July 29th, Dawn.
On the barren hillside, Minato Namikaze, who was standing guard, suddenly called out, "Shisui, Sanyō, Shūichi!"
The three resting in the tent immediately woke up and quickly exited one after another.
Standing atop the tall hill, with no trees to obstruct their view, they could easily see figures emerging from all directions.
At a glance, these people were clearly different from the ones who had harassed them the day before—not just in their appearance but also in their energy and demeanor.
"Are they Ame-nin?" Kurama Sanyō asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.
The newcomers were indeed wearing the forehead protectors of Amegakure.
Shūichi took out a soldier pill and swallowed it. "That might not be the case!"
In the Land of Rain, it's common for everyone to disguise themselves as someone else, blending truth and lies.
Minato added, "For now, don't worry about their identities…"
Before he could finish speaking, the ground began to tremble.
Soon after, Shūichi and the others saw the earth rise and form steps about ten meters away from the hill, with the highest step quickly surpassing the height of the hill itself.
Swish, swish, swish…
A series of figures appeared on top of the towering earth wall, looking down on Shūichi and the others.
"Impressive earthwork!" Shūichi couldn't help but silently remark, but his vigilance was at its peak.
"Be careful, these guys are likely Iwa-nin!" Minato warned.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the ninja on the high earth wall launched their attack.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
A barrage of kunai and shuriken rained down on them, though none were accompanied by explosive tags—likely to avoid accidentally killing the envoy protected in the tent.
Clang, clang, clang…
Shūichi's hands moved rapidly, wielding the Totsuka Blade in one hand and a kunai in the other, deflecting all the incoming kunai and shuriken.
Meanwhile, some of the attackers took advantage of this assault to leap down from the wall and rush toward the tent.
As the first wave of attacks ended, the remaining attackers also jumped down from the wall.
In an instant, Shūichi and the others found themselves surrounded by over twenty enemies.
Since his graduation, this was the first time Shūichi had faced such a large-scale assault and fought on such a complex battlefield.
So, as the first wave of enemies approached, he immediately swallowed a soldier pill and activated his tenfold concentration for the first time.
At that moment, Shūichi felt his already fast-thinking mind become even quicker, his reflexes more acute, and all five senses heightened.
The sounds of battle cries, screams, and the clash of metal no longer affected him in the slightest.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
Without forming any hand signs, Shūichi opened his mouth, unleashing a blast of flames.
This was also the first time he revealed his ability to use jutsu without hand signs in front of the enemy. So sudden and at such close range, only one of the three charging enemies managed to barely dodge, while the other two were hit, sent flying, and landed as blazing torches on the ground.
"Watch out, this guy can use Fire Release without—"
The one who dodged the fire release was furious, but before he could finish his sentence, a blur flashed before his eyes—Shūichi was already upon him.
Slash!
Blood splattered, and the enemy fell, clutching his throat.
Shūichi immediately turned and charged toward the three enemies facing Kurama Sanyō. "Sanyō!"
Kurama Sanyō, who was at a disadvantage, instantly understood and retreated toward Uchiha Shisui.
Shūichi inhaled deeply, then unleashed several fireballs from his mouth.
Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The flames collided with a wall that suddenly rose from the ground, causing it to crumble instantly, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.
Shūichi swiftly tore off his raincoat, attached it to a kunai, and threw it to the right, slicing through the dust.
"Over here!" someone shouted from behind the wall, but Shūichi raised one hand, and two shadow clones materialized on either side of him.
The two clones burst into action, one attacking from the left and the other leaping over the top of the crumbled wall.
Clang! Clang!
Both shadow clones' attacks were blocked, revealing that the enemy hadn't fallen for Shūichi's bait—the shout had been a deliberate ruse.
However, as the three enemies focused on the clones, Shūichi struck from the right.
A flash of his blade, and a head flew.
Shūichi decapitated the enemy who had his back to him. As one of the shadow clones was dispelled, Shūichi dashed forward with lethal precision, slicing through two more enemies in an instant, blood splattering as their screams echoed.
With only one shadow clone left, Shūichi dispelled it and swallowed another soldier pill.
By this time, Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō had already defeated the three enemies attacking them.
Meanwhile, one of the enemy jōnin finally broke through the defenses and charged into the tent where Minato Namikaze and the others were.
