March 10th, Monday.
Yesterday was the registration day for the Genius Class.
After a morning of practical tests, four new students finally joined—Hyuga Hanabi, Konohamaru Sarutobi, Moegi Kazamatsuri, and Ise Udon.
Although few, it was already a significant number compared to previous years.
The threshold for the Genius Class was too high; only a minority of students could join. It was common for no students to join the Genius Class throughout an entire year.
If Kitazawa hadn't often "abducted" some geniuses from outside the village, the Genius Class would probably have maintained a constant number of thirty students.
Monday was for theoretical classes. Normally, Kitazawa wouldn't go and would cultivate at home.
However, with four new students joining this semester, he decided to make a trip.
[Current Mission: The passionate combination technique between brothers—teach Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke the Yin-Yang Rasengan.]
[Mission Reward: Lava Release.]
[The host has completed the mission; reward issued.]
As soon as Kitazawa arrived at the Ninja Academy, three lines of text appeared before his eyes.
Immediately after, he felt a violent Chakra fluctuation.
He subconsciously looked up and saw the enormous Rasengan jointly held by Sasuke and Naruto on the Training Ground.
Blue and green cycled together, forming a Yin-Yang pattern like an Ouroboros.
Kitazawa nodded slightly.
Sasuke had been fighting with Naruto every day recently, and over time, their teamwork had improved considerably.
Kitazawa took a glance and then ignored it. After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen was right there; he wouldn't let anything happen to them.
Kitazawa extended his hand.
Although he didn't know Lava Release, he could manipulate Lava Release Chakra. A surge of magma-like Chakra appeared.
Lava Release, in the original story, could roughly be divided into two types.
One was magma-like Chakra, used by Roshi, Four-Tails, and Terumi Mei. The other was an ash-like Chakra, used by Kurotsuchi and Dodai.
Although the two types of Lava Release only differed in their manifestation, judging from their performance, Roshi's Lava Release was more powerful.
Especially since he could also use a Lava Release Chakra Mode similar to the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
His entire body was covered in burning lava, possessing both offensive and defensive capabilities.
In the original story, Naruto's Rasengan couldn't inflict any damage on it; instead, Naruto himself got his hand burned.
The only pity was that the system only rewarded Lava Release, without the corresponding Lava Release Ninjutsu.
Kitazawa let out a soft "hmm." The Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi, was a Ninja from Iwagakure, but he disagreed with Ōnoki and left Iwagakure directly.
In the original story, he was defeated by Kisame Hoshigaki and Uchiha Itachi, and eventually died after the Four-Tails was extracted.
Kitazawa could totally have the ANBU look for him. Once found, after a good beating, he could obtain Lava Release Ninjutsu from him.
Kitazawa snapped back to reality; the Yin-Yang Rasengan had already been dispelled.
The students of the Genius Class walked toward the classroom. Seeing this, Kitazawa walked toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Of the Genius Class teachers, only the two of them and Iruka had come, because it was Monday.
"Third Hokage-sama." Kitazawa greeted him proactively.
"Why are you here today, too?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a smile.
"Just came to take a look," Kitazawa replied.
"I'm here with Konohamaru." Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and said, "He's quite mischievous; I don't trust him alone."
"Konohamaru has a very good foundation; he might even make it into the top ten of the Genius Class in the future," Kitazawa said casually.
"That's only possible after Naruto and the others graduate." Even though it was his own grandson, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't show any favoritism in this matter.
After all, the talents of Naruto and the others were simply too terrifying.
The two quickly arrived at the classroom door of the Genius Class, but neither of them walked in.
"This semester, our class will welcome four new classmates. Everyone, please welcome them!" Iruka took the lead in applauding.
Naruto and the others also clapped along. Konohamaru, being naturally outgoing, raised his hand and waved to them.
"Next, please introduce yourselves." Iruka stopped clapping and said.
"I am Sarutobi Konohamaru!" Konohamaru Sarutobi stepped forward first and said, "Naruto-nii is my idol, and my dream is to become Hokage!"
To the students of the Genius Class, Konohamaru Sarutobi was already quite familiar.
