"Yes."
Shūichi nodded and acknowledged, "Lady Tsunade, you're familiar with the Lightning Release Chakra Mode used by the Cloud ninja, right?"
Tsunade nodded in return. "Of course. The Lightning Release Chakra Mode is the pinnacle of their lightning techniques and physical combat abilities. It's widely regarded as the strongest Lightning Release technique in the ninja world."
"So, you want to use the Hundred Healings Technique to train in a Fire Release Chakra Mode, since your specialty is Fire Release."
"Plus, Fire Release is harder to control compared to Lightning Release."
Shūichi nodded again. "Exactly. While my chakra control is excellent, my chakra reserves are still far from sufficient. That's why I've trained with the Yin Seal."
"And now that I have the Hundred Healings Technique, developing the Fire Release Chakra Mode will be much easier."
"And it's not limited to just Fire Release Chakra Mode. With the Hundred Healings Technique, the difficulty of developing any chakra mode is significantly reduced."
Hearing this, Tsunade couldn't help but comment, "At your age, your chakra reserves are already massive. You've surpassed what I had back then, and only Jiraiya had reserves on this scale."
She then frowned slightly, "But don't you think you're pushing yourself too hard?"
"I've heard from Nonō and Asuka that you haven't taken a single day off. No rest, no entertainment."
Shūichi shrugged helplessly, "Lady Tsunade, you're aware of the conflict between Danzo and me. If I don't have enough strength, he could eliminate me without a second thought."
"Even without him, the ninja world is dangerous. All the major villages are ramping up their military forces. Iwagakure is getting restless, Kumogakure is gathering secret techniques from all over, and even Sunagakure is working hard to boost their finances."
"These signs, Lady Tsunade, you understand what they mean, right?"
"I don't want to die in the middle of a war. I'm not even 10 years old yet—I've got so much I haven't experienced."
Tsunade fell silent after hearing this. She waved her hand, clearly uninterested, then turned around to grab a bottle of sake and started drinking on her own.
Shūichi sighed quietly. He didn't try to persuade her further, just tidied up his things and left quietly.
...
Strolling down the street, Shūichi pondered his next steps.
The Hundred Healings Technique hadn't been developed by a sudden burst of inspiration, which meant that this year's "Flash of Insight" needed to be applied somewhere else.
"Well then, let's go with Fire Release Chakra Mode!"
Shūichi made his decision.
The Fire Release Chakra Mode would offer both offense and defense.
With the heat from his Fire Release, ordinary weapons like kunai and other projectiles would melt instantly.
The only things he needed to watch out for were projectiles infused with Wind Release or Lightning Release.
For example, Killer Bee's sword or the Wind Release-infused weapons used by Sunagakure's sand ninjas.
Especially Danzo!
He had clashed with one of Danzo's shadow clones before, and that old man's Wind Release techniques were no less powerful than his own.
No, they were even craftier!
That's why, aside from Minato Namikaze, his teacher, Shūichi hadn't taught the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken to anyone else—not even the village.
...
Shūichi didn't head home right away; instead, he went to the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant and placed an order.
The staff, hearing the sheer quantity of food he requested, couldn't help but gape in surprise. "Shūichi-sama, do you… do you really need this much? Every meal?"
Shūichi nodded. "That's right, for every meal. Let's set it for three days for now."
The employee swallowed nervously before nodding. "Understood, don't worry, we'll make sure it's delivered to your house on time!"
Shūichi smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the hard work!"
With that, he left a deposit of one million ryō.
Initially, he had planned to eat military ration pills, but they tasted awful. So he figured he might as well spend some money on better food since he wasn't short on cash. After all, his experimental base expenses were covered.
The reason for such a large order was that he needed to quickly build up his chakra reserves.
From the eating contest he participated in, he had learned his digestion capabilities, and now he could put them to use.
After placing his order, Shūichi went straight home to take a bath, all the while pondering the next steps for his Fire Release Chakra Mode.
He had to prepare in case he completed the mode before his "Flash of Insight" moment was used up.
"Wind Body Flicker…"
"Also, combining Wind Release with Fire Release will make Fiery Lotus Steps even more powerful."
"By combining Wind and Fire, I can actually improve my control over both elements—much like Pakura's Fire Release. This could be an early exploration toward developing a kekkei genkai."
"And then there's space-time ninjutsu. I still need one more…"
Summoning Jutsu, Sealing Scroll Techniques, Summoning Tags, and the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
When thinking about space-time ninjutsu, Shūichi scratched his head. He didn't have a clear direction for developing it on his own.
Maybe once he acquired the Body Flicker Expert tag, he could start learning Flying Thunder God directly.
Flying Thunder God was difficult, but with all the talent he had stacked up, it shouldn't be impossible for him.
Swoosh!
After finishing his bath, Shūichi got dressed and took out the genjutsu analysis scroll given to him by Uchiha Shisui, pondering it for a moment before the Akimichi clan's food delivery arrived.
Various meats and fruit salads filled up the entire living room.
Shūichi also brewed a huge bucket of tea before entering full eating mode.
Three meals a day, for three days straight, and finally, he had filled up the Yin Seal on his forehead.
There were only three days left until the New Year.
In the courtyard.
Standing in the snow, Shūichi lowered his gaze.
The next moment, the Hundred Healings Technique activated, the Eight Trigrams Seal opened, and the Yin Seal unlocked. A massive surge of chakra burst forth like a flood.
In an instant, Shūichi's entire body was enveloped in blue chakra.
Inside the kitchen, Asuka, who was making ration pills, looked worried. "Nonō-san, do you think Shūichi is pushing himself too hard these days?"
Yakushi Nonō glanced at Shūichi standing in the courtyard, then smiled gently. "Trust Shūichi. He can handle it."
"And all we need to do is support him."
Asuka nodded and returned to her task, busy with the creation of a new flavor of high-concentration Military ration pills, which had twice the energy of the regular ones, specifically designed for Shūichi.
In the courtyard, Shūichi had fully focused his mind. The next moment, he activated his "Flash of Insight."
Maxed comprehension, maxed creativity!
Clap!
With a clap of his hands, Shūichi went all in on chakra nature transformation.
In the blink of an eye, his entire body became engulfed in orange-red flames.
At this point, it looked as though he were standing in the midst of a massive fire. The surrounding snow melted rapidly, and the ground dried up.
However, as Shūichi fine-tuned his control, the flames began to shrink, eventually sticking to his body like a layer of flickering fire.
Now, he finally resembled Naruto in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, or Roshi in his Lava Release Chakra Mode.
It was even more refined than the Lightning Release Chakra Mode displayed by the future Fourth Raikage, A.
This was a result of Shūichi's exceptional chakra control and mastery of Fire Release nature transformation, allowing him to achieve this so quickly.
At this moment, Shūichi looked as though he were wearing a cloak of flames. His hair and eyebrows danced in the fiery glow.
It seemed like he had succeeded—he had now donned a fiery chakra cloak.
But for Shūichi Hoshita, it wasn't enough.
The defense of this flame cloak wasn't strong enough, or rather, the temperature wasn't high enough. The defensive capability of the Fire Release Chakra Mode relied on its temperature—it had to be able to melt steel instantly.
So, after shaping the initial form, Shūichi continued to refine the nature transformation further.
As a result, the originally orange-red flames dancing around his body rapidly turned into a scorching white.
"This shouldn't be my limit!"
With his gaze lowered, Shūichi pressed on.
A minute later, the once white flames started to take on a light blue hue.
Blue flames—this was a high-temperature fire that he hadn't been able to produce all at once before.
After five more minutes, Shūichi's chakra suddenly surged, and the white flames around him were completely replaced by blue.
His entire body was now enveloped in blue flames, with only the mark of the Yin Seal on his forehead remaining visibly white due to its intense brightness.
But before he could celebrate, Shūichi let out a muffled grunt, and the fire chakra cloak around him instantly extinguished. His legs gave way, and he stumbled to the ground.
"Shūichi!"
Asuka rushed over to support him, panicking. "Quick, bite my arm!"
Drops of blood trickled from Shūichi's nose.