Inside the tent, the clone of Shūichi, disguised as the envoy, appeared terrified. As the enemy lunged forward to knock him out, the clone raised a hand from beneath its sleeve.
Boom!
The clone, struck in the neck, instantly exploded into a cloud of smoke.
The enemy's expression changed drastically as he looked down, only to see an explosive tag burning brightly.
Not only that, but the hidden explosive tags on the tent also ignited in unison.
"Damn it…" the intruder muttered, but before he could react further, he was consumed by the explosion and flames.
Outside the tent, the moment the defenses were breached, Minato Namikaze didn't hesitate to order a retreat.
Shūichi had already deactivated his 10x concentration and, together with Uchiha Shisui, leaped onto the tall wall.
The next moment, Minato Namikaze appeared beside them, and almost simultaneously, the tent on the hill exploded into a massive fireball, spreading flames in all directions.
Several nearby enemies were blown away by the blast, and five of the samurai who didn't retreat in time were also knocked down the hillside by the shockwave.
"Shisui, Shūichi, throw the kunai I gave you toward the enemies!" Minato ordered as he threw several kunai himself.
Shūichi and Shisui immediately complied, hurling their kunai forward.
In the blink of an eye, Minato vanished from their sight.
At that moment, Shūichi and the others witnessed what true speed really was.
Kurama Sanyō couldn't even follow Minato's movements as the enemies began to fall one after another.
Even Shisui's Sharingan couldn't fully track Minato's movements.
Only Shūichi, who had reactivated his 10x concentration as he threw the kunai, could catch glimpses of Minato's lightning-fast flickers, the process of him eliminating enemies, and then disappearing.
"So fast!"
"If it were just kunai appearing nearby, and I was mentally prepared, I might be able to react under 10x concentration."
"But if the mark were on my body, I might not even have time to react!"
Shūichi swallowed nervously.
With kunai, Minato's appearance would be limited to a small area. But if the mark was on someone, Minato could appear on any side—front, back, left, right, or even above!
"I must get the chance to learn this jutsu in the future!" Shūichi resolved with determination.
The battle ended with only one enemy left alive, intentionally spared by Minato Namikaze. All the others were killed.
Shūichi Hoshita took down six enemies, Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō each took down three, and the rest were dealt with by Minato Namikaze.
As for the five samurai, each of them was injured, but none of them managed to kill a single enemy.
Shūichi was responsible for healing the five injured samurai, while Shisui and Sanyō used genjutsu to assist Minato in interrogating the surviving enemy to extract information.
The captive was a jōnin, with an unusually strong will.
Half an hour later, Shūichi had finished treating the samurai, and Minato had successfully obtained the necessary intelligence.
As suspected, these ninja were indeed from Iwagakure!
Their goal was not only to extract information from the envoy of the Land of Fire but also to capture the envoy alive and frame Sunagakure for it.
This was because Konoha and Sunagakure were already in conflict over the Land of Rivers. Provoking a larger conflict, or even a war, between Konoha and Sunagakure would be highly beneficial to Iwagakure.
As for why they didn't directly assault them but instead used attrition tactics, the reason lay in Minato Namikaze.
Even though Iwagakure had three jōnin, they weren't confident in taking on Minato.
Minato, although not yet renowned as the "Yellow Flash," had already gained a significant reputation in the ninja world, particularly for his incredible speed.
Unfortunately for Iwagakure, they underestimated Minato Namikaze, as well as Shūichi Hoshita and the others' resilience and combat abilities.
Shūichi, in particular, stood out with his no-hand seals Fire Release, high focus, and rapid reflexes, allowing him to kill enemies even faster than Uchiha Shisui.
However, this came at a considerable cost.
After finishing the medical treatment, even though his physical strength had begun to recover, Shūichi still couldn't resist the overwhelming drowsiness.
The aftermath of using tenfold focus had left him quite fatigued.
"Sensei, leave Shūichi to me!" said Shisui as he lifted Shūichi onto his back.
With heavy eyelids, Shūichi murmured, "Thanks, Shisui..."
…
Without the burden of the envoy, their return journey after dealing with the enemy became much quicker.
Of course, due to the presence of the five palanquin bearers, their pace still wasn't as fast as a group of pure shinobi traveling.
By evening, the group had entered the Land of Fire. Shūichi, having been carried alternately by Shisui and Sanyō throughout the journey, had fully recovered and was now full of energy once again.
