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Seeing Shiori training so diligently, Shari felt inspired and joined in today's exercises.
However, Shari didn't know that while he was training, Iruka had come to his house looking for him, only to find it empty. Scratching his head, Iruka's excitement subsided a little. At that moment, the Third Hokage called him over, asking him to bring Shari along.
Naturally, Iruka reported Shari's victory over him to the Third. After all, it was the Hokage's order—every teacher had to report the outstanding students in their class. Iruka had thought it would just be a formality, but he hadn't expected the Third to insist on having Shari brought over!
Was this a direct investment? Iruka felt genuinely happy for his student. Following the address provided during enrollment, he ran over—but Shari hadn't returned home at all!
He must still be training, then. Iruka took a deep breath. That seemed quite likely. Honestly, he had always been shocked by Shari's talent, but now, for the first time, it felt… almost acceptable.
The cold weather made Iruka shiver. There was nothing he could do—today was a holiday, after all. He decided to wait there for a while.
Shari, unaware that Iruka was waiting, used the leftover chakra after training to give himself a thunder massage. Though he had done this many times, each session brought him renewed physical and mental benefit. He found the experience not only rejuvenating for the body but also remarkably uplifting for the mind.
After finishing, Shari slowly closed his eyes, slipping into a state of emptiness and darkness.
Yes, he had made significant progress this semester. Now, after training, he no longer needed to reach the extreme state of void and darkness. Normally, he still couldn't enter that state directly, but he estimated he would soon be able to.
Entering the void for the first time was extremely difficult. But once he had done it, the difficulty decreased—like climbing a 90-degree cliff: once you reach a certain height, the remaining climb becomes a gentler slope. Still steep, but much more manageable.
This meant that the void state no longer aided Shari as much as before, but he still enjoyed entering it, observing his surroundings, and reflecting. In this state, his mind was remarkably clear.
Unfortunately, he still couldn't think too much, or he would exit the void state, though he was close.
Thus, the order of Kongming Massage and Thunder Shield Massage was arranged in the most reasonable way—but even combined, it still fell short of Shari's ultimate vision.
After some time, Shari opened his eyes and called Shiori over.
"Sorry to bother you again today, Shari," Shiori said with a hint of embarrassment.
"It's fine—a willing test subject is always important to me," Shari replied jokingly.
"Yes," Shiori nodded firmly, unbothered, feeling grateful.
Shari wasn't joking. Each time he entered the void state, his understanding of shape transformation deepened. And the best subject for such understanding was, naturally, Shari himself—his physical aptitude was high, and he could endure the process.
After the experiment, any progress he made would feed directly into his massage the next day—a twofold benefit.
Yet Shari didn't feel guilty using Shiori as a test subject. After all, if others were told, would they even volunteer themselves for the same treatment? The subject wasn't at risk, and the process even enhanced physical strength for free. Why not?
Shari quickly felt immense comfort, his whole body relaxing. As the Thunder Shield Massage progressed, its effect on him grew.
However, it still fell far short of Shari's own abilities. According to his experiments, the effect had a limit. Shari himself didn't possess lightning affinity; even if he received the massage daily, his resistance to lightning chakra only increased slightly.
Thus, as his strength grew, he could control chakra more precisely, but the maximum he could endure depended on his resistance to lightning. Too much resistance could injure him—a cost far too high.
Today's massage ended quickly. Shari looked at his hands and smiled, feeling that he had reached a new standard. His previous ideas could now continue.
After finishing training, Shari bid Shiori farewell. Shiori still had a long session of exercises and massages ahead.
Though ideally, the Thunder Shield Massage should follow Shiori's full training, Shari didn't have time to wait, nor would Shiori request it—so they left it at that.
Even though both knew how to maximize the effect, neither spoke of it.
Shari never minded helping Shiori, provided it didn't affect him. No matter what, he always prioritized his own interests—and that would continue in the future.
He looked up at the sky. Today was the last day of the semester, so no classes remained. Even after training, it was still early. Shinai probably hadn't finished work yet.
Lost in thought, Shari finally headed home—and saw Iruka standing outside.
"Iruka-sensei? What are you doing here?" Shari asked, surprised. Was he here to punish him? No, that didn't make sense.
Iruka shivered in the cold. The weather was chilly, and he could see from Shari's condition that he had been training.
Sighing, Iruka quickly explained the matter concerning the Third Hokage. Shari's eyes widened in shock.
A summons from the Third—what did this mean?
Shari's family was reputable, and he was talented. This kind of inquiry could only help him; there was no danger. Even if problems were found, he didn't need to fear execution.
"Let's go. The Third has probably been waiting a long time," Iruka said, his tone cold but firm.
"Should I clean up first?" Shari asked, pointing to his sweat-soaked body. "Would it be rude to go like this?"
"Yes, that's right," Iruka replied, agreeing.
Shari invited Iruka inside, prepared a cup of hot tea, and then went to the bathroom to change. Even while tidying up, Shari felt a sense of anticipation.
Chapter 41: Flying Thunder God and Massage
At Shari's home, Iruka sipped tea while observing the simple but spacious interior.
As he had guessed, the layout was simple but the house was not small. Considering Shari's father had been formidable in life, if he were still alive, he would surely have been a remarkable figure—perhaps even a Jonin.
Yet, Shari had grown up in such an environment, and his talent and diligence were truly impressive.
Soon, Shari emerged from the bathroom, wearing a rarely seen turtleneck under a simple white coat. His short black hair swayed in the wind, giving him a lively appearance.
Iruka's eyes lit up. "Shari looks really sharp when dressed up. Why have I never seen you like this at school?"
