Konoha’s White Fang Shines

Chapter 24: Official Ninja Life

The so-called "initial team-building" was basically a simple three-on-one exercise, forcing the trio to fight as one and start developing teamwork.

For Genma's three-person team, cooperation was straightforward: Hitoshi Rittō (并足雷同) handled close-quarters combat, Kurenai used genjutsu for harassment, and Genma seized the right moment to cast ninjutsu. Occasionally, if Rittō couldn't hold the line, Genma or his Shadow Clone stepped in for a while.

They kept going until all three were utterly exhausted, marking the end of that morning's "team-building."

Though simple and direct, it was perfect for a trio who already knew each other well and got along decently.

After a short rest, they broke for lunch.

Because their spar had consumed the entire morning, their jōnin instructor, Kamase Yūji (神濑裕志), went out and bought everyone lunch in bulk. Each person's meal was different in flavor but only had one type of dish. If they wanted variety, they had to swap among themselves.

From the approving look in Yūji's eyes, it was clear he'd arranged this deliberately to foster unity quickly.

Once they finished eating, Yūji didn't immediately take them off on a mission. Instead, he directed them back to the training ground, where a pile of round logs lay scattered.

Rittō climbed nimbly onto one of the largest logs, while Genma and Kurenai sat lower down.

"Alright," Yūji began, "this morning's exercise helped you bond somewhat as a team. Still, there are many issues."

The three exchanged curious looks—none of them were quite sure what those "issues" might be.

"For instance, Rittō—you hit hard, but your control is lacking. Without good timing and proper follow-through, plus weak defense and evasion, if you rush in blindly you'll be the first to fall. You can't afford any glaring weaknesses. While you're on the offensive, you need to keep an eye on your defense and dodging. Going forward, you can spar with me to work on this."

Typically, Rittō was stubborn when given feedback, especially from Genma, whose strength he'd once questioned. But now, hearing it from Yūji—someone undeniably more skilled—he couldn't deny it. Slumping like a withered sprout, he said dejectedly, "Yes, Yūji-sensei…"

Content with Rittō's subdued response, Yūji turned to the other two, who sat attentively.

"Now, Genma. You have Fire and Earth Release—quite a promising combination. Judging by your broad ninjutsu usage, you seem to value balance: Earth Release for defense, reconnaissance, or escape, and Fire Release for offense. The synergy still has holes, but your main shortcoming is a lack of real combat experience. Then again, that goes for all three of you—if you were already battle-tested, I'd be out of a job."

He added with a grin, "You've no major flaws. I'm Earth-natured myself, and I developed Fire Release later to become a jōnin. I'm more comfortable with Earth Release, so if you ever want extra training in Earth-nature manipulation, come find me."

Genma nearly expected to be chewed out, but instead got this surprising invitation—plus a teacher so open and friendly. One glance at Rittō's expression, and it was clear the swordsman found it a bit unbelievable. Still, Yūji's keen gaze allowed no doubt, so Genma swallowed his surprise and bowed slightly. "Understood, Sensei. I'll work hard."

"That leaves our last member—the girl. To be honest, your combat style doesn't match your usual temperament, Kurenai. The Yūhi clan does have excellent genjutsu heritage, but it seems to put you in a bind."

With that, Yūji cupped his chin in thought, while Kurenai's eyes flickered with worry.

"From what I've observed, your taijutsu is okay—solid for a new genin. But if you want to focus on genjutsu, you shouldn't neglect your close-combat skills. Having fewer attack methods means your enemy's more likely to figure you out. Once you're exposed, you're easier to handle."

As soon as he said this, Kurenai turned to Genma, who locked eyes with her.

"How about showing the teacher your style?" Genma suggested. "You've been practicing for two years now. He's a sword user, so maybe he can help."

No longer able to hide it, Kurenai hesitated. Genma, however, simply reached into his ninja pouch, taking out a scroll and summoning two swords.

With Shadow Clones now part of his routine, Genma had doubled his sword-training time. Once upon a time, the two of them had shared a single blade; now, they each had one. And since Kurenai's father opposed her learning alternative forms of combat, she'd always stashed her sword in Genma's scroll. She only practiced covertly.

Though Kurenai worried that Yūji might rat her out to her father, she felt a mix of relief and resignation as Genma's gentle nudge emboldened her.

Seeing them draw swords, Yūji was briefly perplexed. "You both also practice swordsmanship?"

"N-not exactly," Kurenai clarified. "I've only studied for two years, while Genma's been at it for five. I'm really just learning the basics. Genma's been honing it for a lot longer."

Yūji didn't find their incomplete data suspicious; in fact, he appeared pleasantly surprised.

