Watermelon Tai Chi Fist

"A watermelon, round and round,

Split it in half with one chop,

You take one half, he takes the other,

Early in the morning, facing the rising sun, Shimura Kentei led the newly recovered Jiraiya in practicing Tai Chi Fist on the balcony of Konoha Hospital. It was a martial arts secret technique he had painstakingly learned in his previous life, second only to square dancing and the Eighth Radio Calisthenics Routine.

"Is this Tai Chi Fist of yours really reliable?"

Following Shimura Kentei's movements, Jiraiya asked suspiciously. He could not shake the feeling that this Tai Chi Fist was unreliable, especially that set of verses.

"It's absolutely reliable. It was verified by Wang Ye, the Daoist Master!"

Shimura Kentei responded with a serious expression, completely certain on that point.

Daoist Master Wang was a distinguished disciple of Wudang Mountain, a true direct descendant. This was how he taught his own father. How could it be wrong?

After all, Daoist Master Wang would not deceive even his own father, would he?

"Wang what?"

Jiraiya asked curiously, still feeling that this Tai Chi Fist was unreliable.

"So this was how you diverted the power of the Monster Strength Technique that day?"

Watching from the side, Tsunade seemed thoughtful. She had roughly discerned the mystery behind this Tai Chi Fist.

Put plainly, it was nothing more than improving control over one's body. Moreover, this taijutsu was very gentle, fitting perfectly with the phrase on the scroll: overcoming hardness with softness.

"This is the foundation. As long as you master Tai Chi Fist, your control over your muscles, tendons, and bones will improve tremendously."

As he performed the watermelon version of Tai Chi Fist, Shimura Kentei explained.

He did not know how authentic Tai Chi Fist from his previous life worked, but the essence of the version he had developed was enhancing control over the body. That force-diverting technique from before had been devised based on the control gained through practicing Tai Chi Fist.

Originally, he had wanted to see whether he could create things like overt force, hidden force, and transformative force from martial arts novels, but unfortunately, he had failed.

Still, the effect with chakra assistance was not bad. Perhaps he could turn it into a version of Tai Chi Fist from Jin-style wuxia novels.

"It's too soft and slow. Not my thing!"

After watching for a while, Tsunade quickly lost interest. She disliked this taijutsu. Compared to it, the simple and brutal hard-fist style suited her tastes far better.

"Tai Chi Fist balances hardness and softness, combining the two great schools of hard fist and soft fist. Its training method simply leans toward the gentle route. You can make it faster too."

As he spoke, Shimura Kentei accelerated, erupting within the limits his injuries could withstand. He even used the Super Speed Technique and Super Strength Technique to stimulate his nerves and muscles for an additional boost.

In an instant, the previously slow and soft Tai Chi Fist became swift and fierce, its strikes cracking through the air. Even Orochimaru, who had remained silent all this time, became interested.

It was his first time seeing a taijutsu capable of encompassing both the hard-fist and soft-fist schools.

After performing the watermelon version of Tai Chi Fist ten times in a single minute, Shimura Kentei finished his routine and slowly exhaled a long breath.

"When practicing Tai Chi Fist, you can hang a large iron ball from chains as an aid. As your physical fitness and control over your strength improve, keep increasing the weight of the iron ball. The results are quite good."

Shimura Kentei generously shared his training experience without reservation. He did not care much about such things; compared to them, that Golden Energy was far more important.

It had previously given him an ability to merge bodies. He wondered what ability it would grant him next time.

Right now, he wished he could spread all the cultivation methods he had devised throughout the entire ninja world and turn every ninja into a tool for acquiring Golden Energy.

That generous and selfless attitude caused a dreamy look to appear in Tsunade's beautiful eyes as she recalled her long-deceased granduncle.

Jiraiya sighed with emotion and regret.

This bargain disciple suited his tastes far too well. Unfortunately, his physical aptitude was too poor, severely limiting his growth. Otherwise, he would surely have been the Child of Destiny Jiraiya had been searching for.

What a pity!

