June 7, Year 39 of Konoha.
Monday.
During the final four days of the previous week, Yakumo had refrained from doing anything unusual, wary of surveillance by the ANBU.
His routine consisted of morning runs, taking notes during class, hiding in a corner to read books in the afternoon, and returning home in the evening to complete written assignments and practice Water Bullet.
[Personal Status]
Name: Iori Yakumo Age: 7
Constitution: 3.9 (stamina, resistance, recovery)Strength: 2.8 (lifting capacity, attack power, etc.)Agility: 3.8 (reflexes, running speed)Intelligence: 4.3 (learning ability, mental resistance)Chakra: 6 (10 points required to advance to Genin)[Personal Skills]
Passive Skill: Chakra Extraction Technique — Acceleration
Active Skill: Water Bullet — Beginner Level, 48/100 — Acceleration
Gold Coins: 0
He could now use Water Bullet reliably, but its power remained disappointing.
At best, it could knock someone off balance and send them sprawling.
It was nowhere near powerful enough to inflict serious damage.
The steady improvement in his Constitution had also begun to transform his previously frail body.
Subtle muscle definition was gradually becoming visible.
Today was Monday, which meant the weekly missions had refreshed.
Ignoring the daily missions displayed above them, Yakumo immediately opened the long-awaited [Weekly Missions] interface.
Hard Work Makes Up for a Lack of Talent
Borrow three books from the library during the week, read them, and write a combined summary and reflection of no fewer than 5,000 words.
Rewards: 0.5 Intelligence, 150 gold coins.
A True Gentleman Knows How to Use His Tools
Learn the swordsmanship practiced by Kakashi and successfully reach the beginner level.
Rewards: 0.5 Strength, 150 gold coins.
Examine Yourself Three Times a Day
Write at least 500 words in a diary before going to bed every day for seven consecutive days.
Rewards: 0.5 Agility, 150 gold coins.
Bonus: Complete all weekly missions to receive an additional 500 gold coins and 0.5 free attribute points.
As expected of the soul-crushing grinding game he’d once played!
Three books a week.
Fifteen thousand words of book reviews.
Three thousand five hundred words of diary entries…
and fourteen thousand words of class notes and summaries…
Damn it!
“Who the hell writes a diary in real life?!”
Yakumo finished breakfast helplessly and pushed open his front door, where he happened to run into Mori Yasuko as she was leaving.
The two set off on their usual morning run together.
Motivated by the rewards awaiting him, Yakumo ran with extraordinary vigor.
“Yakumo, did you finish yesterday’s homework?” Yasuko suddenly asked as they ran.
“Nope…” Yakumo shook his head.
He was incredibly busy at night, all right!
Between cultivating chakra, practicing ninjutsu, and writing class summaries, where was he supposed to find time for homework?
“Hehe, I knew you wouldn’t have time to finish it!
So I wrote an extra copy for you, using your handwriting, too!”
“Thanks.
I’ll treat you to ramen.”
Yakumo didn’t refuse her kindness.
If he repeatedly failed to submit his homework, he’d have to spend time dealing with their homeroom teacher, Keisuke Shimizu, and that would disrupt his carefully planned schedule.
Fortunately, their morning run ended at Ichiraku Ramen.
Their slightly labored breathing soon returned to normal.
“You don’t have to…”
“If you refuse, then I can’t accept your help either,” Yakumo replied with a smile.
…
Back in the classroom, Yakumo opened the notebook Yasuko had handed him.
The handwriting really was indistinguishable from his own.
Who would’ve thought his seemingly ordinary little follower possessed such a talent?
He couldn’t help taking a few extra glances at Mori Yasuko.
Come to think of it, she was actually rather easy on the eyes.
Yakumo quickly shook his head, banishing that dangerous thought.
Just then, a pair of somewhat rough hands landed on his shoulders.
Their owner was Hiraya Gensho, a representative figure among the civilian-born students of this generation.
His Constitution was around five points.
“Is that today’s homework?” Gensho whispered threateningly into Yakumo’s ear.
