"Attack!"
Seeing the retreating Sand Shinobi squad, Minato Namikaze gave the order.
Shūichi and the other two immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to pursue. As they closed in, they hurled Minato's Flying Thunder God kunai with all their might.
The retreating Sand Jonin glanced back, adjusted his position, and easily dodged one of the kunai.
But in the next instant, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure appearing right in front of him.
"What?!"
The Sand Jonin was shocked, but before he could react, Minato's Rasengan was already crashing down, striking its mark with precision.
Boom!
The Sand Jonin's body was sent flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Leader!"
The remaining three Sand Shinobi cried out in shock and immediately halted.
Shūichi Hoshita and his companions rushed forward.
Body Flicker Technique!
Crescent Moon Dance!
Demonic Illusion - False Surroundings Technique!
With Kurama Sanyo's assistance, they used a group Genjutsu to disrupt the enemy.
Shisui Uchiha used the Body Flicker Technique to overwhelm the enemies, swiftly eliminating them.
Shūichi Hoshita, although slightly slower, also managed to defeat his opponent in a single strike.
"Retreat!"
Minato ordered, leading Shūichi and the others out of the town to rest temporarily on a nearby mountain.
They consumed soldier pills to replenish their stamina and drank water to rehydrate.
The four rested silently, without any conversation.
Shūichi lowered his gaze, reflecting on today's battle.
His Blue Flame Sky Blade was as sharp as ever, its intense heat capable of melting steel in an instant.
"But my speed was lacking," Shūichi acknowledged his shortcomings.
Or rather, compared to the level of a Jonin.
He had an extraordinary reaction time, with dynamic vision that gave him a significant advantage in close combat.
But it wasn't everything.
Even Uchiha Sasuke, with his Mangekyō Sharingan and powerful insight, could clearly see Killer Bee's movements but was still suppressed by Killer Bee's swordsmanship.
This was because Killer Bee's attack speed was fast and relentless; even though Sasuke's eyes and mind could keep up, his body couldn't move fast enough.
Against Chunin, Shūichi could use the chakra-enhanced strength technique he learned from Tsunade to overcome any gaps in speed or power, along with his highly responsive nerves giving him a huge advantage.
But against Jonin, his speed wasn't fast enough.
Or rather, his attack speed wasn't fast enough!
If it weren't for Shisui Uchiha earlier, he wouldn't have been able to take down that Sand Jonin by himself.
"Speed... Apart from training and pure chakra bursts, Lightning Release can also enhance it."
The first thing Shūichi thought of was the activation of all the body's cells through Lightning Release.
Thanks to his fast reaction time, his attack speed was already exceptional among Chunin, even comparable to some Jonin in Tsunade's eyes.
But people are never satisfied.
Moreover, on the battlefield, Chunin don't always face only other Chunin! Shūichi naturally hoped that even if he couldn't defeat a Jonin, he would at least have the ability to escape.
"Can Fire Release enhance speed?"
Shūichi's thoughts quickly shifted back to Fire Release.
Among all the various techniques, he had the highest aptitude in Fire Release, making it the easiest for him to achieve results.
"Fire Release also has the characteristic of causing explosions. The shockwaves from an explosion could indeed create propulsion..."
Shūichi brainstormed.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye, and their rest came to an end.
Under the cover of night, Shūichi and the others headed to the third town.
From this point on, Minato Namikaze changed his combat strategy.
Instead of infiltration and annihilation, they switched to hit-and-run tactics—striking swiftly and retreating before moving on to the next target.
Over the course of the night, Shūichi's team hit four towns in the northern region of the Land of Rivers, throwing the area into chaos.
However, the forces of the Sand Village were also mobilized, leaving them unable to focus on the towns of Hegu Town and Shanliao Town, both of which were closer to the Land of Fire.
These two locations were successfully occupied by the follow-up Konoha squads, becoming the rear support for Minato's team.
Additionally, as Minato's team continued their raids, drawing numerous Sand Shinobi squads into the fray, many small towns and villages in the northern Land of Rivers were left defenseless, allowing Konoha's forces to quickly infiltrate.
Undoubtedly, their tactical objectives had been initially achieved.
As dawn approached, Shūichi Hoshita opened his eyes inside a cave.
After three hours of rest, he had fully recovered.
Not far away, Shisui Uchiha also woke up.
The two exited the cave, found a nearby spring, and washed their faces, then took over the watch from Minato Namikaze and Kurama Sanyo.
Without Minato's exceptional sensory skills, Shūichi and Shisui had to expand their vigilance range.
Two hours passed in a flash.
Standing atop a tree, Shūichi spotted Shinobi approaching from downstream.
The Sand Shinobis were here!
Shūichi immediately retreated and regrouped with Shisui, only to discover that Sand Shinobi were also coming from the west.
They returned to the cave to wake Minato and Sanyo. Minato quickly used his sensory jutsu and, after a moment, said, "It's not just the south and west—there are enemies to the north and east as well."
Shūichi wasn't surprised.
Although Minato had the Flying Thunder God Technique, his chakra wouldn't allow him to teleport the entire team recklessly.
And since they had left traces, it was inevitable that they would be tracked down.
Not to mention, this was all part of the plan.
Their squad's mission was to disrupt the Sand Shinobi's formations and force them to mobilize their forces. The Sand Shinobi likely realized this, but they had no choice but to encircle and eliminate Minato's team.
If they didn't neutralize Minato's squad, they wouldn't be able to focus on Konoha's reinforcements, especially given the impressive combat power and destructive capability Minato's team had demonstrated.
"Sensei, our mission objectives have been achieved. Should we break through to the east next?" Sanyo asked.
Minato Namikaze replied, "Based on my current sensory readings, the forces to the east do appear to be weaker."
"But is it that the Sand Shinobi want to force us back, or are they trying to trap us?" Shisui Uchiha interjected. "If I were the Sand Shinobi commander, I would definitely aim to keep this squad here."
"Not only as revenge for their fallen comrades but also to make an example for the Land of Rivers," Shisui added.
Kurama Sanyo was startled. "Shisui, do you mean there's a trap to the east?"
Shisui shook his head. "I can't be certain."
At this point, Minato asked Shūichi Hoshita, "Shūichi, what do you think?"
After a moment of thought, Shūichi replied, "Sensei, since your sensory abilities can't reach that far, the only way to confirm whether there's a trap is to probe."
"With Shadow Clones!"
"My chakra reserves are still sufficient. I can create three Shadow Clones, two of which can transform into Shisui and Sanyo, and together with your Shadow Clone, they can head east."
"As for how we proceed, that decision should be yours."
Minato, being a decisive leader, immediately responded, "First, we'll follow Shūichi's plan."
"Second, we'll break through to the south. Although this direction appears to have the strongest enemy presence, it also means that after breaking through, we're less likely to face further strong resistance."
Kurama Sanyo couldn't help but ask, "Sensei, what if there isn't a trap to the east?"
Minato smiled. "Then we regroup and provide support!"
Kurama Sanyo nodded.
"The enemy is already on the mountain. Move out!"
Minato ordered.
