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Behind the black one-way glass used to observe the Genin during their re-evaluations, a man in his late twenties sat slouched in his chair. His black hair was slicked back with gel, not a strand out of place, but his face looked anything but awake, he had tired eyes, with slight bags under them, and an overall look of someone who would rather be anywhere else.
'Why did I have to come here...' he sighed, adjusting the collar of his white button-up shirt as he leaned back lazily.
Renma Kohaku or formally, Kohaku Renma, was a high-level Genin from the Kohaku family, one of the minor clans invited to watch the evaluation tests. Like many of the others from smaller families, he wasn't here out of passion or curiosity. He was here because his father made him come, in hopes that he'd find some diamond in the dirt to drag into the family name.
His father also insisted he attend these kinds of events to "understand the importance of presence," especially if he was ever going to take on the role of clan head. But Renma knew that was bullshit.
If anything ever happened to his father, it wouldn't be him stepping up, it would be his younger brother. The prodigy. The golden child who'd already made Chunin at twenty, while Renma was still stuck as a Genin.
No matter how hard he trained, no matter how many nights he spent pushing himself past his limits, he just couldn't outwork raw talent.
The Kohaku clan wasn't weak, but they weren't known either. They lived on the outskirts of Konoha, far enough to be considered distant but close enough to still be affiliated. They had a few Chunin, maybe one or two Jonin, enough to count on a single hand. Compared to the major clans, who had dozens of Chunin and a whole roster of Jonin, the Kohaku were barely a whisper in the village's hierarchy.
That might not have seemed like much from an outsider's point of view, or even from a war standpoint, but in reality, that many Chunin and Jonin was more than enough to take down an entire village.
A single Chunin could easily handle ten Genin on their own, and one Jonin? They could take on at least twenty Chunin, if not more, depending on skill and specialization.
Renma glanced to the side, eyes settling on a long row of mostly empty seats. A few people still lingered, clan representatives who either didn't find what they were looking for or were simply passing the time until the last few evaluations wrapped up.
But Renma? He was still here, watching and waiting.
He hadn't found anyone yet who was worth the Kohaku name. His clan might not have been large or famous, but they didn't sponsor just anyone. Even if they weren't a powerful clan, they had standards, and Renma wasn't about to lower them.
Renma didn't really get why clans even bothered sponsoring shinobi in the first place. On paper, it looked like charity..helping the underdogs, and giving nobodies a shot. But anyone with half a brain knew it wasn't about kindness.
It was marketing.
If a clan found a prodigy, someone without a famous name or powerful bloodline, and backed them early, all that future success would tie back to them. As the shinobi rose through the ranks, earned fame, and proved themselves in the field, their reputation would reflect directly on the clan that sponsored them.
Suddenly, that clan looked like geniuses themselves.
That person would essentially become their brand, wearing the clan name like a badge, whether they meant to or not. Other young shinobi would gravitate toward them, people would want to work with them, train under them, or support them. The clan would grow in reach and status, all from that one good bet.
But it was highly unlikely they'd find anyone worth the time here in the Genin Corp. These people were here for a reason. Either they lacked talent, failed under pressure, or just couldn't keep up with their original teams.
Renma knew it well, this place was a dead end for most. And the thought of finding someone sponsor-worthy here? Was slim to none.
Still, it never hurt to look. His father always told him that sometimes talent shows up in the most unexpected places. Even if Renma didn't believe that crap, he figured sitting through this was better than arguing.
He leaned his head into his hand as he watched the matches drag on. Each genin came in, faced the instructor, and did… okay. Some were passable. Some even had potential, for low-level missions, maybe. A few had clan names, but clearly not enough support to thrive. If they were in the Genin Corp, their clan had already given up on them or had no reason to invest more.
They were just good enough not to die.
Then, the door opened again.
Another one walked in.
He had messy black hair and a blank expression. He didn't look like much, just another kid. Renma raised a brow slightly but didn't think much of it.
'Probably just another dud,' he thought, barely keeping his eyes open.
At this point, Renma was already half-tuned out.
He could just send out a few offers to the handful of genin who looked decent, the ones who didn't trip over their own feet or panic the moment the fight started. Maybe throw a bone to that kid who had decent chakra control, or that Inuzuka kid who at least showed some potential.
He could give them the chance at a sponsorship, fulfill his obligation, and finally call it a day.
It wasn't like his father would expect more from him anyway. Just show face, pick some stragglers with potential, and head back.
Easy.
Renma stretched his back, already preparing to stand when the new boy stepped into the ring.
But as he watched, something in his gut made him stop.
He wasn't sure what it was, but Renma usually had a good sense about these things. Maybe it was the one thing he was better at than his brother. Whatever it was, it told him to stay and watch this one before leaving.
With a sigh, he settled back into his chair to see how it would play out.
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Looking at the sudden quest pop-up, Kuro's eyebrows raised slightly before he quickly brought his expression back under control.
'Beat the instructor?'
He blinked again, just to make sure he wasn't imagining it. But the words stayed right there in front of him. Slowly, his eyes shifted to the man standing across the ring.