“Perfect.
I haven’t done mine, either…
so it’s mine now.
Got a problem with that?”
“Yes.”
Yakumo’s expression didn’t change.
He simply moved the notebook out of Gensho’s reach.
School bullying, Otherworld Edition…
“He doesn’t want to be…
a pathetic loser.”
Hiraya Gensho’s eyes filled with anger.
He leaned closer to Yakumo and spoke in a low voice, while the surrounding students turned to stare at Yakumo with strange expressions.
“Wait until after school.
Don’t go anywhere.
I’ll show you what I’m capable of!”
“Fine,” Yakumo replied calmly.
Gensho had never really been a problem for him.
The real issue was the trouble that would follow if he dealt with the boy, as well as figuring out how to learn swordsmanship from Kakashi Hatake.
Since Gensho hadn’t submitted his homework, Keisuke Shimizu gave him a furious dressing-down.
The privileged children of the shinobi clans, meanwhile, laughed at him without restraint, thoroughly enjoying his humiliation.
At noon, after finishing his bento, Yakumo followed his plan and borrowed three books from the library:
An Introduction to Medical NinjaOn the Role of Medical NinjaBasic Medical Knowledge
Since fate had granted him the Water and Earth chakra natures, how could he possibly neglect the study of medical ninjutsu?
As a side note, two of the three books had been written by Tsunade—the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, one of the Legendary Sannin, and the most accomplished medical-ninjutsu practitioner in the shinobi world.
The afternoon classes were reserved for independent activities.
Most students practiced at the training ground or gathered two or three friends to spar and compare their skills.
Yakumo sat on the steps, reading Basic Medical Knowledge.
Only while wandering through the ocean of knowledge did he truly understand how limited his own experience was.
Who would’ve thought that common weeds growing along the roadside could be crushed and used as a makeshift hemostatic agent in an emergency?
Not far away, Kakashi was wielding an unsharpened practice sword, repeatedly executing a series of movements.
Yakumo deliberately counted them.
There were twenty-four forms in total.
If those twenty-four movements were broken apart and recombined, they could produce entirely new techniques.
Truly ingenious.
Yakumo marveled inwardly, doing his best to memorize Kakashi’s movements.
Before long, however, he realized he couldn’t keep up.
Kakashi was simply too fast.
Moreover, he had clearly mastered swordsmanship to such a degree that he was no longer bound by any fixed sequence.
He could transform one movement into another at will.
Yakumo spent the entire afternoon secretly studying Kakashi’s techniques, but managed to remember only four incomplete forms.
When the bell rang, the students grabbed their schoolbags and noisily left the Academy.
Kakashi, however, remained completely absorbed in his sword practice.
This gave Yakumo the perfect opportunity to steal a few more techniques.
Beside him, Mori Yasuko quietly rose and left without a word.
“Hey, Blockhead!
Kakashi, school’s over!”
Obito Uchiha shouted at Kakashi while carrying both his own schoolbag and Kakashi’s.
Standing beside him was Rin Nohara, a girl with short purple hair.
The flowing blade movements abruptly stopped.
Yakumo reluctantly lowered his head and pretended to be engrossed in his book.
“Didn’t we agree to play hide-and-seek after school today?” Obito complained, sounding rather dissatisfied.
“I’m coming,” Kakashi replied simply.
He put away his practice sword, picked up his schoolbag, and ran toward his friends.
“Huh?
Where did Yasuko go?”
…
In an alley beside the Ninja Academy, a place where students commonly settled their disputes—popularly known as the Grievance Platform—Hiraya Gensho was curled up on the ground.
A distinct shoeprint marked his face.
Several of his lackeys were sprawled nearby, groaning in pain.
Mori Yasuko continued kicking Gensho in the abdomen with sudden, explosive force until blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth.
Then she crouched down.
A faint red glimmer flashed in her eyes, and the crimson light gradually began to spread.
“Hiraya, if you bully Yakumo again, I promise you that next time I’ll hit you even harder.”