At the gate of the Hyūga compound.
"Kitazawa-sensei."
Hinata stopped and asked, "Can I treat you to dinner again tomorrow?"
She'd really enjoyed herself tonight—and eaten plenty of yakiniku. More importantly, she'd completed the mission from Ino and the others and figured out what Kitazawa likes to eat.
"I'm the teacher, you're the student," Kitazawa said with a helpless smile. "Since when do students treat their teacher to dinner every day?"
"I…I don't mind," Hinata tilted her head. "And I'm not short on money."
"Having money isn't a reason to keep treating someone," he said, ruffling her hair. "Let's skip tomorrow. Next time we get a chance, you can treat me again."
He really wasn't the kind of man who lives off others.
"Okay." A trace of disappointment crossed Hinata's face, but she didn't press the issue.
She looked so pitiful that Kitazawa almost wanted to say yes. Still, sponging meals every day was unnecessary.
"See you tomorrow, Hinata." He pinched her cheek. "You should smile more—that's when you're cutest."
"Goodbye, Kitazawa-sensei." Hinata blinked, flustered.
Kitazawa turned and headed toward Kurenai's house. It was already seven in the evening; the streetlamps along the road flicked on one by one. It wasn't quite the sleepless city of his previous life, but the lighting was more than enough—no risk of walking into a utility pole.
Just as he was about to reach Kurenai's place, the light ahead dimmed. He instinctively turned to look. A familiar figure appeared—and with it rolled in an inky tide of darkness. Kitazawa's brows lifted as his field of vision went pure black.
"How is it?" Kurenai's voice sounded from nowhere.
"Not bad at all," he praised without stint. "You've mastered the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique."
The darkness dispersed. Kurenai stood before him, poised and graceful.
"In genjutsu, you're already at a special jōnin level," Kitazawa said, taking her soft hand—and idly tickling her palm twice.
"My goal is jōnin," Kurenai said, tipping her chin up to meet his eyes, putting emphasis on the word. Under the lamplight, her ruby eyes still shone.
"To be a jōnin you need at least two nature releases," he reminded her. "Genjutsu alone isn't enough."
"I know." She winced. "But picking up another nature release isn't easy."
"It can be," he murmured, leaning to her ear. "I can teach you."
Kurenai froze. Honestly, he could. Kitazawa's strength had long surpassed hers, and he knew plenty of jutsu.
"…" She started to speak, then stopped. Just a year ago, she could beat Kitazawa outright in genjutsu; in the blink of an eye, she'd become the student. The whiplash made it feel like a dream.
"What are you thinking about?" Kitazawa lifted his hand and swatted her on the butt.
"What are you doing?!" Kurenai yelped, glaring. "Knock it off!"
"You zoned out first," he said straight-faced. "I was kindly bringing you back."
"That's your idea of a reminder?" she snapped.
"Sorry." He kneaded the spot he'd swatted. "I hit a little too hard."
Kurenai shivered and hopped back two steps. Standing there, she felt a tingling numbness at her rear. Under the streetlight, a blush quickly spread across her pretty face.
"Pervert," she ground out.
"What do you want to learn?" Kitazawa coughed and blinked innocently. "Whatever it is, I can teach it."
"Sealing arts too?" Kurenai huffed, putting him on the spot. Cop a feel and then act cocky? Not on her watch.
"No problem," he said at once. He'd just learned a sealing jutsu himself. With the system's help, he'd have more down the line—teaching Kurenai one wouldn't be an issue.
In fact, in the original story Kurenai does know sealing—during the Yakumo arc she used the Evil Sealing Method.
But that plot was at least six or seven years away from now. As far as Kitazawa knew, present-day Kurenai hadn't learned any sealing yet. He suspected she'd eventually pick it up through Sarutobi Asuma—sealing arts in Konoha weren't usually accessible to ordinary shinobi, but as the Third Hokage's son, Asuma would have that access.
"You really know sealing jutsu?" Kurenai asked, a little dazed.
"Would I lie to you?" Kitazawa stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
"When did you learn it?" She still found it hard to believe.
"You know Tsunade-sama has a jutsu called the Yin Seal, right?" he asked, breathing in the faint scent on her skin.
"Of course—wait. You learned sealing so you could study the Yin Seal?" Kurenai's eyes widened. "Is Tsunade-sama really planning to take you on as a student?"
"What's this?" Kitazawa arched a brow. "So you never believed me?"
