Ren had actually been thinking about a different way to approach things lately.
A more… creative method.
If [Dialogue] and [Practice] were the standard ways to improve, then theoretically—
Couldn't [Gifting] be used as a shortcut?
It sounded absurd at first, but the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
After all, he had already tested something similar before.
The Water Clone Technique could be gifted to the standard Clone Technique because they shared the same foundation. The system clearly recognized compatibility between abilities.
But then…
What about something like the Eight Gates?
Ren frowned slightly as he walked down the quiet street, hands in his pockets.
"If I wanted to 'gift' something related to that… what would it even be?"
Body strengthening?
Endurance training?
Or…
His lips twitched faintly.
"…Should I just go to Might Duy and ask for one of those green jumpsuits?"
The image of Might Guy and his father instantly appeared in his mind.
Bright green. Skin-tight. Blindingly enthusiastic.
Ren fell silent.
"…No."
That was a line he wasn't ready to cross.
Although…
To be fair, those outfits were surprisingly durable. The Might father and son trained in them every single day, yet they barely showed signs of wear. The material was flexible, breathable, and absorbed sweat well.
From a purely practical standpoint—
They weren't bad.
"…If nothing else, they'd make decent cleaning cloths."
Ren muttered under his breath, completely serious.
Then he glanced at the sky.
The sun had already dipped lower, casting long shadows across the village streets.
"…It's about time."
He stretched lazily, rolling his shoulders.
"Call it a day."
And just like that, Ren turned and headed home, his pace relaxed, as if none of his thoughts carried any real urgency.
---
But elsewhere in Konoha…
Things were very different.
Across multiple training grounds and courtyards—
The next generation of ninja was pushing themselves to their limits.
Might Guy was drenched in sweat, performing endless laps and push-ups under the fading sunlight, shouting about youth and determination with unshakable passion.
Kurenai Yuhi practiced her genjutsu control in her family courtyard, her movements precise, her focus sharper than ever before.
Hiashi Hyūga's younger brother, Hizashi, stood across from a determined Hyūga Homon, guiding him through the refined techniques of the Gentle Fist.
Asuma Sarutobi trained under the watchful eye of his father's subordinates, polishing his combat instincts and chakra flow.
Almost everyone—
Was working from dawn till dusk.
Unlike Ren, they all had guidance.
Fathers.
Brothers.
Clan elders.
People who could correct their mistakes and push them forward.
Even—
A certain white-haired boy.
Back from a mission.
Alone.
Silent.
In a quiet courtyard, Kakashi Hatake washed his face, the cold water dripping from his chin as he stared at his reflection.
Then—
Without a word—
He picked up his blade and began practicing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Then three.
Before anyone realized it—
Winter break had ended.
Late January.
Konoha was blanketed in heavy snow.
Thick, white layers covered rooftops, trees, and roads, transforming the village into a serene winter landscape.
When the snowfall finally stopped—
Children burst out into the streets.
Laughing.
Shouting.
Rolling snowballs and building uneven snowmen.
The air was filled with warmth and joy.
Even adults wore fresh winter clothes, their faces carrying quiet hope for the coming year.
But—
Not everyone shared that lighthearted mood.
Across the rooftops, ninja in dark green flak jackets moved swiftly, their expressions tense and focused.
Among them—
The number of injured had increased.
Bandages.
Splints.
Blood-stained wrappings.
And whispers carried through the cold wind:
"Casualties…"
"Supply shortages…"
"…War."
Some people had already begun to sense it.
A shift.
Something beneath the surface.
But no one dared to speak openly.
The last war had ended not too long ago, and its scars were still fresh.
Too fresh.
So instead—
People prepared quietly.
Secretly.
In the shadows of everyday life.
---
In ninja tool shops, prices began to rise.
Explosive tags became more expensive.
Kunai and shuriken were sold out faster than usual.
Orders for soldier pills skyrocketed daily.
Every sign pointed toward the same conclusion.
Something was coming.
But for now—
The students of the Ninja Academy remained untouched.
The new semester began.
Classrooms filled once again with familiar faces.
Groups of children gathered, chatting excitedly about their winter break.
Stories of training.
Family.
Food.
Snow.
And small, meaningless competitions.
Ren sat down in his seat quietly, resting his chin on one hand as he listened to the noise around him.
Then—
A figure approached.
And stopped right beside him.
"Ren. Long time no see."
Ren glanced up.
Hyūga Homon stood there, posture stiff, expression serious—almost overly so.
His pale eyes locked onto Ren with unwavering intensity.
"This winter, I trained under my brother, Hizashi-sama," Homon continued. "I am no longer the same as before."
Ren blinked once.
"…Oh."
