Starting with the Basics

A few seconds later, she reached out and picked up the file.

The first page contained Fang Xu's basic information.

The second page traced his family lineage.

The third page contained observation records from the past week.

The more Tsunade read, the tighter her brows drew together.

"Lightning Activation Nintaijutsu?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

"No teacher taught him, and there were no secret techniques from Hidden Cloud. He figured it out himself."

Tsunade flipped to the later pages.

"He tied with Kakashi in a spar?"

This time, there was finally a hint of interest in her voice.

Of course, she had heard of Kakashi Hatake.

The son of Hatake Sakumo, a renowned genius of Konoha.

To fight Kakashi to a draw at six years old was already not something an ordinary child should be capable of.

Not to mention, Fang Xu had only begun to show explosive growth recently.

Tsunade stared at the file for quite a while before suddenly letting out a cold laugh.

"So you got anxious?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing.

Tsunade closed the file and slammed her palm heavily onto the desk.

"He just took Sakumo as his teacher, and now you want me to get involved too."

"A Senju descendant, Lightning Nintaijutsu, and talent for Kendo."

"Old man, you've got quite the scheme going."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Tsunade, Konoha needs outstanding children to grow up."

"Don't use Konoha to pressure me."

Tsunade cut him off directly.

"I can go meet him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze shifted.

Tsunade raised one finger.

"But I won't take him as a disciple right away."

"If he really has what it takes and passes my test, I'll give him something."

"I won't shortchange a descendant of the Senju."

At that point, her voice suddenly sank.

"But remember this."

"Fang Xu is only six years old."

"If you dare drag a six-year-old child into your little power struggle, don't blame me for turning on you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at her.

"I won't harm him."

Tsunade gave a cold snort, rose to her feet, and left.

The office door opened, then closed again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind the desk, lightly tapping the file with his fingers.

Things had not gone entirely as he expected.

Tsunade refused to take Fang Xu as a disciple.

But she was willing to meet Fang Xu, and that was enough.

As long as the Senju bloodline tied them together, Fang Xu would eventually form a connection with Tsunade.

And Tsunade was his disciple.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe again, and the expression on his face gradually eased.

No rush.

Sooner or later, this child would fall into his faction.

When the dismissal bell rang, the students of the Ninja Academy suddenly came alive.

Fang Xu closed his textbook and packed his notes into his bag.

Kurenai Yuhi looked at his neatly organized notes and could not help saying, "You've really changed a lot lately."

Fang Xu looked up.

"Have I?"

"Yes."

Kurenai Yuhi nodded very seriously.

"You used to listen in class too, but you were never this focused."

"Now you hardly ever lose focus during lessons. You review your notes afterward, and you train far more diligently than before."

She paused, lowering her voice slightly.

"And it's only been a little over a week, but the speed at which you learn things is frightening."

Fang Xu smiled.

"Maybe something suddenly clicked."

Kurenai Yuhi looked at him but did not press further.

She could sense that Fang Xu had indeed gained many secrets.

But that was not a bad thing.

At least the current Fang Xu was more hardworking and more dependable than before.

Rin Nohara turned around from the row ahead and asked with a smile, "Fang Xu, are you going to train again today?"

"Yeah."

Fang Xu slung his bag over his shoulder and looked toward the window.

"Kakashi, let's go."

Kakashi stood up and strapped his short sword to his back.

"Quit dawdling."

That immediately stunned several people nearby.

Obito had just woken up and was rubbing his eyes, but he instantly became alert when he heard that.

"What?"

"You two are leaving together?"

Asuma also frowned.

"Since when were you two so close?"

Rin Nohara was equally surprised.

Before yesterday, Fang Xu and Kakashi could barely be considered ordinary classmates.

But now, the way they spoke to each other did not look like ordinary classmates at all.

Kurenai Yuhi also looked at Fang Xu.

"Where are you going?"

Fang Xu did not hide it.

"To the Hatake Residence, to learn swordsmanship from Teacher Sakumo."

"Teacher Sakumo?"

Obito's voice suddenly rose.

"You took Kakashi's dad as your teacher?"

Kakashi glanced at him.

"Is that strange?"

Obito opened his mouth.

Strange. Too strange.

He had argued with Kakashi for years and had never even entered the Hatake Family home to learn swordsmanship.

Fang Xu had only appeared for a few days. How had he already become Hatake Sakumo's disciple?

Asuma's gaze toward Fang Xu became complicated as well.

He had only apologized yesterday and had originally planned to win back his pride fair and square in the next assessment.

Yet Fang Xu had turned around and become the disciple of the White Fang of the Leaf.

The pressure came crashing down all at once.

Kurenai Yuhi, on the other hand, was happy for Fang Xu.

"Then work hard."

"Don't worry."

Fang Xu waved at her.

"See you tomorrow."

Kakashi had already reached the door and turned back to urge him, "If we don't leave now, Father will be waiting for you."

Fang Xu followed him.

The two left the classroom side by side.

Obito watched their backs, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Damn it, when did Kakashi start hanging around with Fang Xu?"

Rin Nohara said softly, "Maybe it's because they're both hardworking."

Obito immediately straightened his back.

"Rin, I work hard too!"

Kurenai Yuhi looked toward the doorway, but her thoughts were still on Fang Xu's changes over the past few days.

Just a little over a week.

Lightning Release, Taijutsu, swordsmanship, learning ability—everything was surging upward as if a dam had burst.

Fang Xu truly was no longer the same as before.

The Hatake Residence was not luxurious, but it was very clean.

There was a dedicated training ground in the courtyard, its ground packed flat, with wooden dummies and weapon racks set along the side.

After entering, Fang Xu first bowed to Hatake Sakumo.

"Teacher."

Hatake Sakumo smiled and nodded.

"You're here."

Kakashi also called out, "Father."

Hatake Sakumo led the two into the backyard, casually took two bamboo swords from a rack, and tossed one to each of them.

Fang Xu caught his bamboo sword.

Kakashi gripped his steadily as well.

Hatake Sakumo looked at Fang Xu.

"You managed to find the threshold through self-study using those notes. That's quite good."

"But Kendo fears nothing more than a crooked foundation."

"If it goes wrong once, you'll have to spend ten times the effort fixing it later."

Fang Xu immediately stood straight.

"Please guide me, Teacher."

Hatake Sakumo looked at Kakashi again.

"You too."

Kakashi froze.

"I have to practice the basics too?"

"Of course."

Hatake Sakumo's tone was gentle, but there was no room for negotiation.

"The basics aren't something only beginners practice."

"The farther you want to go, the more you must refine them again and again."

"Today, I won't teach you any killing moves."

"How to hold a sword, stance, footwork, exerting force, breathing, distance."

"Start with the simplest things."

Kakashi did not argue further.

Fang Xu was even less likely to argue.

He knew far too well what he lacked.

The Rumble-Rumble Fruit gave him a high ceiling, and Lightning Mode gave him tremendous burst power.

But in pure Kendo, he was a complete beginner.