Talent System In The Naruto Universe

"Why isn't Shisui here?"

Hanekawa glanced around. Most of his friends had shown up, but Uchiha Shisui was noticeably absent.

Given Shisui's personality, it was unusual for him to skip training.

"Shisui hasn't trained with us for the past two days," Sarutobi Asuma said, sounding a bit worried. "Maybe something happened."

"Obito, do you know anything?" Hatake Kakashi asked.

Since Hanekawa had started learning Konoha-style: Willow from Maruboshi Kōsuke, it had been Uchiha Shisui sparring with him in swordsmanship.

However, when it came to kenjutsu, Kakashi was still a cut above.

That said, Shisui wasn't far behind and was leagues ahead of most people his age.

"He's been staying at home recently," Uchiha Obito replied after thinking for a moment.

---

"It's our turn!"

Yūhi Kurenai waved her hand, breaking Hanekawa out of his thoughts. "Hanekawa, what do you want to eat?"

Hanekawa looked at the menu on the wall. Remembering Naruto Uzumaki's favorite ramen from the original series, he said, "Chashu Rib Ramen."

"I'll have the same," Kurenai quickly added.

"Rin, what about you?" Obito enthusiastically suggested, "I think the tonkotsu ramen is pretty good."

"Then I'll have the tonkotsu ramen," Nohara Rin said, unable to decide on her own.

"Uncle, two bowls of tonkotsu ramen!" Obito called out excitedly.

Ignoring the commotion, Kakashi ordered a simple vegetable ramen, as was his habit.

"Good choice," Kushina Uzumaki said approvingly. "Kids should eat more vegetables."

"Should we order the vegetable ramen too?" Minato Namikaze joked.

"We're not kids! Let's go with large bowls of Chashu Rib Ramen!" Kushina declared boldly.

"Kushina-nee is so cool!" Kurenai said, her eyes lighting up.

"Don't follow her example," Hanekawa whispered. He couldn't imagine Kurenai growing up to be a violent tomboy.

"Okay," Kurenai nodded obediently, then asked, "How did you meet her?"

"Our teachers introduced us," Hanekawa said casually, grabbing two pairs of chopsticks.

Kurenai blinked in realization. Hanekawa's teacher was Tsunade, while Minato's teacher was Jiraiya.

Being part of the Legendary Sannin, they naturally had close connections.

And it was obvious that Kushina and Minato were close as well.

"Here," Hanekawa handed her a pair of chopsticks.

"Thanks," Kurenai said with a smile.

Hanekawa glanced at Kushina.

With her bond with the Nine-Tails improving, it had been a long time since she'd lost control.

This might be why she was allowed to roam freely, much earlier than in the original story.

After all, someone who could be close friends with Uchiha Mikoto couldn't have been confined to a barrier all the time.

Hanekawa pondered.

That dutiful son, Uchiha Itachi, should be born around now, right?

---

"Here you go!"

Teuchi placed the ramen on the table. "Your Chashu Rib Ramen."

"Thanks, Uncle Teuchi."

Hanekawa picked up his chopsticks, lifted the noodles, and slurped them down in one go.

Chewing thoughtfully, he silently noted that the taste was indeed excellent.

"This is amazing! This is the taste of youth!" Not far away, Might Guy was practically in tears, savoring every bite.

Hanekawa averted his eyes, half-expecting Guy to rip off his shirt any second.

Refocusing his attention, Hanekawa opened the System menu.

After a month of effort, he had unlocked two new entries.

[A-rank Ninjutsu Entry: Konoha-style: Willow]

Trigger Condition: Successfully perform this technique.

Effect: Automatically master the technique to a proficient level.

Thanks to his swordsmanship talent and Yin Release affinity, Hanekawa had learned it much faster than expected.

Additionally, the difficulty of learning Konoha-style: Willow was lower than mastering the Strength of a Hundred Seal.

[D-rank Talent Entry: Water-Style Genin]

Trigger Condition: Acquire three Water-Style Ninjutsu entries.

Effect: Increases the power of all Water-Style techniques by 30%.

Note: Learning more Water-Style techniques can evolve this to a C-rank Water-Style Chūnin entry.

The second entry was similar to his earlier Wind-Style Genin entry—nothing too surprising.

The three Water-Style techniques Hanekawa had learned were Wild Water Wave, Water Fang Bullet, and Water Body Flicker Technique.

---

"Ah, I'm so full!" Kurenai said happily, putting down her chopsticks. "That was satisfying!"

"If you like it, we can come here more often," Hanekawa said casually, handing her a napkin.

