Friday, nine in the morning—training for the Genius Class officially began.
Kitazawa made a slow lap around the field, observing his students, then beckoned Jugo and Karin over.
Both of their training plans needed an update.
Jugo had been practicing the Leaf Whirlwind. With his natural physical talent, the Taijutsu had come easily, and he'd already mastered it.
So Kitazawa moved him up to the advanced version—the Leaf Great Whirlwind.
Karin, meanwhile, had just about finished learning the Four Limbs Heavy Seal.
After a moment of thought, Kitazawa introduced the next technique on her path: the Evil Sealing Method.
It was undeniably difficult for someone her age—but low-rank Sealing Jutsu were too few and far between.
Much like medical ninjutsu, sealing arts weren't meant for Genin-level students.
Kitazawa folded his arms, thinking.
Karin will need quite a long time to fully learn the Evil Sealing Method.
Long enough that she could invest the remaining time into something else.
In the original story, Karin was more than a sensor-type seal user—she also understood medical ninjutsu and taijutsu.
Right now in the Genius Class, the only medical specialist was Sakura.
So giving Karin the medical route was viable… But medical ninjutsu was even more time-consuming than sealing.
So Kitazawa made his decision.
He would start with Taijutsu.
As an Uzumaki, Karin's physical resilience rivaled Naruto's. She was perfectly suited for Taijutsu—but not the Gai variety.
A girl who shouted "YOUTH!" every day would be… concerning.
Tsunade's style fit her far better.
Once Karin learned the Mystical Palm and monstrous strength, she would be like a miniature Tsunade.
And once Hana graduated, Karin would finally have the combat capability to enter the top eighteen.
"In addition to the Evil Sealing Method, I'll teach you Konoha-style taijutsu," Kitazawa concluded.
Karin's eyes brightened. She nodded excitedly.
She'd long felt envious watching classmates dominate combat exams while she stood on the sidelines.
Now that she could learn Taijutsu, she could finally join the fray.
After giving Karin the basics, Kitazawa left a Shadow Clone to continue her training while he moved aside to practice the Multiple Three-Room, One-Hall Technique.
After lunch with Naruto and the others, Kitazawa returned to his office.
"Lord Kitazawa."
Itachi stepped forward from the doorway.
Kitazawa blinked. "When did you get here?"
"Just now," Itachi replied. He took out a scroll.
"These are the three bows reforged by Takumi Village."
"That was fast." Kitazawa accepted the scroll with a smile. "Good work, Itachi."
"It's my duty." Itachi shook his head.
"When is Sasuke coming back to class?" Kitazawa asked as he pushed the door open.
"He said he'll return in time for the final exams."
Itachi's faint smile revealed what he already knew—Sasuke's purpose was obvious.
He wanted to show off his newly mastered Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Kitazawa placed the scroll on his desk.
"There's something else I want you to investigate. Are you familiar with Mōryō from the Land of Demons?"
"I've heard of it," Itachi replied after a moment's thought.
"Good." Kitazawa nodded. "After Mōryō was sealed, its followers formed the Yomi Cult. I need you to locate them."
"Understood."
"You may mobilize ANBU resources," Kitazawa added—then suddenly remembered something. "And… go to Konoha Hospital for a check-up today."
Itachi paused. "...A check-up? Why?"
"This is a new employee benefit," Kitazawa lied without blinking.
"I want all major departments in Konoha to undergo regular physical examinations. Preventative care."
Itachi still looked puzzled, but he didn't question further.
"I wanted to test the process myself, but I've been busy. You can go in my place." Kitazawa waved his hand.
"When you arrive, find Yakushi Nonou. Tell her I sent you."
"Yes, Lord Kitazawa."
Itachi left the office without further hesitation.
Kitazawa opened the scroll, examining the three bows.
Without spirits sealed within them yet, they were dull—deep black and gloomy, reminiscent of the box of paradise.
Once he confirmed there were no defects, he resealed them.
Tomorrow is Saturday.
He planned to travel to Soragakure to seal the Zero-Tails into one of the bows, then deliver it to Neji.
Right then—blue text appeared before his vision.
[Current Mission: Forge two Yin-Release bows.]
[Reward: Mastery-level Yin Release Nature Transformation.]
[Mission complete. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa's lips curled upward.
Mastery-level Yin Release—an exceptionally valuable tool.
Not only would it greatly simplify the learning of Yin Release Ninjutsu, but it would also accelerate the creation of future bow-based Secret Arts.
Everything was falling into place.
Kitazawa had already settled on the concept for his third bow-style Secret Technique—Multiple Arrows, following Spiral Arrow and Explosive Arrow.
From one arrow… to three arrows… and ultimately to a rainstorm of ten thousand arrows.
