Uchiha Yama turned out to be a pretty decent guy. When he said he'd offer compensation, he didn't mean just lip service.
Before Hoshiyomi left, Yama repeatedly promised him that Uchiha Iwa would never bother him again.
As compensation, he handed both Hoshiyomi and Sakumo 5,000 ryō each. On top of that, Hoshiyomi received a special "mental damages" gift.
It was a ninja tool sealing scroll. According to Yama, it contained 200 kunai, 200 senbon, and 200 shuriken.
That scroll was no joke. Ninja tools weren't cheap—a high-quality kunai alone could cost three to four hundred ryō. Selling the scroll could easily net over 100,000 ryō, roughly the reward for a mid-to-low B-rank mission.
Just imagine—one scroll worth 100,000 ryō, and some shinobi go through two per fight. No wonder Tenten was called the true "rich girl" of the ninja world.
That's real ninja world purchasing power.
After politely bidding farewell to the "god of wealth" Uchiha Yama, Hoshiyomi and the others left the police force building. On the way out, Sakumo nudged Hoshiyomi and asked curiously:
"Uchiha Iwa didn't even land a hit on you—how did you end up with that wound on your stomach?"
Hoshiyomi glanced at the confused Sakumo and whispered in his ear:
"Actually, I gave it to myself when I fell down."
Sakumo's face froze into the classic "old man, subway, phone" meme. Nothing more to say—Gekkō Hoshiyomi was truly a menace.
While the two whispered in the back, Mito suddenly spoke up:
"Your two friends are still at the Senju compound. Want to go check on them?"
Hoshiyomi's eyes flickered. He knew Mito was about to begin her recruitment pitch.
But he didn't mind. Knowing the original story, he understood that no matter what Mito's personal thoughts or calculations were, at heart, she only wanted what was best for Konoha and Tsunade.
Thinking about how the original Sannin came together, Hoshiyomi suddenly wondered—was this all Mito's plan from the very start? After all, how else would three kids from such vastly different backgrounds end up on the same team, under Sarutobi Hiruzen's tutelage?
At the Senju compound, things went exactly as Hoshiyomi expected. Mito gave each of the trio—Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Sakumo—a generous welcome gift and a bonus for defeating the spies.
The moment they learned she was the wife of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, they were already filled with reverence. And now that she was gifting them ninjutsu scrolls? They were so touched they nearly swore their loyalty on the spot.
Even the usually composed Orochimaru and Sakumo were wide-eyed with excitement as they stared at the scrolls in their hands.
For kids without clan backing, this was a godsend—no exaggeration. Mastering the techniques in those scrolls would let them close the gap between them and the elite clans. And with their talent?
Only two words could sum it up:
Take off!
As they left the Senju compound, the boys were still in a daze. Toothless Jiraiya mumbled blankly:
"This gift is insane… Is this what clan power really looks like?"
Hoshiyomi couldn't help but smile to himself. Looking at their confused expressions, no one would ever guess that these kids would grow up to be three of Konoha's top-tier legends.
The four parted ways at the crossroads. Back home, Hoshiyomi enjoyed a hearty dinner cooked by his mother, Rie. Then he grabbed his wooden sword and headed to the courtyard.
Thanks to the chaos with the spies, he hadn't gotten any training in today. With the sun still up, he wanted to make the most of it.
Sigh… Men who are this talented, hardworking, and handsome? Rare as moonlight on water.
After about half an hour of sword practice, Hoshiyomi felt… different. His movements felt smoother, more natural.
He raised his sword and ran through a full sequence of Konoha-style kenjutsu. The stances and transitions that used to feel stiff now flowed like water.
Finishing the full sequence in one go, Hoshiyomi's heart stirred. He quickly entered his system space—and just as he guessed:
His swordsmanship had leveled up.
He had now reached: Intermediate Swordsmanship – Level 3/100.
He had been expecting to level up sometime after the battle assessment, but hitting it on the very same day? That was a surprise. He had those two Iwagakure spies to thank.
They had given him 8 experience points, and that was exactly what pushed him over the edge.
He glanced at the new system evaluation:
"Your swordsmanship has finally crossed the threshold, but to a true master, it's still full of flaws. Don't get cocky—it could cost you your life."
Ehhh. The system still had a way with words. But compared to the last two evaluations, this one was practically praise.
Now came the exciting part.
Hoshiyomi took a deep breath, headed to the bathroom, and splashed his face with water. He stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Still good-looking. Fair-skinned. Calm and ready.
"Let's go. Time to test my luck."
Back in the system space, he activated the skill draw.
After a flurry of spinning names, one finally settled:
Skill: Crescent Moon Flash
Description: A sudden forward dash executed with a reverse grip on the sword. After activation, the user gains a 20% boost to attack speed.
It didn't sound super flashy, but Hoshiyomi could tell it was practical—a dash skill could be incredibly useful, especially if the range was good.
He exited the system space and decided to test it out immediately.
Standing in the center of the courtyard, he gripped the wooden sword in a reverse grip and activated Crescent Moon Flash.
The moment he triggered the skill, his body lowered instinctively. With a surge of force from his feet, he shot forward like an arrow.
The wooden sword shimmered with a silver glow, dazzling in the moonlight.
Feeling the sudden burst of power, Hoshiyomi was thrilled—until he realized he'd forgotten something.
He was still charging forward.
Before he could stop himself, he slammed face-first into the courtyard wall.
The loud crash startled his mom, Rie, who was still doing the dishes. She rushed out in her apron to find her son collapsed against the wall, holding his nose and staring at the sky.
She hurried over, helping him up and trying to stop the nosebleed.
"Hoshiyomi! What on earth are you doing out here at night?! If something's wrong, just talk to Mom!"