Shūichi quickly formed hand seals and created three Shadow Clones. Two of them transformed into Shisui and Sanyo, and together with Minato's Shadow Clone, the four figures immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to break through to the east.
It was clear that the Sand Shinobi had sensory ninjas as well, as they did not change the search directions of the enemy forces in the four directions but instead accelerated their approach to the mountaintop.
This sign seemed to confirm something.
"Move out!" Minato commanded once again.
The four of them exited the cave and began descending the mountain to the south. Minato Namikaze led the way, Kurama Sanyo took the middle, while Shūichi Hoshita, holding a senbon in his mouth, and Shisui Uchiha covered the rear, one on the left and the other on the right.
By the time they reached mid-mountain, the enemy was already within sight.
Shūichi and Shisui simultaneously accelerated, overtaking Kurama Sanyo, and moved up to align with Minato, one on each side.
As Shisui accelerated, he started forming hand seals and then unleashed a massive fireball, sending a torrent of flames forward. On the left, Shūichi performed a symbolic three-seal sequence, releasing his own Great Fireball Technique.
Minato, in the center, completed his hand seals as well, unleashing Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
Boom!
The fireballs merged into a roaring sea of flames, engulfing the forest ahead.
On the other side, three Sand Jonin, who were leading the charge, completed their own jutsu—all Wind Release techniques—forming a terrifying storm that kicked up sand and debris, tearing through the forest.
The fire and wind collided, causing the air to violently crash and grind against itself, erupting in a deafening roar.
The scorching heatwave that followed swept out in all directions.
Both Shūichi's team and the Sand Shinobi halted their movements, taking cover behind large trees.
As the heatwave subsided, Shūichi and the others launched a barrage of shuriken and kunai, their hands moving in unison.
Clang, clang!
The weapons were either blocked, intercepted by the enemy's own shuriken and kunai, or evaded entirely.
This round of projectile attacks achieved nothing.
But in that instant, Minato's figure suddenly vanished.
He reappeared behind the lead Sand Jonin, grasping a Flying Thunder God kunai in his left hand while a Rasengan formed in his right.
Boom!
The Rasengan struck the Sand Jonin squarely in the back, causing the ground beneath to shatter and collapse.
At the same time, Shisui, with his Sharingan activated, employed his unique Body Flicker Technique, creating numerous afterimages that surrounded the other two Sand Jonin in the lead.
Following closely behind, Shūichi unleashed the Dance of the Crescent Moon, using Shisui's afterimages as cover to break into the battle, targeting one of the Sand Shinobi.
Kurama Sanyo, staying back, didn't engage directly but instead used Genjutsu to disrupt the two Sand Shinobi fighting against Shūichi and Shisui.
Meanwhile, ahead of them, after taking out one Jonin with a Rasengan, Minato swiftly retrieved a handful of Flying Thunder God kunai from his tool pouch and flung them in all directions.
In the next moment, Minato's figure vanished again, leaving only flashes of yellow light as he darted among the remaining Sand Shinobi.
The Sand Shinobi barely had time to register Minato's movements, seeing only a streak of yellow—his hair color—flashing past.
A series of agonized screams shook the resolve of the Sand Shinobi still battling Shūichi and Shisui.
As the screams ceased, Minato suddenly reentered the fray, and the two Sand Jonin let out muffled grunts as they were sent flying backward.
Seizing the opportunity, Shūichi activated a burst of chakra in his feet, and the Totsuka Blade in his hand flared with blue flames, lighting up the forest.
The Sand Jonin was quick to react, rolling to his feet and raising his kunai to block, but Shūichi's Totsuka Blade sliced through the kunai, cutting through his flak jacket. The scorching blade slashed diagonally from his right shoulder to his left side, nearly cutting him in half.
At the same time, Minato finished off the other Sand Jonin.
From the start of the ninjutsu clash to the end of the battle, less than three minutes had passed.
It wasn't that the Sand Shinobi were weak; it was that Minato's speed was simply too overwhelming.
Moreover, Shūichi and Shisui possessed extraordinary talents, and with Kurama Sanyo's Genjutsu support, they were able to hold off two Sand Jonin.
The best strategy against Shūichi and Shisui would have been long-range, wide-area ninjutsu, but unfortunately, the Sand Shinobi lacked sufficient intelligence on them.
Once engaged in close combat, the Sand Shinobi had no chance to form seals for ninjutsu, nor did Shūichi and Shisui give them any opportunity to retreat or escape.
With the battle concluded, Shūichi and the others quickly collected the Flying Thunder God kunai and continued southward.
The Sand Shinobi from the north and west were closing in, with the western group especially close.
They descended the mountain and crossed the river.
At that moment, the memories from the shadow clones returned, and Shūichi Hoshita immediately reported, "Minato-sensei, there's indeed a trap to the east!"
"It's Chiyo, the Puppet Master!"
Minato Namikaze's eyes narrowed as he heard this, and he immediately halted, saying, "Follow the river south!"
The four of them quickly changed direction, abandoning their plan to circle around to the east.
As they followed the river downstream, Kurama Sanyo couldn't help but ask, "Minato-sensei, is this Chiyo really that formidable?"
Minato nodded slightly, "She's an outstanding female puppet master from the Sand Village."
"Moreover, she's skilled in medical ninjutsu and the use of poisons."
"During the last Great Ninja War, she caused a lot of trouble for our village. Fortunately, we had Lady Tsunade, who was able to counter her poison techniques."
Puppet masters, especially powerful ones, are notoriously difficult to deal with.
And Chiyo was among the best—it's said she possesses the legendary Ten Puppets created by Monzaemon, the strongest puppet master in the Sand Village's history.
Monzaemon was a remarkable ninja from the era of the First and Second Hokage and was the one who pioneered the path of puppet ninjutsu.
Hearing Minato's explanation, both Kurama Sanyo and Shisui Uchiha were taken aback.
Shūichi Hoshita also knew a bit about Chiyo.
She was a formidable and ruthless opponent!
If they were to encounter her along with other Sand Shinobi, without using the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape, Shūichi believed that aside from Minato, the rest of them would be in serious trouble!
Minato's decision to change plans was undoubtedly the right one.
The four of them continued south along the river, eventually entering a town called Ōtsu. They used the town's complexity to cover their tracks.
Shūichi and Shisui transformed into wild cats and exited the town, heading north into the forest, while Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport himself and Sanyo to their location.
This strategy completely threw off the Sand Shinobi, who had followed them to Ōtsu but were left clueless, losing the trail of Minato's team.
…
In the mountains, Shūichi Hoshita and his team found a cave where they could temporarily settle down.
Meanwhile, back at the battlefield on the mountainside, Chiyo arrived with several Sand Shinobi, silently observing the grim scene.
Three Jōnin and twelve Chūnin had been slaughtered in just a few minutes.
"That guy with the yellow hair!"
Thinking about Minato Namikaze's incredible Instant Movement Technique, Chiyo's expression grew even more serious.
"This sword wound... it must have been made by that kid with the short sword."
"A genius from Konoha..."
Chiyo examined each corpse, piecing together bits of information.
