Chapter 50: Completion of the Antidote
For Tsunade, she believed that her hemophobia was unlikely to be cured.
To prevent her medical skills from fading away, she had long thought about finding a suitable disciple.
Previously, she had focused on her lover Dan's niece, Shizune, but after teaching her for some time, she found Shizune's talent quite ordinary.
Even with her guidance, it would be difficult for Shizune to achieve great success in medical ninjutsu.
Afterward, Tsunade couldn't find a suitable candidate and had nearly given up hope.
Until she saw Nan, which rekindled her resolve.
Nan was the son of her junior sister—her nephew—possessing both medical ninjutsu talent and ninja aptitude.
From her observations over this period, he had good character, and Tsunade believed he might be the best choice heaven sent to inherit her legacy.
Nan was unaware of all these considerations; he was merely excited to soon receive many of Tsunade's secret techniques.
Whether it was the Yin Seal or the Creation Rebirth technique, they were skills he had dreamed of in his previous life.
The Yin Seal allowed him to accumulate chakra over time, meaning the longer he endured, the stronger his power built up.
When danger came, he could instantly unleash the Seal, giving anyone a surprise.
Creation Rebirth wasn't as useful to him, since it overlapped with his Yin-Yang Release: Phantom Body ability.
However, the Yin-Yang Release: Phantom Body healing counted per use; each severe injury would consume one body clone, and summoning another required massive chakra.
If injured multiple times quickly without enough chakra to summon new clones, the Yin Seal and Creation Rebirth would become very valuable.
Creation Rebirth healed over time, making it more suitable for dense, continuous injuries.
In short, these techniques were all extremely resilient, lifesaving skills—perfect for cautious Nan, who valued survival above all else.
Thinking this, Nan feared missing this chance and quickly formally bowed to Tsunade, hoping to officially confirm their master-disciple relationship.
Though he had learned some from Tsunade before, their relationship then wasn't truly master and disciple—at best a registered student.
Now he was effectively Tsunade's personal disciple. Would she still hold back teaching him?
Seeing Nan respectfully bow, Tsunade felt a measure of pride and was very pleased with her disciple.
Unlike Shizune, who showed no respect and sometimes scolded her during gambling and drinking bouts.
After officially confirming their master-disciple bond, during gaps in the antidote development, Tsunade started formally teaching Nan the Yin Seal technique she inherited from her grandmother, plus her later-developed Byakugou Seal (Strength of a Hundred Seal) and Creation Rebirth.
Originally, Tsunade didn't plan to teach her other two signature moves—Superhuman Strength Fist and Heavenly Foot—yet, fearing that Nan might be overwhelmed trying to learn too much too quickly.
Moreover, the antidote research was nearing completion, and soon Nan would have to return to Konoha, so they didn't know when they would meet again.
Tsunade's intention was for Nan to grasp the basics of the Yin Seal, Byakugou Seal, and Creation Rebirth during this period to improve battlefield survivability.
But strangely, Nan had somehow heard that her Superhuman Strength and Heavenly Foot techniques were learnable, and insisted on learning them.
Tsunade naturally refused and explained her reasoning, which left Nan disappointed.
Unexpectedly, a few days later, Nan returned with a diamond-shaped seal on his forehead, saying he had mastered the Yin Seal.
He also claimed to have understood and memorized the Byakugou Seal and Creation Rebirth content; all that was left was mastery.
He hoped Tsunade could soon teach him the Superhuman Strength and Heavenly Foot techniques.
He explained, since the antidote would soon be finished, he had to leave and wanted to learn all her secret skills quickly to cultivate them alone and promote them.
Nan's reason for wanting to learn Superhuman Strength was that his Divine Speed technique lacked sufficient power.
Whether in battles with Kakashi or later with Orochimaru, he lacked decisive attack power and a one-hit knockout method.
The fight with Orochimaru had been barely survivable.
In his near defeat to Kakashi, where he only won cheating with genjutsu, if he'd had strong attack power at that time, Kakashi wouldn't have lasted.
Divine Speed placed too great a burden on the body in its incomplete state.
He felt that by learning Superhuman Strength and Heavenly Foot and combining these taijutsu techniques with speed and power, his fighting ability would greatly improve.
After hearing this, Tsunade suddenly realized and helplessly accepted it.
This kid was just that extraordinary—learning fast to a frightening degree.
She also noticed that, besides the Sharingan, Nan's memory was incredibly impressive; he seemed able to instantly remember and quickly understand anything spoken once.
Since he had quickly mastered the Yin Seal and formed a chakra seal on his forehead, it meant he wasn't far from mastering the Strength of a Hundred Seal and Creation Rebirth.
Having taught him her treasured techniques, she had no reason to withhold her usual combat skills.
Thus, Tsunade explained the key points and training methods of Superhuman Strength Fist and Heavenly Foot.
Both shared the same principle—making chakra boil inside the body to unleash greater power.
The difference was controlling chakra in the hands versus the feet, hence the two names.
Receiving these two moves, Nan thanked Tsunade again, left satisfied, and immediately began training.
He made two more shadow clones, adding two new jutsu to his training schedule.
Quiet times always pass quickly.
The Sand's poison was no challenge before two top world-class medical ninjas—Nan and Tsunade.
Only half a month had passed since Nan formally became Tsunade's disciple.
The antidote was completed in less than one and a half months, and today was the day Nan and Tsunade said farewell.
Nan said to Tsunade:
"Teacher, I have already basically mastered the jutsu you taught me. Now it's just a matter of proficiency and battlefield application.
Rest assured, I will carry forward everything you taught me. Someday, I'll find someone suitable to inherit these skills, so your techniques will shine forever."
Tsunade nodded with satisfaction, fully believing his words.
During this time, she had clearly witnessed Nan's talent and constant new surprises.
She said to him: "When you return, give my regards to the Third Hokage.
Also, Shizune will stay with me as my assistant, so she won't return with you. Please let the Third Hokage know."
Nan knew Tsunade wanted to keep Shizune nearby to protect her.
Shizune was an ordinary ninja, and the war had reached a stage where medical ninjas fought alongside teams on the front lines.
It was too dangerous for Shizune to go to the front without mastering Tsunade's ultimate skills.
Nodding, Nan replied, "Don't worry, Teacher Tsunade. I will truthfully report this to the Third Hokage. Goodbye, Teacher Tsunade, and Shizune."
He said farewell to the two without excessive reluctance, took the antidote, and set off to return to Konoha.