Generous Rewards, A Change in Fate!

Asuma withdrew his gaze from Yūhi Kurenai, Kakashi, and the others training in the rushing river. He took off his soaking wet shirt and hung it on a tree to dry, then turned his attention to the system.

Character: Asuma

Level: 15

Age: 6

Faction: Konohagakure, Land of Fire

Experience Points: 2256+1000/8000

Achievement: Savior (1/10)

Dopaminergic Attribute Points: 15+1

Dopaminergic Skill Points: 15+1

Attributes.

Constitution: 31.26

Agility: 24.64

Intelligence: 38

Charm: 26+5

These were the results of the past year.

Intelligence had improved the fastest. This attribute could be raised by learning any kind of knowledge or skill.

Constitution came next.

Asuma had trained his body day after day for the past year. Even wind and rain had never stopped him.

Furthermore, his body's natural growth also increased his Constitution.

As for Charm, Asuma had maintained first place in written exams and practical classes over the past year, and he stirred up trouble from time to time as well. His Charm had steadily risen.

Of course, the most pleasant surprise was that saving Hatake Sakumo had earned him five Charm points at once—the largest increase he had received since transmigrating.

Asuma's gaze fell on the achievement section as he pondered, Does the number in parentheses mean the achievement will advance after I save ten people?

Then do those ten people have to be important figures?

Looks like I should try more often whenever it's within my capabilities.

With that thought, Asuma opened his skill panel. Beside it was a golden package, which should have been the rewarded Skill Pack.

He wanted to see what good stuff the Skill Pack contained.

With a thought, he opened it.

Congratulations, you have obtained Basic Swordsmanship Level 3.

In an instant, a massive amount of information flooded into his mind. Asuma's eyelids fluttered rapidly, and even the muscles and cells throughout his body twitched. Countless swordsmanship training sessions flashed through his mind like rapidly edited footage.

At that moment, Asuma felt as though he were experiencing accelerated time. Knowledge and training related to swordsmanship were deeply etched into both his soul and body.

When the infusion ended, Asuma felt as if he had already spent years training in swordsmanship.

"This kind of infusion is incredible. Chūnin-level swordsmanship isn't bad either."

Asuma secretly rejoiced before pondering, Was the swordsmanship reward related to Hatake Sakumo's specialty in swordsmanship?

Perhaps.

Setting aside those thoughts, Asuma opened his skill panel.

Level 5 Substitution Technique 11%

Level 5 Clone Technique 3%

Level 5 Transformation Technique 5%

Level 3 Shadow Clone Technique 23%

Level 4 Chakra Control (Extraction, Manipulation) 17%

Level 3 Taijutsu (Unarmed) 32%

Level 3 Basic Swordsmanship

Level 3 Ninja Tool Throwing 11%

Level 2 Genjutsu 56%

For a six-year-old, this was an incredibly impressive skill panel.

His Three Basic Ninjutsu had reached the mastery level of a Jōnin.

This was not only because Asuma trained day after day with a level of self-discipline that could only be called abnormal, but also because he had a good older brother.

Sarutobi Shinya, meanwhile, had inherited the true teachings of their father, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Furthermore, during school breaks, they had a hired Jōnin serving as a private tutor.

Unfortunately, the Three Basic Ninjutsu were already difficult to improve further, and they could no longer earn Experience Points.

According to his brother Sarutobi Shinya, once the Three Basic Ninjutsu reached this level, they were in no way inferior to his own.

Setting aside practical combat experience, even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage himself, might not possess greater mastery of the Three Basic Ninjutsu.

This also made Asuma understand something.

The ninjutsu and skills mastered by a Kage were not necessarily at Kage Level.

Especially basic ninjutsu like the Three Basic Ninjutsu.

Probably no one would keep studying them endlessly.

Even a powerhouse like Sarutobi Hiruzen used more advanced Substitution Techniques.

For example, using an Earth Clone as a substitute.

And the Orochimaru-Style Body Replacement Technique.

These were all more advanced variants of the Substitution Technique.

However, Asuma thought of Uchiha Sasuke's dojutsu, Amenotejikara.

Could master-level Substitution Technique reach the level of Amenotejikara?

What about grandmaster level at the Six Paths level?

Or even beyond Level 10?

It would be a lie to say he was not tempted.

By now, Asuma had saved up a full sixteen Skill Points.

"No, impulsiveness is the devil!"

"I'm still a student. There's no need to spend Skill Points to improve my skills in a hurry. Waiting until graduation and improving them as needed is the best choice!"

Suppressing the impulse in his heart, Asuma closed the system and continued training in the water.

On the first afternoon after the weekend, during practical combat class, a surprise appeared.

Their teacher had been replaced by Hatake Sakumo.

Forget Asuma and the others—even Kakashi was stunned.

Konoha's White Fang!

His reputation was even greater than that of Konoha's Sannin, yet he had actually come to the academy to serve as their practical combat teacher.

It was simply a waste of his talents.

After all, teaching little kids like them usually only required a Chūnin.

"What a windfall!"

Asuma's eyes gleamed.

In his eyes, Hatake Sakumo was practically a walking, oversized bag of Experience Points.

His rich combat experience, vast reserves of knowledge, and very likely master-level swordsmanship... Asuma nearly started drooling just thinking about it.

Thus.

That afternoon during practical combat class, Asuma used Basic Swordsmanship against Kakashi, catching him completely off guard.

As their teacher, Hatake Sakumo's eyes lit up.

For a child barely over six years old to possess such proficient swordsmanship was truly rare.

Kakashi had been taught by him since childhood, yet even Kakashi was a step behind Asuma in swordsmanship.

A genius!

Hatake Sakumo labeled Asuma a swordsmanship genius.

Thus.

Plans could not keep up with changes.

One more item was added to Asuma's training schedule.

Ask Hatake Sakumo for guidance in swordsmanship!

Perhaps because Asuma had helped him, perhaps because he appreciated Asuma, or perhaps because of his duty as a Ninja Academy teacher.

Hatake Sakumo held nothing back with Asuma, teaching and guiding him with utmost dedication.

However, the Hatake Sakumo incident was only a minor interlude in Asuma's three-year plan.

Afterward, his life remained orderly and monotonous, but full of motivation.

In the blink of an eye.

Spring of Konoha Year 40 arrived.

Six-year-old Kakashi graduated!

He had enrolled at four and graduated at six. Although it was a year later than the timing Asuma knew, he had still broken the Ninja Academy's record for the youngest graduate.

The wheels of fate rolled onward, yet they had already taken a slight turn.

Hatake Sakumo had not died, and Kakashi's personality was no longer so extreme. Asuma could not predict what the future would bring.

After learning that Kakashi had graduated early, Uchiha Obito also applied for an early graduation examination, but failed repeatedly.

The guy could not even use the Three Basic Ninjutsu properly.

He spent too much of his usual time helping old ladies cross the street.

Meanwhile, Asuma remained as steady as an old monk, carrying out his plan step by step.

In Konoha Year 41, Might Guy, who had enrolled half a year later than the others, also graduated, leaving Asuma's daily training with one less source of entertainment.

Uchiha Obito was still striving toward graduation.

Asuma also sensed from his brother Sarutobi Shinya's increasingly frequent missions that the situation in the ninja world was changing.

Sure enough.

Not long afterward, Hatake Sakumo also left the Ninja Academy.

Asuma began to feel a sense of urgency. The Shadow Clone Technique almost completely took over his Ninja Academy classes.

He visited the Hokage Building more and more often, while private tutors gradually became a permanent fixture.