"I'm fine…" Shūichi winced, feeling as if his brain had been pierced by needles. "Just overworked my brain."
If it weren't for his improved physique, mental strength, and willpower, he wouldn't have been able to handle it. This was far more mentally exhausting than developing the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
His brain felt like it was on fire.
"Asuka, don't worry."
Yakushi Nonō also appeared beside Shūichi, calm and composed. She placed her hands on Shūichi's temples, emitting a soft green glow of healing chakra.
Shūichi immediately felt relief as his head became enveloped in his own chakra, and the intense pain quickly subsided.
"It seems that when operating with high focus, I need to envelop my brain with chakra to ensure no problems occur during extended periods of activation. I overlooked that before," Shūichi thought to himself with a wry smile.
After Nonō wiped away his nosebleed, Shūichi grinned and said, "It's fine now. I just neglected to protect my brain earlier."
"I was too focused, and my thoughts were running too fast, overloading my brain."
The Hundred Healings Technique could protect his brain well, but he had focused everything on the Fire Release Chakra Mode, which was a lapse in judgment.
Nonō and Asuka both sighed in relief.
Shūichi stood up and smiled. "Don't worry, there won't be any more mishaps after this."
Although there had been a minor setback, the result was good.
The Fire Release Chakra Mode was nearly complete.
"Shūichi, do you want to replenish your chakra?" Asuka asked.
Shūichi shook his head. "No need. I still have plenty!"
Nonō and Asuka exchanged glances. Nonō went back to her work, while Asuka stayed nearby.
Shūichi knew she was worried about him, so he didn't stop her. Instead, he quickly refocused.
The next moment, his body was once again covered in blue chakra, and then blue flames began to appear.
This time, he skipped the transition through white flames!
He gradually reduced his focus.
5x!
2x!
At this point, the blue Fire Release Chakra Cloak was starting to become unstable.
Shūichi sighed inwardly. "If it were Scorch Release, I wouldn't need such high concentration to control it."
High focus meant high energy consumption.
His current Fire Release Chakra Mode was still relying on chakra from the Yin Seal, not his own natural reserves.
"If Pakura had enough chakra, achieving a Scorch Release Chakra Mode wouldn't be as difficult as people imagine."
"Just like Roshi, with the Four-Tails' chakra supporting him, creating a Lava Release Chakra Mode to form a lava armor wasn't too hard."
Shūichi pondered, "A single chakra nature is difficult to control, especially Fire, Wind, and Lightning Release."
"My next goal should either be developing Lava Release or Scorch Release, as both could more easily form a chakra cloak."
"Three minutes left—let's try adding Wind Release…"
In the yard, Shūichi attempted to incorporate Wind Release chakra into his current state, causing the Fire Release chakra cloak around him to become unstable for a moment.
Shūichi quickly heightened his focus again.
The chakra cloak stabilized rapidly and began to change.
It became more solid, with a flowing quality to it, and the temperature increased, with the blue deepening in color.
Soon, three minutes passed, and the effects of "Flash of Insight" faded.
However, the chakra cloak on Shūichi's body fully solidified, transforming into a high-collared cloak with lotus-shaped patterns.
His hair turned blue, floating backward as if in a breeze, and his eyebrows burned like blue flames.
His eyes also glowed brightly in a fiery blue, resembling a pair of fire-lit eyes.
Around him, the air distorted from the heat.
Yet, Shūichi noticed that his vision wasn't affected—there was no distortion in what he saw, although the colors were no longer what he was used to.
When he looked at Asuka, he realized he was seeing her in thermal vision.
"This is… infrared thermal imaging!"
Shūichi was surprised and delighted.
So, this was likely a form of sensory perception, right?
He immediately checked the Tag Tree.
Sure enough, it was acknowledged by the Tag Tree.
After thinking it over for a moment, Shūichi mused, "If it's just this thermal imaging vision, I don't need to maintain this mode to achieve it."
"I should test whether it's purely a Fire Release technique or if it requires the fusion with Wind Release."
"But it's likely the latter."
With that thought, Shūichi continued to carefully sense his current state.
Besides the change in vision, his body had also become much lighter, with a faint feeling as if he might start floating.
Shūichi's heart stirred, "If I manage to complete the Scorch Release Chakra Mode, I should be able to fly, right?"
"For now, let's test my speed."
With that, Shūichi moved in a flash, disappearing silently from his original spot.
"So fast!"
Asuka gasped instinctively, only able to see a distorted afterimage.
The afterimage was due to his incredible speed, and the distortion was caused by the heat bending the light.
Asuka quickly tried to locate Shūichi, but all she could see were distorted afterimages and charred footprints wherever he had stepped.
The temperature was so high that with each step, the ground burned black.
Realizing she couldn't keep up with Shūichi's movements, Asuka closed her eyes and activated Kagura's Mind Eye, finally locking onto Shūichi's presence.
"In this mode, Shūichi's speed is so fast that only a Jonin might be able to react in time."
"And he hasn't even used the Fiery Lotus Steps technique yet."
Just as she thought that, Asuka sensed Shūichi's speed suddenly increase again, making her exclaim, "Is that Fiery Lotus Steps? Why isn't there any sound of explosions?"
At this moment, Shūichi's body wasn't just sprouting lotuses from his feet, but from all over his body. Blue lotuses bloomed, emitting high-temperature jets of air that propelled him at high speed.
This was far more discreet, efficient, and flexible than the original Fiery Lotus Steps.
Not only did it enhance his movement speed, but it could also increase his sword-drawing speed and strength, though at the moment he hadn't drawn his blade.
Moments later, Shūichi returned to his original position, silently reflecting, "The combination of Fire and Wind Release is truly excellent, but in this state, using the Blue Flame Sky Blade is not ideal. I need to develop a sword technique that combines Fire and Wind Release, one that has both extreme heat and unmatched sharpness."
With this plan in mind, Shūichi dispersed the chakra cloak and returned to his normal state.
For now, the Fire Release Chakra Mode wasn't something he could use for extended periods.
Yes, even though it included the power of Wind Release, Shūichi still referred to this mode as Fire Release Chakra Mode, since Wind Release merely amplified the effects, allowing better control and higher temperatures.
"So, this thermal imaging vision… should I call it 'Blue Eyes'?"
"'Fire Eyes'?"
"'Blue Flame Eyes'?"
Shūichi felt that none of these names were great, so he gave up, shrugging it off, "Forget it, I'll just call it Thermal Vision for now!"
After naming it, Shūichi let out a long breath, and then fatigue swept over him.
At this moment, Asuka's voice came through, "Shūichi, are you finished?"
Shūichi immediately smiled, "Yes, it's done. The new technique is complete!"
Asuka breathed a sigh of relief and smiled brightly, "Amazing, that's great!"
Shūichi was also happy but exhausted, "But right now, I just want to sleep. I'm so tired!"
"Huh?" Asuka exclaimed in surprise, quickly stepping forward to support him, "Then let's get you to bed, quickly!"
"Do you want to take a bath?"
Leaning against Asuka, Shūichi replied, "I just want to sleep right now."
"Understood!"
With a serious nod, Asuka effortlessly scooped him up in a princess carry and, using the Body Flicker Technique, swiftly brought him to the bedroom. She laid him on the bed and covered him with a blanket.
Shūichi closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, and he slept like a log.
When he opened his eyes again, it was already the last day of Year 42 of Konoha.
In other words, he had slept for two full days and nights.
Asuka reported while Shūichi was washing up, "Shūichi, Minato-sensei, Lady Tsunade, Shizune, and others came to see you."
"Shisui, Kakashi, and Guy too."
"Captain Shinnosuke and Chihiro also dropped by."
"Oh, and Tenka-san left you a gift, saying it's your New Year's present in advance."
"Sister Nonō sent a return gift on your behalf, a medical scroll."
"She's also prepared more gifts for you to personally deliver when you're feeling better."
...
Shūichi listened to all of this while bathing. Once he finished and felt fully recharged, he set off with a large number of gifts.
His first stop was at Hiruzen Sarutobi's home, as Sarutobi Shinnosuke had yet to move out.
