Shinichi quietly listened to the conversation between the two of them, the gentle and calm expression on his face remaining unchanged.
That well-meaning student was, naturally, himself.
Just last month, during yet another practical combat class where two classes' schedules overlapped, Shinichi still did not rush to challenge Kakashi.
Instead, he silently observed from within the crowd as Kakashi used Fire Release that was more proficient and more oppressive, cleanly and decisively defeating Asuma, the son of the Hokage.
When the surrounding classmates spoke in amazement, saying things like, "Kakashi seems able to use ninjutsu of all five elements," Shinichi appeared to merely recall something. In a casual, almost conversational tone, he offhandedly added, "Come to think of it, when I was looking things up in the library before, I saw that the First, Second, and Third Hokage-sama all seemed to be born with constitutions that naturally possessed all five chakra natures as well…"
Whether the First, Second, and Third truly all possessed five-element chakra innately was not important.
Whether there had been other such shinobi in Konohagakure's history was also not important.
What mattered was that a simple yet powerful association had already been quietly planted in the minds of those who heard those words:
five-element chakra = Hokage.
Kakashi had the makings of a Hokage!
For Shinichi, the greater Kakashi's fame grew and the brighter his halo became, the better.
"Still, I think Shinichi is even more impressive," Ryū's voice carried an unmistakable bias. "If Shinichi were to face Kakashi, he would definitely win."
Hearing this, Shizune raised her eyes, her gaze lingering for a brief moment on Shinichi's calm profile.
Shinichi?
In her heart, this desk mate of hers was undoubtedly outstanding—the very top of their class. His grades in every subject were flawless, making him a model student among model students.
His habit of carrying a massive stone on his back and running laps around the school field every morning without fail was indeed somewhat absurd, but that day-after-day diligence and persistence were also worthy of admiration for their sheer perseverance.
Shinichi was truly excellent, yet in Shizune's eyes, this excellence took the form of a steady, reliable exemplar.
Kakashi, on the other hand… felt like an existence from an entirely different dimension. His talent was simply too dazzling: five-element chakra, comprehensive strength that crushed those of the same age, and that already widely spread title throughout the village—"one with the makings of a Hokage."
All of these combined to form an impression that was almost legendary, like that of a once-in-an-era genius.
It was a radiance so distant and unattainable that it made even the desire to compare oneself seem difficult to muster.
Shinichi took in every subtle trace of evaluation contained in that glance from Shizune. He stood up, smiled, and said in an even tone, "No matter who I get matched with, I'll just do my best. I'm going to go practice my swordsmanship first."
…
[Name: Higashino Shinichi]
[Occupation: Ninja Academy Student / Swordsmanship Apprentice]
[Talents: Innate Divine Strength (Green), Diligence Makes Up for Lack of Talent (Green), Intelligence (White), Affinity (White), Foodie (White), Tenacity (White), Agility (White), Calm (White), Wind Release Basics (White), Taijutsu Basics (White), Swordsmanship Basics (White).]
...
Shinichi withdrew his gaze from the personal panel that only he could see.
Compared to when he had first enrolled, through the continuous persona-building he had maintained throughout this semester, his panel had already undergone no small change.
First, the original white Entry [Diligence] had advanced into the green [Diligence Makes Up for Lack of Talent].
[Diligence Makes Up for Lack of Talent (Green): Diligence makes up for lack of talent—you will surely gain something! When studying, training, or working, you improve focus and reduce fatigue, while also always making slight progress!]
The effect of this Entry was plain yet powerful: increased focus and reduced fatigue—these two points, compared to the previous white Entry, were only a very small improvement in magnitude.
But its true essence lay in the latter half—"always making slight progress."
Those few simple words, in Shinichi's view, could to some extent be called a godlike skill.
It meant stability. It meant predictability. It meant no bottlenecks.
As long as he invested time and sweat, he would definitely receive a return—no matter how meager that return might be. And under the accumulation of days and months, it became a staircase leading toward infinity.
In addition, two new white Entries had been added to the panel:
[Taijutsu Basics (White)] and [Swordsmanship Basics (White)].
[Taijutsu Basics (White): Your bodily coordination, strength, and endurance are superior to ordinary people. You learn and master taijutsu moves faster, and in taijutsu confrontations you can more easily grasp the timing for exerting force.]
[Swordsmanship Basics (White): You have exceptional feel and insight for the sword. You learn sword forms swiftly, your stance is steady, and in battle you can more precisely seize an opponent's openings.]
The changes they brought were direct and practical: Taijutsu Basics improved his control over his body, his efficiency in exerting force, and his grasp of timing in taijutsu exchanges;
Swordsmanship Basics strengthened his perception of the sword, his comprehension when learning techniques, and his sharpness in spotting openings in battle.
Both genuinely raised his baseline and his growth speed in these two fields.
He reined in his thoughts, no longer looking at the panel, and began to swing his sword in earnest. The afternoon's practical combat assessment would be both a test of his current results and another occasion to continue sowing perception.
He was practicing his sword—and also warming up.
…
In the afternoon, on the drill field, the homeroom teachers of Class One and Class Two gathered together and exchanged a few words in low voices, as if confirming the final arrangements.
Afterward, the Class Two homeroom teacher, Chūnin Matsumoto Fumio, stepped to the front of the formation and took out a new sheet.
"Students, next comes the final stage of this term's exam—the practical combat assessment," Fumio's voice rang clearly across the field. "Considering the need for comprehensive evaluation, this assessment will be conducted with Class One and Class Two mixed together. Inoue-sensei and I have matched opponents of similar strength for each of you based on your past performance records, with the goal of testing your learning outcomes this term in taijutsu, basic ninjutsu, and practical combat response."
He cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping down the list. "Then, first, the opening match will be Class One's Namiashi Raidō versus Class Two's Higashino—"
"Please wait, Matsumoto-sensei."
A calm, clear voice sounded, interrupting the teacher's words.
Fumio paused slightly at being cut off, but when he saw that it was Shinichi, no displeasure showed on his face. This student had always been steady and sensible; if he spoke up now, there must be a reason. He asked gently, "Shinichi-kun, is there a problem?"
"Sensei, since you said the opponents are assigned based on past results, then…"
Shinichi stepped out from the crowd, his gaze slowly sweeping across the opposing Class One formation, finally settling on that quiet, silver-haired figure.
"As the top-ranked student of Class Two, my opponent should be the top-ranked student of Class One—Kakashi."
As his words fell, a low murmur of discussion rippled across the field, eyes moving back and forth between Shinichi and Kakashi.
Ryū clenched his fist sharply, his eyes lighting up; Shizune widened her eyes slightly as she looked at Shinichi.
Students within the Class One formation also revealed expressions of surprise or curiosity.
Fumio had clearly not anticipated such a direct and specific request, and inwardly felt troubled.
He knew that what Shinichi said was true, yet the arrangement had also involved a bit of his own private consideration. In his view, although Shinichi was very talented, there was still too great a gap between him and Hatake Kakashi.
He worried that such a lopsided confrontation, if Shinichi were to lose decisively, might deal a serious blow to this outstanding child's confidence. As a teacher, he could not help but harbor a desire to protect him.
Just as Fumio was feeling conflicted and thinking about how to smooth things over, a calm, unruffled voice sounded: "I have no objections."
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