“It’s done roasting!” Minato Namikaze interrupted their chat and announced, “Try my Fire Style: Pitch-Black Super Delicious Formula Four!” “You’re making up names that no one else understands again.” Kushina Uzumaki took the grilled fish and rolled her eyes at him.
“I couldn’t help it.” Minato scratched his head and smiled.
Hanekawa silently took a bite of the grilled fish.
Third-wheeling and being force-fed their romance was definitely worse than just eating the fish.
“How does it taste?” Kushina looked at Hanekawa and asked.
During their chat just now, she had already learned about this pretty child’s situation.
A war orphan, currently boarding at Shinku Yuhi’s house.
It was a bit similar to her own experience, which was quite tragic.
“It’s delicious.” Hanekawa nodded emphatically.
“Next time you have the chance, you can try my cooking,” Kushina said with a beaming smile.
“Okay.” Hanekawa naturally had to agree.
Although running into Kushina was an accident, there was no harm in building a good relationship with them.
Especially Minato Namikaze.
During the Third Great Ninja War, this could provide an extra layer of security.
“Kushina,” Minato coughed lightly to remind her.
Just like last time, Kushina had trapped her Anbu guards with fuinjutsu and sneaked out on her own.
Based on what she just said, she was planning on doing it again.
“What?” Kushina clenched her fists and asked, “Is my cooking not good?” “It’s delicious,” Minato answered instantly.
“That’s more like it.” Kushina understood his underlying meaning, but being stuck inside a barrier all day was simply too boring.
Hanekawa felt like he had inexplicably been force-fed another mouthful of their romance.
The meal ended amidst idle chatter.
Hanekawa bid them farewell and returned to Konohagakure.
The sky had grown dark, and the streetlights on both sides of the road flickered on.
He couldn’t help but feel that crows might fly by in the next second, followed by the appearance of Itachi Uchiha’s silhouette.
Fortunately, the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall was still far away, and moreover, he wasn’t an Uchiha shinobi.
As he walked, Hanekawa opened his Trait panel.
The progress bar for the E-Rank Trait ‘Seven Varieties of Ninja Tools’ had already reached 70%.
His proficiency with Paper Bombs was increasing even faster than he had imagined.
Perhaps this was the power of ‘pay-to-win’.
As the saying goes, burning cash is the true way to create happiness.
The progress bar for the E-Rank Trait ‘Top of the Class’ was also about the same.
He was just waiting for the final push during the final exams.
“I’m back!” Hanekawa casually pushed open the door and stood in the entryway to change his shoes.
Hearing his voice, Kurenai Yuhi jumped off the sofa and darted out like a little white rabbit.
Sitting opposite her, Shinku Yuhi couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
He felt his status in the household was under severe threat.
“Hanekawa, why did you come back so late?” Kurenai stood with her hands on her hips, asking in dissatisfaction.
“And you didn’t tell me in advance!” That last part is the real issue, isn’t it?
Hanekawa looked at her adorably puffed-up cheeks and said with a smile, “I ran into Minato Namikaze.” “Who is Minato Namikaze?” Kurenai didn’t react immediately.
“You actually ran into Minato?” Shinku asked, his face full of surprise.
“I met him at the Fourth Training Ground.” Hanekawa casually made up an excuse.
“Maybe he saw my exceptional bone structure and martial potential, so he invited me for grilled fish.” “Lord Hokage probably mentioned you to him,” Shinku said thoughtfully.
“Eh?” Kurenai’s eyes widened.
“Even Lord Hokage knows about Hanekawa now?” “What do you think?” Shinku patted her head and smiled.
“He did beat up Asuma, after all.” “It was a spar,” Hanekawa said solemnly.
“Alright, enough.
Let’s talk inside.” Shinku glared at him, grabbed Kurenai’s hand, and turned to walk away.
“…?” Hanekawa couldn’t help but freeze.
What’s with this attitude?
