Chapter 24: Don't Be a Woman's Plaything Without Hard Work
"I... I'll be back!"
Sarutobi Asuma didn't know what to say, finally managing to squeeze out a defiant declaration.
He turned and walked off the field, feeling the gazes from all around him. He could barely stand still.
If class hadn't still been in session, he would have fled long ago.
Hoshikawa couldn't help but smile.
Old Asuma, old Asuma.
He had actually done it on purpose.
Without even thinking, he knew what Sarutobi Asuma had learned.
Since that was the case, he would do the opposite.
Not only could he easily defeat him, but he could also make him lose so reluctantly that there would definitely be a next time.
A perfectly executed plan.
"So kunai are actually that useful?" Rin Nohara's eyes sparkled.
"It's not that he's strong, it's that we Uchiha are strong," Obito Uchiha noticed her reaction, a sense of crisis rising within him. "He's just copying us Uchiha."
"How come I've never seen you use it?" Rin Nohara paused slightly, asking.
She was a ninja from a civilian background and had only ever interacted with Obito Uchiha among the Uchiha clan members.
"Ah... this... this..." Obito Uchiha immediately broke into a sweat.
Seeing this, Rin Nohara didn't press further, simply assuming he was just being stubborn and bragging again.
Kakashi Hatake subtly shook his head.
Obito Uchiha was half-right.
Controlling kunai with wire was indeed one of the Uchiha clan's favorite kunai techniques.
Because they possessed the Sharingan, their dynamic vision far surpassed ordinary people's, making this technique easy for them.
But Hoshikawa didn't have the Sharingan.
This meant his proficiency in ninja tool throwing was extremely high.
Even so, his decision not to use genjutsu was still unexpected.
Poor Asuma, played like a fiddle.
But for Kakashi Hatake, it was a good thing.
Because he had gathered some useful intelligence.
When the term exams came around, he could be wary of Hoshikawa's ninja tool throwing.
As soon as the practical class ended, Sarutobi Asuma bolted out.
He wanted to leave this painful place as quickly as possible.
Bang!
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was sitting on the sofa smoking, was startled.
What's going on?
Did Danzō Shimura, who slams doors, arrive?
He turned to see a crestfallen Sarutobi Asuma.
"Lost again?" Hiruzen Sarutobi blurted out.
"..."
Sarutobi Asuma's body trembled, taking another hit of true damage.
I didn't even say anything, and you already assumed I lost?
Damn it!
Ninjas are the worst!
Sarutobi Asuma ran into his room and locked the door.
He sat on the edge of his bed, feeling an overwhelming melancholy.
He wanted a smoke.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's contented image, puffing away, suddenly appeared in Asuma Sarutobi's mind.
In the living room.
Hiruzen Sarutobi waited for a moment, then received a detailed account of Sarutobi Asuma's spar with Hoshikawa from the ANBU ninja, Hare.
The content was very brief, so brief that he almost couldn't believe it.
While Sarutobi Asuma wasn't the absolute top genius, with various resources supporting him, he wasn't inferior to an average genius.
Before, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have thought Hoshikawa would lose the second spar.
Because Sarutobi Asuma had undergone half a month of special training.
But after reading the sparring account, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately understood.
The loss was not unjust.
Hoshikawa had completely grasped Sarutobi Asuma's psychology, thereby easily winning.
Hiruzen Sarutobi called this talent "battle intelligence."
Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but think of Minato Namikaze.
His battle intelligence was very high; he could hold his own even against stronger enemies.
"This is an unexpected gain," Hiruzen Sarutobi thought, stroking his beard.
Hoshikawa's performance satisfied him, but Sarutobi Asuma wasn't bad either.
He had watched his efforts over the past half-month with joy in his heart.
As the saying goes, diligence can compensate for dullness.
If Sarutobi Asuma could maintain this diligence, he might not fall behind Hoshikawa.
Perhaps the Sarutobi clan could produce another Hokage.
"Asuma." Hiruzen Sarutobi walked to the door and asked, "Do you know where you lost?"
A few seconds later, the door opened.
"Where?" Sarutobi Asuma asked stiffly.
"It's battle experience," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a chuckle. "Just focusing on genjutsu isn't enough."
"What should I do?" Asuma Sarutobi asked subconsciously.
"You want to learn? I'll teach you," Hiruzen Sarutobi slightly raised his voice. "I am the Hokage, you know!"
Time quickly flew to Saturday.
Aside from classes, Hoshikawa was practicing Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu, and his progress had already reached 30%.
But today's task wasn't sword practice; it was medical studies.
After breakfast, Hoshikawa leisurely walked to the Konoha Hospital.
"Hoshikawa, you're here again."
"You seem to have grown quite a bit! Let me see!"
"Have you eaten? Do you want to come to big sister's room?"
Along the way, nurses in their uniforms greeted him.
He had become familiar with them from his many visits to borrow books at the Konoha Hospital.
Coupled with his good looks and his connection to Nonō Yakushi, he was naturally very popular.
Hoshikawa deeply understood one thing: if you don't work hard, you'll become a plaything for women.
Upon reaching Nonō Yakushi's office, it finally became quiet.
Hoshikawa raised his hand and knocked on the door.
"Come in," Nonō Yakushi's voice sounded.
"Director..." Hoshikawa involuntarily stopped.
Sitting at the desk was not Nonō Yakushi, but Tsunade.
"Little one, long time no see," Tsunade said, resting her chin on the back of her hand.
Her body leaned slightly forward, her heavy burden seemingly resting on the desk, revealing its outline.
"Tsunade-sama," Hoshikawa quickly reacted and greeted her.
"I heard from Nonō that you've been learning medical ninjutsu recently?" Tsunade asked with a smile.
"Yes, I have," Hoshikawa said, a little embarrassed. "But I haven't even gotten the hang of it yet."
"Just reading books is useless; you need practical experience," Tsunade stood up and said, "Coincidentally, Nonō and I have a surgery. You can observe."
"Okay," Hoshikawa's eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed.
Practice makes perfect.
And he could also build a closer relationship with Tsunade; it was a win-win, he won twice.
Nonō Yakushi's face showed a hint of worry.
She was concerned Hoshikawa wouldn't be able to handle the bloody scene.
"Then let's go," Tsunade walked out.
She was doing this as a favor to Nonō Yakushi.
As for how much Hoshikawa could learn, that depended on his own ability.
"Tsunade-sama, I'm counting on you. He's the only survivor."
At the entrance of the operating room, a blond young man came up to them.
"I'll do my best, Inoichi," Tsunade said with a serious expression.
Inoichi Yamanaka?
Hoshikawa could thank the Yamanaka clan's memory inspection for him being able to awaken his past life's memories and the system.
But Inoichi Yamanaka was the head of the Yamanaka clan.
A patient that would require both him and Tsunade to personally operate on must be no ordinary case.
Hoshikawa followed Nonō Yakushi into the operating room.
A strong smell of blood permeated the air.
He couldn't help but frown, a slight nausea churning in his stomach.
What surprised him was that the ninja lying on the operating table looked quite ordinary, just a Chunin, even.
....
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