Between Kitazawa's birthday and last year's winter break, he had somewhat joined the Genius Class prematurely. Therefore, his words didn't cause any reaction.
"Konohamaru, find a seat and sit down," Iruka said.
"Here!" Naruto immediately stood up and shouted.
"Naruto-nii!" Konohamaru said, then ran toward him.
"My name is Hyuga Hanabi." Hyuga Hanabi introduced herself, saying, "I like to train with my sister, I don't like celery, and I hope everyone will take care of me."
"Hinata, does your sister have a bow?" Ino looked at Hinata and asked.
Kiba and the others also showed curiosity upon hearing this. After all, they had all personally experienced the power of the Byakugan combined with a bow.
"No." Hinata shook her head and said.
"That's good then." Kiba subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
"Kitazawa-sensei has never been biased." Ino thought for a moment and said, "I feel that Hanabi will also have a bow someday."
Hinata was stunned for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"Am I still going to lose my ranking?" Kiba sighed.
"Hanabi is still young." Hinata comforted him, saying, "She definitely can't beat you."
"By the time she can beat you, you'll most likely have already graduated," Tenten said with a smile.
"What kind of talk is that?" Kiba's mouth twitched as he asked.
"Hello, everyone." Just then, Hyuga Hanabi walked down from the podium and came before them.
"Hello there, little Hanabi." Ino reached out and stroked her head, saying, "You look so cute."
"Thank you, Ino-senpai." Hanabi sat next to Hinata.
"You two sisters really have different personalities." Sakura thought of the formerly introverted Hinata.
Although she spoke more now, she was still relatively quiet. Hanabi was different; she seemed much more lively.
After the four new students finished their self-introductions, the Genius Class's theoretical lesson officially began.
However, the newly joined Hanabi and the others certainly wouldn't understand. Iruka would provide them with extra lessons specifically for them later.
"It seems he's integrating well." Sarutobi Hiruzen felt much relieved after watching.
As for the theoretical class, he would personally supervise Konohamaru to prevent him from causing trouble.
"With Konohamaru's personality, he'll adapt to the Genius Class quickly." Kitazawa paused and said, "Third Hokage-sama, the introductions are over, so I'll be leaving now. See you tomorrow."
After he finished speaking, he disappeared from his spot.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique is really useful." Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but remark.
Although he was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu and was said to master all Ninjutsu in Konoha Village, he did not know the Flying Thunder God Technique.
At the entrance of the ANBU Base, Kitazawa suddenly appeared and walked in.
He quickly found Antelope and told her to keep an eye out for Roshi from Iwagakure. As for whether she could find him, he wasn't sure.
After all, Roshi was the Four-Tails Jinchuriki and incredibly strong.
It wouldn't be easy for ordinary ANBU Ninja to find him, unless Uchiha Itachi went—but he still had the mission of monitoring Orochimaru.
Fortunately, Kitazawa wasn't in a hurry for Lava Release either.
Because Lava Release, no matter how good, couldn't compare to Wood Release and Sage Mode. His top priority was still to learn Sage Mode first.
After Kitazawa finished talking with Antelope, he went to his office next door.
---
He pushed the door open and walked in.
"Kitazawa." Konan immediately came before him.
Kitazawa leaned in and kissed her. After a brief moment, he walked toward the desk.
Konan was slightly startled, subconsciously licking the corner of her mouth. A lingering sense of desire remained.
Kitazawa casually picked up the documents on the desk.
The first concerned the war between Hidden Rain Village and Hidden Sand Village. The situation hadn't changed—it was still a stalemate.
After finishing that, he picked up the second document. It wasn't until he reached the last one that his gaze sharpened.
This intelligence came from Hidden Star Village.
It recorded the unfortunate sacrifice of the Third Hoshikage and Akahoshi's succession as the acting Hoshikage (Star Shadow).
Under normal circumstances, this information raised no alarms. It seemed like a reasonable change of leadership.
But Kitazawa knew the original story. And he knew there was a hidden agenda behind it.