Next, he visited his teacher, Minato Namikaze, and found Kushina Uzumaki there as well.
Shūichi couldn't help but smile and ask, "Sensei, when will you and Kushina-san officially get married?"
Kushina smiled shyly and looked over at Minato, "I'll go along with whatever your sensei decides!"
Minato scratched his head and chuckled, "Next year! We'll both be 18 by then."
This made Shūichi pause for a moment, realizing something.
Next year would be Konoha Year 43, not far from the start of the Third Shinobi World War.
And only six years from Konoha Year 48...
"What's wrong?"
"Haven't you fully recovered, Shūichi?"
Kushina, noticing Shūichi's momentary daze, asked in concern.
Snapping out of it, Shūichi smiled quickly, "It's nothing. I just realized how fast time flies."
Kushina nodded in agreement, "It really does!"
"So, tell us, what technique did you develop that left you so exhausted?" Minato asked, curious as well.
Shūichi didn't hide it from them and said, "It's the Fire Release Chakra Mode."
"Plus, I added the nature transformation of Wind Release to make the Fire Release easier to control."
Kushina's eyes widened in surprise, "Fire and Wind Release? Is that Scorch Release? A Kekkei Genkai?"
Shūichi shook his head with a wry smile, "Not quite. I'm still far from a Kekkei Genkai. It's more like the Cloud Ninja's Lightning Release Chakra Mode."
Minato chimed in, "So, the Yin Seal and the technique you developed with Lady Tsunade were both for the Fire Release Chakra Mode?"
Shūichi nodded, "For now, yes, that's the case."
Kushina, however, frowned with concern, "It's important to get stronger, but you can't push yourself to the point of exhaustion like that, Shūichi. Everyone was really worried about you."
"Besides, you're not even 10 yet, and you're already so strong! Minato wasn't even as powerful as you at your age!"
Minato nodded in agreement, "That's true."
Kushina continued, "Why don't you leave the ANBU? It's too much pressure for you."
"And for the New Year, give yourself a break! Don't just focus on training all the time."
Minato agreed, "Kushina's right, Shūichi. I can talk to the Third Hokage about it."
"Or you could travel with Jiraiya-sensei. What do you think?"
Feeling touched by their concern, Shūichi quickly replied, "Minato-sensei, Kushina-san, don't worry. I'll make sure to rest properly."
"As for leaving the ANBU, it's really no trouble. The missions are light now anyway."
"And honestly, instead of traveling with Jiraiya-sama, I'd rather study the Four-Tails' powers in the lab. I promise I'll be in bed by 10 every night."
Kushina put her hands on her hips, "It's a deal then! I'll have Nonō-san keep an eye on you. If you don't stick to it…"
She raised her fist in a mock threat, grinning fiercely.
...
After leaving Minato-sensei's house, Shūichi headed straight to Tsunade's place.
Tsunade's suggestion was almost identical to Kushina's — she proposed transferring Shūichi out of the ANBU and back to Konoha Hospital. After all, if she made the request, the Third Hokage would surely agree.
But Shūichi politely declined again.
He stayed at Tsunade's house for about an hour, mainly to keep Shizune company.
Afterward, he visited Shisui, Kakashi, and Guy, delivering gifts to each and assuring them that everything was fine.
When he finally left Guy's house, Shūichi let out a long sigh.
Unknowingly, there were now more people in this world who cared for him, not just Nonō Yakushi.
However, sometimes that concern felt like a type of pressure.
"Bonds..."
Shūichi suddenly understood the power of such connections.
"Although it's pressure, it's also my motivation!"
Feeling encouraged, Shūichi made his way to Tenka's shop.
Sure enough, Tenka was there.
"Tenka-san!"
Shūichi entered the shop.
"Shūichi!"
When Tenka saw him, she was overjoyed. She rushed over, grabbing Shūichi and inspecting him all over, almost as if she were about to undress him.
Shūichi blushed slightly and quickly said, "Tenka-san, I'm fine now. I just overworked my brain a bit."
Tenka sighed in relief, "That still had us all really worried."
"How about quitting being a ninja?"
"Come live with me!"
The words slipped out quickly, and Tenka blushed slightly, but she still looked at Shūichi confidently.
Shūichi, on the other hand, was stunned.
Is she trying to keep me as a "sugar baby"?
Back when I was in the orphanage, I would've hugged her leg without hesitation.
But now... well, it's not entirely out of the question. Living off someone wouldn't be too bad!
Though these thoughts crossed his mind, Shūichi kept a serious expression and said, "Tenka-san, I admit that I am indeed very handsome and quite exceptional."
"And you, Tenka-san, are also very beautiful, truly captivating."
"But... I'm only 9 years old!"
Seeing Shūichi like this, Tenka couldn't help but tease him even more. She leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "I can wait until you grow up~"
Shūichi felt a tingling sensation all over his body.
This is bad; my resolve is wavering! This enchantress is messing with my training! He set down the gift, turned, and ran away, saying, "Tenka-san, I will remember your words."
Inside Tenka's shop, she laughed so hard she nearly lost her balance, but afterward, her ears turned red with embarrassment.
Even though she was speaking to a child, saying such things was still quite embarrassing!
...
After escaping from Tenka's shop, Shūichi couldn't help but feel a bit regretful.
He thought he should have pounced on her and tasted the sweetness of her lips back then.
Unfortunately, now that he thought about it, the moment had passed.
"Ah, I really wasn't bold enough."
Shūichi sighed to himself.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Shūichi saw Jiraiya and Orochimaru drinking in a shop.
He stopped in his tracks, watching them from afar, and sighed again, "I wonder if we'll see scenes like this in the future..."
He resumed walking, hands in his pockets, slowly heading home, leaving a trail in the snow.
By the time he entered his house, the snow was falling heavily, and his footsteps were soon covered.
On the first day of the new year, as soon as Shūichi opened his eyes, he received a big gift.
Focusing his attention on the Tag Tree, he saw that the [Big Eater] tag was now ready to be activated.
Clearly, after him, no one else had surpassed his record.
"Activate!"
With just a thought, the leaf on the Tag Tree was enveloped in a blue glow, and the tag's effects were activated.
Physique boosted by 100%, recovery ability boosted by 100%, digestion ability boosted by 100%.
A wave of tingling spread through his body, and his internal organs started to heat up.
It felt amazing!
Shūichi almost cried out in excitement.
This was the first time he had experienced such a pure boost in his physical abilities.
Whether it was recovery or digestion, these were essentially components of his overall physique.
As the enhancement finished, Shūichi immediately felt a significant increase in the chakra flowing into his Yin Seal.
"Based on previous calculations, the current amount of chakra I have... The director should have about 1.5 times more than me, but now, it seems like we're evenly matched."
Not even ten years old, and his chakra reserves were already on par with Yakushi Nono's peak at over twenty. That was no small feat.
And compared to someone like Kakashi at the same age...
"Previously, I estimated that I'd be at 12 units of chakra, but it should be even more than that now. The exact amount depends on Kakashi's latest improvements."
Shūichi smiled. "Plus, I can still continue to unlock more potential. With training, I can increase my strength even further."
This New Year's gift was pretty awesome!
He got up, washed up, and dragged Asuka out of her warm and comfy bed, pushing her into the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, the two of them left for training, and as expected, they ran into the ever-energetic Might Guy.
Thus, their youthful and fiery spirit ignited a competitive training session.
Watching the two, who showed no signs of fatigue and were brimming with passion, Asuka wiped the sweat from her forehead and couldn't help but smile brightly.
Living days like this felt wonderful!
At 8 AM, Shūichi and Asuka returned home.
Back at the house, Yakushi Nono had already prepared a hearty breakfast.
Shūichi quickly wolfed down his meal but still felt like he could eat more.
Watching him, Yakushi Nono chuckled, "It looks like your appetite has grown quite a bit, Shūichi!"
Shūichi grinned, "Well, I'm a year older now!"
Asuka nodded in agreement, then added, "Shūichi seems to have gotten a bit taller too. He should be about 140 cm now. In two more years, he might catch up to you, Nono!"
