My Setting Is Above Yours

On the training ground, Genma and Tsunade stood five or six meters apart, while Shizune watched from the sidelines.

"If you're ready, you can start."

Tsunade had taken off her cloak and was wearing a sleeveless top. With one hand on her hip, she beckoned Genma with a finger.

It was blatant contempt.

Genma stayed calm and flicked two Kunai at her.

Tsunade easily dodged the first Kunai, then spun around and reached out, catching the second with pinpoint accuracy before thrusting it at the charging Genma.

Two meters behind Tsunade, the first Kunai was still flying when it transformed into Genma. The Genma in front of Tsunade immediately switched places with it.

"Hmm?"

Tsunade keenly sensed the change in the person before her. The hand she had been about to pull back instead thrust forward, and the Kunai struck Genma.

Poof!

Genma's body burst apart, and a Kunai fell to the ground.

"Using a Kunai as a substitute?"

Tsunade was startled and immediately turned around, only to find herself surrounded. Another Genma was charging at her from each side.

"Shadow clones?"

"No, it's a genjutsu!"

With years of battle experience, Tsunade made her judgment in an instant. She stomped the ground, unleashing tremendous force. The floor shattered, sending fragments flying as a terrifying gust swept outward like a storm.

The Genma on either side vanished from the corner of Tsunade's eye, while the one in front of her burst into smoke with a poof.

"That one wasn't the real one..."

Tsunade was slightly taken aback. She looked sharply upward, and sure enough, Genma was diving down from the air.

She flicked her wrist, sending the Kunai flying.

Genma twisted his body to dodge it. Just as he was about to succeed, Tsunade grabbed him by the throat with perfect precision.

"You lose!"

Tsunade laughed lightly with one hand on her hip.

The Genma she had by the throat started laughing too. "No, Lady Tsunade. You're the one who lost!"

Poof!

The Genma she was holding burst into smoke.

Behind Tsunade, the real Genma pressed a Kunai against her lower back.

Tsunade stiffened, then slowly turned around and looked down at Genma, puzzled. "How... did you do that?"

Genma put away his Kunai and smiled faintly. "A ninja can't just reveal their secrets."

Tsunade was indeed powerful, even though she was a medical ninja.

She had rich combat experience, immense strength, and plenty of chakra.

But, sorry—my setting is above yours!

He took two steps back so he could still see Tsunade's face, held up two fingers, and said, "That's enough for today, Lady Tsunade. I'm heading home."

With that, Genma waved to Shizune and swiftly leaped away.

He was worried Tsunade might come to her senses and want another round.

If someone saw through Substitution Technique 1.0, it wasn't impossible to deal with.

After all, the distance they could switch places over was extremely limited.

Shizune was also stunned. She only came back to her senses after Genma had gone far away.

Tsunade turned to her and asked, "Shizune, did you understand what just happened?"

Shizune hesitated. "It seemed like... the Substitution Technique?"

"But it was way too fast. I didn't react at all before they switched places."

Tsunade's gaze sharpened. Then she murmured thoughtfully, There's something off about this kid's ninjutsu!

After leaving Tsunade's house, Genma let out a long breath.

For the first time, he had seen the importance of information so clearly.

But Tsunade had probably figured it out by now, hadn't she?

If they fought again next time, it wouldn't be so easy to win.

"It's a shame Wood Release Chakra Mode isn't as convenient as Sage Mode. Otherwise..."

Genma felt a little regretful, but the thought of how much his stamina had improved lately made it vanish in an instant.

Wood Release Chakra Mode did have major limitations, but lately Genma had clearly felt the effect of the Wood Release chakra—or, more precisely, the power of the plant cells—on his body.

He still couldn't tell what changes might come in the future, but at the very least, his stamina was improving. In just a few months, his chakra reserves had already caught up to Kakashi's.

Genma glanced at the Setting Collection and grinned.

One Setting Value in the bag!

"I won't rush to use it."

Genma headed home with a spring in his step.

He hadn't explicitly asked Tsunade for anything, and she hadn't promised him anything after losing, but Genma knew he had won her over.

More importantly, their relationship had been growing closer through their repeated exchanges. That laid the groundwork for treating Tsunade's Hemophobia in the future.

Slowly but surely, he could get there.

"Next up is Kakashi..."

Genma had a feeling that Hatake Sakumo's death would be much harder to deal with than Tsunade.

The main reason was that he couldn't get involved in the mission itself yet.

And once the mission was over, it would be hard to get the timing right.

Especially since, although he and Kakashi got along very well, there was still a degree of separation between him and Hatake Sakumo.

Unless...

Thinking about how he'd been following Kakashi and learning swordsmanship from Hatake Sakumo these past few days, Genma had an idea.

Become his apprentice!

Was that possible?

Hatake Sakumo had no intention of taking on apprentices, so asking out of the blue would indeed be presumptuous. Given his relationship with Kakashi, it might also put Hatake Sakumo in an awkward position.

If he was rejected, Genma would feel awkward too.

But on second thought, he realized he was probably overthinking it.

Or rather, he was thinking too much like an adult.

"I'm still a kid!"

"Isn't it perfectly normal for a kid to want to study under a strong shinobi?"

Genma smiled, and his mood lightened again.

It wouldn't matter if he was rejected.

He could just think of something else. He'd do his best, and even if it didn't work out, he wouldn't have any regrets.

If it did work out, things would be much easier afterward.

At least he'd get a chance to try Talk no Jutsu.

After returning home, Genma looked over the [Setting Collection] several times but didn't use his newly acquired Setting Value.

He didn't have a good target for modification yet.

For example, the few genjutsu he currently knew, as well as Medical Ninjutsu, didn't need much adjustment. He either had little reason to modify them or hadn't come up with a good plan yet.

On the other hand, he had some ideas about basic techniques like the Transformation Technique and Body Flicker Technique.

As for his newly developed Wood Release Chakra Mode, one Setting Value wasn't nearly enough to modify it.

Besides, there was still room to develop Wood Release Chakra Mode, so there was no rush.

He would wait a little longer.

The next day.

After breakfast, Genma went to Kakashi's house again.

Hatake Sakumo was resting at home during the summer vacation, so Genma had been tagging along with Kakashi to learn swordsmanship and taijutsu from him.

Of course, Genma wasn't just taking advantage of them.

He had also taught Kakashi the chakra control exercises he'd given Shizune.

Just like the day before.

First, Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi sparred while the former gave instructions and Genma watched from the side.

Next, Genma and Kakashi sparred, with Hatake Sakumo correcting and instructing them from the sidelines.

After that, Genma sparred with Hatake Sakumo and received his corrections and guidance.

After going through the whole routine, even with his recent boost in stamina, Genma was so tired he wanted to lie flat on the ground.

Kakashi was just as exhausted, sweat soaking through his clothes. He glanced at Genma, who was taking small sips of water, and felt a little puzzled.

Over the past few days, he'd increasingly felt that Genma had far more stamina than before. It seemed like he was no weaker than Kakashi now.

Genma put down his water bottle. Once he'd recovered a little, he got up and walked over to Hatake Sakumo. Under Kakashi's astonished gaze, he bowed respectfully. "Uncle Sakumo, I'd like to become your apprentice!"