Hidden Star Village(Hoshigakure) was a small Ninja village located in the Land of Bears.
Long ago, a meteorite carrying special energy had fallen from the sky.
A Ninja discovered its potential for cultivation and founded Hidden Star Village on that very spot.
The Secret Technique developed from that meteorite was called the Mysterious Peacock Method. It was undeniably powerful—yet it carried a fatal flaw.
More precisely, the meteorite itself was radioactive. Using its energy for cultivation would eventually cause the user's body to collapse and explode.
The Third Hoshikage discovered this terrible drawback and decided that the Ninja of Hidden Star Village should stop using the meteorite.
But Akahoshi believed otherwise. In his eyes, without the meteorite, Hidden Star Village had no future—no path to strength.
So he killed the Third Hoshikage and forcefully promoted the Mysterious Peacock Method throughout the village.
Natsuhi and Hotarubi, loyal to the Third Hoshikage, stole the meteorite and became rogue Ninja.
To reclaim the technique, Akahoshi even threatened the life of Natsuhi and Hotarubi's son.
In the end, however, he was defeated by Naruto and the others.
Kitazawa stroked his chin thoughtfully. He was very interested in that meteorite.
Any special energy that could resonate with the Chakra usually had ties to the Ōtsutsuki Clan. That alone made it worth investigating.
Kitazawa nodded to himself, deciding to make Akahoshi the target of the Genius Class's midterm mission this semester.
It would also serve as the perfect opportunity to travel across the Ninja World.
His goal was simple. He wanted to leave a Flying Thunder God Mark in every country.
With his current Chakra reserves, crossing the entire Ninja World was impossible—but impossible now didn't mean impossible forever.
Flying Thunder God Marks were permanent.
As long as he kept traveling on missions, he could slowly spread them across the map.
[Current Mission: Travel around the Ninja World and leave Flying Thunder God Marks in various countries.]
[Mission Reward: Spiraling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Three Styles.]
[Do you accept?]
Kitazawa was taken aback. This could trigger a system mission, too?
Although unexpected, the reward was more than satisfying.
Spiraling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Three Styles—just from the name, one could tell who created it. Minato Namikaze.
Simply put, it was the Flying Thunder God Technique combined with a devastating flash assault.
The blinding speed and brilliance were also the source of Minato's legendary title—Yellow Flash.
Kitazawa set the documents down and stood up, preparing to leave.
After taking two steps, he paused and turned back. His eyes met Konan's.
Kitazawa smiled and waved at her.
Konan immediately walked over.
He lowered his head and gave her a thorough "oral education" before finally turning to go.
Konan gasped softly, staring at him with hazy eyes.
After leaving the ANBU Base, Kitazawa went straight to Shikkotsu Forest to continue cultivating Sage Mode.
---
The next day, Tuesday.
It was the first practical lesson of the new semester for the Genius Class.
Kitazawa paid little attention to the newly enrolled Hyuga Hanabi, Konohamaru Sarutobi, Moegi Kazamatsuri, and Ise Udon.
Although some had a foundation, overall, they were still novices who had only just stepped onto the path of a Ninja.
For beginners, the basics came first—the basic Three E-rank Techniques and Konoha Style Taijutsu.
Iruka could handle those lessons.
Once they mastered the fundamentals, Kitazawa would design exclusive special training plans based on each of their talents.
His real purpose today was to teach Haku and Shion.
Haku had already learned Water Release: Heavenly Weeping, so it was time for him to move on to his fifth Water Release Ninjutsu—Water Release: Water Severing Slash.
Once mastered, the system mission tied to Haku would be completed.
As for Shion, she would temporarily pause her Sealing Technique studies and begin learning Medical Ninjutsu.
With that, the Genius Class would now have three students studying Medical Ninjutsu—Sakura, Shion, and Karin.
Kitazawa planned to let them train for a year first, then teach them Chakra Enhanced Strength next year, so they could protect themselves.
After all, next year would be their final year.
After finishing his lessons with Haku and Shion, Kitazawa went straight to Shikkotsu Forest again.
---
Time passed quietly in training.
