Konoha Year 41, March 10.
The spring rain drizzled endlessly, as if the heavens themselves understood the sorrow of the day.
Before the Memorial Stone, Hoshita Shūichi, Uchiha Shisui, Namikaze Minato, and Uzumaki Kushina, all dressed in black, gathered to bid farewell to Kurama Sanyō.
Feeling the cool touch of the spring rain, Hoshita Shūichi's thoughts drifted to the Pure Land.
What would the Pure Land be like?
Was it connected to the Sage of the Six Paths?
Did this world lack reincarnation, except for the brothers Indra and Ashura?
Even for Indra and Ashura, it was only their chakra that cycled through generations.
Should I learn the Impure World Reincarnation technique later and summon Sanyō for a chat?
Wait, perhaps it wouldn't even be necessary. If I became strong enough, I could simply summon his soul directly without needing a sacrifice.
Hoshita Shūichi's mind wandered until he felt a hand on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality. Turning, he saw Uzumaki Kushina.
"Shūichi, come over to Minato's place for dinner tomorrow. Jiraiya-sensei will be there too!"
Kushina invited warmly.
Hoshita Shūichi nodded. "I'll be there on time, Kushina-sensei."
Kushina ruffled his hair gently and whispered, "Don't overthink things, okay?"
Beside her, Minato added, "Perfect timing. I'll teach you a sensory ninjutsu tomorrow."
Hoshita Shūichi nodded eagerly.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, Uchiha Shisui approached Hoshita Shūichi and extended an invitation: "Shūichi, let's go feed the crows together!"
"Sure!"
Hoshita Shūichi agreed, and the two turned to leave.
Goodbye, Kurama Sanyō!
At Uchiha Shisui's home, Hoshita Shūichi helped feed the crows.
He decided that once he bought a new house, he would take the crows Shisui had gifted him and raise them himself.
Hmm, the Crow Clone Technique could also be added to the agenda.
With the Clone Technique, Shadow Clone Technique, Fire Clone Technique, and now the Crow Clone Technique, he'd only need one more clone technique to unlock the [Clone Expert] title.
By noon, Hoshita Shūichi bid farewell to Shisui and returned home.
As expected, Yakushi Nonō had already prepared lunch and was waiting for him with Asuka.
After the meal, Nonō left for Konoha Hospital, while Shūichi and Asuka sat facing each other on the living room floor.
Extending his hand, Shūichi gestured to Asuka.
Asuka quickly reached out, and Shūichi took her hand.
"Medical ninjutsu relies on the Yang Release chakra nature transformation, which isn't part of the conventional ninjutsu system."
As he spoke, a warm Yang Release chakra enveloped their joined hands. "Asuka-nee, your unique physique grants you innate mastery over Yang Release, so you should find it easy to grasp this chakra nature transformation."
"Chakra is said to be the power that connects hearts. Focus on sensing this chakra."
Asuka nodded nervously.
However, Shūichi's chakra felt as comforting as winter sunlight, easing her tension.
Following his instructions, she closed her eyes and concentrated.
Gradually, she began to perceive something—or rather, a flow of information.
"How does it feel? Isn't it fascinating?"
Shūichi's voice suddenly echoed in Asuka's mind.
The next moment, she found herself in another world.
"This is the realm of the mind!"
Shūichi smiled. "Here, communication is far more intuitive than in the physical world. Some things can't be expressed with words, but here, they can be felt with the heart."
"This is how Nonō-sensei taught me to master Yang Release chakra nature transformation and medical ninjutsu."
Asuka nodded, then hesitantly whispered, "I can sense... your feelings for Nonō-sensei."
Shūichi froze, then scowled.
Asuka recoiled like a startled rabbit, sensing his sudden irritation.
Terrifying!
With that, their mental connection shattered.
Opening his eyes, Shūichi nearly stomped his foot in frustration.
He even regretted teaching Asuka this way.
"Practice on your own for now..."
Shūichi stood abruptly, tossed the words over his shoulder, and fled.
Asuka exhaled in relief, her cheeks flushing. "Thank goodness Shūichi-kun couldn't sense my thoughts..."
"But he's also pitiable, which is why he harbors such feelings for Nonō-sensei."
"Since Shūichi-kun went to such lengths to teach me medical ninjutsu, I can't let him down."
With renewed determination, Asuka closed her eyes and recalled the sensation of Yang Release chakra, channeling her own energy.
Meanwhile, Shūichi, having been exposed, quickly steeled his nerves and thickened his skin. Stepping out of the room, he saw Asuka's hands glowing with green chakra.
"Wha—she's already mastered it?!"
Shūichi stared, dumbfounded, feeling a pang of envy.
This was way too fast!
"She's the real cheat here!"
He gritted his teeth inwardly.
Then he thought of Nagato, who mastered six chakra nature transformations in three years.
Clearly, his own cheat wasn't powerful enough!
Sitting back down across from Asuka, Shūichi took her hand again, and the mental world reappeared.
"Now that you've grasped Yang Release chakra nature transformation, it's time to learn medical ninjutsu."