Of course, the feasibility depended entirely on the bow's spirit and the user's Chakra reserves.
Creatures of pure Yin Release—Satori, the Zero-Tailed Beast, and eventually Mōryō—were immortal in form, but their Chakra was anything but infinite.
They required steady nourishment from their wielder, continuously absorbing Chakra to replenish what they expended.
If someone truly unleashed a full-scale, ten-thousand-arrow barrage, the drain on the spirit creature would be enormous.
They might not be able to fire such a technique again for quite some time.
Lunch break ended, and Kitazawa resumed teaching until dismissal.
When he stepped out of the school building, he unexpectedly ran into Itachi again.
"How did it go?" Kitazawa asked.
"Director Nonou said there's no problem with the general examination procedure…" Itachi hesitated, expression wavering.
Kitazawa caught the shift immediately. "And your body?"
A pause. Two seconds. Then Itachi answered honestly:
"Director Nonou said I show signs of developing kekkei genkai disease… She advised me to reduce the use of my Sharingan."
"Good," Kitazawa nodded. "Then be careful."
Itachi's early diagnosis was thanks to Kimimaro.
Kimimaro's illness had allowed the Konoha Hospital to gather enough experience to recognize the signs immediately.
"Thank you, Lord Kitazawa," Itachi said earnestly.
Had Kitazawa not nudged him toward a checkup, he would've never known about the danger lurking inside his body.
If the disease were truly activated, it would cripple—not only his strength, but possibly also his lifespan.
Unacceptable.
Not now, when both the Uchiha Clan and Konoha Village were thriving.
Not when the peace he dreamt of was finally within reach.
Not when he still wished to see Sasuke become the Hokage.
He could not die.
"Don't mention it," Kitazawa chuckled.
This Itachi was no longer the Itachi of the original timeline.
He wasn't recklessly abusing Mangekyō techniques anymore.
Still—precaution was always better than regret.
After they parted ways, Kitazawa returned home.
Night passed without incident, and Saturday arrived.
After breakfast, he set out.
This time, he didn't bring Kurenai or any students. The mission required speed—nothing else.
With his Magnet Release flight, the round trip would barely take half a day.
He took two steps outside his home… then stopped.
Why fly myself?
His gaze shifted, and a moment later, he was walking toward the ANBU Base.
"Kitazawa?" Konan blinked in mild confusion when she saw him.
He cleared his throat. "Didn't I tell you yesterday that I needed to leave this morning?"
Konan nodded.
"I'm heading to Soragakure," Kitazawa said seriously. "Walking there would take too long. Flying will save far more time."
Konan froze for a heartbeat—then understood.
Without hesitation, she said, "I'll fly you."
She had carried him once before, back in the Land of Earth.
"Thank you," Kitazawa smiled.
"It's nothing," she murmured. She still owed him too much—carrying him was barely repayment.
The two left the ANBU Base and arrived deep within the Forest of Death.
"Here is fine," Kitazawa said.
Konan stepped toward him, hesitating only briefly before wrapping her arms around him.
A soft floral scent drifted between them.
Kitazawa naturally placed his hands around her slender waist.
Their bodies pressed close—Konan warm, soft, and steadier than she looked.
With a sharp rustle of paper, her white wings unfurled, and the two rose into the sky.
"Soragakure is north," Kitazawa said, pointing.
Konan nodded silently.
The wind swept her blue-violet hair around her face until Kitazawa raised a hand, letting Chakra ripple outward, forming a barrier to shield her from the gusts.
After that, he didn't move, simply holding her steady as they flew.
Time ticked by.
When they reached Soragakure, Konan slowly descended.
She stepped back from his arms—and Kitazawa noticed the faint red on her ears.
He smirked but didn't comment.
His focus shifted toward the ruined fortress—the sealed resting place of the Zero-Tails.
"Follow me," he said.
Guided by memory, he led her straight to the control chamber.
The Zero-Tailed Beast, trapped in its massive container, sensed their presence immediately.
Its formless, shadowy body straightened, staring at them with empty hunger.
It was Konan's first time seeing it—her expression tightened briefly.
Kitazawa inspected the creature. Same condition as before.
Originally, he had planned to seal the Zero-Tails into a scroll and use it as a chakra battery.
But plans changed.
He unsealed one of the reforged bows and handed it to Konan.
"I'll release it now," he said. "It'll probably attack. I'll suppress it, then perform the sealing. You just observe."
Konan nodded, gripping the bow.
Kitazawa approached the container, scanning the sealing formula.
Shinnō's methods all originated from Konoha—just like the Eight Gates that had been stolen from them.
He formed hand seals.
Chakra surged outward.
The sealing strip covering the container began to unravel.
