"No, no, it's too expensive."
"Aren't we friends? You let us use the training ground, so consider this a small gift." Kazuki said with a hearty smile. "My family runs a weapons shop, so a ninja tool like this is nothing to us."
Tenten nodded in agreement. "That's right! Just accept it! I should be the one thanking you today."
"Thank you, thank you!"
Rock Lee, who accepted the ninja kit, felt tears welling up in his eyes. He was deeply moved.
So this is what it feels like to have friends?
This is amazing!
I finally have friends!
A month passed quietly.
Every day after school, Kazuki would take Tenten to one of Konoha's training grounds, where they trained in taijutsu and shuriken techniques with Rock Lee.
During this time, Kazuki's strength had grown rapidly, and his accuracy with kunai had improved significantly. He was quite satisfied with his progress.
At this rate, in another week,
He would be able to master the Hakkō Chakura Tō technique with perfect accuracy!
Just then, a familiar sound echoed in his mind:
Ding! New Mission Released: Sell any type of kunai (Clone Kunai, Substitute Kunai, Transformed Kunai). The selling price must be no less than 1,000 ryō.
Mission Reward: Primary blueprint for the Kusanagi Sword!
Another mission?
I haven't even completed my last one yet.
Will the previous mission disappear if a new one is issued?
Kazuki's heart tensed. The storage space in his ring was incredibly valuable to him right now. He quickly opened his system panel.
The previous task was still there, marked as "To Be Completed."
He let out a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, even when the system issued a new task, unfinished tasks didn't vanish.
Kazuki took a deep breath before carefully examining the newly released mission.
Immediately, he frowned.
Selling his own ninja tools?
That had never crossed his mind before.
For one, his family was wealthy enough that he didn't need the extra money.
More importantly, exposing his specially crafted ninja tools too soon could bring unnecessary trouble.
He had always been cautious.
Aside from his sister, Tenten,
Not even Rock Lee—his close friend—had ever seen the weapons he personally created.
Kazuki was feeling an urgent need—he had to obtain the blueprint for forging a special ring. With it, he could effectively conceal all the ninja tools he had crafted.
However, before that, he needed a way to discreetly sell a kunai. Finding the right opportunity was crucial.
The Kusanagi Sword...
It fascinated him.
A weapon of legend, considered a second-tier artifact in this world!
But patience was key. He decided to set aside this system task for now and wait for the right moment.
For now, his priority was sharpening his shuriken skills.
One Week Later
At Konoha's training ground, Kazuki stood poised. In an instant, he unleashed six kunai simultaneously, each flying toward a different target.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"All on target!" Tenten exclaimed in surprise. "Big brother, that was amazing!"
A small, satisfied smile appeared on Kazuki's lips. After a month of relentless training, he had finally achieved this level of precision.
Just then, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Mission completed!
System Reward: Blueprint for the Primary Forging Ring has been distributed!]
"Kazuki's progress is incredible!"
Standing nearby, Rock Lee observed Kazuki's rapid improvement with admiration and a hint of envy. But rather than discouraging him, it only fueled his determination.
His dark eyes burned with fiery resolve. Clenching his fists, he leaped to his feet and declared:
"Yosh! I must train even harder!"
"Kazuki-kun is both talented and diligent—I can't afford to slack off! I'll double my training today! One thousand jump ropes! And if I fail… two thousand push-ups!"
Suddenly—
Clap! Clap! Clap!
A deep, booming voice echoed across the training ground.
"Yo!!"
"That's the spirit, my boy!"
Rock Lee froze. His eyes widened as a strong gust of wind swept past him.
A man clad in a green jumpsuit, sporting thick eyebrows and a bowl-cut hairstyle, appeared beside him in an instant.
Kazuki and Tenten, pausing their shuriken training, turned toward the newcomer.
Kazuki immediately recognized him—it was none other than Might Guy, the Blue Beast of Konoha!
"Hahaha! Such youthful passion!" Guy laughed heartily, giving Lee a firm pat on the shoulder, his eyes gleaming with approval.
"As long as you never give up, you'll become a splendid ninja one day!"
Lee's face lit up with awe. "R-Really?"
Guy nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Let's start training together, Lee!"
"YES, SENSEI!" Lee's spirit surged.
Just then, an amused voice cut in.
"Sensei, if you wanted to use this training ground, you could have just asked. There's no need to trick your juniors, is there?"
Kazuki had silently approached, arms crossed, an easygoing smirk on his face.
"Huh? Kazuki, what do you mean?" Rock Lee blinked in confusion.
Guy, caught in the act, scratched his head sheepishly. He was never good at lying.
"Ahaha… Well, you see… The other training grounds are full, and this one seemed… quite spacious…"
"Oh, so that's all?" Lee, unfazed, nodded. "If Sensei needs the space, we can—"
"Wait a minute."
Kazuki cut him off, shooting him a look before turning back to Guy with a knowing smile.
"We'll share the training ground with you, Sensei—but in exchange, how about you train with us?"
After all, Might Guy's strength was legendary.