Sitting by the riverbank, with fish roasting over the campfire, Shūichi couldn't help but reflect on the day's battle. He asked, "Sensei, it seemed like you didn't use any ninjutsu while using the Flying Thunder God technique."
Earlier, Shūichi had observed Minato Namikaze using the Flying Thunder God against an Iwagakure jōnin. However, Minato hadn't been able to finish him off in one strike because of the enemy's Earth Release: Hardening Technique.
In the end, Minato decided to capture that jōnin instead.
Hearing Shūichi's question, Minato smiled wryly and explained, "Because the Flying Thunder God is so fast, there's hardly any time to perform hand seals or prepare ninjutsu in advance."
"Shūichi, your sensei doesn't have your ability to use Fire Release without hand seals."
"That's why I'm working on creating a no-hand seals ninjutsu to pair with the Flying Thunder God for attacks, but I haven't succeeded yet!"
Although Minato said this, the original purpose of developing no-hand seals ninjutsu was different.
"No-hand seals ninjutsu, that's amazing!" Kurama Sanyō exclaimed in awe, then asked, "Sensei, can we join you in training next time?"
Minato smiled warmly and replied, "Of course, that's not a problem."
…
The next day, Shūichi and the others returned to the Daimyō's residence in the Land of Fire, where they were received by the Daimyō himself. They also took the opportunity to evaluate a few new shinobi the Daimyō had recruited.
However, the atmosphere this time wasn't as intense as before; it was just a straightforward assessment.
The new shinobi weren't as skilled as the previous batch, with most of them being at the level of chūnin, and not a single jōnin among them.
Afterward, Shūichi Hoshita once again received a private audience with the Daimyō.
During the meeting, Shūichi took the opportunity to recommend a few of Konoha's young geniuses to the Daimyō.
For instance, he mentioned Kakashi, the prodigy who graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy at the youngest age since its founding.
He also brought up Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Third Hokage.
The Daimyō was quite pleased with the mention of Kakashi, a name he had already heard of.
However, he had some reservations about Asuma Sarutobi.
After all, Asuma was the son of the Hokage!
But Shūichi quickly convinced the Daimyō with a single sentence: "Recruiting the Hokage's son would have a greater impact than recruiting ten other geniuses."
As a result, when Shūichi left, he had an additional ten million ryō in hand.
As expected of the Daimyō—he's incredibly wealthy!
…
On the afternoon of July 31st, Shūichi and his team finally returned to Konoha.
After submitting the mission report and collecting their payment at the Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze announced a one-week break. However, they agreed to meet the next day to observe his progress on a new jutsu.
After freshening up and having lunch, Shūichi made his usual visit to Konoha Hospital.
This mission had taken nearly a month, making it the longest mission he had ever undertaken.
Naturally, he missed Nonō Yakushi after being away for so long.
Upon arriving at Konoha Hospital, Shūichi quickly found Nonō, who was busy treating injured ninja.
"Let me help!" Shūichi offered as he approached.
Nonō, with sweat on her forehead, looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see him. "Shūichi..."
With a smile, Shūichi began using the Mystical Palm Technique, taking over Nonō's position.
However, the number of injured seemed higher than usual today, so Nonō didn't get a break.
Seeing this, Shūichi sped up his work to help ease the burden on her.
Before they knew it, the afternoon had passed.
When the treatment was finally done, Shūichi felt somewhat exhausted.
"Good job!"
A familiar voice rang in his ears, and when he turned, he saw Tsunade standing there with a box of milk.
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade!" Shūichi expressed his gratitude as he took the milk, then asked, "Lady Tsunade, why are there so many injured today?"
"And many of them seem to be poisoned. Could it be the work of the Sand Ninja?"
Tsunade nodded slightly. "It's from the Land of Rivers."
As expected!
Shūichi frowned slightly but then quickly let it go.
It wasn't his concern yet—he wasn't at that level. Focusing on improving his strength was the most important thing.
"Lady Tsunade, let's continue training today!"
"Of course," Tsunade agreed without hesitation.
Shūichi didn't mind getting beaten up; in fact, Tsunade found the secret technique training a bit dull without it.
After saying goodbye to Nonō, the two headed to the nearby training ground to begin their session.
