Chapter 28: Obtaining the First Green Trait
With a guess already forming in his mind, Seiji turned and began practicing his shuriken throws.
Sakumo Hatake had returned—but he wouldn't be able to bear the public criticism from the village.
Seiji knew what would follow: Sakumo would soon take his own life.
That was something Seiji couldn't change.
All he could do was treat it as a marker in the timeline—an event to remind him that time was running out.
Once Kakashi graduated, Obito, Rin, and the others would soon follow.
After that would come a series of small skirmishes.
Until, one day, the Third Kazekage would be poisoned and abducted by Sasori.
When the Hidden Sand Village realized their leader had gone missing, they would plunge into chaos.
That chaos would spark the flames of the Third Great Ninja War.
"Seiji?"
Kurenai called out softly, noticing Seiji now fully focused on throwing shuriken.
Glancing at the ones in her hand, she began practicing alongside him.
---
"You've unlocked a new trait: [Robust Physique (White)]"
A translucent panel appeared before Seiji.
[Trait: Robust Physique (White)]
Condition Fulfilled: Achieve physical development far beyond your peers; awaken the bodily potential of the Yotsuki clan.
Progress: 100%
Effect: Increases physical strength by 5%.
Note: Can be upgraded.
---
"You've acquired a new trait: [Shuriken Throwing Technique (White)]"
[Trait: Shuriken Throwing Technique (White)]
Condition: Master the basic shuriken technique required of all ninja.
Progress: 1%
Effect: Increases the power of thrown shuriken by 5%.
Note: Can be upgraded.
Two consecutive trait notifications echoed in Seiji's mind.
Traits marked as "unlocked" meant the requirements had already been met.
Traits marked as "acquired" were newly obtained and still in progress.
It was a minor difference, but one Seiji had noted.
And now, seeing the "Robust Physique" trait appear… a ripple stirred in his dark pupils.
"At last—I can synthesize my first green trait."
A warm current surged through his limbs, like soaking in a hot spring.
Clenching his fists, he could feel raw power thrumming through his body.
"The 'Long-Distance Runner' trait increased my leg strength by 5%. Now, 'Robust Physique' boosts my overall strength by another 5%. Do they stack?"
As he pondered, he threw another shuriken.
Thwack!
This time, the shuriken buried itself a third of the way into the training dummy.
Previously, his throws had only pierced the surface.
This was the effect of the new "Robust Physique" trait.
"I wonder… does the Rasenshuriken count as a shuriken under this trait's effects?"
Seiji mused silently.
---
"Seiji, your strength is amazing."
Kurenai looked surprised. Just a moment ago, Seiji's movements had still been rough and untrained.
But now, his shuriken shot out with force and precision, embedding deeply into the dummy.
If that target had been a living person… the shuriken might've pierced bone.
"Just got lucky. That spot was weak."
Seiji shook his head modestly, then quickly excused himself from the field and headed to the restroom.
There, he opened his trait panel.
Under the trait [Apprentice Lightning Release Ninja (White)], a faint glow appeared on the advancement path.
Focusing on it, a new window popped up.
"Advancement Path Available. Advance Now?"
A cold, synthetic voice asked.
Seiji nodded.
"Advance."
---
The next moment—
"You've acquired a new trait: [Lightning Release Genin (Green)]"
[Trait: Lightning Release Genin (Green)]
Condition: Meet the minimum physical requirements of a Genin specializing in Lightning Release.
Progress: 100%
Effect: Your chakra network becomes more attuned to lightning-style chakra, improving conductivity and adaptability by 20%.
Note: Can be upgraded.
---
"Chakra network, huh…"
Seiji immediately began refining chakra and activated Lightning Release: Iron Body.
Electric currents surged beneath his skin—and this time, they flowed through his chakra channels far more smoothly than before.
"So this means I can now hold more lightning chakra within me?"
He reflected inwardly.
Just as chakra quantity defined a ninja's ceiling, so did the efficiency of their chakra network—
It determined how much chakra could circulate through the body at once.
The chakra network was incredibly minute—so minute that it existed within every single cell.
All refined chakra would immediately begin flowing through this internal system.
In theory, chakra could be conducted to any point in the body.
The technique "Lightning Release Chakra Mode" was one such example—by coating the body with lightning-style chakra, the user could stimulate the body's functions, enhancing both speed and durability.
However, this wasn't something just anyone could do.
Every part of the body had its limits on how much chakra it could gather.
Sasuke, for example, once became so emotionally overwhelmed during a confrontation with Itachi that he overloaded his hand with lightning chakra while trying to use Chidori—far beyond what his body could bear.
As a result, the skin on his hand was damaged by the very technique he wielded.
Now that Seiji's chakra network had become 20% more adapted to Lightning Release, this meant one thing:
The upper limit of how much chakra he could channel for techniques like Chidori had also increased by 20%.
After contemplating for a bit, Seiji closed the trait panel and returned to training his Shuriken Throwing Technique, determined to increase its progress.
---
Evening came, and school was dismissed.
Seiji gave Kurenai an excuse to leave early, sending her home ahead of time—then made his way quickly toward Kakashi's house.
Soon after Sakumo Hatake died, Kakashi would descend into an obsessive, unstable state.
He would bury himself in developing Chidori,
—a technique he would later rename Raikiri during his time in the Anbu, after using it to slice through a bolt of lightning.
Both jutsu shared the same hand seals: Ox → Hare → Monkey.
Seiji's goal now was to visit Kakashi before he completely abandoned swordsmanship—and maybe squeeze out a valuable trait while there was still time.
After all, Sakumo Hatake had spent a lifetime honing his short-blade skills…
Yet Kakashi had barely used the sword before it shattered.
That breakdown was the clearest sign: Kakashi could no longer precisely control chakra through a blade.
---
As Seiji walked the streets, hushed whispers drifted past him.
"Hey, did you hear? White Fang failed his mission!"
"Wasn't he supposed to be even more legendary than the Sannin?"
"Who knows? They say the mission's failure will cause serious damage to both the village and the Land of Fire."
These weren't civilians talking—they were fellow shinobi, and they tended to know more than the average villager.
Though the village had been quiet just the day before, word of Sakumo Hatake's failed mission was now spreading like wildfire.
Seiji noticed that even these shinobi seemed to have just heard the news today.
Because of the isolation at the academy, none of the students had heard a thing.
But by tomorrow, every student at the Ninja Academy would likely know the truth.
---
After a while, Seiji passed a small fishpond and arrived at a large, quiet estate.
This was Kakashi's home—
The only residents here were Kakashi and his father, Sakumo Hatake.
"Kakashi! Are you home?"
Seiji called out from outside the gate.
Moments later, the wooden gate creaked open, revealing the yard beyond.
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