In the Hokage's building.
*Knock!*
"Hokage-sama. Here's the report you've requested." Once a small tap of the wooden door was heard, the deep voice rang outside.
"Come in..."
Hiruzen, in the office took his beloved pipe and puffed it with a weary expression on his profile. Thick haze then oozed from his mouth, tapping his desk using finger rhythmically in a habit.
Then, as each inch of the door extended, the ANBU operatives walked. Offering his reverence for the Hokage, he bowed slightly and submitted a stack of documents he had kept up all along the way up to the office.
Hiruzen reached out and unfurled the cover underneath the manuscript. For a while, he felt complicated. Scowl, relief, and a sigh have been indicated in his countenance after reading the papers.
"Is there something wrong sir?" The ANBU shinobi tilted his head, appearing to be concerned about his leader's obvious weariness.
"Hahaha... Never mind it. Pay attention to these children in the meantime." Hiruzen's eyes softened before he tapped his finger on the names in the document. "We hadn't been able to get some exceptional students in the past so take my directive as of the utmost importance."
"Personally convey and emphasize nurturing children on behalf of my presence. You may now leave." Holding a pipe in his hand, Hiruzen politely dismissed the ANBU operative and took a puff.
As the smoke exuded in his mouth, the shinobi knelt until he disappeared like the dense haze he had blown up. All alone, Hiruzen once more took a glance at the delivered manuscript cover willfully.
[Academy Registry]
Then, he unfolded the document one by one until he stopped at a certain record of a child. Tapping his finger, Hiruzen couldn't resist puffing on a pipe.
"What should I do about this matter..."
Once he muttered, the sunlight's glare penetrated through the glass of the window and shone into Hiruzen's profile. Therefore, the faint outline of his silhouette mirrored his uncertainty and dismay, considering how to approach the child's case.
...
...
...
In the Ninja Academy.
The sweltering heat of the summer and the sweaty feeling within the classroom felt breathtaking. As the cacophony of voices reverberated, Jiraiya fanned the heat by using his garments while brushing the sweat on his forehead before he said, "What a pain. Is this heat trying to get us killed or what? This summer wasn't like this in the past!"
"Ugh... My thoughts are exactly like yours." Slumping at the desk, Tsunade blew up her bangs which came down to her forehead in dampness.
In contrast, Orochimaru's long hair swayed while the sunny breeze blew in the windows, closing his eyes and enjoying the wind drafts wafting on his face.
"Do you all want to commence the refining?" Yoichi one by one glanced at the three, unfazed by the turbidity of the temperature.
Hearing this, the three's eyes lit up and consequently nodded in approval.
In the past 6 months, they all tried to breakthrough without using Qi Blood Pills. Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Tsunade had their own ego as extraordinary children. As a consequence, the three of them didn't even attempted to refine their skin unattended anymore.
"Hell yeah! This is what I've been waiting for!" Jiraiya cheered.
"Let's do it after the class. We can skip them, after all." Orochimaru's remark made Jiraiya and Tsunade glimpse at him in a different light.
'He's not wrong. There's nothing else to be taught in the academy. It's fun when I finally be able to graduate here!' Tsunade thought, propping a hand on her chin.
The curriculum in the Ninja Academy was quite hard and extensive but the 4 children were very outstanding at the tasks anything that the instructors carefully appointed for the 4 youths.
In other words, it was demanding for other children around, not for them.
"Alright... Now that you are all determined to break through, let's finish this right after this class." Yoichi nodded in acknowledgment, aware of their evident excitement ever since they cultivated Martial Arts.
"Greetings to the instructor!!!"
"Sit down."
As the instructor came in, the children including the 4 of them greeted the instructor nonchalantly. In a while, the lessons taught by the instructor rang in their heads yet the 3 children has been so silently eager to the point that none of them listened closely to the instructor at the front.
...
...
...
After class, one of the free rooms.
"Let's begin. Now, strip."
"Hah?!"
Once Yoichi frankly said his words, Tsunade's face slightly flushed until she glared at Yoichi with hostility. In contrary, Jiraiya and Orochimaru tilted their heads in vexation.
"Ahem!" Yoichi awkwardly push aside his candid remark and continued, "You all need to bare naked before you could truly refined your bodies. I also did the same thing! That's why I requested an unused room for this."
Jiraiya and Orochimaru nodded their heads in understanding, Tsunade raised an eyebrow and said, "But what– What about my privacy?! What if this pervert dared to peek at me?"
"Hey, don't slander me!" Jiraiya took the brunt of Tsunade's contemptuous remark, retaliating in his defense.
"... That's why there's a curtain near you. I will supervise the situation so don't be bothered with his presence. Is that okay now?" At this moment, Yoichi shook his head in helplessness and unveiled the numerous curtains.
"Fine! I'll believe in you." Tsunade took off into the curtain side begrudgingly.
"Then what about me?" Jiraiya felt the preferential treatment for Tsunade so he asked for his own personal space.
"... Haaaahhh. There were a lot of curtains so cover yourself!" Yoichi rubbed his temples in sheer disbelief.
"Take the ointment and the pills. If your respective share is depleted, then tell me as soon as possible." Yoichi added with a stern voice.
This breakthrough was not a game, after all. Many Martial Artists in the past prematurely died in a simple mistake. Therefore, he was very wary and sharp in these kinds of scenario.
Sharingan!
After each of the three received one ointment and 3 Qi Blood Pills, Yoichi activated his Sharingan out of his precaution if something bad occurred.
"Hot! Hot! Hot! Goddamn it!"
"Hiss!"
"GGGGRRRRKKKKK!!!"
Now, the three began their refinement process. With unparalleled perception, Yoichi nodded in acknowledgment before he attentively paid attention.
Based on my random knowledge, women has a higher pain tolerance than men. I don't know where I get that information but it looks like Tsunade was mentally that strong.
Although the research study wasn't that conclusive with evidences, Yoichi simply based his views on the current scene where Jiraiya and Orochimaru were screaming in pain while Tsunade was hissing amidst the discomfort.
I can do it! If not, then I'll make Yoichi disappointed in me!!!
Jiraiya gritted his teeth while his face went ashen from the agonizing and searing heat in his bloodstream as if he was being boiled alive in a hot pot.
For power, I'll do what it takes to be like grandfather! And... For him too!
Tsunade nailed his Dragon Elephant Posture perfectly, biting her lips from preventing her outcry to come out.
Martial Artssss... How terrifying!
"GRAAAHHHH!"
Orochimaru let out his raspy voice as his scream echoed across the room, revealing a light of fiery persistence in his eyes.
The rigorous refinement process demanded extreme willpower and sufficient physique vitality to begin with.
If one of the two were out of hand, then anything bad could happen.
That's why in Martial Arts Manhwas, the elderlies were trying to earnestly teach kids at a very young age like them. To instantly separate the rotten ones away from the excellent crops.
________________
(Current Progress)
[Realm: Skin Refining Stage] (Jade Skin)
[Heavenly Demon Posture: (Perfection) 48/1000]
[Mountain Crushing Fist: (Small Success) 250/300]
[Lightning Spear Thrust: (Small Success) 247/300]
[Phantom Steps: (Small Success) 290/300]
[Secret Technique: Face Changing (Entry) 89/100]
[Tickets: 1 Prismatic, 0 Gold, 0 Silver.]
________
Shoutout to TwinLoongs, blazebr5144, and doomslayer24 for the Power Stones! Thank you seniors, I'll make sure I'm going to improve more in my Writing Dao, benefactor!