The night passed without incident.
The next morning, after a quick meal of ration pills, Shūichi and his team set off again, heading swiftly towards Sunagakure in the Land of Wind.
The journey was somewhat monotonous, filled with nothing but wind and sand, a landscape no one enjoyed.
Shukaku, on the other hand, was thrilled, but he wasn't exactly human.
Fortunately, no unexpected events occurred, and the team managed to reach Sunagakure just before sunset.
Compared to Iwagakure, Sunagakure, as an ally, showed much more courtesy, even warmly welcoming Shūichi and his group of four, despite once being on opposing sides.
After freshening up, Shūichi was about to take Asuka on a tour of Sunagakure when he overheard someone speaking with Uchiha Shisui outside. Curious, he stepped out.
"Shisui, who is this?"
Shūichi asked.
The visitor was a young man who, before Shisui could respond, bowed and said, "Lord Shūichi, I am Yashamaru, here on behalf of Lord Kazekage to invite you all to join him for dinner."
Yashamaru? Gaara's uncle?
Wait a second, Temari should have been born by now, right?
Shūichi's thoughts jumped around briefly before he smiled and replied, "Since it's an invitation from Lord Kazekage himself, we'd be honored. Please, lead the way."
Calling Asuka and Yamato, the four of them followed Yashamaru to the Kazekage's residence.
"Yashamaru!"
A young voice echoed in the hallway, and Shūichi and the others looked up to see a little girl running toward them.
Yashamaru stepped forward quickly and said, "Temari, show some respect. These are honored guests of the Kazekage."
Seeing young Temari, a smile appeared in Shūichi's eyes.
Temari slowed her steps, her curious gaze scanning Shūichi's group without a hint of fear.
Pulling her close, Yashamaru turned back with a smile and explained, "This is Lord Kazekage's eldest daughter, Temari."
"Temari, this is the famous 'Blue Flash of Konoha.' You should call him senapi."
Temari blinked her large eyes and looked up. "Shūichi-senpai, I know who you are."
Shūichi knelt down to her level, smiling, "Oh? How do you know about me?"
Temari replied without hesitation, "Because you've killed a lot of people from our village."
Yashamaru broke into a cold sweat, hurriedly interjecting, "Lord Shūichi, I apologize. Temari, she…"
But Shūichi raised his hand to stop him, smiling. "She isn't wrong."
"We were once enemies. Many from Konoha have fallen to Sunagakure's ninjas, just as many from Sunagakure have fallen to my hands."
This was directed both at Yashamaru and at Temari.
"So, Temari, do you wish to avenge them?"
Shūichi asked the young girl before him.
Temari nodded emphatically, her large eyes looking up at him with determination. "When I grow up, I'll surpass you and then defeat you!"
Shūichi gave her a thumbs-up. "Good! That's exactly what I'd expect from the Kazekage's daughter."
"So, I'll be waiting for the day you challenge me. How about that?"
Temari blinked in surprise. "Really?"
Shūichi reached into his tool pouch and handed her a special kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God technique. "Here, take this as a gift. When you're older, bring it and challenge me."
Fearless, despite Yashamaru's frantic attempts to signal her otherwise, Temari took Shūichi's kunai, holding it tightly as she replied seriously, "Then you better wait. I'll bring this with me one day to find you!"
Shūichi straightened up, laughing. "Then you'd better train hard, because I'm quite powerful!"
Temari looked up at him, her head tilted. "Even stronger than my dad?"
Shūichi ruffled her hair, smiling. "You'll have to ask your father that."
Temari sniffed, proudly declaring, "Of course my dad's stronger. He's the Kazekage!"
"Temari, don't be rude."
This time, the speaker wasn't Yashamaru, but a woman with short, gentle features and a large, rounded belly.
Yashamaru introduced her quickly, "This is Lady Karura, the Kazekage's wife."
Shūichi smiled and greeted her. "Lady Karura, a pleasure to meet you!"
Asuka and the others greeted her in turn.
Karura returned the greetings with a smile, pulling Temari to her side. "Temari was a bit out of line. I hope you'll forgive her."
Shūichi glanced at Temari, smiling, "Actually, I think Temari is wonderful. She'll grow into an outstanding kunoichi."
"Thank you for the kind words," Karura replied, then noticed the kunai in Temari's hand. "But isn't this gift a bit extravagant?"
Shūichi chuckled. "It's just a regular kunai, nothing too valuable."
Temari, however, was already holding onto the kunai tightly.
Karura could only sigh quietly, conceding as she changed the subject. "In any case, thank you for your generosity. Please, come this way; dinner is ready."
…
The dinner gathering was intimate, consisting only of Shūichi's group and the Kazekage's family.
In addition to Temari, there was also Kankuro.
Unlike his bold sister, young Kankuro was far shyer, looking timid and reserved.
"So it seems Gaara will indeed become the host of Shukaku. I wonder how that raccoon will end up influencing him."
"This should be interesting…"
After dinner, Shūichi glanced at Karura's round belly.
It looked like she was almost due.
...
After leaving the Kazekage's building, Shūichi and his team strolled through the Sand Village, taking in the night market that was quite different from what they were used to in Konoha.
Once they returned to their lodgings, they washed up and retired to their rooms to rest.
In the quiet darkness, Asuka wrapped her arms around Shūichi and whispered softly, "Shūichi, do you really like kids?"
Shūichi was startled. "Why do you ask?"
Asuka chuckled. "I noticed you were incredibly patient with little Temari, and you kept glancing at the Kazekage's wife's belly."
Shūichi was taken aback. "Was it that obvious?"
Hopefully, they don't think I'm a weirdo…
Asuka smiled gently. "Well, I was focused on you the whole time."
Shūichi inhaled her light fragrance and said, "Then, Asuka, you should be ready, too."
Asuka nodded softly. "Mm!"
…
After a peaceful night, Shūichi bid farewell to Rasa the next morning, and he and his squad departed from the Sand Village.
Meanwhile, Rasa quickly convened a high-level meeting where he finalized a decision: his unborn son would become the new jinchūriki. In fact, he had discussed this plan with Chiyo the previous evening.
…
Elsewhere, as they trekked through the desert, Shūichi suddenly asked, "What do you all think about planting trees in the desert?"
"Trees in the desert?" Asuka looked around at the endless sand and replied, "Without water, that seems impossible."
Shisui was quick to catch on. "Are you thinking of using Yamato's Wood Release?"
Yamato looked stunned. "Well… even with Wood Release, I doubt it could cover an area this vast."
The Land of Wind is even larger than the Land of Fire and is predominantly desert.
Shūichi smiled. "Of course, Wood Release alone wouldn't be enough. Even if it were the First Hokage's Wood Release, it still wouldn't suffice."
"Trees would die without water."
"But the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers have a wealth of water resources—so much that you could say it's almost too much in the Land of Rain."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Anyone who's been to the Land of Rain knows it rains constantly, making it a rather peculiar place.
Its rivers crisscross the land, with one large river flowing southward through the Land of Rivers and eventually reaching the sea.
"Oh, Shūichi, do you think it's possible to divert water from the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers into the Land of Wind?" Asuka asked curiously.
Shisui looked thoughtful, beginning to sense a hint of Shūichi's ambition.
After all, Shūichi had once shared his vision with him.
Yamato added, "Even if we redirected water, wouldn't it evaporate quickly in the desert?"
Shūichi nodded. "That's why simply redirecting water isn't enough."
"We would need measures to control wind and sand, using vegetation to stabilize the dunes and prevent erosion."
Shisui agreed, "So, Wood Release would indeed be essential."
Shūichi nodded. "And not just Wood Release; Earth Release would be required, too, to create windbreaks and construct channels."
"This kind of work goes beyond the battlefield. It requires collaboration on a massive scale."
Yamato looked dazed. "But… is that even possible?"
Wood Release for trees, Earth Release for ditches… it almost sounded like a fantasy.
Shūichi grinned. "It wouldn't be easy, of course."
