One Year

At Tsunade's home.

When Genma and Shizune returned carrying lunch, Tsunade was biting the end of her brush, staring intently at a scroll on the table with furrowed brows.

Hearing their footsteps, she slowly looked up: "Eh? Why are you two back?"

Genma sat down directly across from Tsunade: "If we didn't come back, I was afraid you'd miss lunch."

Tsunade curled her lip: "Hey, you're the ones who are just kids!"

Genma didn't take the bait, looking at the scroll: "You look troubled. So, the reason you aren't going to the hospital is because you're researching a new technique?"

Tsunade gave a soft huff of annoyance: "Kid, you're meddling too much."

Shizune, who was setting out the food, chimed in: "Lady Tsunade, Genma is just concerned about you."

Glaring at Shizune, Tsunade pouted: "Skipping class every day—you might as well just graduate early."

Genma smiled with peace of mind: "If I graduate, where would I find the time to train?"

"I'm still just a child, after all."

"Lady Tsunade, do you have the heart to send a child like me to the battlefield?"

"That would go against the original intention of the First Hokage when he founded the village; it lacks the Will of Fire!"

Looking at that innocent, pitiful smile, Tsunade felt the urge to punch him. She put down her brush in frustration and nearly roared: "Shut up! I am the granddaughter of the First Hokage; no one understands the Will of Fire better than I do!"

What kind of eight-year-old child had a level of Yang Release nature transformation that surpassed her own?

What kind of eight-year-old child won bets against her every single day?

Why did she hole up at home, forgetting to eat and sleep?

Wasn't it all for this detestable little monster?

Tsunade was so angry she was panting like an ox, her chest heaving.

Genma wiped his face, looking entirely sincere: "Lady Tsunade, I think you need to solve the issue of your chakra volume first."

"Once you have sufficient chakra, your Yang Release abilities will naturally improve."

Tsunade gave a light hum, her body relaxing: "I am already practicing the Yin Seal, but that takes time."

Genma shook his head: "I'm talking about the Wood Release Chakra Mode."

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose: "I've been trying, but I haven't found a way to make it work yet."

"Perhaps it's due to your unique constitution; no one else can master it besides you."

Shizune walked over, nodding in agreement: "I think Lady Tsunade is right."

"Genma, didn't you say before that Kakashi couldn't succeed either?"

Genma looked slightly helpless: "Theoretically, it should have worked."

After venting, Tsunade's mood improved, and she spoke with a touch of laziness: "Theoretically, everyone should be able to cultivate Yang Release to the extreme, but limited by talent and various other factors, it's clearly impossible."

"Constitution is also a form of talent."

Genma nodded.

He temporarily accepted the setting modification; others simply couldn't learn this.

As for Kakashi, he still couldn't fly even after turning into a giant bird.

"Perhaps I could add hand seals to assist?"

The thought flashed through Genma's mind before Shizune called him to eat.

He wasn't a saint who insisted on teaching his own techniques to everyone.

But his intuition told him this would be useful.

After finishing their meal, Genma and Shizune left.

He still hadn't found a breakthrough to bring up the topic of her hemophobia.

Furthermore, even if he did bring it up, he would need to find a psychological anchor or a trigger point for Tsunade to resolve her trauma, and there didn't seem to be a good one yet.

It felt like he couldn't "shear the wool" from Tsunade for the time being.

Should he try someone else?

Genma thought of Nohara Rin.

However, he would have to get Nohara Rin moved, ensuring she wasn't on the same team as Uchiha Obito.

Right now, although Uchiha Madara was keeping an eye on the Uchiha clan, he shouldn't have set his sights on Uchiha Obito yet.

But once Uchiha Obito awakened his Sharingan and displayed his astonishing talent, he would certainly be targeted.

Yet, even with Nohara Rin, Genma had no way to interfere with team assignments.

"Genma, is something bothering you?"

Shizune's voice suddenly rang out.

