Konohagakure, Ajino Takumi Restaurant.
Inside the private room, the atmosphere was lively, filled with the rich aroma of food and bursts of laughter.
"Cheers!"
Team Ten's gathering was in full swing.
After learning that the A-rank special mission that had stirred such a massive uproar had ultimately been credited under Shinichi's name—and that the reward was astonishingly generous—Tsunade immediately used celebrating her student's rising fame as an excuse and loudly insisted that Shinichi treat everyone.
"Don't hold back! This brat just struck it rich today!" Tsunade waved her hand boldly, downing a large cup of sake in one go, her cheeks flushing slightly. Then she shouted toward the door, "Boss! Five more servings of grilled meat, three bottles of sake! Oh, and two more tofu dishes! Shizune, Kurenai, order whatever you want—don't you dare try to save this kid money!"
Shizune glanced at the expensive prices on the menu and felt a little embarrassed, while Kurenai smiled and calmly ordered a few dishes she liked.
Shinichi sat at the head of the table, the fish head deliberately placed facing him.
His face maintained its usual gentle smile—though upon closer inspection, it was just a trace more rigid than usual.
Eight hundred fifty thousand ryō!
In the end, only eight hundred fifty thousand ryō made it into his hands. According to Konoha's rules, after deducting necessary mission costs, taxes, and village development funds, the ninja executing the mission receives fifty percent of the remaining amount as personal compensation. That left him with just those eight hundred fifty thousand.
Was that a lot?
For the vast majority of shinobi—especially chūnin—this was undoubtedly an enormous sum, one that many might never save even after years of hard work.
To outsiders, Higashino Shinichi had absolutely struck a windfall today.
But only Shinichi himself knew that every single ryō had been carved out of someone's flesh.
Black! Too damn black!
This damned exploitative system! Konoha's cut is way too ruthless!
This distribution system has to be reformed!
When I become Hokage in the future, I'll definitely increase the share of mission rewards for shinobi, improve welfare guarantees, and make sure every ninja who bleeds for the village gets the reward they deserve!
No—wait!
The moment that thought surfaced, Shinichi froze.
If I've already become Hokage, what exactly am I reforming for?
"Shinichi, this time you were really amazing!"
At that moment, Kurenai's praise pulled him back to reality.
"Yeah, yeah!" Shizune nodded vigorously in agreement.
Shinichi gathered his thoughts, put his usual gentle smile back on, and responded to his companions' congratulations.
…
That night, after the noise had faded and he was alone in his room, Shinichi's mind stirred slightly, and his personal panel quietly appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Higashino Shinichi]
[Profession: Chūnin / Sword Master]
[Talents: …]
As his gaze moved downward, after the grand match he had orchestrated with his clone Isshin—one that shook all of Konoha—his panel had indeed undergone significant changes under the wash of massive accumulated recognition.
The first thing that caught his eye was the transformation of his physical attributes—strength, physique, and agility.
[Innate Divine Strength] had disappeared, replaced by [Rending Stone and Splitting Metal].
[Rending Stone and Splitting Metal (Blue): Your strength has broken past conventional limits, reaching an almost inconceivable level. Every movement carries overwhelming force and rigid power—capable of shattering stone and splitting metal with ease.]
[Thick Skin and Tough Flesh] had likewise evolved into [Copper Skin and Iron Bones].
[Copper Skin and Iron Bones (Blue): The strength and resilience of your body now surpass that of ordinary flesh. Common blades can hardly injure you; most low-intensity physical attacks can be ignored, and even direct hits from standard ninjutsu are significantly reduced in effectiveness.]
Finally, [Swift as a Rabbit] had upgraded into [Light as the Wind].
[Light as the Wind (Blue): Your speed and agility have undergone a qualitative transformation. Your movements feel as if carried by the wind—nimble, swift, and fluid.]
These three blue-tier entries were born from the powerful stacking of dual recognition—Shinichi's original body and his clone Isshin.
The clone Isshin had displayed, in battle, a terrifying physique like that of a primordial beast and explosive speed akin to a raging storm. In particular, his ability to withstand the Great Flame Rasengan with a metallic body and remain standing was profoundly shocking. Even with only fifty percent recognition effect, it was more than enough to gather an overwhelming amount of perception.
At the same time, Shinichi's original body had engaged in direct, head-on clashes with the clone—sword and body techniques colliding at high speed. In terms of strength, speed, and physique, he had not fallen behind in the slightest. He even directly received the opponent's full-force downward strike and engaged in a domineering polearm clash, leaving an indelible impression on all spectators.
The combination of both gave rise to these physical entries far beyond normal logic.
Next came the elevation of his core combat techniques:
[Swordsmanship Proficiency] had upgraded into [Swordsmanship Mastery].
