The autumn afternoon sun cast its warm glow upon the Hokage Tower, gilding the aged structure with a golden hue.
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, swiftly flipped through the documents on his desk—
"Graduates of the Ninja Academy, Year 46" and "Vacant Positions in Ninja Teams."
He carefully examined the strengths and weaknesses of each genin, forming balanced teams while selecting the most suitable jounin instructors.
The past two years had seen an increasingly unstable shinobi world. Frequent small-scale conflicts between villages had led to significant casualties among Konoha's ninja squads.
Hiruzen knew well that properly structured teams were vital for increasing mission success rates, survival odds, and overall combat effectiveness. Whether to prepare for an inevitable war or simply to ensure the safety of his subordinates, he had to approach this matter with the utmost caution.
After over an hour of meticulous revisions, he double-checked his drafts multiple times, confirming that this was the best arrangement he could devise. Then, he began summoning jounin one by one—
Chōza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame, Minato Namikaze, Ikkaku Umino, Kōtō Mokume, Yōken Mimura...
And finally, Shinno Yamanaka.
Before he knew it, dusk was approaching. When the next knock sounded at the door, Hiruzen looked up at the last jounin on his list for the day.
He was a young man, around eighteen or nineteen, standing just over 1.8 meters tall. His well-trained physique was lean yet sturdy. Golden-blond hair complemented his sharp, handsome features—
If it weren't for the deep black circles under his eyes, making him look perpetually exhausted, he could have easily caused many Konoha girls sleepless nights.
"Good afternoon, Lord Hokage," Shinno Yamanaka greeted, raising a tired hand in salute.
After staying up training until late last night, he had barely managed to nap in the afternoon before being summoned to the Hokage Tower.
This was just too much.
"Shinno, you should allow yourself to rest once in a while. Training will be more effective that way."
Hiruzen was well aware of Shinno's relentless training regimen. Unbothered by the young man's nonchalant demeanor, he simply offered a word of advice before getting straight to the point.
"After discussions with Inoichi and Shikaku, we've decided to reassign you from the Analysis Division to a standard combat unit. Here's your reassignment order and information on your subordinates."
"Understood."
Shinno accepted the documents, slipping the reassignment letter into his pouch before glancing through his team members' profiles.
Inoichi had already mentioned this to him, so he wasn't surprised. Leaving the Intelligence Division to take on a genin squad wasn't a big deal—
A couple of missions a month, then plenty of time to slack off.
Or so he thought—until he saw three very familiar names.
Kurenai Yūhi, Might Guy, Genma Shiranui.
Wait... These three were put together?
That's not right.
Wasn't Might Guy and Genma Shiranui's teammate supposed to be Ebisu?
And weren't they from a different graduating class?
"Young leaves need the guidance of their predecessors to grow strong—just as the Will of Fire is passed down through generations. It's time for you to guide the next generation of Konoha shinobi."
Hiruzen didn't seem inclined to explain his reasoning further. Instead, he simply delivered a speech about the Will of Fire.
"...Understood, Lord Hokage. I will ensure they receive proper instruction."
Suppressing his doubts, Shinno adjusted his posture and responded with due seriousness.
Satisfied with his response, Hiruzen gave a final instruction—
"Report to the jounin waiting area tomorrow morning, then head to Training Ground Four to meet your team. Dismissed."
...
Leaving the Hokage Tower, Shinno exchanged greetings with a few familiar ninja before heading toward the Yamanaka clan's district.
Halfway home, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind—
[Beep~ System repair complete. Database reorganization complete. Energy absorption progress: 100%. System dormancy ended. Career Trait System activated.]
[Personal Panel Unlocked. Scan Function Unlocked. Trait Extraction, Gift, Copy, Upgrade, and Removal Functions Unlocked.]
[Career Binding Complete—Bound Career: Shinobi.]
[Complete Career Tasks and Significant Events to earn chances for Trait Extraction, Gift, Copy, Upgrade, and Removal.]
[Newcomer Pack Activated: Trait Extraction x3, Gift x1.]
...
Shinno's steps faltered briefly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he quickly masked it.
On the way home, he picked up a quick meal from a roadside stall, just like any other evening.
Once inside his house, he formed the 'Tori' seal and pressed a hand against the floor—
A translucent blue barrier shimmered to life, enveloping the room. The intricate seals inscribed upon it pulsed faintly, completely isolating the interior from the outside world.
Standing in the middle of the living room, Shinno's expression shifted several times before he finally let out a long breath and settled down at the tea table.
For years, he had imagined screaming in frustration at the system that took nineteen years to activate.
He had envisioned laughing or even crying—venting all the pent-up resentment and anticipation in one outburst.
But perhaps those emotions had been worn away over time. Now that the moment had finally come, he found himself far calmer than expected.
...
[Host: Shinno Yamanaka]
[Career: Shinobi]
[Activated Traits: Transmigrator (Red), Yin Release Master (Purple), Handsome (Blue), Slightly Skilled (Green)]
[Inactive Traits: None]
[Trait Extraction: 3]
[Trait Gift: 1]
...
Transmigrator (Red): As a soul from another world, your mental and spiritual strength, growth rate, and potential are greatly enhanced.
Yin Release Master (Purple): Years of dedicated study and training have granted you near-perfect mastery over multiple Yin Release techniques. Learning, refining, modifying, and creating Yin Release jutsu is significantly more efficient. Yin Release jutsu activation speed, power, and effectiveness are greatly increased. Resistance to Yin Release techniques is also substantially boosted.
Handsome (Blue): Blessed by the world, you were born with striking looks, an innate charm, and heightened appeal to the opposite sex.
Slightly Skilled (Green): Years of delving into the minds of others have given you extensive knowledge and experience. Your memory, learning speed, and proficiency in various jutsu types are slightly improved.
...
"All those years of grinding weren't in vain."
A grin tugged at Shinno's lips as he read through his traits.
Without hesitation, he activated his first trait extraction.