Gifts!

"Asuma!"

A voice rang out.

Asuma turned and saw his older brother, Sarutobi Shinya, leaping over.

Looks like it was time to go home for dinner.

Getting up and putting on his clothes, Asuma went to meet him, and the two brothers headed home together.

By the time they got home, dinner was ready, and it was exceptionally lavish.

It was clearly to celebrate Asuma's graduation and his astonishing results.

After dinner.

Sarutobi Shinya was the first to take out the gift he had prepared. Handing it to Asuma, he smiled. "Asuma, this is my graduation gift for you. I hope you can use it to make a name for yourself in the ninja world!"

"Thanks, Brother!"

Asuma took the short sword and drew it at once, immediately sensing that it was different from the blade he usually used for practice.

This was a Chakra Blade!

That was, a Ninja Sword with exceptional Chakra conductivity—extremely precious.

Buzz!

Asuma infused it with Wind Release Chakra, and a faint blue glow immediately appeared along the blade.

Sarutobi Shinya was instantly startled. "Asuma, your Wind Style has improved again!"

He could feel that Asuma's Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation was terrifyingly powerful, far stronger than before.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was equally startled. His senses were stronger than his son Sarutobi Shinya's, and Asuma's Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation seemed to have already surpassed his own?

He found that hard to believe!

"It has improved a little, thanks to Father's cultivation notes."

Asuma smiled.

Level 8 Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation had a remarkably greater effect compared to its previous Level 5.

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised a brow but did not press further.

After all, Asuma had established himself as a genius in the past, and they had grown used to it over the years.

"Asuma, this is Mother's gift for you!"

Sarutobi Biwako brought out her gift: a pair of Arm Guards, rather heavy in weight.

They had iron plates inside, wrapped in a layer of leather armor outside, offering both double protection and comfort.

Asuma immediately put them on and liked them very much. He kissed his mother on the cheek and thanked her with a smile. "Thank you, Mom!"

Seeing that her son liked them, Sarutobi Biwako was delighted.

Finally, Asuma looked eagerly at his cheap old man.

As the Hokage, his gift could not possibly be too stingy, right?

Seeing his son's expression, Sarutobi Hiruzen was helpless.

Was he afraid Hiruzen would not give him a gift, or that the gift would be too light?

"Asuma..."

Rather than immediately taking out his prepared gift, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked seriously and sternly at his second son.

Asuma's heart tightened. He immediately sat upright and assumed an attentive posture. "Yes, Father. Please speak."

"First, you must understand that the Ninja Academy and the world outside Konoha are completely different."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke slowly. "In Konoha, at the Ninja Academy, you are the Hokage's son, a student, a child."

"But once you enter the ninja world, no one cares about any of that."

"As your enemies, no one will care about your age, your identity... In fact, being the Hokage's son will only make you more interesting to them and put you in even greater danger."

Asuma immediately nodded. "Yes, Father, I understand!"

"I will forget my identity. Once I leave the academy and leave Konoha, I will only be a newcomer, a rookie. I still have much to learn, and not just ninjutsu."

Approval appeared in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes as he continued, "You performed very well in the Graduation Exam, and you have cultivated diligently over these past years. That is very good."

"However, the Graduation Exam was ultimately just a sparring match. In a real fight to the death, things may not turn out that way."

"As a ninja, you need confidence, but you must not be arrogant. When facing any enemy, even if they look younger than you or weaker than you, you must never underestimate them."

"Underestimating someone in a sparring match merely means losing a match. But in the ninja world, the price of underestimation will be your life."

"Remember, your mother will always be waiting for you at home!"

These words were clearly meant as a warning, as he feared Asuma would become too arrogant after defeating a seasoned Chūnin.

However, Asuma knew that his words were correct.

People possessed an ineradicable arrogance and pride deep in their bones, and when facing the weak, they would inevitably develop contempt.

Yet that often made them pay a price they could not bear.

As for defeating a seasoned Chūnin, Asuma did not actually feel proud or complacent at all.

It was only one seasoned Chūnin. How could that amount to anything?

His goal was to surpass Uchiha Itachi at the same age of thirteen.

He was nine now, with four years remaining.

Even with his cheat, Asuma had no certainty of victory, so there was nothing to be complacent about.

Of course, he could not say that aloud, so he said, "Don't worry, Father. My goals are Brother and you. Defeating one seasoned Chūnin is nothing."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded at that, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed.

Then, urged on by Sarutobi Biwako, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally brought out the gift he had prepared.

A scroll and a large stack of Explosive Tags!

"Thank you, Father!"

Asuma accepted them happily.

There were a full hundred Explosive Tags. Even at the lowest price of one thousand ryo each, they were worth one hundred thousand ryo.

When he opened the scroll, Asuma's eyes immediately lit up.

Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!

This was a technique Sarutobi Hiruzen had created based on the Shadow Clone Technique, and it was highly practical.

And with the Shadow Clone Technique already mastered, learning this technique would be simple.

After thanking them once again, the family gathering came to an end.

After helping his mother clear the dishes, Asuma did not train for once. Instead, he left the house to meet up with Yūhi Kurenai as planned, and the two went shopping together.

They would be assigned to classes tomorrow.

They might not end up in the same class afterward, and if that happened, they naturally could not spend every day together as they had at the Ninja Academy.

After walking until they were tired, the two sat down on a bench along an empty street.

"I have a gift for you!"

Asuma and Yūhi Kurenai spoke almost at the same time.

They looked at each other and smiled.

Yūhi Kurenai immediately spoke first. "You go first!"

"Okay, close your eyes!"

Asuma smiled.

Yūhi Kurenai closed her eyes and waited quietly.

Asuma watched her slightly trembling eyelashes and leaned in.

Their lips met, cool against each other.

Yūhi Kurenai's face immediately flushed crimson.

After they parted, Yūhi Kurenai hurriedly said, "My turn now. You close your eyes too."

Asuma stared at Yūhi Kurenai for a moment, then smiled and closed his eyes.

After waiting for a while, he was suddenly tackled to the ground, and a soft sensation touched his lips.

One kiss sealed their feelings!

Hand in hand, the two continued strolling through Konoha's bustling streets, but their feelings were now entirely different from before.

Suddenly, Asuma stopped.

Following his gaze, Yūhi Kurenai spotted a familiar figure inside a tavern. "Huh, is that Shizune?"

"It's Shizune, and Lady Tsunade, one of the Sannin!"

Asuma nodded, then pulled Yūhi Kurenai into the tavern.