"No, no. Stop the medicine? I can't stop taking it."
Nara Shikadan licked his lips like a starving man spotting a feast, eyes gleaming with obsession.
"The [Lacquer Eye] technique I developed only solves the problem of excess energy drain caused by the [Shadow Secret Technique].
"For now, I still need the Nara secret medicine to nourish my body."
He squinted at his father.
"And don't think I don't know you've been outsourcing the brewing. You notify the pharmacy, they boil it in advance and send it over—it doesn't take any of your time."
If not for the need to stay discreet, Shikadan would've asked his dad to increase the frequency—
No, the dosage!
"But it does interfere with the time I spend with my beloved wife," Nara Shusuke said matter-of-factly.
"Little Horn, you're a ninja now. You can't rely on your parents for everything."
"That's right," Hirako chimed in cheerfully. "Besides, your dad and I discussed the move last night."
"We will be relocating," she continued, "but you don't have to come with us."
"In fact, when we move in, you can move out."
"Buy your own house! Anywhere's fine. If you want to stay at Kikyo Orphanage, that's okay too."
Shikadan numbly shoved a bite of egg fried rice into his mouth. His jaw twitched a little. The taste of rice felt like chewing wax.
[Stamina +1]
[Stamina: E+ → D-]
A banquet at the orphanage. Gourmet ramen back home. Secret medicine before training. And this morning's... dog food breakfast.
All of it had pushed Shikadan's [Stamina] stat up by a full grade!
But the new milestone brought him little joy at the moment.
Shikadan scraped the remaining grains of rice off his plate.
"Are you... kicking me out?"
"Don't make us sound like heartless parents who don't care about their child's development," Shusuke said while feeding Hirako a spoonful of omelette rice, all smiles.
"Little Horn, this is called starting your own life."
"When a child grows up, parents no longer need to worry... You know how it is."
Then I must be someone else's child!
Shikadan silently placed his empty plate down.
Amidst the sappy, affectionate display of his parents spoon-feeding each other, breakfast mercifully came to an end.
"Oh, and one more thing—" Shusuke raised his shiny spoon, peering at his son with a lazy smile. "Since your eye technique is finished, when are you planning to hand it over to Clan Chief Shikano?"
Nara Shikano, the current head of the Nara clan. Father of Nara Shikaku.
"It's called [Lacquer Eyes], not Black Eyes," Shikadan corrected calmly.
"I'll submit the final results to Chief Shikano once I've sorted out the practical use data... in three days at most."
Shikadan's creation of [Lacquer Eyes] wasn't entirely a solo project.
If he could develop an A-rank technique entirely on his own, then the title of "Ninjutsu Professor" should have nothing to do with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Besides his own effort, two people were vital to the success of [Lacquer Eyes]:
Nara Shusuke provided extensive research data on the nervous system—particularly the visual nerves—through the clan's Pharmaceutical Research Institute.
Nara Shikano, as clan leader, offered countless insights and "senior-level experience" that Shikadan wasn't about to discuss in public.
In short, they were the "angel investors" of the [Lacquer Eyes] R&D project.
Which meant Shikadan had to share the results with them.
"So fast..." Shusuke sighed, shoulders slumping. His expression was so casual that Hirako couldn't resist giving him a hot kiss on the cheek.
"Looks like I can't keep up."
"Are you close to completing your research too?" Shikadan asked, eyes sharpening.
He had a vague idea of Shusuke's focus: combining the nervous system with the Shadow Secret Technique.
It sounded abstract, but Shikadan had his own guesses.
The world was advancing. And the [Shadow Binding Technique] was ready to evolve.
"Just a little bit."
Shusuke kissed his wife back, paying no mind to the third wheel glaring beside them.
"Although I hate to admit it, Hirako's skill in medical ninjutsu isn't quite where I hoped it would be."
"Of course, that's not her fault—it's mine."
"If only I'd picked an easier topic..."
Hirako's eyes went red on the spot.
"Wu... husband..."
