The One-Year Plan!

The future isn't set in stone. The present determines the future?

Shita Genichi fell into thought. So what I've overdrafted is the future anchored to the present—even the future of the me who hadn't awakened my past-life memories?

Or to put it another way, even though I've awakened those memories and gained a great deal of information about the Naruto world—and even though my thinking is different from before—I haven't actually done anything.

Even if I have plenty of ideas, until I put them into practice, they won't affect the future at all.

Ideas alone, just thinking without putting anything into action, are of no use in the present. So there's no way they can change the future.

Shita Genichi was beginning to grasp the idea.

He still needed to test whether things really worked the way he thought.

But...

Shita Genichi frowned. "Looks like this body has terrible aptitude. I'm destined to top out at Chunin."

"That's a problem..."

Shita Genichi considered himself smart, but physical aptitude was far too important in the Naruto world.

After all, it was the world of legendary eyes and Otsutsuki family drama.

A good bloodline mattered more than anything.

Even Orochimaru's brilliant mind couldn't compete with Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke's plot armor.

Thinking about it, Shita Genichi couldn't help sighing. "I thought I could just take it easy. I never expected I'd still have to work hard. What was the point of reincarnating, then?"

"This cheat isn't all that great!"

He looked at the Overdraft Panel. [Overdraft Ten Years into the Future] had turned gray, too.

He wouldn't be able to overdraft again until a year later.

"So I have a year to put things into practice and use that as a foundation to change the future."

"Looks like I need to make a plan."

"Right. I'll call it the One-Year Plan."

Looking away, Shita Genichi got out of bed and turned his attention back to himself.

Before, he'd been most interested in the state of his ninjutsu.

This time, overdrafting the future had given him not only the ninjutsu he'd mastered in the future, but also shuriken throwing, basic Taijutsu, and even strength—as well as chakra, which had surprised him a little.

No, chakra wasn't the right word. It was more like stamina.

In short, Shita Genichi now had the stats of his strongest self ten years from now.

His stamina, ninjutsu, Taijutsu, combat experience, and everything else.

Aside from his memories, it was almost as if he'd merged with his future self.

After taking a moment to feel it out, Shita Genichi couldn't help grinning.

He was still a Genin, but was a five-year-old body the same as a fifteen-year-old one?

His body didn't look any different, and Gen-Er hadn't grown up, either, but his strength alone was on another level.

"Great!"

"From now on, I'm going to fight for my future!"

His fists cracked. Shita Genichi dug out his piggy bank and smashed it, then counted the savings inside. He had a little over a hundred ryo—not bad.

"I wonder if I can buy a short sword... I don't need anything fancy for now. It's just for training. I could even use a wooden sword."

He put the money in his wallet and went downstairs.

"Dad, Mom, I'm going out to train!"

Shita Genichi waved to his parents.

Genichi's Mother looked up and reminded him, "Remember to come back for lunch. And be careful—don't get hurt!"

"Got it!"

With that, Shita Genichi headed out.

In the shop, Genichi's father smiled at his wife. "Genichi's training so hard. We should work hard, too!"

Genichi's Mother nodded, her hands moving even more briskly.

Shita Genichi visited several ninja tool shops before finally choosing a short sword. It cost fifty ryo, much cheaper than he'd expected.

Of course, the quality was only so-so.

Shita Genichi wasn't entirely satisfied, either. It felt a little too light to him.

But there weren't any better options unless he had one made to order.

"It'll have to do."

After paying, Shita Genichi went to buy a sword bag and a sword belt.

The first was for carrying a sword or blade on his back; it could also be called a scabbard bag.

The second was for fastening a sword or blade around his waist.

In the Ninja World, blades and swords weren't really considered separate—or rather, swords included blades.

Kenjutsu and swordsmanship could be understood as the same thing.

After buying the sword, Shita Genichi went to buy balloons.

Once he had everything ready, he headed to a small river and chose a big tree as a temporary training spot.

He set the balloons down beneath the tree, then took the short sword off his back and hung it at his waist.

Kenjutsu and the Rasengan were the two paths of training Shita Genichi had chosen for now.

He still remembered how to train the Rasengan, so he could work on it. He didn't have to master it within a year.

If he couldn't do it in a year, surely he could manage in ten?

As for Kenjutsu, the ten years he'd overdrafted hadn't included any swordsmanship.

Without a teacher or any proper forms to follow, he knew it would be difficult to make much progress training without a plan.

But that was fine. He didn't have high expectations for his swordsmanship yet.

For now, he'd practice a few basic cuts, and... the Draw-Sword Strike!

The most important thing was the Draw-Sword Strike!

It would train his speed, strength, and reflexes... If he couldn't manage it in a year, what about ten?

Maybe he still wouldn't get there, but it was worth a try. He could find out where his potential—or talent—lay.

"I'm only five. I've got plenty of chances to experiment... The Overdraft Panel might not let me reach the top overnight, but it gives me so many, many options."

Shita Genichi gripped the hilt with his right hand, lowered his stance, and focused.

Clang!

Shita Genichi drew his short sword, fast and forceful.

"My form's off. I'm not steady enough... Keep going!"

Shita Genichi sheathed the sword and tried again.

If he hadn't overdrafted ten years into the future, he might have been fumbling around based on the little bit he knew from his previous life, practicing blindly.

But after overdrafting those ten years, he was at least an experienced Genin. His control over his strength and his understanding of how to apply it were far beyond a beginner's.

And the Draw-Sword Strike was already very simple in terms of technique.

Again, again, and again!

Shita Genichi kept drawing and sheathing the sword, correcting his movements and trying to make each draw faster and more powerful.

When his arm began to ache and he'd used up most of his stamina, he stopped to rest. While he was at it, he took the balloons to the river and filled them with water.

"According to the timeline, Namikaze Minato died in Konoha Year 50, when he was twenty-four. That means he's fifteen now."

"Jiraiya said the Yellow Flash took three years to develop the Rasengan."

"Jiraiya mastered the Rasengan, too, and it didn't take him long. I remember..."

Shita Genichi thought it over.

He remembered a scene in the anime where Jiraiya bragged to Namikaze Minato about mastering the Rasengan, only to be left embarrassed by Minato's calm reaction.

At the time, Namikaze Minato was already taking Kakashi on missions.

That was from a movie, so the timeline was questionable, but it was still a usable reference.

Uchiha Obito had been nine when he graduated. That was when Namikaze Minato officially became the team leader of Kakashi and the others.

That would be around Konoha Year 45, four years from now.

Kakashi might even graduate this year.

Shita Genichi vaguely remembered that Kakashi had another team leader after graduating. Then, when he was seven, Hatake Sakumo killed himself. Kakashi's personality changed drastically after that, and he repeatedly clashed with his teammates, leading to his team being changed several times.

Shita Genichi worked out the timeline.

In two years, it would be Konoha Year 43. Hatake Sakumo would kill himself, and Kakashi's personality would change.

If Namikaze Minato started taking Kakashi on missions in Konoha Year 44, he would already have mastered the Rasengan by then.

Then, counting back three years...

"That means Namikaze Minato has probably already started developing the technique..."

After filling four balloons with water, Shita Genichi returned to the tree. "We may have had the same idea, but it's anyone's guess who'll finish first."

"Namikaze Minato developed the Rasengan because of the Tailed Beast Ball. As for me..."

Shita Genichi sat on the ground, his eyes shifting as he quickly found a reason.

It was a reason he could give other people.

And aside from not having access to other ninjutsu, the main reason Shita Genichi wanted to train the Rasengan was to establish a certain image for himself.

A genius image!