Monkey Stick Technique

"Was this really the secret scroll Uncle left behind?"

At the very top floor of the Senju Clan's secret archives, Senju Tōsu stared wide-eyed as the grand image of his uncle, the God of Shinobi, gradually crumbled.

He truly did not know how to describe this secret scroll. In short, it was nauseating to read, especially when he saw his own father being used as the unit for measuring Uncle's chakra outbursts. The feeling was beyond awkward.

"It really is Great-Grandfather's handwriting!"

Tsunade nodded from the side, confirming that it was indeed her great-grandfather's handwriting. The lofty image she had of him also collapsed.

This was the secret scroll inheritance left behind by the God of Shinobi?

This was the thing that little pervert had obtained?

"What should we do about Grandma and that little pervert?"

Pulling her gaze away from that bizarre scroll, Tsunade asked gloomily.

They could not seriously let that brat get together with her grandmother and become her step-grandfather, could they?

"Find a chance to kill that brat!"

Senju Tōsu likewise withdrew his gaze from the nauseating secret scroll, his expression turning vicious.

Although the scroll showed that the brat had not truly inherited Uncle's legacy, he still could not tolerate him getting together with his aunt. If that really happened, how would he address Shimura Danzō in the future?

Grandfather?

Neither he nor the Senju Clan could afford that humiliation!

"If you're not afraid of getting hung up and whipped by Grandma, go ahead!"

Tsunade shot him a glare, thoroughly disapproving of such an extreme approach.

Although she had previously wanted nothing more than to humanely destroy that little pervert, she had only been furious at the time. Actually killing him was definitely out of the question. At most, she could beat him until he could no longer take care of himself.

Tsunade's reminder made Senju Tōsu shudder. Recalling the shadow of his childhood, he immediately dismissed his earlier proposal before coming up with a new idea.

"Then castrate him!"

Since they could not kill him, they could make sure the brat could no longer be a man. That would solve the problem just as well.

"Don't do anything reckless. That little pervert is Shimura Danzō's only son. If you make that old man's line end, he definitely won't let it go. I'll talk to that little pervert first and see if I can convince him to leave Grandma on his own!"

After warning him, Tsunade still did not approve of such an extreme solution. She planned to find an opportunity to speak with the little pervert first and see whether words could settle the matter.

After saying that, she got up to search for the notes left behind by her great-grandfather and second great-grandfather, preparing to complete the copying task her grandmother had assigned.

Meanwhile, Shimura Kentei had no idea that his twin brother had already been targeted. At that moment, he was developing a C-Rank Body Strengthening Secret Technique in the Black Cauldron Space.

Although there was nothing particularly valuable on the first floor of the Senju Secret Archives, he had still gained quite a bit. Some notes left by Senju Clan ancestors mentioned genuine insights here and there, gradually giving him ideas for a C-Rank Body Strengthening Technique.

Of course, those alone were far from enough to create a C-Rank Body Strengthening Secret Technique, and it required countless attempts and sacrifices.

Like this time!

Within the Black Cauldron Space, Shimura Kentei controlled his duplicate and assumed a horse stance. Before long, a dull thud suddenly came from its chest, followed by blood pouring from its seven orifices.

In that brief moment, its heart had been shattered by chakra. If duplicates in the Black Cauldron Space could not revive infinitely, it would have been long dead.

He did not lose heart. After recovering, he tried again, only to die once more a few seconds later. This time, a blood vessel in his brain had ruptured, another fatal injury.

Ever since discovering that his duplicates could revive and recover without limit, he had understood how to make use of that trait.

In his previous life, there had been many ways to innovate something new. One of them was called trial and error.

As its name implied, trial and error was a method of eliminating mistakes through constant experimentation, a learning method based purely on accumulated experience.

Through continuous experimentation, one summarized the lessons of failure and used them as a foundation to find the correct method.

This method was the most time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it was perfectly suited to the duplicates' ability to revive and recover endlessly.

It was precisely through trial and error that he had developed his current Body Strengthening Secret Technique using soundwave vibrations as its foundation.