In addition to taijutsu and Fire Release, Shūichi also practiced kenjutsu, particularly the Dance of the Crescent Moon.
But Shūichi noticed that Tsunade seemed noticeably stronger than before.
Her reaction speed had improved, and her attacks were faster too.
Sensing Shūichi's surprise, Tsunade snorted, "Kid, don't underestimate me."
"I may be a medical ninja, but I'm not the type who relies on others to protect me."
Shūichi quickly responded, "I wouldn't dream of underestimating you, Lady Tsunade. I was just thinking that you've gotten even stronger."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
Stronger than before? So, does that mean I wasn't strong enough before?
Is that supposed to be a compliment?
Unable to resist, Tsunade put a bit more force into her next attack.
Words can be dangerous—Shūichi Hoshita learned this the hard way as he limped out of Konoha Hospital alongside Nonō Yakushi.
That night, Shūichi stayed at Nonō's place, as usual, diligently absorbing medical knowledge.
When it was time to sleep, Shūichi snuggled up to Nonō and whispered softly, "Director, do you have someone you like?"
"Huh?"
Nonō was momentarily taken aback, then she smiled warmly. "Yes, Shūichi, and also every child at the orphanage."
Shūichi continued, "It seems like Minato-sensei already has someone he likes."
Nonō turned her head, unable to see Shūichi's expression clearly without her glasses, and teased, "It sounds like Shūichi has someone in mind too."
"But it makes sense. Shūichi is very popular with the girls!"
Hearing this, Shūichi couldn't help but think of Shizune's face, followed by Tsunade's.
He turned to look at Nonō, feeling an inexplicable melancholy.
A six-year-old body with the soul of an adult.
Nonō was more than ten years older than him!
Perverted, this is just too perverted!
Shūichi silently chastised himself, then wrapped his arms around Nonō's waist. "I want to stay with you forever, Director."
Nonō didn't think much of it and gently patted Shūichi's back. "That's what I hope for too!"
…
The next day, at 9 a.m., Shūichi, Shisui Uchiha, and Sanyō Kurama followed Minato Namikaze to the place where he was developing a new jutsu.
Seeing the large craters scattered around, Shūichi was now completely certain.
Rasengan!
Looking at the numerous pits, Sanyō couldn't contain his excitement. "Minato-sensei, this must be a really powerful jutsu, right?"
"I can't wait to see it!"
Minato smiled a bit sheepishly. "The technique isn't complete yet, but I can show you a demonstration."
With that, under the watchful eyes of the three, Minato raised his right hand, and chakra quickly gathered, forming a pale blue ball of swirling energy.
However, the chakra sphere was extremely unstable, with chakra surging in all directions as if it might explode at any moment.
Sanyō exclaimed, "That's amazing!"
The sheer amount of gathered chakra was astonishing.
Shisui was equally impressed. "Once it's fully developed, this will be an incredible jutsu!"
Minato, unable to maintain the stability of the technique, had to release it, leaving another large crater in the ground.
Shūichi observed thoughtfully.
He didn't know if the inspiration for the Rasengan came from the Tailed Beast Bomb, but the current Rasengan involved chakra spinning like a vortex, forcibly controlled by Minato's powerful chakra control.
It was extremely unstable.
In its current form, it was clearly not suitable for use in actual combat, especially with Minato's fast-paced fighting style.
So, how could the chakra gathered in the hand be stabilized?
Minato's version involved a single spiral. Could it require a double spiral?
The inner layer of chakra rotating to the left, and the outer layer rotating to the right?
"It shouldn't be that simple…"
Shūichi furrowed his brow slightly.
Sanyō noticed and asked with a smile, "Shūichi, are you thinking about how to help Minato-sensei complete this jutsu?"
Shūichi snapped out of his thoughts, nodded, and was about to speak when a sudden idea flashed through his mind, making his eyes light up.
He quickly said, "Minato-sensei, I think I've got an idea."
"Shisui, Sanyō, can you two help me gather some vines?"
Sanyō was puzzled. "Vines? What do they have to do with Minato-sensei's jutsu?"
Shisui immediately smiled and said, "Just do as Shūichi says."
The three of them then leapt into action.
As Minato watched them leave, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
Vines were not hard to find in Konoha, so Shūichi and the others quickly collected a bunch and returned.
In front of Minato, Shūichi picked up a vine and said, "Minato-sensei, this represents the flow of chakra."
