School Benefits

The next day, Riyue arrived at school right on time. As soon as he reached the classroom, Ebisu's father called him to the teachers' office.

In the teachers' office, Teacher Ebiki pointed at the puppet "Riyue" and asked sternly, "Riyue, what's the meaning of this?!" Only then did Riyue remember that he'd had so much fun yesterday that he'd gone straight home after school and forgotten to retrieve the Substitution Puppet.

Seeing that Riyue didn't answer, Ebiki began a heartfelt lecture.

"Riyue, you have to understand that this is a school, and my goal is to train you all into elites! The Hyuga Clan's students have always ranked near the top. As a member of the Hyuga Clan, you should work even harder. Sleeping through class is one thing, but how can you skip school..."

"Riyue, you have to work hard if you want to become a ninja. There's a shortcut waiting for you right here..."

"Riyue, you're going to become an elite..."

"Riyue, future elites don't skip school!"

Riyue was about to lose it. He grumbled inwardly, Teacher Ebiki, did Tang Sanzang send you here? All you ever talk about is elites, elites, elites. Why does it sound like one of those training-school commercials from the TV in my previous life? Are you here to teach excavator skills? Or computer repair? Maybe cooking? Is this the cradle of elite chefs?

"Uh... Teacher Ebiki, does that mean I can do whatever I want as long as I become an elite? I don't have to sit through every class, right..." Riyue couldn't help raising his hand to interrupt Ebiki's lecture.

"Of course! Training you into an elite is my goal as your teacher. If you want to become an elite, the first thing you need to do is pay attention in class..."

"Uh... Teacher Ebiki, given where I am now, what level of strength would count as elite?"

"Hm? At least Genin level," Ebiki answered without hesitation.

"I see. If I already have Genin-level strength, does that make me an elite?"

"Well, I suppose so." Teacher Ebiki thought, A five-year-old Genin? That's not just an elite. That's a genius.

"Then... Teacher, I'd like to apply for the Graduation Exam!"

The teachers in the office gaped in shock. They all stopped what they were doing and stared at Riyue.

"Right! Admitting your mistake is the right thing to do... Wait, Riyue, what did you say?" Ebiki snapped back to his senses and stared at Riyue.

"I'm applying for the Graduation Exam," Riyue repeated seriously.

"Riyue, you've only been in class for one day. How could you possibly be strong enough to graduate? Even if you are strong enough, you can't take the exam right now. Early graduation exams have to be held alongside this year's regular graduation exams, and you can only graduate then."

"I know. I'll take the exam first and graduate when it's time. That shouldn't be a problem, right? Teacher, can you approve my application?"

"But Riyue, your strength..."

"I know exactly how strong I am. If I fail the exam, I'll drop out. But Teacher Ebiki, while I'm still at school after passing the exam, I hope you'll teach me something useful."

"This..." Teacher Ebiki looked at Riyue, who remained perfectly calm.

"I'll have to ask Lord Hokage." Teacher Ebiki left the office and hurried toward the Hokage Office Building.

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was now in his forties, in the prime of his life. He was vigorous and spirited, with a mature, reserved bearing and a wise gaze that concealed a hint of sharpness. Wearing the Hokage's hat, a pipe in his mouth and a small black goatee on his chin, he was handling official business.

Ebiki knocked before entering the Hokage's office, then bowed to the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage!"

"Hm? Is something going on at the school?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked curiously, setting down the file in his hand.

Ebiki quickly told the Third Hokage about Riyue's request to take the exam. After hearing Ebiki's report, the Third Hokage was surprised and intrigued. He smiled and said, "Well, isn't that something? He's a child from the Hyuga Clan, right? This is rather interesting. Go ahead and approve his application. Keep this confidential. Only you and I should know."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Ebiki turned and left.

The Third Hokage took out a Crystal Ball and wiped it with a cloth. A meaningful smile appeared on his face. "Perhaps the Hyuga Clan really has produced a genius."

