The first snow of the year blanketed Konoha in white.
At the northern training ground, Kitazawa was locked in combat with a puppet Sasori had gifted him. The puppet was controlled by a shadow clone. Kitazawa's body flowed like water as he activated Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow, bone blades flashing in rapid succession.
His movements were continuous and relentless.
The puppet was forced entirely onto the defensive, blocking blow after blow, unable to find even a moment to counterattack.
Clang—clang—clang!
The sharp collisions echoed for ten full seconds before abruptly stopping.
Kitazawa withdrew his stance.
This battle marked the completion of his mastery over Dance of the Willow.
Now, only Dance of the Camellia remained to complete the system mission.
Of course, over the past month, that wasn't all he had accomplished. He had also fully mastered Wood Release: Multiple Wood Clones.
As for his next Wood Release Ninjutsu, he had set his sights on Wood Style: Impalement Jutsu.
In the original story, this jutsu was most famously used by Obito. Kitazawa had once assumed it was Obito's unique creation—after all, Obito was the only one shown using it.
That assumption didn't last.
He had discovered the Jutsu recorded deep within the basement of the Senju Clan compound.
Thinking about it now, it made perfect sense. Obito's Wood Release had been taught by Uchiha Madara—and Madara certainly hadn't invented Wood Release himself. Those Jutsus undoubtedly originated in Konoha.
Kitazawa chose Impalement Jutsu for one simple reason: its terrifying lethality.
Among advanced Wood Release Jutsu, its killing power was second to none.
The Jutsu formed sharp wooden spikes from the user's arm. Once those spikes pierced a target, they branched outward, extending deeper and wider.
Cruel. Efficient. Fatal.
Footsteps crunched softly against the snow.
Kitazawa turned instinctively and raised an eyebrow.
Konan stood behind him.
He hadn't expected her back yet.
In late October, he had given her a full month to investigate the political reality of the Land of Rain. Considering how deeply entrenched corruption was in feudal nations—especially ones untouched by Ninja governance—he had expected her return to take longer.
After all, ninjas were mercenaries. They fought wars, completed missions, and collected payment—but they did not govern nations.
The law of strength ruled the Ninja World, not the countries themselves.
Yet here she was, after a month and a half.
"Kitazawa…"
Konan hesitated, her expression conflicted.
Her journey had been eye-opening—far more than she had anticipated.
The way the Daimyō and noble officials of the Land of Rain exploited the common people was nothing short of horrifying.
What shocked her most was discovering that half of the funds the Akatsuki had provided never reached the people at all. Instead, they vanished into the pockets of nobles and officials.
Only the remaining half was used for public welfare—and that was with Akatsuki's military pressure looming overhead.
On top of that, the Land of Rain was burdened with excessive taxation.
Those involved in the silver jewelry and rainwater trades were taxed again and again, bled dry under countless excuses.
Konan couldn't even imagine how outrageous things would become if the Akatsuki weren't there to keep them in check.
"It seems you've grown," Kitazawa said lightly, a faint smile on his lips.
"So—did my words come true?"
"…Mm." Konan nodded slowly.
"I didn't expect the situation in the Land of Rain to be this bad."
"That's actually normal," Kitazawa replied calmly.
"It's not unique to the Land of Rain. Every major country is like this."
At its core, it was the sickness of feudal society.
"Then what should I do?" Konan asked without hesitation.
"Replace them," Kitazawa said flatly.
He paused, then added, "If you don't want bloodshed, Genjutsu works too."
Konan froze.
From a traditional ninja's perspective, those words were outright treasonous.
According to ninja law, ninjas were forbidden from attacking their employers.
Daimyō, nobles, officials, and merchants—all of them were considered employers.
That was why even rogue ninja rarely targeted them.
Even the Akatsuki, a gathering of outcasts and criminals, followed that unspoken rule.
Kitazawa's answer was blunt. Direct. Almost reckless.
She had expected something more subtle—some clever political maneuver.
Instead, he had gone straight for the root.
