Shinichi listened quietly to their conversation, his face still bearing that gentle and calm expression.
The meddlesome student was, of course, himself.
Just last month, during another practical lesson where the two classes overlapped, Shinichi still didn't rush to challenge Kakashi.
He watched silently from the crowd as Kakashi, with his more skillful and overwhelming Fire Style, decisively defeated Asuma, the son of the Hokage.
When the surrounding classmates exclaimed in amazement, Kakashi seems to be able to use Ninjutsu of all five basic chakra natures, Shinichi casually remarked in a conversational tone, as if recalling something, "Speaking of which, I saw when I was researching in the library that the first, second, and third Hokage all seemed to be born with the constitution of all five basic chakra natures..."
Whether the first, second, and third Hokage possessed all five basic chakra natures innately is unimportant; whether other ninjas like them existed in Konoha's history is also unimportant.
What is important is that a simple yet powerful association has been subtly implanted in the listener's mind through this sentence: Five basic chakra natures = Hokage.
Kakashi has the potential to become the Hokage!
For Shinichi, the greater Kakashi's fame and the brighter his aura, the better.
"However, I still think Shinichi is stronger."
Takashi Ishizuka's voice was filled with undisguised bias: "If Shinichi were to face Kakashi, he would definitely win."
Upon hearing this, Shizune raised her head, her gaze lingering for a moment on Shinichi's calm face.
Shinichi?
In her heart, this deskmate was undoubtedly outstanding, the best in their class, with impeccable grades in all subjects, a model among models.
His daily routine of carrying a huge rock and running on the school playground every morning without fail is indeed a bit abstract, but his hard work and perseverance day after day are admirable.
Shinichi is indeed very outstanding, but in Shizune's eyes, this excellence is a model student who is calm and reliable.
Kakashi, on the other hand, seems to exist in another dimension. His talent is too dazzling: the five basic chakra natures, his all-around strength that crushes his peers, and the rumors that he has the potential to become the Hokage have already spread throughout the village.
All of these combined create an impression of a near-legendary, epoch-making genius.
It was a kind of unattainable radiance that made it difficult for people to even think of comparing it to anything else.
Shinichi took in the subtle assessment contained in Shizune's glance, stood up, smiled, and said calmly: "I'll do my best whoever I'm matched with. I'm going to practice my swordsmanship now."
... ... ... ...
Name: Shinichi Higashino
[Occupation: Ninja Academy Student (New), Apprentice Swordsman]
[Talents: Superhuman Strength (Green), Diligence Compensates For Lack Of Talent (Green), Intelligent (White), Friendly (White), Foodie (White), Resilient (White), Agile (White), Calm (White), [Basic Wind Style (White), Basic Taijutsu (White), Basic Swordsmanship (White)]
Shinichi turned his gaze away from the system panel that only he could see.
Compared to when he first enrolled, his panel has changed considerably through continuous image development this semester.
First, the previously white-labeled Diligent has been upgraded to the green-labeled Diligence Compensates For Lack Of Talent.
[Diligence Compensates For Lack Of Talent (Green): Diligence can compensate for shortcomings; effort will surely yield gains! When studying, training, or working, concentration is increased, and fatigue is reduced, and there will always be slight progress!]
This talent has a simple yet powerful effect: Improving focus and reducing fatigue. These are only minor improvements compared to the previous white talent.
But its true essence lies in the second half of the sentence, there will always be slight progress.
These few simple words, in Shinichi's view, are in some ways a divine skill.
It means stability, predictability, and the absence of bottlenecks.
As long as he invests time and effort, he will surely reap the rewards, no matter how meager they may be. But over time, these rewards will become the ladder to infinity.
In addition, two new white talents have been added to the panel: Basic Taijutsu (White) and Basic Swordsmanship (White)
[Basic Taijutsu (White): Your body coordination, strength, and endurance are superior to those of ordinary people. You learn and master Taijutsu faster and are better able to time your attacks in physical skill.]
[Basic Swordsmanship (White): You possess exceptional feel and aptitude for the sword, learn sword techniques swiftly, maintain a steady stance, and are able to more accurately pinpoint your opponent's weaknesses in combat.]
The changes they brought were direct and practical: His Basic Taijutsu improved his control over his body, efficiency in generating power, and timing in physical skill.
His Basic Swordsmanship enhanced his perception of the sword, his comprehension of sword techniques, and his keenness in spotting weaknesses in combat.
Both of these factors genuinely raised his minimum skill level and growth rate in these two fields.
He composed himself, no longer looking at the panel, and began to seriously practice his swordsmanship.
The practical assessment in the afternoon would be a test of his current achievements, and at the same time, another occasion to continue sowing seeds of people's perception of him.
He was practicing his swordplay and warming up!
... ... ...
In the afternoon, on the drill field, the homeroom teachers of class 1 and class 2 huddled together and whispered a few words, seemingly confirming the final arrangements.
Then, the homeroom teacher of class 2, Chunin Matsumoto Fumio, walked to the front of the line and took out a new form.
"Class, the next step is the final part of this final exam, the practical assessment."
Matsumoto's voice clearly echoed across the playground: "To ensure a comprehensive evaluation, this assessment will be conducted by a combination of class 1 and class 2. Inoue-sensei and I will match you with opponents of similar strength based on your past performance records. The purpose is to test your learning outcomes in Taijutsu, basic Ninjutsu, and practical combat this semester."
He cleared his throat and glanced at the list: "Then, let's start with the first match: Namida from class 1 versus Higashino from class 2..."
"Please wait a moment, Matsumoto-sensei."
A calm and clear voice rang out, interrupting Matsumoto.
Matsumoto, who was interrupted, was slightly taken aback, but when he saw that it was Shinichi, he did not show any displeasure. This student was always calm and sensible, and there must be a reason for him to speak now. He asked in a gentle voice, "Shinichi, is there a problem?"
"Sensei, since you said that opponents will be assigned based on past performance, then..."
Shinichi stepped out of the crowd, his gaze slowly sweeping across the opposite class's queue, finally settling on that quiet, silver-haired figure.
"As the top student in class 2, my opponent should be Kakashi, the top student in class 1."
As soon as he finished speaking, a hushed exchange arose on the playground, with eyes shifting back and forth between Shinichi and Kakashi.
Takashi Ishizuka clenched his fists tightly, his eyes shining brightly; Shizune widened her eyes and looked at Shinichi.
The students in classes 1 and 2 also showed expressions of surprise or curiosity.
Matsumoto was clearly taken aback by this direct and specific request, and felt conflicted.
He knew that Shinichi was telling the truth, but the arrangement was also partly due to his own selfish motives.
In his view, although Shinichi was very talented, he was still far behind Kakashi Hatake.
He worried that such a mismatch between the two teams could severely damage the confidence of this outstanding child if he lost decisively. As a teacher, he couldn't help but want to protect him.
Just as Matsumoto was struggling with how to smooth things over, a calm and even voice rang out: "I have no objection."