A new day, Tuesday.
Kitazawa walked down the street, thinking about the events of last night, and shook his head. He had thought Tsunade had forgiven Hiruzen, but clearly, she hadn't.
By dinnertime, she was drunk again and had to be sent home by Shizune and Kurenai. Since it was already late, Kitazawa hadn't mentioned learning the Infinite Darkness Jutsu to Kurenai.
But he wouldn't have time this afternoon—he had to go to Konoha Hospital to perform surgery with Shizune and study Chakra Scalpel.
Considering this, Kitazawa decided to head to Kurenai's house instead. If the afternoon was out of the question, then he'd use the morning.
Since he had no major plans for the morning, he figured he might as well give Naruto and Hinata some guidance.
Kitazawa took out his key, opened the door, and stepped inside. He glanced around—the living room was empty.
"Still asleep?" Kitazawa mused. "Looks like she drank too much last night."
Tsunade loved to drink, and Kurenai was no exception. The two of them had definitely outdrunk everyone else last night.
"Is there anything to help with a hangover?" Kitazawa opened the refrigerator and found milk.
He took it out and went to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast. He decided on sandwiches—simple and quick, and perfect with milk.
Before long, he heard soft footsteps. Turning toward the corridor, he looked over.
Kurenai was walking in, yawning sleepily.
Kitazawa's eyes lit up.
She had just woken up and hadn't changed yet. She was still wearing a silk nightgown that clung to her figure. As she walked, her graceful curves were faintly visible through the thin fabric.
Aside from the nightgown, she wore nothing else.
"Kitazawa?" Kurenai blinked as she spotted Kitazawa, clearly stunned. "What are you doing here?"
Kitazawa openly admired her silhouette.
"Am I dreaming?" Kurenai rubbed her eyes and walked over to him.
"Do you think this is a dream?" Kitazawa raised his hand and gave her thigh a pinch. The silk nightgown was so thin, he could clearly feel the soft, smooth skin beneath.
"When did you get here?" Kurenai frowned, her senses returning, and glared at him.
"Not long ago," Kitazawa replied with a chuckle. "Come for breakfast after you wash up."
"Yeah." Kurenai headed to the bathroom.
When she picked up her toothbrush and saw herself in the mirror, she suddenly froze. She looked practically half-naked in that nightgown.
And she'd been wearing it since last night—after drinking.
A deep blush crept onto her face. It took a moment to calm herself. Once she finished freshening up, she passed the kitchen, quickened her pace, and hurried back to her room.
Only after changing clothes did she breathe a sigh of relief. When she came out again, Kitazawa greeted her with a knowing half-smile.
She immediately understood—and blushed again.
"Come eat," Kitazawa waved with a smile. "Why are you blushing?"
"None of your business!" Kurenai snorted and sat across from him, reaching out to give him a little shove.
"Then why'd you kick me?" Kitazawa looked down at her bare feet.
"I'm in a good mood—got a problem with that?" Kurenai asked defiantly.
"Fair enough." Kitazawa chuckled and handed her the milk. "Drink this. It'll help with the hangover."
Kurenai stared at the milk and opened her mouth.
Kitazawa had come early just to make her breakfast and help with the hangover? She didn't deserve that level of kindness.
She took the warm glass and sipped it, then glanced up at him.
"What are you staring at me for?" Kitazawa picked up a sandwich and said, "Eat."
"Thank you," Kurenai said sincerely.
"A little early for thank-yous, don't you think?" Kitazawa grinned.
"What do you mean?" Kurenai asked as she bit into the sandwich.
"I'm going to teach you a genjutsu later," Kitazawa replied.
"What did you say?" Kurenai blinked. "You're going to teach me genjutsu?"
"That's right," Kitazawa smirked. "So what do you call me now?"
"Are you still dreaming?" Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Sure, you're talented in genjutsu, but you've only learned five. And you want to be my teacher?"
"Do you know the Infinite Darkness Jutsu?" Kitazawa asked.
"Of course I do. That's—" Kurenai froze mid-sentence. Her expression changed.
