The forest east of Konoha was nothing but endless pillars of bark and leaves, each tree stretching ten, twenty meters high like wooden towers.
Hanyū Yuuma pointed to one of them—tall, straight, unforgiving.
"Obito. Try climbing this one. Chakra on your soles only."
Obito inhaled sharply, gathered chakra, and sprinted.He got about ten meters up before a single misstep broke his control—his foot punched a crater into the bark—
—and he slipped.
Yuuma blurred upward, catching him before impact.
Better than expected, Yuuma thought.Not as good as Asuma, but far from hopeless. And tree-climbing was simple: grind until your nerves sync with chakra.
After a few demonstrations, Yuuma left a shadow clone behind to supervise and turned away, heading deeper into the woods.
There, sweat dripped off a stone almost larger than the boy carrying it.
Might Guy was doing push-ups with the boulder strapped across his back.
Guy's training schedule was always the same—brutal, repetitive, and lonely.Where Obito switched between ninjutsu and physical drills, Guy had nothing but body.Pure strength. Pure endurance. Pure discipline.
And Yuuma's teaching skills could only sharpen technique, not accelerate muscle growth.
A push-up was still just… a push-up.
"How's the Konoha Whirlwind coming along?" Yuuma asked.
Guy gently set the stone aside."A little faster than during the exam… but still far from enough."
He spun toward a wooden post and unleashed a kick—clean, sharp, fast.The impact split the wood with a crisp crack.
Yuuma nodded. "Progress. You learned something from your fight with Hinata Kagome, didn't you?"
Guy looked proud for a brief second, then caught himself.Training was slow.Body cultivation was slow.
And Yuuma was curious—Could Guy trigger a Training Quest too?
"Guy," Yuuma asked casually, "what's the fastest way to grow stronger?"
Guy blinked. "Cultivation," he said instantly. "Daily practice."
Yuuma shook his head.
"That's the foundation. But it's not the only way."
Guy paused. Thought. Frowned.
Then a memory flashed in his mind—Konoha's shadowed training fields.Sparring circles.The bitter sting of defeat.
"Fighting," Guy said, eyes widening."Real fighting."
Yuuma smiled faintly."Correct. Battle forces your growth.But not friendly scuffles like you and Obito.I mean challenging someone stronger than you — openly."
A silhouette formed in Guy's mind like a ghost stepping out of the fog.
Silver hair.Mask.Cold genius eyes.
Hatake Kakashi.
His eternal rival.His lifelong goal.
Guy had wanted to challenge him for weeks now, but held himself back—waiting for his technique to be perfect, his form flawless.
But Yuuma's words pierced that hesitation.
Would perfection guarantee victory?Would waiting change anything?
No.Real growth demanded pressure.Demanded failure.
Guy clenched his fists.
"Teacher Yuuma… I understand."
Yuuma watched the determination ignite in the boy's eyes.
Good, he thought.But… still no System trigger?
That was strange.Guy had more than enough desire.Kakashi was his nemesis, his lifelong competitor.
So why no quest popup?
Yuuma mentally replayed the moment Obito triggered his.
The desperation.The plea.The belief that only Yuuma could help him reach his goal.
"…ah."
Yuuma exhaled softly.
So the System only activates when the disciple believes the teacher is essential to achieving the goal.
Guy wasn't thinking of Yuuma at all.Guy would fight Kakashi alone, win or lose, proudly, stubbornly.
Only when he failed…Only when he came back bruised and frustrated…Only then would he look at Yuuma as the person he needed.
Yuuma decided not to force it.Let reality soften Guy's spirit first.
Training ended; evening came.
Yuuma returned to his urban house, ate dinner, and walked to the nearby park.
And again—fate played matchmaker.
Minato and Kushina were there, sitting on a bench under the fading orange light.
"Hanyu," Minato called with a warm smile.
"You're walking again?" Yuuma asked.
He nodded."After dinner, we come here often."
Kushina leaned forward, grinning."I just remembered something—Minato said the old man asked you to tutor his kid. Did you accept?"
"I did," Yuuma replied.
Kushina's eyes widened."I heard that brat is super rebellious. He doesn't listen to the Third Hokage at all. You think he'll listen to you?"
Yuuma gave a tiny smile.
And he told them.
About Asuma ignoring instructions.About Yuuma tricking him.About the water training.About the chakra-control hell.
Kushina burst into laughter so loud a nearby couple glanced over.
"That stupid kid got played so hard! The Third's so sly… how did he raise a son like that?"
Even Minato was impressed.
"You're incredible, Hanyu. I've never heard of anyone guiding a student like that—especially one who refuses to cooperate."
Yuuma shrugged lightly.
"I just use what works."
The three chatted easily, Yuuma subtly steering the conversation toward sealing techniques without making it obvious.
Friendship took time—but he would get there.