"This would be a monumental project."
"And right now, the Land of Wind couldn't accomplish it on its own."
Shisui added, "It would require the unification of the Lands of Rain, Rivers, and Wind."
"We'd need many Earth Release users. We could do without Wood Release if we increased manpower for planting vegetation."
"As Shūichi said, it's a challenging feat—but also one of great significance."
Shisui appeared calm, but inside, he was thrilled.
Right now, the Land of Wind was under the Sand Village's control, but if Shūichi could unify the entire ninja world, he would lay the foundation to accomplish this vision.
Transforming the Land of Wind, turning the desert into green plains—just imagining it was exhilarating.
However, Asuka and Yamato couldn't quite grasp the impact of such an endeavor.
Shūichi didn't elaborate further. After traversing the endless desert and resting briefly at a small oasis, he used Flying Thunder God to instantly transport everyone to the Land of Rivers.
They then proceeded from the Land of Rivers at a regular pace, arriving back at Konoha by nightfall.
After washing up and eating dinner, Shūichi was about to head to the research lab when he received feedback from one of his shadow clones.
Creating heavy water through Chakra manipulation wasn't a problem, but aqua regia proved far more challenging.
Much like the earlier attempt to synthesize diamonds, the difficulty lay in the properties. Achieving the highly corrosive nature of aqua regia purely through Water Release was incredibly challenging.
According to the clone's analysis, Earth Release had to be combined to achieve it.
The clone's training had also shown that, while heavy water enhanced Water Release jutsu, the increase in power wasn't as significant as anticipated.
At the very least, it hadn't reached S-rank in effectiveness.
In other words, using heavy water with the Water Severing Wave jutsu enhanced its potency, but the difficulty level hadn't yet reached S-rank.
Both its elemental transformation and form manipulation still fell short.
Of course, heavy water could still serve as the basis for a series of powerful A-rank Water Release techniques. By mastering five of these, he could attain the Water Release Master tag.
As Shūichi sat in his study, he pondered his options.
There was still one possible direction in elemental transformation: superheavy water(tritiated water).
He didn't know much about it, but superheavy water was nearly nonexistent in nature and required special methods to produce.
It was uncertain whether superheavy water could even be achieved through Water Release.
And its one notable characteristic he knew of was radioactivity.
Superheavy water contained tritium, which is one of the elements used in fusion reactions.
"Alright, then, I'll split this into two paths: developing new jutsu with heavy water, like a heavy water armor technique… Hmm, perhaps incorporating the Hydrification Technique."
"With heavy water, I could create a colossal water clone that might circumvent Lightning Release's usual advantage."
With that in mind, Shūichi immediately summoned two shadow clones to start experimenting.
…
Time flew by, and in a blink, March arrived.
Shūichi's 14th birthday came right on schedule.
Unfortunately, due to a message from Nonō Yakushi, seemingly a representative of the "Great Harmonizer," Shūichi had to postpone his plan for Asuka to have a child.
By the end of the month, Shūichi finally received the awaited notification from Orochimaru to assist with the final step of his body modification.
When Shūichi arrived at the lab via Flying Thunder God, Orochimaru was already prepared.
Seeing him, Orochimaru smirked, "Aren't you going to give it a try, Shūichi?"
Shūichi shook his head. "I think the Hydrification Technique offers better advantages."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "So, you're confident about obtaining the Hydrification Technique?"
Previously, Shūichi had captured Hōzuki Chiba, a member of the Hōzuki Clan, who was currently an experimental subject.
Orochimaru had acquired some of Chiba's cells for his research, but no major breakthroughs had come yet.
The Hōzuki Clan's Hydrification Technique had become akin to a bloodline limit, and even after extracting Chiba's memories, the training method for this skill remained elusive.
It was similar to how Asuka and Kushina could use the Adamantine Sealing Chains without fully understanding their underlying mechanics.
Like the Sage Body, it had become a unique physical trait.
"I am reasonably confident," Shūichi admitted.
In truth, now that he possessed the Sand Body, the Hydrification Technique wasn't essential for him.
Still, it was worth researching—not only for the Water Release Master tag but also to benefit the future of the Clan.
After a brief conversation, Orochimaru summoned a shadow clone and then climbed onto the operating table himself.
Now, Orochimaru's shadow clone would perform the surgery, with Shūichi assisting.
Shūichi couldn't help but be impressed by Orochimaru's courage.
Only he would dare operate on himself with such boldness.
If the shadow clone malfunctioned like Naruto's often did, things could end badly.
The surgery began.
This operation focused on reconstructing Orochimaru's bones and internal organs.
It meant that Orochimaru would become even less human.
On the outside, he'd still appear human, but inside, he would be more akin to a snake.
The transformation didn't involve replacing bones or organs but involved cellular and marrow grafting, altering him gradually on a genetic level.
This explained why the preparations had been so extensive.
Numerous techniques were needed to harmonize Orochimaru's genes with those of a snake.
Additionally, the white phosphorous snake genes required enhancement.
The knowledge applied here was vast, including research on Hashirama's cells and the Eight-Tails.
Thus, what appeared to be a simple body modification actually incorporated numerous breakthroughs.
Assisting Orochimaru in this operation was a tremendous learning experience for Shūichi.
And this body modification was only a foundational step.
The final result, the Yamata no Orochi form, would be comparable to a Tailed Beast.
Time slipped by gradually.
This operation took an unusually long time, lasting a full three days from start to finish.
After stitching Orochimaru's body back together with the shadow clone, Shūichi noticed how rapidly his wounds were healing.
Although it couldn't match the Creation Rebirth technique, it was still impressive.
Within five minutes of the surgery's end, Orochimaru was able to step off the operating table, stretch his neck, and smile. "Not bad at all. Much better than expected."
Shūichi washed his hands and smiled back. "At this rate, you're looking less and less like a human."
Orochimaru didn't mind in the slightest. "The human body holds immense secrets, but unlocking them is exceedingly difficult. Some alterations are necessary."
"Moreover, every individual is different, with unique traits and qualities. It's only practical to balance strengths and weaknesses."
"You once mentioned that the body restricts our spirit, so I need to enable the body to contain even more."
Shūichi nodded. "That's definitely one way to approach it."
In truth, his approach and Orochimaru's were similar.
Orochimaru experimented with white phosphorous snakes, Tailed Beasts, Hashirama's cells, various bloodline limits, and unique constitutions to transform himself.
Meanwhile, Shūichi, through his own "modifications," enhanced his physical compatibility, acquiring Tailed Beast genes and gradually transforming into a human form of a Tailed Beast.
After returning from the lab, Shūichi washed up, then sat in his study, focusing intently on his Tag Tree.
The Medical Master tag was now ready to be activated.
Without hesitation, Shūichi activated it.
As the leaves on the Tag Tree glowed with blue light, the tag's effects immediately took hold.
Medical ninjutsu talent increased by 100%, chakra control improved by 100%, and physical compatibility boosted by 100%. Besides Bloodline Limits, is there any medical technique that could still challenge you?—none whatsoever!
At this stage, a 100% boost was incredible for Shūichi.
The enhanced talent for medical ninjutsu covered a broad range, including his ability with Yang Release.
Furthermore, improved chakra control wasn't limited to medical ninjutsu. Many high-level jutsus also required precise chakra manipulation.
However, what interested Shūichi the most was the increase in physical compatibility.
Previously, this enhancement allowed him to rapidly integrate Tailed Beast chakra.
Now…
Shūichi closed his eyes to feel it. He sensed the chakra from the One-Tail within him slowly dissolving.
But it wasn't vanishing!
Instead, it was merging with him on an even deeper level.
Boom!
His chakra erupted involuntarily, blue chakra enveloping him—not the crimson aura of the Tailed Beast.
When he first gained the physical compatibility to harness Tailed Beast power, his connection was not unlike Kakashi's Sharingan.