From what he remembered in Kuro's memories, the instructors for these evaluations were all Chuunin. Maybe low-level ones, but Chuunin were still Chuunin at the end of the day. Kuro might've been stronger than he was a few weeks ago, but taking beating one? His current stats weren't that good.
If the quest really expected him to beat an instructor... then this was basically an auto-fail. And the worst part, he didn't even know what kind of punishment the system would throw at him if he lost.
He sighed. There wasn't much he could do at this point, and deep down, he'd already accepted his fate. Taking in a quiet breath, Kuro stepped into the ring and stopped a few feet away from the man. "This will be very simple..." the instructor started, his voice calm but firm. "The usage of Jutsu is strictly prohibited."
Kuro let out a small breath of relief. At least there was now a reason he couldn't use his Jutsu's, which he wasn't going to use in the first place.
"All you have to do is show me what you've got," the instructor continued, rolling his shoulders. "Would you rather go hand-to-hand or Bukijutsu?" He sounded relaxed, too relaxed, like either choice would end in the same result.
Kuro thought it over for a moment.
Hand-to-hand was his best bet. At least there, he had a real shot. With all the time he'd spent training in the military back in his old world, hand-to-hand was second nature.
Weapons? Not so much. He had some training with them, but not enough to feel confident to use against a Chuunin. His focus had always been on firearms and close-quarters combat. And in this world? Guns didn't exist. That left hand-to-hand as his best option. "Hand-to-hand," Kuro said making his choice.
The instructor gave a short nod, adjusting his stance. His expression didn't change, calm and unreadable. "Alright… let's go."
Kuro nodded and brought his hands up, spreading his feet slightly. His stance was solid but mobile, something drilled into him from muscle memory. Even if this wasn't his world, that part of him hadn't changed.
They circled each other at first.
No one moved.
The instructor made the first step, a faint shift of his front foot. That was all Kuro saw before the man blurred forward. There was no warning, no windup, no signal. Just pure speed. Kuro barely managed to tilt his head to the side as the Chuunin's fist cut through the space where his jaw had been half a second ago.
He stumbled back, foot dragging against the mat, and quickly reset his stance.
'Fast...' Kuro narrowed his eyes. 'Too fast...'
The Chuunin didn't give him time to think. He stepped in again, this time with a low sweeping kick aimed at Kuro's legs. Kuro jumped back, but not fast enough, the inside of his shin took the tail end of the kick, and he hissed through his teeth, sliding backward.
Kuro didn't backup completely. Instead, he pushed forward before the Chuunin could reset back into his stance. He lunged in, his left foot stomping into the mat as he twisted his body, using the torque to bring his right leg swinging in low and fast.
The Chuunin blocked with his shin, barely moving an inch.
But that was okay. Kuro had already pivoted.
Using the rebound, he spun off his left foot, bringing his elbow up and over in a downward arc toward the man's shoulder. The Chuunin leaned back just slightly, enough to dodge it clean, and countered with a stiff palm to Kuro's chest.
Kuro's breath left him in a grunt as he staggered back. Before he could reset, a blur of motion shot forward. The Chuunin was already there, driving a fist straight into Kuro's ribs.
"Tch—!"
The hit was clean, direct, and it sent him reeling. He flew back, his feet barely touching the ground before his back slammed against the mat.
For a moment, he laid there, staring up at the ceiling.
Kuro forced himself up with a groan. His side screamed at him, but he stood anyway.
"You done?" the instructor asked.
Kuro shook his head, his fists raising again. "Not yet."
'I can't track him... he's too damn fast.' Kuro grunted, eyes narrowing as he clenched his fists.
'Status screen.'
━─━─━─≪◈ STATS ◈≫─━─━─━
[NAME] ➤ Kuroshin Kagemura
[AGE] ➤ 13
[LEVEL] ➤ 17
◇───INFO───◇
[JOB] ➤ NONE
[TITLES] ➤ Courage Of The Weak...
[HP] ➤ 518.9/520
[CP] ➤ 1330/1330 (GENIN)
[FATIGUE] ➤ 20
[AVAILABLE ABILITY POINTS: 19 ]...
◇───STATS───◇
[STRENGTH] ➤ 42.5
[AGILITY] ➤ 29.5
[SENSE] ➤ 26.5
[HEALTH] ➤ 32.5
[INTELLIGENCE] ➤ 33
◇───SKILLS───◇
[BASIC TAIJUTSU TECHNIQUES] ➤Lv.8 (PASSIVE.) [ Basic Melee attacks inflicted on an opponent is increased by 22%. ]
[BASIC SHURIKENJUTSU TECHNIQUES]Lv.5 (Passive) [ When throwing small concealed weapons, damage inflicted is increased by 16%.]
[WIND AFFINITY] ➤ Lv.4 (PASSIVE.) [ Whenever a Wind Style jutsu is used, its power is increased by 40%.]
[BASIC KUNAI TECHNIQUES]Lv.10 (PASSIVE) [ Basic kunai attacks inflicted on an opponent are increased by 27%.]