"I will reclaim everything in the graduation exam," Homon declared firmly. "Including what I lost last time."
Ren stared at him for a second.
Then thought—
Why are you telling me this?
Out loud, however, he simply nodded.
"I look forward to it."
A polite response.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
---
Homon gave a small nod, satisfied, and turned away.
Mission accomplished.
Ren watched him leave, then leaned back slightly.
"…Kids."
This kind of thing wasn't unusual.
Might Guy and Obito did the same thing all the time.
Always talking about challenging Kakashi—
Whether Kakashi was there or not.
---
A few minutes later—
Another presence approached.
Soft.
Gentle.
Ren glanced up again.
Kurenai Yuhi.
She paused briefly beside his desk, her expression slightly hesitant.
Then—
She placed a neatly wrapped bento box in front of him.
"Um… Ren," she said quietly, avoiding direct eye contact. "I wasn't sure if you had breakfast today, so… I made an extra portion."
She paused.
Then added, a little more softly—
"Please accept it… as thanks for the other day."
---
"…Huh?"
Not just Ren.
But several nearby students also froze.
Including—
Ebisu.
Who instantly leaned in, ears practically twitching with curiosity.
Wait.
What did she just say?
In the past—
Wasn't Asuma the only one who got to eat Kurenai's homemade food?
---
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
---
Ren looked down at the bento.
Then back at Kurenai.
Then—
Smiled.
"Thanks. I was actually getting hungry."
He accepted it without hesitation.
---
And it was true.
Lately, his appetite had increased significantly.
Constant [Practice] drained his chakra repeatedly. While chakra and physical stamina weren't exactly the same—
They were closely linked.
Which meant—
He got hungry.
A lot.
That was why he always carried emergency snacks like bread or chocolate.
So an extra meal?
That was more than welcome.
Kurenai nodded quickly, then returned to her seat, her expression slightly flustered.
From across the room—
Rin Nohara glanced over.
Her eyes lingered on the bento for a moment.
Then on Ren.
Then on Kurenai.
And finally—
She quietly looked away.
Saying nothing.
The bell rang.
Class began.
Teacher Oki entered the classroom.
Followed immediately by—
Uchiha Obito.
Late.
Of course.
Oki's expression darkened slightly.
He clearly wanted to scold him.
But after a brief pause—
He sighed.
"…Take your seat."
First day of the new semester.
He let it go.
---
Clearing his throat, Oki looked over the class.
"Ahem. Welcome back, everyone. I hope you all had a good winter break."
A few students chuckled.
Some nodded.
Others were still half-asleep.
---
But then—
His tone shifted.
"From now on… it's time to get serious."
The classroom fell silent.
"Because the graduation exams are approaching."
---
Those words changed everything.
---
The graduation exam—
Was no small matter.
It determined whether a student could officially become a ninja.
And it wasn't just about combat.
---
There were academic subjects:
Language.
Mathematics.
Geography.
Intelligence analysis.
The difficulty was roughly equivalent to a modern high school entrance exam.
---
Konoha didn't emphasize academics as much as combat ability—
But that didn't mean it could be ignored.
Because on real missions—
You needed to plan.
To analyze.
To report.
Otherwise—
You were just a liability.
---
So—
For the next week—
The schedule became intense.
---
Mornings were dedicated to study.
Reading.
Memorization.
Practice questions.
---
Afternoons—
Combat training.
Sparring.
Physical conditioning.
---
Day after day.
No breaks.
No shortcuts.
---
And during this process—
Several students began to stand out.
---
"Wow, Nara's gotten so much better!"
"Is Hyūga Homon cheating? He's way stronger now!"
"…Still not as good as Asuma, though."
"Kurenai's taijutsu improved a lot too! She feels completely different!"
---
Excited whispers spread throughout the class.
---
Then—
Someone said it.
"I saw Kakashi yesterday!"
---
Instantly—
The entire room reacted.
---
"He's back?!"
"Really?!"
"What was he like?!"
---
Even Obito and Guy jumped up, rushing over for details.
Eyes shining.
Voices overlapping.
---
"He's even colder than before!"
"And still super handsome!"
"His aura is amazing—!"
---
The girls were especially excited.
---
Meanwhile—
Ren sat quietly in the corner.
Legs crossed.
Eyes closed.
---
Ignoring everything.
---
Inside—
His chakra flowed smoothly.
Recovering.
Circulating.
Strengthening.
---
And deeper still—
His consciousness focused on the system.
---
A silent "game" unfolding in his mind.
---
While others chased excitement—
Or rivals—
Or admiration—
Ren pursued something else entirely.
Control.
Efficiency.
Growth.
Because in the end—
The only thing that truly mattered—
Was strength.
--------------------------------
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