Finally, Chiyo turned to one of the Sand Jōnin and said, "Rasa, cancel the pursuit of Minato Namikaze and his team!"
Rasa frowned upon hearing this. "Lady Chiyo, the destructive power of this Konoha team is immense. If we don't eliminate them, they'll pose a significant threat."
Chiyo responded, "I'm well aware of that."
"But you've seen it too—how many ninjas would we need to surround and eliminate them?"
"We can't afford a full-scale battle."
"So, cancel the previous plan and organize Jōnin squads to pursue them. Even if we can't take them out, we must at least force them out of our territory."
Rasa nodded in agreement, as he had been considering the same approach.
Chiyo then added, "I'll leave this pursuit mission to you. The White Fang of Konoha has appeared in the Land of Rivers, so I need to head there."
Rasa acknowledged the order and immediately turned to leave.
...
Nightfall descended.
Shūichi Hoshita's shadow clone, disguised as a stray cat, reappeared in Ōtsu Town. Under the moonlight and street lamps, it wandered through the crowd, leaping between buildings.
What puzzled Shūichi, however, was the absence of any Sand Shinobi in the town. They had disappeared during the day, but so many Sand Shinobi had been pursuing them—had they really given up so quickly?
"Huh?"
Just as he was about to rendezvous with Shisui, Shūichi suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on a figure in the street. "Is that... Pakura?"
Her figure and aura were simply too striking!
At that moment, as if noticing Shūichi's gaze, the curvaceous figure on the street turned to look at him.
Shūichi nonchalantly meowed, then strutted into a dark alley.
Back on the street, Pakura withdrew her gaze and continued following the trail left by the Konoha ninjas that the Sand Shinobi had been tracking earlier in the day. She eventually arrived at an abandoned house.
The Konoha ninjas' trail had ended in this dilapidated building.
Frowning, Pakura carefully examined the area under the dim light but found nothing.
The trail had been wiped clean!
Exiting the house, Pakura scanned the surroundings again and eventually climbed onto the roof, surveying the area.
Suddenly, her gaze locked onto a dirty stray cat.
Stray cats were common, but at that moment, Pakura recalled the stray cat she had briefly made eye contact with earlier on the street.
Swish!
Pakura's figure disappeared from the rooftop and reappeared beside a few paw prints.
These were the same paw prints she had noticed earlier—seemingly ordinary.
But now, her instincts told her something was off.
She immediately formed hand signs, creating six clones, each heading in a different direction to follow the various paw print trails.
Before long, Pakura returned to the room where Minato Namikaze and his team had last been.
She carefully examined the area again. There were no cat paw prints, but she did find traces of something being deliberately erased.
"As I thought, there's something suspicious here. The paw prints started from this spot, but someone tried to cover them up."
A smile spread across Pakura's face as she mused, "Why are there only two sets of cat prints?"
"That Minato Namikaze's Instant Movement Technique... could it possibly be more than just short-range teleportation?"
Pakura's eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly darted away.
Moments later, Pakura returned, accompanied by Rasa and five other Jōnin. Among them, Rasa and Pakura were the youngest.
After hearing Pakura's analysis, Rasa and the others surveyed the area once more.
When they regrouped, a middle-aged Jōnin said, "Pakura's theory is highly plausible."
"A teleportation technique that works over long distances—this could be a space-time ninjutsu!"
Rasa's gaze shifted northward. The darkness obscured his view, but he knew there was a mountain in that direction.
Judging by the traces, it was highly likely that the Konoha team was hiding there.
But there was also a chance they had already left.
"Then let's move out!"
"We can't keep lingering here. The current situation in the Land of Rivers is becoming increasingly unfavorable for us."
Rasa declared.
The others nodded in agreement, and in unison, they vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
...
Inside the cave, Shūichi Hoshita and Shisui Uchiha dispelled their shadow clones. After receiving the memories, Shisui reported, "Minato-sensei, the Sand Shinobi who were tracking us have all withdrawn, but new ones have arrived. The exact number is unclear, but given the situation, it's highly likely they're an elite Jōnin squad."
He had gathered this information by hypnotizing people in the town. By piecing together details from multiple sources, he couldn't determine how many Sand Shinobi had come, but the shift in their forces provided some clues.
Minato Namikaze nodded and then looked at Shūichi.
Shūichi, however, furrowed his brows slightly and after a moment of contemplation said, "Minato-sensei, I think we might have been exposed."
An amazed Sanyō asked, "Shūichi, was your Transformation Technique discovered?"
Shūichi shook his head. "I'm not sure, it's just a gut feeling."
Minato smiled and said, "A ninja's intuition is often very accurate."
"At this point, it's likely the Sand Shinobi have changed their strategy, opting to use a small, elite force against us."
"And it seems this elite unit has already figured out that we're likely hiding here."
Shisui added, "If that's the case, Minato-sensei, there's also a chance they've discovered the secret of your Instant Movement Technique."
Minato, unconcerned, replied, "Once a jutsu is used, it's inevitable that someone will gather intelligence on it. It's just a matter of time—nothing to worry about."
Kurama Sanyō muttered, "An elite squad, sounds like we're in big trouble, huh?"
Shūichi grinned, "We've caused the Sand Shinobi so much trouble, it's only fair they come looking to return the favor!"
His words immediately lightened the mood.
Minato then said, "Shūichi, send out a shadow clone to scout the area with me. The rest of you head north."
"Understood!"
...
Leaving behind a shadow clone, Shūichi Hoshita, Shisui Uchiha, and Kurama Sanyō began their retreat together.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Minato Namikaze and Shūichi's shadow clone encountered a Sand Shinobi squad halfway up the mountain.
"Two Kekkei Genkai users!"
Minato's heart tightened when he saw Rasa and Pakura.
The Hidden Sand Village collected information on talented ninjas from other villages, and Konoha was no exception. Kekkei Genkai users were especially notable, particularly those without a family lineage.
Rasa was slightly older, already 20 years old, while the voluptuous and seemingly mature Pakura was around Minato's age, despite her appearance.
"It looks like this mission might end here..."
In an instant, Minato made a decision, quietly briefing Shūichi on Rasa and Pakura. One controlled Magnet Release, the other Scorch Release—both were young and powerful Jōnin.
Rasa, Pakura, and their team were equally on high alert, especially when they saw that there were only two opponents. The recent achievements of Minato's team had been too remarkable for them not to be cautious.
"Minato Namikaze of Konoha!" Rasa spoke first, his gaze fixed on Minato before shifting to Shūichi.
His eyes locked onto the hilt of a blade peeking out from Shūichi's side. "For someone your age to kill a Jōnin, that's truly impressive. Even though you're an enemy, you've earned our respect. I am Rasa, a Jōnin of the Hidden Sand Village."
Shūichi responded, "Shūichi Hoshita, Chūnin of Konoha!"
Rasa, staring at Shūichi's youthful face, declared, "I will use all my strength to kill you—that is my way of showing respect."
Shūichi smiled, "Right now, I'm not your match, but in ten years, you won't be mine."
"And in the future, neither your son nor your daughter will be a match for me."
