The First Real Battle (Please Bookmark, Follow, Recommend, and Vote Monthly)

Konoha Root Base.

Back at the base, Danzo still could not suppress the anger in his heart. He was not angry that he had failed to secure Taichi Matsushita as a "tool." After all, Konoha lacked everything but talent. Besides, Taiichi's current displayed talent was only on Kakashi's level. His Root had plenty of clan ninja and secret-technique ninja; it truly did not lack one Taichi Matsushita. More importantly, a genius who had not matured was nothing.

What truly enraged Danzo was Sarutobi's final remark: "I am the Hokage."

Back when everyone had been evacuating, when Teacher Tobirama asked that question, Danzo had hesitated only slightly before Hiruzen Sarutobi seized the chance. Otherwise, Shimura Danzō would be the Hokage now.

The more Danzo thought about it, the angrier he became. Only after another bout of smashing things did he finally calm the rage in his heart. Thinking of Hiruzen Sarutobi rejecting his request, he felt unwilling to accept it. In the end, he decided to meet Taichi Matsushita himself. If the boy himself was willing to join Root, then Hiruzen Sarutobi could not refuse, could he?

At that moment, Taiichi had no idea that two of Konoha's biggest figures had broken into an argument over him.

Returning home, Taiichi rested for a while before strapping his Short Sword to his back again and preparing to head to the training ground. Perhaps because the Ninja Academy was on break, he found the streets much livelier than usual.

Groups of children passed by him from time to time, leaving behind bursts of laughter. The people of this time probably could not imagine that another war would descend upon them again in the near future. Everyone was still enjoying this brief peace.

No, Konoha's upper ranks definitely knew. The upper ranks of every village definitely knew as well. Right now, the packs of wolves were merely licking their wounds. Once they had accumulated enough strength, the next war would erupt.

Summer was exceptionally muggy. After leaving the bustling streets behind, cicada cries and damp air clung to Taiichi's skin. As he walked beneath the tree shadows toward the Riverside Training Ground, he heard the sharp clang of metal from afar. His hand instinctively gripped his sword hilt, chakra flowing through his meridians to the soles of his feet—Kakashi had only taught him last week how to approach a target silently.

In the clearing behind the bushes, three Anbu were besieging a man wearing a Mist Village Headband. The masked ninja suddenly flung three Kunai tied with Explosive Tags. Five Water Clones burst from the dust raised by the explosions. Taiichi recognized the Mist Style Substitution Technique and was about to retreat when he caught sight of a Stone Village tattoo flashing beneath the man's sleeve. A fake Mist Ninja!

"Northwest!" The leading Anbu suddenly shouted toward Taiichi's hiding place. Taiichi rolled aside to evade the incoming Wind Blade, blades of grass scraping across his cheek. The spy disguised as a Mist Ninja used the recoil to leap onto a tree trunk, then closed in on Taiichi's position in several bounds. The boy could clearly see the cold sweat beneath the man's headband, as well as the chakra threads wound around his fingers—it was Sunagakure's puppet-control technique!

"Flame Bullet!" Taiichi's fingers were still trembling as he formed hand seals, and the Fireball barely grazed the enemy's clothes. Poisoned Senbon sprang from the spy's sleeve. Taiichi drew his sword with a backhand motion and slashed fiercely at the critical moment. The vibration from the clashing metal climbed from the hilt into his shoulder blade, and he nearly lost his grip on the Short Sword.

[Hatake Style Kenjutsu experience +1]

The instant the notification flashed across his vision, the spy's whip kick had already swept toward his face. As Taiichi leaned back, he remembered Guy's Leaf Whirlwind and spun with the motion, kicking the man in the knee. Compared to his swordsmanship, Taiichi's Taijutsu was still stronger at this stage. The crisp sound of bone shifting made his stomach twist. He had just seen a dislocated knee joint at the hospital that morning. But this time, he had caused it with his own hands.

After casting several ninjutsu, the chakra he had severely depleted that morning was now nearly exhausted. Taiichi did not hesitate. He quickly added one Attribute Point to his physique, instantly restoring all of his depleted stamina, mental energy, and chakra. That gave him even more confidence.

"Brat, you're courting death!" The Wind Style blasted out by the spy carried shattered stones with it. Taiichi's hand seals suddenly shifted into the Medical Seal Nonō had taught him. Green light wrapped around his left arm as he took the blow head-on. Blood splashed onto his eyelashes amid the sound of tearing cloth. Borrowing the clarity brought by pain, he threw a smoke bomb—this was the tactic Asuma had used in their last spar.

As gray mist spread, Taiichi held his breath. Kakashi's instruction echoed beside his ears: "Listen to the wind to locate them." The resistance of a blade piercing flesh reached him, but the recoil sent him staggering back three steps—it was an Earth Clone! The real Shuriken came from behind. Taiichi barely twisted aside, and its edge plowed a bloody gash across his shoulder.