On April 15th, the Genius Class held its first Monthly Exam of the semester, which also doubled as the Final Exams.
Since it was a theoretical test, Kitazawa didn't go to the Ninja Academy. Instead, he headed to the Hokage Office.
"Where are you planning to go this time?" Tsunade looked up when she saw him and asked.
"How do you know what I want to ask?" Kitazawa walked over, his gaze falling naturally on her rosy lips.
"I am, after all, the principal of the Ninja Academy." Tsunade's eyes flickered as the corners of her mouth curved upward.
"Besides, don't I know you well enough?" As she spoke, she tugged lightly at her collar. A wide stretch of fair skin was exposed to the air.
"As expected of Tsunade-sensei!" Kitazawa praised her generously.
"Let's get to the point." Tsunade set the document in her hand aside.
"This time, it's Hidden Star Village in the Land of Bears," Kitazawa replied.
"You mean the village that possesses that special meteorite?" Tsunade recalled and asked.
"Yes." Kitazawa nodded. "They recently replaced their acting Hoshikage—Akahoshi."
"So Akahoshi is problematic?" Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her posture creating striking curves.
"Yes." Kitazawa's eyelids twitched.
He bent down and buried himself in her warm, jade-like embrace.
Tsunade was stunned for a moment—then smiled and reached up to stroke his head.
In the past, she would have pushed him away. Now, everything was different. She liked his infatuation. It made her feel beautiful… and secure.
"It's all your fault." Kitazawa finally pulled away and took a deep breath.
"I didn't do anything." Tsunade glanced down but didn't bother adjusting her disheveled clothes.
"…" Kitazawa felt overwhelmed.
The current Tsunade was completely different from before—radiating a dangerous charm that could drain a man to the bone.
"Let's get back to Akahoshi." Kitazawa cleared his throat and explained how Akahoshi had killed the Third Hoshikage.
"Is that really the truth?" Tsunade was visibly surprised.
She hadn't expected the meteorite's side effects to be so severe—severe enough to tear an entire village apart.
"So, what's your plan?" Tsunade straightened, tidying her collar as she asked.
At that moment, her dignified Hokage demeanor and her earlier teasing charm formed a striking contrast.
Kitazawa's heart skipped a beat.
Too bad… the timing wasn't right.
"Help Natsuhi become the Fourth Hoshikage, and incidentally, form an alliance between the Hidden Star Village and Konoha Village."
Kitazawa paused, then added, "If possible, bring the meteorite back for research."
"That's certainly your style." Tsunade couldn't help but smile.
Kitazawa had completed many similar missions before. After each one, Konoha Village gained yet another ally.
"Are you coming along?" Kitazawa blinked and asked.
"It takes six days to travel to and from the Land of Bears, plus the mission itself—easily a week." Tsunade hesitated for a moment, then said rationally, "As the Hokage, I can't be away for that long."
"Tsunade-sensei." Kitazawa smiled. "I've learned Flying Thunder God Technique: Guiding Thunder."
Tsunade's eyes immediately lit up.
Flying Thunder God Technique: Guiding Thunder could transfer people together. Theoretically, a seven-day mission could be cut in half.
Coupled with the reason for forming an alliance with the Hidden Star Village, even the Hokage's secretaries—led by Shizune—wouldn't stop her.
"Then I'll go with you," Tsunade said with a radiant smile.
Going out on missions was far more relaxing than staying behind to work.
Moreover, along the way, she could enjoy a world that belonged to just her and Kitazawa.
Although she was now living with Kitazawa, it wasn't only the two of them—Kurenai and the others were there as well.
At night, Kitazawa's "battles" prioritized Kurenai; he only came to her in the latter half of the night.
For Tsunade, who was in the midst of her honeymoon phase, waiting was pure torment.
"Alright." Kitazawa nodded. "I'll come find you at nine tomorrow morning."
"I heard from Katsuyu recently that you've successfully guided natural energy into your body?" Tsunade suddenly thought of something and asked.
"Indeed." Kitazawa chuckled. "I originally planned to tell you after I mastered Sage Mode."
