24. If You Don’t Work Hard, You’ll Become a Toy for Women

"I... I'll be back!"

Sarutobi Asuma didn't know what to say, so he forced out a harsh parting line.

He turned and left the field, feeling the weight of everyone's gazes, unable to stand still.

If it weren't for the fact that class was still in session, he would have bolted long ago.

Hanekawa couldn't help but smile.

Oh, Asuma, Asuma.

He had done it on purpose.

He didn't even need to guess what Asuma had trained in. Knowing that, he simply countered it.

Not only did it allow him to win easily, but it also left Asuma feeling deeply unsatisfied, ensuring he'd return for a rematch.

A perfect plan.

"Kunai can be this useful?"

Nohara Rin's eyes sparkled with interest.

"It's not because he's strong—it's because we Uchiha are strong," Obito Uchiha interjected, noticing her reaction and feeling a sense of crisis. "He's copying us Uchiha!"

"Why have I never seen you use it?" Rin asked, puzzled.

As a ninja from a civilian background, her only contact with the Uchiha clan was Obito.

"Uh... well... uh..."

Obito broke out in a cold sweat.

Seeing his reaction, Rin didn't press further, assuming he was just being stubborn and spouting nonsense again.

Kakashi Hatake shook his head slightly.

Obito was half right.

Using threads to control kunai was indeed a signature technique favored by the Uchiha clan.

With their Sharingan granting superior dynamic vision, such techniques were relatively easy for them to master.

But Hanekawa didn't have a Sharingan.

This demonstrated his impressive proficiency with weapon manipulation.

Even so, the fact that Hanekawa chose not to use genjutsu was unexpected.

Poor Asuma had been completely outplayed.

But to Kakashi, this was useful intelligence.

When the final exams came around, he'd know to be wary of Hanekawa's skill with thrown weapons.

As soon as the practical combat class ended, Asuma bolted out of the room.

He wanted to leave the scene of his humiliation as quickly as possible.

Bang!

The sound startled Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been lounging on the sofa, smoking.

What's going on? Did Danzo storm in, slamming doors again?

Turning his head, he saw Asuma standing there, looking utterly dejected.

"Lost again?" Hiruzen blurted out.

"..."

Asuma flinched as if physically struck, taking yet another critical hit.

I haven't even said a word, and you already assume I lost?

Damn it! Ninjas are the worst!

Asuma stormed into his room and locked the door.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, he felt a wave of gloom envelop him.

He suddenly had the urge to smoke.

Images of his father enjoying a leisurely puff of smoke popped into his mind.

---

In the living room, Hiruzen waited a moment before receiving a detailed report of the match between Asuma and Hanekawa from the ANBU operative Haru.

The report was short—so short that Hiruzen almost couldn't believe it.

Asuma wasn't the top genius of his generation, but with abundant resources backing him, he wasn't far behind.

Before the match, Hiruzen had expected Hanekawa to lose the rematch, given that Asuma had undergone two weeks of intensive training.

But after reading the report, Hiruzen understood.

The loss wasn't undeserved.

Hanekawa had completely anticipated Asuma's strategy and outmaneuvered him with ease.

This was what Hiruzen called battle intelligence.

It reminded him of Minato Namikaze, who possessed an extraordinary level of battle intelligence. Even when facing stronger opponents, Minato could hold his own.

"This is quite the unexpected discovery," Hiruzen mused.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his beard thoughtfully.

Hanekawa's performance satisfied him, but Asuma wasn't bad either.

The past two weeks of effort hadn't gone unnoticed; in fact, it filled Hiruzen with pride.

The saying goes: Diligence makes up for lack of talent.

If Asuma could maintain this level of dedication, he might eventually catch up to Hanekawa.

Who knows? The Sarutobi clan might produce another Hokage someday.

"Asuma," Hiruzen called out from the door. "Do you know why you lost?"

After a few seconds, the door creaked open.

"Why?" Asuma asked stiffly.

"Lack of combat experience," Hiruzen replied with a smile. "Focusing solely on countering genjutsu wasn't enough."

"What should I do?" Asuma asked instinctively.

"Do you want to learn? I can teach you," Hiruzen said, raising his voice slightly. "After all, I am the Hokage!"

---

Saturday arrived quickly.

Aside from attending classes, Hanekawa spent most of his time practicing the Konoha-Style Swordsmanship, progressing to about 30% proficiency.

But today wasn't about sword training; it was about studying medicine.

After breakfast, Hanekawa leisurely made his way to the Konoha Hospital.

"Hanekawa, here again, huh?"

"You've grown taller—let me take a closer look!"

"Have you eaten yet? Want to come to my room?"

On his way, several nurses greeted him cheerfully.

Since Hanekawa often visited the hospital to borrow books, he had grown familiar with them.

Being handsome and having connections to Nonō Yakushi naturally made him quite popular.

Hanekawa had come to understand one thing deeply: If you don't work hard, you'll end up as a toy for women.

Finally, he reached Nonō Yakushi's office, and the lively atmosphere quieted down.

Hanekawa raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in," came Nonō Yakushi's voice.

"Dr. Nonō—" Hanekawa said, but froze mid-sentence.

Sitting at the desk wasn't Nonō Yakushi—it was Tsunade.

"Hey, kid. Long time no see," Tsunade said, resting her chin on the back of her hand.

She leaned forward slightly, her considerable meats pressing against the desk and drawing attention to her silhouette.

"Lady Tsunade," Hanekawa quickly recovered and greeted her politely.

"I heard from Nonō that you've been studying medical ninjutsu lately?" Tsunade asked with a smile.

"Yes, I've been studying," Hanekawa replied sheepishly. "But I haven't made much progress."

"Reading alone won't help—you need hands-on practice," Tsunade said, standing up. "It just so happens that Nonō and I have a surgery coming up. You can observe."

"Understood," Hanekawa said, his eyes lighting up.

Practical experience was the best teacher. Plus, this was an opportunity to build rapport with Tsunade—a win-win situation for him.

Nonō Yakushi, however, looked slightly concerned.

She worried that Hanekawa might not be able to handle the sight of blood.

"Let's go," Tsunade said, leading the way out.

She had agreed to this mainly as a favor to Nonō. How much Hanekawa could learn would depend on his own abilities.

___

"Lady Tsunade, please, I'm counting on you. He's the sole survivor," a young man with blond hair greeted them at the entrance to the operating room.

"I'll do my best, Inoichi," Tsunade said seriously.

Yamanaka Inoichi?

Hanekawa thought to himself.

The Yamanaka clan's memory inspection was the reason he'd awakened his past-life memories and gained the system.

But Yamanaka Inoichi was the head of the Yamanaka clan. For him and Tsunade to be personally involved, the patient must be someone extraordinary.

Hanekawa followed Nonō into the operating room.

A thick scent of blood filled the air, causing him to wrinkle his nose and feel a slight wave of nausea.

To his surprise, the ninja lying on the operating table appeared utterly ordinary—just a typical chunin.

______

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