Shimura Kentei peacefully practiced his punches and recuperated at Konoha Hospital, occasionally admiring the young nurses. Meanwhile, every ninja clan in Konoha was thrown into an uproar.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others worked efficiently. The next day, they gathered the heads of all Konoha's major clans to discuss the matter.

As expected, the proposal to make that E-Rank Body Strengthening Secret Technique part of the Ninja Academy curriculum was opposed by every ninja clan head.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others were not discouraged. Just as Shimura Kentei had done with Tsunade, they first gave each major ninja clan a small portion of the Body Strengthening Secret Technique as bait.

They had briefly studied the Body Strengthening Secret Technique beforehand. Its principles were indeed simple, but its training methods were incredibly complicated and dangerous. One careless mistake could lead to crippling injuries at best and death at worst.

Unless those ninja clan forces were willing to sacrifice tens of thousands of clan members, they had no chance of completing the entire cultivation method based on that small portion.

And even if they truly steeled themselves to do it, it would take at least ten years of development. None of those ninja clan forces could accept that.

Several days later, within the Hyuga Clan, the current main family patriarch, Tokugawa Hyuga, looked down at his two sons kneeling before him.

"Hiashi, what do you think our Hyuga Clan should choose this time?"

After a long silence, Tokugawa Hyuga finally spoke, treating this as both a test and an opportunity to train his eldest son.

The clan would eventually have to be entrusted to his eldest son. It was better to put effort into training him now than to have him scrambling in the future.

The Hyuga Clan's patriarch was not an easy position to hold. Not only were there serious hidden dangers within the clan, but the ninja clans in the village were not easy to deal with either. Not to mention the other ninja villages, which had long coveted the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

Hyuga Hiashi naturally saw that this was his father's test and training. After carefully considering it, he said, "I believe we have no room to choose at all!"

"You are right. Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others have indeed left us no room to choose. Even if we refuse, they can still proceed with it in secret."

Tokugawa Hyuga was very satisfied with his eldest son's answer, but his expression soon darkened with gloom.

He had long understood the situation. On the surface, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others were seeking their opinions, but in reality, they were forcing the ninja clans to yield.

There was nothing wrong with the Hokage faction supporting civilian ninjas. Politically, it was the correct thing to do.

This was an open scheme. Even if they saw through it, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.

"I cannot understand how the Shimura Clan managed to develop this Body Strengthening Secret Technique with its foundation. Even our Hyuga Clan would find it difficult to accomplish."

Hyuga Hiashi voiced the doubt in his heart. No matter how he thought about it, he could not understand it, and he was deeply unwilling to accept it.

Though the Hyuga Clan was a dojutsu ninja clan, the Byakugan was merely an auxiliary tool. Gentle Fist taijutsu was their true core, and their understanding of the human body was extremely thorough. They even possessed a Body Strengthening Secret Technique of their own.

However, only main family members with complete Byakugan could learn the core of that Body Strengthening Secret Technique, and it was extremely difficult to master. It could not be widely spread, making it of little significance to a great clan.

It was far inferior to the Shimura Clan's Body Strengthening Secret Technique, which practically had no threshold. As long as one succeeded in training it, anyone could become a taijutsu-type Chunin.

It was even more beneficial for ninjas specializing in ninjutsu and genjutsu, greatly compensating for the weakness of poor physical fitness. This was not as simple as one plus one.

The Shimura Clan was, at most, a secret technique clan. How could it create such a Body Strengthening Secret Technique?

"What else could they have done? Piled up human lives!"

Tokugawa Hyuga sneered, filled with disdain for the Shimura Clan. It was the pride and confidence of a top-tier great clan.

This Body Strengthening Secret Technique had taken an unconventional path, one pushed to the absolute extreme. Its dangers made his scalp tingle even after reading it. He could fully imagine how many people the Shimura Clan had sacrificed for this technique.

Definitely over a hundred thousand. That also matched the Shimura Clan's usual way of doing things!

Still, the Shimura Clan was truly capable. They had never revealed even the slightest flaw before.

"Since we can obtain it directly, should we call Suzune back?"