Yakushi Nono wasn't very tall, standing at only 155 cm, unlike Asuka, who was a solid 164 cm.
"Boys are supposed to grow taller."
Yakushi Nono smiled softly. "Looks like I'll need to cook more from now on."
After a delightful breakfast, the three of them packed up the pre-purchased gifts into a sealing scroll and headed to the orphanage.
They stayed there for three days.
Those three days were probably the most relaxed Shūichi had been since arriving in this world. Aside from his basic training, he didn't focus on any other rigorous practices.
After the third day, Shūichi began visiting people for the New Year.
Technically, the village of Konoha didn't have this tradition, but it was a custom Shūichi had kept.
On January 6th, in the 43rd year of Konoha, Shūichi officially resumed his duties.
His first task was to escort the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, along with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, to the Daimyo's mansion.
It wasn't just Sarutobi's squad; the entire division under Sarutobi Shinnosuke's command was involved.
In addition, there were three other four-man squads joining the mission.
Even so, before leaving the village, Shūichi still sent out six shadow clones for training.
...
After the team left the village, Shūichi, Shinnosuke, and Chihiro followed behind Hiruzen Sarutobi and his two advisors, while the other three squads spread out within the dense forest flanking the road.
Unlike the missions that Shūichi and his team had previously undertaken, the Hokage's pace was not as rapid. Even though they were walking, their speed was comparable to that of a carriage.
That night, the group rested in Tanzaku Town, and at 9 a.m. the next morning, they resumed their journey.
"Captain! There's an ambush ahead!"
Shūichi, hidden beneath his mask, frowned slightly.
An ambush on the Hokage? Were they really bold enough to believe Hiruzen was just a feeble old man?
With two sharp whistles, the Anbu stationed on both sides of the road immediately surged forward at high speed.
Soon, the sound of explosions and rising smoke filled the air. The battle was intense.
"They're coming!" Shūichi whispered sharply.
Someone had managed to break through the Anbu's defense—clearly no ordinary foes.
Swish, swish, swish!
Shūichi and his two comrades swiftly appeared in front of Hiruzen and his advisors, just as five enemies emerged. Two approached from the sides, while three stood in the middle of the road, having already completed their hand seals. Immediately, a terrifying storm roared towards Shūichi and his team.
Shūichi stepped forward, clapping his hands together with a sharp "snap," then blew through his mask. The deafening roar of an even more destructive blaze echoed through the air. A ferocious firestorm erupted from his position, colliding with the enemy's windstorm, producing an even more intense explosion.
The enemy's storm quickly fell apart, torn apart by Shūichi's fiery tempest, engulfing the three attackers in flames.
Screams of agony echoed briefly before falling silent.
Witnessing this, Mitokado Homura exclaimed in astonishment, "Hiruzen, is that the child called Shūichi Hoshita?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's him."
Utatane Koharu added, "An impressive combination of Fire and Wind Release. At such a young age, this is truly remarkable."
At that moment, Chihiro completed her own jutsu.
"Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"
The two enemies approaching from the sides were instantly robbed of their vision. Shūichi and Shinnosuke vanished from sight, followed by the sound of quick but lethal movements.
Moments later, their opponents' screams rang out and quickly died down.
Shūichi had eliminated his target, while Shinnosuke had captured his alive.
Chihiro used genjutsu to interrogate the prisoner, and before long, they had results.
"Hokage-sama, they're remnants of the Sky Ninja," Shinnosuke reported.
Upon hearing this, Mitokado Homura snorted. "These fools should've been completely wiped out long ago."
Utatane Koharu responded, "They've hidden themselves well. It's not that simple to eliminate them all in one sweep."
Shūichi silently agreed.
Last time, they had captured a leader of one of the Sky Ninja remnants, but had failed to extract any information about other bases from his mind. These remnants were incredibly cautious—none of them knew the exact locations of other hideouts.
Unless they could capture the central leader—the current head of the Sky Ninja—it would be nearly impossible to root them out completely.
But that leader was well hidden. Shūichi knew the Anbu had been searching for him for a long time last year without success.
He suspected the Sky Ninja leader was the man known as Shinnō(Sky Emperor), but had no idea where to find him.
Shūichi had also suggested to Shinnosuke that they check the ruins of the Sky Ninja's base, but the Anbu had come up empty-handed.
Despite this, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unperturbed by the Sky Ninja's attack. He simply nodded to Shinnosuke. "Understood. Let's continue."
With that, they resumed their journey, quickly returning to their original formation.
Not a single person from Konoha was injured, and the Sky Ninja remnants were completely wiped out.
This was merely a minor episode.
The rest of the journey passed without incident, and on the third day, the team arrived at the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Fire.
This time, Hiruzen and his advisors were here to attend the annual conference.
Technically, Konoha was under the Daimyo's rule.
The Daimyo provided the funds, and Konoha fought the wars.
Now it was time to determine how much funding the Land of Fire would allocate to Konoha for the coming year.
However, while observing the meeting from the sidelines, Shūichi quickly realized that this really was just a routine affair.
It seemed the amount of money had already been decided.
Thinking about it, that made sense.
Small meetings decided big matters, while big meetings decided small ones.
But just as Shūichi thought the meeting was about to end, the Daimyo suddenly made a request.
Sarutobi Asuma!
Shūichi's heart skipped a beat.
No way... could it be?
Had Sarutobi Asuma, who was going through a rebellious phase, really been persuaded by the Daimyo to switch sides?
Shūichi secretly glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi, but could only catch a partial view of his face.
Hiruzen's response was calm, "Of course, Daimyo-sama, but this matter will still require Asuma's own consent."
The Daimyo smiled warmly. "That's only natural."
That smile, that tone—it was clear he was confident.
While he had failed to recruit Kakashi, the son of the famous White Fang, Sarutobi Asuma had been an even more delightful surprise.
It was all thanks to that boy, Shūichi Hoshita!
Ten million a year? Totally worth it!
This year, we need to charge more!
...
After the meeting concluded, Shūichi thought that this year, the Daimyo should definitely pay more.
To the Daimyo, a single Sarutobi Asuma was truly priceless.
Back at their resting quarters, Shūichi quickly removed his mask and eagerly asked, "Captain, about Asuma…"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke sighed with a wry smile and shook his head, "That kid is really worrying."
Shūichi felt a bit awkward—Asuma certainly had a different way of thinking.
Previously, he had discussed with Kakashi and Asuma the relationship between Konoha Village and the Land of Fire, and about the roles of the Hokage and the Daimyo… Clearly, Shūichi's persuasion skills weren't quite enough; Sarutobi Asuma had his own ideas.
But this was great!
Thank you, Asuma, for helping me earn more money!
Noticing Shūichi's awkwardness, Shinnosuke quickly reassured him, "Shūichi, this isn't your fault."
"Besides, letting Asuma gain some real-world experience might actually be a good thing."
Shūichi compared his previous impression of Asuma with the young man's current attitude and couldn't help but nod in agreement.
The next day, Shūichi and the others set off back to Konoha.
When he got home, Shūichi found that his reward had increased by an extra 20 million ryo.
He didn't even have to ask—the Daimyo had automatically raised the price.
In the Hokage's office:
Shūichi reported the increase in the Daimyo's payment as it was.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Continue as usual."
"Don't worry too much about it, Shūichi."
Shūichi nodded. "Understood!"
...
After Shūichi left, Hiruzen pondered whether he should send another person to the Daimyo's court.
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
Konoha was currently short on manpower, and the Daimyo's interest was in geniuses.
Besides, sending an ordinary young ninja might not make much of a difference.
With a sigh, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a long drag from his pipe and decided to just let things be.
...
After leaving the Hokage building, Shūichi headed towards Orochimaru's lab.
During the next two days of vacation, besides his basic training, he spent his days immersed in the lab, and at night, he continued practicing the Fire Release Chakra Mode in his home's courtyard.
Although he had already mastered it, he was still a bit short of using it in actual combat.
Back then, he had achieved it only by focusing intensely with the help of a sudden flash of insight.
Now, he was determined to perfect the ability step by step, until he could activate it with ease in any situation.
