Points

After finishing his training, Toru Kujyo brought up his panel and looked at the words "Points: 1791."

He recalled how he had earned those points. At first, he had tried dismantling white traits from passersby, such as "frailty" and "sluggish reflexes." Each trait yielded only single-digit points-a pitiful amount, making the process terribly inefficient.

But dismantling "Kekkei Genkai · Byakugan (purple)" today had netted him 1,200 points outright. That windfall had instantly pushed his balance into four digits. It was already enough to upgrade a blue trait.

His gaze settled on the two blue traits marked with plus signs: "Medical talent (blue)+" and "Chakra Control (blue)+." Medical talent was useful, but Chakra Control was the foundation of every ninja ability. Whether Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or Genjutsu, all of them required precise Chakra Control.

Moreover, improving his Chakra Control would allow him to make better use of his Otsutsuki bloodline.

Upgrade "Chakra Control," Toru Kujyo instructed silently.

[Ding! Upgrading "Chakra Control (blue)" to purple costs 999 points. Confirm?]

Nine hundred ninety-nine? So that really was the number. Something clicked in Toru Kujyo's mind as he recalled the points he had spent upgrading a green trait.

He ventured a guess: perhaps trait upgrades followed a fixed series of numbers. Green to blue cost 99, and blue to purple cost 999. Then purple to red... would most likely cost 9,999!

This discovery gave him a clearer understanding of the value of points. The single-digit points provided by ordinary white traits were a drop in the bucket. Only high-grade purple or even red traits could provide enough points to support upgrades.

That also meant he would have to target ninja with special Kekkei Genkai, rare talents, or formidable strength.

Toru Kujyo confirmed the upgrade.

A warm current instantly surged throughout his body, especially through his limbs and Chakra pathways.

He could feel his awareness of the Chakra inside him becoming clearer than ever before. Its flow seemed to take visible form before his eyes, and he could precisely detect every minute fluctuation. Controlling Chakra felt as simple and natural as moving his fingers-perhaps even easier.

[Chakra Control (blue)+ has successfully upgraded to Chakra Control (purple)]

Panel updated:

Host: Toru Kujyo Bloodline: Otsutsuki bloodline (red) Aptitudes: all-attribute constitution (purple), medical talent (blue)+, photographic memory (blue), Chakra Control (purple) Skills:

Basic Taijutsu (mastered), Basic Throwing Technique (mastered), Three Basic Techniques (mastered), Shadow Clone Technique (beginner), Wind Release · Gale Palm (proficient), Wind Release · Wind Cutter (beginner), Hand-Seal-Less Technique (some low-level Ninjutsu) Points: 792

Looking at the now-purple "Chakra Control," Toru Kujyo nodded in satisfaction. Although it had consumed most of his points, the investment had definitely been worthwhile.

He examined the other traits on his panel, especially the red "Otsutsuki bloodline." If upgrading purple to red cost 9,999 points, what would upgrading red to an even higher grade cost? He did not know, but one thing was certain: the higher the grade of a trait, the more points its upgrade would require, and the greater the improvement it would bring.

Therefore, he decided to prioritize saving points for core traits with immense potential, such as "Otsutsuki bloodline," rather than spending them on blue or purple traits.

September 1 soon arrived, marking the official start of the Ninja Academy's second semester.

The familiar classroom, the familiar classmates, and Iruka-sensei smiling at the front of the room. Everything seemed unchanged, but Toru Kujyo knew this semester would be completely different from the last.

A new item stood out on the afternoon timetable: Taijutsu sparring.

Unlike during summer vacation, Toru Kujyo had not used the Transformation Technique. He had come to school in his real body. He needed to participate in the Taijutsu matches himself because he was still unsure whether a Shadow Clone could acquire traits for him. The system notifications only mentioned detecting a "target" displaying an ability, while he himself was the system's host. He needed to test whether that "target" had to be observed by his real body.

The Taijutsu sparring class took place at the school's Training Ground. Standing in the center, Iruka-sensei announced the rules. "To help everyone learn and apply Taijutsu more effectively, starting today, we'll have Taijutsu sparring practice every week in the afternoon. Partners will be selected at random. The two students whose names are called will step forward. Keep it controlled-dangerous Ninja Tools and lethal Ninjutsu are forbidden!"

"Random pairings?" Toru Kujyo frowned slightly. His original plan had been to use this opportunity to challenge Naruto or Sasuke directly. Those two protagonists were bound to have high-quality traits hidden within them. Sasuke, in particular, possessed the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan. It had to be red or purple!

Iruka seemed to notice how eager some of the students were and added, "I know some of you may want to challenge specific opponents, such as the stronger students in our class. But the purpose of Taijutsu sparring is to help you adapt to different fighting styles and learn how to handle different opponents in actual combat. That makes random pairings the best approach."

After hearing Iruka-sensei's explanation, Toru Kujyo accepted the arrangement despite his disappointment. Random pairings would indeed do more to improve his combat experience. Besides... if the matches were random, he would eventually get a chance to face Naruto or Sasuke.

Still, he did not intend to rely entirely on chance. He decided to take the initiative after school.

Once class ended, Toru Kujyo approached Sasuke, who was packing his schoolbag.

"Sasuke, want to have a Taijutsu match after school?" Toru Kujyo asked directly.

Sasuke paused and raised his head, his dark eyes settling on Toru Kujyo. He had some impression of this classmate who had drawn attention at the opening ceremony. He knew Toru was fairly strong, but had paid him little mind.

"Not interested," Sasuke replied curtly, his cold tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm going home to train with my brother."

With that, he shouldered his schoolbag and left the classroom without looking back.

Toru Kujyo watched Sasuke walk away, his eyes flickering slightly. Just as he had expected, the current Sasuke had eyes only for his older brother, Uchiha Itachi. All his efforts were aimed at earning Itachi's recognition or surpassing him. With that mindset, he would have no interest in anyone else's challenges.

His thoughts then turned to Naruto. What about challenging Naruto? Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, making his identity a sensitive matter. ANBU, and perhaps even agents of the Third Hokage or Danzo, were surely watching him from the shadows.

If Toru showed excessive interest in Naruto or revealed too much of his strength during a match, he could easily attract the attention of those powerful figures. That ran counter to his current strategy of quietly building his strength. The risk was too great.

After weighing the pros and cons, Toru Kujyo decided to set aside his plans to challenge Naruto and Sasuke for now. Sasuke was currently consumed by Itachi's influence, with no room for anything else. But next year... after the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Sasuke's mindset would change completely. That might be a better time to approach him.

Although he could not immediately obtain the top-tier traits from Naruto or Sasuke, Toru Kujyo was not discouraged. Iruka-sensei was right. Though the other students in their class were nowhere near as strong as Naruto and Sasuke, they were still Ninja Academy students. Every one of them had unique qualities and talents.

He could acquire traits from them! Even white, green, or blue traits could provide points, and small amounts would add up. Moreover, fighting opponents with different styles would hone his Taijutsu and practical combat experience.

At that thought, Toru Kujyo's spirits lifted again. Protagonist or supporting character, everyone was a walking "trait bank." All he needed to do was give his all against them in Taijutsu sparring class, and the system would naturally help him identify valuable traits.

So, for every Taijutsu sparring class to come, his real body had to be there. He would not miss a single match!