1 D: The Template
In the heart of Konoha, the resident of Yusuke was filled with the rhythmic sound of a sword swinging back and forth.
"957, 958, 959... 997, 998, 999 –1000!"
A satisfying ding echoed through Hayashi as he completed his daily routine of swinging the sword a thousand times.
The modest reward of 0.02% experience brought a sense of accomplishment, and he sensed a subtle shift within himself.
[Your template of Dracule Mihawk has been unlocked to 0.7%]
Hayashi lowered the bamboo sword as the sun sank behind the trees. His arms felt like lead after the intense training session.
He plopped down, crossing his legs, and took a deep breath. Exhaustion weighed on his eyelids.
As he sat there, a mental image flashed through his mind. He pictured a young warrior, no more than a child, with piercing yellow eyes.
This kid was driven to master the art of swordsmanship, and it showed.
Despite being a child, he had already surpassed many of his peers.
Yet, this was but a fraction—0.7%—of the 'Way of the Sword' that lay ahead.
Within the timeless realm of his mind, seasons passed, and challenges were conquered, each victory deepening his experience.
Slowly, Hayashi's consciousness returned to the present, his spirit rejoining the physical world.
As dusk fell, Hayashi remained seated. His mind was filled with the echoes of his spiritual journey.
Opening his eyes, a flash of light danced across his yellow pupils, dispelling his fatigue.
In that moment, his understanding of the 'Way of the Sword' grew by another level.
It was as if he had lived through the experiences of the yellow-eyed child across the changing seasons in the spiritual world.
"As expected of the world's strongest swordsman, and I've only unlocked 0.7% of my potential," the boy murmured to himself.
As he jumped up, he grabbed his bamboo sword and began practicing basic moves. His strokes were smooth and natural, like he'd been doing this for years.
But the truth was, he'd only started 35 days ago, with no teacher to guide him.
It was all thanks to the Template System within him.
Yes, he'd been reborn.
Young Hayashi's father had been a special Jonin in the village who perished during the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack, leaving a void in his life.
At the age of five, his mother succumbed to depression, consumed by grief over her husband's fate. Thus, Hayashi was abandoned, left to navigate the world alone.
Since then, his once lively and cheerful demeanor had given way to a withdrawn personality. The loss of his parents left him unable to find joy in even the simplest of pleasures, like eating.
As time passed, his appetite began to fade, and he eventually stopped eating altogether.
Without the will to live, he eventually starved to death, joining his family in the afterlife.
----------
Now, he found himself in a new world. But this wasn't just any world - it was the world of Naruto. And to make matters worse, he was only six years old.
Despite the challenges of adjusting to his new reality, he pushed on. He knew he was the same age as the protagonist, and he didn't have the advantage of a powerful bloodline limit.
In this era of peace, the threat of the Fourth Shinobi World War loomed large. As an ordinary person without a powerful bloodline, he felt vulnerable.
The 'Konoha Crush Project' and 'Pain's Assault on the Village' were just around the corner, and he feared he'd become just another cannon fodder.
At first, he'd hoped for some kind of special advantage. But after a while, he'd given up on that idea.
One day, he tried to help a girl being bullied by some older kids. He got beaten up in the process, but something strange happened.
As he lay on the ground, he felt a strange energy coursing through his body.
And then, he discovered the Template System.
It gave him a random character template, but he had no idea whose abilities he'd inherited.
For weeks, he completed daily tasks, slowly unlocking fragments of the character's strength and skills. With each task, he gained a tiny 0.02% increase.
As he progressed, he began to experience strange memories that weren't his own. He remembered the feeling of wielding a sword, the rush of battle, and the thrill of adventure.
It wasn't until he'd completed a month's worth of tasks that the memories became clear: he was inheriting the powers of Hawkeye, the strongest swordsman from the world of One Piece.
With each daily task he completed, Hayashi felt himself getting stronger, his swordsmanship improving dramatically.
He wanted to unlock more of Hawkeye's abilities, and he knew that completing the daily tasks was the way to do it.
----------
Hayashi's intense workout session came to an end, his small frame drenched in sweat. His thin exercise clothes clung to his body, showing how hard he'd worked.
Swinging a sword a thousand times was a tough task for a six-year-old, but Hayashi was driven to get stronger.
After hours of intense practice, his workout clothes were soaked with sweat. The fabric reeked of his hard work.
Finally, he finished his training and headed to the bathroom to wash off the sweat and grime.
Thanks to his father's legacy, Hayashi didn't have to worry about money. The family estate was still intact, and the pension and savings would last him for years to come.
With his basic needs taken care of, Hayashi could focus on his daily tasks and cultivation.
Yes, cultivation.
Or more accurately, Chakra Extraction.
When his father passed away, he left behind more than just wealth. He also left him a precious legacy: the Chakra Extraction method, the Three Body Technique, and two powerful B-rank ninjutsu - the Shadow Clone Technique and the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.
These two B-rank ninjutsus were incredibly powerful. The Shadow Clone Technique was like a cheat, and the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet packed immense power as a Fire Style technique.
However, Hayashi had his heart set on mastering swordsmanship for now. He barely gave the other techniques a second thought, focusing solely on the Shadow Clone Technique.
He wasn't even qualified to practice the B-rank ninjutsu, and he still hadn't mastered the Three Body Technique.
In the shinobi world, where chakra was the lifeblood of a ninja, Hayashi knew he needed to increase his reserves. That's why his priority was Chakra Extraction.
Mastering techniques like the Flying Thunder God Technique, the Eight Inner Gates, or the Sage Mode, or even becoming a Jinchuriki, were seen as essential steps to reaching the top.
But even with those skills, facing someone like Uchiha Madara would leave you feeling helpless.
What's more, in this era of peace, opportunities like these were few and far between.
But with the Hawkeye template, Hayashi saw a chance to attain unimaginable power - the kind of power that could cleave mountains and seas with a single stroke.
This power rivaled, if not surpassed, S-rank ninjutsu. While it might not grant Six Paths-level strength, it guaranteed a life of comfort and security.
"Who would be foolish enough to focus solely on ninja skills when they could wield this kind of power?"
As Hayashi weighed his options, a shiver ran down his spine, as if he was being watched.