Shikadan stood up instantly and fled the scene, determined to escape his gag-inducing parents before they got worse.
Outside the house, he pulled a small whistle from his ninja pouch and gave it a sharp blow.
Hwoo—
The clear, piercing note echoed across the forest beyond Kikyo Castle.
Countless deer lifted their heads, alert.
Before long, a massive male deer came galloping into view.
"Big Horn," Shikadan greeted him warmly.
He flipped onto the deer's back with practiced ease, gripping the thick antlers.
"Let's go. To the village."
Big Horn turned and began trotting toward Konoha with rhythmic, steady steps.
Shikadan sat atop the powerful animal, deep in thought.
His father's words revealed something important—his research had stalled due to a lack of medical support.
The Nara clan managed much of Konoha's pharmaceutical system, but their methods were entirely different from standard medical ninjutsu.
To simplify:
Nara clan members were pharmacists, curing with medicine.
Medical ninja were healers, curing with chakra.
And as a Yin Release–focused secret clan, the Nara had very few who could actually learn the Yang powered medical ninjutsu—much less master it.
"So if we want to push Shusuke's research further, we need help from actual medical ninjas—preferably ones who specialize in the human nervous system."
Shikadan sorted through his thoughts quickly.
"And I just happen to know exactly two elite medical ninjas…"
"Good morning, Nara-kun!"
A cheerful voice snapped him from his thoughts.
Shikadan looked up to find a big-breasted blonde sheep blocking his view.
"Morning, Tsunade."
Come to think of it, she really was one of Konoha's top—
"We're not that close, are we?" Tsunade cut him off, tapping his forehead with her finger.
"Call me Tsunade-sama!"
Damn it, damn it, damn it!
Shikadan quickly had Big Horn take a few steps back.
I've got to fix this habit of zoning out in front of her!
He gave Tsunade a quick once-over. She was dressed slightly more formally than yesterday.
Slightly.
Because beneath her open short-sleeved vest and hotpants, she'd added... a black fishnet bodysuit.
The delicate mesh hugged her soft, creamy skin. Through the diamond-shaped gaps, faintly bulging curves appeared in patches that could make any young man's nose bleed.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Shikadan called out in a clear, bright voice—full of respect.
But his decisiveness only seemed to displease her further.
"We're not that distant, are we?"
Before Shikadan could dodge, the golden-haired bombshell reached out, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him off Big Horn.
"Just call me... Tsunade-neechan!"
This time, it was Shikadan's turn to ask:
Tsunade-sama... are we really that close?
"Grr~"
Big Horn snorted sharply, his huge black eyes glaring at Tsunade. His head lowered menacingly, sharp antlers tilted forward.
As if to say: Let him go, or I'm skewering you like a cabbage.
"Haha, your deer's got personality!" Tsunade grinned.
"Is he bowing to me~?"
He's about to pierce your lungs!
Shikadan waved Big Horn off, letting him go flirt with the local does.
He wasn't worried about Big Horn attacking Tsunade.
He was more worried about Tsunade punching Big Horn into another dimension.
"Tsunade-neechan," Shikadan corrected quickly under her dangerous gaze.
"I didn't expect you to actually ride a deer to school!" she laughed, satisfied.
"I was about to head to your house, but I guess we met halfway."
"Let's go together. We've got a mission to do!"
Shikadan blinked.
"…Mission?"
"Yup, fresh from the Hokage's office. B-rank."
Tsunade sauntered forward.
"The spy we caught yesterday? The analysis team extracted plenty of intel from his brain—including the locations of several Iwagakure spies currently hiding in Konoha."
"Our mission is to round them up!"
"But don't worry," she added. "They're way weaker than the guy we fought yesterday. Most are just Chūnin-level."
At that moment, Shikadan's system issued a prompt:
[B-Rank Commission Task Detected!]
[B-Rank Mission: Arrest the Spies]
[Objective: Capture or eliminate low-level Iwagakure spies hiding in Konoha]
[Reward: B-Rank Ninja Secret Scroll]