Genma snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at Shizune, who was looking at him with concern. Suddenly, he didn't feel conflicted at all. He smiled: "I was a bit troubled, but feeling your concern, it all just vanished."

Shizune blushed instantly and hurriedly turned her head away: "That's good."

"Let's go, we'll head to the hot springs first to relax our bodies, then we can go train. Shizune, your chakra control still needs a lot of improvement."

Taking Shizune's hand, Genma changed their destination.

"Ah? The hot spring house? Just us?"

"Do you want to invite others?"

"No, no~"

In the days that followed, Genma stopped trying to force changes to the characters' fates or the plot.

Because he hadn't graduated yet, there was a limit to what he could do.

And Genma had no intention of graduating too early.

Besides, it wasn't as if he couldn't grow stronger without modifying settings.

Wood Release ninjutsu, Lightning Release, medical ninjutsu, sealing jutsu knowledge... there were so many areas he could improve in.

Time slipped by in a flash, and a year passed.

Konoha 45, April 3rd.

Inside the exam hall, Genma, who was waiting for things to start, looked up to see Uchiha Obito rushing in, panting for breath.

Truly a natural-born latecomer; he was almost late for his own exam.

Today was the graduation exam, after all.

It wasn't just them; Shizune, Kakashi, Nohara Rin, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, and Might Guy—their entire class had chosen to graduate early at this time of year.

Genma's birthday was in March, so he had just turned nine years old.

Kakashi's birthday was in September.

Soon, the proctor entered the classroom, announced the exam rules, and distributed the test papers.

After receiving his paper, Genma scanned the questions and smiled to himself: This is simple!

He picked up his pen and wrote with ease.

Before long, Genma suddenly frowned slightly, feeling as though he were being watched.

He thought for a moment and cursed with a smile in his heart: It must be that guy Hyuga Sorai using his Byakugan to peek.

Uchiha Obito must be scratching his head in frustration, right?

Just like Naruto, he never paid attention in class and hated written tests the most.

While thinking, Genma quickly finished the test, stood up, handed in his paper, and left.

Kakashi was even faster than him.

Ten minutes later, Shizune and the others finished the exam one after another, and everyone gathered together to chat and laugh.

Uchiha Obito came out last and immediately rushed over to thank Nohara Rin.

Nohara Rin had tossed him a paper ball.

Kakashi, with his sharp tongue, immediately retorted sarcastically: "Someone better not be late for the afternoon exam, or they won't be able to graduate!"

Uchiha Obito flew into a rage upon hearing this: "Kakashi, I will definitely graduate. Hmph, when I do, I'll be on a team with Rin, and I'll never have to see your dead-fish face again."

Genma almost laughed out loud.

When Kakashi was being cold, he really did have a bit of a dead-fish face.

But would Uchiha Obito's wish actually come true?

At two in the afternoon, the second exam began in the classroom.

This time, it was an assessment of the Three Body Technique—the Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, and Substitution Technique.

For Genma, it was a breeze; he didn't even need to use hand seals.

Kakashi completed the assessment with his hands in his pockets.

When it came to acting cool, Genma felt this guy was only a tiny bit worse than himself; no wonder Nohara Rin's eyes were practically sparkling.

Uchiha Obito was envious and jealous of this, and when it was his turn, he couldn't control his chakra well due to his emotional state, resulting in his clone technique producing nothing but clothes falling to the ground.

The classroom erupted in laughter.

Uchiha Obito was so anxious he almost cried.

Nohara Rin looked worried.

Genma was speechless.

In reality, Uchiha Obito had definitely mastered it, but his emotional instability caused his chakra control to fail.

The teacher saw this too and gave Uchiha Obito another chance.

This time, Uchiha Obito calmed down and passed on his first try.

Might Guy, who wasn't skilled in ninjutsu, also passed.

Watching his classmates finish one by one, Genma sighed to himself: The student days are over.

He just wondered, five or ten years from now, how many of these classmates would still be around.