Practical Combat Class

Just then, a light drizzle began to fall. Qingyun packed up his things and returned to the Wooden House.

With the spring rain interrupting his training, Qingyun lost the desire to practice. He lay on his bed, letting his mind wander between all the wonderful things from his past life and the many beauties of the Naruto world.

"Big brother, are you asleep?"

Minato Namikaze suddenly called from the doorway.

"Come in!"

Qingyun spoke calmly.

"Need something?"

Qingyun's eyes shone brightly in the pitch-black room. Looking at them, Minato Namikaze scratched his head and said, "Nothing, big brother. I just can't sleep tonight. Could you chat with me for a while?"

"Sit down. What do you want to talk about?"

"Big brother, I feel like you have a lot weighing on your mind. Could you tell me about it?"

"Minato, there are some things I don't know how to explain to you either. Maybe I'll tell you when the time is right."

"Then... would you ever do anything to harm the village?"

Remembering the crimson eyes he had seen earlier, Minato Namikaze asked with a slight tremor in his voice.

"No. As long as the village doesn't betray me, I won't abandon it. What I long for is peace. Don't worry, Minato. My goal isn't to dominate the shinobi world, but to find a path."

Qingyun said something Minato Namikaze couldn't understand.

Minato Namikaze was puzzled, but he felt it would be wrong to press him. After all, Qingyun had already told him so much and had even taught him those miraculous cultivation techniques.

He had come to ask because Qingyun's dismissive attitude toward Hiruzen Sarutobi that day had been unlike his usual manner. Thinking of how mysterious Qingyun was, he feared they might become enemies one day.

Now that Qingyun had promised not to harm the village, Minato Namikaze was satisfied. He trusted Qingyun not to lie to him.

"Don't worry, Minato. You're the first friend I made in this world. No matter what happens, I'll never hurt you."

Qingyun could well have been the most frustrated transmigrator of all. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the Uchiha Clan. Although he had awakened the Sharingan, his body was so frail that he couldn't produce chakra at all.

Every day, he worried that the Uchiha Clan's famously "filial" son might kill him in his sleep.

After he obtained the system, the lousy thing tossed him a Tai Chi Fist manual and a currently useless System Space, then crashed for three years. It had only recovered recently.

For those three years, Qingyun had endured loneliness and abuse, able only to retreat in silence and lick his wounds like a lone wolf.

That lasted until Minato Namikaze appeared before him, helped him enroll in the Ninja Academy, and found his way into Qingyun's heart.

Qingyun regarded Minato Namikaze as his dearest brother. No matter what happened, he would never hurt him.

Looking at Qingyun's sincere expression, Minato Namikaze said, deeply moved, "Same here. You'll be my big brother for life. I'll never raise a hand against you."

Qingyun smiled faintly. He knew that as long as he didn't become the village's enemy, Minato Namikaze would never attack him.

Minato Namikaze was a man with a boundless capacity for love. He could sacrifice his beloved for the village, then, after saving it, leave his infant son behind to follow his beloved into death.

It was precisely that nature that had led Qingyun to begin lowering his guard around Minato Namikaze, accept him, and teach him Tai Chi Fist and the Primordial Chaos Technique.

Fate had brought them together, and their personalities now kept them close. Qingyun deeply valued Minato Namikaze as his little brother.

"Get some sleep. It's late, and we have school first thing tomorrow!"

Qingyun smiled and spoke gently.

"Okay, big brother. I'm heading back."

Minato Namikaze stood and made his way back to his room on his short little legs.

"Hah!"

Dressed in close-fitting training clothes, Qingyun unleashed his Internal Force, making the Tai Chi Bagua Diagram grow increasingly clear!

As Qingyun jolted both arms, the tree before him, as thick as an adult's thigh, snapped.

A Tai Chi Yin-Yang Diagram remained on the ground, with Qingyun standing at its very center.

"Big brother, your Chakra has increased again! At this rate, you must be getting close to a chunin's Chakra level!"

Minato Namikaze looked at Qingyun with envy.

More than half a year had passed since they enrolled. Their term break had ended, and they were already almost halfway through the next term.

Minato Namikaze seemed to have little talent for Chinese martial arts. Tai Chi Fist was manageable; with frequent practice, he could still improve slowly. But he had made no progress at all in Basic Swordsmanship.

