"Then which one is better? That guy Chōji just eats all the time, and Shikamaru is even lazier than usual," Ino said.
"You're only seeing the surface. Shikamaru barely writes anything during exams. If he actually focused, his grades wouldn't be worse than Sakura's," Shari said, slightly amused. Shikamaru really was being underestimated.
"Really?" Ino looked skeptical. As Sakura's friend, she knew just how advanced Sakura's theories could be. "Besides you, who else could keep up with her logic?"
"Of course, his answer sheet is very similar to mine. He mainly does multiple-choice questions or the ones with short answers, leaving the rest blank. Having a teammate like that can greatly improve team efficiency," Shari explained.
"Even so, what about Chōji?" Ino reluctantly accepted Shari's reasoning and asked.
"Chōji comes from a family with powerful secret techniques. He eats a lot to support that. Also, he's very straightforward in personality. Of course, if you don't call him fat and are willing to feed him, Chōji would definitely be a trustworthy teammate," Shari said.
Then Shari recounted stories of the previous generation of Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji, and some of their collaborative experiences. In practice, they would gradually understand each other in the future, but Shari shared examples from the original story where they were already familiar with one another, which might save them some adaptation time.
"Seems fitting. It's a pity Shikamaru and Chōji aren't girls," Ino sighed, leaning against Shari.
Shari paused, then the images of Shikamaru and Chōji transformed into girls in his mind, and he shook his head, dismissing the unrealistic vision.
Soon, a burly, bearded male ninja entered. Short but muscular, he scanned the classroom and focused on Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino before finally looking at Shari.
"So this is that prodigy kid who's even more talented than Kakashi? The old man always praises him at every opportunity," he thought.
Shari also turned to see that it was Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage.
"Grade 10 students, follow me," Asuma said, then left the classroom, ignoring Shari. Shari and the others followed him.
Besides Kakashi, the other Jonin had arrived quickly. Shari was curious to see the legendary fifty-five Kage, but there would be plenty of time later, so there was no rush.
"Shari," Sasuke called out just as Shari was about to leave. If he hadn't called, it would have been too late.
"Hmm?" Shari looked toward Sasuke.
"Same place, same time," Sasuke said and sat back down. Naruto scratched his head beside him, puzzled by what "same place, same time" meant. After thinking, he realized he had encountered the same situation before. Amused, he waved at Shari.
"Okay," Shari agreed. He was also very curious about Sasuke's growth.
Asuma, not concerned about money, took the four of them to a barbecue restaurant. Chōji's eyes lit up when he saw it. Although he didn't know the teacher personally, he recognized him!
Shikamaru recognized Asuma too; he had taught several classes at the school.
As for why Chōji didn't, you'd have to ask Chōji himself.
…
"Alright, let me introduce myself. I'm Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage and a Jonin. I like… well, that's not important," Asuma said, blushing slightly before continuing, "Nothing unusual about that."
"You all should introduce yourselves too," Asuma said, looking at Chōji eating and feeling like he had made a mistake, but shrugged—money was no concern.
Ino and the others quickly introduced themselves, leaving Shari last. Suddenly, all eyes focused on him.
"Hmm? Do I need to?" Shari paused, thinking, then said, "Shari: a special Jonin who loves himself, his mother, and Ino, and hates what he hates."
Ino blushed. She had just admitted she liked Shari and felt embarrassed.
"I like Shari too," Ino added shyly, feeling sweet inside.
Shikamaru and Chōji didn't react; they already knew. Shikamaru smirked, saying, "That's like saying nothing at all."
Asuma was slightly surprised. Looking at Shari, then Ino, he hadn't expected the little girl on his team to be claimed so quickly.
This was the mark of an outstanding individual. Asuma felt slightly uneasy hearing the old man constantly praise him, but in the past two years, he had learned about Shari from his father.
Suddenly, all discomfort vanished. This kid seemed even more extreme than Kakashi. There was no comparison. But… fine, why not accept it?
"Alright, the rest call me Teacher Asuma, and you call me Asuma," he said. "Now, let's start eating barbecue… okay?"
No wonder Asuma acted this way. Chōji had already eaten a lot, prompting Asuma to sigh—he really wasn't very polite and felt he would spend a lot in the future.
After the meal, everyone leaned back in their chairs. Asuma announced something:
"By the way, I need to tell you something. There's an assessment tomorrow. If you fail, your forehead protector will be returned to the Ninja Academy and confiscated."
To Asuma's surprise, no one reacted, though someone should have.
"What a hassle," Shikamaru muttered.
Ino had already learned about this from Shari. The only one who could have reacted, Chōji, was busy digesting too much food to respond…
"Alright, now that we know everything, we're dismissed. Remember to arrive on time tomorrow."
After the Tenth Squad disbanded, Shari walked with Ino through the village.