As he spoke, he twisted the vine into a small ring and held it in his hand.
But he didn't stop there. Shūichi grabbed another vine and wound it around the first ring, but instead of wrapping it in the same direction or in the opposite direction, he wrapped the second ring perpendicular to the first.
At this point, Minato already began to understand.
But Shūichi continued, "The vines represent the trajectory of the chakra flow. The first layer rotates in one direction, while the second layer rotates in another direction, holding down the chakra of the first layer to prevent it from expanding outward immediately."
"And then you keep adding more layers."
As he explained, Shūichi quickly wove more layers with the vines, and soon, a ball of vines appeared in his hand, tightly held by his fingers.
He looked at Minato and the others, smiling, "By using the outer layer of chakra to suppress the inner layers, the final layer of chakra is controlled by us. This greatly reduces the difficulty and also stabilizes the large amount of compressed chakra."
"And then..."
Shūichi slowly released his grip on the vine ball, and Minato and the others saw the ball start to expand outward.
"As we attack the enemy and release the outer control, the chakra ball will expand from the inside out."
"Moreover, since it expands while rotating at high speed, it will increase the destructive power."
"The most important thing is that the expansion will not occur on the side of the ball that we control with our hand, but rather on the side that makes contact with the enemy."
Although the vine ball in Shūichi's hand wasn't an actual rotating chakra ball, Minato and the others weren't fools.
Shūichi's explanation was so clear and vivid that they could fully visualize what he was describing in their minds.
Sanyō was stunned, then suddenly shouted, "Shūichi, how did you come up with this?"
Minato and Shisui also looked at Shūichi with curiosity.
Shūichi smiled and said, "Have you ever seen a ball of yarn? It's used for knitting sweaters."
The three of them exchanged glances, then all laughed awkwardly together.
Minato then praised him, "Shūichi, you have an incredible sensitivity to ninjutsu!"
Shisui added, "No wonder you can use Fire Release without hand signs."
Shūichi felt a bit embarrassed by the compliments but also proud.
Because this idea didn't come from his knowledge as a reincarnated person—he only knew that the Rasengan was amazing and had a rough idea of how Naruto trained to master it, but who knew how it actually worked?
The inspiration had indeed come from a ball of yarn. Back at the orphanage, Nonō Yakushi had once knitted a sweater for him.
"Minato-sensei, you should give it a try first. We won't know if it works until you do."
Shūichi suggested.
But Minato was already confident. "Shūichi, I'm certain your method is correct."
He had an exceptional sensitivity to ninjutsu.
With that, Minato began to experiment.
As the sound of wind whistling filled the air, the blue chakra ball in Minato's hand rapidly expanded.
This time, it was very stable, unlike before.
Shūichi couldn't help but be amazed at Minato's talent. He had only explained the theory once, and Minato had already succeeded.
Just then, there was a stirring in the tag system within Shūichi's mind.
Although Minato Namikaze hadn't yet named the jutsu, the Tag System had already recognized it as an A-rank technique.
Even though Shūichi Hoshita didn't create the jutsu himself, he played a critical and groundbreaking role in its development.
As for the previous technique, Seal Technique – Memory Palace, it didn't quite reach A-rank.
But now, Shūichi had taken a big step forward. He was just four A-rank jutsu away from acquiring the "Pioneer" tag.
At that moment, Minato flashed to a large tree, pressing the chakra ball in his right hand against it. With a resounding boom, the tree was completely pierced through.
"Amazing!" Sanyō Kurama exclaimed. "A jutsu without hand signs—this is undoubtedly perfect for Minato-sensei!"
"What should we call it?"
Minato retracted his hand, looking at Shūichi with a smile. "Let's call it Light Wheel Popsicle Initiating Shūichi Yarn Ball!"
Shūichi covered his face in exasperation, while Shisui Uchiha and Sanyō stood there, stunned.
Seeing their reactions, Minato chuckled awkwardly. "What? You don't like the name? It has a lot of sentimental value, don't you think?"
Shisui and Sanyō also gave awkward laughs.
Shūichi cleared his throat and suggested, "Minato-sensei, maybe go with something simpler! How about thinking about why you created this jutsu in the first place?"
Minato's expression softened as he recalled Uzumaki Kushina and thought of the Nine-Tails. His face grew serious for a moment but quickly returned to his usual warm smile. "In that case, let's call it Rasengan."
