Chapter 7: Initial Success!
(Author's Note: Please Vote for more!)
"Ah, to be young is a wonderful thing!" Watching the three figures disappear into the distance, Futagi Ryusei, who had just finished work for the day, remarked with a nostalgic smile.
"Hey, we're not old yet!"
A voice sounded in his ear. Ryusei turned to see his colleague and laughed. "Nome, compared to them, we're definitely old."
The man named Nome, his hands in his pockets, shrugged. "They're just kids. Besides, I'm not old at all. I'm only twenty-two!"
"But speaking of which, I heard your class has a genius?"
Ryusei raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about Genichi, right?"
Nome nodded. "I think so. Anyway, he's not from one of the ninja clans."
A genius from a ninja clan? Wasn't that perfectly normal? Take Kakashi, for example, who was already famous before even enrolling in the Academy. He was the son of Konoha's White Fang, after all! And his performance during the entrance exam was outstanding, earning praise from the Third Hokage himself.
Ryusei smiled. "Genichi is indeed exceptional. He learns everything he's taught instantly. I believe this kid will become an amazing ninja one day, just like..."
"Like Lord Jiraiya!"
Nome was stunned. "Lord Jiraiya... Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
Jiraiya was one of the Sannin. Below the Third Hokage, he was one of the strongest ninja in Konoha. He was also a popular candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage.
Facing Nome's shock, Ryusei offered no explanation, simply smiling. "Let's wait and see!"
...
If Kinoshita Genichi had heard Ryusei's evaluation of him, he would have been incredibly gratified. It meant that the initial phase of his "genius persona" plan was a success.
At this moment, however, he was flying between buildings, leaping from roof to roof. Kakashi and Might Guy were following closely behind him.
The path from the Ninja Academy to the village gate was filled with countless buildings and many pedestrians. Therefore, this seemingly simple race tested much more than just speed and stamina; it also tested reaction time and even route planning.
Furthermore, Genichi had never specified whether attacking others was allowed during the race. He remembered how after Pain destroyed Konoha, Kakashi and Guy had a race during the reconstruction where they threw pots and pans at each other as interference.
So, upon spotting a soda can on a rooftop, Genichi couldn't resist making a move.
He suddenly spun around and delivered a flying kick, sending the can shooting toward Kakashi.
The pursuing Kakashi was startled and hastily dodged as the can whizzed past his ear. In the time it took for him to react, Might Guy had already caught up.
Up ahead, Genichi widened the distance between them, then changed direction, leaving the dense cluster of buildings. Kakashi and Guy immediately followed.
After passing through a small forest, a river came into view.
Genichi ran across the surface of the water as if it were solid ground.
But after crossing the river, he suddenly stopped and turned around. Seeing Kakashi enter the waterway behind him, he immediately formed a series of hand seals.
Tiger -> Snake -> Ox -> Ram -> Bird -> Rat!
Watching Genichi form the seals, Kakashi's eyes widened in alarm. "This is... Water Release!"
As expected.
The next moment, the river water spiraled upwards and then swept toward him like a great python.
Water Release: Water Shockwave!
The torrent of water wasn't particularly large. Genichi had deliberately controlled the jutsu's power so that it would, at most, knock Kakashi over without injuring him.
Kakashi's reaction speed was also incredibly fast, and he immediately moved to evade it. The stream of water was about to rush past him and toward Might Guy, who was catching up from behind.
But then, Genichi made another gesture.
He stretched his hands forward, palms open and angled slightly up, with his thumbs and index fingers touching. It was the "Zai" seal from the Kuji-kiri.
After forming this seal, Genichi crossed his hands and swiped them through the air.
The next moment, under Kakashi's shocked gaze, the rushing torrent of water made a sharp turn and rolled back on itself.
Boom!
Caught completely off guard, Kakashi was swept directly into the river.
Behind him, Might Guy watched with wide eyes. He hadn't yet learned to run on water, so at this moment... he was swimming.
On the riverbank, a smile appeared on Genichi's face. His research into the Kuji-kiri was showing its first results. Although he had only grasped a sliver of the "Zai" seal's potential, it had already given him much greater control over this C-rank jutsu.
Genichi looked forward to seeing what he would be like ten years from now.
He turned and continued on. In the river, Kakashi's head broke the surface. Watching Genichi's departing figure, his shock gave way to a surge of competitive spirit. He leaped from the water and gave chase with all his might.
At the same time.
In the Hokage's Office.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, took a puff from his pipe, his eyes fixed on the crystal ball before him. The scene displayed on its surface was none other than the race between Genichi, Kakashi, and Guy.
He had decided to take a look on a whim after receiving Futagi Ryusei's report and being impressed by Genichi's performance during his own lecture on the Will of Fire. He hadn't expected to see something that would surprise even him.
Watching Genichi use Water Shockwave from the riverbank to knock Kakashi into the water, an image involuntarily surfaced in Hiruzen's mind.
Senju Tobirama!
It was too similar!
Although in Hiruzen's eyes, Genichi's execution of the jutsu was still very immature, it already possessed a unique, distinctive style. Just like his own master, the previous Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
Dispelling the jutsu, Hiruzen thoroughly committed the name and face of Kinoshita Genichi to memory.
...
At the Konoha village gate.
Genichi was sitting cross-legged to one side, resting. After a short wait, Kakashi arrived.
Leaning on his knees and panting for a good while, Kakashi finally looked up at Genichi. "When did you master a Water Release ninjutsu?"
Genichi smiled. "Not long ago. It's a jutsu my grandfather left me."
Kakashi nodded, then asked, "That last seal, that was one of the Kuji-kiri, right?"
Genichi didn't hide it. "Yes, the 'Zai' seal."
"They're a very interesting set of nine seals. I did some research, and I didn't expect them to actually be useful."
"By the way, how about we have a swordsmanship spar sometime?"
Kakashi looked at Genichi. "Swordsmanship?"
"You're learning swordsmanship too?"
Genichi nodded. "Self-taught."
"My grandfather didn't leave behind any sword styles, so I'm just practicing the basic forms on my own. My focus is on the drawing cut, the iaijutsu."
Kakashi hesitated at the offer, afraid of discouraging Genichi too much, but after a moment's thought, he nodded. "No problem."
After a bit more chatting, Might Guy also arrived. The three of them then started walking back together. Of course, Guy was walking on his hands.
After one race, the relationship between Genichi, Kakashi, and Guy had progressed immensely. They could now be called friends.
And from this day forward, the three of them would frequently engage in passionate, youthful competitions, their rivalry and friendship beginning to burn brightly.
Time flew by like a shuttle.
In the blink of an eye, summer vacation was over. A new semester began, and with it, practical combat classes.
On the training grounds, a group of little sprouts stood in a circle around the chain-link fence, leaving the center of the field open.
Futagi Ryusei stood in the middle of the field. "I'll reiterate the rules of practical combat class: you stop when I say so. Intentionally inflicting serious injury on a classmate is forbidden."
"Of course, you don't need to hold back completely. I will be watching closely and will intervene at critical moments."
"Now, I will call out the names for one-on-one matches."
"Kinoshita Genichi, Sarutobi Asuma!"
From his spot next to Shizune, Genichi stepped forward. Not far away, from beside Kurenai Yuhi, Sarutobi Asuma also walked out.
The two faced each other in front of their teacher.
"Form the Seal of Confrontation!" Ryusei announced loudly.
Genichi and Asuma did as they were told. Immediately after, Ryusei took two steps back, swung his hand down, and shouted, "Begin!"
(End of Chapter)