Kitazawa stood at Kurenai's doorstep and pulled out his key.
Just as he was about to unlock the door, it swung open from the inside.
"I figured you'd be back around this time," Kurenai said with a knowing smile, peeking out from behind the door. "Was I right?"
She wore a red dress, her body subtly arched behind the doorframe. The fabric, tugged by gravity, accentuated her graceful curves.
"Very accurate," Kitazawa replied, stepping forward and leaning in to kiss her gently on the lips.
"Mmm."
Kurenai instinctively straightened, looping her arms around his neck.
Kitazawa's left hand slid up her back, while the right casually squeezed her backside.
Kurenai's eyes snapped open like she'd been jolted by electricity. Blushing faintly, she stepped back half a pace and gave him a pointed look. "You're naughty."
But the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her amusement—charming and mischievous all at once.
Kitazawa took her hand and pulled her close again. Her soft, warm body nestled into his chest, her delicate scent lingering between them.
"Lady Tsunade's already here," Kurenai murmured, giving his chest a playful tap with her fist. "She's waiting for you in the living room."
With a reluctant sigh, Kitazawa let her go, stepped out of his shoes, and made his way inside.
Tsunade was sprawled lazily on the couch, long legs extended, her flawless feet propped shamelessly on the coffee table.
Kitazawa resisted the urge to scold her. He needed her to teach him medical ninjutsu—it was not the time to argue over furniture manners.
"Shizune," Tsunade called, shifting slightly and resting her chin in her hand.
The motion tugged her neckline downward, threatening to reveal more than modesty allowed.
"Don't look," Kurenai whispered sharply into Kitazawa's ear before addressing the room, "I'll head to the rooftop to check on Yakumo."
Secret Ninjutsu training—especially Medical Ninjutsu—was frowned upon in Konoha. Kurenai left with quiet understanding.
Kitazawa sighed, feeling a twinge of injustice. Tsunade might be dignified outside, but at home, she was downright casual.
Still, he couldn't complain too much. The view wasn't bad.
"Kitazawa," Shizune said, entering with a basin of water, a carp swimming inside.
The nostalgic setup instantly clicked—he'd seen this exact scene before. Fish were a staple training tool in medical ninjutsu.
Even Sakura had practiced on fish during her early days under Tsunade.
"You've read the Healing Technique scroll this morning," Shizune said. "Now we begin hands-on training."
"Healing Technique is the foundation of all Medical Ninjutsu. If you can't grasp it, you likely don't have the aptitude."
"If you can't manage it within three months," Tsunade added from the couch, "you might as well give up."
That caught Kitazawa's attention.
He had planned to immediately impress them with overwhelming talent—but if he moved too fast, he'd stand out like a sore thumb.
More importantly, he only knew two techniques: hemostatic and healing. Showing off now would make it harder to explain slower progress later.
He could pretend to be a genius—but not an unbelievable freak.
With his high chakra control, he could naturally learn new techniques at a decent pace. That way, even non-system skills wouldn't expose him.
"How long did it take Lady Tsunade to learn the healing technique?" he asked with feigned curiosity.
"One day," Tsunade replied with a smirk. "But I'm a special case."
"If you manage it in two days, you're considered a genius with high talent," Shizune added. "It took me two and a half."
"As expected of Shizune-senpai," Kitazawa said with a respectful nod.
"Senpai?" Shizune blinked. "Aren't you older than me?"
"Skill comes first," he quipped. "But if I ever surpass you, I'll start calling you Kouhai."
"You're funny," Shizune chuckled.
"But surpassing her? Keep dreaming," Tsunade chimed in. "She's trained under me for years—her medical ninjutsu rivals most Jonin."
Kitazawa's eyes gleamed with a thought. "Wanna bet on it?"
"How could you gamble on something like this?" Shizune protested, waving off the idea. "Let's focus. I'll demonstrate the technique."