This statement left both Minato and the Sand Shinobis, including Rasa, momentarily stunned.
"Shūichi's perspective... really is odd but amusing," Minato thought with a smile, his hand already grasping a Flying Thunder God kunai.
Rasa, snapping out of his surprise, darkened his expression. "You have no future!"
But Pakura had already grown impatient. Raising her hands, two fiery red spheres appeared in her palms. "Let's take them down first!"
With that, she launched one of the fireballs straight at Shūichi.
"She's fiery, alright—attacks without hesitation!" Shūichi muttered, quickly forming a few hand seals. He unleashed a stream of fire from his mouth, which rapidly gathered into a large fireball to meet Pakura's.
Boom!
The two fireballs collided and exploded, sending waves of fire outward. Pakura's Scorch Release fireball continued its trajectory toward Shūichi.
Shūichi swiftly dodged, using his agility and quick reflexes to evade the attacks.
Seeing this, Pakura launched a second Scorch Release fireball toward him.
At that moment, Minato's kunai flew toward Pakura.
Simultaneously, Minato vanished, reappearing in front of the Scorch Release fireball with a Rasengan in hand, which he slammed into the fireball.
Boom!
The Scorch Release fireball exploded.
Pakura easily dodged the kunai, while Rasa clenched his fist. "I've got you now..."
Iron Sand began to creep up from the ground beneath Minato.
Rasa had anticipated Minato's movements and seized the opportunity.
However, just as he was about to ensnare Minato with the Iron Sand, Minato vanished from his spot.
"Watch out!" A warning shout rang out from behind Pakura.
Minato reappeared behind her, grasping his Flying Thunder God kunai. As he did, he reached into his pouch and scattered a flurry of kunai around.
Rasa quickly turned, his pupils dilating. "Those kunai... they've got teleportation formulas on them!"
The previous intelligence gathered on Minato had not mentioned anything about the kunai bearing teleportation markings.
Those who had known this information were already dead.
Just as the Sand Shinobi who knew Shūichi didn't need hand seals to use Fire Release were also dead.
"Be careful! Those kunai have teleportation formulas!" Rasa shouted, and his Iron Sand shot out densely to intercept Minato's attack on Pakura.
However, both the warning and the Iron Sand were too late.
Minato once again disappeared and reappeared behind a middle-aged Sand Jōnin, a Rasengan forming in his hand.
The middle-aged Sand Jōnin was on guard, turning to block with his sword.
In the next instant, the Rasengan met the sword, and with a powerful push from Minato, the blade shattered, and the Rasengan slammed into the Sand Jōnin, sending him flying.
Rasa's Iron Sand, Pakura's Scorch Release fireballs, and the other attacks all arrived, but they hit nothing.
But Rasa had already hidden Iron Sand beneath each of the Flying Thunder God kunai, ready to strike whenever Minato reappeared.
However, they still missed!
"His speed... it's unbelievable..."
"He's like a yellow flash!"
Rasa's face grew solemn.
Minato flashed several more times, finally appearing beside Shūichi, where he used a Rasengan to shatter Pakura's Scorch Release fireball, dispersing it completely.
Rasa's attacks had consistently been a step behind, despite his early preparations.
The first round of battle ended.
Shūichi and Minato were unscathed, while one Sand Shinobi lay gravely injured and unconscious or may be dead by now.
After a brief exchange, the two sides once again faced off.
Rasa stared at Minato Namikaze, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to catch or strike Minato.
"The only way is to attack his blind spot when he initiates an attack…"
"Or to have a reaction speed faster than his."
Rasa pondered, but inwardly frowned.
Impossible! There's no way to catch him!
He then shifted his gaze to Shūichi Hoshita.
If he couldn't directly target Minato Namikaze, then he would start with his subordinate.
"Pakura, Madai, focus all your efforts on that kid!" Rasa commanded.
Pakura and the others immediately understood—Shūichi Hoshita was to be the weak point they would exploit to break through Minato Namikaze.
No one found it dishonorable to gang up on a smaller opponent; they all nodded in agreement.
On the other side, Shūichi Hoshita keenly sensed Rasa and his team's focus on him. In a low voice, he called out, "Minato Sensei!"
With his wealth of experience, Minato Namikaze had already sensed their intentions and caught the meaning in Shūichi's words.
Use it to our advantage. Bait!
After all, it was only a shadow clone!
At this moment, two Sand Jonin began retreating from the battlefield, taking with them the heavily injured Jonin that Minato had struck down earlier, moving away from the area covered by Minato's Flying Thunder God kunai.
Shūichi Hoshita glanced over and grew more alert. He didn't believe those two Sand Jonin would just sit back and watch the rest of the battle.
At that moment, Madai, the Jonin who had been standing behind Rasa and Pakura, suddenly moved. He rushed forward, kunai in hand.
Rasa and Pakura also sprang into action. Rasa manipulated his Iron Sand, forming a dense barrage of senbon that rained down.
Meanwhile, Pakura's Scorch Release fireballs circled around from both sides, aiming for the rear of Shūichi and Minato.
Shūichi took in the entire situation, his hands swiftly forming seals. With just two hand signs, he unleashed a fire stream from his mouth, which quickly expanded into a massive dragon-shaped flame.
Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!
The dragon-shaped flame engulfed the incoming Iron Sand senbon, melting them into droplets of molten iron that fell to the ground.
As the flames dispersed, the sound of whistling shuriken filled the air—Madai was charging in with a flurry of shuriken.
Minato Namikaze raised his hand and threw his own shuriken with pinpoint accuracy, intercepting Madai's attack.
Just then, Pakura's Scorch Release fireballs came at them from behind.
Both Shūichi and Minato dodged in unison.
Rasa raised his hand, sending a wave of Iron Sand surging toward Minato, unleashing a relentless series of attacks.
At that moment, Shūichi no longer had time to observe Minato's side of the battle. He was now engaged in a fierce fight with Madai, the Sand Jonin, while also dealing with two more Scorch Release fireballs.
He was being pushed back step by step!
The middle-aged Jonin, Madai, was already formidable on his own, and with the added power of the Scorch Release, Shūichi Hoshita could only keep up thanks to his heightened reflexes and intense focus.
However, what troubled him the most were those Scorch Release fireballs. Even if he sliced them apart with his Blue Flame Sky Blade, they would recombine, making it more effective to just smash them apart with a Rasengan.
Suddenly, Madai retreated and began forming hand seals, and the frequency of the Scorch Release fireball attacks increased, leaving Shūichi Hoshita no time to think of anything else.
Though Shūichi could also use the Rasengan, he chose not to.
Sure enough, Madai finished his seals, took a deep breath, and unleashed a violent windstorm.
But this jutsu wasn't just aimed at Shūichi; it targeted everyone on the battlefield, including Rasa and Pakura, covering the entire area and even the Flying Thunder God kunai scattered across the field.
In the midst of playing cat-and-mouse with Rasa, Minato Namikaze suddenly appeared beside Shūichi. Before the storm could engulf them, the two vanished again.
Rasa, now protected by a shield of Iron Sand, stared intently at the flickering yellow light.