"Phoenix Sage Fire!" The Fireballs he spat out while enduring the pain sealed off the enemy's retreat. The scorching airflow blew away the spy's disguise mask. That scar-covered face reminded Taiichi of the wounded patients admitted to the hospital, and his hand seals paused for a moment. In that instant of weakness, a chain launched from the Sand Village Ninja's sleeve had already wrapped around his ankle.

The grating of metal suddenly stopped as three Kunai precisely severed the chakra threads. The Anbu captain appeared behind the spy in a Body Flicker. Taiichi could practically see the curve of his smile beneath the mask. As the katana pierced the enemy's shoulder, Taiichi was pressing down on his profusely bleeding wound, the green light in his palm much dimmer than usual.

"Medical Team!" The captain's roar startled resting birds into flight. Taiichi slid down against a tree trunk and watched the Anbu fit the unconscious spy with chakra-sealing shackles. Morning light shone on the bloodstained sword guard, and he realized he was actually smiling—so this was what real battle smelled like: disinfectant mixed with rust.

"Kid, your swordsmanship is decent, and your Taijutsu is good. But you keep losing focus in battle." When the captain tossed him a hemostatic bandage, Taiichi noticed the faded flame pattern at the edge of his headband. The Anbu's gloves were stained with both enemy blood and his own, but the hand he placed on Taiichi's shoulder was exceptionally warm. "What's your name?"

"Taichi Matsushita."

The Anbu captain then questioned Taiichi for a while, mainly asking why he had come here and what he had come to do. When he learned that Taiichi was still a Ninja Academy student, he showed clear surprise. Were students these days all this fierce?

After the questioning ended, Taiichi looked at the unconscious spy on the stretcher and suddenly remembered the child at the hospital whom he had soothed with his Healing Technique. The morning wind swept over his sweat-soaked back, and the hand holding his sword finally stopped trembling. Notifications flickered quietly at the corner of his vision, their entries slowly increasing.

[You have fought an enemy. Relevant experience has increased.]

[Your skill Basic Taijutsu has improved. Experience +1.]

[Your skill Hatake Style Kenjutsu has improved. Experience +1.]

[Your skill Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire has improved. Experience +1.]

[You have fought a ninja. Combat experience increased. Genin class experience +50.]

A single short battle had caused all his stats to surge forward considerably. Its effect was even better than a full day of training. As expected, only real combat could accelerate the growth of one's strength. Unfortunately, such opportunities could only be encountered by chance.

After leaving the Anbu members and arriving by the small river, Taiichi did not continue training. He had just experienced a major battle, and both his body and mind had been greatly drained. Although he had treated his injuries on the spot with Medical Ninjutsu, he still should not engage in strenuous exercise for a while.

Recalling the battle just now, Taiichi realized he had made many mistakes. He had let his thoughts wander during combat, and his timing for releasing ninjutsu had been wrong. Fortunately, the Anbu had arrived in time this battle. Otherwise, he might have been the one lying on the ground. It seemed there was still quite a gap between him and a real ninja. It was not merely a difference in strength; what he lacked even more was experience in facing enemies during a crisis.

After summarizing everything, Taiichi looked at his panel. Basic Taijutsu and Basic Meditation were about to level up. If they had leveled up earlier during the battle, he might not have needed to spend one Attribute Point. Still, he did not regret it. At the line between life and death, who had time for so many concerns?

Taiichi then slowly practiced the cultivation exercises within Basic Taijutsu and cultivated Basic Meditation, both to recover his body and to get the two skills to level up quickly.

Sure enough, the notification came shortly afterward.

[Congratulations. Your skill Basic Taijutsu has increased to Lv9 (0/1600).]

[Congratulations. Your skill Basic Meditation has increased to Lv9 (0/1600).]

With the insights that came along with the two level-ups, Taiichi finally confirmed that his Taijutsu had reached Chunin level. After this, he would need to absorb those insights through continuous combat.

Elsewhere, after handing the spy over to the Interrogation Department, the Anbu captain went to the Hokage's Office to report the situation.

"You said you encountered a Ninja Academy student during the battle, and that student helped stop the spy from escaping?" the Hokage asked.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. He is a first-year student named Taichi Matsushita. I have already verified him. There are no issues with his identity."

"Alright, I understand. Go rest first."

"Yes!"

After the Anbu left, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the pipe on his desk, packed it full of tobacco, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled in satisfaction. At once, his entire figure disappeared into the smoke.

That morning, Danzo had come to ask him for the boy, questioning whether his training would bury a talent. Then that afternoon, the Anbu reported Taiichi's outstanding performance in battle. Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help wondering whether this Taichi Matsushita was his lucky star. Every time he heard the boy's name, something good happened.