

"Lord Danzō, this is Senkaku Byakuya's application for an external operative."

"Senkaku Tetsuji and Shika's good-for-nothing son?"

Hiroya was surprised that Danzō knew the names of Byakuya's parents.

"Yes."

Danzō remained silent for a long time before picking up the application: "The handwriting is decent. This Seat approves. Hiroya, is this the only piece of trash you've found for the organization this month?"

"Lord Danzō, Mimura Hamaki has been watching me too closely. I... I found it difficult to act."

"Hmph, no wonder you pushed Senkaku Byakuya forward to make up the numbers."

"I apologize. This subordinate will surely redouble his efforts." Hiroya knelt at Danzō's feet.

"Go back. Hiruzen is too busy to manage the Ninja Academy. I will find a way to make him the honorary principal, and you shall become the true principal."

"Many thanks for your cultivation, Lord Danzō!"

Hiroya handed the genin registration documents to the staff at the Hokage Building before returning to the academy, taking a detour to the school warehouse.

"You are working so hard!"

Byakuya was diligently swinging his sword over and over again.

The standard iron swords in the school warehouse were quite heavy. It had to be said that the people of the ninja world and those from his previous life on Blue Star were essentially two different species; even an adult would find a sword of this weight taxing, let alone a child.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, the persistent shall succeed
Time limit: 2 days: Sword swings (1458/16000)
Reward: Minor increase in swordsmanship talent]

This was the first time the Fate Grid had offered a reward for increasing talent. The task seemed simple, but Byakuya had tested it; if he swung the sword casually, it didn't count. Only by focusing his mind and being meticulous did it yield results.

"Greetings, Principal. This subordinate was acting on his own..."

"You are the warehouse manager. As long as you fulfill your duties, I will turn a blind eye."

"Many thanks, Principal!"

Hiroya patted his shoulder with a look of feigned appreciation.

"Your application for the Anbu Training Department has been approved. I will serve as your handler for the time being. If there are tasks that require your attention, I will notify you personally."

"This subordinate will follow your lead in all things, Principal!"

Hiroya was very satisfied with Byakuya's submissive performance, even experiencing a taste of the pleasure that the high-ranking officials of Konoha felt when wielding power.

"Mm, you cannot compare to those geniuses, so you must indeed strive hard. Rest assured, I will not assign you tasks that are too difficult," he said with a pretentious air.

"Thank you for your kindness, Principal."

"Being a warehouse manager is by no means your final destination; as long as you remain loyal, this is merely your starting point."

With the point driven home, Senkaku Byakuya bowed deeply.

"Yes!"

Patting him on the shoulder once more, Hiroya paced back to his office with his hands behind his back, imagining how he would flex his muscles once he became the true principal of the Ninja Academy. By then, there might truly be a place where Byakuya could be of use.

Having dealt with the power-hungry Hiroya, Byakuya suppressed the disgust in his heart and threw himself wholeheartedly into sword practice.

While swinging his blade, he did not forget to practice Storm Release. With the Storm Release chakra coating the sword, its speed and power increased dramatically, gaining both piercing and paralyzing effects.

Before finishing his shift, he returned the iron sword and scanned the warehouse, which was filled with various models of shuriken, kunai, senbon, puppets, all sorts of weaponry, auxiliary scrolls, chakra nature sensing paper, and, in the corner, explosive tags...

It was no wonder the warehouse was located far from the teaching buildings; this was undoubtedly a small arsenal.

After locking the three heavy doors of the warehouse, Byakuya adjusted his Konoha forehead protector and strolled away.

It happened to be the time when the Ninja Academy was letting out.

He ran into several classmates who glanced at him, feeling he looked familiar. After a moment of recollection, they exclaimed in surprise.

"Are you Senkaku Byakuya? When did you graduate?"

"No way, how did you graduate even earlier than us!"

"Heh, the Ninja Academy must have pulled strings for you. Otherwise, with your level, you wouldn't have graduated in a million years. You're just a lucky guy who benefited from policy loopholes."

"Forget about him, my treat today—class reunion at Ichiraku Ramen!"

Byakuya listened quietly, neither refuting them nor flying into a rage to show off his true strength in public.

The way of the hermit is profound and vast; the greatest taboo is failing to endure loneliness and recklessly seeking the limelight.

At the Konoha market, he bought fresh vegetables, milk, eggs, and pork.

He had swung his sword 9,745 times today, and his arms were overloaded; every muscle fiber throbbed with piercing pain, and he nearly couldn't lift the groceries.

As he headed home with his head down, his perception, which had been slightly enhanced twice, suddenly sensed someone watching him.

He looked in the direction of the gaze.

He discovered it was his Ninja Academy classmate Yuhi Kurenai, and standing next to her, buying dango skewers, was her father, the Konoha Jonin Yuhi Shinku.

Yuhi Kurenai's talent for genjutsu had been frequently remarked upon by academy teachers, who praised her as a future "Genjutsu Master" of Konoha.

She pointed a finger at Byakuya's forehead protector.

Byakuya merely glanced at her and immediately walked away without looking back.

Konoha ninjas were all a bit mentally unstable; to uphold the way of the hermit, it was best to stay away from such things.

"What's wrong, Kurenai?"

"Dad, that person is Senkaku Byakuya, my classmate from the academy. I didn't expect him to graduate before me."

Yuhi Shinku, wearing his ninja hat, black tight-fitting clothes, and a green flak jacket, looked toward Byakuya, but the boy was already obscured by passersby.

"Let's go, time to head home for dinner. Dad has to rush to the front lines tonight; who knows when I'll be able to have dinner with you again, Kurenai."

"Dad is so strong, you'll definitely beat Kumogakure to a pulp and come back safely."

"Never underestimate any enemy, or you'll suffer for it."