Shinichi listened quietly to the conversation buzzing around him, his face maintaining its customary expression of gentle tranquility.
The student who had started the rumor was, of course, himself.
It had happened just last month during a joint practical lesson where the two classes shared the training grounds. At that time, Shinichi had not rushed to challenge the silver-haired prodigy. Instead, he had stood unobtrusively within the crowd, watching silently as Kakashi dismantled Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Hokage, with a display of Fire Release that was overwhelming in its precision and power.
As the surrounding classmates gasped in amazement, whispering about how Kakashi seemed capable of using ninjutsu from all five elemental natures, Shinichi had seized the moment. He spoke in a casual, conversational tone, as if recalling a piece of trivia.
Speaking of which, I was reading through the archives in the library recently. It is interesting to note that the First, Second, and Third Hokage were all recorded as having been born with an affinity for all five chakra natures.
Whether the First, Second, and Third Hokage actually possessed all five elemental chakra attributes innately was historically irrelevant. Whether other ninjas in Konoha's history shared this trait was equally unimportant.
What mattered was the psychological seed he had planted. Through that simple sentence, a powerful association was subtly embedded in the minds of his listeners: possession of the five elemental chakras is equivalent to the potential of a Hokage.
Kakashi has the potential to become Hokage.
For Shinichi's purposes, the greater Kakashi's fame became and the brighter his aura shone, the better the rewards would be when he eventually interacted with him.
However, I still believe Shinichi is stronger.
The voice belonged to Takashi Ishizuka, filled with undisguised bias and loyalty.
If Shinichi were to face Kakashi, my money is on Shinichi. He would definitely win.
Upon hearing this, Shizune raised her eyes from her desk, her gaze lingering for a moment on Shinichi's calm profile.
Shinichi?
In her heart, she acknowledged that her deskmate was undoubtedly outstanding. He was the top student in their class, possessed impeccable grades in every subject, and was a model of behavior. His daily routine of carrying a massive boulder and running laps around the school playground every morning was eccentric, certainly, but his dedication and perseverance day after day were genuinely admirable.
Shinichi was excellent, but in Shizune's eyes, he was the excellence of a model student—grounded, reliable, and human.
Kakashi, on the other hand, seemed to exist in a different dimension entirely. His talent was blinding. The mastery of five elemental changes, the all-around combat ability that crushed his peers without effort, and the title of Future Hokage that had already permeated the village...
All of these factors combined to create the impression of a legendary, epoch-making genius. It was an unattainable radiance that made it difficult for people to even conceive of comparing him to a normal person.
Shinichi noted the subtle assessment in Shizune's glance. He did not take offense. Instead, he stood up, offered a small smile, and spoke calmly.
I will do my best regardless of who I am matched with. For now, I am going to practice my sword forms.
...
[Name: Shinichi Higashino]
[Class: Ninja Academy Student, Swordsmanship Apprentice]
[Talents: Innate Superhuman Strength (Green), Diligence Redeems Mediocrity (Green), Intelligence (White), Friendly(White), Gourmet (White), Resilience (White), Agility (White), Calmness (White), Wind Release Basics (White), Taijutsu Basics (White), Swordsmanship Basics (White).]
Shinichi turned his focus away from the personal interface that hovered invisibly in his vision.
Compared to when he first enrolled, his profile had undergone significant changes due to his continuous persona management throughout the semester.
Most notably, the previously white-tier entry for Diligence had evolved into the green-tier entry: Diligence Redeems Mediocrity.
Diligence Redeems Mediocrity (Green): Hard work can compensate for a lack of natural talent, and your efforts will never be in vain. In learning, spiritual practice, and physical labor, you gain improved focus and reduced mental fatigue. Most importantly, every effort will inevitably lead to progress, however slight.
The description seemed simple, but the effect was profound. While improved focus and reduced fatigue were excellent utility buffs, the true essence of this ability lay in the final clause: inevitable progress.
In Shinichi's view, these few simple words represented a god-tier ability.
It meant stability. It meant predictability. It meant breaking the natural limits.