"Ah, I usually train, so I avoid wearing anything that could get damaged. Casual clothes are better for exercise," Shari replied casually.
"You've worked hard, Shari-san," Iruka said with a sigh.
"It's fine, Iruka-sensei. Let's go," Shari said, touching his hair to dry it.
Iruka suddenly noticed the airflow in the room, likely a result of Shari's shape transformation. He wasn't as surprised as before and nodded, following Shari to the Hokage's office.
"Lord Hokage, Shinkawa Shari has arrived," Iruka reported.
"Oh, Iruka. You're a bit slow. Did Shari go training and couldn't be found the first time?" the Third said, smiling. Though he hadn't checked with the crystal ball, he could guess what had happened.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," Iruka said, scratching his head.
"Well then, Iruka, step aside. I want to speak alone with our little genius."
"Yes!"
Iruka withdrew, leaving only Shari and the Third Hokage in the room.
Of course, this was only Shari's perception. In reality, ANBU members likely monitored them. Shari also curiously studied the Third before him—not the first time meeting, but the closest so far.
"Hehe, little one, I've heard your name from Naruto. It's good to finally meet you," the Third said kindly, like a grandfather next door.
"Yes, I've always wanted to meet you, Lord Hokage," Shari said shyly. He didn't doubt the Hokage had observed him before.
"Hehe, you must have heard the rumors about Naruto in the village. Many kids avoid him because of them. Shari, aren't you afraid of him?" the Third asked.
"Afraid? Why should I be afraid? I've never thought Naruto would hurt me. Besides, why is he called a monster? He hasn't done anything wrong," Shari said meaningfully.
"Shari, you must know about the Fourth Hokage," the Third continued, showing a hint of sadness. "He gave his life to stop the legendary beast and save the village."
"I know, of course. The Fourth Hokage is my idol!" Shari said, seeking to connect.
"Idol, hehe," the Third chuckled.
"But that has nothing to do with Naruto. Naruto is Naruto, the beast is the beast. Even if the monster is sealed in him, it doesn't concern him," Shari said firmly.
"Exactly, it's not important, though many don't see it that way," the Third sighed.
"They can think what they want. I know Naruto is a good person. When we get along… and moreover," Shari paused, "sealing the beast in Naruto is the village's debt to him, not the other way around."
"Does the village owe Naruto something?" the Third asked, intrigued.
"Yes. Naruto has done nothing to harm the village. On the contrary, he has helped it with his body. Therefore, the village owes him," Shari stated plainly.
"If people are afraid the beast will break free, aren't you scared?" the Third asked.
"Scared? Why should I be? If I am strong enough—stronger than the beast—I have nothing to fear," Shari said seriously, words simple but profound to the Third Hokage.
"Haha, you're strong enough? Indeed," the Third laughed, approving.
"So, the Fourth Hokage is your idol. Do you know his strongest jutsu?"
"Of course. His fame has spread across the ninja world. Most notably, his 'Instant Technique'!" Shari said, carefully avoiding the actual name, but describing it accurately.
"And it's not just ordinary teleportation—it's a unique technique only the Fourth mastered!" Shari added.
"Yes," the Third said, stroking his beard, nodding. Shari's answer was correct—he had done his research.
"Shari, do you want to learn this special teleportation technique?"
Shari froze, disbelief in his eyes.
"Can I really learn the Fourth Hokage's jutsu?"
"Yes. Techniques are meant to be learned. But know this: it was created by the Second, perfected by the Fourth, and is extremely difficult," the Third said seriously.
"I can learn it!" Shari exclaimed with joy.
"Hehe, it's not that easy. First, I must test you," the Third said, producing a scroll and a specially made kunai.
Shari recognized the kunai—it was the Fourth Hokage's, engraved with the Flying Thunder God symbol and the words "Sword of Ninja's Love."
"The Instant Technique of the Fourth is not easy. It requires talent and special aptitude. This kunai and the scroll contain the test. A semester later, I will assess your mastery. If you have talent, you may learn the Fourth's jutsu," the Third explained, handing them over.
Shari took them, sighing. He hadn't yet become the Flying Thunder God—but this was enough.
A test for learning the technique? As they say, you reap what you sow. The Fourth's students had to figure it out themselves; Shari's challenge would be far easier.
"Good luck, little genius. I hope to see the Instant Technique reappear in the ninja world," the Third Hokage said encouragingly.
"I'll do my best!" Shari said, tucking away the scroll and kunai.
The Third Hokage nodded, genuinely eager to see the Flying Thunder God Technique again. He had once considered learning it himself but lacked the ability to manipulate space and time. Even the Fourth had difficulty finding a suitable successor—Kakashi couldn't do it. He could only pass on parts of the technique to bodyguards.
He hoped Shari had the talent. Shari's potential reminded him of the Fourth—a perfect echo. If the semester test showed no aptitude, Shari would have to abandon the technique and focus elsewhere.
Soon, Shari left the Hokage's office, bidding Iruka farewell, and returned home alone.
Eagerly, he opened the scroll. The method was simple: channel chakra into the kunai's mark, slowly connect it to the ground, and then sense its position with his perception. The clearer the sense, the better.
The scroll also included a summoning technique for spiritual weapons. Once connected, this technique would summon the special kunai.
Thus, the summoning technique belonged to the space-time category. If he could guide the kunai with it, would it count as success?
Could it really be that simple? Shari suspected it involved mental focus, but the true test would come from the Third Hokage.
Shari looked at the kunai and reluctantly put it away. He wanted to start immediately, but his chakra was too low—even if he tried, he couldn't.