Yuhi Kurenai: Mikami, Do You Have Any Knack for Practicing Ninjutsu?

This was a lie.

In reality, Mikami Yu had relied on farming the favorability of those "pretty girls" to obtain physique attribute points from the Gala System, forcibly raising his physical condition enough to barely train this far with Might Duy and his son.

However, it seemed that 8 physique points were still a little insufficient. He needed to find a way to add a few more.

Elsewhere.

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Might Duy raised a thumb, his eyes brimming with enthusiasm as he looked at Mikami Yu. "Excellent! Yu! This perseverance is the brightest light of youth! Your physical foundation is already far tougher than before!"

"...Then am I qualified to ask you about that 'secret technique,' Uncle Duy? I know it represents the ultimate profundity of taijutsu, a forbidden technique that exchanges life for power through burning one's vitality. But I have that resolve! For the sake of protecting what I cherish!"

Mikami Yu forcibly suppressed his panting and sat up straighter, his expression becoming incomparably serious.

He had already dealt with Might Duy before and had "coincidentally" witnessed him practicing the Eight Gates, so he had brought up this subject previously. Bringing it up again now did not seem abrupt.

Might Duy stared at the determination in Mikami Yu's eyes. After several seconds of silence, he slowly rose to his feet, gave a thumbs-up, and flashed his gleaming teeth. "Excellent! I can feel your resolve!"

"But Yu, cultivating the Eight Gates is extremely arduous. It requires tempering your body day after day, year after year, into a body of steel capable of withstanding that violent power! Pain, monotony, sweat, even blood—those will all become commonplace! You should understand that!"

"I understand!"

Mikami Yu nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"Then... prove it to me!"

Might Duy pointed at the long road ahead and declared, "If you can complete the task of running ten laps around Konoha every day for ten consecutive days, I'll teach you the cultivation method of the Eight Gates!"

"...Fine! Ten days it is! Uncle Duy, it's a deal!"

Mikami Yu said.

Since the boost from 8 physique points allowed him to persist through nine laps, another one or two points should let him complete all ten. If all went smoothly, he would meet Might Duy's requirements and learn the Eight Gates in as little as half a month, or at most a month.

By then, it would only be January of next year, still before the graduation exams.

There was time.

"Ha! Now that's what youth should look like! I have high hopes for you, Yu!"

Might Duy laughed heartily, stood on his hands again, and called to his son, "Guy, let's continue! Charge toward the tenth lap!"

"Yes, Dad!"

Might Guy immediately followed with renewed vigor, not forgetting to turn back midway and flash Mikami Yu a wide, Haku-toothed grin. "Yu! I'll challenge you again!"

Watching the father and son in green bodysuits turn into two moving scenes of "youth" and disappear into the distance once more, Mikami Yu leaned against a tree trunk. Exhaustion washed over him like a tide, but his eyes remained exceptionally bright.

Ten days, ten laps... He still had to keep working hard at farming favorability!

For Mikami Yu, who was now simultaneously courting six Ninjutsu, it had become somewhat difficult to raise all six techniques' favorability to the maximum every day.

Unless he did nothing all day except talk to them and practice.

But...

Considering that every favorability level-up could add 1 physique point, perhaps targeting the Ninjutsu that were close to leveling up first would be a more effective strategy.

A weekend passed in the blink of an eye.

A new week arrived.

Early in the morning, the notice board outside the Ninja Academy's teaching building was packed with people. The final exam rankings had been posted, and all the students crowded around it, jostling to stand on tiptoe for a look.

"Hey! The rankings are out! I'm finally not last this time!"

"Quick, who's first?"

"Wow! It's Mikami Yu! Perfect scores!"

"How is that possible? Wasn't practical combat his weak point...?"

"His practical combat score is high too! Look! It's the same as Sarutobi Asuma's, but his academic scores beat Asuma's by far!"

"Kaimon Hyuga's ranking actually dropped so much..."

""

Amid the clamor, Mikami Yu's name stood at the very top, exceptionally conspicuous.

Uchiha Obito was also squeezed into the crowd, standing on tiptoe as he anxiously searched for his name. When he finally found it far down the list, his head immediately drooped. "Ah... It's like this again..."

He subconsciously turned toward Nohara Rin, only to find her standing with Mikami Yu, chatting and laughing. A strange sense of disparity immediately surged into his heart, making his face feel slightly hot.

Mm... He was seeing red.

First place and Nohara Rin... They should both have been his, Obito's!

Elsewhere.

Mikami Yu was not surprised by his first-place result. After all, perfect scores in academic classes were basic for him. Although the practical exam was nominally scored based on that match against Mizuki, his earlier use of the Three Techniques to defeat Kaimon Hyuga would certainly have been taken into account by the teachers during evaluation.

What truly deserved attention was what impact this first place would bring afterward.

Just as Mikami Yu cleared his throat and prepared to say something to Nohara Rin, a soft voice came from beside him. "Mikami, congratulations. You really improved a lot this time."

"Thank you... Yuhi."

Mikami Yu turned around and met a Haku face and a pair of ruby-like eyes.

It was Yuhi Kurenai.

At this age, Yuhi Kurenai had yet to possess the mature, long-haired beauty she would have as an adult, but her outfit already carried a hint of her future style: a red inner layer paired with a Haku outer garment. Her hands and thighs simply were not wrapped in bandages yet, so she always seemed to be missing something.

After hesitating for a moment, Yuhi Kurenai spoke again. "Mikami, this may be a little presumptuous, but... could I ask you about the secret to improving practical combat scores? You know, my practical combat scores aren't very ideal either..."

"Hm?"

Mikami Yu paused slightly, then said, "Well... there's no real secret. The main thing is to learn more and practice more..."

"Is there... anything more specific?"

Yuhi Kurenai blinked.

"Well... if I have to name something, there is one point. You have to treat Ninjutsu as people. You can't practice just for the sake of practicing. Usually, you should talk to your Ninjutsu more and raise their favorability. Occasionally give them gifts, then have special interactions with them during certain special events..."

"What I mean is, as long as you treat Ninjutsu with a sincere heart, Ninjutsu will definitely repay you. Mm, that's it."

Mikami Yu said solemnly.

Yuhi Kurenai's mouth fell slightly open, and it took her a long while to make a sound. "...Huh?"