Hyuga Hiashi suddenly made a request. Originally, they had arranged for Hyuga Suzune to join Tsunade Squad partly to get close to Shimura Kentei and obtain the Body Strengthening Secret Technique from him.

But since they could now obtain the Body Strengthening Secret Technique directly, there was naturally no need to let Suzune remain in Tsunade Squad.

He had no issue with Tsunade, that senior of his, but the Senju Clan was no easy target. In particular, the current clan head, Senju Tōsu, was far too similar to the Second Hokage.

He did not wish to have too much contact with that man or the Senju Clan.

"No rush. The Shimura Clan's actions this time are too strange. I suspect the Body Strengthening Secret Technique they offered is not the complete version!"

Tokugawa Hyuga narrowed his aged eyes slightly and rejected his eldest son's suggestion.

He and Shimura Danzō were from the same generation, and he understood that man's temperament and methods very well. This incident was too strange and did not fit that man's style at all.

Letting a junior oversee such an important matter was one thing, but he had even allowed that boy to offer the Body Strengthening Secret Technique as a trade and make it Ninja Academy teaching material.

Was Shimura Danzō, and was the Shimura Clan, really so generous and selfless?

At any rate, he did not believe it in the slightest. There had to be a trap somewhere.

"That can't be possible, can it? That Body Strengthening Technique is already very complete. It covers every aspect of the body and can even slightly train the brain."

Hyuga Hiashi's eyes widened. He strongly disagreed with that claim. The Body Strengthening Secret Technique the Shimura Clan had presented was already astonishing. How could there be something even more complete?

"Nothing is impossible in the ninja world. I even suspect that the Shimura Clan may currently possess a stronger C-Rank Body Strengthening Technique.

Let Suzune remain in Tsunade Squad and see whether that boy can improve further."

A cold glint flickered in Tokugawa Hyuga's aged eyes. At this moment, he was incomparably wary of Shimura Danzō and the Shimura Clan.

"Tomorrow, you will represent the clan at the Hokage Building to discuss this matter!"

His gaze returned to his eldest son. This was another test.

"Me?"

Hyuga Hiashi's eyes widened again. He was somewhat stunned. Though he was the young clan head of the Hyuga Clan, he was not yet qualified to represent the Hyuga Clan at such an important meeting.

"Shimura Danzō has only sent out a junior to handle this matter. Do you expect me to discuss things with a little child?"

Tokugawa Hyuga shot him a glare. He had long planned this out. In any case, he would not go personally.

"Then... then what should we offer in exchange with the Shimura Clan for the complete Body Strengthening Secret Technique?"

Startled by his father's glare, Hyuga Hiashi hurriedly lowered his head slightly before asking.

Since it had been agreed that this was an exchange, they could not go empty-handed. But Sarutobi Hiruzen had said it would be an equivalent exchange.

In terms of true value, the complete Body Strengthening Secret Technique was enough to rival the Hyuga Clan's entire Gentle Fist system.

But handing over the entire Gentle Fist system was obviously impossible. It was the foundation of the Hyuga Clan.

"Do you need your father to teach you even such a trivial matter?"

Tokugawa Hyuga glared at him again, feeling that this eldest son still needed proper instruction. His personality was too rigid, and he did not know how to adapt.

"Please enlighten me, Father!"

Hyuga Hiashi obediently asked. He truly had no idea in this regard.

"Didn't they say this secret technique was classified as D-Rank? Just select a D-Rank inheritance from the clan's Gentle Fist system and send it over."

Hyuga Hiashi was dumbfounded. He had never expected there to be such a method, but after thinking about it carefully, it actually seemed rather reasonable.

D-Rank for D-Rank. Very fair!

After giving his eldest son Hyuga Hiashi a few more instructions, Tokugawa Hyuga finally dismissed him. As for his second son, Tokugawa Hyuga had not looked directly at him even once from beginning to end.

Since he had already become part of the Branch Family, there was nothing more to say. He only needed to obey the will of the main family.

Similar scenes played out among Konoha's major ninja clans as they all prepared for tomorrow's meeting.

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