Another Newcomer Added

Hatake Sakumo shared the news of his impending departure from the academy with Minato and Shikaku.

The latter two expressed deep reluctance, yet they understood that one person's path could not be allowed to interfere with another's destiny.

Just as they intended to spend their final day together in peace and joy, Shen Ye discovered another strange fellow in the classroom.

The moment Hatake Sakumo laid eyes on him, he couldn't look away; Shen Ye could clearly feel the surging, impassioned chakra roiling within the man.

It felt ready to erupt at any moment, and Shen Ye was incredibly curious about what kind of person could provoke such a reaction from Hatake Sakumo.

Looking over, he saw a man dressed in green standing at the classroom door with vacant eyes, gazing inside with a hint of bewilderment.

"Is this... Might Duy?"

"Shen Ye, you know him too? We are actually very close friends."

Shen Ye's mouth twitched; looking at Hatake Sakumo's gritted teeth, one could hardly tell they were close friends.

He would have believed them to be lifelong rivals, though Shen Ye was already well-versed in their situation, as it had been clearly established in the original story.

Before Shen Ye could react, Hatake Sakumo charged forward, instantly engaging Might Duy in a scuffle.

Shen Ye watched the two trade blows in silence, only then realizing just how strong Hatake Sakumo was, as he stood toe-to-toe with the taijutsu-specialist Might Duy.

Just as the two were heating up, a masked ninja dropped between them and pulled them apart.

"Stop this nonsense. Danzo has ordered me to bring you back; your mission at the Ninja Academy is complete."

Hatake Sakumo cast a lingering look at Shen Ye before following the Anbu member out of the academy.

Might Duy stood there, stunned, failing to understand what had just happened or why the man had been suddenly taken away.

Shen Ye shook his head slightly and walked over to Might Duy's side.

"Since you two are good friends, you are our good friend from now on. Not being able to practice ninjutsu is no big deal."

"You know me?"

Might Duy pointed at his own nose in shock, having never met this person before.

"Of course. You will be a very excellent ninja in the future."

"Actually, I'm just a dead last. I couldn't practice ninjutsu, so I was forced to leave the Ninja Academy. I only came back to graduate."

"But your strength has already far surpassed many of us still in the academy. Have more confidence in yourself."

Might Duy nodded repeatedly, knowing full well what set him apart from the others.

Since he could not practice ninjutsu, he would pour all his effort into taijutsu to prove that one could become an outstanding ninja through pure physical skill alone.

Minato and Shikaku had already walked into the classroom by then, unaware that a new member had joined their group.

Shen Ye patted Might Duy on the shoulder and signaled with his eyes, and the two walked into the classroom together.

At the same time, Shen Ye silently activated the system's Steal Skill.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully stealing Might Duy's skill: Eight Inner Gates Technique! Steal Skill cooldown: 3 hours."

It was still a long three hours, and Shen Ye couldn't help but ask the system when this time might be shortened.

He received no response; his question seemed to have vanished into the abyss.

The dull and tedious classroom life began, with only Might Duy listening earnestly to the teacher's lecture, occasionally jotting things down on paper.

Shen Ye and the others kept their eyes fixed on the scenery outside the window, their hearts already itching to rush out and play.

Just then, three pieces of chalk flew through the air, landing with pinpoint accuracy on each of their foreheads and leaving faint white marks.

"You three, behave yourselves. Don't think I don't know what you're plotting; there is no leaving during my class."

"Don't worry, teacher, we won't leave."

Shen Ye raised his hand in assurance, but his gaze remained fixed outside the window, wondering when he would finally be able to graduate and leave.

Once he became a true genin, countless missions would await him, and that would be the time for absolute freedom.

"Shen Ye, I think we should be serious today. Perhaps from today on, we can leave the academy without restraint."

"Oh? Why are you so sure?"

A mysterious smile appeared on Minato's face; he had already inquired about today's lesson, which was the Shadow Clone Technique.

If one could easily and skillfully use the Shadow Clone Technique, one could create clones to attend class while the real body went out to play without a care—why wouldn't they do it?

Shen Ye slapped his own forehead; why hadn't he thought of this jutsu sooner?

However, he had just used the system's Steal Skill and would have to wait a while before he could use it again to steal the Shadow Clone Technique.

"There isn't much time left before your graduation. The sole examination requirement is the ability to perform a complete Shadow Clone Technique. Today, I will teach you this jutsu."

The teacher stood at the podium and imparted all the knowledge regarding the Shadow Clone Technique.

Might Duy gulped, feeling it was incredibly tricky. He had no talent for ninjutsu at all, and the Shadow Clone Technique was difficult to the point of impossibility for him.

"It's actually the Shadow Clone Technique! Does this mean I'll never be able to become a genin in my life? Heaven is unfair!"

"I will help you solve this problem. A jutsu like that is hardly enough to be the standard for judging a person's strength."

Shen Ye stood up with a grave expression and walked toward the podium.

Might Duy had endured countless Byakugan and mockery in his daily life due to his inability to perform ninjutsu, and Shen Ye did not want such things to continue happening.

Therefore, he chose to approach his teacher and speak in a low voice, avoiding the risk of inciting heartless ridicule from others.

"Student Shen Ye, if you have a question, you can just state it from your seat; there is no need to come to my side."

"This matter must be spoken directly into your ear, otherwise, I fear I will not be able to control my temper."

Although a faint smile hung on his face, everyone could sense that Shen Ye's words were filled with an unquestionable weight.

The teacher sighed softly and said nothing more, waiting for Shen Ye to reach his side, feeling quite curious about what matter he had to entrust to him.