Chapter 27 Cultivation! (Seeking monthly ticket)
AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
"I'm finally back!"
Looking at Konoha's main gate, Xuan Yi let out a long breath.
This mission, from start to finish, took less than three days, making it the shortest in terms of time spent among all the missions he had undertaken.
However, it was also the most dangerous and the most fiercely fought.
To be honest, by the lake, if Sakumo Hatake hadn't returned in time, he and Uchiha Namiichi might really have been killed by the Sand Ninja.
After all, both of them were at their limit by then.
That was perhaps the closest he had ever come to death.
Now, back in Konoha, with his taut nerves relaxed, Xuan Yi inexplicably felt a sense of belonging to Konoha.
"Humans, they still yearn for stability!"
Xuan Yi sighed inwardly.
He wasn't the only one whose nerves had relaxed; Yamanaka En couldn't help but stretch, laughing, "When I get back, I'm definitely going to sleep in."
Although Uchiha Namiichi maintained a cold expression, it was clear that his entire body had relaxed.
Entering the Village, Sakumo Hatake smiled and said, "Dismissed!"
"Yes!"
Xuan Yi and the two others responded in unison, then used the Body Flicker Technique to vanish from the spot, each heading home.
Sakumo Hatake, however, couldn't go home so quickly.
He arrived at the Hokage Building at top speed and was soon granted an audience with the Hokage.
Hokage Office.
Sakumo Hatake gave a complete report of the mission's entire process.
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened while smoking, his heart somewhat surprised by Xuan Yi's performance.
Although Xuan Yi himself was a genius, and his performance in the year since graduating had been very good, this time he was exceptionally outstanding.
Not only in combat ability, but also in his overall strategic view and battlefield decision-making, such thinking was very rare.
With such thinking and decisiveness, if his strength were a bit greater, he would be another excellent Ninja capable of handling things on his own, like Minato Namikaze.
After listening, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "This child, Xuan Yi, is very outstanding and should be nurtured extensively."
Sakumo Hatake nodded, "Understood!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, "In this mission, the two children, Xuan Yi and Namiichi, performed excellently. The Village will reward them with an opportunity to choose a Ninjutsu."
"Namiichi can choose a B-rank Ninjutsu, and Xuan Yi… aside from forbidden Jutsu that cannot be learned, he can choose any."
Sakumo Hatake was surprised to hear this. Was he planning to cultivate another Minato Namikaze?
However, after his surprise, came joy, and he quickly said, "I believe Xuan Yi will not disappoint Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded.
He also believed.
Whether in terms of mindset or innate ability, he thought very highly of Xuan Yi.
He hoped that in ten years, Xuan Yi would become another Minato Namikaze, a sharp blade for Konoha.
After Sakumo Hatake left the Hokage Building, an S-rank mission completion record was added to the files of Xuan Yi and the two others.
As for what kind of mission it was, it was top secret!
…It was already evening when Xuan Yi woke up.
He lingered in bed for five minutes, then washed up and went downstairs to help at the dumpling shop.
After dinner, Xuan Yi strolled out alone, taking a walk to Shizune's house.
Unfortunately, Shizune wasn't there.
After a moment's thought, Xuan Yi went to Tsunade's house.
After knocking, it was indeed Shizune who opened the door.
"Xuan Yi!"
Shizune was very pleasantly surprised.
Then, from behind, Tsunade's lazy voice drifted out: "Who is it?"
Xuan Yi followed Shizune inside and saw Tsunade sitting on the veranda, holding a sake bottle.
"Lady Tsunade, I am Xuan Yi."
Xuan Yi bowed in greeting.
Tsunade squinted her eyes: "It's you!"
It was their first meeting.
Although Xuan Yi was very polite and good-looking, Tsunade was still a bit indifferent: "Kid, what are you doing here?"
This was asking the obvious.
Many thoughts flashed through Xuan Yi's mind, and he honestly replied, "Lady Tsunade, I came to find Shizune to go to the hospital to study together."
Tsunade glanced at Xuan Yi: "I heard you have a talent for Medical Ninjutsu?"
Xuan Yi said, "Actually, it's just average. I just work harder than others."
"I'm more talented in Water Release."
This was a fact.
In Water Release, even without a golden finger, he could be considered talented.
Unfortunately, his Chakra reserves limited him.
Shizune also spoke up to help at this point: "Lady Tsunade, Xuan Yi is very diligent; he rarely takes time off."
Tsunade's impression of Xuan Yi improved significantly, and she became less prickly: "I heard you're also studying Sealing Jutsu with that idiot Jiraiya?"
"At your age, you should focus on one direction."
Xuan Yi scratched his head and said helplessly, "Lady Tsunade, because I've already found it difficult to make progress in Water Release."
"Casting Water Release in an environment without water consumes a lot of Chakra, and my Chakra is greatly limited."
"That's why I want to learn other things."
"I think Sealing Jutsu might be able to solve my problem."
Tsunade frowned slightly upon hearing this: "Chakra reserves… at your age, you shouldn't have to worry about Chakra reserves, should you?"
Indeed, compared to his peers, Xuan Yi's Chakra reserves were definitely not small.
After all, he was seven years old now, but he actually possessed the physique of a fourteen-year-old.
Xuan Yi didn't explain but directly formed hand seals with both hands.
Front – Snake!
The next moment, water droplets condensed around Xuan Yi, forming streams of water that swirled around him.
Tsunade's eyes widened slightly as she watched this scene; for a moment, she seemed to see her great-granduncle.
And in an environment without water, Xuan Yi using the Water Formation Wall Jutsu, at the same scale, consumed more than three times the Chakra.
Releasing his hands, the swirling water around him immediately dispersed, then scattered drop by drop.
But immediately after, Xuan Yi spread his hands, palms forward and downward, forming the "zai" seal, then brought his upper hands back and clapped his palms together.
Water droplets rapidly condensed again, forming streams of water that swirled around his body and continuously surged upwards.
Similar!
Too similar!
Tsunade froze.
But Xuan Yi, having stopped the Ninjutsu, said, "Lady Tsunade, if I use Water Release like this, my Chakra can only sustain three Ninjutsu at most."
The Water Release he mastered required a large quantity to be powerful.
Tsunade recovered and said, "Your Water Release is indeed good."
"Three Ninjutsu are already enough."
"You're still young, and the missions you undertake won't be too dangerous."
"When you grow up and your body develops, your Chakra will be able to increase further."
Xuan Yi also knew this.
Although he currently possessed the physical qualities of a fourteen-year-old, his physical development had not stopped.
By the time he reached fourteen, his Chakra limit would definitely double.
But who would complain about having too little Chakra?
Especially Xuan Yi, who lacked a sense of security and liked things big.
During this mission, Xuan Yi had to meticulously plan and occasionally take Food Pills, which didn't feel good.
Not only did Food Pills taste bad, but they weren't pills that directly replenished Chakra; they required time to digest.
Tsunade naturally didn't understand Xuan Yi's urgency and sense of crisis. She kindly said, "Don't push yourself too hard; it's not good for your development."
"Otherwise, you might not grow tall!"
As she spoke, Tsunade's lips curved into a teasing smile.
Xuan Yi could only smile awkwardly.
He couldn't just directly ask Tsunade if he could learn the Yin Seal.
Just that information alone would be difficult to explain clearly.
Ugh, what a headache.