Time slipped away quietly amidst the sweat-soaked grueling training of kenjutsu. During this period, Shinichi focused nearly all his energy on practicing his sword techniques at the dojo.
However, beneath the tranquil surface of Konoha, dark currents had begun to surge.
A rumor concerning the White Fang of Konoha had sprouted from an unknown source. Like a silent, creeping mold, it rapidly spread through the streets and alleys of the village.
The core of the rumor was shocking: Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha, had abandoned a mission of absolute, critical importance to the village, resulting in massive, incalculable losses.
The whispers painted a vague yet heavy picture: the mission had apparently involved high-ranking nobles from the Land of Fire's capital, potentially even implicating the Feudal Lord himself.
Precisely because the stakes were so astronomically high, the village had dispatched a top-tier shinobi like Sakumo Hatake to guarantee absolute success.
Yet, at the most critical moment, this hero—upon whom so much hope and responsibility had been placed—chose to abandon the mission.
The villagers had no way of knowing the specific details of the mission, nor did they understand the reasons behind the White Fang's decision to abort it.
But through the endless chain of gossip, they were absolutely convinced of one thing: his actions had brought immeasurable, devastating negative consequences upon Konoha.
Worse still, hushed conversations suggested that even the Feudal Lord, residing far away in the capital, had personally expressed his extreme displeasure to the Third Hokage.
This storm of criticism and condemnation directed at the village hero blew violently through Konoha for over half a month. During every meal and casual chat, one could always catch fragments of the malicious gossip.
Then, one day, it stopped. As if an invisible hand had violently seized its throat, the rumors were abruptly choked off.
All public discussion vanished instantly, as if it had never existed in the first place, leaving behind only an unsettling, heavy silence born of forceful suppression.
Shinichi knew exactly what that silence meant.
That legendary hero who had struck fear across the entire shinobi world, the White Fang of Konoha, was likely... already gone.
He sheathed his sword and looked up at the gloomy sky. His heart held neither joy nor sorrow.
---
Time pushed forward quietly. Only three days remained until the Ninja Academy reopened for the new term.
In the eastern district of Konoha, inside a modest building known as the Yamashita Kenjutsu Dojo.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp, whistling sound of blades slicing through the air and the violent clash of steel rang out relentlessly.
After a while, the dojo suddenly fell silent.
"..."
Shuji Yamashita stood in silence, gripping the remaining half of a shattered hilt.
He first looked down at the miserable, broken remains of his sword, then raised his eyes. With a highly complex gaze, he looked at the black-haired boy standing before him. The boy had already sheathed his katana, his breathing perfectly steady, without a single drop of sweat visible on his forehead.
Every single sparring session over the past few days had left him marveling at this disciple's monstrous, borderline inhuman physical constitution.
"Your apprenticeship is complete."
After a long silence, Shuji finally spoke. His voice carried a trace of subtle melancholy mixed with profound relief.
"I... have nothing left to teach you."
When this disciple first entered the dojo over a year ago, Shuji had immediately recognized his exceptional talent for kenjutsu and a steady, calm temperament that far surpassed his peers.
But he had still underestimated him.
Especially over the past month or so. Ever since this child defeated that famous genius, Kakashi, at the Academy, it was as if some invisible shackle had been completely shattered.
His comprehension and rate of progression in kenjutsu were advancing at a terrifying, thousand-mile-a-day pace. Concepts that previously required repeated explanations now clicked instantly with a single hint, and he could effortlessly extrapolate a single lesson into countless applications.
Shuji had no idea what had triggered this total metamorphosis. Was it a massive breakthrough in confidence brought on by that victory? Or was it simply the explosive culmination of years of quiet, steady accumulation?
He had no way of finding out, but he could clearly see the result. The boy standing before him had truly reached the absolute limits of what Shuji could teach him on the path of the sword.
Hearing this, Shinichi slowly and meticulously slid his katana into its scabbard. He turned to face Shuji Yamashita and bowed deeply, his expression solemn.
