Tsunade had sharply defined features, luminous fair skin, and a pair of bright, intelligent eyes. Her long hair was a brilliant golden blond; the front was cut in a hime cut, while the long, flowing hair at the back was tied behind her head.
Her figure was perfectly proportioned. Her slim waist and long legs gave her a graceful, elegant bearing, while her full, perky breasts added a touch of feminine softness to her presence.
She possessed a noble, elegant temperament, one born only from being raised in a prestigious clan and nurtured by her family for many years. Unfortunately, the successive deaths of her lover and younger brother in battle, coupled with her doubts about the Will of Fire, had left the once-strong woman with traces of hesitation and confusion in her heart.
But that did not diminish her charm. If anything, it made her seem all the more endearing.
Tsunade leaned against a workbench covered in all kinds of glassware. Though her eyes were bleary with drink, her mind remained clear, and she got straight to the point as soon as she spoke. "Why are you here? And why did you bring a little pervert?"
Hyuga Ningyuan silently gave her a thumbs-up. She really read people accurately!
"This is my newly accepted disciple. I brought him for you to take a look!" Sarutobi Biwako automatically ignored Tsunade's assessment of Hyuga Ningyuan. Who wasn't a pervert in Tsunade's eyes? Even her old man was one.
"Hyuga Ningyuan's talent is quite astonishing. Maybe he'll surpass you someday!"
Tsunade had already developed hemophobia. Sarutobi Biwako might not have been without the thought of using Hyuga Ningyuan to spur her into getting back on her feet, though she knew it would most likely be futile.
"Tch, him?" Tsunade shook her head disdainfully. Plenty of people these days claimed they would surpass her, but how many had actually succeeded?
Not one!
As for geniuses?
Could any genius be more gifted than Orochimaru?
He was nothing special!
"Heroes are not defined by youth, nor ambition by age," Hyuga Ningyuan said softly. "The waves behind drive on those before; each wave rises higher than the last. So long as history continues to advance and humanity continues to progress, those who come later will always surpass those who came before."
"If they cannot, wouldn't that mean we are standing still, or even moving backward?"
"You little brat, you sure have a way with words!" Tsunade laughed. "If you could rein in those eyes of yours and stop staring at my chest, your words might actually sound somewhat believable!"
Hyuga Ningyuan did not blush in the slightest. I'm lustful, I want your body, and I'm completely open about it. I deserve praise!
"Facts speak louder than words!" Hyuga Ningyuan said. "And in my opinion, surpassing you isn't difficult at all. I'm sure you at five weren't as good as I am at five. So as long as I surpass the six-year-old you when I'm six, the seven-year-old you when I'm seven, and the eight-year-old you when I'm eight—so long as I'm just a little stronger than you at every age—then I'll naturally surpass you!"
After thinking for a moment, Hyuga Ningyuan added, "Of course, I mean in medical ninjutsu!"
After all, comparing anything else would be a bit like bullying her. He cultivated immortality.
Tsunade was instantly speechless.
She had only begun studying medical ninjutsu at the age of eight. Never mind anything further back—in the five-to-eight age range, this brat's medical ninjutsu really was better than hers!
"I don't know whether your disciple is a genius, but I've certainly experienced how sharp his tongue is!" Tsunade said. "I have a feeling you'll have a hard time teaching him in the future!"
"Doesn't that just prove he's clever? Better than those kids who can't squeeze out a word even after half a day!" Biwako had long since acknowledged Hyuga Ningyuan. She had come to love the dog and its fleas—she saw only his strengths, and even his flaws became strengths.
Being talkative was good. It made communication easy!
"When I'm not around in the future, you can come to her with any questions!" Hyuga Ningyuan's best possible teacher was actually Tsunade, but Sarutobi Biwako knew Tsunade definitely would not take on a disciple.
So Biwako would take him on as her disciple, and then he could come to Tsunade whenever he had questions. The result would be the same!
"Just don't bother me with questions that are too simple!" Tsunade waved her hand. She did not particularly like her teacher, but she had no issue with her teacher's wife.
Besides, for the next three to five years, this child probably would not encounter any problems his teacher's wife could not solve.
By the time he truly ran into trouble, Tsunade would have long since left the village!
After returning to Sarutobi Biwako's office, Biwako brought out several books and asked, "Can you read?"
"I can!"
"Good!" Biwako nodded. "A medical ninja cannot get by merely knowing the Healing Technique and the Mystical Palm Technique. You need a clear understanding of human anatomy, meridians, bones, and the five viscera. There are also many illnesses that cannot be treated with medical ninjutsu, in which case herbs must be used. When we ninja go to war, we also encounter enemies who use poison. Chiyo of Sunagakure and Hanzō of Amegakure, for example, are both masters of poison, so poison identification and antidotes are required subjects for medical ninja!"
"Take these books home and memorize every one of them. Once you have them memorized, we'll move on to the next stage of study!"
"Okay!" Hyuga Ningyuan picked up the books: Human Anatomy, Human Skeleton, Understanding of the Five Viscera, Chakra Meridians, Fire Country Herbal Compendium, Ninja World Herbal Compendium, and Poison Identification and Antidotes.
He glanced at the authors. Five of the seven books had been written by Tsunade.
The other two, which introduced herbs, had been written by Shennong.
That was pretty damn impressive. Tsunade was not merely the Number One Medical Ninja—she had single-handedly established several entire systems of medical disciplines!
"I heard you go to the Yūhi Clan every afternoon to study genjutsu?" Sarutobi Biwako asked again.
"Yes!" Hyuga Ningyuan nodded.
"I'll speak with Yūhi Shinku later. You'll study genjutsu on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, come to my house and recite these books to me in person. On Saturdays and Sundays, you'll be my assistant and watch me treat patients and perform surgery!"
"Yes!" Hyuga Ningyuan nodded. Though the schedule was tight, it suited him perfectly.
As the saying went, the most dangerous place was the safest place. Every one of his movements would be under their noses—even under the Hokage's nose—so naturally no one would suspect that he had hidden abilities beyond genjutsu and medical ninjutsu.
This was called hiding in plain sight!
After all, in the eyes of ordinary people, a person's energy was limited. No matter how clever they were, they would never imagine that he had a cheat!
What, hadn't he said he wanted to lie flat and slack off?
Never forget the original purpose of lying flat: to reject exploitation, oppression, and PUA by capital; to seize every moment to study and train, improve one's abilities, and ultimately gain control over one's own fate.
Actually sleeping all day and doing nothing was not lying flat. That was being a useless shut-in.
"Don't go back today. Read here for now. If there are any words you don't recognize, ask me directly. You'll have lunch here too."
Sarutobi Biwako also wanted to see Hyuga Ningyuan's learning progress. It would be useless if he had talent for healing but was an idiot who could not memorize a book no matter how hard he tried.
But she had heard that he understood genjutsu as soon as he heard it and could use it the moment he got his hands on it. He probably would not have that kind of problem... right?
Before you continue