Good, he hasn't retreated!
Rasa smiled.
Pakura dispersed her Scorch Release fireballs, forming a ring of fire around herself as a protective barrier.
Outside the battlefield, the two Jonin tending to the wounded began forming hand seals at the same time.
Wind Release: Great Cast Net!
One after the other, the two of them unleashed the same jutsu, creating a massive, razor-sharp web of wind that swept across the entire battlefield just as Madai's Wind Release started to wane, resulting in a relentless, continuous attack.
Rasa, with only his eyes exposed, looked out at the battlefield now shrouded in the raging winds and thought, "In this situation, if you don't want to die, escape is the only option."
If Minato Namikaze fled, it would indeed be a shame, but it would also provide crucial information about his teleportation technique.
Additionally, it would clarify whether Minato's technique was merely high-speed movement or true space-time ninjutsu.
However…
Minato Namikaze silently reappeared behind the two Jonin who had just unleashed their Wind Release jutsu, with Shūichi Hoshita by his side.
At that moment, both experienced Sand Jonin sensed something was wrong. Sweat formed on their foreheads as they abruptly halted their jutsu and twisted their necks to look back.
Minato's Rasengan came crashing down, while Shūichi was even more direct, slicing down with his Totsuka Blade.
Splurt!
Boom!
The ground split, and the bodies were cleaved in two.
Without uttering a sound, the two Sand Jonin were killed by Shūichi Hoshita and Minato Namikaze.
Madai, standing outside the storm's reach, turned his head and widened his eyes in disbelief at the scene before him. "How is this possible?"
As the storm subsided, Rasa and Pakura dispelled their defenses and turned to look at the rising dust cloud. Their expressions were grim, filled with disbelief.
"This guy can place a marking on people!"
Rasa reacted quickly, instantly realizing what had happened, feeling so frustrated that he nearly coughed up blood.
Two encounters, and they had already lost three men!
Just then, with a poof, Shūichi Hoshita dispersed into a cloud of smoke.
"A shadow clone!" Madai couldn't help but exclaim.
Which meant that Minato Namikaze never really needed to rescue Shūichi in the first place. The only reason he did so was to trick them into continuing with their plan.
Their entire strategy had been completely seen through and exploited due to a lack of information.
"Sunagakure shouldn't provoke Konoha. I hope you relay that message to the Third Kazekage."
With those words, Minato Namikaze vanished.
The battlefield fell into silence.
After a long pause, Rasa looked up at the moon hanging in the sky and said, "Pakura, destroy all those kunai with the markings!"
Pakura nodded silently and sent out her Scorch Release fireballs, melting each of the kunai.
As for the idea of taking the kunai back for research, they didn't even consider it. No one dared to touch the kunai marked with Minato's jutsu.
...
The memories from his shadow clone returned, and Shūichi Hoshita and his group immediately stopped moving.
Sure enough, Minato Namikaze appeared shortly after.
"Let's rest for half an hour before we continue," Minato said.
Kurama Sanyō let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "Looks like we won't have any pursuers."
Minato smiled, "That may be true, but we should still stay vigilant."
Shūichi, on the other hand, was deep in thought: After this battle, the name 'Yellow Flash' is probably going to start spreading throughout the ninja world.
The road to glory is paved with countless bones!
In the ninja world, any renowned title is built upon a pile of corpses.
The Yellow Flash, the White Fang of Konoha, and even the Killer Bee of the Cloud Village...
Shūichi cleared his mind and said, "It's been a long time since I've had a good meal. I'll go hunt something for us."
Minato nodded but added, "Shisui, go with Shūichi."
...
After a meal of roasted rabbit, the four set off again, reaching the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers by dawn. They then continued southeast along the border, eventually circling around from the north to return to Hegu Town.
Konoha ninjas were stationed there, and it had even become the rear base for Konoha's operations against the Land of Rivers.
To Shūichi's surprise, he spotted Kakashi there.
"Kakashi, when did you get here?" Shūichi asked after greeting him.
"Last night," Kakashi replied, then added, "The village is still sending reinforcements, so it seems the situation at the front isn't going well."
Shūichi chuckled, "No, I didn't come from the village—I'm returning from the front lines."
Kakashi was stunned.
At that moment, Kurama Sanyō's voice called out, and Shūichi Hoshita patted Kakashi on the shoulder. "I'm off. If you head to the front lines, be extra careful, especially with Sand ninjas' puppet masters."
With that, Shūichi quickly left and rejoined Minato Namikaze and the others as they set off again, arriving at the Konoha-Sand front lines by midday.
The commander here was Sakumo Hatake!
Seeing the four of them, Sakumo smiled and said, "Minato, we're lucky to have you all."
Minato responded humbly, "You're too kind, sir. We were just doing our duty."
Sakumo, knowing Minato's gentle and modest nature, smiled and then turned his gaze to Shūichi Hoshita. "Shūichi, thank you for guiding Kakashi."
Shūichi was momentarily taken aback and quickly replied, "You give me too much credit, sir. Kakashi has helped me a lot as well. It's more of an exchange between friends than guidance."
Sakumo's admiration for Shūichi grew, and he said, "If you ever need help with swordsmanship, feel free to come to me anytime."
Shūichi was overjoyed and quickly bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, sir! I will!"
This was not the time for modesty.
Minato Namikaze then went off to attend a Jonin meeting and exchange information.
Shūichi and the others waited for nearly an hour before seeing Minato again.
"We'll have to split up now," Minato's first words startled the three of them.
"Shisui, you three will escort the injured back to Hegu Town. Once you arrive, Shūichi, you'll stay there and join the medical team."
Minato then looked at Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō. "As for you two, you'll temporarily join other teams until the mission is completed."
Shūichi immediately understood—Minato was about to engage with powerful Sand ninjas, and it wasn't suitable to bring them along.
Kurama Sanyō breathed a sigh of relief and joked, "I was worried you wouldn't be our squad leader anymore, Minato-sensei!"
Minato patted Sanyō's shoulder and advised, "Be careful during the mission!"
"Don't worry, Minato-sensei, we will!" Sanyō assured him, thumping his chest.
After that, Shūichi and the others escorted a group of injured ninjas back to Hegu Town.
There wasn't much time to talk as Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō were quickly called away by a middle-aged ninja.
Meanwhile, Shūichi dove into his duties as a medical ninja, barely having a moment to rest.
Injured ninjas were continuously brought in from the front lines, while those who had recovered in Hegu Town were sent back to the front.
Shūichi gradually got to know more Konoha ninjas, and his exceptional medical skills earned him the respect of many, especially after word spread that he had trained under Tsunade.
Over time, this rumor evolved into him being called "The disciple of Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin."
To this, Shūichi neither denied nor confirmed the rumors.
After all, he had trained under Tsunade!
If others misunderstood, that wasn't his fault.
Half a month quickly passed.
In Hegu Town, fewer and fewer injured were arriving from the front lines, giving Shūichi Hoshita a lot more free time.
In a forest near the medical camp, Shūichi's chakra erupted beneath his feet, propelling him forward at high speed, leaving afterimages in his wake.