"Mm!" Kurenai replied as she wiped her mouth.

"Youth really is full of energy," Minato Namikaze teased, watching them.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm old?" Kushina Uzumaki's voice came from beside him, laced with a threatening tone.

"That's not what I meant!" Minato shivered and quickly explained.

"Hanekawa, we'll head out first," Kushina said, her tone instantly cheerful.

"Bring Lady Tsunade along to visit me sometime."

"Sure," Hanekawa replied. It had been a while since he and Tsunade visited Kushina's house, though such visits usually turned into gambling sessions.

Even the Nine-Tails fox had a gambling addiction comparable to Tsunade's—though its luck wasn't much better, making it the perfect example of someone bad at gambling but still addicted.

After finishing their ramen, everyone went their separate ways.

"Should we go to Uncle Kōsuke's place?" Kurenai asked, hopping along happily beside Hanekawa.

"I'm heading to the Konoha Hospital," Hanekawa said after some thought.

He had already mastered Konoha-style: Willow, so there was no need to bother Maruboshi Kōsuke anymore.

However, Kurenai still had a long way to go in mastering her Water-Style techniques.

"Alright," Kurenai said, a little disappointed but not throwing a tantrum.

When they reached the intersection, they stopped.

"Wait, your hair's a bit messy," Hanekawa said, stepping closer to fix the strands near her ear.

At such close range, Kurenai found her heartbeat quickening. Her face flushed slightly, but she suppressed her emotions and said politely, "Thank you."

"It's nothing," Hanekawa replied, pulling back his hand. "See you tonight."

"Mm."

Kurenai turned around and exhaled deeply, thinking to herself how good-looking Hanekawa was.

---

At the Konoha Hospital, Hanekawa was greeted warmly by the nurses, as it had been some time since his last visit.

After much effort to escape their enthusiasm, he made his way to Nonō Yakushi's office.

"Hanekawa?" Nonō looked up in surprise.

"Director," Hanekawa said respectfully. "Is there anything I can help with today?"

He had a lot of ninjutsu to learn, but medical ninjutsu was his top priority. As Tsunade's student, he couldn't afford to tarnish her reputation.

"Of course," Nonō replied with a smile. "I have a surgery coming up, and you can assist me."

"Understood," Hanekawa said seriously. "I'll do my best."

"Here's the patient's information," Nonō said, handing him the file with a gentle expression.

"Yūgao Uzuki?" Hanekawa glanced at the file and froze for a moment.

"You know her?" Nonō asked curiously.

"No," Hanekawa shook his head. "I just didn't expect the patient to be so young—only five years old."

Yūgao Uzuki, in the original story, was Gekko Hayate's girlfriend. A skilled Special Jōnin, she excelled in Konoha-style swordsmanship.

"It's almost time. Let's head to the operating room," Nonō said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"Alright."

Hanekawa put on the specially designed white medical uniform.

"She's about your age, so be sure to comfort her," Nonō said as they walked. "She's been crying a lot."

"Bone fractures do hurt," Hanekawa agreed, sympathizing with the young girl.

At the entrance to the operating room, a young man approached them.

"Lady Nono, is it time for my daughter's surgery?"

"Yes," Nonō said gently. "She'll be fine soon."

"Thank you so much, Lady Nono!" The man expressed his gratitude, but then his gaze landed on Hanekawa, and he hesitated. "A medical ninja this young?" he asked, clearly concerned.

"This is Hanekawa," Nonō introduced. "He's Lady Tsunade's student."

"So it's him!" The man's expression shifted as he grabbed Hanekawa's hand. "Please take care of her!"

"I will," Hanekawa replied, understanding how highly medical ninjas were regarded.

No one would casually offend them, especially given how rare they were in the ninja world.

In Konoha, thanks to Tsunade, there were relatively more medical ninjas.

However, other villages weren't as fortunate. For instance, when Kankurō was poisoned by Sasori, the entire Sunagakure was helpless until Sakura Haruno stepped in.

Similarly, when the Fourth Raikage was injured by the explosive bugs of Deidara, only Tsunade's timely intervention saved his life.

As Hanekawa entered the operating room, he was met with the sound of quiet sobbing.

Looking toward the bed, he saw a young girl with purple hair, her face streaked with tears.

"Hello, I'm Hanekawa," he said, walking over and gently patting her head.

Uzuki Yugao lifted her head, staring at Hanekawa in confusion.

"It'll stop hurting soon," Hanekawa reassured her.