Unfortunately, the Shimura Clan had not done much research into physical enhancement, and its foundation in that area was severely lacking. Even with this cheat, after several years, he had only managed to deduce the Body Strengthening Secret Technique to the D-Rank level.

After dying who knew how many times, Shimura Kentei withdrew from the Black Cauldron Space. Looking at the morning sunlight streaming through the window, he got up to wash up and eat breakfast.

His life had been very regular these past few years. He rested for ten hours every night while his consciousness remained in the Black Cauldron Space, either testing methods on himself to constantly refine the Body Strengthening Secret Technique or engaging in actual combat sparring with Keiko's duplicate.

That was real combat—a battle to the death!

"Did I miss something last night?"

Walking into the living room and seeing the human-shaped dent in the wall, Shimura Kentei felt that he had probably missed quite a show the previous night.

Without dwelling on it, he washed up and headed to the dining room to enjoy the lavish breakfast Shimura Lu had prepared. Glancing at Senju Nawaki stuffing his face across from him, he curiously asked Shimura Lu, "Where's Miss Mido?"

"That lady seems to have a habit of sleeping in!"

Shimura Lu, who was also enjoying breakfast nearby, recalled escorting that lady back then and felt that she was probably sleeping in right now.

"Save a breakfast for Miss!"

Shimura Kentei gave the order casually, unsurprised by this. After all, sleeping in was one of the defining traits of creatures known as young ladies, was it not?

Especially since that young lady seemed to be of very senior standing. That meant no elders would be around to keep her in line, so naturally she lived rather freely.

"It's already prepared!"

Shimura Lu nodded. Then, as if remembering something, he took out a Sealed Item Scroll from the ninja tool pouch behind him and unsealed it, revealing a large pile of scrolls.

"These are the inheritances obtained from the last trade. The young madam has already sorted them out!"

"I'm full!"

Seeing Shimura Lu bring out those scrolls, Senju Nawaki hurriedly finished the breakfast in front of him and ran off in a flash.

After all, the secret technique inheritances the Senju Clan had brought out for the last trade had not been much either. Staying would only make things more awkward.

After swallowing the rice porridge in his mouth and rinsing with tea from the side, Shimura Kentei casually picked up a scroll. Seeing the two characters Sarutobi on it, he could not help falling into thought.

Judging by the size of this scroll, it did not seem capable of recording any high-level inheritance.

"Wasn't Hokage Uncle close enough with my father to share a blanket? Why did he only bring out this little?"

Shimura Kentei was baffled. He truly could not understand Sarutobi Hiruzen's move.

It would have been one thing if the other ninja clans acted like this, but he was his father's best buddy. Did he really need to be this stingy?

Besides, he was practically his nephew-in-law!

Shimura Lu said nothing, because this was not really something he could comment on. From the Sarutobi Family's standpoint, there was nothing wrong with what they had done. All he could say was that his young master was too naive.

In truth, he also could not understand why the clan head would allow the young master to mess around like this.

Or had the clan head truly ordered it?

Shimura Kentei did not mind Shimura Lu's silence, because he could more or less guess the reason. He could only blame himself for overestimating the magnanimity of the ninja clan powers.

"Remove those clans from the catering plan. We'll do it ourselves!"

His expression gradually turning cold, Shimura Kentei gave the order in a low voice.

He had asked Shimura Lu and the other seven to recreate the Chinese cuisine from his previous life not merely to satisfy his appetite. More importantly, it was to make money—big money!

His experiences from his previous life had already proven that if one wanted to make big money, one had to target the wallets of women and children. Food was undoubtedly a major breakthrough point.

Originally, he had wanted to lead Konoha's ninja clan powers into prosperity together. Now, however, it seemed those ninja clan powers did not want to make this money with Lord Kentei. In that case, they could not blame him for taking the whole cake for himself.

"The clan head has brought in quite a few smaller clans this time. We can let them participate. Otherwise, our Shimura Clan alone will have a hard time swallowing this feast!

"After all, Master Yunzhongniao's series of businesses has already made many ninja clans jealous."

"Do whatever you want!"

Shimura Kentei replied indifferently. He had no intention of interfering too much in this matter. As long as the business made money and allowed him to buy what he needed, that was enough.

