My Settings Are 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 may begin."

Tsunade had already removed her long coat, wearing a sleeveless top. With one hand on her hip, she beckoned to Genma with her finger.

Sheer contempt.

Genma remained calm, raising his hand to launch two Kunai.

Tsunade easily dodged the first Kunai, pivoted her body, and with a flick of her fingers, precisely caught the second one, thrusting it toward the charging Genma.

Two meters behind Tsunade, the first Kunai still in flight transformed into Genma, who immediately swapped positions with the Genma body facing Tsunade.

"Hmm?"

Tsunade keenly sensed the change in the person before her; the hand she had intended to pull back immediately thrust forward, the Kunai piercing Genma.

Poof!

Genma's figure exploded, and a Kunai fell to the ground.

"Using a Kunai as a Substitution Technique?"

Tsunade was startled and immediately turned around, only to find herself surrounded, with another Genma charging at her from both the left and right.

"Clones?"

"No, it's an illusion!"

Tsunade was a veteran of countless battles and made her judgment in an instant. She stomped her foot, and a terrifying force erupted; the floor shattered, gravel flew, and a fearsome air current swept outward like a storm.

The Genma on the left and right vanished from the corner of her eye, and the Genma in front of her exploded into smoke and dissipated with a poof.

"This isn't the real one..."

Tsunade was slightly surprised and suddenly looked up; sure enough, Genma was diving down from the air.

She flicked her wrist, and a Kunai flew out.

Genma twisted his body to avoid the Kunai, and just as he was about to succeed, he was precisely grabbed by the throat by Tsunade.

"You lost!"

Tsunade laughed with her hands on her hips.

The Genma being held by the throat also laughed: "No, Lady Tsunade, you lost!"

Poof!

The Genma held by the throat exploded into smoke.

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

Tsunade's body stiffened. She turned around slowly, looked down at Genma, and asked with some confusion: "You... how did you do that?"

Genma put away the Kunai and smiled lightly: "A ninja's intelligence cannot be revealed so easily."

Tsunade's strength was indeed formidable, even if she was a medical ninja.

She relied on her rich combat experience, immense power, and chakra.

But sorry, my settings are above yours!

Stepping back two paces to ensure he could see Tsunade's face, Genma held up two fingers and said: "Lady Tsunade, let's end it here for today. I'm heading home."

After waving to Shizune, Genma leaped away quickly.

He was afraid that Tsunade would regain her composure and want to go another round.

If the Substitution Technique 1.0 were seen through, it wouldn't be impossible to deal with.

After all, the distance for position swapping was quite limited.

Shizune was also astonished and only came to her senses after Genma had gone far away.

Tsunade turned around and asked: "Shizune, did you understand what happened just now?"

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

"But the speed was too fast; the position swap happened before I could even react."

Tsunade's gaze narrowed upon hearing this, and she became thoughtful: This brat's ninjutsu is not right!

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

The importance of intelligence had been presented so intuitively for the first time.

However, Tsunade should be able to figure it out by now, right?

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

"It's a pity that the Wood Release Chakra Mode isn't as convenient as the Sage Mode, otherwise..."

Genma felt a bit of regret, but thinking about the increase in his physical strength during this period, that regret vanished instantly.

The Wood Release Chakra Mode did have significant limitations, but during this time, Genma had clearly felt the influence of the Wood Release chakra, or rather, the power of plant cells, on his own body.

Although it was impossible to determine what changes might occur in the future, at least his physical stamina had grown; in just a few months, his chakra reserves had caught up to Kakashi.

Glancing at the Setting Collection, Genma wore a brilliant smile.

1 point of Setting Value acquired!

"No need to rush using it."

Genma walked home with a light step.

Although he hadn't explicitly asked Tsunade for anything, and Tsunade hadn't promised anything after losing, Genma knew he had secured her.

Another more critical point was that through constant interaction, his relationship with Tsunade was deepening, which paved the way for treating her Hemophobia in the future.

Proceeding slowly, there was much to be accomplished.

"Next is the situation with Kakashi..."

Genma felt that the death of Hatake Sakumo was much harder to handle than Tsunade.

Because he currently couldn't participate in the mission itself.

And after the mission ended, the timing would be very difficult to grasp.

In particular, although he had a very good relationship with Kakashi, there was ultimately a layer of distance between him and Hatake Sakumo.

Unless...

Thinking about how he had been following Kakashi to learn swordsmanship from Hatake Sakumo over the past few days, a thought popped into Genma's mind.

Apprenticeship!

Was it possible?

Hatake Sakumo had no intention of taking on disciples, and speaking up rashly would indeed be presumptuous; because of his relationship with Kakashi, it might make Hatake Sakumo very uncomfortable.

If he were rejected, Genma himself would also feel very awkward.

However, after a moment's thought, he realized he seemed to be overthinking things.

Or rather, he was considering too much with an adult's mindset.

"I'm still just a child!"

"Isn't it perfectly normal to want to apprentice under a strong person?"

Genma smiled, his mood lightening once again.

If he were rejected, it wouldn't be a big deal.

He would just think of another way; he would do his best, and even if it didn't work out, he would have no regrets.

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

At the very least, he would have a chance to attempt Talk no Jutsu.

Back home, after repeatedly reviewing the [Setting Collection], Genma did not spend the newly acquired Setting Value.

Because there were no good targets for modification at the moment.

For instance, the few genjutsu he currently mastered, as well as his medical ninjutsu, didn't have much need for modification, or he lacked a good plan for them for the time being.

Instead, it was the basic Three Body Technique, such as the Transformation Technique and Body Flicker Technique, that gave him some ideas.

As for the newly developed Wood Release Chakra Mode, 1 point of Setting Value was simply not enough to modify it.

Moreover, the Wood Release Chakra Mode still had room for development, so there was no rush.

Therefore, he would wait a little longer.

The next day.

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

During this period, Hatake Sakumo was resting at home, and since it was summer vacation, he followed Kakashi to "audit" the lessons, learning swordsmanship and taijutsu techniques from Hatake Sakumo.

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

He had also passed on the chakra control training techniques he gave to Shizune to Kakashi.

It was the same as yesterday.

First, Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi sparred, with the former providing guidance while Genma watched from the side.

Next, Genma and Kakashi sparred, with Hatake Sakumo standing by to correct and guide them.

Afterward, Genma and Hatake Sakumo sparred, receiving pointers and corrections.

After the whole routine, even with his recently increased stamina, Genma was so tired he wanted to just lie flat.

Kakashi was equally exhausted, his clothes soaked with sweat; he turned his head to look at Genma, who was taking small sips of water, feeling a bit surprised.

Over the past few days, he had increasingly felt that this guy's stamina was far superior to before, seemingly no weaker than his own.

Genma put down his water bottle, his strength slightly recovered, then stood up and walked in front of Hatake Sakumo. Under Kakashi's surprised gaze, he bowed solemnly: "Uncle Sakumo, I wish to take you as my master!"