"Meow!" The cat's cry echoed intermittently.
Kurenai had strong sensory abilities and could quickly detect the cat's location, but in the jungle, various trees and flowers blocked her path, making it difficult to maintain speed.
Sometimes when she thought she'd caught up, the cat would dive into the bushes and disappear in an instant.
"Her speed is good, but the utilization is poor," Kyōichi shook his head.
No matter. Let her run a few more times to understand her weaknesses before giving guidance - that would be more effective.
He sat in the tree, pondering sword techniques. Yesterday was his first time using willow sword technique against someone, and he became more convinced that willow style could be incorporated into Iaijutsu.
He didn't need such long genjutsu control. Just an instant would be enough to strike down an enemy.
Creating original techniques wasn't something that happened overnight. Since it wasn't system-assigned, Kyōichi only had some ideas now. To further integrate them, he needed to gain more knowledge.
"Sensei, I... could I rest for a moment?" Kurenai panted.
She was exhausted, with dust and leaves covering her hair and clothes, showing none of her usual elegant composure.
However, she still couldn't catch that cat.
In fact, she felt the cat had gotten faster - earlier she could keep up, but now it was getting increasingly difficult.
"Take a short break. Meanwhile, let me ask - do you know what your problem is?"
"Yes." Kurenai nodded.
Poor stamina, not fast enough.
"You actually have enough speed to catch up, especially if you use the Body Flicker Technique. But you lack agility and can't control your speed well," Kyōichi said. "Also, what about your genjutsu? You're not primarily a taijutsu user, so why didn't you try using genjutsu to stop it when you got close?"
"Huh? I could use genjutsu?" Kurenai was stunned.
She thought she understood, but clearly she hadn't.
Genjutsu...
Of course! Why hadn't she used genjutsu when she caught up, since she wasn't relying on taijutsu?
She suddenly understood.
However, Kurenai knew that even with genjutsu, catching the silly cat wouldn't be easy.
Casting genjutsu required hand signs!
The cat was agile - by the time she finished the signs, it might have already escaped.
She needed to develop a comprehensive strategy based on the environment.
She wasn't stupid.
Soon, Kurenai's eyes lit up.
"Sensei, I understand now. I'll go catch it right away!"
...
In the Hokage's office.
"Even catching cats can be training?" The Third's tobacco was almost burnt out, but he hadn't noticed, his face full of surprise.
These cats were mostly nobles' pets.
They weren't particularly fast or challenging, and were usually quickly dealt with, so they were mainly assigned as preliminary team combat training.
However, Kyōichi had innovatively assigned it to Kurenai to train her speed and situational response.
This was something the Third hadn't considered.
After his surprise, he actually found it quite reasonable!
"And the other two - chopping wood and carrying water?"
The Third first looked at his son.
Asuma was carrying water.
Two large buckets at a time, carried on a pole, running from the distant riverbank to the water vats.
If he spilled any? Do it again.
Was this physical training?
He used the Telescope Technique to check on Shisui.
Shisui was chopping wood.
The difference was, he was using sword techniques, seemingly trying to figure out how to split the wood with minimal effort.
"This kid has too many strange ideas," the Third took a puff of his pipe, only to realize the tobacco had burned out, causing him immediate regret.
He hadn't even gotten a single puff.
What a waste!
After his moment of regret, Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts returned to considering whether this could be implemented more widely.
It seemed impossible.
Each team had different circumstances; they couldn't all be treated the same way.
Most importantly, he realized many people in Konoha had become rigid in their thinking - including himself.
Chopping wood, carrying water, catching cats.
They had indeed treated D-rank missions as opportunities to train genin, with some missions even being created by the village, but they hadn't thought about deliberately honing specific skills, focusing more on team development instead.
It was a good method, but couldn't be widely implemented.
It was fine for now, with missions piling up, allowing him to take three at once.
But during normal times, if one team took three missions, what would other genin do?
However, elite teams could try to emulate this approach.
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought to himself.
Meanwhile, he kept the Telescope Technique focused on Shisui.
Could Uchiha Shisui become the second Uchiha Kagami?
"Let's hope so, otherwise..." He sighed and canceled the technique.
...
In the late afternoon, approaching evening.
Kurenai finally caught the cat, exhausted, and went to complete the mission and receive today's payment.
Upon returning to Konoha.
At the barbecue restaurant, Kyōichi's group encountered Team Seven, who had also passed their mission today.
"Shisui, Asuma!" Obito waved enthusiastically at them, as if he was the one treating everyone to dinner.
Namikaze Minato stood nearby, smiling warmly, and was very welcoming to Kyōichi.
Seeing empty seats, he pointed and said, "Kyōichi, why don't you join us?"
"That sounds good, we'll order some more."
Kyōichi didn't refuse.
It would be foolish to turn down free food, especially since his three young students had only eaten soldier pills for lunch and must be starving now.
Kakashi turned his head away, appearing indifferent.
However, his eyes were subtly fixed on Kyōichi's sword.
Minato found it amusing.
Kakashi was usually very calm, unlike his peers like Obito, but when meeting Kyōichi, he lost his usual composed, mature demeanor.
He knew Kakashi was curious, and after glancing at the sword, he too was surprised.
"Kyōichi, is that sword Lord Second's?"
"Borrowed it from the Hokage, well, what can I do? I'm poor," Kyōichi sighed.
If he were wealthy like the Sarutobi clan, he would have forged his own chakra weapon like Asuma.
Why would he need to borrow weapons to get by?
At first, the genin didn't know which sword it was, but after thinking about it, they all had some impression: "Sword Of The Thunder God?"
"Yes." Kyōichi drew the Thunder God Sword.
The blade was long and thin.
For normal chopping, this sword wouldn't last a few strikes, easily breaking - like the White Light Chakra Sabre, it was a chakra weapon that needed to be used with chakra.
Shisui, who had studied swordsmanship deeply, also knew much about the Thunder God Sword, and quickly thought back to the test situation that day.
Sensei hadn't even used his full strength!
"If just Sensei alone is this powerful, let alone all of Konoha... those in the clan who shut themselves away in the Police Force, growing increasingly arrogant, are truly foolish!" Shisui had only this thought in his mind.
He had somewhat understood the clan members' thinking recently - they sought nothing but power and fame, believing that as one of the village's founders, the Uchiha had the right to share in its glory and victories.
But times had changed.
Not to mention Kyōichi-sensei, how many in the clan could match even this Namikaze Minato?
The more he observed, the more Shisui was grateful for his choice.
Relying on those people would eventually destroy the Uchiha - perhaps the clan's future would depend on people like himself and Obito.