Having undergone extensive training in his reactions and senses, Riyue had just felt a faint pulse of chakra nearby. He secretly activated his Byakugan and spotted a subtle trace of chakra hidden in the office ceiling. From the direction in which it flowed, the chakra seemed to be transmitting what was happening here somewhere else. It seemed... someone was spying on him.

Is that perverted old man, the Third Hokage, spying on me? If I didn't have the Byakugan, I wouldn't have found him at all. Riyue reconsidered. Still, it's better if the Third Hokage sees this. With the village's power protecting me, those old Main Family geezers won't find it so easy to hurt me.

After that, Riyue didn't care how much the lecherous old Third Hokage spied on him. Just then, Teacher Ebiki returned and said, "Riyue, your application has been approved. Let's go take the exam."

Riyue went with Teacher Ebiki to the training ground. The other teachers went back to their work. After all, he was just a child. How could anyone take a five-year-old's words seriously? He'd soon run into a wall.

"Let's start by testing your ninja tool throwing," Teacher Ebiki said, pointing at six targets more than a hundred meters away. "Walk over to the fifty-meter mark and throw six shuriken in a row. You'll pass if you hit at least four." The actual exam was held at forty meters, but Ebiki wanted to make things difficult for Riyue.

"No need. I'll do it from here." Riyue stayed where he was and looked at the six targets a hundred meters away.

"What?!" "What?" Teacher Ebiki and the Third Hokage were both taken aback.

Riyue didn't notice Teacher Ebiki's expression. He casually flung out six shuriken. Each one traced a different, bizarre arc, yet all six struck the bullseye.

Teacher Ebiki's jaw dropped, while the Third Hokage stared in amazement.

"This... His shuriken skills are nearly as good as the Uchiha Clan's throwing techniques." The Third Hokage sighed, looking at Riyue differently now.

It took Ebiki a long time to close his mouth.

"Y-you passed the throwing test. Now we'll test your Three Basic Techniques. Please use the Transformation Technique, Clone Technique, and Substitution Technique, in that order."

"Clone Technique!" Riyue formed Hand Seals at lightning speed and created nine copies of himself. There was barely any smoke. Ten Riyues, indistinguishable from one another, stood before Ebiki.

"Transformation Technique!" All ten of them turned into Ebiki.

"Substitution Technique!" The nine clones vanished in clouds of white smoke, while the tenth turned into a piece of wood.

"This... this..." The Third Hokage was even more astonished. Riyue's Hand Seals were incredibly fast—three per second! More importantly, he hadn't formed any Hand Seals when using the Substitution Technique. He had actually mastered it to the point where he could use it at will.

Riyue walked down from a nearby tree, one step at a time, his feet stuck to the trunk.

The Third Hokage was stunned. This child... He's even completed his Tree Climbing training. When did Konoha produce a genius like this? He's only five years old... Back when we three reached this level, we were eight or nine.

Riyue asked Ebiki, "Teacher, did I pass the Three Basic Techniques test?"

"..." Ebiki was completely dazed.

"Teacher?"

"P-passed... Let's test your Taijutsu now. We'll spar." Ebiki nodded blankly.

"Sure. It's been a while since I sparred with a Chunin!" Riyue was a little excited, too.

"Come at me as if you're prepared to kill me!" Ebiki said.

"Byakugan!" Riyue activated his Byakugan without hesitation. He raised both palms, one in front of him and one at his side, taking up a Gentle Fist stance.

The Third Hokage thought, Can he activate the Byakugan without forming Hand Seals?

"Watch out, Teacher!" Riyue charged straight at Ebiki.

"So fast!" Teacher Ebiki was startled. He'd let his guard down and wasn't ready.

Riyue closed the distance, pale blue chakra surrounding his palm as he struck toward Ebiki's chest. Ebiki tried to knock Riyue's hand aside while shifting his body to the other side. But Riyue could see every contraction and release of his muscles.

Riyue immediately changed his palm into a finger strike and unexpectedly jabbed a pressure point in Ebiki's palm. Ebiki felt a sharp ache there, and chakra began leaking from a pressure point in his left palm.