"Thank you, Master, for your dedicated instruction over this past year."
Shuji waved his hand, a rare hint of warmth softening his face. "It was your own hard work and natural talent. Remember, the path of the sword is endless. You are only just beginning. From here on out, you must walk the path yourself."
Shinichi straightened up, his gaze calm and resolute.
"Understood, Master. I will remember that."
Shinichi didn't leave immediately. He pondered for a moment before asking respectfully once more, "Master, if your disciple wishes to further advance and delve deeper into the way of the sword in the future, where should I seek guidance?"
His question wasn't just about personal training; it was a subtle probe into the future progression path for his [Swordsman] class trait.
"The kenjutsu systems passed down within Konoha are vast and profound enough to keep you studying for a very long time," Shuji answered initially. He paused, then added, "However, if we are speaking of the true, orthodox, and purest form of kenjutsu, the universally recognized holy land in this era is still the Land of Iron. It is the country of the Samurai. If you ever have the opportunity to travel there in the future, witnessing it firsthand will undoubtedly benefit your kenjutsu immensely."
The Land of Iron?
Shinichi murmured the name in his heart. If Konoha's kenjutsu systems couldn't satisfy the future advancement requirements for the [Swordsman] class, then his ultimate destination might truly point toward that neutral nation of samurai.
Of course, that was a matter for the distant future.
Right now, he was a Konoha Academy student and a future shinobi. His movements were bound by countless restrictions.
Filing the information away for later, Shinichi shifted the topic, speaking with genuine sincerity. "Master, as a token of my gratitude for your meticulous teaching over the past year, I would like to host a modest banquet tomorrow afternoon at the Aji no Takumi restaurant to formally express my thanks. Would Master be willing to honor me with your presence?"
His gratitude for his teacher's instruction was genuine, but this "banquet of gratitude" obviously carried a much deeper motive.
Shinichi was well aware of the customs in this world. Similar to reality in Japan, completing an apprenticeship was usually a low-key, intimate affair, celebrated simply among master and disciples or within a small, tight-knit circle to express mutual appreciation.
But what he planned to do was entirely different.
Drawing inspiration from the social customs of his past life, he intended to turn this "thank-you banquet" into a large-scale, highly social "networking event."
He wasn't just inviting Master Yamashita and his fellow disciples from the dojo. He planned to send out wide-reaching invitations—or at least leak the news heavily—to gather people from every single circle he had interacted with.
The director and the kids he knew from the orphanage who had raised him; the master and the apprentices from the blacksmith shop who had looked after him; the boss and his coworkers from the Aji no Takumi restaurant where he used to work; his classmates from the Academy...
He was going to use this lively, highly unconventional, massive banquet to broadcast a single, unambiguous message, embedding it deep into the consciousness of every attendee and anyone who heard about the event:
Shinichi Higashino had officially completed his apprenticeship at the Yamashita Dojo and had become a recognized, bona fide formal swordsman.
It would be a highly efficient campaign to sow the seeds of public perception. It was the crucial step to push [Kenjutsu Apprentice] into [Swordsman], and another precise, calculated maneuver in his ongoing PR campaign to trigger a trait upgrade.
Hosting a banquet of this scale naturally wouldn't be cheap.
But money, for the current Shinichi, truly wasn't a major issue anymore.
As a registered orphan in Konoha, he received a basic monthly living allowance. Upon entering the Ninja Academy and maintaining top-tier grades, he also consistently received a substantial scholarship.
Of course, that was just pocket change. The real key was that shortly after enrolling, he had formally submitted a student loan application to the Academy, citing the need to "purchase more specialized training equipment and ensure proper nutrition to sustain high-intensity physical conditioning."
Normally, the approval process took time, and there were strict limits on the loan amounts.
However, when the loan was finally approved and the funds were deposited a few days ago, Shinichi had been genuinely surprised. The amount far exceeded his expectations; it was, quite frankly, obscenely generous.
It was clear that the ripple effect of defeating Kakashi had worked its magic once again.