[Swordsmanship Mastery (Blue): Your swordsmanship has reached a level of true mastery. No longer confined to fixed forms, you begin to develop your own unique combat style and sword path. The nascent presence of sword intent emerges—each strike capable of influencing momentum and unsettling your opponent's mind, allowing you to seize the initiative in silence.]
[Polearm Proficiency] had upgraded into [Polearm Mastery].
[Polearm Mastery (Blue): Your understanding and use of polearm weapons have entered a new realm. Whether staff, spear, halberd, or pike, you wield them with ease. You grasp the key principles of force, control, and execution—each swing light yet powerful, capable of both rigidity and flexibility. Your control and tactical application of polearms have risen dramatically.]
[Fire Release Proficiency] had likewise advanced into [Fire Release Mastery].
[Fire Release Mastery (Blue): You possess an almost instinctive understanding and control over Fire Release chakra. Your fire techniques undergo a qualitative leap in power, efficiency, resource control, and tactical versatility. You can develop, combine, and apply fire techniques in more creative and practical ways, even instantaneously.]
These three masteries were also the result of his outstanding performance during the match.
Both Shinichi and Isshin had demonstrated formidable swordsmanship—Shinichi's refined, precise, and adaptable techniques contrasted with Isshin's wide, domineering, and overwhelming blade style. The sparks produced from their fierce collisions of skill formed a powerful shared perception: "Isshin's swordsmanship is tyrannical and savage, while Higashino Shinichi's is refined and transcendent."
Then came their clash of polearms—iron staff against halberd—like two titans wrestling, both domineering and exquisite, leaving a tremendous impact on all present.
And Shinichi's instantaneous, hand-seal-less wave of flame, his precise control over fire's range and form, and especially the final technique that shocked the entire audience—the Great Flame Rasengan infused with Fire Release nature transformation—pushed his image as a fire-style prodigy and pioneer of fire-based nintaijutsu to its peak.
All of this—the astonishment, shock, and deeply imprinted impressions from over a thousand spectators, along with subsequent word-of-mouth spread—became the most direct fuel for these upgrades.
Finally, a newly generated entry appeared: [Lightning Release Proficiency].
[Lightning Release Proficiency (Green): You have initially grasped the nature transformation of lightning chakra. Your learning and application of Lightning Release techniques are significantly accelerated. You can skillfully use lightning chakra in both training and combat, granting your attacks greater speed, stronger penetration, and a paralyzing effect.]
This came from Isshin's final move in battle—his decisive use of Lightning Release: Chidori Blade. Although it lasted only a brief moment and had only fifty percent recognition effect, the dazzling lightning and violent piercing power were still enough to generate a green-tier Lightning Release entry.
Looking at the panel before him, a deep smile gradually spread across Shinichi's lips.
Body, technique, and attributes—the three fundamental domains—had all been comprehensively strengthened. The number of blue-tier entries had surged, and his overall strength had undergone a truly earth-shaking transformation.
Originally, Shinichi had considered whether he should showcase more abilities and farm a bit more recognition. But then he realized that within a given period of time, people's attention and depth of impression were always limited.
Too much, too scattered—it wouldn't be good. On the contrary, it might even reduce the efficiency of acquiring recognition for his core entries. So he abandoned that idea.
Shinichi clenched his fist, feeling the chakra surging within him—far more abundant and refined than before—as well as the seemingly inexhaustible, overwhelming power contained within his muscles and bones.
One match, six upgrades, one new entry—this could be called a massive windfall, far exceeding the battle where he defeated Hatake Kakashi and established his reputation as a genius years ago. This was not only because the impact this time was greater, but also because he had been in a state of dual recognition stacking.
After watching for quite a while, Shinichi gradually restrained his smile and dismissed the panel.
He walked to the window and pushed it open. A cool night breeze rushed in, dispersing the lingering stuffiness in the room.
He raised his head and looked toward the starry sky. The lights of Konoha flickered beneath him, but the vast night sky above was boundless and profound, as if foreshadowing the all-consuming war that was about to arrive.
The Third Kazekage—the man hailed as "the strongest Kazekage in history," possessing the Magnet Release kekkei genkai—had not appeared in public for quite some time.
Sunagakure's explanation was that he had gained some insight and entered seclusion for training, but beneath the surface, there must already be undercurrents surging. The entire village inevitably exuded a tense, oppressive unease.
There were even certain rumors—difficult to fully verify, yet already quietly spreading within specific circles.
The Third Kazekage… had very likely met with an accident and gone missing.
A storm was brewing.
The dark clouds of the Third Shinobi World War had already grown so heavy they could no longer be ignored. Thunder could strike at any moment.
And now, during this precious pre-war window, Shinichi had already used a carefully orchestrated stage to elevate his entries to an entirely new height. After this round of qualitative transformation, his overall combat strength had received a comprehensive and significant boost.
Earlier today, he had conducted a simple private test.