"Wait... you know the Infinite Darkness Jutsu?"
"Correct answer, but no prize," Kitazawa grinned and reached out to pinch her cheek.
"How is that even possible?" Kurenai brushed off his hand and asked urgently, "Where did you learn it?"
"That's a secret," Kitazawa winked. "Do you want to learn it?"
"I..." Kurenai hesitated.
Logically, her learning the Infinite Darkness Jutsu from Kitazawa didn't conform to the rules. But she'd already crossed the line once—when she secretly learned the Rasengan.
"Fine, I'll learn from you," Kurenai said at last, lips pressed into a line.
"Then how do you plan to thank me?" Kitazawa asked with a sly smile.
"Thank you for what?" Kurenai raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Want me to wear a business suit today?"
"Not today," Kitazawa replied seriously. "Today, I'm the teacher. You're the student."
"Pervert!" Kurenai huffed.
"What's perverted about that?" Kitazawa said firmly. "I'm teaching you the Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness Jutsu. That makes me your teacher."
Kurenai was silent for two seconds, then relaxed. After all, she knew her own personality well.
Under Kitazawa's gaze, she stood up, leaned forward, and whispered into his ear. "Kitazawa-sensei, how do you want me to thank you?"
Kurenai bit his ear, blew gently, and asked with a smile.
Kitazawa felt her warm breath, sweet as orchids, and couldn't help but gasp.
Kurenai's smile deepened. She kissed his ear and slid her lips down to his.
Kitazawa immediately felt the soft warmth against his own. After a long moment, their lips parted.
Kurenai sat back down, but the blush on her face betrayed her emotions. This was the first time she'd ever done something so bold.
"Aren't you going to give your students special training this morning?" Kurenai asked casually, picking up the warm milk.
"You're coming with me," Kitazawa paused, then asked, "Do you have anything to do this morning?"
"No," Kurenai shook her head. "Tsunade-sama and Shizune usually come in the evening."
"Tsunade-sama ran out of time yesterday, so she's in charge of the next ninjutsu development." Kitazawa chuckled.
Of course, even so, if he asked them to come along, they wouldn't refuse.
"Is Tsunade-sama's card skill always this bad?" Kurenai couldn't help but ask.
"To put it in one word, she loses every single bet," Kitazawa replied.
"That's really… amazing," Kurenai paused for two seconds before commenting.
Yesterday, she'd initially thought she was talented at cards, but later realized it wasn't her skill—it was Tsunade's complete lack of luck.
"Does it feel like Tsunade-sama's image has collapsed?" Kitazawa teased.
"Not at all," Kurenai shook her head. "Tsunade-sama's image is built on her strength and status, not her card game skills."
Kitazawa nodded at that. Despite her drinking and gambling, Tsunade was undoubtedly an excellent ninja.
---
After breakfast, the two headed to the ninja academy.
"So many shadow clones?" Kurenai arrived at the artificial lake and was stunned by the sight of dozens of Uzumaki Naruto.
It was astonishing for anyone to see a six-year-old using the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu. And the sheer number of clones was unbelievable—she couldn't have done it herself.
"Have you forgotten Uzumaki Naruto's identity?" Kitazawa smiled and reminded her.
"Although I know some things, seeing it with my own eyes still feels very outrageous." Kurenai complained, "In front of him, I feel like I've worked hard for so many years for nothing."
"That's just how the ninja world is." Kitazawa formed a hand seal and created a shadow clone. "You stay here and guide the two of them."
The clone nodded and walked toward Naruto and Hinata.
"Now I'll teach you the Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness." Kitazawa turned to Kurenai and smiled. "No matter how powerful a ninja is, once they lose their sight, their strength is greatly reduced."
"Not bad," Kurenai perked up, lips curling into a smile. "Once I learn the Infinite Darkness Jutsu, I'll teach these kids a real lesson!"
"First, listen to the lesson." Kitazawa took her hand and led her to a high chair beside the Artificial Lake, where they sat down.
