What?
Shinichi's heart skipped a beat. He knew from experience that creating a Class Entry like Swordsmanship Apprentice was not something that happened overnight.
That specific title had been a perception that gradually solidified only after he joined the kendo dojo. It took months of inadvertently mentioning his training and demonstrating his calloused hands to people in the orphanage, the blacksmith shop, and the local restaurants before the system acknowledged it.
But this new entry, Ninja Academy Student?
It had generated the instant he finished the enrollment paperwork.
Shinichi's thoughts raced as he analyzed the anomaly.
The key difference likely lay in the quality of the observers.
Today, a large crowd had gathered at the school gate, including parents, teachers, and new students. But far more important was the weight of specific individuals within that crowd.
Kakashi Hatake had been present.
His father, the legendary White Fang of Konoha, Sakumo Hatake, had also been watching.
And perhaps even more significantly...
Shinichi recalled the moment he had glanced at the Hatake duo while entering the school. He remembered clearly how the White Fang had suddenly looked up toward the sky.
The Third Hokage. The Professor of Ninjutsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was known for using his Telescope Technique to monitor the village. It was highly probable he was watching the enrollment ceremony of the next generation.
These figures stood at the apex of the ninja world. Even if their perception of him was fleeting, even if they didn't take him to heart, the sheer weight of their influence was exponentially greater than that of ordinary civilians.
The speed at which entries are generated is directly correlated to the strength and status of the observer.
Shinichi's gaze fell on the two coexisting Class Entries on his panel: Swordsmanship Apprentice and Ninja Academy Student.
As Shinichi had previously speculated, before a professional term could be recognized by the system, it first had to be acknowledged by an established tradition or authority.
His swordsmanship teacher, Hideji Yamashita, might have been an immigrant to Konoha, but he was a formal samurai from the Land of Iron. He represented a lineage of swordsmanship that predated the hidden village system. Gaining his approval was equivalent to receiving an official endorsement from that ancient order.
The Konoha Ninja Academy functioned similarly. It was the orthodox starting point for shinobi training, recognized not just by the village, but by the entire geopolitical landscape. The moment one completed registration, they were inducted into the lowest tier of the grand professional system known as Ninja.
Then why didn't the blacksmith or cook work?
A new question arose in Shinichi's mind. Blacksmithing and cooking were also stable, inherited professions that had existed long before ninjas.
Does the system require the profession to utilize extraordinary power or chakra?
As far as he knew, there were indeed artisan ninjas and culinary ninjas in this world who infused their craft with chakra.
Is it because I haven't received the necessary approval from a chakra-using authority in those fields? Or is it something else?
His gaze sharpened as he filed away the theory. He didn't have time to experiment further right now. The answer would likely reveal itself once he gained access to Konoha Hospital to study medical ninjutsu.
He walked out of the school gate, hoisted the conspicuous boulder onto his back once more, and resumed his run around Konoha. The heavy, rhythmic thud of his footsteps struck the ground, drawing fresh waves of curious and surprised glances from pedestrians.
I need to upgrade as soon as possible.
As he ran, his mind swept over the row of white entries on his personal panel: Diligent (White), Robust (White). These were the fruits of his labor, the foundation upon which he would build greater power. Every drop of sweat, every time he pushed his limits under the public eye, he was reinforcing these truths.
An hour later, a thoroughly exhausted Shinichi returned to his new residence.
A week prior, he had moved out of the orphanage and rented a small, slightly run-down apartment.
The move wasn't just for logistical convenience. It signified that the stage for his persona management had officially expanded—from the confines of the orphanage to the district surrounding the Ninja Academy, and eventually, to the entire village of Konoha.
He closed the door, cutting off the outside world. Leaning against the cool wood, he allowed his breathing to slow. The mask of calm determination he wore outside melted away, revealing genuine fatigue, though his eyes remained sharp and clear.
He stepped into the cramped kitchen. Years of helping in the orphanage mess hall, coupled with a year of actual work in a restaurant, had honed his culinary skills to a high standard.
He handled the ingredients with swift efficiency. Soon, the aroma of a simple, nutrient-dense meal filled the small room.
Sitting at the table, Shinichi ate with focus and speed. His body seemed to instinctively know how to extract every calorie and nutrient from the food.
Although the meal was brief, his depleted stamina was restored significantly, and even his mental fatigue seemed to wash away.
Gourmet (White): You possess an extraordinary passion and discerning palate for food, allowing you to absorb nutrients more efficiently and derive extra satisfaction and energy from consumption.
That night, after another round of indoor conditioning, Shinichi washed up, changed into clean clothes, and turned his attention back to the panel hovering in his consciousness.
His gaze locked onto the Draws column.
Available Draws: 1 (White)
In addition to granting cultivation benefits related to the profession, generating a new Class Entry rewarded him with a chance to draw a completely random Talent Entry—one that did not rely on external perception.
Two months ago, when the Swordsmanship Apprentice title solidified, he had used his first draw and obtained the Calm trait.
Calm (White): When faced with crises, battles, or unexpected situations, you maintain mental clarity and composure, resisting panic and external emotional disturbance.
Shinichi had mixed feelings about that result. The value of the trait was undeniable; maintaining composure in a life-or-death struggle was essential for a ninja.
However, he believed he could have eventually generated that entry himself through persona management.
The issue was time. In the early days, to quickly acquire attributes like Diligent, Robust, Resilient, and Agile, he had been forced to act in ways that were inherently un-calm. To get Resilient, he had deliberately taken beatings on street corners where people could see him. Such erratic behavior was inconsistent with a calm persona.
Now, the second chance had arrived, gifted by the Ninja Academy Student title.
What will I get this time?
Shinichi took a deep breath to steady his accelerating heart rate and focused his mind on the glowing text.
There were no flashy effects or long loading screens.
A faint ripple passed through his field of vision, and the text on the panel shifted instantly.
Available Draws: 0 (White)
In the talent attribute column, right after Calm (White), a new line of text quietly materialized in the soft white light.