Shūichi held himself to the highest standards!
The short vacation passed in the blink of an eye.
Shūichi resumed his leisurely task schedule, as Hiruzen Sarutobi stayed in the village, allowing Shūichi more time for research and training.
One day, Shūichi had an appointment with Kushina Uzumaki and arrived at his sensei Minato Namikaze's house. Upon entering, he was surprised to find that Jiraiya was there as well.
The surprising part was that Jiraiya wasn't in Konoha during the New Year celebrations. Who knows where he had gone to gather material for his new book?
"Hahaha, Shūichi, congratulations on winning first place in the food-eating contest."
Jiraiya laughed and said, "Remember, I promised I'd teach you a really interesting jutsu."
Just as he finished speaking, Kushina quickly interrupted, "Wait, Jiraiya-sensei, let me guess first!"
Jiraiya crossed his arms with a smug smile, waiting patiently.
Shūichi also watched as Kushina raised a finger, deep in thought.
After a moment, Kushina grinned and said, "Jiraiya-sensei, I bet it's that technique you developed—the Wild Lion's Mane Technique, right?"
"Among all the jutsu you've mastered, if we're talking about fun, it's got to be that one."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Kushina, this time, you're wrong."
Kushina furrowed her brow and rubbed her chin in thought. "It's not that one…? Then what other jutsu could be considered interesting?"
Soon, another idea popped into her head, and she confidently declared, "This time I've got it!"
"The Toad Transformation Jutsu! It looks like a simple transformation technique, but instead of changing yourself, you change someone else!"
Upon hearing this, Shūichi's eyes lit up as he recalled that jutsu and smiled. "A transformation technique that alters others?"
"That does sound really interesting. In a way, my Crow Clone Jutsu also changes the form of crows."
Jiraiya, intrigued, asked, "Crow Clone Jutsu?"
"You use crows as your substitution clones?"
Kushina smiled and explained, "It's a flying clone jutsu Shūichi developed. But Jiraiya-sensei, you haven't answered yet. Did I guess right this time?"
Jiraiya chuckled, "Of course... you're wrong again."
Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief, placing her hands on her hips. "No way! Jiraiya-sensei, are you cheating?"
Laughing, Jiraiya stood up and walked behind Kushina before forming hand seals.
From the side, Shūichi watched as Jiraiya's body seemed to deflate, flattening into a two-dimensional shape like paper and merging with Kushina's shadow.
Kushina suddenly froze, feeling a loss of control over her body, and involuntarily spoke, "It's this jutsu... Toad Flatness — Shadow Manipulation Technique!"
"Well, what do you think? Isn't it an interesting jutsu?" Jiraiya asked as he canceled the technique. Under Shūichi's gaze, his body reappeared from the shadow and quickly reinflated like a balloon.
Shūichi chuckled, "It's definitely a fascinating jutsu."
As Kushina regained her composure, she argued, "The Toad Transformation Jutsu is clearly more fun."
With a playful grin, she suggested, "Why not teach both to Shūichi?"
"Since we're already teaching a Mount Myoboku jutsu, adding one more won't hurt, right?"
Jiraiya couldn't help but tease, "Kushina, you're really starting to act like Minato's wife."
Kushina proudly placed an arm around Shūichi's shoulder, laughing confidently.
After his playful remark, Jiraiya smiled and asked, "Teaching both is fine, but Shūichi, what's this fun jutsu you mentioned before? How does it compare to the Toad Transformation Jutsu and Toad Flatness Shadow Manipulation Technique?"
Shūichi grinned confidently, "I'm absolutely sure it'll be even more fun than both of your techniques, Jiraiya-sama."
"Oh?"
"Such confidence!"
Jiraiya's curiosity was piqued—he had great faith in Shūichi's talent for jutsu. After all, his results had been outstanding.
"Alright then, let's start learning the jutsu now!"
Jiraiya eagerly began teaching Shūichi the Toad Transformation Jutsu and Toad Flatness Shadow Manipulation Technique.
The first was relatively simple, a variation of the standard transformation technique.
Although Shūichi hadn't acquired the "Transformation Master" tag, he had developed the Crow Clone Jutsu, and the two techniques shared many similarities.
It took Shūichi less than five minutes to fully master the jutsu.
The Toad Flatness Shadow Manipulation Technique was slightly more challenging, as it required mastery of Yin Release nature transformation. It was rated as a B-rank jutsu.
Jiraiya carefully taught Shūichi the hand seals and explained the underlying principles.
After committing it to memory, Shūichi couldn't help but ask, "Jiraiya-sama, does the Nara Clan's shadow techniques follow a similar principle?"
Jiraiya nodded, "Yes, they do. However, the Nara Clan has refined their shadow jutsu to a much deeper level, developing a wide range of applications. They're one of the most unique Yin Release specialists in the ninja world."
Given that the Nara Clan had been a part of the ninja world since the Warring States period, it was no surprise they had developed formidable techniques.
Shūichi left it at that and didn't ask further. Seeing Jiraiya about to ask him about his own jutsu, he quickly signaled with his eyes.
Jiraiya understood immediately and quickly said to Kushina, "Kushina, I'm going to take Shūichi to practice his new jutsu."
Kushina didn't notice anything odd and nodded with a smile, raising a fist toward Shūichi. "Shūichi, good luck!"
"I will!"
Shūichi returned the gesture, then left with Jiraiya.
...
In a secluded forest area, Jiraiya stopped and smiled at Shūichi Hoshita, saying, "This spot should be good, right?"
"Let's get started. The Toad Sage from Mount Myoboku can't wait to see your interesting jutsu!"
Shūichi grinned mischievously, "Then Jiraiya-sama, you'd better be ready."
As soon as he finished speaking, with a loud poof, a cloud of smoke erupted.
Jiraiya stood there with his arms crossed, waiting with a judging expression. However, as the smoke cleared, his eyes widened, and a perverted look crept onto his face.
Shūichi had transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman, wearing a lacy black bra and underwear, flaunting a perfect hourglass figure. Striking an incredibly seductive pose, with an alluring gaze, the transformed Shūichi purred in a high-pitched voice, "Jiraiya-sama~"
"This... this…"
Jiraiya's nose started bleeding on the spot.
He bashfully rubbed his fingers together, squirming with a perverted yet shy expression as he stammered, "Is there more?"
"This is definitely the perfect jutsu for me. Material like this is hard to find!"
Shūichi continued to transform.
Black stockings!
Lettered stockings!
Nude-colored stockings!
Styles ranging from mature to seductive to innocent, and even a sheer white nightgown.
His voice shifted from high-pitched, to mature, to shy...
Jiraiya's nosebleed was unstoppable at this point.
Finally, Shūichi unleashed his ultimate move—clones combined with transformation, surrounding Jiraiya in every style simultaneously, all calling out, "Jiraiya-sama~"
Thud!
Jiraiya collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed with happiness.
Shūichi dispelled the jutsu and shook his head, thinking, That's it?
After a moment, Jiraiya finally recovered.
Shūichi smiled and asked, "So, Jiraiya-sama, how was my version of the Sexy Jutsu?"
Jiraiya immediately gave a thumbs up. "Fantastic! This will save me so much time gathering material!"
"But, where did you learn all those styles? Was it from a magazine?"
Shūichi smirked mysteriously, "That's a secret!"
"Alright then, Jiraiya-sama, I'm off to train now!" he said before running off.
Jiraiya stood there, replaying all those styles in his mind before quickly sitting down and pulling out paper and pen to jot down his inspiration.
...
Meanwhile, on his way to the experimental lab, Shūichi couldn't help but think.
If Naruto learns the Sexy Jutsu from Jiraiya someday, and Kushina finds out, will Jiraiya get chased down and beaten?
Then again, will I also get caught up in the mess?
This could be dangerous! But, I can always deny everything. I'm just a nine-year-old, such a diligent and hardworking kid—how could I possibly be involved in such mischief?
"Hehe, I'm really looking forward to this!" Shūichi thought with a mischievous grin.
However, upon arriving at Orochimaru's lab, he immediately switched back to his studious persona.
