"Flaws?" Naruto blinked, his blue eyes lighting up. "Yamato-sensei! Then, what are my strengths?"
Yamato gave a faint smile.
"Your physical strength and stamina are remarkable. Though you make many unnecessary moves when attacking, your speed and explosive power show that you've worked hard on your physical condition. Moreover…" Yamato paused, adding with amusement, "You've been hanging upside down from a tree for quite a while without showing signs of cerebral congestion. That says a lot about your endurance."
"Jejeje!" Naruto scratched the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed but clearly pleased by the compliment.
Yamato then shifted his gaze to Sakura.
"As for you, while your physical performance is satisfactory, what stands out is your ability to apply textbook lessons in real combat. That's not a common trait."
"Huh...?" Sakura frowned. "Is that really an advantage?"
Yamato nodded. "Knowledge alone isn't power."
"Applying it is what makes the difference. I've met many people with excellent theoretical knowledge, but when faced with real situations, they freeze up or forget everything. The fact that you could use what you learned in your first real battle shows you have a strong mindset. And that, for a ninja, is invaluable."
"Wow! So Sakura is amazing!" Naruto was impressed.
Even though he'd spent six years in the same classroom as her, in Naruto's mind, Sakura had always been more of a cute and temperamental girl than someone with notable abilities.
Now he was starting to see her in a new light.
Sakura said nothing, but a smile appeared on her face. Inside, she was thrilled. Although her friend Ino always encouraged her, Sakura had never taken her words seriously, seeing them more as friendly consolation.
However, hearing praise from Yamato and Naruto filled her with genuine happiness.
Meanwhile, Yamato, though satisfied, shook his head.
While you applied the knowledge correctly, blindly relying on the book without adapting to the real situation is a major limitation. But this can be corrected over time.
Naruto, unable to contain his curiosity, suddenly asked, "Sensei! What about Kuro? Sakura and I have flaws, but… what about him?"
Sakura, equally intrigued, turned toward Yamato.
Neither had seen the fight between Kuro and Yamato and wanted to know what a jōnin thought of their teammate.
Even Kuro looked up, interested in hearing Yamato's evaluation.
Yamato, surprised by the question, was thoughtful for a moment before coughing lightly.
"Well… he has many strengths and, of course, some flaws… but, in summary, it's enough to say he's better than you two."
"What?!" Naruto frowned. "That doesn't count as an answer!"
"The ninja's path requires knowing when to suppress curiosity."
"That has nothing to do with it!"
"Anyway, let's leave the questions for now. To celebrate the establishment of Team 7, I'll take you to the Mori no Yu Onsen, and the teacher's paying."
"Long live Yamato-sensei!" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed in unison, completely forgetting the topic.
Kuro, however, felt a bit disappointed. He genuinely wanted to know how Yamato viewed him.
Then, the group followed Yamato south of Konoha.
The Mori no Yu Onsen was a prestigious hot spring hotel.
As Konoha's real estate magnate, Yamato spared no expense. He booked a private courtyard for the team, allowing them to enjoy the hot springs in complete privacy.
After the bath, he treated them to a sumptuous dinner.
The menu was truly luxurious.
A lobster sashimi cost 3,000 ryo, and a bottle of sake reached 1,000 ryo. Compared to this, the 60 ryo price of a ramen at Ichiraku or 300 ryo for a bottle of alcohol seemed like commoner prices.
Even the exclusive Yakiniku Q paled in comparison to the costs at Mori no Yu.
Naruto, unaware of the prices, ate nonstop, while Sakura tried to maintain composure, though she clearly enjoyed the dishes.
Kuro, on the other hand, couldn't help but wonder if Yamato had overdone it with the celebration.
Definitely, this is the upside of having Yamato-sensei…
...
Konoha, in a dark room.
Three ANBU sat, waiting in the silence of the room, visibly bored.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Sasuke entered, wearing the ANBU uniform with a katana slung across his back.
The three turned their gazes to him, their eyes scanning Sasuke up and down, evaluating him without hiding their scrutiny.
"Isn't he just a kid?" one of them asked disdainfully.
The other two said nothing, but their expressions and looks made their disdain and distrust clear.
Sasuke's eyes turned cold, and he was about to respond when a figure from the other side of the room stepped forward.
He also wore an ANBU uniform, with a mask covering his face and a forehead protector hiding his left eye. His silver-gray hair was unmistakable: it was Kakashi.
Kakashi glanced at the ANBU who had spoken and said calmly:
"Don't judge a book by its cover. That's a basic principle for ninjas."
"Even if you say so, he's still a brat. No matter how you look at it," one of them replied.
Kakashi didn't respond and instead looked directly at Sasuke, who remained expressionless.
"You heard them. The words are harsh, but that's how ANBU is. If you want to earn your comrades' trust, show your strength."
Sasuke tilted his head slightly.
"All I need to do is show strength?"
"That's right."
One of the ANBU pulled the long knife from his back and placed it against Sasuke's neck.
"Here, we walk the line between life and death. I don't want someone inexperienced putting me in danger in a critical moment."
Sasuke didn't look away.
Instead, he slowly turned his head toward him, his black eyes transforming into blood-red with two tomoe spinning within them.
...
The sun set, and night fell over Konoha.
After a hearty dinner, Yamato informed Team 7 of the meeting time and place for the next day, then dismissed them.
Kuro went straight home.
In his living room dojo, he took out a small bottle containing some hairs.
They were Yamato's.
They had been accidentally cut during their time at the hot springs, and Kuro had found them in the trash bin when no one was around.
Holding the bottle with some disgust, he carefully removed the hairs.
[Special Material "Magnate's Hair" detected.
This material can be used to forge the following special accessories:
"Weak God Tree Crystal"
"Portable Cabin"
"Super Golden Garbage"
"Construction Master"
"Tool Man"
Do you wish to proceed with forging?]
Instantly, several objects appeared before him.
A translucent green crystal the size of a thumb, emitting a faint light, a small Japanese-style model house that fit in his palm, a golden pouch of the same size, and two tiny figurines.
"God Tree Crystal?!"
Kuro was momentarily stunned, unable to react.
How is Yamato related to the Shinju?
Shouldn't this be a crystal of Mokuton or Hashirama's chakra?
Intrigued, he examined the crystal in his hand. Information about the accessory appeared in his retina.
[Special Item: "Weak God Tree Crystal"
This crystal, derived from the God Tree's power, contains a small fraction of its essence. Absorbing it grants the user the God Tree's ability, known as "Mokuton."]
"Mokuton comes from the Shinju?!"
His eyes widened in shock.
Until then, he'd always believed Mokuton was created through the fusion of Earth and Water chakra natures as part of the Senju's Kekkei Genkai.
The idea that it was connected to the Divine Tree was entirely new to him.
Holding the crystal in his hand, he hesitated.
________
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