Asuka blinked. "Isn't that too soon?"
Shūichi decided to push her further. "Not at all."
"Let's begin. The first technique is the Mystical Palm Technique!"
True geniuses defied conventional logic.
By the afternoon, Asuka could already perform the Mystical Palm Technique, albeit unsteadily. But this progress was nothing short of astounding.
At that moment, Shūichi finally understood how others must have felt when he created the "Lotus Step" technique.
Geniuses recognized geniuses.
So the next day, Shūichi handed Asuka over to Nonō and sent her off to Konoha Hospital.
At Minato's home, Shūichi arrived to find Jiraiya enthusiastically discussing his upcoming novel.
"The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja"?
Probably not "Icha Icha Paradise," right?
Listening in, Shūichi confirmed it wasn't the latter.
"This book will surely be a bestseller, spreading across the entire shinobi world!"
Jiraiya's eyes sparkled with naive optimism.
"Of course, Jiraiya-sensei. I'm sure it will," Kushina replied with a smile, though her tone carried a hint of polite disinterest.
She pulled Shūichi aside and announced cheerfully, "Jiraiya-sensei, Minato has decided to officially take Shūichi as his disciple!"
Jiraiya's attention immediately shifted. Studying Shūichi, he remarked, "Konoha's youngest chūnin—truly exceptional."
Then, gazing at Minato's proud expression, he sighed nostalgically. "I never thought you'd take on a disciple too, Minato."
Minato smiled. "The wisdom of our predecessors must be passed down."
Shūichi, however, was stunned. He had assumed this was just about learning a sensory technique, not a formal master-disciple relationship.
Previously, his bond with Minato—like those with Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō—had been that of a team leader and subordinate, not a true master-disciple lineage like Minato and Jiraiya's.
Of course, such distinctions depended on the jonin's attitude.
Despite the formalities, there was no elaborate ceremony.
Jiraiya's presence seemed to serve as a witness.
After lunch, Jiraiya departed with his usual flair, and Minato began teaching Shūichi the sensory ninjutsu he had mastered.
"Shūichi, this sensory technique originates from the Second Hokage."
Minato handed him a scroll and explained, "Though it lacks a formal name, it's incredibly powerful, offering exceptional precision."
"Once mastered, the range of perception depends on the user's chakra reserves."
"Of course, it's also quite challenging to learn, given its S-rank difficulty."
He chuckled. "But with your talent, I doubt it'll be a problem."
While Shūichi wasn't sure about his sensory aptitude, the comprehensive boost from the [Konoha Genius] and [Ninja Master] titles gave him confidence.
Unfurling the scroll, Minato elaborated, "The key to this technique lies in sensing the power of the earth."
"This earth energy fluctuates in intensity but is omnipresent. Once you can perceive it, you've taken the first step."
Earth energy?
Shūichi wondered if it referred to geomagnetic forces.
Minato pointed to a complex seal on the scroll. "This is an auxiliary seal left by the Second Hokage to help sense earth energy. It's quite intricate."
"However, I've distilled a set of hand seals from it, allowing you to channel chakra and attune yourself to the earth's energy."
Shūichi examined the seal. It was indeed complex, incorporating Earth, Lightning, Wind, Water, and Fire Releases—the five basic natures.
No, it also included Yang Release and Yin Release, the latter of which Shūichi had only begun to grasp.
Yin Release wasn't limited to genjutsu.
"Minato-sensei, this seal is incredibly intricate," Shūichi observed solemnly, though his interest only grew.
Minato smiled. "It is. Mastering it would require proficiency in all seven chakra natures."
"Complete mastery of the seal guarantees success with this sensory technique."
"But that's an unrealistic demand, which is why I derived the hand seals as a workaround. They're not as effective as the seal itself, though."
"Detecting earth energy still requires a bit of luck."
Kushina laughed. "Case in point: me. My luck wasn't great."
Minato scratched his head sheepishly.
Shūichi grinned at Kushina. "Don't worry, sensei. I've always had good luck."
The afternoon slipped away as Shūichi immersed himself in the sensory technique.
It was indeed formidable. By evening, he hadn't made any breakthroughs.
On the way home, he carried the scroll with him, sensing that mastery would take time.
While washing up later, Shūichi turned his attention to the [Talent Tree].
As expected, a new title had been triggered.
Title: [Sensory Expert]
Unlock Condition: Master the sensory ninjutsu taught by Minato-sensei.
Effect: Sensory aptitude +100%, mental fortitude +100%.
Shūichi was surprised. Mental fortitude?
"It seems mental agility and spiritual energy in ninjutsu aren't the same," he mused, intrigued.
The next day, Shūichi spent the morning house-hunting and purchased a spacious courtyard. By afternoon, he, Nonō, and Asuka had moved in.
The new home boasted six bedrooms, a dedicated study, and ample space.
Though Shūichi's thick skin tempted him to room with Nonō, his age demanded privacy.
After settling in, Shūichi officially reported to Konoha Hospital.
Unlike before, this time he was a full-fledged medical-nin.
Read advance chapters here:
patreon.com/CNBLUE