Diligently conducting research, carefully researching the Eight-Tails' cells.
Orochimaru admired this attitude the most!
Hardworking and full of ideas—a perfect assistant!
Shūichi felt the intense gaze on him and turned to see Orochimaru smiling at him.
"Shūichi-kun, how's that idea we discussed last time progressing?" Orochimaru asked, retracting his gaze.
While continuing his work, Shūichi replied, "Orochimaru-sama, you're quite knowledgeable about jinchūriki. What would you say is their biggest challenge when dealing with the sealed tailed beasts?"
"Or rather, what's the hardest part of mastering a tailed beast's power?"
Orochimaru answered without hesitation, "The malevolent chakra!"
"Or rather, the overwhelming malice of the tailed beasts!"
Shūichi nodded and then explained slowly, "Tailed beasts are indeed unique lifeforms. We don't fully understand them yet, but setting that aside for now—both tailed beasts and shinobi share one common element: chakra. For us shinobi, chakra is the fusion of spiritual and physical energy."
"That's why chakra is often described as the power that connects the hearts of people."
Orochimaru nodded. He already knew this much.
Shūichi continued, "Now, Orochimaru-sama, have you ever sensed the evil chakra of a shinobi?"
Orochimaru paused, immediately thinking of certain members of the Uchiha clan in Konoha.
Shūichi went on, "In terms of sensory ninjutsu, especially chakra sensing techniques, every person's chakra gives off a unique feeling."
"This feeling aligns with the nature of the chakra's owner, meaning that chakra can sometimes reveal a person's personality…"
After a brief pause, Shūichi corrected himself, "Their personality, as well as their mental state."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with excitement as he clapped with a grin, "Interesting! This is a fascinating avenue of thought!"
In the past, his research into the Eight-Tails and his secret work with Hashirama's cells, as well as his current research on the Four-Tails, had all focused on the physical aspect.
Shūichi's words brought up concepts Orochimaru wasn't unaware of, but he hadn't paid much attention to before. Compared to the physical body, the mental and spiritual worlds were too intangible.
From Orochimaru's reaction, Shūichi could tell that Orochimaru's research had yet to delve into the spiritual and soul-related aspects.
It seemed the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique was still a long way off.
Orochimaru likely wouldn't consider such concepts until after modifying his body, turning into the White Phosphorus Snake, and realizing that physical transformations couldn't overcome his body's weaknesses. At that point, he would probably start looking into Konoha's vast library of forbidden jutsu for knowledge related to the soul.
And even then, Shūichi vaguely recalled that Living Corpse Reincarnation wasn't Orochimaru's original creation, but something he had perfected step by step from Konoha's forbidden jutsu—much like the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
...
"So, back to the tailed beasts and jinchūriki," Shūichi calmly analyzed. "The power of the tailed beasts is immense. Their chakra can be hundreds, if not thousands, of times greater than that of an ordinary shinobi."
"Moreover, these tailed beasts have existed for hundreds, even thousands of years, accumulating an unfathomable amount of negative emotions from countless battles and experiences."
"I believe it's this vast accumulation of negative emotions that corrupts their chakra, and that's the true source of the tailed beasts' evil power."
Orochimaru responded, "So, Shūichi-kun, you think the key to resisting the tailed beasts' evil power lies in mental strength?"
Shūichi nodded. "With a proper seal, the vast power of the tailed beasts can't easily harm the jinchūriki physically. While physical compatibility is important, the real challenge lies in mental resilience."
"I've fought two different jinchūriki before. One was Killer B, the jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails. That guy is quite special. Even when he uses the power of the tailed beast, his chakra doesn't give off any sense of evil."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That's quite different from the previous Eight-Tails jinchūriki. It seems Killer B is indeed the perfect jinchūriki."
Shūichi agreed and continued, "But the jinchūriki of the Four-Tails was different. He could also use the tailed beast's power, even transforming partially into the beast. But his power gave off an unmistakably evil feeling. Even though he didn't lose his sanity, it clearly affected him."
"You can feel the stark contrast between the jinchūriki of the Four-Tails and the Eight-Tails."
"So, based on my theory, to control a tailed beast's power properly, the jinchūriki first needs to resist the malice of the beast, to stand firm against the overwhelming negative emotions."
"This requires a jinchūriki to have an incredibly resilient mental will, one that won't be influenced by the tailed beast's negativity—at least not to the point of losing their mind."
"And if they want to fully master the tailed beast's power, perhaps the ultimate solution is to... treat the tailed beast like a regular summon, forming a mutual understanding."
Treat the tailed beast like a regular summon? Orochimaru was taken aback and then chuckled. "That... seems rather impossible."
Would an elephant ever befriend an ant?
Would the strong ever willingly befriend the weak?
Especially when the tailed beasts are sealed inside human bodies—a humiliating situation for such powerful creatures.
Shūichi nodded in agreement. Tailed beasts really aren't the sharpest tools in the shed.
Of course, his loyalty was firmly on the side of the shinobi. After all, if he were siding with the tailed beasts, how could they possibly stand for this?
Just because they're strong, they have to be sealed? Where's the justice in that? It's too much! They should definitely fight back—especially against the Senju and Uchiha.
If the Nine-Tails doesn't take down every last descendant of Hashirama and Madara, can it even call itself the strongest tailed beast?
...
"So, this is the real reason why you avoid animal experiments," Orochimaru laughed.
Shūichi nodded. "Ordinary animals can't withstand the malice of a tailed beast. As for physical compatibility, it's a complete gamble."
"After all, if their mental resilience can't hold up, their body will collapse as well."
"The mind and body are two sides of the same coin, like yin and yang. Only when they work together can chakra be produced."
Orochimaru then asked, "So, Shūichi-kun, are you planning to try it yourself next?"
Shūichi shook his head. "I'm confident in my mental fortitude, but Lady Tsunade and the others would never allow me to attempt something like that."
Orochimaru chuckled, "You worry too much."
Shūichi responded thoughtfully, "But that caution is also a form of mental strength."
Orochimaru was briefly stunned, then nodded with a smile. "Indeed, that's true."
At that moment, Shūichi thought of the Gold and Silver Brothers from the Hidden Cloud and asked, "Orochimaru-sama, are you familiar with Kinkaku and Ginkaku from the Hidden Cloud?"
"Of course!" Orochimaru laughed. "After all, it was because of them that our Second Hokage met his end."
"Those brothers are also tied to the tailed beasts," Orochimaru added meaningfully. "I'm guessing you brought them up because they once wielded the power of the Nine-Tails."
Shūichi nodded. "I've heard they were once swallowed by the Nine-Tails but managed to escape. By eating the Nine-Tails' flesh, they gained some of its power."
Orochimaru nodded in agreement, then looked at Shūichi in surprise. "You're not suggesting you plan to follow their example and eat tailed beast flesh, are you?"
"Heh... that's quite an intriguing thought."
Shūichi opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. He wasn't seriously considering it; he was merely offering it up as an idea for Orochimaru to try.
However... why was his Tag System stirring?
He took a quick glance.
Tag: Devourer
Condition to Obtain: Eat the flesh of the Four-Tails and the Eight-Tails.
Effects: Physical attributes increased by 100%, bodily compatibility increased by 100%, digestion ability increased by 100%, recovery rate increased by 100%. If you can eat tailed beasts, what can't you eat?
Shūichi nearly turned pale.
Grilled, or boiled?
But the effects... were undeniably tempting!
Still, this was dangerous!
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Shūichi smiled at Orochimaru and said, "Eating tailed beast flesh... it's not entirely out of the question."
Orochimaru immediately grew serious. "If that's the case, cell transplantation might be a more efficient way to absorb the power."
"Kinkaku and Ginkaku's situation is, after all, legendary."
"And from what you've analyzed, as long as a jinchūriki can withstand the malice of a tailed beast, there's a high chance they can obtain its power."
Shūichi also grew serious, thoughtfully analyzing, "Tailed beasts are indeed different. Their physical forms are essentially made of chakra."
"From a strategic perspective, the weak submit to the strong."
"If I defeat you, you submit to me."