"You've been with me this long," Kitazawa said, noticing her expression.
"Do you still think like a traditional ninja?"
Konan blinked.
The silver jewelry and rainwater enterprises she managed were already far beyond what a "proper" ninja should be doing.
"…You're right."
She finally nodded.
As someone who stood against the Five Great Ninja Villages, clinging to outdated ninja doctrine made no sense.
Even so, Kitazawa's mindset continued to astonish her.
He had grown up in Konoha—yet his thinking was completely detached from its conventions.
There was no reasonable explanation.
In the end, she could only label him with one word.
A genius.
"Go handle it," Kitazawa said, waving his hand dismissively.
"And come back quickly."
"Thank you," Konan said sincerely.
"It's nothing," Kitazawa replied indifferently.
Snow continued to fall, quietly burying the training ground—while somewhere far away, the fate of an entire nation began to shift.
[Current Mission: Help Haku learn three Ice Release Ninjutsu.]
[Mission Reward: Ice Release.]
[Host has completed the mission. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa wasn't surprised when the familiar lines of text appeared before his eyes.
Haku had been studying Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals for quite some time already—this result was only natural.
He waited briefly, but no additional system mission appeared, unlike what had happened with Shikotsumyaku.
Is it because Ice Release Jutsus are so rare in the original story?
Looks like I'll have to create the rest myself.
Kitazawa shook his head, put away the puppet, and headed toward the Ninja Academy.
Despite the falling snow, the Genius Class showed no signs of slowing down.
"Konoha Dragon God!"
Naruto's spirited shout echoed across the training ground.
Kitazawa turned his gaze toward him.
Standing beside Naruto was Chen, watching with barely concealed anticipation.
The wind howled.
Naruto spun in place, chakra erupting outward in all directions. A torrent of blue energy surged around him, forming a violent vortex. Snow caught in the airflow was instantly shredded into fine powder.
As the rotation reached its peak, the Chakra condensed—
A massive blue dragon roared into existence.
"Did he… really learn it?" Kitazawa observed the towering form carefully.
"So strong!"
Lee clenched his fists, eyes blazing. "I must master it as well—in the name of youth!"
Though he had trained alongside Naruto, it was clear he was still a step behind.
Sasuke tightened his grip on the Thunder God Sword.
In future sparring matches, this Jutsu would undoubtedly be aimed straight at him.
He could have learned Konoha Dragon God himself—but he had chosen Hatake Swordsmanship instead.
Unfortunately, Hatake Swordsmanship was brutally difficult, and he still hadn't fully mastered it.
Neji activated his Byakugan almost reflexively.
Only then did he realize—this Jutsu wasn't merely Taijutsu.
The raging airflow itself was like countless invisible blades, sharp enough to make his skin prickle.
His first conclusion was grim: Gentle Fist would struggle to function here.
He couldn't approach.
And charging into that tornado would be suicidal.
The only option would be long-range attacks—his bow.
But even then… could his arrows pierce through that storm?
Kimimaro frowned deeply.
Shikotsumyaku was devastating against Taijutsu users—but this Jutsu didn't fear counterattacks at all.
If he rushed in, he'd be shredded before landing a single blow.
"He's a monster," Kiba muttered helplessly.
Still, his mentality was steady.
After all, whether Naruto used Konoha Dragon God or not, Kiba knew he wasn't beating him anyway.
"A true genius…" Jugo murmured quietly.
Choji nodded in agreement.
Tayuya hesitated, lips pressed together.
She couldn't understand how someone like Naruto could pull so far ahead.
"At this rate," Shikamaru sighed, "first place in the practical exam is going to be Naruto's for a long time."
"Hmph! Sasuke-kun won't lose!" Sakura Haruno shot back instantly.
Just then—
The blue dragon shuddered.
The airflow collapsed, dispersing in all directions and revealing Naruto, swaying unsteadily, clearly dizzy.
"So he hasn't fully mastered it yet," Shikamaru observed calmly.