It’s not like I rolled up to his house on a loud delinquent motorcycle to whisk his daughter away.
“Uncle Shinku.” Hanekawa closed the door, walked into the living room, and got straight to the point.
“I want to learn kenjutsu.” Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki were even younger than him, and he didn’t know Kosuke Maruboshi, so his only option was to ask Shinku Yuhi.
“Why the sudden desire to learn kenjutsu?” Shinku asked, looking surprised.
“My chakra reserves are currently lacking, so I can’t learn any new genjutsu.
That’s why I want to learn kenjutsu for self-defense.” Hanekawa had long prepared his excuse.
Shinku nodded slightly.
It was a very valid reason, and he had no need to refuse.
This is what a genius is like.
Feeling a bit emotional, Shinku said, “I’ll teach you kenjutsu in a bit.” “Ah?” Hanekawa subconsciously revealed a look of doubt.
“You brat!” Shinku couldn’t help but glare at him.
“I’m a genjutsu shinobi, is there a problem with me knowing some kenjutsu?” Kenjutsu was a branch of taijutsu, and taijutsu was one of a shinobi’s foundational skills.
Genjutsu shinobi were required to learn it.
Otherwise, if their genjutsu failed, they would just be waiting to die.
“No problem at all!” Hanekawa hurriedly stood at attention and said earnestly, “Thank you, Uncle Shinku!” “I want to learn too!” Kurenai raised her small hands.
“Kurenai,” Shinku’s tone softened.
“I’ll teach you after you’ve mastered genjutsu.” “Alright.” Kurenai understood that there was a massive gap between her and Hanekawa.
Trying to learn everything all at once might lead to learning nothing at all.
“Go wait outside for me first.” Shinku stood up and headed to his room.
Hanekawa waited for a while before seeing him come out carrying two wooden swords.
“The kenjutsu I’m going to teach you is called Konoha-Style Kenjutsu.
Although it’s a foundational sword style, it shouldn’t be underestimated,” Shinku casually tossed him a wooden sword and said.
“If you study it diligently, you can create your own secret kenjutsu.” Hanekawa instantly thought of Kosuke Maruboshi.
His ‘Konoha-Style: Willow’ was precisely a combination of Konoha-Style Kenjutsu and genjutsu.
“Then let’s start with the simplest moves,” Shinku said, giving his wooden sword a swing.
“Yes, sir.” Hanekawa nodded with a serious expression.
Night fell, casting moonlight over the earth.
After two hours of practice, Hanekawa finally triggered a new Trait.
[E-Rank Ninjutsu Trait: Kenjutsu Shinobi (Unobtained).] [Trigger Condition: Reach the beginner level in Konoha-Style Kenjutsu.] [Current Progress: 5%.] With practice over, Hanekawa took a shower and returned to his room.
Although he was a bit exhausted, he didn’t immediately go to sleep.
Instead, he took out a pen.
After pondering for a long time, he started writing out the concepts and outline for a novel.
The work he settled on was Taimanin.
Time passed, and two days went by.
Early morning.
Hanekawa ran his usual laps on the streets.
After two rounds, he entered the Konoha Archives Bookstore.
He quickly found Dobashi and handed over the concept notes and outline for Taimanin that he had written.
“That fast?” Dobashi asked casually.
“What’s your friend’s name?” “Raikaken.” Hanekawa paused before adding, “That’s his pen name.” “A pen name?
I get it.” Dobashi flashed a knowing smile.
What exactly do you get?
Hanekawa’s scalp went numb.
He couldn’t even begin to imagine how socially dead he would be if his ‘friend’s’ identity was ever exposed.
Dobashi started reading with a smile on his face.
But soon, his smile vanished, turning incredibly serious, before finally transforming into a look of sheer ecstasy.
“Your friend is an absolute genius!” Dobashi exclaimed excitedly.
“This kind of shinobi setting is completely unheard of!
It’s definitely going to sell like crazy!”