As for how it would be run, that was for his father and his fiancée to handle. He believed the two of them would take care of it properly.

"Monkey Stick Technique!"

Unrolling the Sarutobi Family's secret technique scroll in his hand and reading the first line, Shimura Kentei deeply felt the malice coming from the Sarutobi Family.

"Is that old man monkeying around with me?"

He slammed a furious fist onto the table. This was utterly outrageous.

The Sarutobi Family's taijutsu centered on staff techniques, but the foundation of those staff techniques lay in the Monkey Clan, the summoning beasts passed down through the Sarutobi Family for generations.

The Monkey Clan possessed powerful bodies and could transform into hard, long staffs. A small number of monkeys could even attain bodies of diamond, capable of directly withstanding certain divine weapons and ninjutsu.

For example, Sarutobi Hiruzen's Monkey King, Enma, possessed a body said to be impervious like diamond.

The Sarutobi Family's staff techniques had countless variations. Their foundation was the Monkey Clan's transformed staffs, which could change shape freely and even grow arms to launch secondary attacks.

Once deprived of the Monkey Clan's support, the power of this staff technique would plummet. At most, it could be considered a D-Rank taijutsu.

This was the equal exchange that old man had mentioned?

"With such a petty mindset, you still have the nerve to be village chief? No wonder Konoha declined under your leadership!"

Shimura Kentei curled his lip in disdain, making no effort to hide his contempt.

As the leader of a village, there were things one could lack, but boldness and magnanimity absolutely could not be among them. Just look at Uncle Dong from Tazhai Village—what overwhelming presence!

Clearly, Sarutobi Hiruzen's title of Shinobi Hero did not live up to its name. Or perhaps that title merely praised his strength.

Shimura Lu said nothing. The Hokage was not someone he could criticize. However, after Senju Nawaki left, he had already set up a Wind Release barrier that could isolate sound and ensure outsiders would not overhear them.

After all, this was the Senju Clan's territory, not the Shimura Clan's.

Although Shimura Kentei was upset, he still finished reading the staff technique scroll.

While the technique's power would drop drastically without the Monkey Clan's cooperation, it was still worth reading and could further enrich his knowledge.

"Uncle Torifu has learned to play tricks too!"

Opening the secret technique scroll marked with the characters Akimichi, Shimura Kentei sighed.

He had originally thought Torifu Akimichi, with his thick brows and big round face, was an honest man. Who would have thought he was cut from the same cloth as Sarutobi Hiruzen? All that respect and trust he had placed in him before had been wasted.

The Akimichi Clan had provided an A-Rank secret technique, but just like the Sarutobi Family's Monkey Stick Technique, it came with enormous restrictions. It was only compatible with the Akimichi Clan's unique constitution.

This secret technique allowed the Akimichi Clan to accelerate the digestion of food and convert it into chakra, storing it in the body as fat. When needed, they could burn it to produce massive amounts of chakra. It also contained a tiny portion of the principles and techniques behind the Expansion Jutsu, serving as the foundation for the Akimichi Clan's series of Expansion Secret Techniques.

However, this secret technique was only suitable for the Akimichi Clan. Although the Akimichi Clan was a secret technique clan rather than a bloodline-limit clan, hundreds of years of secret technique cultivation had long made their constitutions different from ordinary people. Accumulating massive amounts of fat would not place stress on their bodies, and rapidly consuming it would not cause sudden death or similar symptoms.

Otherwise, if anyone else cultivated this secret technique, they would develop high blood lipids, fatty liver, and similar illnesses before they even got the chance to burn their fat.

So this thing was tasteless to eat yet a pity to throw away—utterly useless. The Akimichi Clan had actually tried to play tricks on him.

Fine. He, Shimura, would remember this. Even if they knelt and begged him in the future, they could forget about making money with him.

"Wait, this seems like another excellent source of income!"

As though he had suddenly thought of something, Shimura Kentei's gaze fell on the Akimichi secret technique scroll in his hand again, and he discovered a major business opportunity.

A major business opportunity that might even surpass the catering plan!