Sasuke, Neji, and Kimimaro all let out a quiet breath at the same time.
There's still time to catch up.
"Everyone, continue your training," Kitazawa said as he stepped forward.
Naruto's incomplete mastery wasn't surprising—Konoha Dragon God was an S-rank Taijutsu, and he was still young.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!"
The students quickly dispersed, returning to their individual training.
Naruto, having recovered, immediately resumed instruction under Chen.
"Shion."
Kitazawa called out to the girl who was heading toward the artificial lake for Chakra control practice.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
She hurried over.
"Your water walking training ends here," he said with a smile.
"Finally!" Shion cheered. "No more water walking!"
Doing the same exercise endlessly was exhausting—even for her.
"You have immense power," Kitazawa continued, "but your physical conditioning hasn't caught up. You'll start learning Konoha-style Taijutsu next."
"Okay!"
She nodded enthusiastically. As long as the training changed, she didn't care what it was.
"Iruka."
Kitazawa waved Iruka Umino over.
"Huh? You need something from me?" Iruka asked, surprised.
"You are a Genius Class instructor," Kitazawa said with a chuckle.
"That's true, but my strength's nowhere near yours," Iruka replied honestly.
"Shion has focused solely on Chakra control so far," Kitazawa explained.
"Teach her Konoha-style Taijutsu first, then the three basic jutsu."
"Oh—those I can handle," Iruka said immediately, confidence returning.
Kitazawa nodded.
He had other students to guide—and his own training to continue.
Besides, Iruka only taught one day a week and had plenty of time.
Kitazawa walked over to Neji.
Neji could now fire nine arrows simultaneously with Multiple Arrows—it was time to introduce Explosive Arrow.
His bow, like the moon-chasing bow, sealed Yin Release entities, so the principle was the same.
After finishing with Neji, Kitazawa turned to Hinata.
Her Multiple Arrows had reached six arrows at once.
He began considering their next bow-based secret jutsu.
Spiral Arrow emphasized power.
Multiple Arrows focused on quantity.
Explosive Arrow leaned toward mental disruption.
What they lacked was a true finishing move.
Kitazawa stroked his chin thoughtfully.
If Multiple Arrows could reach ten thousand arrows, it would already qualify—but that was far beyond their current level.
Then he thought of Shinnō's Ancor Vantian.
Powered by the Zero-Tails, it functioned like a Chakra cannon—similar to a Tailed Beast Bomb.
From that concept, he could develop a fully charged—
World-Destroying Arrow.
Its strengths and weaknesses were obvious.
The power would be overwhelming.
But it would consume an enormous amount of Yin Release energy in a single strike.
After firing it, the bow would likely be unusable until recharged.
Still…
In a life-or-death battle, such drawbacks didn't matter at all.
Kitazawa nodded, making his decision.
He would create the World-Destroying Arrow.
The idea itself was straightforward—but putting it into practice was anything but.
The greatest obstacle was the bows.
Neither Hinata's nor Neji's bow was suitable for such a jutsu. A single use would drain them completely and require an extended recovery period, which would seriously interfere with their regular training.
Even his own Demon-Slaying Bow had the same limitation.
Then a thought struck him.
The Ryūmyaku.
If the World-Destroying Arrow were powered by the Ryūmyaku's overwhelming Chakra, the results would be… terrifying.
With that realization, Kitazawa decided to temporarily shelve the Jutsu.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Kiba came sprinting over, face lit with excitement.
"I've learned Earth Release: Consecutive Fang Bullet!"
Kitazawa nodded calmly.
He kept close track of every student's progress in the Genius Class, and Kiba reaching this stage was well within expectations.
"Good," he said. "Then I'll teach you a new Earth Release Jutsu—Earth Release: Earth Splitting Bullet."
Kiba's eyes widened.
"What does it do?"
"It's a further evolution of Earth Fang Bullet, incorporating shape transformation," Kitazawa explained.
"In simple terms—it explodes."
Kiba's eyes immediately sparkled.