"Consuming the flesh of a tailed beast is a form of battle. If one can overcome the invasion of its malice, the physical domination and integration might become much easier."
Orochimaru pondered deeply, as he found Shūichi's reasoning to be quite convincing, especially when it came to such unique entities like tailed beasts.
On the genetic level, it was a battle of dominance—much like the powerful Hashirama cells.
Then again, could this method also work with Hashirama cells?
After all, Hashirama cells are in no way inferior to the power of a tailed beast.
The key difference was that Hashirama cells exert their overwhelming power through the body, not the mind.
But Orochimaru, being rational, thought that while Shūichi's approach might apply to tailed beasts, it wouldn't necessarily work for Hashirama cells.
Still, it was an intriguing thought.
Leaving Orochimaru's lab, Shūichi carefully contemplated the newly unlocked tag, [Devourer].
Judging by its effects, it was likely a red-level tag.
"Physical compatibility... it's probably referring to compatibility with other genetic traits."
"Perhaps it could also apply to Kekkei Genkai..."
With two consecutive tags involving physical compatibility, the pattern was becoming quite clear.
"Although my mental strength and willpower have improved, I'm still not confident in fully resisting the tailed beasts' malice."
Shūichi thought of Naruto.
Even someone like Naruto, with his almost brainwashed optimistic personality, nearly lost control.
As for Killer B... his focus on rap seemed like another sign of questionable mental stability.
"I've always held a pessimistic view of human nature, and I have quite a few dark thoughts buried within me."
Shūichi pondered carefully. "Focus, and then a mental anchor..."
"The director? Shizune? Or perhaps ninjutsu? Maybe even my desire for power?"
Shūichi hesitated.
But he wasn't in a rush.
It would be much safer to attempt it after unlocking the [Medical Master] tag and enhancing his physical compatibility.
...
Time flew by, and before he knew it, March had arrived, marking Shūichi's 10th birthday.
In the past few years, his birthdays had mostly been spent on missions. This time, he was finally in Konoha, and it was a milestone year. So Nonō Yakushi made special preparations.
There was a birthday cake, longevity noodles, and she even invited all of Shūichi's friends and mentors who were in the village.
So, when Shūichi returned home in the evening, he was greeted with a surprise and a grand celebration.
Tsunade, Tenka, Kushina Uzumaki, Shizune, Might Guy, Kurenai Yūhi, Asuka, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, Chihiro, Shisui Uchiha… everyone who wasn't out on a mission was there.
This was also the first time Uzumaki Kushina met Asuka.
After the birthday song and cake, while everyone was chatting and enjoying the party, Shūichi found himself being pulled aside by Kushina, who tugged his ear, complaining that he had kept secrets from her for so long.
Shūichi could only repeatedly beg for mercy, pretending he had no idea about Kushina's jinchūriki status.
Knowing the real reason, Kushina eventually let him off lightly and went off to chat with Asuka.
They had been childhood friends, after all!
Once Kushina was gone, Shizune quickly came over and dragged Shūichi to join Kurenai and the others in some party games.
The birthday celebration continued until after 9 p.m.
After seeing off each guest one by one, Shūichi stayed back to help Nonō and Asuka clean up, finishing only around 10 p.m.
"Rest for now. You can sort through your birthday presents tomorrow," Nonō said.
She wanted Shūichi to get some rest early.
"Understood. Don't worry, I promise I'll fall asleep at top speed!" Shūichi joked, quickly gathering his clothes and heading to the bathroom for a shower.
However, as he showered, his mind was focused on the tags in his mental tag tree.
Earlier, during the birthday party, the shadow clone he had left outside training had finally completed its task.
[Lightning Release Expert] activated!
Lightning Release proficiency increased by 100%, and you can now perform Lightning Release ninjutsu without hand seals.
"Next step is to develop the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique. Once that's done, I can unlock the [Body Flicker Expert] tag."
"In addition, [Water Release Expert] and [Earth Release Expert] are almost ready."
With those thoughts in mind, Shūichi gradually drifted into sleep.
In reality, if he focused purely on ninjutsu like Water Release, Earth Release, and Lightning Release, combined with consistent practice in battle, he could quickly master them and unlock the related tags.
But human energy is finite. With multiple projects going on at once, there had to be priorities.
His priority was raising his overall combat strength, with mastering a wide variety of techniques coming second.
In simple terms: specialization first, then breadth!
The [Body Flicker Expert] tag would significantly boost Shūichi's speed and also help him learn the Flying Thunder God Technique faster, making it a higher priority.
However, [Body Flicker Expert] required mastery of different types of Body Flicker techniques. In order to develop the Lightning Release Body Flicker, Shūichi had focused on unlocking [Lightning Release Expert] first.
...
Another month quickly passed.
Shūichi had just unlocked the [Earth Release Expert] tag, but before he could finish developing the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique, an unexpected mission outside the village was assigned to him.
After leaving the village, the three-person team headed west.
"Our destination this time is the Land of Rain," Sarutobi Shinnosuke began sharing the mission details. "The objective is to investigate several ninja organizations there and assess their strength."
Shūichi's eyebrow twitched slightly as he asked, "Captain, are we evaluating these ninja organizations to help Hanzō bring order to the Land of Rain?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke nodded. "Indeed. The Third Hokage has that in mind, mainly to curb the ambitions of Iwagakure."
"Additionally, the goal is to strengthen ties with Hanzō, preventing Sunagakure from forming an alliance with him."
Shūichi nodded, starting to grasp the strategy of Sarutobi Hiruzen. The Third Hokage was doing his best to maintain the current balance in the ninja world. Even though he knew the other major villages were plotting, he was trying to buy time for Konoha.
Hanzō still held considerable power.
If he managed to bring peace to Amegakure, both Iwagakure and Sunagakure would be forced to tread carefully.
Although Amegakure lost during the Second Great Ninja War, Hanzō's presence still made the Land of Rain a dangerous quagmire for the major ninja villages.
Hanzō was ruthless, capable of wiping out large groups effortlessly, even more so than the puppet masters of Sunagakure with their poisons.
"It seems we're likely to encounter Nagato and the others this time..." Shūichi thought with a hint of anticipation.
Chihiro added, "We may want Amegakure to stabilize, but Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and even Kumogakure might not want that."
Shūichi agreed, "For them, a chaotic Land of Rain is ideal. That way, it won't hinder their plans. After all, Hanzō is considered a 'Demi-God' of the ninja world."
What he didn't say aloud was that, up until now, Konoha also didn't want peace in the Land of Rain.
In fact, the current chaos in the Land of Rain was partly due to the machinations of Konoha, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure.
With the endless number of ninja organizations, who could tell how many were filled with disguised ninjas from the other major villages?
Such tactics were nothing new.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke warned, "So, we need to be extra cautious this time. The situation in the Land of Rain is extremely complicated."
Both Shūichi and Chihiro nodded, "Understood!"
They set out around 2 p.m., and that night, the team camped near the border of the Land of Fire.
The next morning, Shūichi and his teammates crossed into the Land of Rain and began investigating the ninja organizations there.
Before their arrival, ANBU had already received intel from Root, providing them with a rough understanding of the ninja organizations in the Land of Rain, along with a preliminary list.
The list wasn't definitive because ninja organizations in the Land of Rain frequently rose and fell.
Some groups might consist of just three to five people, disappearing within a month.
After three days of investigation, Shūichi and his team found the situation in the Land of Rain even worse than they had imagined.
There were ninja organizations everywhere—countless, without exaggeration.
Shūichi even saw a ninja leading a few samurai to form a ninja organization, collecting protection fees from local villages.
Shūichi almost couldn't resist the urge to cut them down right then and there.
While resting in a cave, Chihiro sighed, "I can't imagine how terrifying it would be if the Land of Fire was in such a state!"
It was proof that happiness is relative.
Compared to the Land of Rain, the Land of Fire was a paradise.
Not to mention, the Land of Fire had always been seen as a rich prize by other great nations.
After finishing his rations, Sarutobi Shinnosuke pulled out a list. "Next, we'll investigate a rather unique organization called Akatsuki. They advocate achieving peace without using force."