But Shūichi, unlike Kakashi, had an easier time absorbing the Tailed Beast's energy due to his compatibility. While assimilating Shukaku's power, he had even gained the Sand Body.
Now, however, the One-Tail's energy was no longer an external "card" but had fully integrated into Shūichi's genetic makeup.
At that moment, Shūichi felt his chakra quality soar to new heights.
Among the nine Tailed Beasts, those with more tails possess chakra more akin to that of the Ten-Tails, with the Nine-Tails having the highest chakra quality.
A Tailed Beast's power doesn't just increase a jinchūriki's overall abilities—it's all about the quality of chakra, with sheer quantity being secondary.
This chakra quality isn't about nature transformation; it's about raw, unaltered energy.
In terms of Wind Release, Shūichi was already the strongest in the shinobi world, capable of Wind Release jutsus that rival Shukaku's.
However, before this, Shūichi's chakra quality couldn't match Shukaku's.
With this improvement, Shūichi's Wind Release would now surpass Shukaku's.
Just as in the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode or Sage Mode, he could now exceed Shukaku's power.
The boosts from the Tailed Beast and Sage Modes lie in this very chakra quality.
With higher-quality chakra in its base form, any nature transformation will produce even more powerful results.
Shūichi's physical enhancements had raised his chakra reserves to Tailed Beast levels, but his chakra quality still fell short of theirs.
Now, with this further boost to physical compatibility, he had fully absorbed Shukaku's power, raising his own chakra quality.
After the One-Tail came the Three-Tails, and Shūichi's chakra surged again, the blue aura around him intensifying.
Next, he absorbed the Four-Tails, then the Eight-Tails, each assimilated in succession.
This enhancement brought Shūichi waves of euphoria. Both his mind and body felt transformed, as if he'd undergone an evolution beyond chakra alone.
However, just as Shūichi anticipated absorbing the Nine-Tails' energy and gaining chakra on par with it, the transformation abruptly halted.
It felt like he'd been riding a wave, only for it to vanish suddenly, leaving him unfulfilled.
With a frown, Shūichi muttered, "Even with two boosts, it's still not enough to fully assimilate the Nine-Tails?"
The previous boost to his compatibility came from the Devourer tag, but that tag had no follow-ups.
As for the Master-level tag, there had been no upgrades beyond it so far.
Was Master the limit? Couldn't it evolve to something like Grandmaster?
Or maybe a God of Fire Release or God of Wind Release?
Regrettably, there was no reaction from the Tag Tree.
Shūichi couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment.
Ah, human ambition never ends!
He contained the vast chakra radiating from him and vanished in a blur.
Outside the Hidden Leaf Village.
Shūichi appeared, stretching and loosening his muscles. His eyes fell on a boulder nearby, taller than a person.
Swish!
With the simplest Body Flicker, Shūichi flashed to the boulder, clenching his fist and slamming it down.
Boom!
The massive rock shattered, fragments flying as dust billowed into the air.
More importantly, Shūichi hadn't used any chakra with that punch; it was purely physical strength.
He looked at his hand and saw no signs of damage.
That punch didn't even cause him pain.
This was only the beginning.
Shūichi could feel his body had grown immensely powerful.
This wasn't a simple enhancement from a tag-induced physical upgrade.
Flesh and blood were still flesh and blood.
But now, Shūichi felt as if he had truly become a human Tailed Beast.
Even without chakra, his physical strength was astonishing.
After all, taijutsu isn't entirely devoid of chakra.
...
"Looks like I need to find someone to spar with."
Gazing at the shattered rocks around him, Shūichi felt unsatisfied. He couldn't fully test his new physical prowess.
"Tsunade it is…"
With a Body Flicker, he returned to the Leaf Village and made his way to the lab.
Upon seeing him, Tsunade glanced up. "Done with whatever you were up to with Orochimaru?"
Shūichi nodded. "Yep, it's finally over."
"And I even made a bit of progress."
"Say, Tsunade, how about I give you a shot to actually land a punch on me this time?"
Tsunade turned and looked at him with a 'you must be crazy' expression.
Shūichi, as if daring fate, added, "Relax, I won't use Flying Thunder God. Just taijutsu, no fancy moves."
"And if I win… you owe me a kiss." He tapped his lips for emphasis.
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched in irritation, just about ready to explode, when Shūichi quickly added, "If I lose, I'll let you handle me however you want and follow your orders to the letter."
Tsunade's face lit up with an aura of pure menace. "I can use Strength of a Hundred?"
"Of course, as long as it's taijutsu."
Tsunade snorted, "Aren't you afraid I'll end up killing you?"
"Don't tell me you've already developed that forbidden taijutsu technique you mentioned?"
Shūichi shook his head. "Not yet, still working on that one."
"So, Tsunade, up for it or not?"
Tsunade stood up, smirking coldly. "Just don't regret it if I end up burying you!"
Shūichi chuckled, then, with a swift motion, wrapped his arm around her waist. Before she could lash out, he teleported them away with the Flying Thunder God.
They appeared on a clearing outside the Forest of Death.
"Die!"
With a furious yell, Tsunade's punch slammed into the ground, creating a crater and sending dust billowing.
Even without chakra enhancements, Shūichi's reflexes were sharp enough that he easily dodged her blow.
Tsunade sliced through the dust cloud, spotting him about ten meters away. With a crunch, she pushed off the ground and launched herself at Shūichi.
They exchanged rapid blows, leaving a trail of craters in the ground with each impact. Tsunade's strikes were relentless.
Ever since Shūichi had pushed her back into training, and especially after overcoming her hemophobia, Tsunade had been in peak form, often sparring with Shizune to keep sharp.
Yet, speed was still her weak point, and she hadn't been able to land a hit on Shūichi.
"Hey, you little perv, are you just going to dodge?"
Tsunade growled, aiming a fierce straight punch.
This time, Shūichi didn't evade. Instead, he raised his hand and caught her fist with a loud slap.
Tsunade's eyes widened. "He's… not even using chakra…"
Before she could react, Shūichi threw her, chuckling, "Tsunade, here I come!"
In an instant, he appeared right in front of her.
"So fast!"
Tsunade instinctively crossed her arms to block his punch.
Boom!
The force from his blow sent her skidding back, carving a long trench in the ground before she could stabilize herself.
"What strength…"
She glanced at her tingling, bruised arms in shock. "He's like a monster!"
"Could it be something like what Orochimaru did?"
"No, his chakra hasn't changed."
"What's going on?"
A thousand questions ran through her mind.
Although it had been a while since they last fought, this sheer, unenhanced physical strength was beyond human.
"Is it… research on the Tailed Beasts?"
Tsunade wondered silently.
"Spacing out in a fight isn't a good idea."
Shūichi's voice snapped her back to the present as he appeared at her side, swinging a powerful kick.
Caught off guard, Tsunade barely had time to raise her arm to block before she was sent flying, tumbling across the ground. She recovered quickly, springing up and launching a devastating downward kick at the incoming Shūichi.
Their fists and feet collided, blasting the air apart with shockwaves, and their immense power gouged craters into the ground with every impact.
Tsunade was losing ground, sweat breaking out on her forehead.
In her base state, she had completely fallen behind.
The worst part? Shūichi hadn't even used chakra to amplify his strength yet. He hadn't tapped into the monster strength technique he'd learned from her either—otherwise…
With another kick from Shūichi sending her flying, Tsunade formed hand seals, and a pattern of markings appeared on her forehead.
Strength of a Hundred Seal activated!
Though she didn't fully release the Yin Seal, she boosted her monster strength and activated cellular regeneration to improve her reflexes.
"I need to take him down in one go, or else…"
A fierce glint shone in her eyes as her embarrassment surged, and with a burst of speed many times faster than before, she charged at Shūichi.
Boom, boom, boom!
In her berserk mode, Shūichi was almost reminded of the Tsunade who once fought against the Susanoo.
Ouch!
After exchanging a punch with her, Shūichi finally felt pain and was sent flying backward.
Thud, thud, thud!
