Of course, Shisui didn’t fully understand.
The words Kyoichi said were beyond what Shisui could currently grasp, but he understood one thing—this teacher didn’t dislike him, a student from the Uchiha clan.
On the contrary, Kyoichi was more than willing to communicate and share with him.
That alone was enough to make Shisui feel a sense of joy.
There was one thing Kyoichi left unsaid:
The Ninja Academy was one of the few places where the Uchiha could interact with the rest of Konoha.
Graduating early would make it much harder to connect with Konoha’s common folk again.
The Uchiha appeared to have special privileges, but in reality, they were isolated from the rest of the village.
Kyoichi didn’t agree with this arrangement, but he lacked the power to change it.
When he said those things to Shisui, it wasn’t with the intention of changing anything—he simply spoke on a whim.
Yet before long, the system prompted him:
[You have gained initial recognition from Uchiha Shisui.]
[Reward: Genjutsu Fundamentals.]
Genjutsu?
That was definitely a blind spot in his expertise.
A wealth of knowledge filled Kyoichi’s mind. After carefully reflecting on it for a while, he was quite satisfied.
He had no plans to become a genjutsu master, but having a solid foundation in genjutsu came with additional benefits—such as improving his chakra control.
“Sensei, can I come to you with more questions in the future?”
“Of course.”
Kyoichi’s smile was genuine.
He wasn’t just being polite; he was genuinely happy.
Shisui was such a good kid!
He was like a sheep delivered to his doorstep, complete with wool and scissors.
“Thank you, Sensei!”
Shisui bowed deeply.
He had no idea that in Kyoichi’s eyes, his image had shifted from being a promising student to being a big, fluffy sheep ready to be sheared.
“Come on, let’s grab some food. My treat.”
Kyōichi smiled warmly.
“Ah? There’s no need for that…”
Shisui felt a little embarrassed but was quickly dragged along.
In the distance, Kyoichi’s shadow clone watched with a face full of resentment as its original form and Shisui walked away.
Good grief!
What was this nonsense about teaching students?
It was all an excuse to skip out on training and leave the clone doing all the hard work.
The clone was about ready to snap.
Kyoichi had tasked his clone with practicing taijutsu techniques.
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As for physical conditioning, that was something he’d have to train himself.
That would have to wait, though. For now, his injuries were “still healing.”
Besides…
You need a full stomach to train properly.
At the Ichiraku Ramen shop:
“Boss, two bowls of ramen, please.”
“Alright, sir, take a seat and wait a moment.”
At this time, Teuchi, the owner, was only in his twenties, looking quite young, and his daughter Ayame had just recently been born.
Shisui curiously glanced around.
He’d heard of this shop before—apparently, Obito really liked eating here—but he’d never tried it himself.
Before long…
“Rin, I swear it was an accident earlier. If I get another chance—no, once I awaken my Sharingan, I’ll definitely beat Sensei into the ground!”
Obito’s voice rang out loudly from outside, accompanied by animated gestures.
Shisui facepalmed.
He had just been thinking about this fellow clansman, and the next moment, Obito appeared—making quite the entrance, no less.
Beat Sensei into the ground?
Yeah, right.
Even if Obito had multiple Sharingan, Shisui doubted he could take down Kyoichi—especially after witnessing their teacher’s water-style jutsu.
Shisui knew full well that Kyoichi hadn’t even gone all out during their lessons.
Kyoichi, on the other hand, wasn’t surprised at all.
Obito had earned the nickname “Dead Last” from Kakashi for a reason.
The kid wasn’t weak—far from it—but his combat sense was lacking.
Tactics? Coordination? Forget it!
And he was so full of himself, constantly boasting about his “Sharingan” like it was a magic cheat code.
The moment Obito stepped through the door and saw Kyoichi, his entire demeanor changed. He froze, visibly panicked.
His first instinct?
Turn around and walk out.
But…
That wouldn’t work. Tomorrow was still a school day. If he ran now, it would count as fleeing, and he’d probably face even worse punishment later.
Obito’s face turned pale.
Damn it…
All he could do was muster an awkward smile, bow deeply, and say:
“Sumimasen!”
“Obito, you’re impressive—the speed at which you make mistakes is only matched by the speed of your apologies.”
“Yes, Sensei, I’m very sorry!”
Obito’s face turned red with embarrassment.
“Alright, sit down. Tomorrow we’ll have a combined test on Transformation and Clone techniques. You can go first as a demonstration for the class.”
“Ah?!”
“Pfft…”
Rin couldn’t hold back her laughter.
Obito had been bragging just moments ago, and now he was completely deflated. The contrast was too funny.
“Sensei, I… I’m terrible at chakra control. I’ll mess it up!”
Obito’s voice grew smaller and smaller. Just moments ago, he’d been boasting about beating Kyoichi, and now he couldn’t even bring himself to argue. The situation was utterly humiliating.
“Recognizing your own shortcomings is a good start. Take this opportunity to improve before you end up on the battlefield. As for the Sharingan… bloodline limits are just tools. True strength comes from within.”
“Don’t you agree, Shisui?”
It was always good to have self-awareness.
Kyoichi’s casual lecture flowed smoothly. Who knows, maybe he’d trigger another reward?
It was all about playing the role of the mentor. Keep trying, and the rewards would come eventually.
After all, wasn’t it convenient that there happened to be another Uchiha here?
Shisui pondered for a long moment before nodding slowly.
No Uchiha could deny their desire for the Sharingan, but after reflecting on Kyoichi’s words, he realized they had merit.
There were many renowned shinobi in the world without bloodline limits, yet they were still immensely powerful.
For example, the Third Hokage and the Third Raikage.
Both were legends who had made their mark without any special bloodlines.
“…Fair enough,” Obito muttered begrudgingly, though he couldn’t quite refute the logic.
At that moment, the ramen was served.
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you!”
Kyoichi adjusted his mood, followed local etiquette, and started eating.
One bite in—delicious!
The flavors were rich, and the ingredients were generous. No wonder this place had stood the test of time in Konoha.
Shisui felt a mix of emotions.
He was nervous yet happy—it was his first time eating outside the Uchiha compound.
But…
It wasn’t bad at all.
Meanwhile, Obito’s earlier gloom vanished the moment the food arrived. He instantly transformed into a dedicated eater.
“I’m digging in!”
As they ate, Teuchi’s wife briefly came out holding their baby daughter to help with the busy shop.
The place was bustling.
Kyoichi and Shisui had come early and found seats, but those arriving later had to queue. And this was during wartime—imagine the crowds during peacetime.
Good craftsmanship could make a living anywhere, even in the ninja world.
After finishing their meal, Kyoichi paid the bill, said goodbye to Shisui, Obito, and Rin, and headed home.
He glanced at his system log—no new rewards.
But…
That was fine.
For now, he was just “cultivating fish.” One day, they’d take the bait.
The crops would only grow stronger over time.
When he got home, his shadow clone’s chakra had run out, dispelling it.
A wave of fatigue washed over him.
The sensation was…
Intense.
But the results were undeniable.
While physical conditioning didn’t carry over from the clone, the practice of taijutsu techniques did. It gave Kyoichi a rough idea of his physical capabilities.
By his estimate, his taijutsu was strong enough to rank him among the upper echelons of Jōnin.
Of course…
That didn’t mean much.
At best, it meant he now had some ability to protect himself on the battlefield.
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