Are Swords Really Such Inconvenient Things?

Minato Namikaze made no effort to hide his praise for Kakashi Hatake.

Hearing those words, Kakashi Hatake was also pleased, though his mask successfully hid it. The joy in his eyes was the only giveaway.

But just then, Minato Namikaze's tone changed.

"Your strength is already on par with a newly graduated Genin."

"But your weaknesses are just as obvious."

"You're not strong enough." As he spoke, Minato Namikaze picked up his wooden sword and weighed it in his hand.

"Senior Sakumo's swordsmanship is excellent."

"But you're a little too obsessed with it."

"Perhaps because you've always used a wooden sword, your swordsmanship lacks force."

Kakashi Hatake was unconvinced when he heard this.

His swings could even cut through the air. How could they possibly lack force?

As he spoke, Minato Namikaze handed the wooden sword back to Kakashi Hatake.

"But then again, you're still young. Once you're stronger, this weakness will disappear."

"But for now, you're still a little short. I'd rate you as a newly graduated Genin."

As he spoke, Minato Namikaze looked at Yuki Yuichi, who had been quietly standing to the side.

Yuki Yuichi had shown a level of strength he hadn't expected.

Especially those crimson Sharingan with Tomoe.

He wasn't particularly surprised to see Yuki Yuichi reveal his Sharingan.

Thanks to Uzumaki Kushina, he already knew that Yuki Yuichi had Uchiha blood.

What he hadn't expected was that Yuki Yuichi had awakened his Sharingan so early.

Thinking of this, Minato Namikaze looked at him with pity before he had even said a word.

Awakening the Sharingan required intense emotional stimulation.

Even though Senior Yuhi Shinku had taken the boy in, he must have endured a great deal of hardship.

Thinking this, Minato Namikaze looked at Yuki Yuichi with even more sympathy.

Seeing him stare without saying anything, Yuki Yuichi furrowed his brow. "Big Brother Minato, why do you keep looking at me?"

At that, Minato Namikaze didn't answer. Instead, he looked at him and asked, "You must have had a hard time all these years. You must be exhausted, right?"

Yuki Yuichi: "???"

What are you talking about?

Minato Namikaze's expression made Yuki Yuichi understand.

He'd seen his Sharingan and imagined that he'd suffered a lot.

After a moment's thought, Yuki Yuichi looked at Minato Namikaze and ventured, "Is it possible that I didn't suffer?"

"I understand." Minato Namikaze nodded, thinking Yuki Yuichi was trying to save face and clinging to the stubbornness of youth. He didn't contradict him; he simply nodded in agreement.

Seeing him like that, Yuki Yuichi could barely keep it together.

If he could, he'd have played along with Minato Namikaze's assumption. That way, he could earn Minato Namikaze's sympathy and pity, and perhaps get more help.

But he'd awakened his Sharingan in front of everyone, and he had no intention of hiding it. There was no need!

With Yuhi Shinku around, he didn't have to worry about resources or jutsu.

Besides, he had the Achievement System. He didn't need to worry about jutsu at all.

Kakashi Hatake watched him from the side, wearing the same expression as Minato Namikaze.

He knew about Konoha's major shinobi clans and their defining traits.

Seeing the look on their faces, Yuki Yuichi sighed and said wearily, "I really didn't go through any kind of emotional trauma."

"Yesterday, I ran into Uchiha Obito at the training ground and found out he was trying to awaken his Sharingan with eye drops."

"I just figured I'd give it a try, borrowed his eye drops, and then awakened mine."

"There really wasn't any hardship or emotional stimulation."

Hearing this, Kakashi Hatake looked at Yuki Yuichi thoughtfully.

So eye drops could make an Uchiha awaken their Sharingan.

Unlike Kakashi Hatake, Minato Namikaze knew how difficult it was for an Uchiha to awaken the Sharingan.

His words left Minato Namikaze momentarily speechless. Thinking back to his earlier assumptions and behavior, he suddenly didn't know what to say.

As for whether Yuki Yuichi was lying to him, he believed Yuki Yuichi was telling the truth. He trusted his own powers of observation as a shinobi even more.

Yuki Yuichi's expression and subtle movements just now hadn't looked like those of someone who was lying.

Besides, what he'd said would be easy to verify.

For a while, none of the three spoke, and the atmosphere grew awkward.

After a long pause, Minato Namikaze cleared his throat. Sensing that the mood was off, he said, "In that case, let's get back to discussing your strength."

Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake straightened up at that.

Kakashi Hatake especially wanted to hear more. Minato Namikaze had already assessed his strength, but he was more interested in Yuki Yuichi's.

That way, he could exploit Yuki Yuichi's weaknesses in their next fight.

Seeing them sit up attentively, Minato Namikaze smiled in satisfaction and said, "You're stronger than Kakashi."

"But you don't know how to use a sword. Why carry one? Can you tell me?"

Minato Namikaze's tone was gentle. He wasn't scolding or criticizing him; he seemed simply curious.

He knew that Yuki Yuichi had only used the sword as bait. What he wanted to hear was Yuki Yuichi's attitude toward swordsmanship.

It could offer a glimpse into how he thought.

Yuki Yuichi didn't mind and replied, "It's true that I don't know how to use a sword."

"But isn't the point of a sword to make yourself stronger?"

"So I used the wooden sword as bait and then suddenly abandoned it to cast a genjutsu. That was perfectly reasonable."

Minato Namikaze hadn't even reacted yet when Kakashi Hatake, standing beside him, glared furiously at Yuki Yuichi.

Raised from childhood on Hatake Sakumo's swordsmanship, Kakashi Hatake hadn't yet become the boy whose father would later be driven to his death by rumors. At this age, his love for the sword was sincere.

"You'll never get anywhere without a bond with your sword!"

Yuki Yuichi glanced at Kakashi Hatake and gave a couple of derisive snorts.

"Are swords really such inconvenient things?"

"You!" Kakashi Hatake pointed at him, momentarily unable to find a reply.

Watching the two of them, Minato Namikaze smiled. This was youth.

After stopping them, he continued, "Your thinking isn't actually wrong."

"In battle, you have to learn to use everything around you that can be put to use."

"You did that well."

"But your moves are too straightforward." As he spoke, Minato Namikaze stood up and motioned for Yuki Yuichi to do the same.

Using his own movements, he walked Yuki Yuichi through their first exchange again. Only then did Minato Namikaze continue, "At the start, if I hadn't held back, you might have been seriously injured right away."

"In a fight, you have to learn to make use of what you know about yourself and your opponent, along with both of your strengths and weaknesses."

"For example, the second time, you came at me with the sword, taking advantage of my underestimation of you and the gap between what you knew and what I knew about your Sharingan and genjutsu."

"You handled that very well."

"Your current strength, as well as your ability to use items and information, is better than that of many Genin."

At this, Minato Namikaze smiled brightly at the two of them. "So, to celebrate meeting you both, I'll treat you to ramen!"