(T/N: There are other names for Rasengan, like Spiralling Sphere, Spiral Chakra Sphere, Power Strike..)
Sanyō immediately raised his hand in agreement. "That's perfect! Rasengan reflects the way the chakra rotates in this jutsu."
Shisui nodded eagerly, worried that Minato might come up with another strange name.
And so, the Rasengan was born.
With the jutsu successfully completed, Minato immediately offered to treat everyone to a big meal, which Shūichi and the others gladly accepted.
No way they were missing out on that!
But before that, they didn't want to waste the rest of the morning.
Minato became their sparring partner, while Shūichi took the opportunity to practice not only Dance of the Crescent Moon but also the medical ninjutsu Yin Healing Wound Destruction.
Both techniques required real combat experience to master since their key lay in perfect timing.
Time flew by, and by noon, the four of them shared a hearty meal before parting ways.
Shūichi headed to Konoha Hospital to continue training with Tsunade, while Minato went to a place covered by a barrier.
"Kushina!"
Minato arrived at a house.
The upstairs window opened, revealing a red-haired woman with an obviously annoyed expression. "Weren't you supposed to be training somewhere else? Why are you back?"
Minato wasn't bothered by Kushina's attitude and smiled. "Thanks to Shūichi's help, the new jutsu is complete, so I came to tell you."
"Shūichi?" Kushina was puzzled. "You mean that genius kid you mentioned?"
She knew how talented Minato was, so it surprised her that a jutsu that had troubled him for so long could be solved by a six-year-old.
Minato nodded with a smile. "Yes, Shūichi Hoshita. He has a remarkable talent for understanding jutsu."
He extended his right hand, and a Rasengan quickly formed. "See? This is the jutsu. I call it Rasengan, and I created it specifically to protect you!"
Kushina stared at the Rasengan in Minato's hand, stunned.
It looks so much like the Tailed Beast Bomb used by the Nine-Tails!
Unknowingly, tears began to stream down Kushina's cheeks.
Ever since Minato started spending so much time developing the new jutsu, they hadn't trained in sealing techniques together as often.
She had thought he was losing interest in her, but now...
Seeing Minato's gentle smile, Kushina's heart softened, and she suddenly leaped out of the window. After hesitating for a moment, she threw herself into Minato's arms.
Minato was momentarily surprised but then broke into a radiant smile.
He dispersed the Rasengan and hugged Kushina tightly. "Kushina, I'll protect you well!"
...
While Minato Namikaze was enjoying the warmth of a beauty in his arms, Shūichi Hoshita was on the receiving end of a beating.
"How can you master Yin Healing Wound Destruction without taking some hits?" Tsunade had said this with complete confidence.
Shūichi couldn't help but think that this wicked woman had discovered some kind of twisted pleasure in beating him up!
And so, time slowly passed.
For Shūichi, vacations meant more time for training.
He focused on medical ninjutsu, swordsmanship, basic taijutsu, physical conditioning, and speed reaction training with Shizune, Guy, and the others.
Nearly a month went by, and the training method Shūichi had initially proposed had already been improved several times.
It started with mud balls, then moved on to clay. Kakashi further refined it by using different colored chalk, special round-shaped chalks, and drawing a circle to limit the area.
They then had to catch a specific colored chalk ball within the circle.
...
Before he knew it, three days had passed.
On this particular day, while Shūichi was practicing the Chakra Scalpel medical ninjutsu at Konoha Hospital, he suddenly heard that Minato Namikaze had been severely injured and rushed to the hospital.
Minato Namikaze, seriously injured?
Shūichi was momentarily stunned, but then quickly hurried over. Outside the hospital room, he saw not only Tsunade but also Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Lord Third Hokage, Lady Tsunade!" Shūichi quickly approached and greeted them.
"Shūichi!" Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and then reassured him, "Don't worry, Minato will be fine."
Shūichi nodded and noticed that Tsunade didn't look too happy. He then peered through the glass into the hospital room.
Inside, the entire medical team was at work, with Nonō Yakushi among them. A slug was also perched on Minato's chest.
"A wound that pierced through his chest?" Shūichi speculated and immediately connected it to the Nine-Tails and the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
"It seems the Nine-Tails' seal isn't very stable right now," Shūichi thought to himself.
