Talent System In The Naruto Universe

Rin Nohara noticed Obito Uchiha's awkwardness.

He stood there, visibly sweating bullets.

"Well… Obito, let Hanekawa explain it. You go ahead and take care of something else," Rin said tactfully, retrieving her notebook.

"I'm not clueless! I just…" Obito stammered, his neck stiff and his face flushed as he tried to explain.

What followed was an incoherent string of excuses—something about it being "too easy" and wanting to "explain it to her alone."

The atmosphere in and around the classroom grew increasingly lively.

Kurenai Yuhi couldn't hold back her laughter.

Though seated far away, she had been keeping an eye on Hanekawa and overheard Obito's awkward exchange.

What could she say?

There was no malice in her amusement; she simply found his remarks inexplicably funny.

It wasn't just her—those near Obito, like Shizune, also chuckled softly.

The only exception was Asuma Sarutobi, who looked on sympathetically.

He's too familiar with the pain of losing someone he cherishes.

Asuma sighed and shook his head, feeling as though there was an insurmountable wall of sorrow separating him from them.

It hurts. It hurts so much!

But giving up wasn't an option for him either.

Hanekawa's lip twitched.

"Obito," Rin called, her tone tinged with embarrassment.

"I'll… I'll go back to my seat. You focus on your work!" Obito shot Hanekawa a glare before storming off.

"Sorry about that," Rin said apologetically, offering a soft smile. "That's just how he is—sometimes impulsive, but he's a good person."

"No problem. Let's continue," Hanekawa replied, unbothered.

For now, he wasn't worried about Obito causing trouble. With his current strength and the fact that Rin was still alive, Obito didn't pose a threat.

If anything, Hanekawa hoped Obito would challenge him—it'd be a chance to spar. Who knows, he might even gain a Fire Release talent from it.

The real concerns were Madara Uchiha and Black and White Zetsu. By this point in the timeline, they had likely already set their sights on Obito.

"Thank you," Rin said sincerely before returning to her seat.

Obito, now at his desk, finally felt relieved.

Clenching his fists, he vowed to work harder and improve.

But then he looked at a math problem and thought, Forget it. This isn't for me.

If theory wasn't his strength, he'd have to rely on his combat skills.

The upcoming practical exam at the end of the semester might just be his chance.

Hanekawa, oblivious to Obito's thoughts, packed up and left the classroom after school.

He exchanged a quick goodbye with Kurenai Yuhi before heading to Tsunade's house.

His "Seven Ninja Tools" skill progress bar was down to just 2%. With a bit of effort, he could finally master it today.

---

On his way, Hanekawa paused in front of the Leaf Village Bookstore.

Why is it so crowded?

Seeing the line of customers waiting to buy books, he thought to himself, This is great. The profits should be decent.

Hanekawa already had a plan for his first paycheck: forging a sword.

He'd been practicing the Konoha-Style Swordsmanship with a wooden sword, but that wouldn't suffice in actual combat.

Asking Kurenai's father, Yuhi Shinku, for money didn't feel right—he had already helped Hanekawa too much.

Hanekawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

I wonder if I can afford a chakra-metal katana.

Chakra metal, a material known for its ability to channel chakra more effectively and enhance both power and range, was highly sought after. Naturally, it was also incredibly expensive.

In the original story, Asuma Sarutobi was one of the few characters who wielded chakra-metal blades. Hanekawa figured they weren't something Asuma bought himself but rather a gift from his father, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

With that thought, Hanekawa crossed the street and soon arrived at Tsunade's home.

He had been here so often that he was now quite familiar with the route.

Tsunade's house, technically the former residence of Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, was situated between the Hokage Rock and the Konoha Hospital.

Hanekawa raised his hand to knock on the door, but no one answered.

Out gambling again? Or at the hospital?

At this hour, gambling seemed like the more likely option.

Standing on the open ground in front of the door, Hanekawa took out his wooden sword and began practicing the Konoha-Style Swordsmanship to improve his proficiency.

The Konoha-Style Swordsmanship was a comprehensive system, but in the original series, two moves were especially powerful:

1. Konoha-Style: Willow, created by Maruzoshi Kosuke.

2. Dance of the Crescent Moon, used by Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki.

Unfortunately, Hanekawa couldn't learn the Willow technique since it was a unique creation of Maruzoshi Kosuke.

However, Dance of the Crescent Moon was achievable—just not yet.

The technique required Shadow Clone Jutsu, which he hadn't mastered.

Suddenly, Hanekawa raised an eyebrow.

An earthquake?

He instinctively turned around and saw Tsunade, her face dark with irritation.

With a light stomp of her foot, she crushed a stone on the ground into powder, and the earth beneath her cracked like an eggshell.

"When did you get here?" Tsunade's expression softened slightly as she spotted Hanekawa.

"Just a few minutes ago," Hanekawa replied, blinking. "I'm free tomorrow, so I can go to the casino."

He figured he would unlock the "Seven Ninja Tools" ability today, so taking half a day off wouldn't hurt.

Tsunade paused, visibly surprised. She brushed a strand of hair from her face, then flicked Hanekawa's forehead lightly.

"While I like gambling, I'm not that obsessed," she said with a laugh.

Hanekawa almost said something but stopped himself.

No way. That statement has zero credibility.

Who was it that interrupted his class just to drag him to a gambling den?

But he didn't dare say it aloud—one forehead flick from Tsunade could be fatal. Her feats of monstrous strength were well-documented.

"Come on, let's go inside." Tsunade brushed off her earlier irritation, grinning excitedly. "We'll finish today, and tomorrow—casino time!"

That's a quicker mood swing than those two-thousand-yen teammates of yours.

Hanekawa looked up and saw Tsunade at the entrance, changing her shoes.

She leaned slightly against the wall, left hand bracing herself. Her body bent slightly, revealing the curve of her hips as she stretched her right arm to remove a shoe. Her pale, delicate sole flashed briefly before pressing onto the carpet.

"Don't just stand there—hurry up," Tsunade called back, walking barefoot into the living room.

"Coming," Hanekawa replied, following her inside.

As before, they each grabbed scalpels and began dissecting a live chicken.

An hour later, Hanekawa felt a tremor run through his body as a string of text appeared before his eyes:

> [E-Rank Talent: Seven Ninja Tools (Unlocked)]

Trigger Condition: Basic mastery of Seven Ninja Tools.

Effect: Increases the power of all ninja tools by 10%.

You've met the synthesis requirements for the D-Rank Talent "Ninja Tool Mastery." Would you like to synthesize?

Note: Synthesis does not erase non-overlapping effects of lower-ranked talents.

Hanekawa didn't hesitate and selected synthesis.

> [D-Rank Talent: Ninja Tool Mastery (Unlocked)]

Trigger Condition: Synthesis of E-Rank Talents "Seven Ninja Tools" and "Tool Throwing."

Effect: Increases arm strength by 30% and automatically provides an 8x zoom effect when using ninja tools.

Yes!

Hanekawa had anticipated the 30% strength boost but hadn't expected the absurd addition of an 8x zoom.

Suddenly, the possibility of recreating Kakuzu's legendary kunai throw from 800 meters away seemed entirely plausible.

______

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