The Burden of Knowledge

The dim light of the small training room flickered, casting fleeting shadows across the scattered scrolls and inkpots. Kneeling in the center, the MC's fingers deftly moved, tracing intricate symbols across the surface of a blank scroll. Each stroke was precise, calculated, and enhanced by the tier 2 cognitive abilities the system had gifted him. His mind was sharper, more attuned to patterns and complexities, allowing him to excel in fūinjutsu in ways that would have baffled others.

Fūinjutsu had quickly become a field where his talents shone. The system's cognitive upgrade had made him particularly adept at grasping the principles behind the seals. He could create, not just copy, seals with a level of skill that would take others years to achieve. His progress in the art was undeniable; he had gone beyond the basics and was well on his way to mastering advanced techniques. But despite his skill, one thing held him back: time.

"Still too slow," he muttered, not out of frustration at his performance, but at the realization that fūinjutsu required time—time he didn't have. He could see the path ahead, the depth and complexity that lay beyond the basics. He was good at this, better than most, but the time it would take to truly master the art conflicted with his other plans.

The system had promised him a golden reward once he graduated from the academy, and for a long time, he had been weighing his options. He knew his upcoming golden reward would offer him a significant boost—one that could potentially save him years of effort. For weeks, he'd been considering what to use it on, torn between multiple paths. But fūinjutsu… that seemed like the most strategic choice.

His reason was simple—he had a plan. With mastery in fūinjutsu, combined with medical ninjutsu, he could craft seals that would enhance his own physique. Fūinjutsu wasn't just a tool for sealing; it was a key that could unlock new ways to amplify his physical abilities. His mind had already formulated strategies to create seals that could fortify his body, increase stamina, and speed up recovery. All of that hinged on his ability to master fūinjutsu.

But after diving deeper into the discipline, he realized just how much time it would take to reach that level of mastery. Even with his cognitive upgrade, it wasn't something he could perfect in a matter of months. Mastering fūinjutsu, especially to the level required for self-enhancement, would take years. And that's where the golden reward could come in.

"If I use it for fūinjutsu…" he thought aloud, considering the potential, "I could skip years of struggle." The realization hit him harder than expected. The system had accelerated his learning, but fūinjutsu was still a monumental task. But with the golden reward, he could leap forward, bypassing the countless hours of grinding toward mastery.

"I'm good at this… but not fast enough." The words carried both pride and determination. He could feel the potential within fūinjutsu, but without the golden reward, the time it would take to unlock that potential might derail his other plans. He couldn't afford years of study and practice when his future as a shinobi depended on immediate physical growth.

The benefits of the academy were clear to him as he neared graduation. The resources, the connections, the access to advanced scrolls and techniques—these were things the orphanage couldn't provide. The academy would give him the opportunity to learn from skilled instructors, interact with other talented students, and perhaps even gain access to specialized fūinjutsu techniques.

The orphanage had served its purpose. It had provided him shelter and time to practice, but it couldn't offer more than basic training or the advanced scrolls he needed to move forward. With the academy, he would have the resources to accelerate his progress—but even with those benefits, mastering fūinjutsu without the golden reward could take years. That was a cost he wasn't sure he could afford.

His golden reward after graduation loomed on the horizon. The decision seemed inevitable. The plan to enhance his physique through fūinjutsu was critical to his long-term success, and the reward offered a shortcut—one that could save him time and set him on the path to power more quickly. He needed to grow stronger, faster, more capable now. And while other options tugged at his mind, fūinjutsu remained the most compelling.

He stood, rolling up the scrolls and packing away his supplies. "I need to balance this," he murmured, "but fūinjutsu might be the answer." His future plans depended on mastering fūinjutsu, and though there were other areas he could invest the golden reward in, none held as much promise for long-term benefit.

His choice wasn't final yet, but he could feel it leaning that way. The golden reward might offer him the mastery in fūinjutsu he so desperately needed—and if it did, he knew he would take it.