But it made sense. Uzumaki Kushina was only around fourteen or fifteen years old, roughly the same age as Minato.
Whether it was her sealing techniques, her chakra level, or most importantly, her mastery of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, she was certainly not at her peak.
"But I recall that Uzumaki Kushina had mission records... was it before she became a Jinchūriki? Or were there some afterward as well?" Shūichi silently wondered.
Time slowly ticked by.
Three hours later, a masked medical ninja emerged from the room with the slug. "Lord Third Hokage, Lady Tsunade, Minato is out of danger!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was finally at ease and nodded. "Thank you for your hard work!"
Tsunade took the slug and said, "Since everything is fine now, I'll be going." With that, she turned and left.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, looking a bit awkward, took a drag from his pipe, and said, "Shūichi, please take care of Minato."
Pretending not to notice anything, Shūichi quickly bowed. "Yes, Lord Third Hokage, you can leave Minato-sensei to me!"
"Good!" Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction and then also left.
Shūichi looked back into the room and immediately sent a shadow clone to notify Shisui Uchiha and Sanyō Kurama.
Due to Minato Namikaze's severe injuries, the originally planned vacation had to be extended.
Shūichi Hoshita was quite pleased with this. After all, aside from Shisui Uchiha, Kakashi, and Guy, he also had Tsunade, a Jōnin, as his sparring partner.
Time flew by, and soon it was August 20th, when Minato was discharged from the hospital, fully recovered.
However, Shūichi and his two teammates were soon informed that Minato had another important mission.
As a result, the three of them operated as a temporary team, taking on D-rank and C-rank missions, rarely leaving the Land of Fire.
Autumn quietly arrived.
On September 12th, beside Konoha Hospital...
After just finishing a sparring session with Tsunade, Shūichi sat on the ground, his mind fully focused on the Tag Tree.
He had finally mastered the Dance of the Crescent Moon technique.
With that, he had fulfilled all the requirements for the Swordsmanship Expert Tag.
Activate!
As the Swordsmanship Expert Tag leaf turned green, Shūichi immediately felt a surge of energy within him, similar to chakra but far more powerful.
The Swordsmanship Expert Tag had two effects: a 100% increase in swordsmanship talent and the ability to designate a ninja tool, enhancing its quality by 100%.
He had yet to test the talent boost, but the surge of energy within him was clearly meant for enhancing the designated ninja tool.
Without hesitation, Shūichi drew his Totsuka Blade.
This short chakra blade, gifted by Tenka, was rather unremarkable among chakra blades, yet it was still incredibly valuable.
In the ninja world, even among Jōnin, not everyone had access to such a highly conductive chakra tool.
High conductivity meant minimal chakra loss.
With a thought, Shūichi guided the newfound energy within him into the Totsuka Blade.
It flowed effortlessly.
The energy instantly responded to his will, flooding into the blade.
Shūichi felt the Totsuka Blade in his right hand tremble slightly, and a faint humming sound reached his ears.
Soon, the energy had fully merged with the Totsuka Blade, disappearing without a trace.
When Shūichi infused the blade with chakra again, his face lit up with delight.
He could hardly feel any chakra loss.
He then took out a kunai and swung the Totsuka Blade. There was no sound of clashing metal, yet the kunai was sliced cleanly in two.
The cut was incredibly smooth.
True—it can cut through iron like mud!
Although the kunai was just an ordinary one, most of the ninja tools on the battlefield were of similar quality.
"My Totsuka Blade should now be considered a legendary weapon, right?"
Shūichi chuckled to himself, sheathing the blade and picking up the split kunai before standing up to leave.
"I've almost mastered the Yin Healing Wound Destruction technique. Next, if I can fully master the Chakra Scalpel medical ninjutsu, I'll be able to acquire the Medical Expert Tag."
"It's now September. If I aim to achieve this by the same time next year, with the Tag's enhancements, I'll soon become a true medical expert."
Shūichi silently plotted out his plan. "However, medical ninjutsu, like basic physical training, is a long-term pursuit. For now, my primary focus should still be on swordsmanship and kenjutsu."
If his initial swordsmanship talent was at level 1, the Ninja Tool Expert Tag would have brought it to level 2.
Then, with the 50% boost from the Konoha Genius Tag, it would be at level 3.
