One week later.
Lying on his own bed, Shinichi's gaze quietly settled on the newly generated line of green text on his personal panel:
[Ninjutsu Proficiency (Green): Your speed in learning and mastering ninjutsu increases. Your perception of and ability to apply chakra shape transformation and nature transformation are significantly enhanced, allowing you to more quickly learn and stably execute ninjutsu of the corresponding attributes.]
The effect of the Entry was undoubtedly strong and would be of great help to his future training.
However, although Shinichi's expression remained calm and unmoved, he could not conceal the disappointnt in his heart.
It was not blue—only green.
Why? Was the sensation it caused still not enough?
Or was it that the ti had been too short, and the degree of cognitive ferntation insufficient?
He quickly rejected both ideas.
Although after the incident, Konohagakure's higher-ups, out of considerations of protection and confidentiality, had to so extent controlled the spread of specific information from the day of the opening ceremony, even so, the shockwave created by the event itself—in both intensity and scope—was absolutely no less than the battle years ago in which he defeated Kakashi and established his na as a genius.
Then where did the problem lie?
Shinichi's thoughts turned, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the words [Ninja Academy Student] in the profession column. A detail he had almost forgotten suddenly flashed through his mind—the prompt that had appeared on the panel when the two profession Entries [Ninja Academy Student] and [Swordsmanship Apprentice] were first generated:
"Based on the activation of the ninja (swordsman) profession, from this point on, others' perceptions of you related to the ninja (swordsman)… the profession level determines the conversion efficiency of others' perceptions of your related talents. When the profession level reaches its maximum…"
"The profession level determines the conversion efficiency of others' perceptions of your related talents…"
Shinichi suddenly understood.
Yes—unlike [Genius], which is an all-domain Entry not limited to any profession, [Ninjutsu Proficiency] clearly belongs to the category of ninja-related talents.
And what level was his corresponding ninja profession now?
It was [Ninja Academy Student], the most basic and entry-level rank within the ninja system.
That profession level limited the conversion efficiency of related talent perceptions.
Even if the outside world had ford a strong perception that he was a ninjutsu genius, constrained by his current professional platform, that massive cognitive effect could not be efficiently converted into a higher-tier blue Entry, and ultimately condensed only into green.
This also explained why [Taijutsu Basics (White)] had long been unable to upgrade, because taijutsu likewise falls within the domain of ninja-related talents.
And in the battle with Kakashi, the focus of outside attention was also placed on the second match—the swordsmanship duel—so [Swordsmanship Basics (White)], which belongs to swordsman-related talent, was likewise still in the apprentice stage.
Yet because of that head-on clash with White Fang's swordsmanship, using that "White Fang swordsmanship" as a legendary stepping stone, the quality of the perception he gained was completely different, which is why it broke through to green in one fell swoop.
"Looks like I'll need to pay more attention to this in the future."
A faint trace of emotion swept through Shinichi's heart.
But even if he had known of this limitation beforehand, would he change his choice?
No.
Shinichi's gaze beca calm again. For him, power he could first grasp in his own hands was the best kind of power.
The tangible improvent brought by the green Entry [Ninjutsu Proficiency] was imdiate. This was far more valuable than a vague, illusory blue Entry that might not even be able to form due to insufficient conditions.
Moreover, realistically speaking, even if he waited until graduation, and [Ninja Academy Student] upgraded to [Genin], boosting profession conversion efficiency, in the future he might still not encounter an ideal cognition ignition point like the opening ceremony—one that gathered the attention of the entire school's teachers and students, and even Konohagakure's higher-ups.
By then, trying to trigger a cognitive sensation on the sa scale would likely be even more difficult, and the gains might not be greater than this ti.
Where there are gains, there are losses. Although this plan had not achieved the most ideal objective, the substantial benefits obtained, as well as the important understanding of the system's rules, were already extrely precious.
Not to ntion: the fact that he created the Rasengan at age nine was already set in stone. This matter would continue to circulate, and would continuously bring him corresponding perceptions.
When the ti ca, his comprehensive ninjutsu Entry would eventually upgrade to the blue tier.
He closed the panel and shut his eyes.
Green, then green it was.
The next step was to advance the graduation process.
Three days later, Shinichi formally submitted an application for early graduation to the ninja academy.
After this news spread, the reaction it caused was rather subtle—almost no one felt surprised. Instead, there was a pervasive sense of "That's more like it," "It should have been this way long ago," as if it were only natural. So people even muttered in private: Why was he only applying now?
This common ntality was not hard to understand. In most people's eyes, Shinichi should have graduated long ago.
"Genius who beat Kakashi"—that title had been famous for more than two years already.
And now, Hatake Kakashi, the forr defeated opponent, had long since been promoted to Chūnin and had been active on missions for nearly three years.
By comparison, Shinichi had stayed quietly in school the whole ti, which instead seed sowhat unreasonable.
Not to ntion the Rasengan he independently developed just a few days earlier at the opening ceremony, which had shocked the entire audience.
An A-rank non-hand-seal ninjutsu, even with the potential to touch the threshold of S-rank… an achievent of this level had already far exceeded what a ninja academy student should be capable of.
In everyone's eyes, for such a monster—who had repeatedly created miracles and whose talent and strength were beyond doubt—to continue remaining in the academy and thodically study the basics was simply a waste of ti and talent.
That he had not graduated early sooner, and had only applied now, instead beca a small question.
Thus, when the application was formally submitted, everything seed natural and without waves, as if this were rely sothing that should have happened long ago.
But when this application was officially submitted and placed on the Hokage's desk, there was one person who felt a trace of difficulty because of it—The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He did not doubt whether Shinichi could pass the graduation examination; that required no consideration at all.
His original idea had been to focus on fostering longer-term bonds. He had observed Shinichi's harmonious relationships with his classmates, especially with his deskmate Shizune, Ryū, and others.
He had planned that when their cohort graduated normally, he would assign these children to the sa squad, allowing the friendship ford in youth to further deepen and solidify through missions. This aligned with the "comrade" philosophy he had always valued.
Unexpectedly, Shinichi had taken the initiative to apply for early graduation. Seeing how he had stayed quietly in the academy over the past two years, he had assud he would complete his studies step by step… this developnt disrupted the Third's preliminary arrangent.
"What kind of teammates should I assign to him?"
The Third Hokage lightly tapped the desk with his fingertips, falling into thought.
Kakashi?
The na flashed through his mind but was imdiately rejected.
For Kakashi, he had other plans, and that child now appeared closed off and nearly devoid of emotion, like a mission machine.
If he were paired with Shinichi, not only might they fail to build bonds, it could even affect or contaminate this seedling he quite favored—one whose temperant was still bright and positive.
Their teaming might have to wait until a more distant future, after Kakashi had changed.
After pondering for a mont, the Third reached a decision: as long as Shinichi had not yet beco a Jōnin by then, and his contemporaries or peers of similar age also graduated smoothly, he would find a way to reorganize them into the sa squad, and personally designate a reliable Jōnin as their instructor.
Before that, he would first find for this child who had spread his wings too early a senior with firm political convictions, high awareness, the ability to steady the situation, and guide him along the right path.
Since sa-age bonds could not be relied upon for the ti being, then senior guidance would make up for it.
The Third Hokage reviewed the list in his mind and finally settled on one na.
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