[Name: Higashino Shinichi]
[Class: Chunin/Sword Master]
[Talent: Blue Quality (Genius, Clone, Endless Life, Ninjutsu Specialization, Taijutsu Specialization...)]
Green Quality (Auspicious Sign, Omen of Disaster, Spiritual Sense, Charisma, Big Eater, Quick-witted, Diligence Can Compensate for Lack of Talent, Innate Divine Strength, Thick-Skinned, Swift as a Rabbit, Bloody Battle, Fire Release Proficiency, Swordsmanship Proficiency, Firearm Proficiency, Polearm Proficiency...)
White Quality (Calm, Genjutsu Fundamentals, Wind Release Foundation, Medical Fundamentals...)]
(From now on, only changed entries will appear; the complete list of entries will be unified in the Author's Notes.)
Returning home, Shinichi opened his Personal Panel. Compared to before, the information on the panel had undergone significant changes.
First was the upgrade aspect. The original white Entry [Fire Release Fundamentals] had disappeared, replaced by the green [Fire Release Proficiency].
[Fire Release Proficiency (Green): Your Affinity with Fire Release Chakra has surpassed the ordinary. Your understanding of its characteristics and your subtle control have reached a new level, significantly increasing the efficiency of learning and performing Fire Release Ninjutsu.]
The promotion of this Entry was clearly attributed to his successful development of the Great Flame Rasengan and Yamibarai, which left a deep impression on those who knew of them, suggesting he possessed extraordinary attainment in Fire Release.
Although the number of people was small, their weight was high enough.
Next was the evolution of the white Entry [Fighting Spirit].
[Bloody Battle (Green): Pain and adversity instead ignite your Fighting Spirit. In combat, your fighting will and physical explosiveness will be enhanced, thereby reducing consumption.]
The source of this Entry was thanks to his Clone, Isshin, far away in the Land of Iron.
During these past few months, his image as Isshin—challenging others everywhere in the southeast region, stirring up trouble, and being brave and bellicose—had long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. Even though the effect was discounted by the [Clone] Entry, the scope of influence was wide and the impression deep enough that the gathered recognition still pushed [Fighting Spirit] up to green quality.
Then there was the newly added white Entry:
[Genjutsu Fundamentals (White): Your Mental Energy is relatively concentrated and delicate, making you more sensitive to the composition of Genjutsu. Your ability to learn basic Genjutsu and resist low-level Genjutsu is slightly enhanced.]
This was gradually formed after last year's Chunin Exams. During missions over the past few months, he had consciously used Genjutsu multiple times to handle problems, leaving local clients and the public with the impression that this Konoha Ninja's Genjutsu was quite good.
Although the boost was slight, he now possessed corresponding basic entries for the three major categories: Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu.
Finally, there were two unexpected yet reasonable new green entries—[Firearm Proficiency (Green)] and [Polearm Proficiency (Green)].
[Firearm Proficiency (Green): You have an extraordinary intuition for weapons that rely on mechanical triggers for long-range attacks. Not only do you master their structure, maintenance, and modification far faster than ordinary people, but you can also use your intuition in actual combat to quickly predict ballistic trajectories and seize the best shooting timing and angles, significantly enhancing power, accuracy, and deterrent effect.]
[Polearm Proficiency (Green): You have deeply understood the mechanical advantages and combat logic of long-handled weapons. The speed at which you learn and master techniques for long weapons such as spears, halberds, and staffs is significantly accelerated, and you can more effectively utilize their distance and control advantages in actual combat to create and exploit openings.]
These two entries also originated from the reputation Isshin the Clone had made for himself in the Land of Iron.
His image of holding a blade while carrying a halberd on his shoulder and sweeping through all directions was undoubtedly very vivid, making the birth of [Polearm Proficiency] a matter of course.
However, this Firearm Proficiency... Shinichi felt a bit amused. Even though he rarely used that modified firearm in various martial arts exchanges, having used it only a handful of times—fewer than he could count on both hands.
But the generation and promotion speed of the [Firearm Proficiency] Entry was even a bit faster than [Polearm Proficiency]!
It could only be said that the "Ashina Sword Style" had left an incredibly shocking impression on that group of people in the Land of Iron.
His act of pulling out a gun and shooting during a match was likely far more subversive and impactful than if he had simply smashed ten dojos with a blade or halberd.
This also resulted in Chairman Yagyu constantly having to clean up after him with a dark face.
Furthermore, he had a premonition that two other green entries on the panel, [Innate Divine Strength] and [Swordsmanship Proficiency], might also be about to upgrade.
These two entries themselves had reached green quality very early on. Now, after a long time and from multiple angles—especially with the Clone Isshin's continuous high-intensity practical combat accumulation and fermentation in the southeast region of the Land of Iron for several months—they had also gained considerable recognition.
Perhaps all it would take is one or two significant opportunities, or the addition of the final few bricks of recognition, to break through green and step into the blue Domain... The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Tsunade rarely rose early. Without disturbing Shizune in the next room, she quietly left the house.
The streets of Konoha in the early morning were quiet and cool, the air permeated with the scent of vegetation and dew.
She walked toward Training Ground Nine located at the edge of the Village, her pace neither hurried nor slow.
As she passed an open area, her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the Hokage Rock on the distant cliff.
The First, the Second, the Third... those familiar faces appeared solemn and distant in the morning light.
Once upon a time, she too had strived with the goal of standing at that height, and her younger brother Nawaki and Dan were even more so.
The brutality of the Second War and the successive deaths of her closest loved ones were like heavy hammers that smashed her former ideals and passion to pieces.
Fear coiled around her heart like a venomous snake—fear of blood, fear of loss, fear of being powerless.
She chose to escape, numbing herself with alcohol and distancing herself from everything that might trigger her pain again, including her responsibilities as a Ninja.
Even when she sensed that Shizune might graduate early and step onto the dangerous path of a Ninja, her first reaction was still an escapist attempt to stop her.
Trying to make Shizune give up, rather than facing or changing anything herself.
She was afraid of once again experiencing that despair of watching an important person leave while being helpless to do anything.
Until that black-haired youth in the barbecue shop looked at her with those clear yet firm eyes and spoke those words about protection and Legacy;
Until he was heavily injured by a strange backlash yet still calmly stated his reasons for becoming stronger; until she treated him with her own hands, feeling that vigorous vitality and the will to never look back.
Something pried open a crack in the heart's defenses that had been corroded by alcohol and dejection, and light shone through.
Since she was afraid of loss, then she would use all her strength to protect!
Since she couldn't change the fact that Shizune would become a Ninja, then she would personally become her shield and spear, polishing her until she was strong enough!
Having escaped for so long, it was time to stand up again—not for some dream of being Hokage, but simply to protect the people she could still protect.
Her chaotic thoughts gradually settled, turning into a clear and firm determination.
Unknowingly, the outline of Training Ground Nine had appeared before her eyes.
"Tsunade-senpai?"
A gentle voice tinged with obvious surprise came from behind her to the side.
"Minato?"
Tsunade snapped out of it and looked up, only to see a head of dazzling blond hair particularly striking in the morning light. The newcomer had a handsome face and a warm temperament; it was indeed Minato Namikaze...