With her first hit landed, Tsunade didn't hold back, her fists and kicks raining down on Shūichi, who was flung through the air like a sandbag.
But just as Tsunade aimed a kick to slam him down to the ground, Shūichi grabbed her ankle mid-air.
"Tsunade, now I'm getting serious!"
With a grin, he unleashed his chakra, tossed her aside, and immediately followed up, his fists raining down like a storm.
Now he was also in a state of cellular regeneration, using chakra to amplify his strength and speed, nearly matching Tsunade's state.
The difference? Tsunade relied on the Strength of a Hundred Seal, while he did not.
"This guy's chakra…"
As she struggled to block his attacks, Tsunade was shocked at the intensity of Shūichi's chakra.
Boom!
With a powerful strike, Shūichi knocked Tsunade out of the air, slamming her into the ground, creating a large crater.
Pain surged through her bones as if they were shattering, nearly making her cough up blood.
"This brat…"
Gritting her teeth, Tsunade's Yin Seal glowed as she fully released it.
The pain and numbness faded, and she sprang up, her power and speed even greater.
Now she was in her all-out mode, holding nothing back!
With this level of power, even Susanoo wouldn't stand a chance.
Seeing her power-up, Shūichi also focused, a blue aura of chakra enveloping him as he activated his cellular regeneration to its absolute limit.
And this put him beyond Tsunade's all-out power.
Though they shared the same Yang Release proficiency, Shūichi's physique enhancements, his chakra quality, now rivaling that of the Eight-Tails, and his [Medical Master] tag's abilities gave him an edge.
Tsunade, even in her fully powered-up state, was soon overpowered.
After hitting her back several times, Shūichi used his speed to appear behind her, locking her legs with his, gripping her wrists, and crossing her arms under her neck.
Now Tsunade was completely immobilized.
"Tsunade, you lost!"
Shūichi chuckled.
Tsunade struggled twice, but even a chakra burst couldn't free her. Finally, she let out a frustrated huff. "Fine, I lost. Now let go!"
Shūichi released her, and Tsunade immediately stood up. "I never agreed to any bets, though."
Shūichi was stunned.
What a sly move!
She'd sworn she'd never go back on her word!
Turning, Tsunade walked away.
Shūichi brushed the dust off himself and was about to speak, but suddenly, she was back in front of him, lips brushing his before disappearing again.
Shūichi couldn't help but laugh, immediately chasing after her.
Tsunade acted as if nothing had happened, her face impassive. "Your boost—did it come from the Tailed Beasts' power?"
Shūichi nodded. "My physique changed after absorbing the Tailed Beast chakra, enhancing not just my body but also my chakra quality."
"But I haven't fully integrated the Nine-Tails' power."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "Fully integrated… So you're like a human Tailed Beast now?"
Shūichi thought for a moment. "Almost, though I'm obviously missing the size."
Then he laughed. "Looks like I've left you in the dust, Tsunade."
Tsunade's astonishment faded into a scoff. "Don't get cocky. I'll develop an even stronger jutsu."
She was fired up! "The next time my new technique's ready, I'll be the one to crush you!"
With that, she sped up.
Shūichi called after her, "Then let's see whose new technique is stronger. And next time, let's make another bet!"
"You'll lose for sure…" Tsunade's figure vanished from sight.
Shūichi didn't chase her. Instead, he activated his sensory jutsu, pinpointing Guy's chakra, then vanished from his spot.
He wanted to see how the Eight Gates technique would affect his current physique.
Plus, he needed to draw inspiration from it to develop a new Yang Release taijutsu forbidden jutsu!
"Great Whirlwind!"
When Shūichi arrived, he saw Guy training beneath a waterfall he had created earlier, sweeping his leg to disrupt the torrent of water.
Shūichi silently watched Guy as he trained tirelessly under the pounding water, each shout filled with energy and seeming exhaustionless.
Without the Tag Tree, Shūichi knew he would struggle to reach this level of dedication.
The hardest battle is always against oneself.
Slacking, laziness, indulgence…
Watching Guy train, Shūichi reflected on himself.
After a while, Guy, thoroughly exhausted, lay collapsed in the pool, allowing the waterfall to crash down on him.
Shūichi stepped forward and lifted him from the water. "Guy, this is really hard on your body."
A weary Guy looked up with a smile. "Don't worry, I'm plenty strong."
"The hot-blooded flames of youth won't be extinguished by a little water!"
Shūichi chuckled, channeling chakra into Guy's body to reinvigorate him. He smiled and said, "Guy, I'm here to learn the Eight Gates technique from you."
Guy blinked in surprise. "Shūichi, are you planning to take the path of taijutsu?"
Shūichi shook his head. "Not exactly. I want to draw inspiration from the Eight Gates to develop a taijutsu technique tailored for medical ninjas."
"Ah, I see!"
Guy nodded in understanding, then smiled. "Of course, no problem at all."
"With your talent and physical strength, Shūichi, I'm sure it'll be a breeze."
"Then let's get started."
Guy's expression grew serious as he began explaining the key principles of the Eight Gates to Shūichi.
The core of the Eight Gates lies in the eight internal gates that regulate the body's limits.
Guy pressed his finger to Shūichi's body, pinpointing the location of each gate.
First is the Gate of Opening, then the Gate of Healing.
These two critical points are in the brain, forming the foundation of the technique.
The Gate of Opening removes the mental limiters, which is necessary to open any subsequent gates.
The second gate, the Gate of Healing, removes the body's fatigue limit.
Guy explained carefully and meticulously.
With his understanding, Shūichi quickly located the Gates of Opening and Healing.
With his forehead veins slightly bulging, Shūichi easily opened the first two gates.
Seeing Shūichi open the gates so effortlessly, Guy gave him a thumbs-up. "Knew you'd do it with ease!"
"Now, the third gate: the Gate of Life!"
"Once you reach this gate, chakra and physical power will surge dramatically, enhancing speed and strength."
Guy pointed to a spot at the center of Shūichi's arms, just below the throat. "This is the Gate of Life."
"The Gate of Life!"
Shūichi quickly locked onto it, and with his chakra, he opened it without difficulty.
Boom!
A powerful rush of energy erupted, engulfing Shūichi in a dense green aura of chakra.
"Incredible!"
Guy exclaimed, "Shūichi, you're stronger than both me and my dad!"
"That's Shūichi for you!"
"Looks like I've been slacking on my training lately!"
Guy, who never blames others, always sees room for his own improvement.
Shūichi laughed. "Then you'll have to push even harder, Guy!"
Guy grinned. "Only sweat won't betray you; you said that yourself, Shūichi."
"Exactly."
Shūichi nodded. "On the right path, we'll never be let down."
"Please continue!"
Guy nodded. "I've only reached the sixth gate myself, but I believe you'll surpass me, Shūichi."
He was genuinely excited.
Shūichi divided his attention, listening to Guy's instructions while observing the changes in his body.
The term "Gate of Life" was fitting, as this gate seemed to unleash raw life force.
This explained the green chakra glow, similar to the color used in medical jutsu.
Seeing this and knowing the ultimate outcome of fully opening the Eight Gates, it became clear that the essence of this technique was to burn one's own life force for extraordinary power.
Opening the Gate of Opening and Gate of Healing removes brain and body limits, preventing self-preservation from kicking in.
A moment later, Shūichi unlocked the fourth gate, the Gate of Pain.
Guy explained gravely, "Reaching this stage puts real strain on the body."
Shūichi nodded, feeling it out. "It's true, though not too much for me."
This state, he realized, was stronger than when he had fully activated his cells in the fight against Tsunade.
In other words, with the fourth gate opened, he was now strong enough to overwhelm even Tsunade in her fully-powered mode.
And it also meant he could crush a flesh-form Susanoo in this state.
Obviously, neither Might Duy nor Guy could reach this level.
This was the unique trait of the Eight Gates.
The stronger one's body, the more power they can harness from the technique, with different results for each user.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Shūichi moved, breaking the sound barrier as he cut through the air.