"It's not that—I mean, it's Tsunade." Complex emotions crossed Kurenai's face. Even though she'd been seeing Tsunade a lot lately, she knew there was a massive gap between them—not just in strength, but in status and rank. If Kitazawa became Tsunade's student, he'd soar straight into Konoha's upper echelons.
"See my point now?" Kitazawa's gaze dipped, easily finding the smooth line of her neck.
"You're still a pervert," Kurenai muttered, catching his eyes.
"Am I?" He bent and kissed the side of her neck. "Should I do something perverted to prove it?"
Kurenai went rigid. His warm breath across her pale skin sent a jolt through her.
"Y—you…" Her dewy lips parted. Kitazawa didn't hesitate; he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers, one arm drawing her soft body in. He could clearly feel the curves crushed against him—nothing on Tsunade's level, but more than a little.
Kurenai met his eyes as her gaze turned hazy. Only when fresh air reached her lungs did she feel alive again.
"I'll come back after my morning meeting tomorrow and teach you sealing," Kitazawa said, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.
"Mhm." Kurenai rested her cheek against him, hearing a faint heartbeat—she wasn't sure if it was his or hers.
"Let's head inside. No point standing around out here," he said, giving her thigh a playful pinch.
She shot him a look and turned on her heel. Kitazawa caught up. "How's Tsunade-sama's Emotion Substitute Jutsu coming along?"
"It's in the home stretch—could be done any time," Kurenai answered.
"Good." Kitazawa thought to himself that Tsunade's treatment wasn't far off now. Whether it would cure her hemophobia, though, he couldn't say—he could only do his best.
…
The next morning—Thursday.
Naruto's "Second Secret Grand Operation" convened in the Academy conference room.
They'd chosen it because the student council had a meeting there afterward.
"Kitazawa-sensei likes yakiniku, and he's into takoyaki too…" Under everyone's gaze, Hinata shared yesterday's findings.
"Nice," Ino said, approving. "Mission accomplished."
"On Sensei's birthday, we'll take him to the best yakiniku place in Konoha!" Naruto announced grandly with a sweeping gesture.
"I'm in!" Akimichi Chōji shot both hands up. Barbecue was his favorite.
"We should think about the budget," Shikamaru said, glancing from Hinata to Chōji.
"No worries!" Naruto thumped his chest. "I got sponsorship from Gramps!"
"You can get sponsorships for this?" Kiba gaped.
"As expected of our President," Yakushi Kabuto said, pushing up his glasses with a smile. "Securing Hokage sponsorship twice."
"It's not that big a deal," Naruto said, suddenly shy.
"I have a piece of intel about Kitazawa-sensei too," Kabuto went on, eyes narrowing slightly.
"What is it?" Naruto asked quickly. Ino, Neji, and the others all looked his way. Aburame Shino nudged his glasses, perplexed—same glasses, so why was Kabuto so much more noticeable?
"Kitazawa-sensei specializes in Wind Release," Kabuto said evenly. "With a good ninja tool, Wind pairs beautifully and doubles the effect with the same effort."
Wind's cutting nature synergizes with weapons. In the original story, Sarutobi Asuma, a Wind specialist, used a pair of chakra blades.
"I—I'll gift him the tool!" Hinata blurted. Ninja tools are something you carry all the time. She wanted to see Kitazawa often using something she'd given him.
"That works," Kabuto nodded. "You're a better fit than me."
A quality ninja tool could cost a fortune. He was strapped for cash; Hinata was a rich loli.
"You just scored, so if you want to gift it, it's yours to give," Naruto said, admirably fair.
"Look at you already picking up the Hokage's bearing," Kiba teased.
"Obviously!" Naruto grinned. "My goal is to surpass all the Hokage!"
"I've got an idea," Ino said suddenly. "Kitazawa-sensei's birthday is close to New Year. I could gift him a kimono."
In the shinobi world, traditional dress—kimono—was customary for New Year.
"That's a solid gift," Shikamaru agreed.
"Hinata, I need a favor," Ino said, turning to her and pressing her palms together.
"W-what?" Hinata wasn't used to Ino being so solemn.
"To tailor a kimono we need his measurements," Ino explained. "You have the Byakugan. You're the best person for the job."
Hinata blinked, then agreed without overthinking it.
"Perfect!" Ino brushed a strand of blonde hair from her forehead and smiled. "Now it's your turn to sweat over what to give!"
"Hey!" Kiba protested. "We're classmates—help us brainstorm too!"
"I'm not going anywhere," Ino said, sitting back down. "Okay—ideas?"
Everyone fell into thought. Just then, two students from another class walked in.