"Ino, you still need to take tomorrow's assessment seriously. Teacher Asuma doesn't sound as strict as others, but if you perform poorly, there's still a risk of being sent back," Shari said. He wasn't planning on participating himself.
"Yes, I understand," Ino nodded, hesitating to mention what Lady Yamanaka had instructed her. She understood her mother's intentions and felt a little embarrassed and worried—would things progress too quickly and scare Shari?
Oblivious to Ino's hesitation, Shari guided her to a less crowded spot and stopped.
Shari pinched Ino's cheek gently, something he often did when relaxed around her.
"What are you thinking? Ino, is there anything you haven't told me?"
Feeling Shari's touch, Ino hesitated but obeyed Lady Yamanaka's instructions.
"I understand. When will your parents be free? My time here is convenient. If you're available, I'll accompany my mother," Shari said.
Ino's eyes widened—Shari's meaning was clear. He was arranging a meeting between their parents.
Ino sensed Shari's sincerity; he had always been genuine with her. Her heart swelled with joy and excitement.
She hugged Shari and stood on her toes. Shari's eyes widened—this was his first time experiencing this. Then a thought struck him:
Are you… committing a crime?
He quickly dismissed it. This wasn't the same world; there were no such rules. Besides, she was about to become his fiancée.
What's wrong with kissing my fiancée? Nothing!
Shari hugged Ino around her bandaged waist.
After a long while, hand in hand, they walked toward Ino's home, faces flushed.
Ino felt a surge of impulsive desire but didn't regret it.
Shari felt youthful again through Ino, which made him smile.
Unconsciously, they arrived at Ino's house.
"I'll ask my parents first and let you know later," Ino said, blushing.
"Okay," Shari nodded, watching her enter. He felt a sudden reluctance to leave.
Shari shook his head and didn't rush home. Instead, he went to a training field he hadn't visited in years. This wasn't the one from his childhood; it was set up by the ANBU for him. Usually, he trained alone here.
Most of the time, he had been on missions and rarely had time for this place.
Now, all facilities were operational—quite convenient. Shari also had to consider his next steps.
Chapter 110: Swordsmanship, Sage Techniques, and Ninja Arts
On the ANBU training field, Shari stood alone, holding a longsword.
First: swordsmanship.
Shari picked up the custom sword made by Tetsuya Higashishin and began practice.
A skilled swordsman might initially be unimpressed—many of Shari's moves were unconventional, and his style seemed mediocre.
However, once in action, the entire field emanated an invisible sense of lethal danger, as if each strike could take a life.
Shari frowned, realizing the effectiveness of his training.
All his sword techniques had been developed step by step to kill hostile ninjas efficiently—original, deadly, yet not entirely conventional.
Practicing without an opponent didn't produce ideal results; his killing intent had to be channeled through his techniques.
Shari sighed; he would have to pause for now.
Since mastering Sakumo Hatake's sword style, his progress had been tremendous. Even ANBU ministers had consulted him about his training methods. He felt he had fully grasped the essence.
Shari wasn't hiding anything—he had shared his thoughts with the ANBU minister, who didn't believe him, as he had tried long ago and still found ninjutsu more effective.
This left Shari speechless. Swordsmanship wasn't for everyone. It suited him perfectly.
Shari finally swung the blade. Sensing a pause, the sword seemed slightly dull.
He stared at the scene, pondering whether his spiritual power had caused so many deaths—was it an evil weapon?
Shari shook his head. Likely just an illusion. Even if it were an evil weapon, it didn't matter. Humans wield it, not the sword itself.
As he prepared to sheath it, chakra flowed into his hand, and a fire kanji appeared on the sword:
'Mo Ying' (Silent Shadow).
Shari decided to name his beloved sword—his companion for over a year—after this codename.
He sheathed it and sealed it in a scroll. The sealing technique was convenient and easy to use.
Next: jutsu. Shari's chakra was minimal—just enough. Learning jutsu was tricky but should not completely drain natural energy. He sensed the natural energy as "gentle," unlikely to overwhelm him.
It was best to wait until his killing intent fully dissipated.
Shari could maintain a void state normally, but it wasn't clear if this helped suppress his killing intent. His perception had plateaued.
He also foresaw that once his killing intent faded, his "Kongming" state might improve drastically—beyond normal progression.
Thus, he wasn't rushing for immortality. His killing intent dissipated quickly, especially when relaxed with Ino. Practicing other skills during this time was fine.
Regarding natural energy perception, he could sense it normally, but his eyes couldn't yet see it without entering Sage Mode. Once Kongming state improved, surprises might await.
Finally, Shari's focus today was ninjutsu.
First, for Lightning Escape, the electric arcs on him flickered, but he frowned and shook his head.
Lightning massage was now completely ineffective. His previous plan was impractical. This technique couldn't counter most advanced lightning jutsus. Lower-level opponents might resist, but higher-level ones couldn't.
He also considered whether enhancing Lightning Massage could reach the level of the Third Raikage—but it proved excessive.
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