Where he had just stood, a charred crater now remained.
The most basic Body Flicker Technique essentially relies on a burst of chakra from the feet to achieve high-speed movement.
Tsunade's superhuman strength, on the other hand, comes from even more precise chakra control, allowing for greater bursts of power.
Now, Shūichi had taken it a step further by using Fire Release chakra—transforming a pure chakra burst into one with the nature of Fire Release, creating an even more powerful propulsion.
The explosive nature of Fire Release was indeed effective, though it caused quite a commotion.
After several days of continuous practice, Shūichi had finally mastered this explosive technique.
This was no ordinary Body Flicker; it was the Fire Body Flicker Technique!
Unfortunately, it hadn't yet reached the level of an A-rank skill on his tag tree.
Nor had it met Shūichi's goal.
He wasn't just after speed in movement; he needed speed in attack as well.
While improving movement speed naturally boosts attack speed, it still wasn't enough!
Coming to a halt, Shūichi fell into deep thought once more.
Countless ideas from both his past and present lives surfaced in his mind.
"Jet propulsion?"
"Turbojet?"
"Do I need Wind Release?"
"No, maybe I should incorporate further shape transformation..."
"If I want to boost speed across the board, it can't just be about foot bursts; there's really only one way to achieve that: a chakra cloak!"
Shūichi scratched his head in frustration. "But forming a chakra cloak requires an extraordinary level of chakra control, not to mention the amount of chakra I currently have is nowhere near enough."
"The Yin Seal is clearly indispensable!"
"Also, would it be more efficient to develop a Fire Release chakra cloak instead of continuing with Lightning Release training?"
He exhaled deeply, abandoning the idea of training in Lightning Release.
When developing a new technique, the worst thing you can do is give up at the first sign of difficulty.
Stepping over to a tree, Shūichi sat down cross-legged beneath it, organizing his thoughts.
He pondered, "First is chakra control—my current level isn't enough, but if I can acquire the 'Medical Expert' tag, my chakra control will immediately improve."
"And as for chakra reserves, there's the Yin Seal. One on the forehead and another on the abdomen—if I fill both seals to capacity, I won't be as strong as a tailed beast, but I'll be close enough to act like one."
"The most crucial part is, if I succeed in developing this technique, it will undoubtedly be S-rank. Not only will I earn the 'Fire Release Master' tag, but it will also advance my development of Fire Release sword techniques, leading to the 'Swordsmanship Master' tag. That would further enhance my physical abilities..."
The benefits were numerous, and after weighing them carefully, Shūichi made up his mind.
Fire Release it is!
"I'll start with shape transformation!"
With that, Shūichi began his new training regimen.
He had previously pushed his chakra nature transformation to its limits. To achieve an even more powerful burst of energy, he needed to focus on shape transformation.
Boom!
Bang!
In the forest, Shūichi Hoshita repeatedly unleashed bursts of chakra beneath his feet. But this time, it was different—he was experimenting with shape transformation.
For example, he tried to shape the Fire Release chakra under his feet into a trumpet-like form before releasing it.
...
Several days quickly passed.
On the last day of April, while Shūichi was training, he suddenly heard a familiar voice calling his name. He turned around to see Minato Namikaze, Shisui Uchiha, and Sanyō Kurama approaching him with smiles on their faces.
"Is the mission over?" Shūichi asked with surprise. But then he noticed the bandages on Sanyō Kurama's arm. "Sanyō, you're injured?"
"It's nothing, just a flesh wound," Sanyō replied nonchalantly.
Shūichi stepped forward to inspect the injury and, satisfied that it wasn't serious, nodded in relief.
At this point, Minato Namikaze spoke up, "Shūichi, you're officially rejoining the team now. We'll be heading back to Konoha."
...
On May 1st, in the 40th year of Konoha, Shūichi and the others returned to the village.
While Minato and the rest were enjoying some well-deserved time off, Shūichi dove straight into work at Konoha Hospital.
He urgently needed the "Medical Expert" tag to enhance his chakra control.
Of course, he didn't neglect his training in Wind Release chakra nature transformation, sealing techniques, or Fire Release shape transformation. His schedule was packed, even busier than when he was on missions.
One day, after finishing lunch, Shūichi headed from Konoha Hospital to seek advice from Minato on sealing techniques.
However, when he knocked on the door, it wasn't Minato who answered but a woman with red hair—Kushina Uzumaki.
Shūichi was momentarily taken aback, but Kushina smiled warmly and said, "You must be Shūichi, the one Minato's told me about, right?"
"I'm Kushina Uzumaki, Minato's girlfriend," she added confidently.
At that moment, Minato Namikaze's voice called out, "Is that you, Shūichi?"
"Come on in!"
Kushina Uzumaki quickly added, "Come in, we were just working on some sealing techniques!"
Shūichi, no longer needing to pretend, immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Sensei's wife, I'm Shūichi Hoshita. Please take care of me!"
Hearing herself called "Sensei's wife" made Kushina blush, but she smiled even more brightly. She grabbed Shūichi's hand and led him inside.
In the living room, Shūichi saw numerous scrolls scattered around, all covered in densely packed sealing formulas.
Minato looked up as Shūichi entered and smiled, "Shūichi, come over here. Kushina and I have made some preliminary designs based on your earlier ideas."
Shūichi hurried over and examined the sealing formulas on the scrolls. Though the notes were a bit rough, the thought process was very clear, with two distinct handwriting styles—clearly a collaboration between Minato and Kushina.
After a close look, Shūichi exclaimed with delight, "Sensei, Kushina-san, you're amazing!"
Kushina immediately beamed with pride, "Of course!"
But then she added with a smile, "And Shūichi, you're very impressive too, coming up with the idea of combining two Four Symbols Seals."
Minato nodded and said, "Shūichi, this can be considered a new sealing technique."
Pretending to think for a moment, Shūichi suggested, "How about we call it the Eight Trigrams Seal?"
Kushina instantly gave him a thumbs up, "That's a perfect name!"
Minato agreed, "Then it'll be called the Eight Trigrams Seal."
"There's one more thing. The village might find this sealing technique useful, so we need to get your consent," Minato continued.
"Of course, the village will compensate you. Based on the evaluation, the Eight Trigrams Seal qualifies as an A-rank technique, so you can choose an A-rank jutsu from the village's archives—sealing techniques included."
Shūichi had already guessed what the Eight Trigrams Seal might be used for, and besides, he had only proposed the concept; Minato and Kushina were the ones who brought it to life.
Still, he wasn't about to turn down what he was owed, so he agreed without hesitation.
As for which A-rank jutsu to choose, he decided to take some time to think it over.
Just then, he noticed some activity in the tag tree within his mind.
However, he didn't check it right away. Instead, he continued learning about the Eight Trigrams Seal and the more complex combination of the Yin Seal and the Eight Trigrams Seal alongside Minato and Kushina.
Although the combination of the two sealing techniques was intricate, Shūichi, who had already mastered the Yin Seal and the Four Symbols Seal, didn't find it overly difficult to learn.