Finally, with the current 100% boost from the Swordsmanship Expert Tag, it would reach level 6!
"With such talent, I should already surpass Shisui, Kakashi, and the others, right?"
Although he had some doubts, Shūichi was confident.
Before long, he arrived at a small grove.
This was the place where he originally trained with Guy, and now it served perfectly as a secluded spot for his solo training.
Because the time had come for Shūichi Hoshita to forge his own path in swordsmanship—a path that would lead him to becoming a Jōnin!
First, he created a shadow clone to grind leaves, continuing his training in Wind Release chakra nature transformation.
Meanwhile, Shūichi himself sat cross-legged under a tree, laying the Totsuka Blade across his knees.
He then pondered a crucial question: What kind of swordsmanship or kenjutsu technique should he develop? It needed to be at least an A-rank jutsu.
His initial thought was to focus on Wind Release. Utilizing the cutting power of wind in combination with the Totsuka Blade seemed ideal, and it would certainly rival the Lightning Blades of Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
However, he had yet to complete his training in Wind Release chakra nature transformation.
Although more than two months had passed, he hadn't dedicated much energy to it, only accumulating experience slowly through a single shadow clone.
"Now I have two options: I could first unlock the Wind Release Expert Tag, gaining a boost in Wind Release talent, and then quickly finish my Wind Release chakra nature training. Once perfected, I could apply it to my swordsmanship."
"Alternatively, I could complete the Wind Release nature transformation training first, then quickly master five Wind Release jutsu, unlock the Wind Release Expert Tag, and apply that to my swordsmanship."
"Or, I could continue to have a shadow clone grind away at Wind Release nature transformation, while I focus on developing a swordsmanship technique suited to my current abilities!"
Shūichi's thoughts raced, and he soon made a decision.
For now, his talent in Fire Release clearly surpassed that in Wind Release; there was no need to overlook the obvious.
"Let's start with Fire Release!"
"Is there any precedent in the ninja world for combining Fire Release with swordsmanship?"
"How can I merge them to achieve a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts?"
Having set his direction, Shūichi began a brainstorming session, doubling his concentration.
"The nature of Fire Release: high heat, explosion..."
"Explosion can be put aside for now."
Shūichi considered, "High heat... In reality, when Lightning Release is infused into a blade, aside from the paralyzing effect of the electricity, it primarily utilizes high-temperature cutting."
He recalled the battle between Killer Bee and Team Taka. (T/N: That Episode was Awesome!)
Killer Bee had infused his blade with Lightning Release, cutting straight through Zabuza's Executioner's Blade.
But in the end, it was about high temperatures.
Just like plasma arc cutting, which involves high-current plasma arcs.
Moreover, Killer Bee could also infuse Lightning Release into a pen, using high-frequency vibrations to enhance its piercing power.
Shūichi stood up and drew his blade, infusing it with Fire Release chakra.
The blade of the Totsuka Blade began to turn red, and the air around it started to warp.
Suddenly, Shūichi stopped, frowning slightly as he looked down at the gradually cooling blade.
"No, I shouldn't just be heating the blade."
"The Totsuka Blade is fine—it's of high quality and has been enhanced by the Tag, so it can withstand high temperatures. But other weapons might not be so durable."
"Also, heating the blade results in significant energy loss and takes time."
"I should instead create a high-temperature layer directly on the blade's surface, or even across the entire blade."
Shūichi thought of the Rasengan.
The Rasengan was a non-elemental jutsu that involved orderly chakra rotations layered into a chaotic spinning sphere.
Likewise, he could construct an orderly Fire Release chakra flow on the blade.
"Yes, I'll start by covering the entire blade and then refine it."
Shūichi resumed his experimentation.
A layer of flames enveloped the blade, but soon, under his control, the flames disappeared, leaving only a red glow surrounding the blade.
Shūichi gradually refined the technique, wrapping the Fire Release chakra around the blade like wires, spiraling around it in continuous loops.
With each loop, the red glow deepened.
After the first layer, he added a second, compressing the first layer of Fire Release chakra, and repeated the process, layering and compressing over and over.
The glow enveloping the blade constantly shifted in color.
Red, dark red, cherry red...
By the tenth layer, the glow had turned a deep orange-red.
By this point, Shūichi was drenched in sweat, pushing his limits.
He immediately dashed forward, the blade slicing through a thick tree trunk.