"Are all people from the Land of Lightning this talented?"
Kurenai Yūhi declined Asuma Sarutobi's offer of candy. She was afraid of eating too much sugar and getting fat.
Asuma Sarutobi could be considered her childhood friend.
She and Asuma Sarutobi had known each other since before they started school.
"I have family members who have fought Hidden Cloud ninjas, and they say so," Asuma Sarutobi said.
Images of burly men with dark, rough skin flashed in his mind.
In no way did they look like the slender Kiyoshi.
"But Kiyoshi's skin isn't even dark," Asuma Sarutobi noted.
He had heard from the Old Man (Hiruzen Sarutobi) that while most of the Hidden Cloud Village were dark-skinned, there were also some very fair-skinned people.
Of course, the consistent characteristic was that they were all strongly built.
He wondered how they managed to train their bodies like that.
"Who knows."
Kurenai Yūhi shook her head.
She wasn't particularly interested in how strong Kiyoshi was in Taijutsu.
What she really wanted to know was Kiyoshi's talent in Genjutsu.
She had always heard from her father that Uchiha clan ninjas were extremely powerful in Genjutsu, and every person who awakened the Sharingan was a Genjutsu master.
Kurenai Yūhi disagreed with this point.
In her mind, her father, who had reached the pinnacle of Genjutsu, only achieved that level through a lifetime of effort.
How could any random Sharingan surpass that?
Kiyoshi was the only one in their grade who had awakened the Sharingan.
It was even rumored to have alarmed Lady Tsunade to go and examine him.
Kiyoshi felt a gaze and looked over.
It was Kurenai Yūhi.
Why was she looking at him?
After thinking for a moment, Kiyoshi ignored the matter. He occasionally responded to the conversations around him, focusing on the panel in front of him.
[Trait: Long Distance Runner (White).]
[Achievement Requirement: Run 5 kilometers.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: Your lower body strength has increased, making you better adapted to long journeys. Your leg strength is increased by 5% above the original base.]
[Note: Can be upgraded later.]
"I gained a new Trait in just a little over one class."
Kiyoshi closed the panel. A hot current seemed to flow into his lower limbs, integrating into every cell, and he could feel his muscles becoming more solid.
He should get some benefit when using kicking techniques in Taijutsu.
"I wonder if other training methods, like rock climbing or shuriken throwing, will continue to trigger corresponding Traits." Kiyoshi pondered.
"Kiyoshi, are you contemplating the meaning of youth?" Might Guy asked in the tone of someone who had found a kindred spirit.
"..."
Kiyoshi said nothing.
Ten minutes later, after Instructor felt the students were rested enough, he announced the results.
"Might Guy is first, Kakashi is second..."
He began to read the list. Kiyoshi's final ranking was sixth.
Kiyoshi's expression showed no change regarding this.
He had only just started training. Reaching sixth place so quickly was sufficient proof of his physical talent.
It should be noted that others had been undergoing physical training every semester, yet he surpassed them.
No wonder Nonō Yakushi said he was suitable to be a Taijutsu ninja.
"Alright, everyone, remember to prepare for the sparring class one week from now. Here is the list."
The instructor read out the list for the upcoming week.
Because of Kiyoshi, the transfer student, the class originally had an even number of students, allowing everyone to have a sparring partner. Now, there was one extra person.
Iruka Umino thought for a moment, saw Obito walking over to talk to Rin, and said:
"Obito, you are tentatively scheduled to spar with Kiyoshi next week. The list is rotated weekly."
Obito was stunned.
Wasn't this his chance to perform well?
If he defeated Kiyoshi in front of Rin, he could let Rin know that the guy was only lucky last time.
"I understand, Instructor!" Obito shouted loudly.
"Mm."
Instructor nodded.
Obito's grades were not great, but his attitude towards learning was positive.
It just so happened that Obito's Taijutsu scores were among the lowest, which would allow Kiyoshi, the transfer student, to adapt well.
"Alright, dismissed."
The announced the end of class.
And the day's lessons came to an end.
After school, Kiyoshi still went to Rin Nohara, asking her to teach him more about chakra control.
This time, Kakashi and Obito were also there.
Kiyoshi trained diligently, just like yesterday.
Today's content was still Tree Climbing, but they chose a taller tree.
This demanded a much more rigorous level of chakra control for a prolonged period.
When the twilight glow sprinkled through the forest, Kiyoshi was the first to choose to leave.
"Kiyoshi, you're leaving so early today?"
"I've been in the Hidden Leaf Village for a month now. I want to go out and try some of the local delicacies."
"I see."
Rin Nohara nodded.
Some street vendor food was indeed good. She knew a little girl named Anko Mitarashi who often went to a shop to drink red bean soup, which she liked to eat with dumplings.
***
After Kiyoshi left, he didn't immediately go home but wandered the streets of the Hidden Leaf Village.
Finally, he casually entered an ordinary shop, a "sushi shop."
He had just entered, and before he could speak, an employee walked over.
"You're here for our newly developed dish, the Squid Sushi, aren't you?"
The female employee had short blonde hair, and her employee apron barely covered her ample chest, revealing the gray top underneath.
Samui!
Kiyoshi had a strong impression of this woman.
She was one of the few women in the original work who could rival Tsunade.
No other reason—she was *big*.
A moment later, Kiyoshi withdrew his gaze. He looked at her pretty face, frowning slightly.
Samui looked like she was already in her teens. This didn't match the timeline in the original work at all.
Had his transmigration caused some kind of butterfly effect?
"I'm here for the Squid Sushi," Kiyoshi followed Samui's lead.
Samui was from the Hidden Cloud. Being here must have been at the instruction of the Hidden Cloud higher-ups.
Her coming over to talk to him probably meant she recognized his face.
"You are the first customer to taste this new dish. Please follow me."
Samui led Kiyoshi further inside. "This is a newly researched dish, and the squid must be the freshest. This step requires the customer to designate it personally."
Soon, they arrived at a room storing many glass fish tanks.
The glass fish tanks held many fish, and the filters' pipes let out many bubbles floating on the water's surface.
Samui did not stop but placed her hand on the wall.
Black sealing technique patterns flashed, and an opening appeared in the wall.
A deep, secluded passageway was revealed before Kiyoshi.
At the very end, a man with dreadlocks turned around, looking quite conspicuous.
"Kiyoshi Yotsuki, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Samatodo."
"Yotsuki is a surname of the past. I am Uchiha," Kiyoshi said faintly.
Samatodo's hairstyle was normal in the Hidden Leaf Village. In the first part of the series, Iruka gave Konohamaru and the other students an outdoor lesson, and Hiruzen Sarutobi came to inspect and teach the students about the Will of Fire.
There were children with dreadlocks in that scene.
So it was quite common.