This was partly due to his natural talent for sealing techniques, but also thanks to his strong memory, high-level cognitive abilities, and intense focus—all boosted by his special system.
Kushina couldn't help but praise him repeatedly, growing even more fond of the lovely, sweet-talking Shūichi.
Minato Namikaze's three-day vacation flew by, and by the end of it, Shūichi Hoshita had almost fully mastered the new sealing technique.
On the last day of the break, as they were about to leave, Kushina Uzumaki offered with a smile, "Shūichi, if you ever have any questions about sealing techniques, feel free to come to me!"
Shūichi was pleasantly surprised but didn't immediately agree. Instead, he looked toward Minato.
It wasn't that he doubted Minato's approval; rather, he knew about Kushina's true identity but had to pretend he didn't. Therefore, he looked to Minato for confirmation.
Minato, noticing Shūichi's reaction, smiled and said, "Of course, if you need any help, you can always go to her."
Shūichi's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Minato-sensei! Thank you, Kushina-sensei!"
As they were seeing him off, Minato asked, "Have you decided on the A-rank jutsu yet?"
Shūichi thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you have any recommendations, Sensei?"
Minato smiled, "It might be best to pick a jutsu that I haven't mastered yet. For example, something in Wind Release, sensory ninjutsu, or sealing techniques."
Shūichi grinned, "That was my thought as well."
"In that case," Shūichi suggested, "how about choosing a genjutsu?"
"Genjutsu?" Minato was a bit surprised.
Shūichi nodded. "I've learned a lot about genjutsu from Shisui and Sanyō. I've grown very interested in it."
"More importantly, Minato-sensei, I think the memory palace we discussed earlier would be perfect as a genjutsu!"
"Genjutsu, huh?" Minato pondered for a moment and then praised, "Shūichi, your intuition with jutsu is as sharp as ever."
"Alright then, a genjutsu it is!"
With that decision made, Shūichi returned home under the cover of night.
After preparing a bath, Shūichi closed his eyes and turned his attention to the tag tree in his mind.
A new tag had appeared.
Tag: Sealing Master
Conditions to Obtain: Create at least 5 A-rank sealing techniques or create 1 S-rank sealing technique.
Effects: Sealing jutsu and curse mark aptitude increase by 100%, thought processing speed increases by 100%, and one sealing technique can be converted into a Kekkei Genkai/Bloodline Limit. No learning barriers exist for non-bloodline sealing techniques or curse marks.
Shūichi's eyes shot open as he stood up abruptly.
To convert a sealing technique into a Kekkei Genkai!
Incredible!
"No wonder it's called a 'Master' tag!"
"It's both powerful and sturdy!"
Shūichi couldn't help but grin widely.
He knew very well that the world of Naruto revolved around bloodlines and overpowered abilities!
Either you had a powerful bloodline or a game-breaking ability—otherwise, even someone like Orochimaru, a genius scientist, would end up sidelined.
After lying back down, Shūichi Hoshita calmed himself.
The [Sealing Master] tag was much more challenging to achieve than either [Fire Release Master] or [Swordsmanship Master]. Developing sealing techniques was significantly more difficult.
Finally, as Shūichi considered the last effect of the [Sealing Master] tag, a thought crossed his mind: "Isn't Adamantine Sealing Chains considered a Kekkei Genkai?"
"I remember it being a Hiden technique."
"But Adamantine Sealing Chains is heavily tied to the Uzumaki clan's unique physiology, so it should still fall under the category of a Kekkei Genkai."
Shūichi shook his head, dismissing the idea. While Adamantine Sealing Chains was indeed powerful, it would be more appropriate to turn a sealing technique of his own creation into a Kekkei Genkai if he ever obtained the [Sealing Master] tag.
"I could even develop a sealing technique specifically with the goal of becoming a Kekkei Genkai in mind..."
As the water cooled, Shūichi finished his bath and then went to his study to review his sealing technique knowledge.
Revisiting old knowledge brings new insights!
The next day, after returning from his morning training, Shūichi noticed a scroll and a note left on the table.
Upon closer inspection, he found they were from Minato Namikaze.
Opening the scroll, a jutsu was revealed:
Infinite Darkness Jutsu!
It was a visual genjutsu that could rob the enemy of their sight.
Undoubtedly, this was an excellent technique for countering dojutsu users.
Sealing the scroll inside the sealing scroll given to him by Tenka, Shūichi washed up and headed to Konoha Hospital.
In the following days, Shūichi's study of sealing techniques shifted from Minato to Kushina Uzumaki, with their sessions taking place at Minato's home.
Time flew by, and July arrived, marking the start of the annual Chūnin Exams.
Upon learning that Kakashi was participating, Shūichi made a point to watch during the second and third rounds.
As expected, Kakashi successfully advanced to Chūnin, becoming Konoha's second genius to achieve this rank at the age of six.
His birthday was in September, so he was still six years old!
After Kakashi's promotion, Shūichi suggested a celebration, but Kakashi proposed, "How about we have an all-out competition instead?"
Shūichi raised an eyebrow and agreed with a smile, "Today, you get to decide."
Kakashi then said, "For the first round, let's race from here to the training grounds and see who arrives first!"
Might Guy immediately chimed in, "How could I miss out on such a passionate challenge?"
Nohara Rin and the others, who were also waiting for the results, gathered around as well.
"Count me in!" shouted Obito Uchiha, unwilling to be left out.
Seeing Asuma Sarutobi also eager to join, Shūichi said, "Since everyone wants to join, let's all race together!"
Shizune and the other girls quickly voiced their agreement.
Soon, everyone was lined up, and at Shūichi's command, they all used the Body Flicker Technique, racing towards the training grounds at full speed.
In no time, the group had formed different tiers.
In the lead, neck and neck, were Shūichi, Kakashi, and Asuma.
The second tier consisted of Might Guy and Obito Uchiha.
The third tier included Shizune, Kurenai Yuhi, Rin Nohara, and the other girls.
However, as Shūichi employed his newly developed Fire Body Flicker Technique, he immediately widened the gap between himself, Kakashi, and Asuma.
But then, Shūichi heard the crackling sound of electricity behind him.
He turned his head to see Kakashi surrounded by crackling lightning, his speed suddenly increasing.
"He's already started applying Lightning Release chakra nature transformation to his body. Impressive, Kakashi!" Shūichi Hoshita silently praised.
Meanwhile, Asuma Sarutobi gritted his teeth as he watched the two in front of him.
Damn it, I can't catch up!
He resolved to ask his older brother, Shinnosuke Sarutobi, for advice when he got back.
...
The winner of the first round was undoubtedly Shūichi Hoshita. Kakashi's application of Lightning Release chakra nature transformation was still in its early stages.
For the second round, by the river.
Shūichi and Kakashi collided at high speed under the watchful eyes of the others. Their fists and feet clashed, kunai sparked as they met in combat.
Both fought with incredible speed, leaving only afterimages in their wake that Shizune and the others struggled to keep up with.
"So fast!" Kurenai Yuhi exclaimed in surprise.
Suddenly, Shūichi disarmed Kakashi, knocking the kunai out of his hand. But Kakashi quickly drew his sword, forcing Shūichi to abandon his kunai as well.
