System: [Attention Detected]
Yuji politely accepted the glass of water and gave a small nod.
"Thank you," he said. "I don't eat dango before lunch."
Gadis itu terdiam sambil tersenyum, berharap yuji memakan dango nya. Tanpa di undang, hana datang entah dari mana dan bergabung dengan kumpulan gadis.
Ia menerobos dan berhasil duduk di dekat yuji.
She opened her neatly prepared bento.
Inside was an astonishing arrangement of rice, rolled omelet, grilled meat, and colorful vegetables. Every ingredient had been placed with almost frightening precision. From above, the lunchbox looked less like food and more like a carefully drawn chakra circulation diagram.
"My lunch is scientifically optimized," Hana explained with complete seriousness. "It efficiently fulfills every nutritional requirement for a growing body."
Yuji stared at her lunch.
Then he looked down at his own simple bento.
Rice.
Grilled fish.
One egg.
"...I lost in terms of aesthetics."
Without saying another word, Hana picked up a slice of grilled meat and gently placed it onto Yuji's plate.
"This is research," she said.
"You are the test subject."
Yuji looked at the meat.
"....Should I be worried?"
"No."
"That wasn't a very convincing 'no."
Ignoring his concern, Hana lowered her head again and resumed eating.
Oddly enough, she spent almost ten seconds carefully examining a single grain of
rice before finally eating it.
Yuji wondered if she was calculating its nutritional value.
Or perhaps negotiating with it.
Either option seemed equally possible.
Meanwhile, beneath the large tree where they were having lunch, an entirely different scene was unfolding.
Several girls from Class A had quietly gathered around Yuji.
Some pretended to discuss homework.
Some asked innocent questions.
Others simply stood nearby while occasionally stealing glances at his handsome face.
Yuji answered everyone politely without realizing he had unknowingly become the center of attention.
Not far away, several boys watched the scene with expressions filled with envy. "... Why him?"
"Does he have some secret jutsu?"
"I think his face is illegal."
"I'm reporting him to the Hokage."
Another boy sighed dramatically.
"My mother told me personality matters."
"... Apparently she lied."
Lunch passed peacefully despite the increasingly jealous atmosphere surrounding the boys.
That afternoon, the academy held its basic Taijutsu lesson.
Since the students were only first-years, sparring sessions were kept short and tightly supervised by Instructor Kishimoto.
"No ninjutsu."
"No genjutsu."
"No ninja tools."
"And absolutely no trying to 'accidentally' awaken secret bloodline abilities."
Only students in the third year or above were allowed to spar using practice ninja tools or techniques, and even then, only under strict supervision.
The younger students had one objective:
Learn proper fundamentals.
Nothing more.
Yuji's assigned opponent was Taro, the chubby boy from yesterday's running examination.
Despite his appearance, Taro had successfully passed the entrance tests.
His written exam score ranked within the academy's Top Ten, and although he wasn't born into a ninja clan, his chakra reserves were surprisingly large.
Because of his excellent overall evaluation, the academy accepted him into Class А.
The two students stood facing each other.
Taro bowed respectfully.
He formed the traditional sparring hand seal together with Yuji.
"I humbly ask for your guidance, Yuji."
Standing this close, Taro's cheeks turned slightly red.
Not because he was embarrassed.
Well...
Maybe just a little.
Yuji returned the bow.
"I also ask for your guidance."
Instructor Kishimoto raised one hand.
"Begin!"
Taro rushed forward.
Yuji calmly stepped sideways.
One kick swept Taro's supporting leg.
His balance disappeared instantly.
Before he could recover-
Thump.
Yuji's fist lightly struck Taro's chest.
Taro collapsed onto the training ground.
"...I surrender."
The entire match had lasted approximately ten seconds.
Taro stared blankly at the sky.
"I lost..."
He sighed dramatically.
"...with elegance."
Several students nodded respectfully.
Losing gracefully was still losing...
...but at least it sounded cooler.
Nearby, Hana was already writing notes inside a small notebook.
"Analysis," she muttered.
"Errors observed."
She looked toward Taro.
"Slow body movement."
"Poor chakra control."
"Recommendation...
She paused thoughtfully.
"... Eat fewer onigiri."
Taro immediately sat upright.
"That's not analysis!"
"That's a personal attack!"
Hana closed her notebook with a crisp snap.
"It is data."
"... Your data hurts my feelings."
Yuji couldn't help smiling.
For someone who rarely showed emotion, Hana somehow managed to roast people with absolute sincerity.
It was strangely impressive.
The first day of school finally came to an end.
The afternoon sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, bathing the village streets in warm golden light.
Yuji and Hana walked home together until they reached a fork in the road.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Yuji spoke.
"Your analysis during sparring was surprisingly accurate."
Hana adjusted her glasses.
"So was your fighting."
"You are very strong."
Yuji scratched the back of his head.
"Practice is the key."
"There isn't any shortcut."
Hana nodded quietly.
"I'll remember that."
Silence returned.
It wasn't awkward.
Somehow, it felt peaceful.
A gentle breeze brushed through Hana's long blonde hair.
Her hair was remarkably smooth and well cared for, giving her an elegant appearance that perfectly matched her calm personality.
She glanced toward Yuji for only a second before immediately looking away. "And..."
She hesitated.
"...you're not as bad as the rumors say."
Yuji blinked.
"...That might be the strangest compliment I've ever received."
"I practiced saying it."
"...Please don't."
For the first time all day, Hana smiled ever so slightly.
It disappeared almost instantly.
But Yuji noticed it.
When Yuji arrived home, Sayaka was already waiting excitedly near the front door.
The moment she saw him, she ran over.
"Big Brother!" "Did you win?"
Yuji smiled helplessly.
"I went to school."
"Not to war."
Sayaka thought about that answer for several seconds.
Then she nodded as though everything suddenly made perfect sense. "Oh."
"Then you definitely won."
Before Yuji could ask what kind of logic that was, she happily jumped into his arms.
He instinctively caught her.
"...You're getting heavier."
"I'm growing."
"... Fair enough."
Inside the house, their mother laughed softly.
"She only acts this spoiled around you."
Yuji sighed dramatically.
"I have created a monster."
"No," his mother corrected. "You created a little sister." "..That's even scarier."
Later that night, Yuji sat alone inside his room. Moonlight quietly entered through the window.
He opened the familiar transparent system panel.
[Mission Complete: Attract the Attention of the Girls] Reward: +2 Chakra Points
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"So even eating lunch counts..."
He opened his updated status window.
Name: Yuji Uchiha
Rank: Elite Genin
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan (2 Tomoe - 80%)
Nature Releases: Fire Release, Lightning Release
Chakra: 74 (Comparable to a Chunin)
Ninjutsu: 63
Taijutsu: 65
Genjutsu: 61
Intelligence: 67
Strength: 65
Speed: 67
Agility: 66
Stamina: 70
Techniques:
- Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique (C)
- Lightning Release Chakra Mode (A)
- Basic Sharingan Genjutsu (C)
- Three Academy Basic Techniques (E)
- Body Flicker Technique + Lightning Enhancement (C)
Yuji carefully examined every number.
Most of his attributes had already entered the sixties.
His newly acquired Lightning Release Chakra Mode was by far his strongest technique.
If he continued training diligently, his combat ability would increase even further.
He closed the system window and lay back on his bed.
Tomorrow afternoon...
He would begin mastering his Lightning Release even more.
Outside, the village gradually fell asleep beneath the quiet night sky.
For Yuji, however...
His journey as a shinobi had only just begun.