At the same time, Riyue followed up with his other hand and struck an aching pressure point at Ebiki's elbow. Half of Ebiki's arm went numb, while chakra continued to drain from his palm. He quickly swept out with his leg, forcing Riyue back.

He stimulated my pressure points and made my chakra leak out of control? He can also strike pressure points and make my arm ache and go limp. Is this the Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan? I let my guard down! How can he use the Gentle Fist so effectively? Ebiki discreetly moved his aching, numb arm, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

"Teacher, don't get distracted." Riyue didn't give Ebiki a chance to catch his breath. He charged again. Ebiki swung his functional arm in a punch. Riyue had already ducked low, dodging the punch and attacking Ebiki's lower body. At that moment, Riyue's short stature became an advantage.

"Damn it!" Ebiki tried to jump backward, but Riyue crossed his hands in a sword-finger gesture and struck Ebiki's thigh. The muscles in one of Ebiki's legs went stiff and heavy, while the other began to twitch uncontrollably. He couldn't jump!

"Smack! Smack!" Riyue's two fingers quickly struck Ebiki's waist from either side. Ebiki's lower back went numb. He felt short of breath, as though his diaphragm had gone out of control. His balance faltered, and he slumped to the ground.

Riyue deactivated his Byakugan and bowed to Ebiki. "Thank you for the lesson, Teacher." Ebiki's diaphragm was too weak for him to breathe properly, and he couldn't speak. He could only nod.

Riyue walked over to Ebiki and gently pressed a few pressure points, dispelling his chakra needles and releasing the blocked points. Only then did Ebiki feel himself able to move again. The strange sensations in his body gradually faded.

"Riyue, you passed the exam. You have the strength of a Genin now." Ebiki nodded happily. He'd been defeated by his own student because he'd let his guard down and they'd only been competing in Taijutsu, but a loss was still a loss.

Ebiki wasn't the least bit discouraged. He could barely contain his excitement. He's a genius, and I get to be his teacher. He's only five years old! His future is limitless!

The Third Hokage had watched all of this in silence, his heart stirred. Riyue is more than just Genin level. He should already be an elite Genin. I doubt he even showed his full strength in that fight.

The Third Hokage picked up Riyue's file and looked it over. "Hyuga Nichigetsu, a member of the Hyuga Branch Family. His father died in battle two years ago. His mother is an ordinary member of the Senju Clan! His bloodline may not be very strong, but the boy is still a descendant of the Senju Clan. His cousin, Hyuga Mizuki, must have taught him his skills. His Gentle Fist is unusual, with all sorts of special effects. As far as I know, even the Hyuga Main Family's Gentle Fist isn't this powerful. Could he have developed it himself? A five-year-old child has achieved this much... He really is a genius."

"Teacher Ebiki, can you teach me some powerful techniques? I've already mastered everything we learn in class," Riyue asked.

"Riyue, what do you want to learn?" Ebiki nodded and stood up to ask.

"I want to learn the Shadow Clone Technique! Then I can send a Shadow Clone to class when I skip, and you won't lose face." Riyue thought about it and replied.

"Sure. I'll teach you the Shadow Clone Technique." Ebiki agreed readily. This was a genius. He could still teach him ninjutsu now, but he might not get another chance in the future. Ebiki wanted to train elites, but even more than that, he wanted to teach a genius who would make a name for himself in the Shinobi World.

Ebiki taught Riyue the Hand Seals for the Shadow Clone Technique, how to refine and use chakra, and the things he needed to keep in mind. With Ebiki's guidance, Riyue learned the Shadow Clone Technique in a single day. Ebiki became even more certain that he'd made the right decision.

"Teacher, from now on, when I skip class, I'll use a Shadow Clone in my place. I'll keep studying until it's time to graduate."

"Sure, no problem." Ebiki nodded. The things taught at school were no longer suitable for Riyue, and Ebiki didn't want to waste his time.

Riyue was delighted to have learned the Shadow Clone Technique. It was an incredibly useful technique. He could use it to gather intelligence, transmit information, support attacks, speed up training, and confuse enemies. It was a powerful technique.

"Heh, so this is the school benefit."