The Zero-Tails sensed this and hurled its body against the barrier in a frenzy.
Cracks thundered across the glass-like surface.
Another slam.
The container shattered completely.
The Zero-Tails lunged straight at Kitazawa, in an instant, countless sludge-like tentacles lashed out toward Kitazawa like a swarm of hungry serpents.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
A towering wall of water surged up before him.
It blocked the attack for only a heartbeat before the tentacles bored through it like spears—
—but a heartbeat was all Kitazawa needed.
Senju Chakra Mode!
With a flash, he vanished from the ground and reappeared high above the Zero-Tails, leaving only a fading afterimage.
No wasted motion. No flair.
Just a single, devastating punch crashing straight down onto the monster's head.
The air screamed.
A thunderous shockwave rippled outward, flattening the surrounding debris.
Half the Zero-Tails' misshapen head caved in from the strike.
Had it been any ordinary creature, it would have died instantly.
But the Zero-Tails was the manifestation of human darkness—an immortal beast of pure Yin Release.
It could not die so easily, yet it couldbe overwhelmed.
Its entire body went stiff.
Every tentacle fell limply to the floor.
Konan's breath hitched.
She knew Kitazawa was strong, but this was beyond what she had imagined.
If that punch had landed on her, even once, she would've been in critical condition.
"The bow," Kitazawa said.
Konan quickly stepped forward with both hands raised, presenting the weapon.
Four Symbols Seal.
Seal markings surged from Kitazawa's palms, crawling across the Zero-Tails' body like living ink.
A pulse of black light engulfed the beast—and it was sucked straight into the bow.
To be absolutely safe, Kitazawa layered another Four Symbols Seal over the first.
Eight Trigrams Seal—complete.
The bow immediately transformed.
Its surface darkened, and within the polished frame, black "water" slithered left and right—yet on a closer look, the liquid shapes were actually tiny tentacles, endlessly writhing inside.
Kitazawa nodded in satisfaction.
This bow would be perfect for multiple arrows.
The Zero-Tails' many tentacles meant it could generate multiple arrows simultaneously.
In sheer volume and speed, it might even surpass Hinata's bow.
Konan observed silently.
To her, using a monstrous being like the Zero-Tailed Beast as a mere weapon spirit felt like an absurd luxury.
It wasn't as strong as a Tailed Beast, but it was still an entity of considerable power.
Yet with Kitazawa's overwhelming strength, perhaps this was the most it could contribute.
"Let's go," he said, storing the bow.
As before, Konan flew him back.
Only once they reentered the familiar shadows of the Forest of Death did the two descend.
"Thank you for today, Konan," Kitazawa said.
She wore an ANBU mask, so he couldn't see her expression—but she only shook her head lightly.
"You should rest first," he added. "I'm heading to the Hyuga Clan."
Konan gave one last glance his way—her heartbeat a little strange for reasons she didn't understand—before she dispersed into paper and vanished.
Kitazawa arrived just as Hyuga Hiashi was observing Hinata practice the Spiral Arrow.
The more Hiashi watched, the deeper his regret.
Byakugan paired with a bow—an extraordinarily compatible combination.
But the fatal drawback was obvious: the bow required exotic materials and a unique weapon spirit, making it nearly impossible to mass-produce for the whole clan.
His gaze lingered on the bow in Hinata's hands.
Forged from fragments of the Box of Paradise…Empowered by Satori…A weapon that couldn't be replicated even in dreams.
Hiashi had once thought that Hinata giving Kitazawa Zangetsu was a great loss.
Now it seemed she had gained far more in return.
"Kitazawa-sama!" Hiashi called, immediately stepping forward.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Hinata hurried over, bright-eyed.
"…," Hiashi's eyelid twitched.
Why did she sound happier to see him than her own father?
"Where's Neji?" Kitazawa asked, patting Hinata's head.
"He just went back," Hinata replied.
"I'll summon him immediately," Hiashi said quickly.
Soon enough—
"Kitazawa-sensei."
Hyuga Neji arrived, calm as always—until Kitazawa handed him the newly forged bow.
Hiashi's eyes widened.
A second bow?
And sealed inside it… an Yin Release monster even stronger than the previous?
Just where was Kitazawa finding these things?
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei," Neji said, gripping the bow with reverence. He could feel its immense power thrumming beneath the surface.
"Like Hinata, start with Spiral Arrow," Kitazawa said, smiling. "I expect both of you to shine during the final exam."
"I will work hard!" Neji said, unable to hide his excitement for once.
"I will too!" Hinata quickly added.
Hiashi: "…"
For the first time in his life…
The head of the Hyuga Clan felt like the unnecessary person in his own courtyard.
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