She knew Tsunade's luck with gambling and didn't want to tempt fate.
"Alright," Tsunade sighed, though her eyes lit up with mischief. She liked the idea of a bet—she just didn't think Kitazawa had a chance.
Kitazawa was just starting out. He was decades behind Shizune. No one—no matter how gifted—closed that kind of gap overnight.
Unless he was as talented as Tsunade herself.
"Watch closely, Kitazawa."
Shizune drew a kunai and made a precise cut along the carp's side. Then she laid her hands over the wound, chakra flowing steadily.
Kitazawa watched, calm and focused.
"Now I'll explain the fundamentals."
Once the demonstration ended, Shizune gave a detailed breakdown of the technique. Kitazawa listened intently, calculating.
He decided he'd take exactly one day to master it. Matching Tsunade's time was impressive but still within believable limits.
It would solidify his persona as a genius without crossing into absurdity.
"Got it?" Shizune asked. "Let me know if you're confused."
"All clear. Thanks, Shizune-senpai," Kitazawa said and stepped forward. "I'll give it a try."
Shizune watched curiously. Tsunade sat up, leaning forward to observe.
A few moments passed—and Kitazawa activated the Healing Technique.
Not perfectly, but enough to work.
Tsunade's eyes widened.
He actually succeeded… on his first attempt?
Shizune inhaled sharply. It had taken her half a day to even get it going.
Kitazawa's raw talent was undeniable.
Could he really surpass her one day?
No—no way!
Even so, the seed of doubt was planted.
"Seems you do have a knack for this," Tsunade said, leaning back with a sly grin. "Keep practicing."
"Understood," Kitazawa replied calmly.
Privately, he thanked the system. Without its maxed-out proficiency, pulling this off would've been impossible.
Three hours ticked by.
Shizune's confidence began to waver. Not once had Kitazawa asked a question or needed her help.
For the first time, her role as a teacher felt… shaky.
She remembered how Tsunade had scolded her repeatedly before she grasped the healing technique.
"That's enough for today."
Kurenai and Yakumo appeared at the top of the stairs.
"You'll continue here tomorrow," Tsunade said, standing up and stretching. "See you then."
Shizune followed her out, tossing one last glance over her shoulder at Kitazawa.
A genius, indeed.
It was already past nine o'clock.
The streets were mostly empty, and only a handful of streetlights flickered faintly.
Fortunately, they lived right next door.
"Lady Tsunade."
As soon as they returned home, Shizune asked, "What do you think of Kitazawa's talent?"
"Better than yours."
Tsunade answered bluntly, stretching out on the couch. "If he had just graduated from the Ninja Academy, I would've taken him on as my personal student."
"That good?"
Shizune blinked in surprise. More than the praise, it was that second sentence that stunned her.
She knew how selective and demanding Tsunade was when it came to her students—especially now, when her emotional walls were firmly up.
"Whether he's truly gifted or not depends on what happens next," Tsunade said, arching her back in a lazy stretch. "He's a little old to start from scratch. Becoming a top-tier medical ninja at his age? That's a tall order."
"Fair point."
Shizune nodded, then asked with curiosity, "But what if he keeps performing this well?"
"Then I'll take him as a student."
Tsunade said it as if it were no big deal.
Hearing that, a strange sense of unease stirred in Shizune's heart.
She didn't want her kouhai to become her senpai!
Even if she wasn't a prodigy on the level of Tsunade, Shizune had always taken pride in being among the best in medical ninjutsu.
Meanwhile, Kitazawa and Kurenai escorted Yakumo home.
"How's your medical ninjutsu training going?" Kurenai asked as they strolled side by side.
"Pretty well," Kitazawa replied with a smile. "Lady Tsunade said I'm very talented."
"Seriously?"
Kurenai looked at him, clearly skeptical.
To show extraordinary talent in medical ninjutsu at twenty-one?
That didn't add up.
