[Fortune Favors the Diligent]
Time Limit: 6 Days
Task: Using only the tip of your index finger to release chakra, create 100 non-dispersing water droplets on the water's surface and maintain them for 30 seconds (0/100).
Reward: Increased Chakra Control.
Byakuya woke up before his alarm today. He pulled up his Destiny System panel and looked at the newly issued task.
The sunlight streamed through the window onto his thin cotton quilt, feeling warm.
His mood was just as warm.
Practicing Tobirama Senju's Water Style: Water Severing Wave required an insanely high level of chakra control.
And now, the Destiny System was delivering exactly what he needed, right when he needed it.
The Water Severing Wave was indeed astronomically difficult. Even with his significantly increased chakra quality, Byakuya still couldn't pull it off.
"Actually, the Flying Thunder God is extremely difficult too. Just the part about 'spatial energy' being a type of natural energy scares off countless ninja. But I have a cheat; I've experienced natural energy before."
The minor boosts to his Sage Art aptitude and affinity (natural energy affinity) kept scratching at an itch in his mind. He really wanted to learn Sage Mode.
That was why, when he reported to Danzo, he had deliberately mentioned encountering the giant black snake in the Land of Rivers.
That way, when he eventually asked for intelligence on Ryuchi Cave, it wouldn't seem too abrupt.
Of course, if he could go to Mount Myoboku to learn Sage Mode, Byakuya would be equally happy.
But he had no reason to approach Jiraiya or Minato Namikaze and ask them to take him there.
So last night, he had planted a seed in Minato's student, Kakashi Hatake, to see if it would take root.
He dug out some thicker clothes. He had grown taller and more muscular, so his old clothes no longer fit.
"Time to buy new clothes."
Increases in stamina, speed, and chakra had caused Byakuya's body to flourish. He maintained a fit, athletic build that made him look spirited and capable.
He ate egg fried rice, drank a glass of milk, and consumed his fixed quota of eggs.
Then, Byakuya headed to work at the Ninja Academy.
One batch of students graduated, and a new batch came in.
It was like an assembly line, mass-producing ninja who believed in the Will of Fire.
Several people wearing clothes emblazoned with the Uchiha clan fan were standing outside the school gate today. Byakuya ignored them and went straight to the warehouse.
He opened the three large doors. Before long, teachers started coming to request training tools.
"Twenty kunai?"
Byakuya looked at the request form. "That's a bit much."
"Huh? Does the warehouse not have enough?"
"If I give them all to you, there won't be enough for the other teachers."
"Hasn't the village sent any new supplies?"
Byakuya shook his head. "In these troubled times, supplies are prioritized for the front lines. Who has time to worry about the Academy?"
"Fair point. How about twelve kunai?"
"That works. Wait a moment, I'll get them for you."
Byakuya had reorganized the various tools in the warehouse, making it much easier to pick them out.
He piled the kunai into a wooden box and handed it to the teacher.
"I'll grab you some chakra induction paper and wooden shuriken as well."
"Thanks for the trouble."
Chakra induction paper was used to test students' chakra affinities.
After sending that teacher off, another one arrived quickly.
"Byakuya, got any kunai left?"
"How many do you need?"
"Twenty."
"Only fourteen left."
"Wooden ones are fine too."
"Okay."
As Byakuya organized the tools in the box, he turned his head and asked, "Everyone seems busy today."
"New students arrived. The Hyuga, Uchiha, Inuzuka, Aburame, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, and Sarutobi clans all sent quite a few kids."
"That's rare. I thought those noble clans preferred to educate their children themselves."
"You didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"The Hokage pressured them."
"I see."
"Sigh. Those noble clans always act like they're superior, as if they're a different species from us commoner ninja. You know, even on the battlefield, ninja from noble families will forcefully order us commoners to scout for dangerous intel, and they only move once they have the information. So many commoner ninja have died pointlessly because of that."
Finally sending off the chatterbox teacher, Byakuya looked up to see Vice-Principal Hiroya standing at a corner not far away, calling his name.
"Principal, you needed me?"
Hiroya looked exceptionally haggard, his spirit withered as if he hadn't slept well in days. "Come to my office for a chat?"
"Sure. Let me lock up the warehouse."
On the seat in the warehouse lay books Byakuya had borrowed from the library. They were about Earth Style nature transformation, shape transformation, characteristics of Earth Style jutsu, and the development of Earth Style in the Hidden Stone Village.
Aside from the ones on nature and shape transformation, the other books all had catchy, clickbait titles but contained generic, common knowledge. Luckily, he had borrowed them from the library; if he had bought them, he would have been furious.
Hiroya was heavy with worry. Once they were in the office, he weakly gestured for Byakuya to sit.
He locked the door tight.
Hiroya lowered his voice. "The Hokage scolded me! He cursed me out, calling me names! He said that at a critical moment for the Leaf, I dared to sow discord! He... he ignored my good intentions! It's outrageous!"
Last time, Byakuya had spoken about the Hokage nonchalantly.
Hiroya tried to imitate Byakuya's nonchalance, but in reality, his voice was trembling.
"Congratulations."
"Huh?" Hiroya asked in surprise. "What is there to congratulate?"
"You'll be the Principal of the Hidden Leaf Ninja Academy very soon."
"Th-th-this... But the Hokage cursed me out!"
"If he didn't, what should he have said? Praised you?"
Hiroya suddenly realized the truth. He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, relieved. "Right... if he praised me, that would be bad! It would look like the Hokage lacked magnanimity and was suspicious of Lord Danzo. If I then told Lord Danzo about that, then it really would be sowing discord."
He gave a thumbs up.
"The Hokage is brilliant! Truly brilliant! If I become Principal, I will definitely promote the Will of Fire to the students with all my might! Byakuya, any position in the Academy—aside from class teachers who have to instruct—is yours for the picking!"
"Thanks for the offer, Principal, but warehouse manager suits me just fine."
"Huh? Your ambition is just to be a warehouse manager?"
Byakuya told the truth for once. "Let's wait until the war is over."
"Fair enough. I admire your... uh... ability to lay low and accumulate strength, you genius!"
"Heh, no need for that, Principal. With you as Principal, I won't have to worry about dodging the draft to the front lines."
"Oh, look at you. We all contribute to the Leaf, there's no high or low in that," Hiroya laughed.
Byakuya asked, "Has anything big happened in the last two days?"
Hiroya hurriedly organized his thoughts and shared the major and minor events he knew.
The Hidden Stone had invaded the Land of Wind. After a major battle, the Stone Ninja were narrowly defeated and retreated. Confirmed news had just reached the Leaf.
The Mist Ninja were making moves along the coast of the Land of Fire, seemingly plotting something.
The Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone had suddenly started fighting each other over some unknown issue. Rumor had it that both the Tsuchikage and the Raikage had mobilized.
The entire ninja world was becoming more chaotic by the day, turning into a messy, boiling porridge of conflict.