From the description alone, it was obvious this Jutsu far surpassed Earth Fang Bullet and Consecutive Fang Bullet in power.
That was only natural.
Earth Splitting Bullet was roughly B-rank in difficulty—and its destructive force matched that classification.
Kitazawa created a Shadow Clone to teach Kiba, then turned and went in search of Shikamaru.
These days, Shikamaru trained with surprising diligence.
The Shadow Wall Kitazawa had taught him earlier had already been perfected.
In truth, Shikamaru should have learned new Jutsus long ago—but Kitazawa had been waiting.
He had been crafting a Yin Release Secret Jutsu specifically for him.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Shikamaru greeted him, eyes sharpening.
"You're here to teach me something new, right?"
"Correct," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"I'm going to teach you Shadow Clone Jutsu."
"Shadow Clone Jutsu?"
Shikamaru frowned slightly. "That's not a Nara Clan Jutsu."
"Another original, then," he muttered.
"What's the difference between it and Substitution Jutsu?" he asked.
"Substitution replaces your body with an object," Kitazawa explained.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu allows you to swap places with your shadow."
"So… I become a shadow?" Shikamaru asked reflexively.
"You enter it," Kitazawa corrected with a faint smile.
"Attack me. I'll show you."
Shikamaru didn't hesitate.
Two kunai flashed through the air—
And Kitazawa vanished.
Only his shadow remained.
The kunai pierced empty space.
Shikamaru paused, then hurled another kunai directly at the shadow.
It struck cleanly—yet the shadow rippled, unharmed.
Then it slid away from the ground, rising—
And Kitazawa emerged from it.
Shikamaru's eyes widened.
"When you become a shadow," Kitazawa said calmly, walking toward him,
"You're immune to physical attacks. However, Ninjutsu—like Fire Release—can still harm you."
"That's incredible," Shikamaru said honestly.
"The difficulty is high—above B-rank, close to A-rank," Kitazawa added.
"With your talent, it should take you about half a year to a year."
He smiled faintly.
"Enough talking. Let's begin."
The day passed in a blink.
After class was dismissed, Iruka hurried over and stopped him.
"Is something wrong with Shion?" Kitazawa asked immediately.
"No," Iruka said quickly. "It's about the final exam."
"December 15th," Kitazawa replied after a moment's thought.
"Any changes to the practical exam?" Iruka asked.
"No. Proceed as usual."
Kitazawa shook his head.
For Genius Class students, daily training mattered far more than a single exam.
That said, next year would be different.
They needed to start spreading the reputation of the Genius Class.
"Understood. I'll begin preparations tomorrow," Iruka said.
"Thanks," Kitazawa replied before leaving the academy.
A week later, at the ANBU base, Kitazawa received intelligence from Itachi.
The report was short—only two sentences.
But it was a breakthrough.
Mukade had left Sunagakure and arrived in Rōran.
He had begun researching the Ryūmyaku Seal left behind by Minato.
Kitazawa recalled the original timeline.
Strictly speaking, Mukade hadn't truly deciphered Minato's seal.
That seal originated from Uzumaki-style fūinjutsu—far beyond Mukade's capabilities.
Instead, he used a clever workaround: forcibly clashing the Ryūmyaku's power against the seal.
That violent interaction was what triggered the time-slip.
Kitazawa quickly wrote his response.
Once Mukade completed his research, he was to be informed immediately.
If Kitazawa couldn't arrive in time, Mukade was to be stopped at all costs.
After all—No Kitazawa present meant no time travel.
Once the message was sent, all that remained was waiting.
December 15th arrived.
The Genius Class's final exam officially began.
The following day, Kitazawa led Hinata, Lee, and Choji on a mission.
This time, he didn't venture far—choosing a simple escort mission within the Land of Fire.
The New Year was approaching, and he had no intention of wasting time.
More importantly—
December 27th was Hinata's birthday.
The last birthday among the Konoha Twelve.
Once the New Year passed, they would all be ten years old.
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