"Ah, so all three of you handle blades in some capacity—interesting. Knife-users are fairly rare in Konoha these days. I'm already kind of itching to see how you perform. Actually, I've always had a rather bold dream…"

He drew his own short sword with excitement.

"Though I can't do Lightning or Wind Release, I'm obsessed with kenjutsu. I used to dream of leaving the village, traveling the world like a wandering samurai, challenging the best swordsmen from each land. And even wilder, I hoped to form a dedicated swordsmanship squad of my own."

Something in him lit up, as though a switch had been flipped. His eyes sparkled with irrepressible enthusiasm.

"Think about it: on the battlefield, the enemy slings these puny shuriken, while we brandish shining blades of real steel—like unstoppable forces of nature. That image… it's an art form, a beautiful artistry of war."

No one expected the quiet, unassuming Yūji to harbor such "wandering samurai" vibes. Then again, maybe everyone's got some flamboyant dream from their youth.

Rittō, for one, clearly felt he'd met a kindred spirit; his eyes shone with delight. Genma, on the other hand, found his teacher's sudden passion reminiscent of others he'd met—like Might Duy. But he doubted Yūji's brand of enthusiasm was quite as pure or structured.

Are we about to form the "Konoha Four Swordsmen" or something? We'll go on missions and then challenge random warriors… Actually, that might be kind of fun, Genma mused, relaxing.

Nearby, Kurenai was still absorbing Yūji's abrupt switch to a "chūnibyō" mindset, blinking in confusion.

After a moment, Yūji noticed he'd gone off on a tangent. He coughed awkwardly, sheathing his blade. "A-hem, right, we'll prioritize swordsmanship training for you three. Meanwhile, I'll tailor your training in other areas individually."

"Right then, that wraps up our morning team-building. I did say we'd dive into missions quickly, so let's go."

With that, Yūji launched himself over the training ground's fence, bounding nimbly across rooftops. He didn't even glance back to check if his new genin could keep up.

But they didn't hesitate; at the instant Yūji sprang away, they followed. Soon they arrived at the mission assignment desk.

Seemingly no other teams wanted to start a mission on their first day, so Genma's team easily snatched up their first official job.

A D-rank mission: Weeding a noblewoman's garden.

It sounded trivial, but the pay was enticing enough to stir their interest.

They soon found themselves at a manor. Explaining their purpose to the hostess—a lady of obvious wealth—they were led to the overgrown garden. The lady wore lavish jewelry; one could tell from her fair skin and extra pounds that she rarely did manual labor, yet her plumpness had a certain charm.

Realizing that her caretaker-like aura was overshadowed by Yūji's imposing presence, she greeted the jōnin with rapt enthusiasm.

"Oh my, Shinobi-sama," she cooed. "There are some things at home placed too high to reach. Could you help me, just a little?"

Her voice was soft and coquettish, eyes locked hungrily on Yūji. Even with his calm demeanor, the jōnin was visibly flustered.

"Uh, that's… well, these three are here to fulfill the mission you posted. They can help with smaller tasks, but let's keep it within the rules. Or maybe just wait until they finish weeding? It shouldn't take long," he managed, clearly uncomfortable.

Before he could finish, the lady threw him a sorrowful gaze, like he was a faithless cad about to abandon her. "Oh, but my maid's on leave and I'm all alone in this big house. Won't you please help me right away, especially with all the chores? I did pay a hefty commission fee…"

Even so, Yūji stood his ground, until the woman moved closer and physically pushed him, as if herding him away like a wolf chasing a sheep. The last thing he wanted was his genin seeing this fiasco. Off he went, practically forced to accompany her.

Meanwhile, Genma's trio simply glanced over at him, but seeing how quickly Yūji was led off, they returned their focus to the mission.

Time wore on, and still no sign of Yūji returning.

"Hey, Genma," Rittō asked slyly, "the teacher vanished with that chubby lady, yeah?"

Genma shrugged. "So? Thinking of slacking off?"

"Not exactly," Rittō replied. "But Kurenai has your Shadow Clone helping her. Maybe you can… y'know, help me out, too."

"Sure," Genma said, "but you'll have to pay up. Helping you is extra work for me, so I expect compensation. We just graduated, so we're official ninja now—no freebies."

"Ugh, you gotta be kidding me," Rittō grumbled. He wasn't advanced enough to do the Shadow Clone Jutsu, so he had no choice but to accept. On top of having to endure their public lovey-dovey moments, now I'm not even considered part of "their circle." A sour feeling gnawed at his heart, spawning countless complaints in his mind.

End of Chapter 24