Now You're Talking, I'm Interested!

Before the two even reached the Hokage Building, Observation Haki had already clearly sensed quite a few powerful presences hidden within.

It could only be said that this truly was Konoha's most central location!

Soon, under Might Guy's lead, Neji arrived outside the Hokage Office.

Might Guy lightly knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

At the sound of an aged voice, Might Guy led Neji inside.

"Lord Hokage, I have brought Hyuga Neji."

"Hyuga Neji greets Lord Hokage!"

The Third Hokage glanced at Neji and slowly said, "Mm, very good."

Looking at Neji, he could not help recalling his father, Hizashi, and spoke with emotion.

"Your father, Hizashi, was also an outstanding ninja. Unfortunately, I was unable to stop what happened back then. That has always been a regret of mine."

Neji fell silent. "That was Father's choice!"

Did he truly not understand the reasons and circumstances behind it?

The Third Hokage sighed softly. Seeing that Neji showed not the slightest reaction, he did not bring up the matter again.

"Still, your excellence has greatly surprised me. Hizashi had an exceptional son."

With such a kindly, gratified tone, an ordinary ninja would likely have been deeply moved by those words alone.

The Third Hokage truly held tremendous prestige in Konoha!

Neither humble nor overbearing, Neji said in a deep voice, "Lord Hokage, you flatter me!"

The Third Hokage smiled, pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke.

"According to Guy's report, while in the Eight Gates state, you can control a portion of your Chakra to heal yourself?"

"Yes!"

"Can you do that now?"

Neji nodded. The Space Gate within him opened instantly, and the faint sounds of dragons roaring and tigers growling emerged.

The Third Hokage's eyes flickered slightly. This sound... was exactly as Guy had reported.

A hazy green glow covered Neji's hand. It was the most basic technique among Medical Ninjutsu.

Healing Technique

Only then did the Third Hokage show slight emotion. If Medical Ninjutsu could truly be used after opening the Eight Gates, then the technique's applicability would be greatly enhanced.

Yet the Third Hokage's vision was naturally not so limited. If ordinary ninja could all initially use Medical Ninjutsu, how many casualties would that reduce? How much could it raise survival rates?

At that thought, the Third Hokage felt stirred. If it were possible, it might bring about a revolution.

At the same time, he thought of Tsunade. During the ninja wars, it was precisely because of Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu that Konoha's casualties had been reduced by more than half compared to other ninja villages.

These were all results brought about by Medical Ninjutsu. Its value was immense.

Though somewhat excited inside, the Third Hokage remained exceptionally composed as he looked at Neji.

"How did you manage to control the Chakra from the Eight Gates to heal yourself?"

"Through tattoos!"

Neji replied as he removed his shirt, revealing the Dragon and Tiger tattoo across his body.

The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes slightly. He could sense that as the Eight Gates' Chakra passed through those tattoos, a portion of it was forcibly retained.

However, he could not discern the principle behind how the tattoos forcibly controlled it.

This made him ask, "How do these tattoos forcibly control Chakra and create a healing effect?"

"If others used them, could they achieve the same effect as you?"

That was the most crucial point. If others could achieve the same effect...

The Third Hokage could already foresee what the future would look like. Konoha would become even more prosperous.

"Actually, this was an accident. The locations where the tattoos are spread connect Chakra acupoints, accidentally allowing a portion of Chakra to be forcibly controlled. I do not fully understand it myself."

The reason behind the tattoos had already been known to Hiashi when he reached level twenty.

He would never reveal a flaw!

"However, I do not know whether they would work for others. Chakra acupoints are extremely important, and I do not even know exactly which Chakra acupoints produce these effects."

"This will require time to fully understand, as well as experiments. But it feels a lot like Sealing Jutsu to me?"

Neji explained. No one understood Chakra pathways and acupoints better than the Hyuga Clan.

The Gentle Fist targeted Chakra acupoints, using one's own Chakra to block the enemy's crucial acupoints and thereby silence them.

When Chakra could not circulate properly, ninjutsu could not be used.

It was rather like saying that while the Hyuga Clan had no specialties beyond the Byakugan and Gentle Fist, they could make you have no specialties either.

Garen called him an expert!

The Third Hokage nodded slightly. That did seem possible. Chakra acupoints?

This touched upon a gap in his knowledge. Although he understood them, his research did not run as deep as the Hyuga Clan's.

But it resembled Sealing Jutsu?

This made him frown as he looked at Neji.

"Why do you think it resembles Sealing Jutsu?"

Neji fell silent and touched his eyepatch, seemingly unwilling to explain the reason.

Seeing this, the Third Hokage understood somewhat.

The Hyuga Estate's tradition?

Caged Bird Seal

Back then, in order to avoid being branded with that technique, this child had forcibly dug out his own Byakugan. No wonder he had studied Sealing Jutsu.

"Then do you think it is possible for others to achieve this effect as well?"

"I believe it is, but it will require time, as well as... Sealing Jutsu materials for verification."

The Third Hokage pondered slightly.

"Sealing Jutsu? That would not be impossible."

"Could it achieve the same effect you have now?"

Neji was slightly stunned. He suddenly thought of something and said somewhat strangely, "Does Lord Hokage mean controlling Chakra, or using the Healing Technique?"

Neji's question took the Third Hokage somewhat by surprise.

"What is the difference?"

"The effect of the acupoints only forcibly controls a portion of Chakra. It does not produce Medical Ninjutsu."

"I used the Medical Ninjutsu myself."

The Third Hokage was momentarily speechless, then could not help smiling. He had been blinded by appearances.

He shot Might Guy a glance. That fellow's report had misled him and caused this misunderstanding.

Might Guy gave an embarrassed smile. Faulty intelligence was a major taboo for ninja.

"So I misunderstood!"

The Third Hokage's tone was filled with disappointment. If anyone with the tattoos could use Medical Ninjutsu to heal themselves, that truly would have been a discovery capable of changing the entire landscape.

"However, if it is merely about achieving a healing effect, that should also be possible."

The Third Hokage's gaze immediately sharpened as he looked at Neji, waiting for his explanation.

"According to my research, stimulating certain Chakra acupoints can stimulate cells, which can also heal the body."

Medical Ninjutsu itself was a category of ninjutsu in which the caster used Chakra to stimulate cells, thereby healing a patient's wounds. Through changes in form, it could also detoxify and attack.

"Is that true?"

"It is!"

The Third Hokage immediately perked up. Now that they were talking about this, he was interested.

If it merely controlled a portion of the Eight Gates' Chakra, its value would not be high.

But if it could produce the effects of Medical Ninjutsu and heal the body, then its value would be immense!