In this state, his speed easily surpassed the speed of sound.
During his battles with Kirigakure and Sunagakure, he had to go all out to achieve this.
Back in front of Guy, he heard Guy exclaim in admiration, "Shūichi, you're stronger at the fourth gate than my dad was at the seventh gate."
"Truly surpassing the teacher!"
Shūichi grinned. "Let's continue, Guy."
Guy nodded, resuming his instruction.
The fifth gate, the Gate of Limit, marked the point where each additional gate would bring a significant boost in power.
When Shūichi unlocked the Fifth Gate, his aura blazed even brighter, and the ground beneath him cracked, lifting stones into the air. Guy, eyes wide, could barely believe it; Shūichi's Fifth Gate power surpassed even his Sixth Gate, possibly his Seventh.
Shūichi pushed on, opening the Sixth and then the Seventh Gates. With a thunderous blast, the aura around him turned blue, his body radiating a searing heat that even Guy had to retreat from, his skin nicked by the cutting winds.
At this level, Shūichi finally felt the toll, as his life force drained visibly with each second.
Floating above the ground, Shūichi noticed that the chakra here was explosive and uncontrollable, fusing with his body rather than flowing through his chakra pathways. Even with his advanced chakra control as a Medical Master, this raging chakra defied order.
Reflecting, Shūichi thought, "To create a Yin Release Taijutsu, I need to channel power in a controllable way, unlike the explosive force of the Eight Gates."
Right now, the strength of his Seventh Gate already matched or even surpassed the complete Nine-Tails. Testing his power, Shūichi clenched his fist, compressing the air around it until it shattered. Running at extreme speed, he reached supersonic levels that, before, required him to unleash his full strength.
Shūichi's heart raced with excitement. "The Seventh Gate's strength may not twist space like Might Guy, but under the Sage of Six Paths… no one would outrun me."
Mastering the Eight Gates was partly his countermeasure against the Rinnegan, which could absorb nearly all ninjutsu, even Sage Jutsu. This, however, required physical strikes, making the Eight Gates an ultimate trump card he could unleash if needed.
Satisfied, Shūichi closed the Seventh Gate, landing on solid ground, though fatigue and emptiness rushed over him.
However, his recovery was swift, aided by his remarkable physicality and the steady chakra from his tailed beast seal.
Nonetheless, the pain lingered, prompting him to initiate his Star Cursed Seal. Instantly, powerful Yang energy flowed through him, nourishing his cells and rapidly healing his wounds.
Shūichi mused, "If I'm forced to open all Eight Gates in a do-or-die situation, the Star Cursed Seal won't be much help. It relies on my own strength as a prerequisite."
Having his eighth gate location marked, Shūichi then consulted with Guy on devising techniques for use after fully unlocking the Eight Gates.
Great power requires skillful technique to fully unleash its potential, making refined moves essential.
Guy had already developed techniques for the earlier gates of the Eight Gates, so Shūichi was primarily there to help him polish and refine these techniques, like the Front Lotus and Reverse Lotus.
For Guy, these two moves could be effectively used up to the Fourth Gate. However, by the Fifth Gate, with the massive increase in power, these techniques started to fall short.
Shūichi himself found that even with the Third Gate open, the Front and Reverse Lotus didn't quite meet his needs.
After perfecting these moves, Shūichi remarked, "For close combat, standard taijutsu moves along with these techniques should be enough."
"But when we reach the Fifth Gate, we'll need something with even more power to take on stronger enemies."
Guy nodded, agreeing. "Especially when facing targets that are hard to get close to, or when dealing with large-scale opponents."
Scratching his head, Guy added, "Those are weak spots for us taijutsu users."
Shūichi nodded thoughtfully. "With the Eight Gates open, chakra becomes too wild. Ninjutsu is out of the question, and even channeling chakra onto weapons is challenging."
"So we need to explore how to harness power from our fists and kicks alone to extend our range and hit the enemy from a distance."
Then he asked, "Guy, the wounds on your skin just now—were those cuts caused by airflow?"
Guy nodded, then paused, suddenly excited. "Airflow? Shūichi, are you saying we could use airflow?"
Shūichi nodded, reminding him, "Remember the taijutsu master from before, the one with the dragon technique?"
Guy's eyes lit up. "I remember! You once analyzed that technique, suggesting that dragon was formed through air manipulation."
"So, we could also use airflow to attack enemies from afar."
Excited, Guy immediately activated the Eight Gates, opening them up to the Fifth Gate. His body radiated a green chakra aura as he began to throw punches and kicks, creating powerful gusts that sent debris flying around.
Watching closely, Shūichi guided, "Guy, speed up your punches and try to control the air itself with your strength."
Guy then stood in place, swinging his fists at high speed until the air seemed to explode.
Suddenly, bright flames sparked—created by the intense friction as his fists cut through the air at high speed.
Stopping, Guy looked at Shūichi, thrilled. "Shūichi, those flames just now!"
Shūichi nodded, calling out, "That was air friction igniting, but it's still not enough."
"You need to compress the air with each punch, so when it rubs against the surrounding air, it ignites. This compressed air could travel far from your body, and the flames generated by its friction would be hotter and deadlier."
Guy nodded eagerly and began to experiment.
But as Shūichi had anticipated, achieving this wasn't easy.
Watching Guy develop this technique, Shūichi also found himself contemplating.
The formation of Morning Peacock was a natural outcome of this method, but it wouldn't be enough for Shūichi. If he engaged in Eight Gates combat, it would likely be against someone with the Rinnegan, so Morning Peacock wouldn't cut it.
Observing Guy's technique, Shūichi was reminded of Rankyaku from One Piece—a similar air-slicing technique achieved through rapid, powerful kicks to create wind blades.
And there was also the air cannon concept.
Might Guy's ultimate move, Evening Elephant, could be considered an air cannon—a technique based on compressing air to create a high-velocity shockwave. Essentially, it was similar to Rankyaku, as both techniques used air for attacks, though executed in different styles.
"When it comes to long-range, powerful taijutsu attacks, air is the only, and best, medium."
Shūichi continued to ponder how to refine air manipulation to unleash even more fearsome attacks.
Time always flies when you're busy.
While Shūichi was deep in his lab, experimenting with human modifications on White Zetsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and Nara Shikaku were being escorted by an Anbu squad led by Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Chihiro as they departed Konoha for the Daimyō's palace.
The journey was surprisingly peaceful, with no assassins foolish enough to ambush them.
After all, none of them—Hiruzen, Koharu, or Homura—were so old that they couldn't fight anymore. Together, the three of them still had a formidable presence.
They arrived at the Daimyō's palace without any issues. Waiting to receive them were not only ministers of the Daimyō's court but also the Daimyō's personal guards.
When Hiruzen's gaze fell on his long-unseen son, he noticed a distinct change in his demeanor.
"Hopefully, it's a good change…" Hiruzen thought to himself, though his face remained impassive.
The group was promptly led into the main hall for the meeting, where Hiruzen and the others entered while Shinnosuke and the other guards stayed outside.
By one of the pillars, Shinnosuke removed his mask, smiling at his brother. "Looks like you've gotten a lot stronger!"
Sarutobi Asuma smiled sheepishly. "Compared to Shūichi and Kakashi, I'm still lagging quite a bit."
Shinnosuke patted Asuma's shoulder. "Shūichi once said something wise: the person we need to defeat most isn't others—it's ourselves."
"Your goal should be to surpass your own limits, not to compete with Shūichi or Kakashi."
"Everyone is different. Shūichi is unique—his abilities have surpassed anyone in the village, even Father and the soon-to-be Fourth Hokage."
"Kakashi, on the other hand, has endured a lot and lost a lot. It's by constantly surpassing himself that he's reached his current level."
Hearing this, Asuma nodded solemnly.
Shinnosuke chuckled, "I heard from Shūichi that you've made great progress in the Tailed Beast experiment. How's it going?"