Chihiro shook his head after hearing that. "That's too naive!"
"In a chaotic place like Amegakure, it's impossible to achieve anything without using force."
Shūichi agreed.
People only listen to reason when you show them your strength.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke continued, "What's more, this Akatsuki has ties to Konoha."
Chihiro was surprised, "Does that mean Root has spies in there, or ANBU?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke smiled, "No, it's because the three leaders of Akatsuki are Jiraiya-sama's students."
"What?!"
Chihiro was utterly shocked.
Shūichi feigned surprise as well.
Chihiro quickly asked, "How could Jiraiya-sama have students in the Land of Rain? Was it during the last ninja war?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke nodded, "That's likely the case."
"We'll know the full story soon."
Half an hour later, the three of them set out in the rain, following Root's intel toward Akatsuki's base, silently observing from the shadows.
Soon, Shūichi finally laid eyes on Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan.
"They all look so young, around fifteen or sixteen."
Shūichi's gaze finally settled on Nagato.
The Rinnegan!
One of the most powerful dōjutsu!
Nagato's ability to master all six chakra nature transformations must have been greatly aided by those eyes.
"Is Zetsu spying nearby?"
"He probably is..."
Just as he was pondering this, Shūichi suddenly felt a chill and instinctively ducked.
Nagato had turned his head to look in their direction!
...
"Nagato, what's wrong?"
Seeing Nagato stop, Yahiko turned to ask.
Nagato frowned slightly, then shook his head, "It's nothing."
The six members of Akatsuki continued on their way.
Hidden behind the remains of a building, Shūichi couldn't help but marvel, "What sharp intuition!"
After Akatsuki moved away, Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Chihiro appeared next to Shūichi.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke smiled, "Jiraiya-sama's students certainly don't disappoint!"
"We must be even more cautious from here on, Shūichi. Don't let your guard down."
Shūichi nodded.
The three of them continued trailing Akatsuki, keeping them under surveillance.
Soon, they witnessed a battle between Akatsuki and another ninja organization. The fight ended quickly.
Akatsuki emerged victorious, and the defeated group joined their ranks.
After Akatsuki left, Chihiro couldn't help but say, "I underestimated them."
Akatsuki used force, but it wasn't solely through violence.
Once they had the upper hand, they persuaded the other group with their ideals of peace.
This completely shattered Chihiro's expectations.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke was at a loss for words, finally saying, "Let's observe them for a few more days."
The next day, Shūichi and his team witnessed another intense battle involving Akatsuki. Although Akatsuki had the upper hand, they voluntarily retreated.
On the fourth day, Akatsuki subdued another small group of three using the same method as before.
After completing their investigation, Chihiro remarked, "They are indeed quite special and incredibly brave, practicing their own version of the ninja way."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke agreed.
Shūichi, however, felt a sense of melancholy.
Unfortunately, their fate lies in the hands of others.
...
Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye.
Hoshita Shūichi and his team had investigated over two hundred ninja organizations. Some of them, after being investigated one day, were found to be wiped out or dispersed the next.
Inside a cave.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke reviewed a booklet filled with a vast amount of intelligence they had gathered. Finally, he closed it and smiled, "We've completed the mission well. Rest up for the night, and tomorrow, we head back to the village!"
Chihiro immediately responded with relief, "It's finally over. The weather in the Land of Rain is unbearable."
Raining day in and day out, always drenched and uncomfortable.
Looking out at the drizzling rain, Shūichi couldn't help but think of the Land of Wind.
In one place, droughts ravage the land, while in another, floods never cease.
That night, Shūichi was on watch duty for the first half of the night. He left a shadow clone at the cave entrance while his main body went to a nearby river to practice the Water Severing Wave technique.
The [Water Release Expert] tag was nearly complete; only mastery of this jutsu remained. Once mastered, he would unlock the tag, achieving full mastery of the five elemental releases and summoning the [Ninjutsu Master/Professor].
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Shūichi halted his practice and vanished in a flash.
Something was happening with his shadow clone!
Back at the cave entrance, Shūichi reappeared. Standing beside him were Shinnosuke and Chihiro, who had been awakened by his dispersed shadow clone.
The rain continued to fall, the night dark and difficult to see.
"There are quite a few enemies, twelve in total. Captain, should we retreat?" Shūichi asked.
Shinnosuke considered briefly, "Can we withdraw quickly?"
Shūichi shook his head, "I'm afraid not. We'd need someone to cover our retreat, but I can leave a shadow clone to buy us some time."
"Then leave the shadow clone to cover. Move out!"
Without hesitation, Shinnosuke ordered the retreat. Shūichi left behind his clone, and his eyes suddenly lit up with a bright blue glow, illuminating the pitch-black night.
"Captain, Chihiro, follow me!"
With a low command, Shūichi led the way.
Shinnosuke and Chihiro exchanged glances and followed closely, both inwardly surprised. This was the first time they had seen Shūichi use such a unique jutsu.
"What a powerful ninjutsu talent! This eye technique must be a Fire Release application, allowing him to see in the dark," Shinnosuke speculated, impressed.
As they moved through the night, the sound of explosions came from behind.
The battle had begun!
Moments later, Chihiro's face changed under her mask. "It's the Iwa-nin! They're targeting us specifically!"
Shinnosuke furrowed his brow, "It seems we've been exposed."
Hearing this, Shūichi's steps faltered slightly, and a surge of anger welled up inside him.
Since graduation, two of his teammates had been killed by Iwa-nin.
Although he had killed many of them himself, the mission in the Land of Birds still left a lingering frustration deep within him.
As they reached a sparse forest ahead, Shūichi abruptly stopped.
"Shūichi?" Shinnosuke stopped as well, puzzled.
Shūichi removed his mask and said, "Captain, since these Iwa-nin are after us, they'll likely pursue us relentlessly."
"Chihiro, these guys are pretty strong, right?"
Chihiro nodded, "At least four Jonin-level enemies. They work well together and are excellent at altering the terrain!"
After hearing this, Shūichi spoke seriously, "The best way to deal with a pursuit is to eliminate the pursuers entirely."
Shinnosuke gave a wry smile. He hadn't expected the usually steady and rule-abiding Shūichi to suggest something so bold.
Just as he was about to speak, Shūichi continued, "These Iwa-nin have been following us for some time. Who's to say they haven't set up ambushes along the border of the Land of Rain?"
"If we keep retreating through the night, our condition will be terrible by morning."
Although the Iwa-nin hadn't seen their faces, a sensory ninja could still identify people through chakra.
Shinnosuke furrowed his brow in thought. While the possibility was slim, it wasn't impossible.
But he knew this was mostly Shūichi finding a reason.
Was it because of his fallen comrades?
With a sigh, Shinnosuke nodded, "Alright then, let's take care of these troublesome Iwa-nin once and for all!"
Who doesn't desire to settle their grudges?
Having decided, Shinnosuke instructed, "Chihiro, head to the far side of the forest."
"The Iwa-nin are adept at changing the terrain, which would put you at a disadvantage. Support us from the perimeter with your genjutsu."
Chihiro nodded, "Got it!"
She quickly moved through the forest to prepare.
Meanwhile, Shūichi and Shinnosuke stood silently at the edge of the woods, waiting.
Moments later, Shinnosuke spoke, "There are eight left. It looks like six Jonin-level."
"They must have been observing us for a while and realized we were the ones from the Land of Birds."
His shadow clone had been taken down as well.
In the darkness, Shūichi smiled, "If we take them all out, Iwa-nin will be in for a real heartache!"
Shinnosuke replied, "Who knows, they might stop chasing us after that."
Shūichi pulled out a flare, igniting it and sending it skyward.
Just as Shinnosuke was about to ask why, he noticed a sudden blaze of fire in the distance.
It was the location of their previous hideout.
Shinnosuke immediately understood that Shūichi had used the flare to signal his shadow clone to use that technique.
As the distant flames gradually died down, Shūichi crouched down, pressing his fingers to the ground. A grin crept across his face. "They're coming!"
"Five of them!"