The Infinite Darkness Jutsu is an A-rank Genjutsu. Kurenai didn't have as many cheats as Kitazawa, so learning naturally wasn't easy.
But that didn't matter—they had plenty of time.
—
Evening.
A group of people gathered again at Kurenai's home.
Kyoka Suigetsu had been completed. The next step was developing a new ninjutsu.
"Tsunade-sama, what are your thoughts?" Kurenai asked, "Is it still like Genjutsu: Kyoka Suigetsu, mimicking Yakumo's Genjutsu Bloodline Limit?"
"Yakumo's Genjutsu Creation is a bit like Super Beast Scroll."
"Yakumo's genjutsu, Illusion to Reality, is somewhat similar to Super Beast Scroll Drawing," Kitazawa said, a sudden thought striking him.
Genjutsu: Illusion to Reality transforms a painting's contents into physical reality.
Super Beast Scroll Drawing creates animated creatures using ink and chakra.
Though the two seem similar, the essence of their manifestation is completely different.
The manifestation of Illusion to Reality is flesh and blood—a true physical entity. Super Beast Scroll creatures, on the other hand, are made of ink and chakra.
"The next jutsu could mimic the illusion of life." Tsunade was silent for a few seconds before saying, "But I've already decided on the next jutsu: Emotion Replacement."
Kitazawa's heart stirred. They had previously proposed two methods for treating psychological trauma: One was memory sealing, addressing the root cause. The other was EmotionReplacement, targeting the symptoms.
The former already had a corresponding jutsu. The latter did not.
Kitazawa couldn't help but wonder—Could it be that Tsunade was finally willing to undergo treatment for her hemophobia?
In his opinion, Emotion Replacement was the ideal technique for treating it. But he didn't ask.
Even though he had accepted the system's mission to cure her, it had to be done carefully and gradually. Rushing it might damage their relationship—and that would cause even bigger problems.
—
August 18th.
Still a few days left until school resumes.
"Summer vacation flew by," Kitazawa sighed, glancing out the window at the sun.
"Do you find classwork or training more tiring?" Kurenai asked from across the table, taking a bite of fried fish.
Ever since Kitazawa had taught her the Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness two weeks ago, they had eaten breakfast together every day. After breakfast, they would head to the Artificial Lake at the school for private, one-on-one training.
"Feels about the same," Kitazawa replied thoughtfully.
"I thought you'd say training was more tiring." Kurenai looked slightly surprised.
"I think training is fine," Kitazawa said thoughtfully.
"I forgot—you're a top-tier ninjutsu expert now. You pick things up quickly, so of course it doesn't wear you out," Kurenai said, curling her lip.
She had been studying for two weeks and still hadn't mastered the Infinite Darkness Technique. Meanwhile, Kitazawa had learned the Nirvana Temple Jutsu—also an A-rank genjutsu—in just one week.
The difference in their natural ability was obvious.
"The real reason is you're here," Kitazawa said, noting her slightly flustered look.
"Smooth talker!" Kurenai glared at him, but couldn't stop the slight smile curling her lips.
"No way," Kitazawa licked the corner of his mouth. "Want to try it?"
"Eat properly!" Kurenai raised her leg and gave him a kick.
"Haven't you heard the saying?" Kitazawa said seriously. "A beauty is a feast for the eyes."
"Where do you come up with all this nonsense?" Kurenai said, half-annoyed, half-amused, and bit into her fried shrimp.
"Well, there's a bit of truth in it." Kitazawa smiled.
"I'm not bothering with you," Kurenai said, finishing her shrimp before asking, "When does your ninja school start?"
"Registration starts August 11th. Classes officially begin on September 1st," Kitazawa replied.
"Once school starts, I guess I'll be learning genjutsu on my own." Kurenai sighed, the image of Kitazawa flashing in her mind. With him around, if nothing else, it was never boring.
"You can still keep training at the school," Kitazawa winked. "Once term starts, there'll be a whole bunch of students to join you for special training."
"No way!" Yuhi Kurenai snorted. "I'm a Chunin. Is it really appropriate for me to be training alongside your students?"
