Yang Release Enhancement (Please Keep Reading)

The aftermath of the Chunin Exams was still brewing, and the reappearance of the Flying Thunder God Technique could hardly fail to draw everyone's attention and excitement.

However, none of this had much to do with Hidezawa. After leaving the Orphanage, he had gone straight to Root, and now he was lying low in the Anbu.

It was already difficult enough for Konohagakure's ninja to know about him, and he was not someone like Kakashi.

"Your distinguishing features are so obvious. What are you doing in the Anbu?"

Konohagakure's Anbu mask setup was truly absurd. If everyone had short hair and the same hair color, then it would be normal not to recognize them with masks on.

But the hair colors of people in this world were genuinely hard to put into words.

Take Kakashi's head of white hair, for example. Yugao's hair was even purplish. They could practically be recognized at a glance!

No wonder that brat Kakashi gets recognized wherever he goes.

Hidezawa did not have that problem, at least not for the time being.

Moreover, he had mostly been carrying out missions within the village lately. Whenever he had nothing to do, he liked sneaking near crowds to listen to how people bragged about him!

But now, Hidezawa had something of a headache on his hands: Naruto.

"Alright, now that you've eaten and drunk your fill, aren't you going home?"

Sitting inside Ichiraku Ramen, Hidezawa called out to Naruto beside him.

"Right away, right away."

Naruto slurped up his noodles as he replied indistinctly. Then, he drained the soup from his bowl in one gulp before patting his stomach.

"Finally full. Then..."

Little Naruto leaped down from his chair, clenched his right hand into a fist, and said excitedly.

"Big brother, let's go train!"

"Are you insane?"

Hidezawa rolled his eyes. After paying the smiling, squint-eyed owner, he turned to Naruto.

"Don't you have school tomorrow? Hurry up and go home!"

"Oh."

Hearing that, little Naruto wilted somewhat. He still wanted to learn more so he could show off at school someday.

But he did not dare argue much with Hidezawa. Hidezawa was one of the few people who did not hate him and was good to him!

"Also, don't go picking mushrooms in the mountains by yourself. Even if you pick some and want to eat them, don't drag me into it. You'd better find Lord Hokage."

Hidezawa rubbed his chin, then suddenly smiled after thinking for a moment.

"I think Lord Hokage would be more than happy to share some good food with you!"

No one was monitoring Hidezawa's contact with Naruto anymore. Other than having to write reports explaining certain matters, everything else was fine.

And Hidezawa had no resistance to writing reports whatsoever. Those were all missions, after all!

But today had been rather absurd. Hidezawa's team happened to have a patrol mission.

Shisui did not seem to have changed his attitude toward Hidezawa because of the Chunin Exams. At present, either he was pretending, or Itachi Uchiha truly had not said anything.

After completing the mission, Hidezawa had planned to walk Yugao home. However, Yugao intended to continue her studies at the Medical Department, so Hidezawa could only leave alone.

What he never expected was that he would run into Naruto just as Naruto returned from Konoha Back Mountain with a basket full of mushrooms.

Looking at Naruto's excited expression as he prepared to invite him to drink Mushroom Soup together, then at the basket of bright red, dazzling, multicolored mushrooms...

For a moment, he could not help wondering whether Naruto was trying to assassinate him.

But he quickly decided that Naruto truly deserved to be called a little cockroach. He had not died from this.

"Eh? Big brother doesn't like mushrooms?"

Naruto blinked and asked somewhat dejectedly. Hidezawa merely smiled and shook his head.

"No. Little guy, you need to understand what it means to respect the elderly and care for the young. Good things like this should naturally go to the elderly first. Isn't Lord Hokage the elder you should respect most?"

After thinking it over carefully, Naruto nodded earnestly.

"I understand. Next time, I'll bring them for Grandpa Hokage to drink!"

"Alright, hurry home."

Hidezawa nodded in satisfaction and gave Naruto a push to get him moving.

"Remember to make more friends at school. Kids won't have that much ill will toward you.

If you can, make some rich friends. You still owe me quite a few bowls of ramen."

"..."

Naruto staggered, probably because Hidezawa had pushed him too hard.

But Hidezawa did not concern himself with that. He simply turned and headed home on his own.

As he walked, he could not help thinking about Naruto.

That kid's performance at school is really worrying.

Naruto was not particularly disruptive yet because people were not familiar with him. Having suffered violence and cold violence for years, he naturally still held himself back somewhat.

But once he realized that pranks could draw people's attention, that kid would dare splash paint all over the faces of the Past Hokage!

The more he wants everyone's recognition, the more he tries to make his presence felt. But the more he does that, the more everyone hates him. It's a vicious cycle.

At that thought, Hidezawa shook his head. He actually felt somewhat regretful.

There was no portrait of Danzo on Hokage Rock.

Still, Danzo probably would never have one for his entire life!

Shihara Hidezawa

Body Comprehensive Quality: LV7

Chakra: LV7

Abilities: Flying Thunder God Technique LV6, Wind Release LV6, Earth Release LV6, Water Release LV5, Cursed Seal LV4, Yin Release LV3, Yang Release LV2

Free Points: 3

As he walked, Hidezawa simply opened his panel.

Although he had remained in the village during this period, he had not relaxed his efforts to improve himself.

The only pity was that without major missions to support him, and with Konohagakure being relatively peaceful lately, he had not received many missions.

He had gained rather few Free Points, but at least he had raised his Cursed Seal to LV4!

What a pity. Reaching LV5 is the level of a jonin. Looks like I still haven't farmed enough.

Hidezawa could not help grumbling inwardly, but he had to admit that this improvement was still quite good for him!

The Cursed Seal enhanced him across the board. Although LV3 and LV4 were still within the same tier, its power and duration had both improved to a certain extent.

The duration in particular was what Hidezawa valued most!

Then this time, I'll add it to Yang Release.

As he pondered, Hidezawa's Yang Release immediately became LV3, while his Free Points instantly dropped to 1.

The increase in Yang Release immediately made Hidezawa feel as though his body had changed again. The power hidden within Yang Release kept gathering.

He seemed to sense that, once he activated that power, his physical strength could immediately rise again, which would undoubtedly bring better results in battle!

I still have too few Free Points. I wanted to try becoming Hashirama Senju, but now I've become Tobirama Senju instead.

Feeling the changes within himself, Hidezawa silently grumbled.

Flying Thunder God, Water Release, superb physical qualities, and reaction speed—wasn't that basically Tobirama Senju?

The only shortcoming was that he had too few secret techniques. He could not reach the level where every raised hand brought either Water Release or forbidden techniques, but a "budget version" was still acceptable.

Still, I need to work harder. This is far from enough.