"What? You wanted to give me a surprise?" Tsunade paused, then smiled. "It's fine—knowing now is just as surprising."
"But I'm still a long way from mastering it." Kitazawa changed the subject.
"Being able to learn it at all is already amazing," Tsunade said casually. "Even an incomplete Sage Mode can greatly boost your strength."
By "incomplete Sage Mode," she was referring to Jiraiya's. To maintain it, he needed the assistance of the two Toad Sages—Fukasaku and Shima.
"That's true." Kitazawa nodded.
"See you tonight." With that, Tsunade's eyes shifted, a seductive charm blooming within them.
Kitazawa resisted the urge to correct her on the spot and vanished.
The sun set, and in the blink of an eye, dusk arrived.
Kitazawa finished his Sage Mode training and returned from Shikkotsu Forest to Konoha Village.
After a moment's thought, he went straight to the ANBU Base.
"Konan, has Iruka been here?" Kitazawa pushed open the door and walked into the office.
"He was here two hours ago." Konan took out a scroll. "This is for you."
Kitazawa opened it and began to read.
Naturally, the contents were the rankings for the theoretical exam. The top positions were largely unchanged, but the lower ranks were fiercely contested.
After all, there were four new students.
Yet Rock Lee still firmly occupied the last place.
Among the newcomers, Hyuga Hanabi ranked the highest—almost entering the top thirty. For a student who had only studied for a month, that was truly impressive.
Kitazawa thought of the Demon-Slaying Bow he had prepared for her. But there was no rush.
He would wait until Hanabi learned Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. For an archer, close-combat ability was just as important.
"Konan, I'll be going on a mission tomorrow for about a week. You don't need to follow me." Kitazawa put away the scroll, looked at her, and smiled. "You can take this week off."
"Thank you." Konan understood his unspoken meaning.
A week of freedom—she could return to Amegakure and the Akatsuki Organization.
"See you next week." Kitazawa stood and left the office.
---
The next day, at nine in the morning.
Kitazawa stood before the members of the Genius Class and announced the team groupings.
This time, there were seven squads. After all, Yamato, Chino, Hotaru, and the others had joined.
"Squad Seven will be led by me, with Sasuke, Hinata, and Shion as members." Kitazawa paused. "Grouping finished. Those whose names were called, go find your squad leader-sensei."
"Kitazawa-sensei." Hinata hurried to the front.
She looked up, her eyes sparkling, clearly delighted.
"Let's go." Kitazawa patted her head.
The upcoming practical exam would be Iruka's responsibility. He would oversee the remaining students' individual battles and determine their rankings.
Kitazawa was only curious about the performance of Hanabi and the other three newcomers. Still, it was very likely to be far from ideal.
Even if the top twenty-one didn't participate in the practical exam, the remaining students were nothing like ordinary academy students.
After all, they were being taught by seven Jonin.
Anyone with even a bit of talent wouldn't have stopped at the Three Body Technique alone—they would have mastered at least one or two elemental Ninjutsu.
"Our mission objective this time is Akahoshi, the acting Hoshikage of the Hidden Star Village, who seized power by assassinating the Third Hoshikage."
Kitazawa spoke as they walked. "Our task is to defeat him and elect a new Hoshikage."
"Kitazawa-sensei." Shion asked curiously, "Why is the leader of the Hidden Star Village called a Hoshikage?"
Normally, only the leaders of the Five Great Villages were qualified to be called Kage. Other villages, including Amegakure, simply referred to their leaders by title.
"That's called not knowing one's place," Kitazawa said with a faint smile.
"I see." Shion immediately understood.
Hoshikage was merely a self-proclaimed title by the leader of the Hidden Star Village—one that the Ninja World did not recognize.
And the Five Great Villages certainly wouldn't waste their time dealing with a small village just over a name.
"How strong is he?" Sasuke asked the question he cared about most.
He had been beaten badly by Naruto recently and was desperate for an outlet. Akahoshi seemed to fit the role perfectly.
"Jonin." Kitazawa paused. "If he uses that meteorite, his strength can grow even greater."