In the world of ninjutsu, many people worked hard for years only to hit a wall they could not climb. But for Shinichi, as long as he invested the time and effort, he was guaranteed a reward. The gains might be meager in the short term, but over a long timeline, these incremental improvements would stack into an infinite ladder of power.
In addition to this upgrade, two new white entries had appeared on the panel: Taijutsu Basics and Swordsmanship Basics.
Taijutsu Basics (White): Your physical coordination, muscle control, and endurance are superior to the average person. You learn and master physical techniques faster, and your sense of timing in close-quarters combat is more intuitive.
Swordsmanship Basics (White): You possess an exceptional feel for the blade. You learn sword forms swiftly, maintain a steady stance, and are able to identify openings in an opponent's defense with greater accuracy.
The changes these traits brought were direct and practical. His Taijutsu foundation improved his kinetic chaining and power generation, while his Swordsmanship foundation enhanced his spatial perception and weapon handling.
Both factors genuinely raised his baseline capability and accelerated his growth rate in these two critical fields.
Shinichi cleared his mind, dismissing the panel to focus entirely on his training. He began to run through his sword forms, his movements precise and rhythmic. The practical assessment this afternoon would be the true test of his current achievements, and he intended to treat this warm-up as a meditation to sharpen his resolve.
...
The afternoon sun hung high over the drill field.
The homeroom teachers of Class 1 and Class 2 stood together, whispering over a clipboard as they confirmed the final arrangements for the assessment.
After a moment, the homeroom teacher for Class 2, a Chunin named Fumio Matsumoto, stepped forward to address the students. He held a fresh grading sheet in his hand.
Students, we are now moving on to the final portion of your exams—the practical combat assessment.
Matsumoto's voice echoed clearly across the playground.
To ensure a comprehensive evaluation, this assessment will be a joint session between Class 1 and Class 2. Instructor Inoue and I have paired you with opponents of similar standing based on your performance records from the semester. The purpose is to test your application of Taijutsu, basic Ninjutsu, and tactical thinking in a live combat scenario.
He cleared his throat and glanced down at the list.
Let us begin with the first match. From Class 1, Namida. From Class 2, Higashino...
Please wait a moment, Matsumoto-sensei.
A calm, clear voice cut through the air, interrupting the teacher.
Matsumoto blinked, slightly taken aback by the interruption. However, when he saw that it was Shinichi who had spoken, his expression softened. This student was known for being calm, sensible, and respectful; he surely had a valid reason for speaking out of turn.
In a gentle voice, the teacher asked, Shinichi, is there a problem?
Shinichi stepped out of the crowd.
Sensei, you stated that opponents would be assigned based on past performance records to ensure a match of similar standing.
Shinichi's gaze slowly swept across the queue of students from the opposing class. Finally, his eyes settled on the quiet, silver-haired figure standing with his hands in his pockets.
If that is the criteria, then as the top-ranked student in Class 2, my opponent should logically be Kakashi Hatake, the top-ranked student in Class 1.
As soon as the words left his mouth, a hushed murmur rippled through the playground. Dozens of pairs of eyes darted back and forth between Shinichi and Kakashi.
Takashi Ishizuka clenched his fists tightly at his sides, his eyes shining with anticipation. Shizune's eyes widened, staring at her deskmate in shock.
The students in the queues whispered among themselves, their faces showing a mixture of surprise, excitement, and curiosity.
Matsumoto was clearly caught off guard by the directness of the request. He felt a pang of conflict.
He knew that Shinichi's logic was sound. Technically, the top students should fight each other. However, the arrangement he had made was born from a desire to protect his student.
In Matsumoto's professional view, although Shinichi was incredibly talented and hard-working, there was still a significant gap between him and Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi was an anomaly, a monster in human skin.
He worried that a complete mismatch could shatter the confidence of such a promising child as Shinichi. As a teacher, his instinct was to shield his student from a crushing defeat.
Just as Matsumoto was struggling to find a diplomatic way to deny the request and smooth things over, a bored, even voice rang out from the Class 1 line.
"I have no objections."