Chapter 25: Individual Guidance
The next day, Genshu-sensei was extremely busy as he had to counsel all of his students individually.
Kaito was the first to arrive at 8 AM, as Genshu had arranged the timetable based on their exam rankings.
Seeing Kaito enter, Genshu thought:
"This child is performing exceptionally well. But he's just an orphan, and he doesn't yet understand how vast the shinobi world truly is. Although he has ranked first twice in a row, he still has many things to learn. I need to make sure he doesn't become arrogant from his success."
Kaito greeted him politely.
"Good morning, Sensei."
Genshu replied warmly.
"Good morning. Congratulations on your excellent performance yesterday."
Kaito smiled and responded.
"Thank you, Sensei."
Then he took his seat.
Genshu smiled briefly, then his expression became more serious. He explained:
"This meeting is to review your performance so far and discuss what you should focus on during the summer break and in the coming year. Among all the students in this class, I've interacted with you the most, so don't worry. Listen carefully to my advice, and feel free to ask any questions."
Kaito nodded attentively.
Genshu continued:
"So far, your performance has been outstanding—ranking first for two consecutive years is clearly impressive. However, in both exams, you achieved first place primarily because of an exceptionally high score in one particular area."
Kaito nodded seriously, though internally he thought:
"I'm not even eight years old yet! Do you really need to speak so formally with me? Should an eight-year-old understand professional performance reviews?"
Meanwhile, Genshu observed:
"This child isn't defensive? He's more mature than other children his age."
Genshu continued his assessment:
"So you need to put more effort into developing other areas. Tell me, what do you do after class? And what do you do on weekends?"
Kaito had already anticipated that such a question might be asked, although he thought it should have been asked much earlier. He replied carefully:
"Sensei, after class, I mainly review what you taught to understand it more deeply. Then I practice the jutsu you've taught us, or work on Leaf Concentration exercises. Before bed, I meditate. On weekends, I extensively study written exam material and train my sensory perception skills."
What Kaito said was a well-thought-out answer he had prepared long ago.
Emphasizing dedication to academics could explain why his written exam scores were so high. A listener would naturally assume he spent most of his time studying theory.
He mentioned spending relatively less time on ninjutsu, which also implicitly justified his slightly lower comparative scores in practical jutsu.
And his meditation and morning exercises were precisely the reason for his rapid chakra growth. This answer also portrayed him as a very diligent, disciplined student.
Genshu was not surprised by this response. Given Kaito's consistent performance, he had expected something similar. He said:
"I see. Now, let's examine your performance this year. You've achieved excellent results in written exams, chakra control, and taijutsu, but your ninjutsu execution still needs considerable training. So, for the next two months of summer break, you need to focus intensively on mastering the three Academy jutsu I've taught."
"Also, starting in third grade, you should spend more time studying ninjutsu and less time on written exam content. After all, when you perform missions in the future, practical skills will be far more important than theoretical knowledge."
Kaito nodded, genuinely surprised internally:
"This is a first. No adult has ever told me to read less! Especially not a teacher."
Genshu was pleased that his guidance was being taken seriously. He had a special gift to encourage Kaito to delve deeper into ninjutsu training. He said:
"I know you asked the Hokage about the Shadow Clone Jutsu, so you must learn it thoroughly, as it will be extremely helpful in the future. However, I have a small gift for you."
Saying this, he placed a piece of special paper in front of Kaito.
Seeing the chakra paper, Kaito sighed internally:
"I wasted 100 ryo buying one of these myself!"
Then he asked with feigned curiosity:
"Sensei, what is this?"
Genshu explained:
"This is chakra nature paper. Channel some of your chakra through it, and it will reveal what your elemental affinity is."
Kaito did as instructed. The chakra paper split cleanly in half. He looked at Genshu with an expression of confused interest.
Genshu explained more about chakra nature transformation and said that Kaito's chakra nature was Wind Release.
Although Kaito already knew this, he still acted excited and nodded enthusiastically.
Genshu continued:
"The method for cultivating Wind Release is to take a leaf and try to cut it using only chakra. This training might take several months to master. Once you successfully complete it, you can begin learning Wind Release jutsu."
Kaito nodded again with apparent eagerness.
Genshu also mentioned that Uchiha Rai and Senju Teru could already use basic elemental ninjutsu, deliberately trying to stimulate Kaito's competitive spirit.
After further discussion about training priorities, Kaito expressed his gratitude and left.
He was honestly a little tired of having to pretend ignorance about things he already knew!
Nevertheless, he was quite satisfied with how the meeting went.
If anyone questioned him about practicing Wind Release techniques in the future, he now had a perfectly legitimate explanation.
Unfortunately, he still had to meet with the Hokage later today.
Genshu spent the rest of the day consulting with 14 other students, while the remaining 15 students were scheduled for the following day.
His advice to the others varied considerably based on their individual strengths and weaknesses.
He advised Senju Teru to acquire the same Gravity Seal that Kaito used for physical training. He didn't give Shimura Shin much specific advice; he simply told him to socialize more with his classmates.
For Hyuga Hana, he first comforted her about her disappointment with her ranking. Then he gently told her that she was focusing too much on maintaining her rank and neglecting more important aspects of shinobi development.
He advised her to reduce the time spent on academic studying and Leaf Concentration exercises, as she devoted most of her energy to these areas. Instead, he encouraged her to focus more on developing her ninjutsu repertoire and refining her Gentle Fist taijutsu style.
For Uchiha Rai, he strongly advised his parents to ensure the boy meditated for at least one hour every day to improve his chakra control and emotional discipline.
For Hyuga Hodaka, the advice was essentially the opposite—to dedicate more time to academic subjects and strategic thinking.
In a similar fashion, this counseling activity continued throughout the entire day and the next.
At noon, Kaito arrived at the Hokage's office in the Academy building.
Hiruzen handed him a sealed scroll and said seriously:
"This scroll contains the Shadow Clone Jutsu. This technique is classified, so the scroll must not be shared with anyone else, and it must be returned to me after you have mastered the technique."
Kaito nodded respectfully.
Hiruzen then discussed the Shadow Clone Jutsu in detail. He warned Kaito carefully:
"For now, and perhaps until next year, do not attempt to create more than one Shadow Clone at a time. Also, when you dispel a clone, all of its memories and experiences will transfer to you instantly. This mental feedback can cause severe headaches if you're not prepared. So be very careful when dispelling clones. Additionally, never use Shadow Clones while sleeping, as this is extremely detrimental to your physical and mental health."
Kaito nodded seriously, thanking him again for the guidance.
Hiruzen then began telling various stories about Tobirama Senju and his accomplishments, and Kaito had to maintain an expression of rapt interest.
After half an hour of the Hokage's nostalgic storytelling, Hiruzen finally allowed Kaito to leave.
As Kaito walked away, he sighed internally:
"Shouldn't the Hokage be drowning in paperwork? Why does he have so much free time to chat with a student?"
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