True prodigies showed signs from childhood—whether from elite clans or even civilian backgrounds. Minato Namikaze, Sakura Haruno… both had stood out at the Academy.
"It's true."
Kitazawa gave her a gentle smile and held her hand. "You can ask Lady Tsunade if you don't believe me."
"Then that's really… a shame."
Kurenai sighed, a little wistful. "If you'd started learning right after graduation, you might've surpassed Shizune by now."
Of course, she didn't compare him to Tsunade. That would be pushing it.
"It's not too late," Kitazawa said nonchalantly.
"That's true."
Kurenai grinned, an idea forming. "Guess my future depends on you, then."
The stronger Kitazawa became, the more Konoha would take notice.
In a decade, maybe he could even be vice principal of the Ninja Academy.
At that point, her life would be golden.
For most ninja, missions were just a means to earn a living.
If she could have comfort and stability, why refuse it?
"No problem," Kitazawa said, stopping in his tracks. "Just enjoy life from now on."
"See you tomorrow."
Kurenai looked at him, a flicker of emotion in her eyes. She rose on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his.
After a long kiss, she turned and walked away.
—
The next day—Tuesday.
At the Ninja Academy training ground.
"Sasuke."
Kitazawa walked over to Sasuke, who was finishing a round of the Great Dragon Fire Jutsu.
"How did it go yesterday?"
"Pretty smooth."
Sasuke replied with a steady tone, hiding the subtle frustration in his eyes.
"I've already agreed to train with Naruto after school from now on."
In truth, it had been anything but smooth.
Only after experiencing Naruto's brutal training regimen did Sasuke realize how intense it was.
He'd lasted half a day before vomiting from exhaustion.
He wasn't sure he could even keep up today.
But he had to try.
"That's good."
Kitazawa smiled. "Keep at it."
Though Sasuke hadn't said anything, Kitazawa could guess he was struggling.
Physically, the Uchiha Clan was no match for the vitality of the Uzumaki or Senju bloodlines.
"Go on and keep training."
Kitazawa turned his attention to Sakura.
After observing her for a while, his eyes lit up in admiration.
She truly was a medical ninjutsu prodigy.
She'd only begun learning the healing technique yesterday, yet she had already grasped most of the essentials.
At this pace, she'd master it by the afternoon.
One and a half to two days total—that was astonishing.
Her talent surpassed Shizune's, though it was still shy of Tsunade's.
Even so, it was remarkable. She truly lived up to her potential as one of the story's main characters.
All the better for Kitazawa.
The faster she progressed, the quicker he completed his missions.
By dusk, the sun dipped below the horizon.
[Current Mission: Help Sakura Haruno learn her first Medical Ninjutsu.]
[Mission Reward: Chakra Scalpel.]
[Mission Complete. Reward Issued.]
Kitazawa's heart surged with excitement as the long-awaited lines of text appeared.
His first A-rank medical ninjutsu was acquired.
"Ahh!"
Ino cried out, frustrated. "I lost again!"
"Congrats. Double the homework tonight," Sakura said smugly.
"Ugh!"
Ino gritted her teeth, but inwardly, she was surprised.
Sakura's progress in medical ninjutsu was far faster than she'd anticipated.
Coming from a clan, Ino had always assumed she had the edge.
But after watching Sakura's chakra control training and medical ninjutsu development, she realized she'd fallen behind.
"Ino," Kitazawa called gently. "Your Mind Body Switch Technique is improving rapidly. I'd say you'll have it fully mastered in a couple of days."
Sakura immediately pounced on the moment.
"My healing technique is way harder than your mind-body switch!"
"Kitazawa-sensei's definitely going to teach me something more advanced next!"
Kitazawa looked at the two frenemies and chuckled to himself.
This rivalry? Entertaining—and productive.
------------------------
AN: Check out my P@treon For 40 extra chapters.
Thank You For your Support!!
www.p@treon.com/noviceauthor777