"Didn't you also train with Naruto and Hinata during summer vacation?" Kitazawa smiled and asked, "Are you shy now that there are more people?"
"It wouldn't sound good if it got out." Kurenai Yuhi crossed her arms and said, "Anyway, I've almost learned Infinite Darkness Jutsu; mastering it is just a matter of time."
"Alright then," Kitazawa said, not pressing further. "If you run into any problems, come find me at the ninja Academy."
"Of course," Kurenai smiled. "I'll make sure to bother you often."
After breakfast, the two headed to the Ninja School.
"Kitazawa-sensei! I did it!" Naruto spotted him and dashed over—along with a swarm of his shadow clones.
"That's truly something," Kurenai said, staring at the group of Naruto clones, all dressed in green tights.
"What exactly did you succeed in?" Kitazawa asked, already having a good idea.
"Look!" Naruto held out his hand and revealed a broken balloon.
"Congrats. You've completed the first stage of the Rasengan." Kitazawa nodded, unsurprised.
Finishing the first stage in two weeks wasn't especially fast—but it wasn't slow either. Still, Naruto was only six years old, and it affected.
"Today, I'll teach you the next stage of training," Kitazawa said with a grin. "It's similar to the first stage—but this time, you'll use a rubber ball that's a hundred times stronger."
"Huh? A hundred times!?" Naruto's eyes widened. "Wouldn't that take a year or two?"
"Hey! What's with that attitude?" shouted a nearby shadow clone. "How can you complain when we have Youth?"
"Exactly!" another Shadow clone yelled, clenching his fists. "As long as you burn with youth, anything is possible!"
"Bet it all on youth!"
"If a balloon can burst, so can a rubber ball!"
"No matter how hard or hopeless, it's nothing compared to youth!"
Uzumaki Naruto's clones erupted into action, throwing themselves into Rasengan training with renewed vigor.
—
Noon.
The four of them gathered for lunch.
"Auntie Mikoto's bento is as good as ever!" Naruto mumbled, his mouth full of chicken.
"She's really sweet," Kurenai said warmly.
Sasuke hadn't joined the special training, but he still dropped off lunch every morning.
Kitazawa glanced at her. Kurenai clearly misunderstood—but he couldn't find the right words to correct her.
—
After lunch, Kitazawa made his way to Konoha Hospital.
More specifically, to Yakushi Nono's office. Tsunade had one too, but she was rarely present and barely used it.
"Shizune hasn't arrived yet," Nono said when she saw him.
"Yeah," Kitazawa nodded. "I'll wait for her."
Whether Shizune showed up on time usually depended more on Tsunade than herself. Kitazawa sat down on the sofa and opened his personal dashboard while he waited.
With summer vacation drawing to a close, his strength had grown exponentially.
[Name: Kitazawa]
[Age: Six]
[Attributes: Wind, Fire, Water, Yin, Yang]
[Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan]
[Master Level: Chakra Control, Chakra Shape Transformation]
[Proficient Level: Yin Release Chakra Nature Transformation, Yang Release Chakra Nature Transformation]
[Ninjutsu: Chakra Scalpel, Rasengan, Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, etc.]
[Comment: Unparalleled supernatural power. Once you're strong enough, even Kaguya Ōtsutsuki will tremble.]
Kitazawa reviewed the data. Currently, he specializes in medical ninjutsu, genjutsu, and fire release. However, in terms of A-rank ninjutsu, he only had three: Chakra Scalpel, Nirvana Temple Jutsu, and Infinite Darkness Jutsu.
He hadn't even begun training in wind release, so he had only two techniques there. He also knew several taijutsu, but only two were advanced: Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, and The First Gate of the Eight Gates Technique.
His other high-level ninjutsu included only Rasengan and Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Aside from the slightly exaggerated commentary, this panel reflected the upper limits of a normal ninja.
To go beyond that, only two areas remained:
One—chakra.
The other—the Bloodline Limit.
--
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P@atreon/Arvinstorm (45+ Advanced Chapters)