He had done fairly well with the Primordial Chaos Technique, however, reaching minor mastery not long ago. If he converted the Internal Force in his body into Chakra now, he would have slightly more than a genin.

"Not that soon. I'll need at least another two months to break through. You still have time to catch up."

Qingyun smiled. He hadn't rushed to break through lately, instead honing his foundations over and over each day.

He understood that even the tallest building had to rise from the ground. Without solid foundations, rapid progress in the early stages would eventually end in a bottleneck, leaving a lifetime of regret.

Ding! New mission issued: Take first place in practical combat. Mission rewards: Golden Wild Goose Technique, Quanzhen Swordsmanship.

The system's notification suddenly rang out in Qingyun's mind again!

Qingyun's eyes lit up. A lightness skill! It was something he had dreamed of obtaining in his past life. What boy hadn't dreamed of roaming the world with a sword, bounding over rooftops and walls, punishing villains and protecting the innocent?

For now, Hiruzen Sarutobi had lowered his guard and begun gradually trying to win him over. Even if Qingyun showed some talent and the Uchiha Clan learned of his existence, that was fine.

As long as he insisted on not returning to the Uchiha Clan and let Hiruzen Sarutobi see his resolve, Hiruzen Sarutobi certainly wouldn't abandon him lightly.

He just needed to seize every opportunity to improve his strength and grow powerful while he still had value to both sides. Afterward, even if both sides recognized the threat he posed, they wouldn't dare move against him lightly.

"Minato, let's go to school, or we'll be late."

Qingyun smiled, picked up the lunchbox Minato Namikaze had prepared, and raced toward school.

Before long, the two reached the classroom just in time. The bell rang the moment they sat down!

Iruka Umino looked helplessly at Qingyun and Minato Namikaze, sighing inwardly. Why couldn't you have been one minute slower? Then I could have punished you...

"All right, everyone. After more than half a year of study, I've taught you a great deal. Today, we'll have your first practical combat class. Follow me."

The students chattered happily, looking thoroughly excited. What kind of Ninja sat in a classroom every day? Trading blows in a blur of movement was what made a Ninja look impressive!

The group arrived at the Training Ground. Iruka Umino stepped forward with a wooden box in his arms and said, "We'll draw lots now. Those who draw the same number will be opponents. Remember to make the Seal of Confrontation before fighting and the Seal of Reconciliation afterward, or you'll be punished."

Everyone nodded to show they understood.

After drawing his lot, Qingyun returned to his seat. He had drawn number fifteen, so he would be the last to fight.

"Big brother, what number did you get?"

After drawing his lot, Minato Namikaze came over to Qingyun and asked.

"Here, see for yourself."

"Whew, good thing I'm not facing you. Otherwise, you'd have to go easy on me again."

Minato Namikaze let out a relieved breath and grinned.

During their previous lessons on throwing shuriken, kunai, and senbon, Qingyun had clearly possessed considerable skill, yet insisted on hiding it.

That had left Minato Namikaze speechless. His remark now was also meant to remind Qingyun not to hide his abilities again.

"Don't worry. I won't hold back this time. Play the pushover for too long, and people really will take you for one!"

Qingyun muttered to himself.

Although Minato Namikaze hadn't caught Qingyun's words, he knew that Qingyun had suddenly revealed a sharp edge, utterly unlike his usual laid-back self.

Huh? That old man and his spying. Honestly, can't he just watch openly? Why does he have to sneak around...?

Qingyun suddenly felt someone watching him. He didn't need to think to know who it was.

What Qingyun didn't know, however, was that not one person but four were spying on them.

Besides Hiruzen Sarutobi, there were Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Aunt Snake.

"Old man, you called us over so solemnly just to watch these brats play ninja?"

Tsunade spoke to Hiruzen Sarutobi with an impatient look.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was drooling as he leered at Tsunade's ample chest. When she noticed, she sent him flying with a punch.

With a scream, Jiraiya rolled his eyes back and ended up embedded in a massive tree.

Orochimaru rolled his eyes and said flatly, "Idiot."

Looking at his three students and their wildly different personalities, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his forehead and smiled wryly. "There are two very interesting youngsters this time. I called you over to see whether either of them interests you. If they do, you could take them on as disciples to inherit your teachings."