Night had fallen by the time Hanekawa said goodbye to Tsunade and headed home. After half a day of intensive study, he'd basically mastered the Body Flicker Technique—the most fundamental teleportation jutsu in any ninja's arsenal.

  [D-Rank Ninjutsu Entry: Body Flicker Technique]

  [Trigger Condition: Successfully perform this ninjutsu]

  [Effect: This ninjutsu automatically reaches proficient level]

  The sensation reminded him of sprinting in video games from his past life. Channel chakra into your legs, boost your speed, achieve rapid movement. Simple. Elegant. Effective.

  Hanekawa took a deep breath and opened his Ability System. Time to synthesize.

  The first entry was straightforward—a C-Rank talent he'd been working toward.

  [C-Rank Talent Entry: Swift as Wind]

  [Trigger Condition: Combined from D-Rank 'Body Flicker Technique,' D-Rank 'Sword Technique Genin,' and D-Rank 'Wind Style Genin']

  [Effect: Leg speed increases by 100%. Ninja tool attack speed increases by 50%]

  Not bad. Very not bad.

  The effects were improvements on the original entries rather than something completely broken, but that was fine. He'd take a hundred-percent speed boost any day of the week.

  Hanekawa drew his samurai sword and tested it. The blade whistled through the air with satisfying speed before embedding itself in the ground. He retrieved it, then pushed off with his legs, running forward like the wind itself.

  After a few seconds, he stopped and grinned. Leg strength is definitely the real MVP here.

  His normal speed now felt like he'd permanently activated half of the Body Flicker Technique. Might Guy probably wouldn't be able to outrun him anymore—and more importantly, he could save his own life faster if things went sideways.

  An idea struck him. What if he used the Body Flicker Technique while running?

  He started moving again, forming hand seals as he sprinted. The chakra gathered, and his body dissolved into shadow.

  So fast!

  The wind whipped across his face like invisible blades, his hair and clothes streaming behind him. He suppressed the excitement and opened his Ability System again.

  The second synthesis was the one he'd been anticipating most.

  [B-Rank Talent Entry: Sealless Healing]

  [Trigger Condition: Combined from C-Rank 'Medical Chunin,' C-Rank 'Robust Constitution,' and C-Rank 'Swift as Wind']

  [Effect: Body's self-healing ability increases by 150% from baseline]

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  [Note: Can be synthesized with A-Rank 'Earth Style Jonin' and A-Rank 'Water Style Jonin' to create A-Rank 'Wood Style (Yamato Version)']

  Hanekawa's eyes lit up. Wood Style. Yamato-level.

  In the original series, sealless healing was a gift from Hashirama Senju's absurdly powerful body—cells that remained active even after death. Hanekawa probably couldn't reach that level, but this entry would get him close enough.

  He tested it with a kunai, cutting the back of his hand. Five seconds later, the wound sealed itself. Slow, but already incredible. No player wanted to fight a monster with regeneration.

  But what really caught his attention was the synthesis path. To create Yamato-level Wood Style, he needed both Earth Style and Water Style at Jonin rank.

  That's... actually a problem.

  He was born with only Lightning and Fire affinities. Normally, he wouldn't touch other elements until becoming a Chunin. But waiting that long wasn't an option.

  The best solution was to extract talents from other people. He'd already gotten Fire from Obito and Lightning from Kakashi. The system had never explained its selection criteria, but maybe he could test it.

  Uchiha Shisui came to mind. Obito's Fire talent was still E-Rank because Obito was relatively weak. But Shisui? Shisui was elite. If the system could upgrade based on the source's strength, Shisui would definitely qualify.

  I'll test it next time we spar.

  ---

  The first day of third-year classes arrived.

  The morning lesson covered trap-setting techniques. Hanekawa yawned through most of it. Tsunade had already taught him this—in far greater detail and depth. The traps their instructor Eiichiro demonstrated were basic stuff, suitable for freshly graduated Genin.

  His gaze drifted across the classroom and landed on Kakashi Hatake.

  Right. Kakashi has Earth Style too.

  The dog-head carving on the Earth Style wall was practically his signature. Next time they sparred with swords, Hanekawa would push him to use Earth Style jutsu. That would give him a chance to extract the talent.

  He withdrew his attention and pulled out Tsunade's notebook—her personal research on chakra nature transformations and practical experience. Far more useful than anything Eiichiro was saying.

  The instructor noticed him reading but said nothing. Before, he might have complained. Now? Eiichiro couldn't afford to offend Hanekawa. Last month, when he'd gotten injured, the medical ninja who treated him had been Hanekawa himself.

  There was an old saying in the ninja world: never offend the medical ninja.

  ---

  Hokage's Office

  The door exploded inward.

  "Which bastard—" Hiruzen Sarutobi started, then sighed when he saw Tsunade. "Will you ever learn to knock?"

  Of his three legendary students, Jiraiya used the main entrance, Tsunade kicked doors open, and Orochimaru pushed them gently. None of them knocked. Add Danzo Shimura bursting through daily, and the door was probably exhausted.

  "What's this about rumors concerning Hatake Sakumo?" Tsunade demanded without preamble.

  Hiruzen blinked. "What rumors?"

  Tsunade's frown deepened. She explained what she'd heard—whispers about Sakumo's competence, his reliability, his judgment.

  Hiruzen's expression darkened as he listened. He already knew who was responsible. Danzo Shimura. And he understood why, even if he didn't approve.

  Sakumo hadn't yet made the catastrophic mistake that would define him in the original timeline. In Hiruzen's assessment, Danzo was being unreasonable.

  "Ninjas work themselves to exhaustion completing missions," Tsunade said coldly, "and when they return home, they're met with gossip and slander. Are you qualified to be Hokage?"

  "The rumors will fade," Hiruzen said, feeling guilty. "At least they're only circulating among ninja, not the general population."

  "They better stay that way," Tsunade warned, turning to leave.

  "Tsunade." Hiruzen's voice stopped her at the door. "Who do you think should be the next Hokage?"

  She looked back at him, frowning. The question hung in the air between them, heavy with implication.