"Did we get the wrong room?" one boy asked, startled.
"Timing's about right. Operation Two is adjourned," Naruto said. "Student council members, stay for the meeting."
"We're off, see you," Ino, Tenten, Hinata, and the others filed out.
…
8:40 a.m.
Kitazawa entered right on time. The pilot student council was all present.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Inuzuka Hana stepped up. "Here's the event plan I drafted."
"Good work." Kitazawa flipped it open. Overall, not bad—helped, of course, by the suggestions he'd given earlier.
"No issues," he said after reading. "Run the event according to this plan."
"Which day do we hold it?" Hana asked, taking the plan back.
"Promote over the next few days. We'll run the event next Friday," Kitazawa decided.
"Got it, Sensei!" Hana brightened; even her voice turned giddy. She'd thought it would land on Saturday or Sunday—Friday meant an extra day to have fun. The other students cheered too.
"If all goes well, the Hokage will attend on Friday," Kitazawa added with a smile. "Don't let him down."
"Yes, Sensei!" everyone chorused, buzzing with excitement.
"Great. I'll leave the rest in your hands," Kitazawa said, standing. "If you run into problems, come find me."
There was no need to linger; he'd said everything necessary. As long as they followed the plan, the event would go smoothly.
After first period, Kitazawa headed back to Kurenai's house.
"Back already?" Kurenai stood up from the rooftop.
"Why are you waiting up there?"
"Nothing else to do," Kurenai said. She hopped down and landed neatly in front of him—but the motion made her whole body ripple, her clothes showing a very springy elasticity.
"Eyes front," she scolded, catching his gaze and snapping a kick his way.
"Not my fault," he said without blinking. "It's yours—for being too beautiful."
"Smooth talker," she huffed, then couldn't help smiling.
"Before you learn sealing, you need to learn to draw sealing," Kitazawa said after a moment of appreciation, getting back to business.
Regular ninjutsu usually only requires hand seals. Sealing techniques don't; they need seals plus arrays. Most sealing jutsu are persistent—for example, the Four Symbols Seal and Eight Trigrams Seal that bound the Nine-Tails were meant to last until Naruto's death under normal circumstances. The technique he'd teach Kurenai today was the Fire Sealing Method. In theory, as long as the scroll doesn't break, the flames sealed inside can never escape.
"You don't use a brush to inscribe a seal—you use chakra," he said with a smile. "That means excellent chakra control."
"I'm a genjutsu kunoichi; my control is top-tier!" Kurenai clenched her fist.
"Then let's draw one right away." Kitazawa unrolled a scroll. "This is the drawing for the Fire Sealing Method."
There were no words on the scroll—just a circular seal, its lines formed by tadpole-like curse-script.
"Memorize it first," he said, taking out a blank scroll. "Then reproduce it with chakra."
"I'll try." Kurenai took a deep breath and placed her right hand on the scroll, slowly feeding chakra into it. Black script began to appear on the blank paper.
"You might have a real knack for this," Kitazawa said, smiling.
"That's becau—" She broke off as she slipped: a line of script went crooked, drifting off the intended path.
"First tries almost never work," he reassured her. "A few more attempts and you'll land it."
"Mhm." Kurenai didn't get discouraged. In theory, sealing is even harder than genjutsu—learning it slowly was normal.
…
The next day.
Under Sasuke and Naruto's lead, the student council launched its first event promo. Flyers, banners—the works—gave the Academy a distinct new vibe.
Kitazawa didn't take part. His days stayed simple: teach classes, coach students, run Water Style drills with Kiba, then teach Kurenai sealing after going home.
Half a week flew by. Thursday of the second week of November—tomorrow was the first event for the student council, a.k.a. the Will of Fire Club. It was "just" a quiz bowl, but thanks to generous prizes and a full week of promotion, signups had exploded. It wasn't an exaggeration to say there were hardly any students left who hadn't registered.
After his first class, Kitazawa headed to the Hokage Tower. He'd promised the students he'd bring the Hokage to attend.
As he arrived, three lines of text popped into view:
[Current Mission: Help Yakushi Kabuto learn three Wind Release jutsu.]
[Mission Reward: Earth Nature.]
[Mission Completed. Reward Granted.]
Kitazawa arched a brow. An unexpected surprise—but not exactly out of nowhere.
Kabuto was already an excellent medical-nin with a strong foundation; naturally he'd learn faster than someone like Ino.
With Earth in hand, Kitazawa now lacked only Lightning to complete the full set of basic natures.
~~~
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