After walking for about fifteen minutes, Senba stopped in front of a small courtyard. The gate was made of wood and was quite old, but it was well-maintained.
A few vines climbed the wall next to the gate, with a few small white flowers blooming sporadically among the green leaves.
Senba pushed open the door. The courtyard was about two hundred square meters. Inside was a small path paved with bluestone, with low shrubs planted on both sides of the path.
At the end of the path was a two-story building with white walls and black tiles, a typical Japanese-style house.
On the left side of the courtyard, near the wall, was a small fish pond with clear water where several koi swam leisurely. A few rocks were piled by the pond, with moss growing on them.
On the right side of the courtyard was a pavilion with a stone table and stone benches. A tea set was still on the table, something his father had used during his lifetime.
Next to the pavilion was a small open space with a ground of compacted lime-sand-soil, and a few wooden dummies and shuriken targets stood at the edge, barely serving as a small training ground.
Senba crossed the path to the front of the building, pushed open the entrance door, put on his indoor shoes, and walked in.
The first floor had a three-bedroom, one-living-room layout. The entrance was the foyer, and the living room was on the left.
The living room wasn't large but was kept very tidy. Opposite the living room were the dining room and kitchen, connected together. A thin layer of dust lay on the kitchen stove; he hadn't cooked here for a long time.
At the end of the corridor were three rooms. The one on the far left had been converted into a study, with two bookshelves against the wall filled with books on Ninjutsu theory, geography, and the customs of various countries.
The desk was by the window, from which the small fish pond could be seen outside.
The middle room had been converted into a tea room, and the room on the far right was a walk-in closet, containing clothes for all four seasons as well as some mementos left by his parents.
Senba went up the stairs to the second floor. There was no living room on the second floor, only four bedrooms, each with its own en suite bathroom.
His parents' master bedroom was at the very end; the door was always locked, and Senba had never been inside.
He pushed open the door to his own bedroom. The room was large, at least thirty to forty square meters.
The bed was against the wall, the desk was by the window, and there was an independent bathroom fully equipped with a shower, toilet, and sink.
Senba walked to the window and pushed it open. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled in, dyeing the floor gold.
Outside the window, he could see the streets of the clan grounds, and in the distance was the bank of the Naka River.
Senba stood by the window and watched quietly for a moment, then turned around, walked to the living room on the first floor, sat down on the sofa, and took a deep breath.
"System, begin the three random enhancements."
[Performing the first random enhancement...]
[Enhancement complete.]
[Enhancement Item: Chakra Capacity]
[Enhancement Effect: The host's total Chakra Capacity has increased by approximately 95%, nearly doubling. Current Chakra Capacity rating: C+ → B]
Senba closed his eyes, feeling the changes within his body.
A warm current rose from his lower abdomen, spreading through his entire body. His chakra nearly doubled in just a few seconds.
Senba clenched his fist and stopped himself from casting jutsu.
[Performing the second random enhancement...]
[Enhancement complete.]
[Enhancement Item: Chakra Control—Chakra Shape Transformation]
[Enhancement Effect: The host's mastery of Chakra Shape Transformation has reached the MAX level. Can precisely manipulate chakra for any shape transformation, reducing consumption to the minimum and increasing efficiency to the limit. ]
Senba opened his eyes. He raised his right hand, and chakra gathered in his palm.
He didn't think about it intentionally, nor did he even perform hand signs. With just a thought, the chakra in his palm began to rotate.
At first, it was a small vortex, and then it spun faster until it formed a perfect sphere in his palm.
Inside the sphere, the chakra rotated at an extremely high speed, forming a visible vortex core.
"Rasengan."
An A-Rank Ninjutsu that took Minato three years to create. However, at this point in time, Minato was still just a six-year-old child, and this Ninjutsu had yet to be invented.
But Senba has mastered it now. Relying solely on MAX-level Chakra Shape Transformation, he easily recreated this technique.
The blue sphere of light rotated in his palm, illuminating his face.
Senba looked at the Rasengan in his hand and remained silent for a moment. Then, he clenched his fingers, and the Rasengan dissipated into the air, leaving only a trace of lingering chakra swirling at his fingertips.
[Performing the third random enhancement...]
[Enhancement complete.]
[Enhancement Item: Gambling Techniques]
[Enhancement Effect: The host masters MAX-level gambling techniques, including but not limited to mastery of various gambling game rules, probability calculation, psychological warfare, chip management, cheating techniques, hand speed training, observation training, memory training, expression management...]
[Comprehensive Evaluation: Now, you can walk tall in any casino; you are the next God of Gamblers.]
Gambling Techniques? He never gambled.
Senba closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
'Forget it. Since it's already enhanced, it's not like I can return it.'
Just as he was cursing the system, a sudden thought struck him.
He raised both hands and looked at his fingers. The MAX-level skills of gambling techniques included hand speed training, observation training, memory training...
He tried to form hand signs and was surprised to find himself much faster than before.
His fingers seemed to have their own consciousness, completing five seals in a second with an almost instinctive precision.
Not only that, but his senses had also become sharper.
A bird flying outside the window, the splash of a koi tail in the fishpond, every tick of the second hand on the wall clock—everything was clear to him.
His reaction speed had also improved. If someone launched a sneak attack from behind now, he could react the moment they moved.
Senba lowered his hands and looked at his palms.
Gambling Techniques... He suddenly thought of someone: Kaito Kid!
That phantom thief in a white suit and top hat who played with the police like toys through magic-like methods. Is there any essential difference between performing magic and cheating at gambling?
None. They are both a combination of hand speed, observation, and psychological warfare.
And now he possessed this ability. Although obtaining it through gambling was a bit... subtle, the result was good.
Furthermore, high neural reaction—isn't that exactly where Minato's strength lies? He could become the Fourth Hokage in the future because of the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Rasengan.
Senba had already mastered the Rasengan. If he could have the talent for space-time ninjutsu and then learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, he would transform in a short period of time.
He stood up and walked to the window. The sky outside had darkened, and a few stars were twinkling on the horizon.
He took a deep breath and summoned the system panel in his mind.
Strongest Ninja system]
[Host: Uchiha Senba]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: Six years old]
[Chakra Affinities: Wind, Earth, Water, Fire, Lightning, Yin, Yang]
[Chakra: B]
[Bloodline Limit: One-Tomoe Sharingan]
[Rank: Ninja Reserve]
[Comprehensive Strength Rating: B+]
Senba looked at the strength rating with a satisfied smile. He could be considered the strongest pre-Genin.
His only shortcoming was the lack of combat experience, which wasn't difficult to learn.
The academy had combat classes where he could slowly accumulate experience. If all else failed, he could spar with clan members; the Uchiha clan was never short of sparring partners.
The important thing was that he now had B+ strength.
Six years old, B+.
Equivalent to the level between an ordinary chunin and a special jonin.
Combined with the Rasengan and MAX-level chakra control, Senba was confident to catch most Chunin off guard.
'The war will start in a few years, so I better learn as much Jutsu as I can.'
With max-level chakra control, he could master Jutsu in a short period of time compared to the rest.
Uchiha Senba's original B strength had been raised to B+ in a single system reward. If he fully mastered these, he could even reach A-.
What if his original strength were even stronger? The most important thing for him right now isn't to raise his rank but to first improve his strength and then his administrative affairs.
If he could become an Elite Jonin by the time he graduated from the Ninja Academy, perhaps the reward for becoming a Genin or a Chunin could help him possess strength comparable to a Kage.
"Yeah, that's the plan."