Without any chakra reinforcement, holding a sharp kunai and applying enough force to pierce refined iron, he drew it across the skin of his arm. The result was nothing more than a faint white mark that quickly faded—it didn't even break the surface.
Only after applying greater force did it barely pierce slightly, yet the resistance he felt far exceeded that of ordinary flesh—it was like cutting through hardened, repeatedly tempered steel. And the wound stopped bleeding and began recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye.
This meant that on the future battlefield, he could practically ignore ordinary stray arrows, kunai, shuriken, or even fragments of debris sent flying.
Even if directly struck by explosive tags—without any prior preparation or defense—and standing at the very center of multiple simultaneous explosions, relying on the astonishing defense and damage reduction granted by [Copper Skin and Iron Bones], along with the physical enhancements from entries such as [Genius], [Sword Master], and [Rending Stone and Splitting Metal], as well as the powerful recovery from [Unceasing Vitality] and [Gourmet]—
He would most likely be injured but not killed. It was even very possible that the injury would only be minor rather than severe.
His physical condition was terrifyingly strong—and even more terrifying was its all-around balance and excellence.
He was not like pure descendants of Asura, whose bodies leaned heavily toward overwhelming vitality and astonishing regeneration while having shortcomings in pure defense.
For example, later on, as the reincarnation of Asura's chakra and the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, Uzumaki Naruto would still bleed from a light cut by a kunai during the Land of Waves mission.
And Senju Nawaki, the grandson of the First Hokage, died instantly after stepping on an explosive tag.
If your defense isn't enough, damage can kill you instantly. No matter how strong your vitality or how fast your recovery is, it won't matter.
Most shinobi, without preparation, are extremely fragile compared to the destructive power they can unleash.
Now, Shinichi's body could be said to perfectly integrate the essence of multiple bloodline systems.
On one hand, he possessed vitality and recovery comparable to that of Asura's descendants, ensuring sustained combat endurance and rapid healing of injuries.
On the other hand, he also had physical defense and pure strength comparable to the Monkey clan—incredibly tough and overwhelmingly powerful.
In addition, his speed and agility were also enhanced by dedicated entries.
He no longer needed to worry about falling into traps due to fragile defenses, being ambushed, or being instantly killed. Nor did he need to worry about lacking the strength to break defenses, or insufficient speed to hit his opponents. And he had no fear of being worn down in a battle of attrition.
Perhaps… the only thing he lacked was a reaction-type entry specifically enhancing neural response speed and dynamic vision?
If he had one more reaction-type entry, then in terms of his physical attributes, he could truly be considered a perfectly balanced and perfectly exceptional hexagon warrior.
As for the mental aspect, although there were still shortcomings, those shortcomings existed only in comparison to his physical side.
Moreover, for Shinichi—who possessed dual-core processing—the vast majority of genjutsu in the shinobi world were already ineffective against him.
Looking at the deep night sky outside the window, Shinichi fell into thought.
Ten years!
He knew that this grand performance—one that had shaken the entire village and would inevitably spread rapidly across the intelligence departments of all major nations and shinobi villages—had drawn an extraordinarily brilliant, even somewhat beyond-expected exclamation mark to his ten-year plan of crafting his genius persona.
Konoha's most dazzling rising star!
The strongest acknowledged by a powerful foreign samurai!
A genius who pioneered a new path for Fire Release!
A youth with a terrifying physique!
And countless other dazzling halos and labels—
All of these had been built over ten years, from nothing, turning himself from an obscure, ordinary child in Konoha's orphanage—
Into a publicly recognized, peerless genius who could dominate the younger generation and even force older powerhouses to take him seriously.
However, the name of genius… was a double-edged sword.
It brought fame, resource allocation, attention and expectations from the village, and broader recognition—but it would inevitably also attract the prying eyes in the shadows and deadly killing intent.
In times of peace, a genius might mean more protection and attention.
But in an era where war clouds gathered and great nations constantly clashed, a genius—especially one seen as such by enemy nations—often meant a threat that must be eliminated as a priority.
Now, the grand stage belonging to Higashino Shinichi—the genius—had already been built through his own strength and planning, shining brilliantly.
And the crucible of war would be the final place where he would shed the outer layer of "genius"—a layer that still carried traces of youth and protection—and truly temper the sharp edge of a powerhouse that would make enemies tremble.
"Then let the coming Third Shinobi World War become the whetstone for this genius—let it be the trial ground where the name Higashino Shinichi resounds throughout the shinobi world, completing the transformation from a genius who is expected… to a powerhouse who is feared!"
Shinichi gently closed the window, shutting out the cool night breeze and the vast, brilliant starry sky.
He was no longer satisfied with merely playing the role of a genius on the village's stage.
He would step into a broader, harsher world—to build an even greater, more dazzling stage for himself—to prove himself, and to seize everything he desired.
I set forth under the name of genius.
And I will return as a true powerhouse!
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