"Meteorite?" Sasuke frowned in confusion.
Kitazawa then explained the origin of Hidden Star Village.
"That sounds amazing," Sasuke said with a hint of anticipation. "I hope I can witness it myself."
"Kitazawa-sensei." Hinata glanced around and asked softly, "Do we have any additional teammates for this mission?"
She had already noticed—they weren't heading out of the village yet.
"Indeed, we have one more teammate." Kitazawa smiled and said, "It's my teacher, Tsunade."
"It's the Hokage-sama?" Shion asked in a surprised tone.
Sasuke and Hinata were somewhat surprised, but didn't react as strongly.
A moment later, Kitazawa saw Tsunade waiting at the entrance of the Hokage Building. She was wearing her usual green haori with the kanji for "gambling" printed on it.
"Hokage-sama." Sasuke and the others called out in unison.
"Tsunade-sensei." Kitazawa stepped forward and said, "We'll walk to the Hidden Star Village first, and after the mission is completed, we'll use Flying Thunder God to return to Konoha Village."
"Okay." Tsunade nodded and said, "Then let's go."
The five people left Konoha Village and headed in the direction of the Hidden Star Village.
The Land of Bears is quite far from the Land of Fire, located between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind, bordering the Land of Demons, where Shion was a priestess.
At a normal Ninja's pace, it would take about three days.
By night, they arrived at the border area between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers.
"Let's rest here for a night before continuing." Kitazawa formed hand signs and used Wood Release: Four Pillar House.
A complex wooden house rose from the ground.
"Finally, we can rest." Tsunade pushed open the door and entered the living room.
"You all rest for a while, I'll go cook." Kitazawa looked at Sasuke and the others and said.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei." Sasuke and Shion walked towards the living room.
Hinata stood still, not moving. She subconsciously clutched the corner of her clothes, her face filled with nervousness.
"Hinata, do you have something else?" Kitazawa asked, somewhat confused.
"Th-that, I… I can cook." Hinata said, lowering her head, a little embarrassed.
"Alright then." Kitazawa thought for a moment, didn't refuse her, and said, "Just make one of your best dishes."
"Mm!" Seeing Kitazawa agree, Hinata immediately brightened up and nodded vigorously.
"I don't have an apron that fits you, so you'll have to make do." Kitazawa took out a white apron and handed it to her.
Hinata took it, folded it, and then put it on herself. Although it didn't fit perfectly, it still served its purpose as an apron.
"What dish do you want to make?" Kitazawa reached out and pinched her cheek.
"Tempura." Hinata hesitated for two seconds before answering.
She knew more than just tempura, but she was worried that other dishes might not turn out well and wouldn't taste good.
Tempura is deep-fried, so no matter how it's made, it won't be particularly bad.
"Mm." Kitazawa took out a summoning storage scroll.
Every time he went out on a mission, he would prepare a lot of food in advance.
He used to worry about it spoiling, but he no longer had to worry since he obtained Ice Release.
He had packed a lot of ice into the summoning storage scroll.
And to prevent the ice from melting, he would check it periodically, and if there were any signs of melting, he would re-freeze it with Ice Release.
In short, it was very convenient.
Time flowed by slowly.
Four dishes and one soup were quickly served on the dining table.
"This was made by Hinata." Kitazawa introduced with a smile, "You all should try it."
Hinata subconsciously gripped her chopsticks.
"It tastes good." Tsunade picked up a fried shrimp, put it in her mouth, chewed it, and then commented.
"It's delicious!" Shion praised.
Sasuke didn't speak, just nodded.
Hinata couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
After dinner, since there was still time, the three of them began their respective training.
Hinata practiced World-Extinction Arrow, Shion learned Medical Ninjutsu, and only Sasuke had no new training.
After all, Naruto hadn't come, so he couldn't do combat training. After much thought, he decided to consolidate his Hatake Swordsmanship.
Kitazawa watched for a while and noticed that Tsunade was gone. He thought for a moment, then turned and walked into the living room.
There was no one in the living room, so he went upstairs to Tsunade's room.
