Time quietly flowed by amidst the sweat-soaked swordsmanship training. During this period, Shinichi devoted almost all his energy to practicing at the kendo dojo.
But this peaceful but spirited atmosphere was not applicable to the whole village.
Beneath the calm surface of Konoha, dark currents began to stir.
A rumor concerning Konoha's White Fang silently emerged from an unknown source, spreading rapidly through the streets and alleys like silent mold.
It was like a wild fire in a forest, by the time you notice it, it would already be burned.
The core of the rumor was alarming: Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, had abandoned a mission crucial to the village, resulting in enormous losses.
The whispers sketched a vague but heavy outline: the mission seemed to involve nobles in the capital of the Land of Fire, and perhaps even the Daimyo himself.
Precisely because of the grave importance, the village had dispatched a top ninja like Sakumo Hatake to ensure success.
Yet, at the critical moment, this highly anticipated hero chose to give up.
The villagers had no way of knowing the specifics of the mission, nor the reason why the White Fang abandoned it.
But what they were certain of, through word of mouth, was that his action brought immeasurable negative consequences to Konoha.
Furthermore, some whispered that even the Daimyo, far away in the capital, had expressed dissatisfaction to the Third Hokage.
This wave of criticism against the hero swept through the village for over half a month, bits and pieces of it always catching the ear during idle chatter.
Until one day, it suddenly stopped, as if choked by an invisible hand. Those who understood the underlying meaning of it felt chills down their spines.
All public discussion vanished instantly, as if it had never existed, leaving behind only an uneasy silence strongly suppressed.
Shinichi knew what this silence meant.
Konoha's White Fang, famous throughout the ninja world, was likely... gone.
He sheathed his sword, looking up at the somber sky, feeling neither joy nor sorrow. It was moment for White Fang, to respect Hatake Sakumo in his own way.
---
Time quietly moved on, leaving only three days until the Konoha Ninja Academy commenced.
Inside a modest building named the Yamashita Kendo Dojo, in the east of Konoha Village.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp sounds of air being broken and intense clashes were incessant.
A moment later, the dojo abruptly fell silent.
---
Yamashita Shuji stood silently, holding the remaining half of a sword hilt.
He first looked at the horrific broken sword in his hand, then lifted his eyes, gazing with complex emotions at the black-haired boy standing before him, sword sheathed, breathing steady, without even a bead of sweat on his brow.
Every sparring session these past few days left him astonished by his disciple's near-monstrous physique and talent.
"You can graduate now."
Yamashita Shuji spoke after a long silence, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible emotion and relief.
"I have nothing left to teach you."
When this disciple joined over a year ago, he had recognized his remarkable talent for swordsmanship and his maturity, which far surpassed his peers.
But he had still underestimated him. He thought it would take some more years for him to learn the essence of swordsmanship. But he was proven wrong in a very short time.
Especially over the last month, ever since the boy defeated that genius Kakashi at the Ninja Academy, it was as if some invisible restraint had been completely broken.
His comprehension and progress in swordsmanship were astonishingly fast; key points that previously required repeated guidance were now grasped instantly, and he could even apply them in new ways from them.
Yamashita Shuji did not know what caused this profound transformation—perhaps the breakthrough in confidence brought by that victory? Or simply the culmination of long-term effort?
He couldn't know, but he could see the result—this boy had truly reached the limit of what he could teach in the way of the sword.
Upon hearing this, Shinichi slowly returned the sword in his hand to its sheath, his movements meticulous. He faced Yamashita Shuji and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Sensei, for your careful instruction over the past year."
Yamashita Shuji waved his hand, a rare gentle expression on his face: "It is your own effort and talent. Remember, the way of the sword is endless. You are only just beginning. The path ahead must be walked by you alone."
Shinichi straightened, his gaze calm and resolute.
"Yes, Sensei. I will remember."
Shinichi did not leave immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment, then asked respectfully again: " Sensei, if I wish to advance further in swordsmanship and study deeply in the future, where should I seek guidance?"
His question concerned not only personal training but was also a subtle inquiry into the future advancement path of the [Swordsman] profession.
"Konoha's inherited swordsmanship system is broad and profound enough for you to study for a long time," Yamashita Shuji first said. He paused, then added: "However, when discussing the orthodoxy and purity of the way of the sword, the universally recognized holy land of swordsmanship remains the Land of Iron. That is the country of samurai. If you truly have the opportunity to go there and witness it, it will certainly benefit your swordsmanship."
The Land of Iron?
Shinichi silently noted that if Konoha's swordsmanship system could not satisfy the subsequent advancement requirements of the [Swordsman] profession, then his future direction might indeed point toward that neutral nation of samurai.
Of course, that was a distant matter.
He was currently a Ninja Academy student in Konoha, a future ninja, and his actions were inevitably subject to many restrictions.
Putting that aside for now, Shinichi changed the subject, speaking sincerely: "Sensei, to thank you for your careful guidance over the past year, I would like to host a small appreciation dinner tomorrow afternoon at Aji no Takumi Restaurant in the village. Would you honor me with your presence?"
His gratitude to his sensei was genuine, but this appreciation dinner clearly held a deeper purpose.
Shinichi was well aware of the customs of this world—similar to real-life Japan, events like completing an apprenticeship tended to be simple, ritualistic, and intimate celebrations between master and disciple or within a small circle, merely to express one's feelings and gratitude.
But what he intended to do was completely different.
Drawing inspiration from his previous life, he planned to turn this appreciation dinner into a large-scale "banquet-style" social event.
He planned to invite not only Master Yamashita and his fellow disciples but also to widely distribute invitations, or at least spread the word, gathering people from all the circles he knew and interacted with.
The director and familiar children from the orphanage that raised him, the masters and apprentices from the blacksmith shop who looked after him, the boss and colleagues from the Aji no Takumi Restaurant where he had worked, and his classmates from school... He wanted to use this lively, unconventional open banquet to transmit one piece of information clearly and embed it into the consciousness of every participant, and even bystanders who heard about it:
Higashino Shinichi has officially graduated from the Yamashita Kendo Dojo and become a recognized, legitimate, official swordsman.
This would be an efficient cognitive seeding, a crucial step in promoting [Apprentice Swordsmanship] to [Swordsman], and yet another precise maneuver to actively manage his persona and leverage title upgrades.
Hosting a banquet of this scale would naturally not be cheap.
But money, for Shinichi at this moment, was not a major problem.
As a registered orphan in Konoha, he received basic monthly living assistance, and after entering the Ninja Academy, his top grades consistently secured him a substantial scholarship.
Of course, these were small amounts. The real key was that shortly after enrolling, he officially applied for a student loan, citing the need to purchase more professional training equipment and ensure proper nutrition to maintain high-intensity training.
The process originally required time for approval, and the amount was restricted.
However, a few days ago, when the loan was finally approved and disbursed to him, Shinichi felt a slight surprise—the amount far exceeded his expectations; it was quite generous, in fact.
It seems the ripple effect of defeating Kakashi was still working its magic...