What a Pair of Star-Crossed Lovers

Without wasting any words, Mikami Yu and Guy crashed into each other in an instant!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The crisp sound of fists and feet colliding rang out through the morning mist.

Compared to Kaimon Hyuga's Gentle Fist, Guy's Steel Fist attacks were clearly far more ferocious. Every punch and kick carried astonishing strength and speed, crashing down like a raging storm. Mikami Yu, meanwhile, was more agile, predicting, dodging, and blocking again and again, occasionally seizing an opening to counterattack.

Bang—!

Mikami Yu's sweeping kick struck Guy's blocking arm. Guy merely grunted, staggered slightly, then steadied himself. Almost without pause, he twisted at the waist and threw a heavy punch at Mikami Yu's shoulder, leaving it numb and aching.

"Hiss..."

Mikami Yu's eyes flickered. "As expected of the 'Blue Beast.' His durability and strength are really something. Even after activating the 'Guy Gate,' I still can't suppress him physically. That's ridiculous..."

It seemed there was still room to further optimize the move "Partial Transformation: Might Guy's Body."

After another dozen or so exchanges.

Guy spotted an opening and let out a fierce roar, unleashing a powerful twisting roundhouse kick!

"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"

Whoosh—!

Mikami Yu vanished from where he stood and reappeared seven or eight meters behind Guy's side. All that remained was a stone falling from midair, which Guy sent flying with one kick. It smashed into a nearby tree, making its branches and leaves shake wildly.

"Haha, that was great!"

Guy lowered his leg and stood firm, flashing a grin of white teeth. "Yu! I know you were going easy on me. You didn't use any abilities besides Taijutsu at all. Next time! Next time, I'll definitely become stronger and have a proper fight with you when you're going all out!"

"Sure. Next time."

As the battle ended.

Mikami Yu saw a text box emerge before him:

[Eight Gates: Hmm... that was a pretty ordinary fight, not as intense as I imagined. But since you worked so hard this early in the morning and even took me into a fight, I'll let you off for today. I'll come find you for training later!]

[Eight Gates Affection +1. Current Affection: 6/100 (Stranger)]

"...This affection really is hard to raise."

Mikami Yu silently complained.

Come to think of it, Mikami Yu had always found it strange. Why could the system detect the Hyuga Family's "Gentle Fist," but not "Steel Fist"?

He figured it might be an issue of completeness.

"Gentle Fist" was a complete martial arts system, focused on attacking an enemy's acupoints and damaging their chakra network and internal organs. It was more technique-oriented;

While "Steel Fist" was merely a broad term for fist techniques that coated the limbs in chakra to increase attack power. It was part of Konoha-Style Taijutsu, so the system had not counted it among the "beautiful girls."

But Super Strength Fist probably counted.

If he ever got the chance to build a connection with Tsunade, perhaps he could find a way to learn it.

Morning.

Mikami Yu bid farewell to the fired-up Might father and son and headed to the training ground on the western side of the village, where he practiced Ninjutsu beside a clear stream.

He took a deep breath, his hands flying through seals as he rapidly circulated the chakra within his body.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"

"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"

Boom!

Whoosh!

An orange-red fireball nearly as tall as a person and a surging torrent of water appeared alternately in midair. One moment, they whipped up enormous waves across the river's surface; the next, the fire scorched the water into hazy steam that drifted into the surroundings.

Now that the exams were over, Mikami Yu no longer pursued power or size in his training. Instead, he carefully sensed the enhancements that the traits [Spirit of Fire] and [Water Dancer] provided to the Ninjutsu itself.

Especially the latter.

When he deliberately controlled the water during release, shaping it into different forms such as whirlpools, spheres, and showerheads, the chakra consumption of Water Release: Water Shockwave noticeably underwent subtle changes. It seemed that the technique itself was watching him.

Once the training ended.

The affection of Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu and Water Release: Water Shockwave each increased by around two points.

At this point.

Water Release: Water Shockwave successfully advanced:

[Water Release: Water Shockwave (Affection: 50/100 (Intimate))]

(Phase rewards obtained twice: Constitution +2, Trait: Water Dancer. Your Water Style possesses greater artistic potential. When casting it, if you can create an artistic form that satisfies "Water Release: Water Shockwave," chakra consumption is reduced by 40%.)

Hmm, 30% in the first stage, 40% in the second...

It looked like it might reach 60% at maximum.

For Wild Water Wave alone, reducing chakra consumption by two-thirds had limited use.

But...

If he could give her the skins of Water Dragon Bullet and Water Style: Water Shockwave, that would be another matter entirely.

Combined with the theoretically limitless increases to his constitution...

Perhaps one day, Mikami Yu would also be able to use a "Sea Release" like Tobirama Senju.

In comparison, after Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu reached 60 affection, its increases became much slower.

He wondered whether it was because he had not given it a gift, or because he had not triggered a special event like he had with the Three Techniques...

Mikami Yu stopped to rest. Sitting cross-legged on a stone beside the stream as he recovered his chakra, he sank his consciousness into the Gala System and opened the dialogue bubble with [Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu].

[Mikami Yu: Little Fire, let me ask you something. Do you know "Phoenix Flower Jutsu"?]

[Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu: Hm? Phoenix Flower... she's sort of a younger sister from the same clan. What's wrong?]

[Mikami Yu: Nothing. I just heard that name somewhere else... How is your relationship with her?]

[Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu: Relationship? It's nothing special! That girl is too playful, and she always dresses herself up so gaudily. She doesn't understand that what's inside is what matters most. Only uncultured nouveau riche would use fancy outer clothing to package themselves.]

"Uh..."

Mikami Yu felt as if he were watching someone call grapes sour because she could not reach them.

He wondered whether, if he chose Fire Style: Great Fire Wall as a gift for Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu, she would instantly change her face and become one of those "nouveau riche" herself...

At that moment.

Another Ninjutsu that loved joining in on the fun appeared:

[Clone Technique (Water Clone Technique Form): Well, well, isn't this Miss Fire Ball? Haven't seen you for two days, and you've fallen this far? You say what's inside matters, but isn't it really because you don't have any new clothes to wear?]

[Clone Technique: Still, I doubt Little Mikami will give you a gift. After all, your reputation isn't very good. You may look glamorous on the outside, but do you know what people call you behind your back?]

[Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu: Shut up! Don't say that!]

[Clone Technique: Hehe, everyone calls you—"Kindness Technique"! Because you can never hit anyone, so you're kind.]

[Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu: Aaaah! Clone Technique, you annoying brat! I'm going to burn you!!! (The flames around her body surged violently, showing her extreme frustration.)]

"..."

Mikami Yu was speechless for a moment.

The way he saw it, Clone Technique and Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu really were a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Among all the techniques, only those two were usually the most active and loved bickering the most. Sometimes, he even worried that Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu's affection might drop because of Clone Technique's taunts...

[Ding! Special event keyword detected. Limited-time mission triggered!]