Kitazawa pushed open the door and saw her. She was lying on the bed without any regard for her image, her tilted sleeveless top looking very tight.
As for the green haori with the character for "gambling" printed on it, she had placed it by the bed.
"How long will they train?" Tsunade looked at him and licked her red lips.
"Nine PM." Kitazawa said with a smile, "There are still two hours."
"Then there's still plenty of time." Tsunade stood up, and her clothes fell to the floor.
A perfect figure was thus exposed to Kitazawa's sight. Although he had seen it many times, it was always breathtaking.
Tsunade's lips curved slightly, and she turned over, lying prone on the bed. She said nothing, merely propped up her fair legs and arched her buttocks.
Kitazawa couldn't help but widen his eyes.
He closed the door, set up a sound-insulating barrier, and then quickly walked forward.
"Make it quick." After two hours of entanglement, Tsunade rubbed her warm abdomen and said.
Kitazawa put on his clothes and went downstairs.
"Teacher Kitazawa." Sasuke, Hinata, and Shion stopped training and greeted him.
"It's almost time. Go back to your rooms and rest well. We still have to travel tomorrow." Kitazawa nodded and said.
"Yes, Teacher Kitazawa." The three of them entered the house in order.
Kitazawa closed the door and returned to the room.
A sleepless night drew to a close.
---
The time came to the next day.
"Is it dawn?" Tsunade leaned in Kitazawa's arms, her face filled with adoration.
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded and placed his hand on her forehead.
Chakra flowed in, dispelling her physical fatigue.
"Thank you." Tsunade looked up, kissed him, and greedily savored his scent.
Kitazawa's right hand moved down, resting on her chest, and through the thick fatty layer, he could feel her heartbeat.
"Indeed, we can't delay any longer. Let's go." Tsunade released him, stood up, and said.
"Wait a moment." Kitazawa stopped her from getting dressed.
He raised his hand, and with a change in his Chakra nature, a stream of water appeared out of thin air. Under his control, he gave himself and Tsunade a simple shower.
"Your Water Release Chakra Nature is really good; it's just that your usage is quite unique." Tsunade couldn't help but laugh.
"Chakra is too wasted if it's only used for battle." Kitazawa shook his head and said.
The two of them changed into their clothes and went downstairs.
Sasuke, Hinata, and Shion were already waiting in the living room.
After the five of them finished breakfast, they continued on their journey.
They passed through the Land of Rivers and entered the Land of Wind.
By evening, they had barely reached the northern part of the Land of Wind.
After resting for a night, they officially entered the Land of Bears.
"Are we going directly to Hidden Star Village?" Tsunade looked at Kitazawa and asked.
Although she was the Hokage and her orders should take precedence, she had been well-fed these past two days, so she was too lazy to think.
"First, let's find Natsuhi and Hotarubi," Kitazawa replied. "According to Anbu's intelligence, after they left Hidden Star Village, they've been living at the bottom of a nearby cliff."
Of course, this information didn't come from Anbu, but from the original story he had read. He just didn't know if Hotarubi was dead yet.
By the time the original story happened, he had already died due to the side effects of the Mysterious Peacock Method.
Natsuhi was his wife, but she was more talented than him.
She was currently the strongest in Hidden Star Village, much stronger than the acting Hoshikage, Akahoshi.
In the original story, Akahoshi's strength surged due to that meteor, allowing him to fight on par with Natsuhi, Naruto, and the others.
"Hinata, the task of finding them is yours." Kitazawa reached out, patted Hinata's head, and said.
Although he also had the Byakugan, this was a practical exam mission, primarily intended to train the students of the Genius Class.
"Mm!" Hinata replied with great determination.
Kitazawa didn't know the exact location of Natsuhi and Hotarubi, but knowing they were near Hidden Star Village was enough.
The group headed toward Hidden Star Village.
Hinata activated her Byakugan to search.
Sasuke and Shion were on either side, responsible for the team's safety. Although with Kitazawa and Tsunade present, there wouldn't be any problems.
"I found them!" Hinata suddenly perked up and said. "There's a very strong-looking ninja at the bottom of the cliff to the northeast!"