Asuma scratched his head, "Well… I've made progress, but controlling the Tailed Beast's power is still incredibly difficult."
"Oh, by the way, has Kakashi succeeded yet?"
He had resisted asking Shūichi about it before.
"Indeed," Shinnosuke confirmed with a nod.
"You're doing your best—that's what counts. The Tailed Beast's power is just a foundation; what really matters is your own strength."
He tapped Asuma's forehead and chest. "Here… and here."
"Everyone has their own path. Only by walking your own can you stand on your own someday."
Asuma nodded in understanding. "I get it."
Then Shinnosuke suddenly shifted the topic. "Did you hear about how Shūichi took down the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and captured their swords?"
Asuma nodded. "I heard a bit about it. Why?"
Shinnosuke grinned. "Are you interested in wielding one of the swords?"
"Shūichi's looking for users for them!"
Asuma looked confused. "Seven swords… but, I use Wind Style, so I don't think any of them would suit me for close combat."
Shinnosuke laughed, leaving Asuma puzzled.
"Shūichi hasn't found a single suitable wielder for any of the swords yet."
When Asuma heard this, he was shocked. "That… That can't be, right?"
Those seven swords once tore through Konoha's defenses.
And now, no one wants them?
Are they joking?
Shinnosuke thought for a moment. "I think the people Shūichi approached are probably like you—they already have their own styles."
"After all, those seven swords aren't simple weapons; each one has its own unique properties."
…
While the Sarutobi brothers were reminiscing outside, the discussion in the meeting room turned to a critical topic.
The Daimyō, upon hearing of Hiruzen's decision to step down, feigned surprise. "At your age, Hiruzen, aren't you still capable of leading?"
"Even with the concessions made during the last war, isn't Danzo already dead?"
In truth, the Daimyō was thrilled that the "old man" would finally be stepping down. A new Hokage would be much easier to manipulate.
Whether it was Minato Namikaze or Orochimaru, both were better options than Hiruzen.
Though Hiruzen appeared lenient, he had fortified Konoha like an iron wall.
With Shūichi's help, the Daimyō had only recently managed to create a breach. Of course, he wanted to continue until he could fully dismantle Konoha's authority and eliminate the position of Hokage altogether.
Hiruzen, however, showed no sign of backtracking, saying firmly, "In the recent war, I made many mistakes. It's time to hand the future over to the younger generation."
The Daimyō nodded in agreement, deciding not to press further, as he didn't want to give Hiruzen a chance to change his mind. "If that's the case, then who will be the successor?"
As he said this, he cast his gaze around the room.
To his left sat his ministers and nobles, while to his right were Konoha's representatives.
The Konoha side remained silent, deferring to Hiruzen's judgment.
Meanwhile, the nobles and ministers began to murmur among themselves.
"Shouldn't it be Orochimaru?"
"After all, he made significant contributions in the last war."
"As one of the Sannin and a disciple of the Third Hokage, he's definitely a suitable candidate."
...
Although Danzo is dead, his PR campaign was well-prepared in advance.
The Daimyō hid most of his face behind a fan, with one eye observing the Konoha delegation.
As much as he hated to admit it, the Daimyō's government had no real authority over Konoha's personnel decisions.
Although he had invited Nara Shikaku as an advisor, Shikaku would never side with the Daimyō's interests.
Thus, the choice of the next Hokage was ultimately up to Hiruzen Sarutobi. The opinions of Konoha's Jōnin were the next priority, while the Daimyō's side was merely a formality.
Hiruzen, calm as always, listened to the discussions before slowly announcing, "For the next generation, Namikaze Minato is an excellent choice!"
Feigning curiosity, the Daimyō asked, "Namikaze Minato?"
A minister quickly added, "The Yellow Flash of Konoha—he's also Shūichi's teacher, the Blue Flash."
The Daimyō acted as if he had just realized, "Ah, so it's him."
"He seems quite young, doesn't he?"
Koharu Utatane clarified, "He's a disciple of Jiraiya, one of the Sannin."
The Daimyō nodded, "So he's Jiraiya's student and a grand-disciple of the Third Hokage! That's fine, then."
…
And so, the decision was settled.
As long as Minato passed the Jōnin vote and secured the support of all Konoha's Jōnin, he would officially become the Fourth Hokage. And it was clear that there would be no obstacles.
On May 2, Year 47 of Konoha, Shūichi was summoned from his experimental base by Shizune to attend the Jōnin meeting.
All available Jōnin in Konoha were required to attend, with the exception of the Anbu Jōnin.
When Shūichi arrived, the gathering was already crowded. Even Tsunade had arrived early, and to his surprise, so had Jiraiya, who was usually hard to pin down.
Only Orochimaru was absent from the Sannin, having left the village with Anko the previous month.
Among the attendees were also Kakashi, Uchiha Shisui, and others.
"Shūichi-kun!"
"Jōnin Shūichi!"
…
As soon as he appeared, greetings flooded in. "Clan Leader Fugaku!"
"Clan Leader Hiashi!"
"Shikaku-senpai!"
…
Shūichi returned each greeting courteously, then moved over to Tsunade and Jiraiya after saying hello to Kakashi.
"Why are you here so early?" Shūichi asked curiously. "And Tsunade, why didn't you call me?"
Tsunade replied calmly, "I wasn't at the experimental base."
"Recently, Hayate has been using Transparency Escape too often, so Nonō asked me to help treat him."
Shūichi raised an eyebrow at this.
Just then, a wave of voices signaled that his teacher, Namikaze Minato, had arrived. Shūichi immediately raised a hand in greeting.
Minato, much like Shūichi, greeted everyone warmly as he made his way over and called Kakashi over to join them.
They all chatted casually until Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura arrived, at which point the conversations quieted down.
Then came the Jōnin vote—a simple process.
"Those in favor of Namikaze Minato as the Fourth Hokage, raise your hands."
Shūichi scanned the room and saw that no one withheld their vote. It was unanimous.
"Then, on May 6, we will hold the succession ceremony," Hiruzen finally declared.
After the vote, Shūichi and a few others gathered at a tavern. However, only Jiraiya and Tsunade drank; Minato didn't drink, and both Shūichi and Kakashi were still underage.
Jiraiya sighed, "It's a shame that Orochimaru isn't here."
Tsunade gave him a side-eye. "He was a candidate, after all."
Jiraiya laughed, "There's no shame in losing to Minato!"
"After all, Minato is my disciple!"
Shūichi chuckled, "And he's my teacher!"
Minato could only smile awkwardly.
Tsunade looked tempted to punch them both for their shamelessness.
After a bit of lighthearted chatter, Jiraiya spoke up, "Minato, after your inauguration ceremony, I'll be leaving the village."
Before Minato could respond, Tsunade frowned, "Going off again to find your so-called 'Child of Prophecy'?"
Jiraiya answered seriously, "I also want to gather intelligence, to see if Madara Uchiha is really dead or simply hiding."
The group fell silent, frowning, and Minato said, "It's too dangerous for you to go alone."
"From what happened last time, Nagato isn't likely to show mercy to you."
Shūichi quickly chimed in, "Jiraiya-sensei, you should stay in Mount Myōboku and master Sage Mode first."
"Leave the intelligence gathering to me."
"And finding Madara Uchiha isn't urgent right now. Even if we found him, we couldn't take him down alone."
"Just dealing with Nagato and the controlled Obito would be more than you could handle."
Then Shūichi turned to Minato and asked, "Sensei, you can activate Sage Mode instantly, right?"
Minato humbly replied, "Yes, but I can only maintain it for about two minutes."
Alright, his duration was indeed short.
But Jiraiya's prep time was ridiculously long.
In the original story, if Nagato had launched all six Paths from the start, he'd have defeated Jiraiya before he could even prepare.
Jiraiya, however, wasn't embarrassed at all, smiling as he said, "Even if my Sage Mode takes time to activate, I can sustain it for a long time with the help of two Sage Toads."
