The Forgemage of Konoha

Guidance

After cleaning up the battlefield, Shirō felt a deep ache in his chest.

So much so, it felt hard to breathe.

Only 50,000 ryo? In such a large stronghold?

He and the team had spent half a day clearing the place out, and all they got was pocket change. Sure, they found a lot of used-up training supplies, but no real value.

"These idiots... you're about to die, and you still waste money like this?" Shirō clutched his chest and sighed bitterly at the scattered remnants.

"Shirō, let's go. It's late. Get some rest. We head back to the village tomorrow," Nakamura called.

"Sigh~ I know, I'm coming." Shirō exhaled deeply. What's gained is fortune, what's lost is fate.

The less you dwell on it, the better off you are.

With that, he followed Nakamura and the others back to camp.

---

Before turning in, they had one more thing to do—post-mission review.

Unlike Team Yamada's democratic approach, Team Nakamura's debriefs were all business. Nakamura, an experienced jōnin, directly guided his squad.

Don't be fooled by how Shirō and the others could now almost instantly kill a chūnin. Their strength came largely from their secret arts and bloodlines. Strip those away, and they weren't that different from normal genin—though in fairness, those abilities were still part of their power set.

Still, solid fundamentals mattered. Take Tai Yi, for example. His Sharingan gave him an edge, but it wasn't a free pass. As was often said, a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan could make an Uchiha rival a high-level jōnin. But that only underscored how vital the foundation was.

Nakamura had been planning his lecture since they left the battlefield. Now, without preamble, he began.

---

"Overall, your performance was good, but there were clear flaws."

He looked straight at Shirō.

"First, you—Shirō."

Both Tai Yi and Shikamaru glanced at Shirō, who blinked in surprise. Why was he being called out first?

"You have a Ninjutsu that can deflect projectiles like kunai and shuriken, correct?" Nakamura asked.

"Yes, Captain."

"A practical technique," Nakamura nodded. "But tell me—do you really understand it?"

"I... I do."

"No, you don't." Nakamura's voice sharpened. "You don't even know its limits. During the battle, when it failed, I saw your hesitation. You knew it would fail—but not when. That's a critical gap in awareness."

"Next. When you charged forward and were blocked, it was correct to summon Blue Snake. But after that, you stopped coordinating and focused on refining your chakra."

"At that point, you could've let Blue Snake engage the chūnin while your conjured weapons or clones stalled the genin. With your combat instincts, you would've won quickly."

"But you didn't. You relied too much on your special abilities and wanted to recover chakra first."

He narrowed his eyes. "Tell me honestly, Shirō. Do you really think you need Ninjutsu to beat two genin?"

Shirō lowered his head.

"One more thing. When we return, I'll teach you a Wind Release technique that synergizes with your chakra-enhancement Ninjutsu."

That made Shirō's head snap up. "Captain Nakamura, really?"

It was an unexpected gesture. Ninjutsu wasn't casually taught—especially not to those outside one's immediate team. Nakamura wasn't his jōnin-sensei, after all.

Still, Shirō could tell—it was a deliberate carrot-and-stick move. And even if he recognized it, it still worked.

"Of course it's true," Nakamura said. "We'll talk more when we're back. Now—Shikamaru."

---

Shikamaru straightened, the lazy look in his eyes fading slightly.

"I don't know the details of your clan's secret arts, and I won't interfere. You're sharp—so I'll keep it short."

"Your offensive options are too limited. In one-on-one fights, you're fine. But in group battles, your lack of direct offense shows."

"The Nara Clan's Shadow Imitation Technique is powerful, but slow and reliant on precision. You need to explore ways to diversify or amplify your offensive output. That's up to you."

"…I understand, Captain Nakamura." Shikamaru nodded, gaze lowering in thought.

---

"Now—Tai Yi. Your case is more serious."

Nakamura crossed his arms.

"Like Shirō, you lean too heavily on your bloodline. In fact, Shirō might be stronger than you if both of you fought without your inherited powers."

Tai Yi's eyes widened. Shirō, meanwhile, remained composed. He knew it was true.

Tai Yi might've taken on two chūnin in close combat, but that was with the Sharingan's dynamic vision assisting him. Shirō didn't have such an advantage—he relied on pure combat instinct, refined through battles bordering on the Mind's Eye of Perception.

Without the Sharingan, Tai Yi wouldn't stand a chance.

---

"No need to look surprised," Nakamura continued. "You'll spar when we're back to prove the point. For now, just listen."

"First—your Sharingan manifested early, but that's not entirely a good thing. Have you been neglecting other genjutsu training because of it? What will you do if you run out of chakra or face a counter?"

"Second—your taijutsu and close-combat instincts are lacking. That's not fully your fault—this mission setup led to it—but you need to fix it."

"Third—you're not reading the battlefield well. Shikamaru is actually better than me in that area. Learn from him."

"Fourth—and most importantly—you're too impulsive. You lose your cool when things go off-script. That's the worst thing you can do on a mission."

He glanced sideways at Shirō. "Of course, that's still better than someone who waits until they've fully restored chakra before doing anything. That's another problem entirely."

"…"

The "someone" was obvious.

---

"But don't be too discouraged. Even with those flaws, the Sharingan gives you the most immediate potential. You just need to hone it. Understand?"

"Yes, Captain Nakamura. I'll work hard!"

Heh... Shirō gave a silent scoff. "Work hard," huh? You think you're the child of the system?

Shirō already had a cheat—he wasn't worried.

After all, Madara Uchiha wasn't dead yet. Indra's chakra hadn't been reincarnated.

No need to panic just yet.

---

"Alright, that's it for today. Reflect on what I said, then get some sleep. We're moving out early."

"Yes, Captain!"

—