◇───JUTSU'S───◇
[TRANSFORMATION JUTSU] ➤ Lv.11
[BASIC CLONE JUTSU] ➤ Lv.11
[SUBSTITUTION JUTSU] ➤ Lv.11
[VACUUM BLADE JUTSU] ➤Lv.4
[GALE PALM JUTSU] ➤Lv.3
━─━─━─━─≪◆≫─━─━─━─━
'If I can't match him in strength, then I'll beat him in speed. All of it, every last point goes into speed.' He didn't hesitate, dumping all 19 ability points into the stat.
The moment he confirmed it, a sharp jolt shot through his legs, locking them in place like a sudden cramp. But just as quickly, it faded. His body felt lighter... Faster... Like the weight on him had been cut in half.
His fingers curled slightly as he took a breather, letting his body adjust. He shifted his feet along the floor slowly, testing his weight. It wasn't just in his legs, his whole body felt like paper, like the air around him had thinned.
The Chuunin narrowed his eyes, arms loose at his sides, but still on guard.
Then, the Chuunin moved. A sharp step forward followed by a feinting left jab, fast, but not fast enough this time. Kuro saw the shoulder twitch. He watched as the hips tighten before he fired a strike towards his face. He ducked low, letting the punch fly harmlessly past his head. His feet slid across the mat, moving him at an angle away from the Chuunin's center line.
'I can read him now… his form, his stance. It's kickboxing... but not just that. He's mixing in other elements..elbows, knees, maybe some grappling. But it's loose...' Kuro's eyes flicked to the Chuunin's front leg as he readied a follow-up. Another quick jab, this time followed by a sweeping roundhouse.
Kuro stepped in, not back.
His arm shot up to shield against the kick, letting it roll off his forearm. At the same time, he pivoted on his heel and sent a hard stomp toward the Chuunin's planted foot, not to break it, but to throw off his balance. The Chuunin stumbled back a step, clearly not expecting the move.
"Hah... not bad," the Chuunin muttered, the grin on his face twitching.
He came in faster now, closing the distance with a low dash, throwing a jab-jab-hook combo. Kuro's body twisted away from the first two strikes, his hands rising to redirect the hook, then sharply pivoted his hip to drive his elbow toward the Chuunin's ribs.
The strike glanced off, barely catching flesh, but it was enough to make the older shinobi grunt and leap back. 'How did this kid get so fast..!?' the Chuunin didn't have time to question it before he moved in again, with his fists tight and high. He sent a jab toward Kuro's face, but Kuro batted it away with the back of his hand, stepping in close, his fingers wrapping around the Chuunin's wrist. Quickly, he yanked it down, using his own shoulder as leverage, and delivered a quick knee to the inner thigh.
The Chuunin winced and backed off, but Kuro wasn't done.
Closing the gap, Kuro fainted low, drawing the Chuunin's hands downward. Then, with a sharp twist of his foot, he spun outward and brought his elbow in a slicing arc up toward the man's jaw, barely missing.
But the Chuunin reacted late.
Kuro's hand lashed out, catching the Chuunin's elbow mid-pivot and dragging it downward, unbalancing him. With the split-second opening, Kuro stepped in, one foot sliding to the outside of the Chuunin's stance, the other planted firmly behind him.
In a swift burst, Kuro leaned in, driving his weight into his lead leg, and with a clean, tight twist of his hips, he brought his right fist in a crushing upward arc, slamming square into the bottom of the Chuunin's jaw.
[CRITICAL HIT!]
As Kuro's fist connected, a sudden surge of power flooded his body, like something had just clicked. In that instant, it felt like his strength had tripled. He followed through the motion, driving every ounce of that force into the Chuunin's jaw.
CRACK!
He felt the crack.
The Chuunin's feet left the ground as his body flung backward like a ragdoll before crashing into the floor on the outside of the ring, completely unconscious.
Kuro stood still, staring at his own fist as thin wisps of steam rose off his bare knuckles. "Wha…Wha-t the fuck?" he muttered under his breath. He blinked, trying to process what just happened. That hit shouldn't have done that much damage especially not to a Chuunin. He thought it would at best stagger him, not send him flying across the room.
[CRITICAL HIT!] – A new skill has been added to DEX.
[Skill Info – CRITICAL HIT: A regular attack now has a 25% chance to strike a critical point, dealing increased damage.] — This skill can evolve...
Kuro's gaze shifted toward the glowing notification hovering just above his vision. The words flickered for a moment before settling into place, and a wry smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Well...damn," he muttered under his breath, letting out a quiet chuckle as he flexed the hand that had just sent a Chuunin flying. His knuckles still tingled from the impact.
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NOTICE!!
[ YOU'VE COMPLETED THE "THE GENIN IN TRAINING, PART 2..." QUEST! ]
OBJECTIVE COMPLETED:
➤ Defeat the Instructor in Combat.
[1 / 1]
distrubting rewards...
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[ SELECT YOUR REWARD!! ]
CHOOSE A REWARD FROM THE LIST BELOW..
REWARD 1: STATUS RECOVERY
REWARD 2: ABILITY POINTS +5
REWARD 3: RANDOM LOOT BOX
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