"Only one?" Shion asked in confusion. "Didn't Teacher Kitazawa say there were two?"
"Perhaps one is out and not home." Hinata guessed.
"Hinata, lead the way," Kitazawa instructed.
"Mm." Hinata walked at the very front.
Under her guidance, the group soon arrived at a cliff.
Kitazawa looked down; it was bottomless and shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
"There's potent poison in this mist." Tsunade glanced at it and said.
"To go down, we either need to disperse the mist or prepare an antidote." Sasuke frowned slightly.
If Naruto were here, it would be easy to solve, but he didn't know Wind Release.
"As for the antidote, leave it to me." Tsunade's lips curled slightly as she spoke with a smile.
She had enjoyed herself for two days; if she didn't do some work now, she would truly become a freeloader.
"With Tsunade-sensei's help, there will definitely be no problem." Kitazawa was stunned for a moment, then nodded in praise.
Shion looked at Tsunade curiously.
Although she had just started learning Medical Ninjutsu, she had heard of Tsunade's reputation back in the Land of Demons.
"As an excellent medical ninja, detoxifying is a must-master skill."
Tsunade glanced at Shion and said. "But you've just started learning Medical Ninjutsu, so you can't learn detoxification yet."
After she finished speaking, she extended her hand. Chakra surged from her palm, enveloping a small portion of the poisonous gas.
Not long after, she opened her summoning storage scroll and took out various bottles and jars.
Making an antidote solely with Chakra was difficult; it required the addition of appropriate medicinal ingredients.
"All right, you just need to take this." Ten minutes later, Tsunade handed each person a bottle of antidote.
"It seems this poison is indeed very potent." Kitazawa judged this based on the time it took Tsunade to make the antidote.
"With ample time, I directly made the corresponding antidote." Tsunade understood his hidden meaning and explained. "In combat, I would first make a short-acting emergency antidote."
However, she wasn't saying it for Kitazawa's benefit.
Shion subconsciously nodded. Although she was a beginner, this kind of knowledge would definitely be useful later.
"Let's go down." After taking the antidote, Tsunade was about to jump.
"Wait." Kitazawa grabbed her wrist and said. "Going down directly might lead to traps or an attack from Natsuhi."
After he finished speaking, he formed hand seals.
A seed fell to the ground and quickly took root and sprouted. In the blink of an eye, it grew dense vines that spread down the cliff.
The vines sprouted branches, and the branches intertwined, forming a natural tree ladder.
"How amazing!" Shion couldn't help but exclaim.
She had seen many Ninjutsu, but rarely any as versatile as Wood Release.
"I'll go first," Tsunade said and started descending.
"You three go in the middle," Kitazawa instructed. "Shion first, then Hinata and Sasuke."
The three immediately complied.
Kitazawa walked at the very back.
Upon entering the mist, he smelled a pungent odor. Fortunately, they had taken the antidote beforehand, so there was no effect.
Halfway down, a sudden gust of wind whistled. From within the poisonous mist, a giant eagle flew out.
This eagle was not a real eagle but was composed of a special energy.
"Yin Release: Rasengan!" Sasuke immediately activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
He extended his hand, leaped up, and smashed it toward the eagle.
With a boom! Two streams of air surged outward, dispersing the poisonous mist.
A figure in the distance came into everyone's view.
It was Natsuhi, a young female ninja who didn't look particularly old. At this moment, an astonished expression appeared on her face.
Her Mysterious Peacock Method had actually been broken by a boy who was only about ten years old?
But she didn't have time to think too much because Sasuke had already rushed toward her. Brilliant lightning poured down.
"Three-Tomoe Sharingan?" Natsuhi noticed Sasuke's red eyes.
"Mysterious Peacock Method: Wings!" A pair of wings grew on her back, and she quickly dodged the lightning.
"Please stop!" Natsuhi shouted urgently.
She had initially thought Kitazawa and the others were sent by Akahoshi, but the Three-Tomoe Sharingan only belonged to the Uchiha Clan of Konoha Village.