02 - A Hole in Your Head

[Obtained:

- Stealthy Crawler (White)

- Big Brainstorm (Black)

- Shout and It Comes (Purple)]

[Stealthy Crawler (White):

Slightly enhances stealth effects and movement speed during specific sneaky actions, while significantly lowering personal presence.]

[Big Brainstorm (Black):

Greatly increases the probability of unexpected head injuries, significantly reduces skull hardness and recovery speed, and slightly raises fatality risk.]

[Shout and It Comes (Purple):

Grants precise control over chakra, allowing for the elimination of complex hand seals when proficient in a jutsu. By simply clapping hands and shouting its name, the jutsu can be used instantly. This significantly enhances chakra control and jutsu activation speed.]

---

What the hell are these?

Kei furrowed his brows.

When he first saw the trait [Somewhat Skilled], he already had a vague feeling that his system might be a bit... abstract. But he never expected it to be this abstract.

Aside from the last one, which seemed somewhat related to the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—though the name was odd, the effect was quite decent.

The first two traits were simply... beyond words.

[Stealthy Crawler]? Using this would practically mean forfeiting any chance of finding a partner.

And [Big Brainstorm]—was it seriously referring to getting actual holes in his head?!

Is this trait specifically designed to get people killed? A thought crossed his mind as he glanced at the trait gifting chance from the newcomer reward.

Maybe one day, if he ever fell out with someone, he could arrange a little surprise for them. A pure debuff like this would probably be best used on an enemy.

After letting his mind wander for a bit, he selected [Shout and It Comes].

In an instant, a deep and indescribable sense of enlightenment surged through him.

His entire chakra network, seemed to be imprinted clearly in his mind. He could sense every strand of chakra flowing through his body with absolute precision, moving as effortlessly as a flexed finger.

The jutsu he had painstakingly honed over years of training now felt like second nature—so natural that only the simplest guidance was needed to unleash them.

'Mind Puppet Switch Cursed Seal!'

Forming a single seal, he pointed at a training puppet in the corner of the room.

The motionless puppet suddenly came to life, stretching its limbs before executing a smooth and precise taijutsu routine.

Seal simplification and one-handed seals... this is a godsend for ambush tactics. Impressed, he continued experimenting with his jutsu.

The Yamanaka clan had unique hand signs for their secret techniques, variations of the Hare and Bird seals. These signs were designed to speed up the manipulation of yin chakra, allowing users to deploy their clan's jutsu more swiftly.

Functionally, they were flawless.

But the problem was—they were way too recognizable.

Any enemy familiar with the Yamanaka clan's techniques would immediately start moving the moment they saw these seals.

After all, the Yamanaka clan's abilities involved soul manipulation. If the jutsu missed, the user's soul would need time to return to their body, leaving them vulnerable.

In that critical window, even a child could take their life.

But now, without the need for those distinctive seals, his jutsu would become almost impossible to predict.

He spent half the day testing various jutsu.

Spinning a Rasengan in his palm, he felt the stable, high-speed chakra rotation, and a grin crept onto his lips.

Every jutsu he commonly used could now be executed with one-handed or simplified seals, cutting activation time in half.

For techniques he was highly familiar with, he could even achieve "clap hands, shout the name, and release instantly."

Even for those he was less adept at, though he couldn't completely eliminate hand signs, his speed and control had improved significantly.

In the fast-paced battles of a ninja, even a fraction of a second could determine the outcome of a fight.

Among Konoha's jonin, he was already considered strong. With his hand-seal speed now doubled, his combat ability had undoubtedly risen even further.

"I wonder if I'm at Kage-level now… No, no, stay humble! Can't let this get to my head!"

He kept adjusting his mindset, repeatedly reminding himself not to act recklessly like a certain Uchiha.

After all, he didn't have Suigetsu to take hits for him, Jugo or Karin to keep him alive, or an older brother like Itachi—or a godly ancestor like Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo. If he got carried away, who knew if he'd survive?

Besides, Kage-level strength wasn't just about speed.

Combat experience, tactical intelligence, jutsu combinations, physical endurance, reflexes, chakra reserves—there were so many factors.

"The road ahead is long… But at least in the upcoming Third Great Ninja War, as long as I don't charge headfirst into an enemy battalion, I should be fine."

He let out a sigh, his nerves, which had been tense due to the approaching war, relaxing slightly.

Having lived through the Second Great Ninja War, he knew better than anyone how brutal the battlefield was.

It was a hell filled with blood and screams, a slaughterhouse that stripped away humanity, leaving only killing and numbness.

Even after all these years, the memories of those battlefields still sent chills down his spine.

With a single-hand seal, he dispelled the five shadow clones that had been training deep within his residence.

The exhaustion from their accumulated fatigue and stress hit him all at once, his body immediately feeling the weight of it. Too lazy to resist the drowsiness, he casually lifted the barrier inside his house, hastily finished a meal, and collapsed into his soft bedding.

He slept soundly through the night.

---

The next morning, the cool morning mist slowly dispersed under the rising sun. Birds chirped noisily outside the window, flapping their wings as they perched on tree branches.

Waking up, Kei glanced at the clock on the wall, which already pointed past seven.

Stretching lazily, he yawned.

The sudden surge in strength had given him an overwhelming sense of security, allowing him to sleep better than ever.

"Relaxing even a little, and my biological clock's already out of whack."

Rubbing his face, he got up to wash and dress while once again pondering over the system's functions.

The system had made it clear that traits could be obtained through extraction, gifting, duplication, upgrading, and removal. These opportunities could be earned by completing professional missions or major events related to his profession.

As a jonin, his regular missions were self-explanatory.

But major events…

The Great Ninja War? A historical turning point? Some big movie-level crisis?

Whichever it was, it seemed like he'd have to throw himself into dangerous situations to trigger them.

Fastening his ninja tool pouch and adjusting his gear, he turned toward the door.

Major events could wait.

For now, he had a group of genin who had been waiting for him all morning. It was time to test if regular ninja missions had a decent drop rate.