Tsunade mocked mercilessly, "In a real fight, especially when surrounded, no one will wait for you to finish your prep."
"Besides, Konoha is more important now."
"Madara Uchiha will surely come for the Nine-Tails."
Jiraiya sighed, "Alright, it seems my opportunities for gathering material are limited."
Minato smiled, "In that case, Jiraiya-sensei, you and Tsunade should serve as Hokage advisors too!"
Jiraiya quickly declined, "Minato, I need time to train in Sage Mode. I don't have time for that."
Though he couldn't gather intel abroad, he could still roam around Konoha.
Being an advisor would be too much trouble; it would take away all his writing time.
Tsunade also declined immediately, "Advising is too much work; I'll stay in Konoha Hospital."
Minato looked helplessly at Shūichi.
Shūichi shrugged with a smile, "Being an advisor is just a title."
"When there's important work, everyone will be involved in the discussion."
"I think, Minato-sensei, you should recruit a few secretaries to help. Otherwise, I fear you won't even have time to go home after you take office."
Jiraiya laughed heartily, giving Shūichi a thumbs-up. "Minato, better not hire any female secretaries, or Kushina might not let you come home at all!"
Everyone burst into laughter at that.
...
May 6, Year 47 of Konoha.
In front of the Hokage Building, a massive crowd had gathered.
Amidst a chorus of cheers, on the rooftop, Namikaze Minato, dressed in the Hokage's ceremonial robe, accepted the Hokage hat from Hiruzen Sarutobi at the age of just 23.
The youngest Hokage in history was born!
The Fourth Hokage has arrived!
In the crowd, Shūichi looked up at the Hokage Rock and thought, "I hope fate can change..."
"No, it definitely will!"
…
After the ceremony, Shūichi went to the Hokage's office, where he found Uzumaki Kushina dressed in her ninja attire. He smiled and said, "Congratulations, Kushina-san, on achieving your goal!"
Kushina looked puzzled. "Huh?"
"Shouldn't you be congratulating Minato?"
Shūichi winked at the couple. "I clearly remember you once saying, 'I'm going to be the woman of the Hokage!'"
"Now that Minato-sensei has become Hokage, your goal has been fulfilled."
Kushina laughed, hands on her hips. "I suppose you're right!"
"Then again, Shūichi, I seem to remember you saying something like, 'I'm going to be the man of the Hokage!'" Kushina teased him mischievously.
Nice comeback!
Shūichi quickly changed the subject. "Sensei, I'm planning to perform some modifications on Hayate Gekkō."
They'd discussed this before, so Minato asked, "Is the technique fully developed?"
Shūichi nodded. "The gill-based breathing system is stable—I've already tested it on White Zetsu."
"The skin-based breathing system still needs work; I'll need more time to perfect it."
"For now, starting with the gill-breathing setup for Hayate should work well. I can also create a specialized breathing mask for him, which should greatly ease his condition, especially without impacting his combat abilities."
If his research on the skin-breathing system were more advanced, Shūichi would replace Hayate's respiratory system entirely.
Rest assured, it won't resemble a toad's!
Minato, fully confident in Shūichi, nodded and asked, "And what about the Gekkō clan's opinion?"
Hayate's support was a given—Shūichi wouldn't have come if he hadn't already asked him. The key was the Gekkō clan's approval.
Shūichi smiled, "No issues there. I spoke to Hayate's father myself."
Minato laughed and said, "Then there's no problem. Go ahead."
Shūichi nodded and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, turning to Kushina, who was busy reviewing paperwork. He grinned and said, "Kushina-san, make sure to get Sensei a few more assistants. Otherwise, he might not make it home in the evenings."
With that, Shūichi immediately teleported away with Flying Thunder God.
The newly appointed Hokage, Namikaze Minato, was extremely busy.
Though Konoha might seem like a small village, there was no shortage of work.
Plus, there was no transition period. Previously, Minato had simply followed orders, completing missions as a jōnin. Now, as the Fourth Hokage, he had countless responsibilities to sort through and understand.
Watching Shūichi dart off quickly, Minato sighed in mild frustration, "I actually wanted to talk to him about taking over the Root division."
Kushina chuckled, "You can tell him next time, but my guess is that Shūichi will definitely refuse."
Minato was intrigued. "Why do you think that?"
"He shouldn't refuse," Minato mused.
Kushina smiled. "It's not that he'd reject taking over Root, but he wouldn't want it to operate the same way it did before."
"He doesn't want Konoha to end up like before, with Root holding so much unchecked power, which only created internal conflicts within the village."
Minato nodded in agreement. "I intend to reform Root as well."
"After all, the original purpose of Root was really just an extension of the Anbu, created to train talent for the Anbu."
He didn't elaborate further, as this was partly the Third Hokage's responsibility.
Although the formation of Root had unique historical reasons.
For instance, when the Second Hokage fell in battle, Hiruzen Sarutobi, barely in his thirties, needed powerful allies to support him.
Or, perhaps, because Hiruzen strove too much for the image of light, he needed a "dark glove" to handle the village's covert affairs.
Regardless of the reason, for a Hokage to allow an organization like Root to develop unchecked could be considered a lapse in responsibility.
Kushina understood Minato's implication and asked, "So, do you want Shūichi to help train talent for the Anbu?"
Minato nodded.
Kushina organized her paperwork and smiled, "Shūichi really would be perfect for that."
"He's mastered all five nature releases, as well as medical ninjutsu, genjutsu, and sealing techniques—he'd make an excellent teacher."
"Besides, Shūichi wouldn't need to spend too much time on it; he could use shadow clones."
With that, she volunteered, "Let me handle assigning this task to him!"
Minato chuckled, "Then I'll leave it to you, Kushina."
...
Upon leaving the Hokage's office, Shūichi headed straight back to the lab.
Hayate Gekkō was already waiting there, along with Asuka, Shūichi's assistant.
As soon as Shūichi arrived, Hayate stood up, nervously asking, "Senpai, did the Fourth Hokage approve it?"
"Of course," Shūichi replied with a smile. "It's just a minor surgery with no major risks."
Hayate let out a sigh of relief. His hereditary illness had been tormenting him for a long time.
The Transparent Escape Technique was excellent for gathering intelligence. As a ninja, he couldn't resist using such an ability, especially since it gave him the advantage of gathering intel before a fight.
But this came with consequences—his lung deterioration had accelerated, leading to breathing issues and a host of other problems, including dark circles under his eyes at such a young age.
Desperate for a change, Hayate had agreed to Shūichi's proposal of body modification without hesitation. His clan, the Gekkō family, also hadn't hesitated. As a once-prestigious family, they were determined to seize any opportunity to support a rare bloodline user.
"Let's get started!" Shūichi patted Hayate on the shoulder.
Preparations began. After a busy half hour, Hayate lay on the operating table like a fish on display.
Scrolls engraved with sealing techniques covered his forehead and abdomen, while the entire operating table was lined with additional sealing patterns and connected equipment to sustain Hayate's body functions.
After Asuka administered anesthesia, Shūichi started the surgery.
Adding gills was a relatively simple procedure. But it was more than just a small operation—it involved integrating a secondary respiratory system to alleviate the strain on Hayate's lungs.
The procedure lasted until three in the afternoon.
Once the operation was over, Asuka placed her hands on Hayate's shoulders and activated her Star God Seal. In an instant, the healing marks associated with the Strength of a Hundred Seal spread from her to Hayate. Chakra surged into him, rapidly closing his surgical wounds.
The Strength of a Hundred Technique wasn't typically meant for healing others, but Asuka's unique chakra had natural healing properties, allowing her to heal others through the seal.
After removing the seals, Hayate slowly regained consciousness and immediately noticed something unusual.
He felt extremely dry and slightly short of breath.
Shūichi handed Hayate his shirt and explained, "This is normal. Now, focus and try not to breathe through your gills."
"The gill system extracts oxygen from water, sending it into your bloodstream. Although there's moisture in the air, it's too dry for you to rely on it right now."