He glanced at Nonō Yakushi, who gave a nod of approval. Forming a hand seal, pale green chakra flowed from his hands and enveloped Uzuki Yugao's leg.

The numbing effect severed her sense of pain, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

"It really doesn't hurt anymore!" she exclaimed, a smile breaking through her tears. "Thank you, big brother!"

"Just call me Hanekawa," he said quickly. "No need to call me big brother."

Uzuki Yugao tilted her head, puzzled. He looked nice, but she thought he was a bit strange.

"Close your eyes," Hanekawa instructed as Nonō began the surgery.

"Okay." Uzuki Yugao obediently shut her eyes.

Hanekawa patted her head again before standing up to assist with the operation.

---

An hour later, the surgery was complete.

Hanekawa let out a breath of relief, looking over at Uzuki Yugao, who had fallen asleep.

"Let her rest," Nonō said as she left the operating room.

Hanekawa followed her out.

"The surgery went well," Nonō said with a smile. "Take her to the recovery ward."

"Thank you, Lady Nono!" the young man outside the room said gratefully. After a pause, he added, "And to you too, Hanekawa."

Please drop the 'little' part when addressing me, Hanekawa thought but maintained a professional demeanor. "Just doing my job," he replied politely.

The rest of the day at Konoha Hospital passed quickly. Hanekawa gained considerable experience, though mastery was still a long way off. Knowing he was making progress reassured him—it was only a matter of time.

As Hanekawa prepared to leave for the day, the young man approached him again.

"Hanekawa," the man said. "Do you have a moment? My daughter woke up and wanted to thank you in person."

Hanekawa hesitated but eventually agreed.

"Big brother!" Uzuki Yugao shouted happily as soon as she saw him.

Hanekawa wanted to correct her, but he chose not to in the end. Walking over, he lightly patted her head.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, withdrawing his hand.

"A bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt anymore," Uzuki Yugao said. After a pause, she added, "Big brother really is…"

"A miracle worker!" her father finished, seeing her hesitate.

"That's right!" Uzuki Yugao agreed enthusiastically.

"I still have a long way to go," Hanekawa said with a small smile. "Rest well, and you'll recover fully in a few days."

After chatting briefly, Hanekawa left the room.

---

Standing at the hospital entrance, Hanekawa initially planned to head straight home, but then he thought of Shisui Uchiha.

After a moment's consideration, he began walking toward the Uchiha clan's residence.

In the original story, the Uchiha clan had been moved to the outskirts of Konoha. However, they were still located closer to the center at this point in time.

Most ninjas avoided visiting the Uchiha district due to the clan's arrogance, but Hanekawa was an exception.

He had treated many Uchiha ninjas at the hospital, and as Tsunade's student, he had earned their respect.

After getting directions, Hanekawa made his way to Shisui's home.

Before he reached the door, the sound of slicing wind reached his ears—familiar to him as the sound of a blade cutting through the air.

Looking up, he saw Shisui Uchiha practicing sword techniques in front of his house.

"Shisui!" Hanekawa called out from a distance.

"Hanekawa-senpai?" Shisui turned to him, his expression slightly surprised.

Hanekawa froze for a moment, his gaze locked on Shisui's eyes. They were blood-red, with a single black tomoe spinning within each.

The Sharingan.

"Sorry," Shisui said, realizing his oversight, and deactivated his Sharingan.

"When did you awaken it?" Hanekawa asked as he walked closer, curious.

"Two days ago," Shisui replied in a low voice.

His expression was more somber than usual, and Hanekawa quickly understood why.

For the Uchiha, awakening the Sharingan required intense emotional stimulation. Whatever had happened must have been deeply upsetting.

"Did you need something?" Shisui asked calmly.

"You haven't been training with the others lately, so I wanted to check on you," Hanekawa explained.

"I'll join them in a couple of days," Shisui said after a moment of thought.

Having just awakened his Sharingan, he needed time to adjust to his newfound strength.

"Alright." Hanekawa nodded before asking, "Want to spar?"

"Now?" Shisui looked surprised.

"I've always been curious about the Uchiha's Sharingan," Hanekawa said with a light laugh. "Obito keeps saying that once he awakens his Sharingan, he'll defeat me and Kakashi."

"Obito tends to exaggerate," Shisui replied, scratching his head. "The Sharingan does make you stronger, but it's not invincible."

"Then, shall we?" Hanekawa asked again.

"Sure!" Shisui's eyes lit up with excitement.

As a genius, he had his own pride. After losing to Hanekawa last time, he had been eager for a rematch.

-

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