In response, Shūichi drew his Totsuka Blade.
Short sword against short sword!
The sound of clashing metal rang out as sparks flew between them.
But soon, Might Guy and Asuma noticed that Kakashi was starting to lose ground.
Kakashi suddenly retreated, performing several backflips before sheathing his sword and rapidly forming hand seals.
Lightning Release?
Shūichi quickly formed two symbolic hand seals and unleashed a Great Fireball Jutsu, interrupting Kakashi's jutsu and forcing him to dodge.
Uchiha Obito, watching from the sidelines, widened his eyes in disbelief.
Two hand seals for the Great Fireball Jutsu? This is the first time I've seen that!
Shūichi followed up by throwing a barrage of shuriken, forcing Kakashi to keep dodging.
Despite this, Kakashi managed to complete his hand seals.
Lightning Release: Ground Pulse!
Electricity raced across the ground toward Shūichi.
Shūichi leapt into the air and countered with a Dragon Fire Jutsu, blasting the advancing electricity away.
Before he even landed, he unleashed another jutsu—Phoenix Sage Fire Technique—combined with a flurry of shuriken that merged with the fireballs.
Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson! (Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu – Scarlet Claw)
Kakashi immediately dodged and weaved to avoid the attack.
As Shūichi landed, he formed two more hand seals.
Fire Style: Biscuit Firing Jutsu!
Suddenly, Kakashi's body was engulfed in flames, forcing him to dive into the river to extinguish them.
Shūichi charged toward the water. The moment Kakashi resurfaced, he felt a kunai pressed against his neck.
But in the next instant, with a puff of smoke, Kakashi's body turned into a cloud of vapor.
Behind Shūichi, the real Kakashi emerged from the river, having completed his jutsu.
Lightning Release: Ground Pulse!
Lightning crackled and surged toward Shūichi from behind, forming a tree-like pattern of electricity.
Boom!
The river surface exploded, sending waves crashing and spraying water vapor, while Shūichi Hoshita had already vanished without a trace.
"That's fast!" Kakashi's gaze sharpened as the mist parted to reveal three afterimages of Shūichi charging toward him.
It was the Dance of the Crescent Moon!
There was no time to form hand seals.
On the riverbank, under the watchful eyes of Shizune and the others, Kakashi was forced into retreat by the three Shūichi Hoshitas, eventually having no choice but to surrender.
In terms of speed, physical skills, swordsmanship, and ninjutsu... Kakashi was at a clear disadvantage.
The fight left Shizune and the others thoroughly impressed. It was a different level compared to the practice fights back at the academy.
"This is what it means to be a Chūnin; the difference is enormous," Kurenai Yuhi marveled.
Shizune and Rin nodded in agreement.
Afterward, Might Guy, Obito Uchiha, and Asuma Sarutobi all took turns sparring with Shūichi and Kakashi, experiencing firsthand the strength of Chūnin.
...
As the sun set, everyone went their separate ways, and Shūichi Hoshita accompanied Shizune home.
When they passed by a flower shop, Shizune stopped and said, "Lady Tsunade's flowers need replacing. How about we get some now?"
"Let's go take a look," Shūichi agreed.
He followed Shizune into the flower shop.
Inside, the shop owner was watering some wilting flowers. Shūichi looked at the blooming petals but suddenly froze in place.
Shizune selected some flowers and, noticing Shūichi's reaction, asked, "Shūichi, do you like morning glories?"
Shūichi snapped back to reality, smiling and nodding, "Yes, I do!"
"This should be my lucky flower!" Shizune said, taking note.
"Then let's buy it," Shūichi said, and he purchased the flowers, including the ones Shizune picked.
After escorting Shizune home, Shūichi hurried back to his own place, found a vase, and placed the flowers inside.
He had mentioned that the morning glories were his lucky flower because their blooming appearance reminded him of the transformation of Fire Release.
He aimed to simulate the process of the flower blooming to enhance the explosive power of Fire Release chakra.
The blooming of the flower symbolized the process of an explosive outburst.
However, whether this approach would work was uncertain and required careful experimentation.
For the first step in his experiment, Shūichi needed to master the control of Fire Release chakra to simulate the flower's transformation from bud to full bloom.
The difficulty was undoubtedly significant.
After a wash and meal, Shūichi focused on the morning glories on the table and began his attempt.
With his right palm open, he first performed the Fire Release chakra nature transformation, and a pulsating flame appeared on his palm.
He then began to control this flame to mimic the shape of the morning glory.
After some trial and error, it was already 10 o'clock.
Shūichi, feeling somewhat exhausted, ended his training and started to rest.
....
Unknowingly, July was coming to an end.
At the Konoha Hospital, Shūichi Hoshita returned to the lounge with a smile after just finishing a surgery.
Finally done.
With five medical ninjutsu in total—Basic Healing Jutsu, Mystical Palm Technique, Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, Yin Healing Wound Destruction, and Chakra Scalpel—he had finally met the requirements of the Tag Tree.
Activate!
Shūichi immediately chose to activate the Medical Expert tag.
The proficiency in medical ninjutsu increased by 100%, and chakra control improved by 100%.
Shūichi immediately felt a significant difference.
He was now constantly channeling chakra into the Yin Seal + Eight Trigrams Seal in his abdomen, which itself required a very high level of chakra control.
This specifically reflected in the refinement of chakra, which needed a steady and meticulous approach, completely different from large-scale chakra refinement in combat.
Previously, Shūichi barely met the requirements, but now he could refine chakra down to the individual cells in his body.
"This feeling is incredible."
Shūichi smiled broadly, then opened his right palm.
Over the past month, through constant practice, he had been able to shape the Fire Release chakra into the form of a morning glory flower, but he still couldn't achieve dynamic form changes.
With the significant boost in chakra control, Shūichi was eager to try it out.
Soon, the orange-red flame in his palm transformed into a bud shape and then began to bloom outward.
At that moment, Tsunade pushed the door open and was stunned by the sight of the blooming flame flower.
Shūichi looked up and saw Tsunade, then extended his palm towards her: "Lady Tsunade, what do you think?"
Tsunade snapped back to reality, observing the blooming fire flower in Shūichi's palm, and asked, "Is this the shape transformation of Fire Release?"
"Why a flower?"
For Fire Release, in terms of shape transformation, it's usually spherical or dragon-shaped.
What's the use of a flower shape?
It's pretty, indeed!
Shūichi explained, "It's the Fire Body Flicker Jutsu."
"Fire Body Flicker Jutsu?"
Tsunade still looked puzzled.
"You'll understand better if you see it for yourself."
Shūichi said as he dispersed the fire flower in his hand, then led Tsunade to the small training grove where he practiced.
Tsunade observed the blackened craters around and pondered.
Shūichi, meanwhile, lowered his gaze and concentrated for a moment. After opening his eyes, he leapt into the air, leaving afterimages.
Tsunade immediately focused her attention and saw an astonishing sight.
In mid-air, accompanied by an explosive sound, Shūichi used the leverage in the air to propel himself even higher.