"So, you'll still need to use your lungs for breathing."
Nodding, Hayate focused and soon mastered the ability to switch between breathing methods. It felt fascinating.
At that moment, Asuka handed him a black breathing mask designed to cover his mouth, nose, and both sides of his neck.
(T/N: Why I'm getting Viper(Valorant) chills here xd)
"This custom gill breathing mask is designed to work by dissolving air into water so that you can extract oxygen from it seamlessly," she explained, passing the mask to Hayate.
Hayate touched the sides of his neck, wondering if he now looked like a fish.
Amused, Asuka asked, "Want to check a mirror? It actually looks pretty cool."
In fact, Hayate's gills looked like three clean, thin slashes on each side of his face.
Watching him, Shūichi couldn't help but think Hayate now resembled Kisame.
Blushing slightly, Hayate replied hastily, "Appearance doesn't really matter to me; I just need time to adjust." He quickly put on the mask and resumed gill breathing.
His eyes lit up—it felt amazing. This setup wouldn't interfere with combat at all.
Hayate leapt from the table, activating his Transparent Escape Technique, and vanished from Shūichi and Asuka's sight, his body and aura both concealed.
Shūichi sensed the chakra fluctuations, realizing that while Transparent Escape could erase physical presence and aura, it couldn't entirely mask chakra signals, meaning it wouldn't evade chakra-based detection.
This prompted him to wonder, Could this technique hide from the Sharingan or Byakugan?
He recalled that Iwagakure also had a jōnin with a similar stealth technique and that Nagato's chameleon summon could become invisible, though with even greater effectiveness.
"Hayate, can Transparent Escape not erase chakra fluctuations?" Shūichi asked.
Hayate reappeared, somewhat embarrassed. "The strain on my body limits how deeply I can develop it. Currently, it only hides my form and aura."
Shūichi understood and reassured him, "This transformation was successful. When you're ready for the next stage, we'll do further modifications so you won't need the mask and can breathe underwater."
Hayate beamed with joy and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Shūichi and Asuka!"
Shūichi continued, "But keep in mind, this doesn't cure your condition. While it'll prevent your bloodline ability from harming you too severely, your lungs will still deteriorate over time. We can't be sure if it might eventually affect other organs."
"So, your lungs will still need regular treatment."
Hayate nodded solemnly. "Understood."
...
After escorting Hayate out of the lab, Asuka returned and asked, "Shūichi, could Hashirama cells or White Zetsu cells possibly cure Hayate's condition?"
Shūichi shook his head. "There's no way to know right now."
"The exact cause of bloodline illnesses is still unclear. The leading theory is that the bloodline limits trigger genetic abnormalities."
"As for whether Hashirama cells or White Zetsu cells could heal it—we'd need further tests."
Then he chuckled. "Even if they don't cure it, they should be able to counteract the negative effects of Transparent Escape for a long while."
Since Hashirama cells could neutralize the Mangekyō's blinding drawback, Transparent Escape should be no problem—as long as Hayate's body could handle it, even the imperfect White Zetsu cells.
"Let's go home and leave the experiments to my shadow clones," Shūichi said, tidying up and leaving a shadow clone behind before heading home with Asuka.
As for Tsunade, she was at the Konoha Hospital, taking over and planning to expand the medical ninja program.
Her goal was to have some academy graduates split into a medical training program, where they would either join medical teams or become combat medics.
For now, this was only a plan.
Before that could happen, Minato had to sort through all of Konoha's internal matters, as any new project needed funding—especially training shinobi, and even more so for medical ninjas.
Just after taking office, Minato still needed time to fully assume his new responsibilities.
...
The next day, Shūichi was stopped on his way home after morning training by Kushina Uzumaki.
"Shūichi, I have a favor to ask," Kushina said with a bright smile.
Seeing her expression, Shūichi felt a bit nervous. "Uh, this isn't anything difficult, is it?"
"Of course not!" Kushina replied cheerfully. "I'd like you to take over the Root Division."
Shūichi looked puzzled. "But hasn't Root already been fully integrated into the Anbu?"
"Root was originally part of the Anbu, meant to train talent for it," Kushina explained. "Only later… well, you know how things changed."
"Anbu needs a steady source of talent, especially since Minato just took over as Hokage. As his student, you should lend him a hand," she added.
Shūichi nodded, understanding now. "So, you want Root to function again as a training ground for Anbu candidates?"
"Exactly. No issues with that, right?"
Shūichi thought for a moment. "That should be fine."
Kushina didn't seem surprised and then asked, "Do you have any ideas for talent training?"
Shūichi considered it. "It really depends on how Minato-sensei wants to position Root as a training base. In the past, Root's training mainly helped standard shinobi adapt to the Anbu's style of operations. While there was some strength development, it was more about conditioning for their tasks in the shadows."
"So, in my view, Root could function almost like a second ninja academy—but a special one meant for those who are already shinobi," he continued. "Training in the Anbu's operating style doesn't require too much time. What matters more is developing strength. We could select potential candidates, train them in Root, then move the best to Anbu. Eventually, some could even rise to become team leaders and the like."
Clap! Clap! Kushina clapped, smiling happily. "I knew you'd be perfect for this!"
Shūichi chuckled. "That was probably the original intention behind Root… So, we don't need a formal leader for Root. We could mimic the current Anbu setup, splitting it into two main sections that report directly to the Hokage."
"One branch would focus on strength development, and the other on tactical field training," he explained. "They could alternate."
Kushina clapped again. "It's settled, then. Later, come by the Hokage's office. I'll prepare a list so you can choose candidates."
She patted Shūichi's shoulder encouragingly. "Don't worry, with shadow clones, teaching will be a breeze."
With that, Kushina waved and left in a flash.
Watching her go, Shūichi sighed. "Looks like my schedule just got a lot busier… Well, that's what happens when you're the Hokage's student."
Wait… what's that?
He noticed something unusual with his mental 'Tag Tree.'
Sure enough, a new tag had appeared.
Tag: Dark Guardian
Condition to Obtain: Reestablish Konoha's Root Division and become a guardian of both Konoha and the Shinobi World.
Effects: +100% Talk-no-Jutsu, +100% Luck, and gain the Shadow Release Kekkei Genkai.
What's going on? Shūichi was perplexed.
"Is this tag system expecting me to take on Danzo's role?"
Restoring Root for Konoha was one thing, but being a "protector in the shadows" for the whole shinobi world? Did that mean he'd have to wait until he defeated Kaguya Otsutsuki before fully unlocking this?
"But this Shadow Release Kekkei Genkai sounds interesting," Shūichi thought, intrigued. Shadow Release seemed like an upgraded version of the Nara clan's shadow techniques.
For now, he'd take things one step at a time. There was no way he was going to become another Danzo.
After returning home, he freshened up and had breakfast with Nono Yakushi and the others before using Body Flicker to go directly to the Hokage building.
Upon knocking and entering the Hokage's office, Shūichi was greeted by the sight of towering piles of paperwork. In addition to Minato's desk, there was now a second one to the left, piled high with documents as well—it seemed Kushina had her hands full too, though she wasn't in the office at the moment.
"For a leader of a military organization, there's sure a lot of office work," Shūichi thought to himself with a smirk.
"Shūichi, Kushina already briefed me. Just follow the plan you discussed. Later, bring a formal proposal if you have time," Minato said, smiling as he handed over a file.
Shūichi took the file and glanced through it. The list was divided into three sections: former Root members, Hokage's personal Anbu members, and a selection of chunin and jonin from outside the Anbu.
Scanning the list, Shūichi quickly noted that this was just a partial roster of the Hokage's Anbu force—only four teams, or sixteen people in total. It seemed most Anbu members were still working under Hiruzen Sarutobi's authority.
That was fine, though. Authority needed time to transition; the village couldn't just pause its operations for a power handover.
For example, he noticed that Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Chihiro were listed among the Anbu members reporting to Hiruzen.