[Asuma Training Diary]
September 4th: Since learning that my respected father is so formidable, I've decided to use him as a role model and strive to become the Strongest Hokage! I am starting this new diary to motivate myself to put more effort into this semester, at least to learn the Great Fireball Jutsu...
September 5th: Intensively practising Fire-Style Nature Transformation. A good harvest—I feel one step closer to the goal of becoming the Strongest Hokage.
September 6th to September 11th: Continue intensive training in Fire-Style Nature Transformation.
September 12th: During the sealing class, I mastered the drawing of the four basic runes. Natsuhiko sensei asked me to "test" it with the duelling disk. If it were the old me, I would be very excited. However, I've changed now and don't care about these childish things. But since sensei said so, I'll give it a try...
September 13th: Playing cards.
September 14th: Playing cards.
September 15th: Playing cards.
September 16th: Asuma, oh Asuma! How can you be so degenerate? Have you forgotten the study plan you set earlier?... I can't continue like this!
September 17th: Playing cards.
September 18th: Playing cards.
...
September 23rd: Playing cards. Today, I heard Natsuhiko sensei say, "Every day, examine yourself. Did you do picture talismans? Did you play cards? Did you win?" I deeply agreed, so I played a few more rounds.
...
October 1st: Indeed, human abilities have limits. The goal of becoming the Strongest Hokage is too distant. I've decided to set a more achievable goal: to become a Sealing Jutsu Master like Natsuhiko sensei... I won't aim to be Hokage anymore, father!
...
October 4th: Waiting in line for a card game. Recently, everyone can use new beginner decks, so it takes a long time for my turn. It's torture, but it gives me time to study deck construction... Oh, it seems there's something happening in the duelling area. I'll go take a look...
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In the Sealing Jutsu class's dedicated tiered classroom:
As usual, this place was open for students to practise drawing runes on cards and test their rune-drawing skills using duelling disks.
However, unlike usual, an unexpected incident during a duel attracted the attention of many young ninjas.
"My grandfather is gone..."
On the duelling field, a student, wearing a duelling disk, was immersed in sorrow, repeatedly murmuring this phrase.
His opponent, standing opposite to him and currently in a duel, was scratching his head, not wanting to rush the grieving opponent.
The surrounding young ninjas also wore solemn expressions, as if they were not witnessing a card game but attending a funeral.
"Hey, what's wrong with this chubby kid?"
Having finally squeezed to the front of the onlookers, Asuma, not fully aware of the situation, seized Genma Shiranui by the side and asked.
"The card got burned."
Genma glanced at Asuma and succinctly explained.
Then he puckered his lips and gestured with the Senbon in his mouth to Asuma to look at the boy's hand.
Observing him on the duelling field, Asuma saw that he was holding a slightly charred card.
Seeing this, Asuma couldn't help but feel his mouth twitching.
"Seriously? I thought something major had happened, and he could just ask sensei for another card."
Asuma shook his head in disbelief.
"Is that it?"
The term "card burning" they mentioned was a new term invented by these card enthusiasts. It referred to the phenomenon where, when placing a card on the duelling disk, the projection failed to activate. Instead, it burned due to excessive chakra flow. Apart from errors during talisman drawing, a more common situation was internal ageing caused by excessive use of the cards' seals.
As everyone had been playing Geki-nin for a while, the lifespan of the first batch of cards had gradually come to an end, and this situation was not uncommon.
So, Asuma still couldn't comprehend the scene before him.
Was it necessary to be so sad over burning a card?
Seeing Asuma's confusion, Genma explained again, "Asuma, you forgot Shimura clan already asked Natsuhiko sensei to stop the issuance of cards related to them, so his grandfather Shimura's sword cards have stopped being issued. The one he just burned was the last one."
im
"Unlike us. He burned his own family's limited edition card , and he won't have any more in the future."
"So that's how it is."
Asuma then remembered this matter.
"That's indeed a bit unfortunate."
Asuma looked at Shimura mournfully, finally blending into the sombre atmosphere around him.
As a seasoned card player, Asuma naturally understood what a card of one's ancestor meant to a student from a ninja family.
Regardless of their strength, everyone spontaneously added their ancestor's card to their deck as a mainstay.
It was an honour to fight side by side with their ancestors.
Asuma was no exception.
The ace of his deck was his grandfather, "Sarutobi Sasuke."
Asuma's real-life grandfather had passed away when he was three years old.
So his memories of his grandfather were very vague, only recalling that he used to sneakily give him candy, leading to complaints from his mother.
It wasn't until recently that he gained a deeper understanding of his grandfather from books like "Sasuke's Epic."
Asuma learned that his grandfather, known as the "Miracle Generation," was indeed the third member alongside the formidable Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
Despite being on equal footing in terms of strength, he never boasted.
Like a shadow, he quietly cleared various troubles for the dazzling duo.
Only with him in the rear could the two fight in the front with complete peace of mind.
When Asuma read in the book that his grandfather said to the First Hokage before going to battle, "I shall take care of your wife; do not worry!" tears welled up in his eyes, moved by the sincere friendship between the two.
Learning about the greatness of his grandfather, Asuma, who used to regret not spending more time with him in his childhood, now had even fewer memories.
Now, even if he wanted to create new memories with his grandfather, he had no chance.
Asuma never imagined that he would have the chance to meet his grandfather again, and even fight alongside him, albeit in a virtual card game.
Although it was only in the realm of a card game, for Asuma, it was incredibly precious.
These small cards seemed to become a bridge for communication between himself and his deceased grandfather.
So, even though Asuma knew that more powerful cards would inevitably appear in the future, he quietly made a decision.
He would never remove this card from his deck.
Natsuhiko sensei, upon unintentionally learning about it, even told him that it was his soul card.
Understanding the emotions of others, Asuma naturally empathised with Shimura's feelings. After all, due to frequent card games, he often used the "Sarutobi Sasuke" card, and to date, he had burned it twice.
Even though he knew he could always ask sensei for a new one, Asuma still felt deeply saddened each time the card burned.
Not to mention the feelings of Shimura when he burned the last card.
However, Asuma's moment of silent mourning did not last long.
Because he suddenly remembered something, his expression gradually became peculiar.
In the end, he couldn't help taking a step forward and loudly saying:
"Shimura, if I remember correctly, your grandfather is still alive..."
(End of this chapter)
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